A/N: This is one of my best yet, I think. If not that, then certainly one of my favorites. I really enjoyed writing this. It's been really salutary for me – it's shown me that I can actually enjoy writing, which I'd forgotten a time ago. At the risk of jinxing it, I think this kicked down a bit of my writer's block. Have fun, and I haven't started on the next chapter yet. If you don't mind, I want to take my time with this one.
Welcome Back
Chapter 1: Crises
Winter was a memory on damp doormats and dewy flowers by the time he'd returned.
He took off his hat and raincoat quietly and slipped into the bedroom as smoothly as he could.
He kicked off his shoes silently and padded to the bed on muffled, socked feet.
He pulled back the covers and slipped inside of them, relieved when he didn't hear the other occupant of the bed stir.
He chanced a small kiss on her pale cheek, only to find it slightly sunken with worry and fatigue.
He'd done it again to her.
He'd worried her, betrayed her, hurt her, and he hadn't stopped, even as he'd known exactly what it was it was doing to her.
With a stifled sigh,Sirius resignedly pulled the covers up to his neck and let sleep claim him.
Ellie's eyes opened partially at a familiar feeling of warmth beside her that hadn't been there when she'd fallen asleep.
So he was back. It had felt like so long this time, though she knew it had only been a small number of months.
He'd been gone for longer, but this time had felt so much worse.
Perhaps it was because of the wintry cold that he had once sheltered her from now blustered through her every time she dared a step outside.
Perhaps it was because Snuffles, their dog, had come down with a cold that sapped the energy from him and now all he did was roam about the house and sleep.
Perhaps it was because Remus had paid a visit, wondering if Sirius was by and if he could talk to him for a moment, that it was rather urgent.
She didn't want to wonder why, because she didn't want to remember how it had felt.
The days had dragged by so slowly, so languidly, each ending punctuated by a pang of a mix of emotions – anger, guilt, jealousy, loneliness, worthlessness, and countless others she didn't like to think of without having to.
But now he was back; the familiar warmth resided next to her, already asleep, so said his rhythmically heaving chest and light snores.
Snuffles slept somewhere in the room, another set of metrical breathing and small snorts.
Hers were the only ones not adding to the lazy symphony of sleeping.
She should get some rest; Merlin knew she was in desperate need of it after the last slow-moving months.
Settling deeper into the mattress and resituating the comforter over her, she tried to let her thoughts go.
Sleep claimed her soon after.
---
"Morning, Sunshine" - Sirius half-expected to hear that in the usual flirty tone that morning, when he woke up and wearily scratched at his eyes.
But he hadn't heard it, a fact that only bothered him for a moment.
Searching around the room, he sought to place himself somewhere recognizable in his mind, and found the place.
His room – his and Ellie's.
The wafting smell of bangers and eggs with fresh-brewed breakfast tea met his nose, which quickly sent a message to his stomach about just what time it was.
Without hesitation, he jumped up to find he had somehow shed his t-shirt in his sleep, and started down the stairs to the kitchen.
Ellie stood, washing the dishes quietly.
Her hair – a healthy, even brown colour – was loose, falling on and around her shoulders in clumsy tousles that were slightly damp.
She had on her usual robe, with yellow socks as opposed to his slippers.
Furtively, he walked up behind her, slipping his arms round her waist and kissing her cheek, which didn't seem that sullen with the gleaming sunlight pouring down on it.
"Morning, sunshine," he murmured into the hale and hearty cheek of his wife.
"Good morning to you too, Sirius," said Ellie in response, not taking her hazel-coloured eyes from the sink and the dirty dishes she still needed to tend to. "Your breakfast is on the table."
Sirius looked down slightly as he released her, and nodded.
He cast a glance at the table, which was set for one with a plate of eggs and sausages and a glass of orange juice.
"You're not eating with me?" asked Sirius curiously.
Ellie turned her face to look at him before saying: "I'm afraid not, Sirius, I have to get ready for work. There's been a bit of a crisis."
She sipped her breakfast tea before turning around, wiping her hands on a dishtowel.
Her lips twisted into a small smile. "I'm sure you can finish it all off without me, though."
Sirius offered a marginal grin in return. "It won't be the same."
