Warning: swearing (represented by dash (-) lines)
AN: I'm sorry for the brief lull in this story. I was working hard to fix one of my other stories, "Darko," and couldn't stop writing. Anyway, at the request of a guest reviewer, I'm back! I hope you enjoy this chapter!
"Ow," Harry lay on the couch, watching cartoons when Remus placed a fresh ice pack on his sprained ankle.
"Sorry, Cub," Remus kissed his forehead in apology, "Need anything? Are you hungry?"
"No," Harry settled deeper into the couch pillow his head was rested on.
"Okay. Call if you do. He's so quiet lately," Remus walked into the kitchen, where he joined Sirius.
"He's done this since he was a toddler; when he's in pain he burrows inside himself. I have no idea if its actually healthy for him."
Remus sighed sadly, "Poor Cub..."
"He'll come back soon. As soon as his ankle feels better, he'll be yelling and jumping around just like normal. What do you want for dinner?"
"Nothing big. Oatmeal and tea is fine. I don't think I can stomach anything else," Remus sat at the kitchen table and buried his head in his hands.
"Hey," Sirius sat down with him, "What's wrong?"
"We left him, Siri. We promised him we would never leave him, and then what what do we do? We leave him! - good parents we are..."
"It was an accident, Remmie. We gave him all the tools he needed to be safe: a cell phone and the emergency numbers. Plus, we locked the door and checked the wards. He was safe. He just wasn't in a place he could get to any of the tools we gave him, that's all. And it's not his fault. It's not your fault. It's not my fault. It was a freak accident."
"He laid in his own urine for Merlin knows how long-!"
"Two hours..." they were interrupted by Harry's voice in the doorway.
"Pup, you're not supposed to be on your feet," Sirius hurried to where he was clinging to the doorframe to stay upright.
"What did you say?" Remus was speechless with horror.
"I was there for two hours. At least, I think so," as Sirius helped him to sit in a chair.
"Well that's just - great!" Remus threw up his hands, "I need to bite something."
"Remus, calm," Sirius admonished.
Remus rounded on him, "How can you be so - calm about this?! He could have gotten sick!"
"But he didn't. I'm calm because it is in the past, and no matter what we do, we can not change it. Think about it," and he left the room with Harry in his arms, leaving a stunned Remus standing alone in the middle of the kitchen, oatmeal and tea cooking on the stove.