It was Monday morning, and Remus was newly twenty four. He awoke and blinked, taking in the sight beside him. The sight was Sirius Black, curled around Remus, arms tightly around the smaller man's chest. Last night was a blur to Remus, and all he knew was that they hadn't had sex…Other then that he didn't quiet know how far they'd gone. This morning there were no golden rays of sunlight streaming through the window. In fact, it was miserable and grey out, but Sirius's hair still spilled around him like black silk.
But despite the weather, he was still warm. Remus glanced over at his clock and sighed. It was already nine; he would have to go to Hell. He sat up, smiling warmly at Sirius. He planted the tiniest kiss on Sirius's head before flipping his legs off the bed.
Suddenly, something latched around his wrist and yanked him back into bed. Remus went sprawling backwards over Sirius' chest with an indignant cry of "Sirius!"
Sirius yawned casually and opened one eye, "Morning honey." He yawned again and draped an arm over Remus's chest. "Fancy meeting you here."
"Sirius Lee Black, let me go this instant!" Remus growled, struggling like a bug in a spider web. "I have to work!" Sirius's arm tightened around him and drew Remus up next to Sirius' face.
"Yup, I'm right here."
"Sirius, what are you talking about?" Remus sighed.
"I am your work, so get crackin'!"
Remus huffed and pushed Sirius's arm away. "Really, I do have to work."
"Fine, but I'm driving you!" Sirius insisted from bed as Remus went to take a shower. Remus emerged fifteen minutes later. He opened the door to see a pair of electric blue orbs starring at him.
The amber eyed man's heart skipped a beat before he realized it was Sirius. "Sirius, what the hell?" he pushed Sirius onto the bed. "Now let's go."
"Let's? As in we?"
"You offered to drive me."
"AUGH!" Sirius hissed, crawling out of bed and into a shirt. "Fine….But I want snuggling rights later."
"Who said there was going to be a later?" Remus snapped suddenly. Sirius looked back at him from the door of the bedroom, blue eyes widened lightly. Remus winced as he saw the hurt in those eyes. "Sirius I-"
"No, I understand." Sirius shrugged, "One night thing, no problem." He walked away before Remus could say something else.
Why do I always screw everything up? Remus scolded himself mentally. He grabbed a coat and prepared himself for a very awkward drive.
The drive to The Black Center was awkward indeed, Remus kept saying things along the lines of, "Dreadful weather…."
"Oh yes…" Sirius would agree. "Good for the flowers though."
"Ah…Yes, the flowers…"
"Flowers…" Sirius had echoed.
"Horrible weather."
"Awful."
"……" Remus glanced out the window. Well, this was a great finish to a romantic date…Well actually…a violently romantic date…Remus smiled briefly. Just how I like it. Sirius looked up into the rearview mirror and stole a glance at Remus smiling. He just stared for a moment, admiring the beauty that was Remus Lupin. Remus started to look back at him and Sirius allowed his eyes to stay fixed on the mirror.
Remus looked up at the mirror, blue eyes met amber for a moment. Sirius's eyes were remorseful, and powerful, I need you. Remus blushed angrily, but his eyes revealed his contradicting feelings, I know.
Sirius stopped the car and the two sat there for a moment. "Do you need me to pick you up?" Sirius ventured.
"No thanks." Remus answered quickly. "I-uh-Rain's good for your hair." He nearly dashed out of the car, and ran into the Black Center, thanking god for letting it rain so he had a good excuse to run from the car other then the fact was, he didn't want to see Sirius any longer.
That day, he talked to Harry again, nothing special…It was a painfully normal day. Lily and James were overly affectionate and cuddle-y, which dampened Remus's spirits further. He spent the afternoon in the library reading Stephen King books.
Stephen King actually wasn't that good of a writer; sometimes his dialogue was a little off, and it was incredibly hard to read. But still, it freaked him out, so every now and then Remus would glance over his shoulder and make sure nothing was there.
Remus left at around five thirty and walked home though the pouring rain. Sirius…He thought miserably. I'm sorry. I guess your can't really hear what I'm thinking right now, but I'm sorry I'm too fucked up to be what you want. I wish I'd let you pick me up; this is miserable. A car zoomed by and splashed him with muddy brown water. Remus growled and pressed on.
He reached his home, changed into a comfortable pair of pajama pants and fell onto the couch with a tub of ice cream. "That's it Remus, just act like a depressed high school girl," he growled. "Fine. I will." He sighed, "God, I'm talking to myself." He knew he was only talking to himself because he was scared of his apartment. It was silly, but Remus was still afraid Carrie's mom would leap out and scream dirty pillows at him.
He flicked on the news and watched the image of a pretty, but fake, brunette fill the screen. "We finally have an advancement in the case of the murder of Regulus Black! The Irish police found a record of the attempted murder of a child who also attended St. Bartholomew's Center for Children.
"The file dates back thirteen years ago. The file covers the case of… Well, the child's name remains unknown, and the orphanage won't give us a name. However, the file states that the child left the safety of the orphanage and wandered into the forest at twelve p.m. on December second. He would found by Albus Dumbledore later that night. The boy was found with cross shaped cuts on the inside of both wrists, and the words, 'life isn't so wonderfull' were painted onto his chest with his own blood.
