A/N: Consider my mess officially fixed :D

Tonks fled down the dark corridors of Grimmauld Place, to the one place she guessed that her children would be; Remus' room. She found them there, but they were not alone.

Andromeda Tonks held a sleeping child in her arms. She turned as she heard her daughter enter.

"What are you doing in here?" Tonks asked shortly. Andromeda looked anxious.

"We don't have much time Dora," she said, ignoring her daughter's question. "Fetch your bag, we're leaving."

Tonks stood defiantly in the doorway.

"I'm not going anywhere Mamma, you can't make me!" Remus can't make me either, she thought but didn't say. Tonks was hardly going to announce to her mother about the couple's previous argument. "I want to hear an explanation Mamma, now!"

Tonks crossed to her, took the baby from her and sat down on Remus' bed expectantly. Her little girl, whose grey eyes were now open from the voices she heard, looked up to her young mother with a hint of familiarity flickering in her eyes. Tonks felt a lump in her throat.

"Hi Tilly, baby," she whispered, bringing the child's soft head up to her lips. Tilly gurgled in response and Tonks held her closer. "Well?" she added harshly to her mother. Andromeda stood in the centre of the room, looking very uncomfortable. She hadn't expected to get caught out.

"I don't know what you want me to say, Nymphadora," she mumbled quietly.

"How about you start with why my friends think I'm dead…I, for one, would like to know. I'm sure they would too."

There was a moment's silence in the room before Andromeda cleared her throat and spoke up.

"I was thinking of you Dora. It's not safe here, for you or the twins. I thought it best if you stayed with me…and the only way I could keep you away from Remus was if–"

"What? If you told him I'd died?" Tonks cried. She was trying to keep her voice down for her children's sake, but her mother was so infuriating. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"Mamma, that man…you have no idea what he's been through in his life. What gives you the right to add to that pain? How did he take it Mum? Did you feel any guilt at all? Well…did you? What was your plan; take Jake and Tilly from him, come back to me and tell me he didn't want them? Did you honestly think I'd believe that, Mamma?" Tonks fired a string of bitter questions, hoping to get to the bottom of this very confusing return. Silent tears began to fall down Andromeda's face.

"Forgive me, Dora. I was afraid. I never meant to hurt you… I'm your mother, I love you."

Tonks gave a hollow laugh, that made her feel sick inside to even hear.

"My mother?" she scoffed. "What mother would pretend that her own daughter was dead? It's sick Mum, it's sick!" she spat. "Don't you think it's tempting fate a little? Maybe that's what you wanted, for me to be out of the picture. You could raise the twins properly because I'm obviously gonna screw up! Or maybe it's to make up for the fact that you were such a failure with me."

"Don't me so stupid," Andromeda shouted now, her cheeks pinked with anger. "You have been my life, Nymphadora, from the moment I first held you in my arms. I would never wish anything awful to happen to you."

"Then why, Mamma?" Tonks pleaded desperately for the truth.

"Because you killed my sister!" Andromeda cried, causing a stunned silence to fall. Tonks gave a little gasp. She couldn't speak, even if she had the words to say. What could she say to that? Feeling slightly dizzy, Tonks rose carefully and placed Tilly-Fay in the crib with her brother. Tonks stroked the boy's cheek gently before turning to face her mother as the woman spoke once more.

"You killed Bella, Dora. How could you sink that low? I never, ever thought that things would get this bad when I left for Canada last year. I never should have left; I never should have given you that address in the first place. If I hadn't then…" the elder woman trailed off. Tonks only realised that she, herself, was crying when she instinctively reached up to wipe her face. The young witch sniffed loudly.

"…Then the twins wouldn't have been born," she finished for her mother. Tonks took a deep breath and crossed over to the woman. She took her trembling hands in her own and spoke softly to her.

"I'm so sorry about Bellatrix, Mamma…But you weren't there. What I did, I did to protect Harry; something that Sirius had entrusted me to do. And let's not forget she killed him, Mamma. She killed our Riu in cold blood, because she could."

Andromeda opened her mouth to retaliate but Tonks continued quietly.

