.~*~*~*~*~.

Wolf.

.~*~*~*~*~.

Severus smiled, running his hand through Remus' hair before rubbing some more ointment into one of the bruises forming on his friends face, "How are you feeling?" He asked as Remus' eyes opened.

"Just achy." Remus mumbled, smiling slightly as Severus helped him sit up and then handed him a bar of chocolate, "Thank you."

"No problem." The spy smiled.

"Where's Sirius?" Remus asked, yawning before opening his bar of chocolate.

Severus sat on the edge of the bed, "Helping Lily make you breakfast," He said, "James and the boys are playing Quidditch in the garden and Luc had to go out, business stuff." He explained. Remus nodded, biting into the chocolate bar and smiling, closing his eyes and making Severus laugh, "You are such an addict." He said, Remus simply grinned and ate some more chocolate. Severus sighed, did Remus have any idea how erotic he made eating chocolate look?! Of course he did... Bloody bastard. "I'll go get Sirius." He mumbled, turning and fleeing the room. Remus stared after him in confusion before shrugging to himself and finishing the bar of chocolate.

The door opened a few minutes later and Sirius walked in, a tray of food floating behind him. "Morning gorgeous." Sirius smiled, placing the tray on the bedside table and climbing into the bed next to Remus, handing him a glass of pumpkin juice.

"Thanks Honey." Remus smiled, kissing Sirius softly before sipping at his drink.

"I love you." Sirius said quietly

"Love you more."

"Nuh huh." Sirius smiled, shaking his head.

Remus smiled, "Fine... Love you equally." He said, kissing Sirius again.

"Ewww...." Came Harry's voice from the doorway, "What? It is." He shrugged when they both looked at him, "Dad wants to know if you need any pain relief potions." He asked Remus.

The werewolf's face lit up, "Ooh please... that would be nice." He said,

Harry nodded and left the room, returning a moment later with two vials of potion. "He says to take one now and then another in an hour or so... At least I think that's what he said." The teenager frowned.

"Sounds about right." Remus smiled, "How are you?" He added, the teenager had pretty much avoided him since kissing Sirius and Remus was starting to miss him.

Harry shrugged, "I'm alright... How are you?"

"A bit achy but not bad considering." Remus smiled.

"Good... Good..." Harry said awkwardly, "I'll just... Leave you guys alone then." He added, turning and leaving quickly. Remus sighed quietly, wishing he could help the teenager but knowing that Harry wouldn't let him in.

Sirius frowned, watching Remus' expression turn sad, "It'll be okay babe, you'll see." He said soothingly.

"Hmm... No it wont, I've let him down too many times." Remus muttered.

"Baby -"

"Don't." Remus interupted, "I don't want to talk about it."

Sirius sighed, "Okay... Okay. So, you got enough energy to come downstairs and chat with the others?"

~*~*~*~*~HP~HP~*~*~*~*~

Remus gave a jolt as he woke up, he frowned and looked around the room, sighing when he found it empty, he must have fallen asleep whilst talking to James and Severus... Damnit! He hated it when that happened, made him seem weak and fragile. Remus looked up as the door opened and Harry walked in, crossing to the bookshelf and selecting a book, he glanced at Remus and frowned when he saw the man was awake, "Did I wake you up?"

"No, no." Remus smiled, sitting up slightly and brushing his hand through his hair.

Harry nodded, "Can I get you anything?"

"I'm fine thanks." Remus said, Harry nodded again and turned to leave the room, "Harry! You know you can talk to me right? About anything." Remus said gently.

Harry gave the werewolf an odd look, "Umm... Yeah, cheers Remus." He said before leaving. Remus sighed to himself again, finding himself missing the teenager immensely.

He looked up as the door opened again, this time it was Draco who walked in, "Hey... Dad." He said making Remus grin, they were slowly getting more used to each others company and Draco was getting more used to calling Remus dad. The teenager had yet to refer to Sirius in such a way though, which Remus knew was upsetting his husband yet didn't want to press Draco about for fear of pushing the boy away. "How are you feeling?" Draco asked, sitting down next to his father.

"Not bad, I'm getting too old for this though." Remus smiled, surprised when Draco turned pale.

"Don't say that!!" The teenager yelped.

Remus frowned, "Drake..."

"I read books okay! When I found out you were my dad I read books on werewolves... Most of them don't make it past forty... Do they?" The teenager whispered, tears in his eyes.

Remus sighed, "No, no they don't." He admitted.

"And you're already thirty seven."

"Yeah..."

"There must be something we can do..." Draco pleaded.

"The wolfsbane helps." Remus smiled, "Makes the transformations less taxing on my body. Look... Drake, don't worry about it okay? There are people working on cures all the time." He added, Draco gave a small nod and rested his head against Remus' shoulder, Remus smiled and ran his fingers through his son's hair, glad of the close relationship he and Draco were getting.

~*~*~*~*~HP~HP~*~*~*~*~

Remus looked up as Severus walked into the bedroom, closing the door behind himself, "Sirius told me you said you had a turn, he wants me to check you over." The spy said.

"I'm fine." Remus said, not even believing himself.

"Rem..." Severus sighed.

"I just felt dizzy." Remus muttered, "I might have blacked out for a few seconds... I don't know."

Severus nodded and cast a few diagnostic charms on Remus, getting the man to lie back on the bed, "Where were you?"

"Sat here, then I felt dizzy and next thing I know I'm lying down... Which is why I think I might have passed out."

Severus nodded again, "Your blood pressure's higher than it was even this time last month, and your heart rate is up too..." He said quietly, worry showing clearly on his face. Remus sighed, turning so that his head was buried in one of the pillows, he knew what Severus was trying to say, it was even clearer after his conversation with Draco earlier... He was dying, and no-one knew how long he might have left, how many more transformations his body could take. "Are you okay?" Severus asked gently, running his hand across Remus' back.

"Yes." Remus lied.

"Rem... It'll be fine, people are working on cures all the time- "

"Don't!" Remus interrupted, sitting up and scowling at the other man, "Just don't, that is the exact same bullshit I told Draco earlier when he started to worry! I'm not stupid Severus. I know what's going to happen." Remus wiped at his eyes when he felt them prickle with tears, "I'm not scared of dying, I've been expecting this since I was six years old... I just don't want to leave Sirius, or Draco... Not so soon after getting them back. I don't want to leave the rest of you either." He mumbled, managing a small smile when Severus sat next to him and pulled him into a tight hug.

"I'm not going to let it happen!" The spy said, "I'm going to do everything I possibly can to make sure it doesn't happen!" He promised, pulling back from Remus and pressing a soft kiss to the man's lips before moving away completely and standing up. "I'm going to go and fetch a potion to bring your blood pressure down a bit okay? And I'll get you a mug of tea, then you need to sleep." Remus nodded and watched the man leave, once he was gone Remus raised his fingers to his lips, had Severus even noticed that he'd kissed him? Or had it seemed so much like the right thing to do that Severus had missed that he'd done it? Remus gave a small sigh, as if his life wasn't complicated enough, he grumbled to himself.

~*~*~*~*~HP~HP~*~*~*~*~

Hope you enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you think.

SexySiri