Sorry about the cliffhanger. That chapter was difficult to write and there was no good place to end it. Thanks for all the feedback!

This chapter is rated R for sexuaul situations. If you are easily offended, this chapter is not for you.

Chapter 19

Remus had went immediately to the second floor, he couldn't say why, but he knew she was here. He had been through umpteen rooms and was getting angrier with each empty one. As he got nearer to the end of the corridor he stopped dead in his tracks. Running water, he thought as hope filled him.

He tore up the hall as he followed the sound. He stopped outside the door and pressed his ear against it. The water was definitely coming from this room.

"Alohamora!" He said. Unlike with the other doors he had used the charm on, this one did nothing. Now he was even more sure she was in there.

"Bombarda! " He yelled forcefully and watched the door blow in. He waited until the dust settled before entering.

"Lika!" He called as he searched the room for her.

"Lika? Where are you?" He shouted again. He ran around the room looking in the corners and closets but still didn't find her. Then it occurred to him that the water sound must be the tub and he ran across the room to the other door, his heart lighter than it had been since Dumbledore had given him his memory back.

He peeked in the room first, not wanting to disturb her. He didn't see her but a piece of paper caught his eye. He walked over and bent to retrieve it. As he read her short note to Malfoy his short lived happiness vanished in an instant.

He glanced around carefully for a sign of her.

Catching sight of her hair floating upward from the bottom of the tub caused a wrench in his gut. He peered over the side of the tub and saw her. She wasn't moving and looked quite pale. He ripped the stopper out of the drain and leaned forward to lift her sopping wet body from the tub. He laid her gently on the floor and looked into her face.

Remus grabbed her hand and pressed his fingers to her pulse. Nothing. He leaned down to press his ear against her heart. Again there was nothing.

"No! Dammit Lika. No! Come back." He said as tears stung his eyes.

He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers to try and bring life back to her. Her lips were so cold and stiff and she still wasn't breathing.

He was vaguely aware that Sirius and Dumbledore had joined him upstairs but he didn't care. Lika was dead and he felt utterly destroyed. He pulled her limp body to him as sobs tore through him and tears began to course down his cheeks and fall onto hers.

"Lika, please. No. I love you. I never got to tell you. You can't be dead. Please." He whispered in misery. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips as his tears continued to fall on her face.

"Love, tears and blood. Of course!" Remus heard Dumbledore whisper enigmatically.

Dumbledore took his wand from his robes and moved to stand by Remus and Lika. He took Lika's hand, gave her finger a small prick and watched joyfully as blood began to appear at the tip.

"Hey! Quit it!" Remus said angrily as he swatted Dumbledore's hand away.

"It's the only way. Trust me." Dumbledore said ambiguously. With that he grabbed Remus' hand and pricked his also.

When their blood had beaded on their fingertips Dumbledore reached for both of their hands and pressed their fingers together so they were melding as one.

Remus watched in mute fascination, the color was starting to come back to Lika's face and her skin was warming back up. When he saw her eyes flutter behind her lids and her lips part to take a deep breath he felt a leap in the pit of his stomach.

"Come Sirius. Let's leave them." Dumbledore said softly.

Remus looked back gratefully as the two men started to leave.

"Hey." He said as they reached the door. They turned to look at him. "Thanks."

Sirius nodded and Dumbledore smiled and with that they left.

Remus turned to face Lika again and brought her closer to him as he ran his hands up her chilled arms. He dully noticed he was almost as wet as she was from holding her but couldn't bring himself to care. She was safe and that's what mattered.

"Lika?" He said softly.

Lika heard her name and tried to focus, but everything seemed so fuzzy. She felt as if she'd been run over by a mack truck.

"Lika?" the voice said again tenderly.

It sounds like Remus, but how can it be. Is this life after death? This won't be all that bad then. Wait a minute, if I'm dead and Remus is here does that mean he's dead too?

Slowly she realized he was stroking her hair but it felt very real. If only I could get my eyes to open.