"The boy was almost bled dry. Albus Dumbledore found him and brought him back to St. Bartholomew's." The woman put on a puzzled expression and there was an awkward silence. "The boy survived by a series of…blood transfusions. Blood transfusions can be deadly if the blood type of the donor and recipient don't match. The orphanage refuses to give details about what blood type or at what hospital the blood was given to the boy. Police suspect that the blood transfusion did not take place in a hospital and there were no tests performed on the donor's blood to make sure it was safe before the transfusions. It's a miracle the boy's donor had the same blood type as him, don't you agree Tom?"
"Oh yes." The man next to her said. "This killer is still on the loose, so please parents, keep your children near you at all times. If you have any information about Regulus Black or the unknown boy's whereabouts please call the police." He cleared his throat. "In breaking news, Severus Snape, a chemistry professor at the London Academy for Boys was found dead this morning. It appears his body was found by students early today on the front lawn of the campus. It appeared that he jumped from the window of the chemistry lab, but the police say there was blood all over his classroom and Snape's body was bled almost dry. Written on his chalk board were the words, 'isn't life wonderfull?' Wonderful, of course, was spelled with two 'L's.
"We assume the killer was the same man who killed Regulus, due to the lack of blood in the corpse and the same cryptic message left at the scene. The motives are unknown, but police suspect the killer might have to do with the Black family. Severus Snape was a friend of Kennith Dawson, a temporary psychologist to Sirius Black."
Remus turned the tv off with a shaking hand and dropped the remote. They came after Snape…'cause he knew about Sirius…he read Dawson's notes…Oh god…I'm…I know about Sirius too! Remus starred out the window at the pouring rain and trembled violently. He walked over to the wall phone and with shaking fingers dialed the Blacks number. It took him three tries to get it right, but he was finally rewarded with the ring tone.
"What the fuck do you want?"
"Erm…" Remus took a deep breath. "This is Remus Lupin. I need to speak with Sirius Black?"
"EDWARD, YOU LITTLE SHIT, GIVE ME THE PHONE!"
Remus heard Emily's shrieking cry even through the phone line. "Is this Edward?"
"Yeah…You're Sirius's psychologist?" The boy's harsh tone faded.
"Yeah…look, I really have to talk to him." Remus insisted, looking nervously at his suddenly very imposing-looking door.
"He's not here, but I'll give you his cell phone number. It's 162-666-6612."
Remus froze on the other line….The barcode…He thoughts drifted to the barcode burnt onto Sirius' lower back. It was 66612. He finally managed to speak. "Thank you Edward…"
"Call me Ed, um…look….I-Sirius-He's a lot better now."
"What do you mean 'better'?" Remus asked.
"I dunno…he's just better." Ed shrugged. "I wanna get better too…"
Remus smiled on the other line. "Can you skip school?"
"Yup, I can ask Sirius to come and get me tomorrow at lunch; after that I just have study hall and gym," Edward said mischievously.
"Good…Well, thanks Ed."
"Don't mention it."
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah."
Remus gently placed the phone on the cradle before dialing Sirius' cell phone. A loud burst of thunder shook the apartment.
"What the fuck do you want?" Sirius answered roughly.
Remus started to tremble again and he didn't say anything. Thunder boomed over the sky. He could tell Sirius was getting worried on the other line, but Remus couldn't speak for a moment.
"Remus?"
"I-Sirius-" Suddenly the front door started to rattle violently. It was locked. Remus started to whimper; he couldn't choke out the words running through his mind. Sirius, help me! I'm scared…They're coming to get me! There was another loud boom of thunder, and lightning whipped across the sky, illuminating the dark room for a moment, the shadows seemed to jump along with Remus' heart.
"Remus!"
The rattling on the door turned into loud steady pounds. Remus felt tears well up in his eyes and suddenly the TV flicked on. All the lights went out. The screen was all static. Remus crumpled to his knees on the ground. "Sirius, I'm scared."
Remus could hear the jerk of a steering wheel and the scratch of rubber on the road. "What's that noise?"
"The TV."
"Sounds like static."
"It is." Remus almost started to sob, but he didn't. He couldn't. Something inside him would not allow him to cry. Somehow crying didn't seem appropriate.
"Why are you watching static!"
"I'm not."
"Then why do I hear it?" Sirius screamed. He could tell something was wrong with Remus, but the amber eyed man wasn't telling him. He always screamed when he was nervous.
"It turned on by itself."
"Then turn it off." Sirius hissed.
"I…I'm scared."
"OF WHAT!"
Remus shuddered as the pounding started again, louder and fiercer then before.
"Remus, who the fuck is pounding on your door!" Sirius yelled.
"I don't know…someone who doesn't want me to know abut the Paril." Remus said softly.
On the other line Sirius was silent. "Call the police, now."
"Can't. Then I'd have to hang up on you." Remus winced at the pounding. He wanted to move closer to the wall and turn his back from the shadows, but he couldn't find the energy to move.
