Author's Note: This chapter refers to some of the events in Chapter 8 in Old and New Relations.

I can tell school has started because reviews are just trickling in now. :-)

I will be posting the next (and final) chapter in this story on Monday (9/6). Then…drum roll, I will start posting my new Sirius story. :-)

Chapter 44 Homecoming

Cassius had been gone for a month, returning in time for their anniversary, the day of the next full moon. He arrived at Grimmauld Place tired, hungry and achy. He went almost straight up to Remus's room. Being greeted by a high-strung wolf was one way to celebrate an anniversary he reflected. He unlocked the door and cautiously opened it. He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. In a flash, a large grey wolf was by his side. He crouched down to greet it.

"I heard you howl. You have bruises tomorrow from bashing that door." He reached his hands out and rubbed behind the wolf's ears. Cassius gazed around the room, it was dimly lit by the fire. There was a comfortable looking bed in the corner next to a table with a stack of books on it. He looked down at the wolf again. It was always strange to think of Remus being inside this animal.

The wolf whined.

"I missed you too. But I had to be gone. I'm sorry. It was worth it though, I found out a lot."

The wolf whined again, setting a big paw on Cassius's left shoulder for a moment.

"I know…I love you too. Happy anniversary." Cassius watched the wolf tilt his head. "You didn't think I'd remember? Well…I didn't…Tabby reminded me. It's our 10th…that's a big thing, isn't it? When you're human again, I have all sorts of plans for you." The wolf licked his face causing Cassius to laugh. "I have to go file a report at the Ministry. I'll come back in the morning."

He hugged the wolf before standing up, burying his face in the rough fur. He took a deep breath and could smell the faint scent of lavender from Remus's shampoo. He gave the wolf one last pat.

"I love you."

The wolf gave a short yodeling howl in response.

Cassius went back down into the kitchen and was talked into having dinner with Sirius and his guests. Molly Weasley's cooking was almost as good as Tabby's and he was hungry.

He returned in the morning to see Remus. He met Sirius halway up the first flight of stairs.

"I heard the knock." Sirius said, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Kreacher got there first. Sorry." Cassius said, noticing Sirius had dark smudges under his eyes.

"I knew it had to be you when I heard Kreacher run past my door. I just thought I'd better check."

"Good idea."

"'Constant Vigilance', eh?" Sirius smiled. Cassius smiled back. "Remus is still up in his room. Molly will be fixing breakfast soon, come down when you're ready." Sirius walked down the steps towards the kitchen. Cassius nodded before running up the rest of the stairs to Remus.

"Remus?" Cassius opened the door. Remus was lying on the bed, huddled under the covers. Even from across the room, Cassius could see he was shivering. He looked over towards the fire which was dying out. He stuck his head out the door. "Kreacher!" In a moment, Kreacher was bowing before him. "Bring wood. In the future, don't let the fire in this room die down. Understand me?"

"Yes, Master Cassius. You wish Kreacher to keep the werewolf warm. Kreacher will do your bidding. Mistress loves Master Cassius, even if he does love the half-blood dark creature."

"The wood." He repeated coolly. Kreacher vanished and reappeared a moment later standing next to the fire with a bundle of wood. He added the wood to the fire. In a moment it was blazing brightly.

"Thank you, Kreacher, that will be all."

"Yes, Master Cassius." Kreacher nodded. "Mistress requests you visit her."

"Tell her I will." Kreacher bowed low and then scurried out the door.

Cassius closed the door and locked it. "Baby, I'm sorry, it will warm up soon." He walked quickly over to the bed and laid down, gathering Remus into his arms. Remus moaned in pain.

"What's the matter?" Cassius asked immediately.

"I think my shoulder's dislocated." Remus tried to snuggle closer in spite of it.

Cassius gently pushed Remus onto his back and felt his shoulder. "It is. That will teach you to try to break through a door. Ready?" Remus nodded, gritting his teeth. Cassius popped the joint back in place. "Did you think I wouldn't come see you last night?"

"I wanted to make sure you would. I had to know you were all right." Remus's voice was soft. "I was so worried about you."

"And I was all right, wasn't I?" Cassius pulled off his coat, he reached in a pocket and pulled out the healing salve. He smoothed the salve over Remus's shoulder and watched the huge bruise fade. "Is that the only one?" Remus nodded. Cassius set down the salve and pulled Remus back into his arms, Remus buried his head in Cassius's neck. He felt Remus relax as the heat from the fire radiated through the room. "Sirius said you haven't been eating lately."

"I tried. I couldn't." Remus's voice was muffled against Cassius's skin as he tried to snuggle even closer. "Happy Birthday."