She walked over to him, the smile still on her lips. "I have to get ready now, Sirius." She kissed his cheek. "Eat."
With a final soft grin, she walked through the archway and started up the stairs.
Sirius sat down, picking up his fork and knife and began tucking into his breakfast.
Ellie had acted as if it never happened.
She always did, but for some reason, it had bothered him today.
The way she'd conjured up a great morning meal, the way she'd welcomed his embrace as if it'd never been missing, the way she talked to him so casually, not asking where he'd been or why he'd been gone so long.
She was so pretty – he hadn't remembered how pretty she was.
He hadn't remembered much of her at all – the glow of her skin in the mornings, the smart twist of her lips when she spoke, how her feet made little subdued noises when she walked.
Things about her that he'd forgotten were the same reasons he'd fallen in love with her.
If he had ever been in love, if that had been love at all, if he even knew what it was.
He forked a bit of sausage too forcefully and winced as he heard an uncomfortable clang when metal hit porcelain.
Brought out of his thoughts, he could now hear Ellie's footsteps down the stairs.
She wore nice boots and a smart white jacket under her cloak as she stood near the front door.
"Love you, Ellie," said Sirius loudly so he would be heard.
"Love you too," she replied.
She disapparated, leaving him alone in the house.
Sirius sighed slightly.
Snuffles came roving into the kitchen, most likely because he'd smelled the food, and sniffed Sirius amiably.
Sirius scratched the dog's head and messed playfully with his ears to return the greeting. "Hey, boy," he said quietly, "Been a while."
While scratching the dog's ears as he bent over, and, looking the dog straight in the face, saw that the black Labrador's nose was dry, his eyes watery, and his face tired-looking.
"Did you get sick while I was away, Snuffles?" he asked the dog, who only looked at him motionlessly for a moment.
And then did not hesitate to give him a big old "welcome home" lick.
He laughed softly, wiping the slobber from his face, and gave Snuffles a ruffle of his fur.
The dog lay down beside his chair and dozed off.
Sirius smiled, then let out another heave of breath.
Maybe he should give Remus a call, or maybe James, for a chance to see his godson.
He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Harry, or, for that matter, seen James or Lily or Remus.
He had been growing so distant from things he'd once seen in his life as inescapably close.
But maybe that wasn't for him to concern himself with right now.
"Hello?" asked a feminine voice from the other line.
"Lily? Hey, it's me, Sirius," he spoke into the receiver.
"Sirius? Where have you been? We've all been so worried – Ellie's been sick with anxiety-"
"Well, I'm back now," cut in Sirius jovially.
Sensing his hesitance, Lily continued on his line of thought: "Yes, yes, I suppose you are. Did you want to speak with James?"
"Yeah, I wanted to see if he was up for a go around the park. We could take Harry if you like."
"Actually, he and Remus are off in a pub in Diagon Alley. I would have gone too but I couldn't find a sitter for Harry."
Sirius couldn't keep his interest from showing in his voice. "Do you know which pub?"
"Yeah, the one near the Leaky Cauldron," informed Lily, and then added quickly, "Tell them I'm very mad at them for leaving me behind."
Sirius let out a small laugh. "I will, Lily. Bye."
Before she could say goodbye as well, he hung up and grabbed his jacket.
---
He apparated to the main street of Diagon Alley, noting that the old Leaky Cauldron stood at a slight slant as he walked by.
Continuing on his way down, he spotted the pub Lily had been talking of.
Its iron wrought sign waved in the slight breeze.
The Griffin's Gorge was rather desolate excluding a number of shady-looking, solitary wizards and witches littering every other table.
He had no trouble spotting his two friends, who sat in a corner table, talking quietly.
Sirius waved at them, and, with a rather surprised look on their faces, motioned him towards them.
"Hey, Prongs, Moony," greeted Sirius cheerfully, pulling a chair to their table and taking a seat.
"Padfoot, where've you been? Ellie's been-" James and Remus started at the same time.
Sirius finished for them. "Yeah, I know, I know, 'been worried sick.' But she's fine now."
He turned to peruse each of his friend's faces before whispering conspiratorially, "So…what's up?"
Remus cleared his throat. "We're not quite sure we should be telling you this."
"Why not?" Sirius started, indignant already.
