A/N: Hello! Sorry for the late post, but I was at an anime convention all weekend. For the record, it was awesome! I promise to post on time next time. Alright enough about me, on to our feature presentation!

Important Info: In italics at the top of every chapter, there is a date and time. It might help you understand the story better. It's not very long chapter wise and might feel too fast paced without the dates to insure the illusion of time. That's all.

Disclaimer: I bought several things at the convention, unfortunately the rights to Harry Potter wasn't one of them. Bummer.

The Memories

June 19th, 1998, 4:03 am

"Soon." It was almost as if the dementors could talk. Their hiss was low and pitchy, like a snake. They hovered around the entrance to his cell. There had to be at least a hundred of them; hissing and hovering, and waiting. "Soon."

The dementors were talking. They had wands too. Sirius reached into his pocket to get his, but it was gone. He tried to reach for his other pocket, but found he couldn't move his arms. He was chained to the wall. He heard a loud crack and the door was blasted open. Next thing he knew, he was surrounded by dementors. He let out a scream.

Tonks was awoken by a loud and murderous scream coming from her living room. She jumped out of bed, grabbed her wand, and dashed to find out what was going on. She feared the worst. What she saw was Sirius sprawled out over the floor, drenched in sweat, and screaming. She could only imagine what he was dreaming about. She had to wake him up before he hurt himself.

"Sirius!"

"Sirius Black." The dementor hissed. It was nose to nose with him now. Sirius didn't dare move in fear he may touch the horrid creature. The cloaked figure raised its wand to Sirius's face. "Cruico!"

He let out another scream, this time in anguish.

"Sirius! Please wake up please!"

"You have nowhere to go boy." The dementor laughed. It was toying with him. Sirius wanted to tell it to kill him and get it over with, but found he couldn't speak. He was gagged. "Say good bye Sirius Black!"

"SIRIUS!" Tonks was hysterical. Sirius opened his eyes and saw her. It was just her. No dementors. No chains. Just Tonks. She sighed in relief when the light returned to his eyes. He was gonna be okay. "Get up." She demanded, sounding meaner than she meant to. "Get back on the couch; I'll get you some tea."

Sirius did as he was told, although it was much harder than it should have been. His back ached. His mind ached. For a moment there he had felt like he was back in Azkaban surrounded by death eaters and dementors and all sorts of horrible creatures. He had had nightmares like this before, but Remus was always there to calm him when he awoke.

Remus. He understood true horrors. He could understand what it meant to be haunted by things from your past. Things you couldn't control. He needed that understanding right now; but Remus was gone. He was dead and gone. He felt his mouth go dry and his throat become heavy.

"No." He thought to himself. "No. Not here. Not now. I won't cry."

"Sirius?" He heard Tonks whisper. She peered down at him with concerned eyes. Not fake concern or pity, but true genuine concern. He took the tea from her and drank it in one gulp. He could feel it calming him. She must have laced it with some type of calming draught.

Tonks could see Sirius's body relax. She helped him lay himself down and curled up next to him. She would stay like this until he fell asleep, in hopes that it would help him.

It did. Her steady breathing relaxed him. She was warm like Remus was, and she had a firm grip. He normally hated to be held, but Remus (and apparently Tonks) was the exception. The calming draught took its affect and he fell asleep quickly in her strong arms.

Tonks didn't return to her room that night.

July 1st, 1998, 12:19 am

Sirius couldn't sleep. He was restless and he wasn't sure why. He should be tired as hell after the last few days he had had. Every auror in the department was being run ragged catching the remaining death eaters and dark creatures that were left in the world. Just this week his team had brought in four rogue giants and two snatchers. He should be sleeping like a baby right now, but alas he was pacing the living room that he had come to know as his home. He was about to consider taking a sleeping potion, when he heard the faint sound of crying coming from Tonks's room.

It was stupid. She knew it was and yet all she could do was cry. She buried her head in her knees hoping that Sirius couldn't hear her. She didn't want any attention right now. Well she did, but not from Sirius. From Remus. It was four years ago today that they had consummated their relationship and she wanted him there with her. It was stupid and childish, but she needed him.

"Tonks? You alright there girl?" Sirius cautiously entered her room. She was curled up at the end of her bed holding on to her knees for dear life.

"I'm sorry." She said, in a voice barely louder than a whisper. "I miss him."

Sirius didn't even need to ask. He knew who "he" was. It was unnerving seeing Tonks like that. She seemed so strong all the time. He had assumed for a while that she must be on drugs; it was impossible to be as upbeat as she was after what had happened. He saw now that it was all an act.

"Don't be." He whispered in reply. He laid down next to her and rubbed her back. She welcomed him into her arms and cried into his shoulder. Perhaps she had needed his attention after all. "You don't always have to be the strong one." He whispered into her ear.

Remus use to say that to her. It was weird to hear it again, but it was comforting. Soon the tears stopped and she drifted off into sleep. Once Sirius heard her breathing steady, he too was able to go to sleep. The restlessness was gone.

Sirius didn't return to the living room that night.

A/N: Thanks for reading! The next chapter will be up Saturday! Don't forget to review, favorite, or alert if you like it :D