"Can I have my birthday sex now?" Cassius asked, brushing his mouth against Remus's. Remus nodded and Cassius stood and quickly pulled off his clothing. Remus watched silently as Cassius's muscular body was revealed. Cassius got under the covers and pulled Remus towards him.

Remus stroked his hands over Cassius's back as they kissed, feeling the muscles clench under the old scars that criss-crossed his mate's back.

"Where's my present?" Cassius whispered as he kissed Remus's neck.

Remus sighed with pleasure as Cassius's hot hands searched over his body. "It's at Windy Corner." Remus swirled his tongue around Cassius's ear. "Put a silencing charm on my room, please. I don't want them to hear you yelling out my name."

"Me yelling? More like you yelling." Cassius felt a bolt of desire course through his body as Remus licked the bite mark on his shoulder.

Cassius was kissing down Remus's neck when Remus suddenly felt lightheaded and everything went gray.

"Remus! Remus!" Cassius was shaking him, sounding panicked.

"What? Sorry." Remus raised a trembling hand to his head, he felt dizzy and cold.

"You need to eat. Damn it, why didn't you eat?" Cassius sat up quickly, pulling his clothes back on.

"I couldn't. Don't be mad at me." Remus rolled over, reaching for Cassius.

"Remus, you're thin enough as it is, you can't not eat." Cassius stood and went to get clothes for Remus out of the closet.

"I didn't know where you were."

"You knew I was alive." Cassius replied calmly. "I'm sorry I couldn't owl the past couple weeks." He helped Remus to sit up and dressed him in a sweater, boxers and jeans. Remus submitted silently to the handling. Cassius crouched down in front of where Remus sat on the bed to put shoes on his feet.

"I waited every day to feel the bond break," Remus said softly, reaching out to touch Cassius's face. "I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat. I had panic attacks. I could barely focus enough to read or to talk to Sirius. I just waited." As the days went by and there had been no word from Cassius, Remus's active imagination had provided him with many disturbing possibilities of where Cassius was. "He took away everyone I cared about once, I can't live through it if it happens again. I can't." Remus whispered brokenly, feeling tears start to well up in his eyes.

A moment later he was being held so tightly, Remus couldn't breathe. "It won't happen again." Cassius said fervently.

"You can't know that, you can't promise me that." Remus's voice was thick with emotion.

"You're right. I can't promise that…I wish I could." Cassius kissed Remus gently. "I do promise you I will do everything in my power to keep us both alive." Remus nodded, unable to speak anymore around the large lump in his throat. "Let's get you something to eat."

A few minutes later, they were in the kitchen having breakfast with Sirius, Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. Cassius had stopped to say visit briefly with his aunt's portrait on the way. Remus leaned against Cassius as he slowly ate some toast.

"Remus said it's your birthday today." Molly Weasley said as she sipped her tea.

"Uh huh."

"Happy birthday." Harry said with a grin.

"Thanks." Cassius smiled back. Harry's smile got wider. Cassius was happy that Harry seemed to like him, he remembered Harry hugging him when he'd given Harry the foe glass in the summer.

"And how old are you?"

"He's 32." Remus answered when Cassius had seemed to start counting in his head.

"I thought your birthday was on Christmas." Sirius said with a touch of confusion.

"No."

"Why did we always have a cake for you on Christmas then?"

"Because Aunt always insisted." Cassius responded, mimicking Sirius's tone.

"Why?" Sirius persisted.

"Because my actual birthday was spent learning dark magic so I didn't get a cake." Cassius answered calmly. "And Aunt thought I should get a cake." Cassius took a bite of his eggs, watching Remus carefully. "Speaking of cake, Tabby baked a birthday cake for me. You could all come over to Windy Corner this evening."

"We can have it here." Remus said softly, knowing Cassius didn't like to have people over to their house.

"No, we can't. Because I'm taking you home as soon as you're done eating and you're staying there for a few days." Cassius kissed Remus's temple and Remus nodded.

"A birthday party would be fun. Give us all something nice to focus on." Molly said, smiling. Arthur was still in hospital with the snake bite but was recovering well.

"Good. Come over at 7 for dinner." Cassius turned back to Remus. "You done?"

Remus nodded, he'd managed to eat two pieces of toast, his stomach was still in a knot. He just wanted to get home now. "Thank you for breakfast, Molly."

"You're welcome, Remus. Glad to see you eating again."

Remus stood up and swayed slightly, going paler. Cassius stood up quickly and pulled Remus into his arms just as he fainted again.

