(A/N: So Sorry! Go back to chapter 31 and reread it if you already haven't. I accidentally uploaded the wrong chapter last night.)

Stuck in a Moment

I'm not afraid
Of anything in this world
There's nothing you can throw at me
That I haven't already heard

"Hurry, this way!"

"Remus," Vala said slightly impatiently. "Where have they got her? And who are they?"

He shook his head and muttered, "No time, no time… We must hurry."

She sighed, but continued to follow. She worried for Remus. He'd been acting odd, and she vaguely wondered if he were losing his mind. No, she shook her head. She refused to accept that Remus, her father and brother, was losing his mind. He's survived so much, she reminded herself, He's just going through some rough spots, that's all. His robes seems awful crisp tonight, odd that. Must be a trick of the light.

"Here," he stopped her. "Wait right here, and be quiet. Shhh…" He held a finger to his lips.

"Remus I--"

"Shh!" And he disappeared behind a large bush.

"Hmph." She folded her arms, and glanced around. They were on the skirts of the land.

There was a low growl, and Vala nearly jumped.

"Remus? Are you all right?" Her eyes darted to the sky. "It's not quite the full moon..." she muttered, and called out again, "Remus?" She edged closer and heard the slashing of clothes and soon a man's terrified hollers.

She poked her head around the bush, and her eyes widened. Remus was on the ground, a dog tearing at his robes. "Remus!" She kicked the foxhound away, and Remus reached for his wand. A deadly glint in his eye, he pointed the wand at Vala. Before she could react, a large black dog bounded against her. She fell backward into a mud puddle, and the curse overshot her by five feet. The dog, pinning her to the muck, appeared to smirk.

The foxhound barked hurriedly, and the shaggy dog looked up.

She tried to twist her neck to see what was happening, pressing her own head further into the mud.

The dog licked Vala's cheek and winked. In one swift movement it leapt from her and disappeared into the night, the foxhound following at its heels.

Setting her elbows in the mud, she pushed herself up. Remus was gone and Saxon stood over her.

"You're lucky I got here when I did," he said, "That dog was eyeing your jugular."

~+~+~+~

Swiftly running through the gardens and under the pointed gates of Malfoy Manor, Gale turned right and swerved left. Romulus was no where to be seen. Her chest was heaving and her breath wasn't reaching her lungs. She struggled forward, and her surroundings whirled in a blurred pool.

Bundling her dress at the knee, she tore the garter around her thigh. She juggled the inhaler, but it slipped from her and clattered unto the pavement. Wheezing, she dropped to her knees, and tripping over her gown, struggled to reach it.

Perspiration beading her forehead and tears streaming her cheeks, she held out a shaking hand and collapsed.

~+~+~+~

"What happened out there?" Jesse demanded.

"I… I don't know!" Bob sputtered, wringing his hands.

"What do you mean you don't know?" came Frank's deeper, calming voice.

"He--He just showed up!" he squeaked.

"Showed up? Showed up?" Jesse repeated, fuming.

"Jesse, take a seat," Frank offered, setting his brother aside.

Jesse pressed his palms against the table, bowing his head and inhaling long, steady breaths. He set plans and rules for a reason, and wasn't always as keen when they were disobeyed. Yes, he was always grateful when everyone came out of it alive, but he'd be all the more satisfied if the plan had gone off without a hitch.

Frank surveyed his brother for a moment then turned his attention back to Bob. Charlie was sitting a few feet back, chewing tobacco and quietly spitting in a can. "Now," he said calmly, "Tell us what happened."

Bob glanced around nervously, twisting his hands in his lap. His eyes darted to Jesse and he began slowly, "We… we were sitting there, and, and he jinxed us." He looked up hopefully. With luck Frank would protect him when Jesse attacked. Jesse had never actually jinxed him before, but even small-minded Bob knew there was a first for everything.

"Who jinxed you?"

"That, that Lupin guy," he mumbled, then his face screwed up in disgust as he added, "The werewolf."

Jesse's rhythmic breathing continued, but Frank kept his composer. Gently, he arched an eyebrow. "And you didn't hear him?"

"He's a werewolf!" Bob exclaimed, his voice raising an octave, and expecting his statement to further into a reason.

Jesse breathed a laugh; Frank remained poker faced. "I see… and do you know how the girl managed to escape?"

"No," he mumbled, dropping his eyes and shuffling his feet.

"Her husband showed up," he said. "You may go--Don't let it happen again."

Bob didn't need to be told twice, he was out the door before Frank finished. Charlie lingered for a moment, eyeing Jesse and then Frank. He stopped at the door. "Who's uh, who's taking over your shifts tonight?"

"That is not of your concern," Frank replied sternly.

"Ah. Well… We'll be ready for our shifts tomorrow--when are they again?"

"You're not scheduled tomorrow. You're on suspension until further notice," Jesse answered, still stationed at the table.

"Right." He knocked on the frame. "Well, we'll keep in touch, eh?"

After the door clicked, Frank waited thirty whole seconds. "You shouldn't have done that," he said. "They'll only get themselves into more trouble."

"All the more reason to sack them."

"Jesse, we don't want these people as our enemies."

He whipped around. "And that's our reason for employing them?"

Frank sighed and sank into the vacated chair. "Not now, Jesse."

"What, you think it was coincidence that Lupin showed up during the Ford's shift?"

"No more than I think it coincidence that the Kid showed up."

Jesse scowled, dropping his eyes.