Sluggishly she forced her eyes open and found herself staring into Remus' handsome face. She saw relief wash over his stressed features and his eyes brightened.

"Remus?" She said tentatively.

"Oh thank Merlin!" He said as he gathered her close and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Yes, love. It's me. Are you ok?"

"I think so. I'm so cold." She said through her shivers.

"Of course you are. Your drenched. Let's go get you out of these wet clothes." He asked as he stood then knelt to lift her from the floor.

Lika was very thankful for that, she wasn't sure she could walk. She felt strangely weak.

"Could you grab those two towels we when walk by them?" He said.

She nodded and snatched them off the rack as they passed. Remus set her gently on the floor in the suite. He began unbuttoning her blouse and pushed that gently off her shoulders, followed by her bra. The cold air hit her wet skin and she trembled even harder. He pushed her wet skirt and panties down her hips so she was standing there naked. He tried not get aroused but it was damn near impossible when he was around Lika.

He ignored his raging erection and began toweling her dry. He wrapped her long hair in one towel and with the other began rubbing her vigorously to rev up her blood flow.

Lika let him rub her tenderly and was very glad for his presence. He was a comforting warmth to her weary soul. Dully she realized her Inner Eye had come back. Malfoy must be gone since the spells are lifted, she thought and suddenly she had a million questions.

"What happened? How did you find me? Why do you remember me? Where's Malfoy?" She fired at him with a renewed energy.

Remus shook his head and smiled softly. This is why I love her, he thought. He was bursting to tell her but he didn't want the moment tainted by the surroundings so he settled for explaining the days up till now, granted there was a lot missing since he had been unconscious for four days but she didn't seem to notice or mind. He dressed her in warm dry clothes as he spoke and when she was dressed he pulled her into his arms, smiling when she went so willingly.

"Did you drown yourself?" He asked when he had finished his story and he watched her nod.

"How did you do it?" He asked, though he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to know.

"It was the only option I had. I held my breath until I passed out. The water did the rest. It took everything I had in me not to come back up but the thought of Voldemort rising made me stay under. I'll be damned if I help Malfoy." She said vindictively.

"Now you won't have to worry about that anymore. He'll be in Azkaban for long time. Ready to get out of here?" He asked gently.

"Most definitely." She said with a repressed shudder.

They went straight to Remus' house where he proceeded to fuss over her. Lika was secretly loving it. After he had cooked her a delicious dinner, he grabbed a bottle of wine and settled them in front of the fireplace. The scene was eerily like a week ago that she got goose bumps for a moment before he rubbed them away with his attentive hands. She was sitting in front of him with her back snuggled into his chest and his arms were wrapped around her tightly. She sighed with contentment as love seeped through her but it was put on hold by Remus' melancholy.

"What is it Remus?" She asked and felt his arms tighten around her.

"I almost lost you dammit. You were dead Lika. If Dumbledore hadn't been there..." He said through a closed throat.

"I'm sorry. It was the only way. I didn't think you would remember me after Malfoy's memory charm. I gave it till the final day, hoping for a rescue, but no one came. And I had to take action before Malfoy came to me." She said sadly. She felt a wetness in her hair and realized he was crying.

Remus turned her around in his arms and tugged her into his lap. They gazed into each others eyes searchingly.

"I will always come for you Lika." He said seriously through his tears.

Lika pulled his head toward hers and kissed him with all the emotion in her being. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as she slipped her tongue in his mouth. She broke away and began raining kisses over his face. She kissed his tears away gently and whispered incoherently.

Remus was hard with desire, her soft kisses pushing him to the brink quickly. He pulled her upward and kissed her passionately. He kissed his way down the hollow of her throat and continued till he reached the sensitive spot below her ear.

"Remus!" She hissed.

He stopped his tender ministrations as a thought suddenly occurred to him. This is the moment, don't let it pass you by again.

"Hold on a minute. We need to talk." He said firmly.