"And maybe you shouldn't have given me the location. And you most definitely shouldn't have left me here alone when I needed you…but that can be forgiven. But what you have done here, the pain you have caused my family…I don't think I can ever forgive you Mother, and I don't think I want to." Tonks' voice was still low, but forceful. Andromeda blinked at her daughter. Their hands separated forcefully as Tonks let go.

"I want you to leave, Mother. I want you to leave, and I don't ever want to see you again."

Andromeda began to wail.

"Dora–"

"You're only crying because things didn't go your way," Tonks snapped impatiently. "I don't have anything else to say to you. Please go."

She turned abruptly and crossed to the crib where her sleeping children lay. Her mother hung back a moment in shock, before heading silently to the door.

"Goodbye, Nymphadora," she said quietly. When no response came, Andromeda Tonks left Number 12, Grimmauld Place knowing that, this time, she would not return.

Tonks began to sob silently as she looked down at her babies. Carrying them carefully, one by one to the bed, Tonks curled up around them and cried. The bed smelt of Remus, which only caused further heartache. Had he really meant what he had said? Tonks didn't believe so for a minute. The man had clearly been through a lot. But he had said those words; I don't love you any more. Had he ever loved her?

The bed shook slightly with the force of the witch's cries. She sniffed several times, and blinked back tears to look at her twins. How much they had grown in a month. Tonks hated herself for ever letting her mother take them. She promised silently that she would never leave them again. She would be strong, and raise them to be strong too. Tonks hoped that they never felt pain, nor suffering…or the loneliness of a broken heart.

Sitting up suddenly, Tonks scrambled carefully around the babies and off the bed. Jake threw an arm in the air as she crossed over him. Tonks smiled at him and picked him up.

"Missed Mamma have you?" she said softly. "How's my little man?"

Tonks placed the child in the crook of one arm as she crossed to the dresser in search of some tissues. She opened the top drawer and then paused. Moving slowly, her hand clutched at an envelope. Tonks was drawn to it; not because it was the only item in the drawer, but because of the word scribed on it in fading ink. Soon.

Jake was beginning to ache her arm so she jogged him in a more comfortable position against her chest, resting the boy's head against her shoulder. Tonks crossed to the bed and sat down gently, hoping not to disturb Tilly. Fumbling with the seal (and trying hard not to drop Jake!), Tonks opened the envelope to find a letter…addressed to her.

Dear Nymphadora,

I shouldn't be writing, and I am unlikely to post this letter anyway, but I had the sudden urge to write to you. I may let you read it, I may not…we'll see.

I've been thinking about you today, and yesterday and the day before that. Well, I've been thinking about you every day for quite sometime now, it's impossible to pinpoint the exact day when I realised that I thought about you so often…and the exact day I realised I had fallen in love.

I do love you Nymphadora, and I am a very cowardly man for not saying so sooner. Every day I spend without you here is like one step closer to the darkness you have just saved me from. God, I miss you. I miss everything about you; your cheeky grin, your beautiful, deep eyes, your ever-changing hair…and, of course, your warm heart. You are one of very few people in my life who have accepted me for who I am, and I want to thank you for that. I really should tell you more often how much I appreciate you. There may come a time when I don't get the chance.

If I were to lose you…well, I'm not going to think on it. Of course I worry, but you'll come back to me, I know you will. I don't want to be lonely again. If you'd die, I would die too. I know it sounds pathetic but it's true.

You're probably laughing at me now, rolling your eyes at my feeble attempt to tell you how I feel. Just know that I love you…and that will be enough.

Forever yours,

Remus.

Tonks wasn't laughing. In fact her tears had begun to fall once more. She frowned, hating the uncertainty that had suddenly consumed her life. His words had touched her; they were rather simple words for such an articulate man, but they were to the point and they hit her heart with such raw intensity that she wanted to cry from sorrow and joy both at the same time…He had loved her once.

Tonks planted a kiss gently on Jake's head as she began to read the letter again. She was only half way through when a voice from the door caused her to startle.

"You shouldn't be reading that."

Remus. She had been so engrossed in her letter that she hadn't heard him enter. Tonks refused to look at him and carried on reading.