"Thank you for breakfast, Molly." Cassius said quickly before Disapparating home, Remus still held tightly to his chest.

"Tabby!" Cassius called as soon as they were in Windy Corner. He heard her footsteps down the stairs.

"What is it?" Tabby walked quickly into the kitchen.

"Remus hasn't been eating, for about a week, Sirius said." Cassius was starting to feel panicky as he looked down at Remus who was still unconscious. Tabby put her hand on his forehead and Remus's eyes fluttered open.

"Hello, dearie." Tabby caressed Remus's thin cheek. Remus's eyes fluttered shut again. "Get him in bed, I'll get some potions. Did he eat before you brought him home?"

"He ate some toast."

"I'll make him some potatoes and eggs. I'll bring it up."

Cassius nodded before carrying Remus up to their room.

"You don't need to be at work?" Remus asked weakly, regaining consciousness as Cassius set him on their bed and pulled his shoes off.

"I have a week off, for working so much this past month." Cassius took off Remus's clothes and tucked Remus under the covers.

"So you were gone for work?"

"Yes, I was, for some of it." Cassius was quiet as he waved his hand at the fireplace making the wood there burst into flames. "I also saw Luke, went to a Death Eater party, heard their sales pitch, was asked to join, and said I'd think about it."

"Oh." Remus felt too weak and drained to be upset or scared.

"I'll expect you to get really upset at me when you've gotten some rest and some food."

"Here you go." Tabby came in carrying a tray. She set it over Remus's lap. His stomach growled as he smelled the delicious food. "I expect this all to be eaten, Remus Lupin. First, drink this." Tabby gave him a glass full of a milky looking liquid. Remus knew from past experience that it was a nasty tasting combination strengthening and nutrient potion. Remus drank it obediently. "And this." She handed him another small glass filled with a calming potion, he drank it too. "And this." Remus felt steam pour out of his ears.

"I hate pepper-up potion." He grumbled, feeling much better in spite of his complaint. Tabby smiled gently.

"I'll bring up lunch at noon." Tabby turned on Cassius. "No sex until he's eaten."

"Of course not." Cassius said immediately, intimidated by the glare Tabby was giving him.

"You can read him the articles from the Prophet if he stays awake." Tabby handed Cassius the newspaper and walked out of the room, heels clicking on the wood floor.

"Come sit with me." Remus patted the bed beside him. Cassius walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Why are you way over there? I'm cold." Cassius move right next to Remus, putting his arm around Remus's shoulders and pulling him tight against his side.

"Better now?"

"Much." Remus rested his head back against Cassius's shoulder as he started to eat.

"Do I really have to read you the articles?"

"Yes." Remus smiled. The next forty minutes was spent with Cassius reading from the Daily Prophet, punctuated with comments like "That's shit, it didn't have happen like that" and "This is such rubbish!" and "I can't believe I'm fucking reading this!" and "They actually have a horoscope? What's my sign?"

"I'm done eating now." Remus put his fork down, he'd cleaned his plate. Tabby's cooking was delicious as always.

"All right." Cassius didn't look up, he'd discovered the Daily Prophet Quidditch page.

"We can have sex now."

"Uh huh."

"You can fuck me now." Remus gave Cassius's ear a lick.

"Yeah." Cassius still didn't look up.

"Cassius Lupin!" Remus grabbed the paper away from him. "Did you hear what I said?"

"Uh. Yes?" Green eyes blinked at him.

"What'd I say then?"

"Oh…um..." Cassius looked down at Remus's tray. "You're done eating. Great, we can have sex now."

Remus shook his head as Cassius stood up and took the tray off of Remus's lap and set it on the floor.

"You do realize I will tell Liam and Jack that you read the Daily Prophet without being tortured into it."

"Aw, Remus, don't. I only read the Quidditch page."

"You read the whole thing! The Quidditch page is the last one!"

"But you made me read the rest!"

"Mmm." Remus crossed his arms.

"Don't tell them, please."

"I won't tell them if…"

"What?" Cassius asked anxiously.

"If you get naked and in bed with me." Remus wiggled down on the bed.

"I was going to do that anyway." Cassius drawled as he arched an eyebrow before quickly pulling off his clothes.

"I didn't finish. And you have to…um…" Remus couldn't think now that Cassius was standing in front of him naked. "Um… kiss me." He managed to get out.

"I'm planning to do much more than that." Cassius climbed into the bed gathered Remus close to him. "So you won't tell them?"

"No." Remus sighed as Cassius's limbs caressed his own. "I missed you so much. I can't even tell you how much I missed you."

"I understand, I missed you too."