"I thought we agreed on this," Frank said, looking at his brother. "Neither of us trust the Fords… We both know that they're associating with the enemy--"

"They are the enemy."

"Yes," Frank continued without skipping a beat, "But the Fords are our weakest point and we know where their mates will take aim. You knew something would happen tonight-- you didn't double shift for Bonnie and Clyde or Billy, but you did for the Fords--why?"

"Because I knew they'd try something, the gits."

"See?" He straddled the chair. "The enemy's using them and they're just moronic enough to give in. Not everyone's that stupid, and I have no problem with that." He threw his hands up. "If they want to be the money-hungry, back-stabbing goons of the game let them be--but I won't allow you to be pulled in by their antics." He stood up, and brushed a hand against the back of his brother's head. "Just take it down a notch, okay? You're starting to remind me of Billy."

Slowly, Jesse looked up, a grin fixed to his face. "You're going to regret that," he predicted, pounding forward and catching Frank around the neck, curving his brother into a headlock.

~+~+~+~

Vala lay in her bed that night, recounting the events of the evening. Remus had disappeared, and that hadn't seemed right. In fact, Remus appearing didn't quite fit either. But what had really confused was Saxon's behavior.

After he'd shooed the dog away, he'd carefully led her up the manor doors. Once inside, he picked her up and carried her up the stairs so she wouldn't trip and so there wasn't a mess for the house elves. His fine, and even more expensive, dress robes were ruined, but it didn't seem to phase him at all. Upon ushering her into the grand bathroom, he fixed her a bath and set out a clean nightgown. He'd left her before she began to undress and only poked his head in fifteen minutes later to say he was taking a guest bedroom for the night.

Her hand crept to his side of the bed. It's been ages, she thought, since I've seen him like this. She hugged herself and rolled unto her side, away from the window and towards the gloomy darkness. She missed that side of him, but wasn't sure how to react to it.

~+~+~+~

Romulus sighed, cradling Gale in his arms. She was lucky, truly lucky that he made a round back. He stared out the window, watching the clouds drift across the midnight sky. The moon, reaching its whole, glowing more brilliantly than he could ever remember. He hated it. His eyes shifted to Gale. He sighed, gently combing a hand through her blond tangles.

"What are we going to do?" he asked in a hush.

The plan, so well devised and so long plotted, was destroyed with the arrival of a dog. And not even a decent dog with bulging muscles and paws of thunder, but a weak, beagle-like dog. It's bark worse than it's bite, or so he thought. His ankles and shins bore the scratches and bruises of a tough fight; he was just embarrassed to admit his opponent barely stood above his knee.

Even so, the plan was destroyed, and he still had to face Ares. He shuttered to think his reaction, but the man was sure to know before dawn the next day… and his appointment was in the late afternoon.

He set his jaw. Twice had she made a fool of him, once at Remus' and once at the Manor. Failure did not come easy to Romulus, and he wouldn't allow the twig-like girl to get away again. She may have won the battle, but he always won the war.

"Don't you worry," he whispered. "I'll take care of everything." And in a caring gesture, he bent low and kissed her forehead.

~+~+~+~

"Remus," Fae said so quietly that he thought he was dreaming. "Remus, wake up."

Slowly, his lids drew back. He blinked once and then again. "What's going on?" he asked, slightly confused and rubbing his head one hand while the other lay plastered to the table.

She smiled, shaking her head a bit. "You fell asleep," she answered. She touched his hand and the smile was broader. More brilliant and bright. "Vala escaped. She's safe now."

"But I thought--how?" he sputtered, confusion springing to his eyes.

"Everything's okay now," she said, pulling herself to her feet. "A pesky foxhound bit the heels of a misled twin while another pushed her from the path of an oncoming curse."

"You saw all that?"

"Yeah," she said casually, "But hey--you should off to bed." She glanced at her watch while stifling a yawn. "It's we-e-ell past midni-i-i-ght…" she attempted during mid-yawn.

Soon after, the yawn contaminated Remus.

"Come on," she said sheepishly, tugging on his arm. "Let's get you to bed."

He nodded exhaustingly, "All right, but I expect a full report tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah… off you go."

Remus wandered towards his room but stopped at the living room. He peered in and leaned against the archway. "You should stay," he said.

"Hmm?"

"It's late, don't bother with travel--stay the night."

"Um… alright." She moved towards the doorway and looked in. "Ah."

Grant lay in the corner of the couch, curled up in a tight ball.

"Fae?"

"Yes?"

"Who else was in your vision?"

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, walking under the arch and towards Grant.

"I mean, was Sirius there," he defined.

Grabbing a wool blanket, she paused. Catching herself, she pulled the blanket across Grant and carefully tucked him in. "Yes," she answered stiffly. "He was there."

"Ah," he replied wisely, "I thought so."

"Really," she began, sitting down next to Grant and tugging the sheet over her a bit. "And why's that?"

"Because it's uncharacteristic of Sirius Black not to get his nose into trouble, so to speak," he smiled, propelling from the wall and leaving for his room.

"Hmm… Remus?"

He turned halfway. "Yes?"

She settled herself against Grant's rump, her arms crossed under her chin. "Go talk to Vala tomorrow." It wasn't a request, but a direct command.

His smile was sad, the worry lines more apparent and the gray hairs more distinct. He turned away slowly and padded his way to his room.

"Hmm…" A flick of her wand and the lights were out. She shifted her position, and lay against her fiancé. "Grant, you still awake?" she asked quietly.

"Nope."

"Didn't think so… Well, goodnight then."

"'Night."