Sorry! I realize now I should have just stuck this with the last chapter. Oh well.

She didn't seem to be coming back. Sirius checked the clock—the gold plated grandfather model that hovered like a phantom (what a disturbing idea to consider) just before the wall. It had been ten minutes, at least. This was ridiculous. True, he hadn't had much time in the past several years to properly get to know Tonks, but it had never struck him that she would be the kind of girl to spend hours in the bathroom. Especially with her metamorphmagus abilities. He stabbed cruelly at the omelet, watching the eggy parts crumble away.

"I think you severely scared her," Lily said. "Oh, Sirius, I'm sorry about that. I didn't think—"

He shrugged. "You weren't the ones provoking it. Dang, did I really sound that crazy?"

James laughed nervously, eyes on the door. "Sirius, I never meant for you to actually talk back to us."

"Maybe things would work out better if you would just show yourself."

He snorted. "Sirius, Tonks has never met me, as far as I know. I believe she would be more confused than anything."

"So you're allowed to torture me and talk to me while she is around, but you only exist to make me look like I am insane?"

"I believe that pretty much sums it up."

Sirius rolled his eyes and shoved a piece of omelet into his mouth. He had never particularly cared for omelets—any breakfast food, for that matter, and had only ordered those because apparently he remember Tonks really liking them. And how exactly would Cornelius Fudge be privy to that information? Well, it didn't matter. He supposed he could come up with some story of spies and… dragon armies, if she ever asked.

If she came back.

"How could I have been so stupid!" he shouted.

The couple across the way and the waiter stared at him. He smiled back. "Stressed," he said. "I'm sorry to worry you."

The waiter didn't seem impressed. "Minister?"

"I'm fine. I promise."

Lily snorted back a giggle.

This was getting ridiculous. Was this truly what happened to people when they died? Did they have to become so immature? It was like they were all back at Hogwarts, the year they had finally managed to rope Lily into their wild little games. What had happened to protecting Harry? Helping the Order? Their son was at stake here.

Or perhaps it was just the fact that he was having brunch with a woman that was so entertaining to them.

"Really," Lily continued. "We warned you about this. You have to be careful. No one can think you're crazy. At least, no one else."

There was a reply to that, he had one. One just waiting to come out. But she was right. He already had three people thinking him nuts. This wasn't going to work.

But Tonks… Tonks was on his side, so far. At least she didn't seem to hate him quite so much as before. She had said once that she had never particularly cared for Fudge. Was a simple laugh out of her enough to warm her up to the Minister?

She wasn't getting suspicious, was she? No. How could she get suspicious when he had told Dumbledore flat out who he was, with no proper reaction at all?

"Tonks," he muttered under his breath. "Where are you?"

"We'll no longer tempt you," James said. Somehow the earlier torturing expression had faded into something more serious. "Please, just watch out for Harry." He and Lily vanished.

Harry. If only he could convince Harry. Maybe… maybe if he could get Tonks to like him even more, she could drag Harry to see him. Harry would have to believe him. Even without the mirrors.

The omelets were getting cold. Had he really upset her that much? He replayed the conversation in his head. Him, going on and on about himself. Like a bad date. Except that she had no idea who he was. All she had known was that the Minister of Magic wouldn't shut up about her dead friend.

Why couldn't he tell her who he was?

Fifteen minutes. He shook his fist at the clock. Was he just being impatient? No, she was his last chance. If she even thought about breaking out of here… He stood up and left the restaurant.

"Miss Tonks?" he called into the hallway, letting his voice ricochet off the walls. Great. He looked mad without Lily and James. Well, this was more fun than he was allowed in Azkaban. Where was she? Well, if she were running off, she wouldn't hang around there.

The halls were so blasted empty. How did one even make it back to the rest of the Ministry? He stared down one, wondering if he was just making up the sense of familiarity. They all looked pretty much the same.

Which one, which one? There was always the option of changing into a dog—he froze, like a statue frozen in a tunnel waiting for anyone to waltz up and stare at. Could he even still do that? Damn. Why hadn't he thought of that before?

There was no time for an experiment, however, for a dark shape came barreling up one of the halls. The concentration on his animagus form gave him no time to dodge it.

Thud. Tonks broke right into his chest. He fell against the wall, groaning with whatever air he could gasp for. She slid to the floor with a surprised cry, banging on her hands.

"Mr. Fudge!" she exclaimed. She stared up at him, eyes wide and whirling. There seemed to be something else she wanted to say, but she wasn't speaking.

He wasn't liking the way she was staring up at him.

"Tonks?" he asked.

Her eyes dropped to the ground as she panted. "I… Sir, I really need to leave." And her eyes were back on him.

She looked as if she had just seen a ghost. And he had just called her Tonks.

"Miss Tonks," he said again, aiming for whatever snobbery he could summon. "You seem.. upset…"

"Upset?" She shook her head. "No, I can't leave. Maybe you should hear this. No, you should definitely hear this."