"Remus…" Sirius moaned helplessly. "God, just…is the door locked?"
"Yes."
"Are you hurt?"
"No…" Remus whispered. "Sirius, please!"
"Talk Remus!" Sirius snarled. "Tell me about your day."
"I missed you, it was wet and miserable. I talked to Harry, him and James are getting along…I…On the news…"
"What was on the news!"
"Snape…he's dead. It's the same person who killed Regulus. They bled him dry and wrote 'isn't life wonderfull' on the chalk board." Remus said softly. With wide amber eyes, he glanced back at the door.
"Oh god." Sirius breathed. "Remus don't move, I'll be up in a second."
"NO!" Remus screamed hoarsely. "Don't get off the phone!"
"Shush…" Sirius said soothingly. "I'm in the elevator."
"…What if he hurts you?" Remus whispered dryly. The pounding on the door stopped suddenly, and then Remus sat in complete darkness and silence, save for the steady fizzle of the static. There was a tiny tap on the door. "Sirius?" Remus asked. He dropped the phone, and walked slowly over to the door.
In the elevator Sirius started to smile, thinking Remus was finally safe. The elevator jerked to a stop, and Sirius couldn't hear Remus breathing through the phone. He heard a tiny knock on Remus' door. "REMUS! REMUS! DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!" Sirius screamed into the phone.
But the phone was dangling on the wall, swinging slightly. Remus was at the door, shaking hand touching the door knob. "Sirius?"
"REMUS DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!" Sirius screamed. He kept screaming frantically, before collapsing on the wall, almost in tears. He crumpled to the floor, his knees giving beneath him. "Remus…Don't open the door! I'm here, Remus pick up the phone!" he sobbed into the cell phone. He looked at it disgusted and threw it with all his strength against the elevator wall. The cell phone cover and back broke off and the battery cluttered to the floor.
He was up in a furry of raven hair and furious dancing blue eyes. He banged against the door and rammed against it as hard as he could. Sirius yelled in frustration before seeing the button marked with a red bell. He hit the fire alarm bell with a triumphant smirk. "REMUS, DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!"
Remus's hand closed around the door knob, when suddenly a loud cry reached his ears. "Sirius?"
"Open the door, Remus."
Remus backed away from the door startled. That isn't Sirius's voice…Suddenly the fire bell in the elevator screeched through the room and Remus glared at the door. "You're not Sirius!"
There was the sudden sound of footsteps down the stairs. The elevator opened with a ding, and someone was pounding insanely on the door. "REMUS, PLEASE FUCKING BE ALIVE!"
Remus nearly sobbed in relief as he opened the door. "Sirius!" He cried, throwing himself into the dark haired man.
"Remus…" Sirius sighed. He hugged the smaller man tightly. "You can let go now."
"I can't stand," Remus said sheepishly.
"Then I'll have to carry you." Sirius teased, lifting Remus off his feet and scooping one arm under his knees. He walked back over to the elevator and hit the down button.
"Where are we going?"
"I'm not letting you back in there until it's completely murderer proof." Sirius growled. "I know some guys who can rig this place in a few hours."
"Rig?" Remus laughed, raising an eyebrow. It was one of those situations where he could either laugh or cry, and he was emotionally up to crying.
"Cameras, security alarms, those cool red beams of light things. I'm talkin' the works, baby." Sirius said ambitiously while still carrying Remus into the elevator.
"You're going to put cameras in my shower?" Remus snorted.
"Two cameras in your shower…" Sirius said seriously.
"Pervert." Remus growled.
"No, really, did you ever see Psycho?" Sirius asked earnestly.
"No…" Remus said, giving Sirius his 'are-you-insane?' face.
"Crazy guy kills girl in shower. It's freaky!" Sirius chuckled. He carried Remus over to his car through the rain, and gently set him in the passenger seat, before running over to the driver's side.
"Do I look like a girl?" Remus said sarcastically.
"A little."
"Not funny!" Remus hissed. He looked out the window at the rain and shivered. "So were are we going?"
"Hermione's house."
"Your girlfriend?"
"It's a publicity thing hun." Sirius explained. "She's a sweetie. You can meet Ed at her place too."
"I called your house…and…uh…Ed picked up."
"Shit!" Sirius yelled, he jerked the steering wheel around the opposite direction and the car skidded dangerously across the road. Miraculously, they managed to stay on the road, and Sirius easily started to drive again. Remus was grasping the sides of the car so hard his knuckles were white.
"Trying to give me a heart attack!"
"I'm sorry, Rem, but we have to get Ed out of there now." Sirius said, eye not leaving the road.
"Why?"
"Long story short?" Sirius asked. Remus nodded. "Emily's going insane because Ed's not responding to the…treatment. Don't ask me what the fuck is going on, but it's bad and Ed shouldn't be at that house."
"And Paris?"
"I don't know where the hell he is." Sirius sighed.
Remus was starting to see that the Black family was a lot more screwed up then it seemed at first glance. He thought Sirius was messed up…he was obviously just the tip of the iceberg.