"Dora–"

"Don't call me that," she muttered defiantly. "You will call me Tonks…In fact, you will call me Miss Tonks." She looked up at the door to see his reaction. He blinked at her, though Tonks swore she had seen a faint smile at the corner of his lips.

"Very well, Miss Tonks," Remus said from the door. When he continued to stare at her, Tonks scowled in frustration.

"What are you doing here, Mr Lupin?" she asked snidely. He smiled, obviously this time, and it annoyed Tonks. His mood had changed so rapidly, she couldn't keep up. Tonks wiped quickly at her cheeks, hoping he hadn't spotted the remainder of her tears. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

"It's my room…Miss Tonks. And you can call me Remus," he added lightly. Tonks wanted to smile but forced herself not to.

"Oh yeah," she mumbled foolishly.

The witch rose from the bed, placed Jake down carefully and dropped the letter to the floor. She crossed the room dramatically.

"Fine, I'll leave," she said bluntly. What was this game that they were playing? She strode passed him and wrenched the door open. Stopping in its frame, she turned suddenly as his hand went to her arm.

"Dora…" he said simply, and this was enough to reduce her to tears once more. He stepped towards her and pulled her to his chest, giving a shuddered breath. Tonks looked up to him with her shimmering eyes and, before he knew it, his lips were on hers.

Tonks startled under the soft touch, but kissed him back slowly. She hated herself for doing so; the man was clearly messing with her head. As they pulled apart, Tonks was torn between giving the man a sharp, well-deserved slap, or whether to draw him in to another kiss. Merlin, how she'd missed those kisses! Needless to say, she chose the latter.

Remus felt surprised this time. He thought for sure that she was going to pound on him; he had seen a dark flicker of annoyance in her eyes. Realising that this was in fact the wrong thing to do, he broke from her abruptly.

"We can't do this Dora," he said breathlessly. Tonks frowned at him, her eyes following him as he paced further into his room.

"Do what exactly, Remus?" she huffed in response. "I don't know what you want from me. Do you even know?" she asked incredulously.

"Yes," he hissed, and turned his back on her.

"What, then?" she prompted as the man fell silent. He turned back to her with certainty.

"I want you to stay," he told her. "Of course I do. I want to raise these beautiful children with you. Our beautiful children," Remus emphasised. "And I want to love you, which is a bloody good job considering that I do. I really do Nymphadora. I love you so much."

Tonks let out a little sob and crossed the room to embrace him once more. He kissed the top of her pink spikes, feeling overcome with emotion at the fact that his Dora had somehow returned home to him, safe and well. But for now he wasn't going to question it, he was just going to hold her.

"I didn't mean what I said earlier, Dora. Please forgive me. I'm terrified that I'll lose you again…or the twins. I can't cope with losing anyone else. Please don't leave me ever again," he mumbled into her hair, breathing her in and hoping that the moment could last forever. A part of him still feared that he would wake up at any moment and be wrenched from this wonderful dream. I'll keep my eyes closed, he thought, and then I'll never wake.

His hands stroke her back softly, studying her curves and familiar form. He could hear her soft, shuddering breaths; they were warm and wispy against his neck. He could also smell her, a scent that hadn't change since her time away. His Dora smelt of lavender and mint and youth. She was fresh and vibrant; everything and old werewolf needed to feel alive again.

But with his eyes close, he could no longer see her beautiful smile, formed from those supple, tender lips. He could not see her sincere eyes, filled with such compassion. They made him want her so much more. And, of course, he could not see her hair…constantly changing, but always so soft. It was funny to Remus that the thing that made Tonks Tonks was the thing that changed the most. She really was unique, and he loved her all the more for it.

Realising that he was missing out on so much by having his eyes closed, Lupin decided to open them slowly. He would live this life, with the woman he held in his arms, and this would be his dream…a very pleasant dream indeed.

A/N: Well, as this story is dedicated to Hope, it had to have a happy ending :D! The next chapter (which I'm posting now)was going to be the last, but it's really short and really...rubbish. I'm not happy with it at all so I'm writing an epilogue. That'll be posted soon.

Thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing ;)