He stared. She was still on the ground. This couldn't go well. "Here, get to your feet first, this is hardly proper." He extended out his hand.

She stared at it for a moment before accepting it and pulling herself up. "Minister, I really need to talk to you. Somewhere… private."

The halls were dead empty.

A slow blush came over Tonks, and she once again shook her head, pink hair whipping around here. "Good as any. In a moment, anyway." Her hands shaking, she reached with one hand into her robes and pulled out her wand, almost dropping it twice. "I really don't want anyone to hear this."

His heart almost stopped. She didn't know. If she were the smartest out of them… well, that was Tonks, how she was.

"Okay," she said, taking a deep breath. "I left… I just need a moment… and I came down here…" She stopped. "Minister?"

"Yes?" What was it now? What was she getting at?

"I'm up and I'm fine. You can let go of my hand now."

He looked down. He still her hand, the one he had used to help her up. How had that happened? "Oh, I'm most sorry." He dropped it.

For a moment she said nothing, only frowned at him. Then she shook her head and continued. "Minister… what happened to you?"

Oh, no. "I'm… not quite sure what you mean." Maybe he should tell her.

She glanced down the hall. He noticed her other hand was still shaking. "I really would like to know what is going on in this place. I just heard two people down that way plotting to murder you."

The murderers. He gasped. "Who were—"

She interrupted him. "Sorry to put it so bluntly, I figured you had best be told." Her eyes met his, harshly. "Minister, they said they had already killed you."

The voice from the bush… "Who was it?"

Tonks put her hand to her forehead. "I don't know. There… there was a woman. Sounded like an older lady."

Older lady. There were plenty of them around. Including that creepy one… Aspen DeChant, was that her name?

"But, sir," she continued. "They said they had already killed you. Avada Kedavra and all that. I'm not sure what to make of this. Especially when you are right here, before my eyes…" Her gaze went even harder. "I feel like I am missing something."

"What else can you tell me about these people?"

Her eyes flashed. "You don't seem to be very concerned about this. Surprised. I think one would be surprised to find out that he had been murdered. So may I ask exactly what is going on here?"

"I'm…" Why couldn't he say it? She had just thrown all her suspicions at him. If she… if only he could say it right now.

"You don't seem interested in talking." She sighed. "If I'm supposed to work with you, you need to talk. I like to think this is kind of important, especially since they plan to try and kill you again!"

He knew that. Of course he knew that. How could anyone in their right mind not be anticipating that kind of thing? "Well, if they tried it once then—"

She blinked. "You knew about this?"

He sighed, pushing back his hair. This was going to wind up worse than with Dumbledore. "Of course I… didn't." Curses! Why did he just say that?

For a long time she said nothing. "There is something not quite right about you." She turned to leave. "Maybe we should discuss this somewhere else. Unless there is something you're not telling me."

Yes! Yes, there was something he needed to tell her. Anything. "I'm Sirius." Wow. Where had that come from? He could barely hear it.

And Tonks was already half way down the hall.

He sighed. Why couldn't he tell her?

The Minister was hiding something, dang it. It was all she could do to keep herself from turning around and demanding to know what it was. But that wouldn't be good, not with how her heart was still racing from what she had heard. Her punishment for eavesdropping.

She tried to make sense of it. They had already tried to kill Fudge. Had used the Killing Curse on him, of all things. But he was alive. And acting very strange.

Those things he said while they were eating, about Sirius. Why did he have to bring that up?

The beginnings of a suspicion nagged at her mind, eating away with its disjointed meanings. There was something very wrong. If she could just put it all together…

But it couldn't be.

He was dead.

Right now there were other things to worry about. The Order had to know about this.

And she was going to discover Fudge's secret.

(Yes, Tonks needs to be smacked upside the head. So does Sirius)

SHOUT OUTS!

xPussyWillowKittenx: Yup. Aspen is EVIL!

Willow Evenstar: The sad thing is, I like making people wait.

Tru Lys: The whole Sirius/Tonks thing was a complete accident. I just… didn't know

who else to work with when my cousin finally called me up in a panic to tell me.

rockstarhobbit: Thanks!

meenyrocks: Oh, I was just giving you a hard time! Write however you want in your reviews!

Marquerida: Sorry. Looks like Tonks could put together 1 and 1 if she wanted to, but come on, she is still assuming Sirius is dead.

Lady Meriadoc: Lily and James need their fun as well.

IamSiriusGirl: Unless Tonks drives Sirius nuts first. )

Dante Lewis: Thanks! I shall provide you with all in the internet omelets you want.

blackmamuth: My official decision: Yes, we will see Padfoot the Puppy again.

ArcherofDarkness and Callie: Since I'm not feeling especially secretive right now.. it's the one he suspected already.

Aerinha: Well, she made some connections here. She'll figure it out. If only Sirius would say something.