James put a hand to his friend's shoulder to calm him down. "Because we can't risk you going off again. We can handle this, we don't need your help yet."
Sirius narrowed his eyes, looking like an angry child. "What's so wrong that you guys won't tell me?"
Remus took a deep breath. "Okay, we'll tell you. It's a problem with the Ministry, a big problem."
Sirius raised his eyebrows and frowned, saying definitively: "Just tell me."
Looking back, it would have been better if he hadn't gone to the Griffin's Gorge at all.
---
Ellie stared patiently at the witch waving papers, littered with colourful paper clips and post-its and the like, in dangerous range of her face.
Honestly, her attention was divided and the majority of it was not on the current threat of paper cuts the size of galleons on her face.
Sirius had come back, and his easiness this morning as well as hers had done little to smooth out the questions in her mind.
Why had he come back so late?
Where had he been this time?
Why didn't he love her anymore?
So many questions with answers she feared she might learn if she asked.
So she hadn't asked.
It felt so much better to pretend like he hadn't left, like he hadn't kept from her where or how long he was going to be, like he hadn't opened up an old wound when he kissed her cheek before he fell asleep.
But there was also that emptiness when she ignored it, that ignored little pang of insincerity that told her she could ask instead of filling in the blanks herself, that he could tell her all the answers, the right ones, and she'd feel better.
Ellie was hit briefly with a projectile paper clip on the forehead.
"Oh dear, I'm sorry," apologized the previously vehement witch with a gentle look.
Ellie rubbed the offended temple, wearing a weak smile.
"It's fine," she said while trying to sound light-hearted, "I didn't even feel it."
How did such a standard comment turn into a representation of her in all other aspects so quickly?
She placed her palm on her head and gave the witch a sweet, albeit tired look.
"Aggie, I'll take care of it. Just leave the papers on the desk and I'll tackle them first chance I get."
Agatha nodded, not spotting the exhaustion the younger witch evinced, and walked away to her own desk.
Ellie heaved a mighty sigh and got back to her paperwork dejectedly.
"Ellie," called another witch.
Bracing herself for another nicely sized stack of work, she looked up to meet the gaze of the person standing in front of her desk.
"Yes?" she replied expectantly.
"Ellie, about the problem I told you of yesterday-" started the witch, who looked rather nervous suddenly.
"Yes?"
"Well, it just got worse."
"Oh no," muttered Ellie, who got up and started in the direction of the lift.
She pressed the button for the first floor while massaging her temples and fighting off the need to stomp on the floor and scream for the world to stop for a moment for her to collect her thoughts.
"Level 4: Spell Damage," said the automated voice in the lift as the doors dinged and opened.
In a businesslike gait, Ellie started for the door to the Janus Thickey ward, where she found a wizard on one of the beds, striking odd poses and letting loose small screams.
Two trainee-healers were on either side of him, trying to calm him down.
Ellie marched up to the scene and asked sharply: "Where is the Healer-in-Charge?"
They traded looks and stared at her.
They shook their heads in tandem.
"We don't know; Healer Strout didn't come in today. And then they carted in this guy, and we weren't sure what to do. Apparently, none of the Healers-in-Charge on this floor showed up for work today."
"Why not?" Ellie asked, more to herself than the two floundering trainee-healers.
"We don't know – nobody seems to. We've heard mentions of the Ministry having something to do with it."
"The Ministry?" thought Ellie, "What do they have to do with St. Mungo's?"
She shook her head of the thoughts; she'd concern herself with them later.
"What's happened to him?"
The trainee-healers once again exchanged glances.
"We think it was one of the Unforgivable Curses."
"The Imperious Curse…" she trailed, and then snapped her head up to meet the questioning faces of the two interns, who, at the sight of the expression she gave them, snapped to attention.
"You, give him a sleeping draught, if that doesn't work, get Janice to mix some ginger roots and nettles for him, and you, come with me. I need to know all you've heard so far."
---
Chapter 2: Secrets We Keep
A/N: I hope you all liked the first chapter. This was lots of fun to write, and it just kept flowing. I know that it's kind of short but if I gave anymore away in this chapter then the next one would be shorter, so I decided to divvy up the info so that some of it comes out in the next chapter.
Review, please!