Remus had placed a chair in the front hall, and sat there staring at the door, fighting madly against an urge to start pacing. He didn't like to pace it felt too animalistic, too much like the wolf. He knew his friends; one or the other was going to walk through that door any moment, having been fighting or… whatever in the woods all night, and they were going to need to talk. No couple, in the whole of the history of the wizarding world ever had as much trouble sorting out their relationship as Sirius Black, and Raven Blackwing. Before, at least, Remus had help. He hadn't always been the only one keeping them from killing one another. He used to have help from Lily and Iris, and James, and Peter. At times it seemed the whole of Gryffindor was concerned with their trials and tribulations. But now it was just Remus, and he had just about had enough. Remus straightened suddenly in his chair as the door creaked open.
In stepped Sirius Black, tired and scratched, presumably from running through the woods. Remus was across the room in seconds.
"Where have you been? I've been worried sick," he demanded. "One more minute and I would have assumed you caught." Sirius looked dejectedly up at him and seemed ready to apologize when it hit Remus exactly how badly things must've gone. "What happened?" he asked. "Where's Raven?"
"She's not back yet?"
"No, I thought she was with you… erm…talking."
"I don't know where she is."
"You didn't find her?" he asked.
Sirius looked up at him, and Remus knew the answer to the question without being told.
"Oh I found her alright, and we did talk" Sirius growled through gritted teeth. The poor man was beyond frustrated. "But as soon as I gave her the ring she turned and ran off into the woods. I couldn't keep up with her."
No one could keep up with Raven, not even you Sirius. Remus thought, the girl was fast, and it had been her saving grace many a time at Hogwarts.
"So she accepted the ring?" Remus probed. "She took the ring from you right?"
Sirius shoved his hand through his hair and grimaced.
"She took the ring. But she turned and ran into the woods Moony! She wouldn't look at me, wouldn't speak to me, she just kept running. Blimey! I'd forgotten how fast she was."
"She's scared and confused, Sirius. You've just waltzed right back into her life after making quite an exit. Give her time." Remus attempted to comfort his terribly upset companion.
Sirius snorted derisively.
"More time! Fourteen years, Moony! I've already been forced to waste fourteen years of my life. I don't want to wait anymore," he made a violent gesture with his fist. "Bloody difficult woman!" he growled. "I'm going to bed."
Remus stepped back as Sirius stormed past him into the den and flopped dejectedly onto the couch.
"The same could be said of some others, Padfoot my friend," he muttered, staring thoughtfully at the man sprawled on his couch. Sighing, Remus fixed himself a cup of tea in the kitchen and eased himself back into his chair.
Raven was going to have to come back eventually…
* * *
The pale gray of dawn was creeping across the grass when Raven returned to the house. Easing the door open she checked to see if anyone was awake. Remus was asleep in a chair in the front hall. Gathering up the hem of her dew soaked robes she began to tip-toe past him.
"Stop right there, young lady."
It was Remus, spinning on the spot she turned to see him looking sternly up at her from his chair. "You have some explaining to do my dear."
Raven glanced around nervously, noticing Sirius sound asleep on the couch. Seeing her glance Remus waved his hand dismissively.
"He won't wake up. You know that. The poor man spent half the night in the woods chasing after you."
Raven hung her head and stared at the floor. Remus shook his head and stood with a small sigh. Pulling a leaf from her hair with one hand and taking her arm in the other, he led her into the kitchen. Raven collapsed into the chair he pulled out for her, and sat in a sleep-deprived stupor, listening to Remus fixing tea. She watched the lint dance in the early morning sunlight that was now streaming through the kitchen windows. Remus eased into a chair across from her and handed her a steaming teacup. He watched as she sniffed the steam and took a grateful sip.
"Sirius told me what happened," he said.
"Did he?" Raven asked dryly, and found herself fixed with his stern gray stare again.
"Just tell me you still have the ring, Raven."
"Of course I still have the ring, Remus," she said quietly, staring into her cup.
"Sirius was very upset last night."
Raven continued to stare into her tea, trying to avoid those maddeningly sensible eyes.
"I know it seems like he's trying to move very fast." Remus went on, Raven looked up involuntarily. Subtlety had never been something she or Sirius was very good at, but Remus was being very perceptive. He nodded understandingly. "You have to remember that he's lost thirteen years of his life to Azkaban. He doesn't want to waste anymore time." Remus leaned forward and held Raven's hand. "I know you two love each other, fiercely. You're both just awful at expressing it."
Raven started to say something but Remus put up a hand for her silence.
"My suggestion to you is keep the ring. If you don't feel ready to wear it yet then don't."
"Remus-"
"And for crying out loud, quit with all this silence. I expect both of you to resume conversation as normal by tomorrow morning. It's depressing to have two of the loudest people I've ever met mope around my house all day. Quit it!"
Raven nodded slowly, pushing back from the table and heading for the door.
"Oh and Raven?" Remus added. "Change out of those robes and get some sleep. You look terrible."
Raven smiled tiredly and nodded again, before turning and leaving the kitchen. Pulling off her sodden robes she slipped into her warm bed, still fingering the tiny silver ring as she drifted off to sleep.
* * *