Lika felt the air whoosh out of her lungs at his words. Talk, she thought with frustration.

"Can't it wait?" She asked impatiently as she kissed his neck again.

"I think you'll want to hear this." He said with a smile.

"What is it?" She said as she leaned back slightly.

"I'm in love with you Lika." He said as he stared determinedly in her eyes. He saw happiness and hope spark.

"Really?" She asked uncertainly, though her heart was singing.

He nodded and pulled her close.

"I think I have been from the first time I woke with you in my arms, I was just too much of an idiot to tell you. When I thought you were dead, I felt like a part of me died with you; like I couldn't carry on anymore. You are the center of my universe and the other half of my missing soul. I love you Lika, with all my heart." He said emotionally.

"Oh Remus. You don't know how desperately I've wanted to hear those words! I love you too. You make me a complete person." She said as tears shimmered in her eyes.

"Oh darling." He said as he pulled her to him for a heart-wrenching kiss.

Lika felt like she was drowning in sensation, this kiss was unlike any other they had shared. This one was filled with mutual love and passion. In her opinion it was the best kiss yet and when she felt Remus deepen the kiss she couldn't repress her moan.

He shifted their position and pressed her to the floor. He sank his fingers into the silky strands of her hair as he held her head still so he could probe deeply into the recesses of her mouth with his tongue. Remus felt her writhing beneath him and began to run his hands over her skin.

Lika tore her mouth away and gave a sharp intake of breath when he touched her breast. "Oh Remus!" She cried.

Remus lifted her sweater over her head and ran his fingers up her flamed skin. She sucked in a breath and waited impatiently while he worked deftly on the clasp of her bra. When her breasts were free he leaned in to capture a nipple in his teeth and Lika arched more fully into his touch.

She began pulling frantically at his shirt and in a heartbeat it was off but she didn't stop at his shirt. She worked his jean snap and zipper and just as quickly they were gone also. She grasped his hardness in her hand and felt him shudder.

"Impatient little wench, aren't you?" He teased.

Lika answered by leaning into him and kissing her way down the column of his throat as she continued to stroke him. She felt his hands on her own jean buttons and backed away a little to allow him better access. His fingers brushed against her panties as he pulled them off and she wriggled against him.

They were skin to skin as they stroked each other lovingly to a fevered pitch.

When she thought she was about to burst, she grabbed for his hands and pressed her palms to his. Love was coursing from him into her and back again. She looked into his gray eyes as he entered her and she felt an unknown serenity.

"Remus!" She cried over and over as he plunged into her. Each time he withdrew was answered with a cry from him of her name.

When Remus felt his orgasm coming he looked into her passion filled eyes and said "I love you Lika." With that he went over the edge and spilled himself into her.

Seconds later Lika felt the waves of ecstacy crash over her as she felt her body convulse around him. "I love you more." She said as she stroked his hair.

He collapsed against her, completely spent. Her fingers in his hair felt wonderful and when he told her that he felt her smile against his forehead.

Remus rolled them over so she was laying flush on top of him and wrapped his arms around her.

"That was breathtaking." Lika muttered into his neck.

"Absolutely spectacular." He agreed. "I can feel you."

Lika looked at him in amusement as she glanced down at their intertwined bodies.

"You think?" She said as she smiled at him.

"No. I mean I can feel you." He said again.

"Oh." She said as comprehension dawned on her. "It's because of our joined love. Seer's mates can feel their emotions when they touch."

"Ahhh. So we're connected forever." He asked.

"I'm afraid so. You're stuck with me forever." She said suddenly nervous. "Do you regret telling me you love me?"

"Definitely not. On the contrary, forever doesn't seem nearly long enough." Remus said as he gazed lovingly into her green eyes. "I will love you for infinity Lika."

"Oh, Remus. I don't think I've ever been this happy. I'll love you for....wait, what's longer than infinity." She said but was saved from thinking by Remus kissing her silent.