Disclaimer: I own Vela, Cassey, and Leo. The song, again, belongs to Iron and Wine. Enjoy and Cheers!

"I want your flowers like babies want god's love

Or maybe, a sure as tomorrow will come."

The evening spread itself like a painting, smearing gold and pink and orange, a whole array of a sunset pallet. Then, with the warm breeze, came the sweeping, all encompassing blue, and stars arose one by one. The woman with the studded dress swept across the sky, her face full and bright. It was night, night with her arms, wrapping round the world with warmth and well being. Ella sat on the front stoop looking past the city smog and towering skyline to the open air. Sirius was at the hospital, having finally received clearance to take Leo home. She and Remus had been using the last few hours to clean and prepare the house for Leo's homecoming. It was quite an affair.

Ella had even allowed a meat-filled dinner for, as Remus had so candidly pointed out, Leo was a boy. The aging werewolf was in the kitchen, putting the finishing touches on the roast lamb with a lovely side of rosemary mashed potatoes. Ella had prepared a bit of soup for herself a couple hours before. She didn't know why she was feeling blue. All she knew was that she had a sunken feeling in her stomach and every time she thought of Leo her eyes prickled slightly. It was silly and Ella had hoped that a little fresh air would clear her head. It didn't work.

"Ella," Remus had stepped out onto the stoop. "They'll be here in about five minutes." She nodded, not looking up at him for fear of betraying herself. She was being selfish and stupid and the last thing she wanted was for her godfather to know. She hoped he would turn around and go back into the kitchen, give her a couple more minutes to shake herself into form, no such luck.

"What's the matter dear?" he asked, sitting beside her and attempting to swivel his head in such a way as to look into her face.

"It's nothing, I mean, nothing's the matter." For the billionth time in her sixteen some years she despised her feminine hormones.

"Vela, you may be able to fool your old dad but not me. I have a way of sniffing these things out." She smiled weakly and turned toward him.

"I don't know what's wrong with me. I just feel a little down. I just, well, I can't for the life of me figure out why I could possibly be sad."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you're still smarting from what happened with Sirius. Just because Leo miraculously comes back to life doesn't mean all of that goes away. Don't worry dearest, he'll come round. Now, will you please help me finish preparing the table?" Ella, slightly heartened, nodded and got up, following Remus back into the house.

Meanwhile, in a small shack in some nameless place

"Stupid idiot! God Pettigrew, I thought you'd at least be able to handle this one little assignment. What is it you said? The muggle child just miraculously got away? He was defenseless for Merlin's sake!" Peter cowered against the wall, his nose twitching nervously. This was the third time in a month he'd mussed up an assignment and as hard as Malfoy came down on him, he knew it was nothing compared to what Voldemort would do. He cringed at the memory of past "sessions" with his master who, consequently, did not prove to be very merciful, forgiving, or easily tickled.

"I'm sorry; like I said, it didn't go as plan." Peter ran a hand over his balding head and licked his lips.

"No really? You don't say. And here I thought you were supposed to let the little urchin go." Malfoy laughed mirthlessly. He sloshed a bit of firewhisky in a glass and glared at Peter who was still on the floor. "You know it reflects badly on all of us don't you? Our master likes his business done with at least a hint of competence. You know, sometimes I think we would be better off to throw you at the mercy of those friends of yours." He emptied the amber liquid and slammed the glass down on the table.

Peter rose shakily from the floor of "his" shack. Wordlessly, he poured Malfoy another glass of firewhisky and handed it to him. trembling furiously. Sometimes he thought he'd be better off at the mercy of James, Sirius, and Remus.

"He's got another assignment for you. It's the last one before he ends your pointless existence for good. Muck it up and you'll find yourself swimming with the fishes. Interesting phrase isn't it? Just picked it up. Do you like it?" Malfoy shot Peter a sadistic grin, showing off his brilliantly white teeth.

"What's the assignment?"

"You're to collect Ms. Vela Black. You'll know her, or, well you know her father. If you fail, you know the consequences. I suggest you fulfill your task sooner rather than later. Meet Our Lord at headquarters, midnight; I'd advise you not to be late. Good day Pettigrew." Malfoy apparated with a jaunty solute and was gone. Peter sank into the nearest chair. Sirius's daughter? How was he supposed to get Sirius's daughter? He knew how protective Sirius was of his friends; Peter could only assume he was even more so with his child. But what choice did he have? If he didn't he'd be killed. Maybe that wouldn't be such a loss.

Back in London

"-sooner rather than later Sirius," Remus said in a low voice, placing a dinner plate back in the cupboard. His friend was gazing raptly at his two children who were sitting in the Living Room. Ella was sitting pretzel style on the floor, knitting needles flashing, while Leo was stretched out on the couch. He seemed to be telling Ella something very funny as her shoulders were shaking violently.

"Huh?" he asked, not turning to Remus.

"You need to talk to Ella sooner rather than later," Remus repeated, piercing a hole in the back of Sirius's neck with his gaze.

"Honestly Moony, I don't know what you're talking about. She looks fine to me."

"Sirius, don't be stupid. She's upset and the two of you have yet to make up."

"That's behind us now."

"Do you believe that Sirius?"

"Look at her Remus. Does she look upset to you? I can tell when she's upset; she's terrible at lying as you well know."

"Yeah? And I suppose you've asked her if something's wrong? She can hide things from you Sirius; her ability to do that is hereditary." Sirius tensed. He hated it when Moony was right (which happened more often than not).

"Fine, I'll talk to her."

"Sooner ra-"

"Rather than later; I know."

"So Dad comes in and I act like I'm asleep and then, the minute he comes near, I grab his arm and yell bloody murder. He nearly jumped out of his skin." Ella grinned.

"I can see that happening."

"What are you doing?"

"Knitting."

"What?"

"A scarf."

"For?"

Ella blushed and gazed intently at her needles. "It's for you, I mean, it's yours if you want it. If you don't you needn't accept it." Leo propped himself up on his elbows. He had been ordered by the Healers to rest up and Sirius, petrified that he would relapse if he had to walk around the house, enforced the order. He was looking better, his cheeks rosy and his hair washed and trimmed. The physical difference between Leo and Ella was even more brutally apparent now that his eyes were in plain view.

"Of course I'd like it," he said hastily, shooting her a Sirius grin. "Thanks." Sirius walked into the room, bringing a plate of cookies and mugs of hot chocolate. "Hey Dad, look, Ella's knitting me a scarf!" Leo said, pointing to Ella who became glaringly self conscious.

"How long's it been since you last knitted Ellebelle?" Sirius asked playfully, setting the plate and tray down.

"I don't know," Ella murmured, not looking into his face.

"Not since she was seven if I remember correctly," Remus put in, walking into the room.

"Why'd she stop?" Leo asked, his natural curiosity surfacing with utter clarity.

"She hated it," Sirius answered. "It was during the Christmas holidays though that didn't really matter as she wasn't at school yet. She was this little thing, cute as a button, precocious and painfully bashful. Remus and I had to go on assignment so we left her with the Weasley's for a couple of days."

"Five, you were gone for five days," Ella put in.

"Yeah, anyway, Molly was in a tizzy with getting everything ready for the holidays. Because she didn't want Ella or Ginny playing around outside where she couldn't watch them, she sat them down and taught them how to knit. Ella had always been dead set on getting everything perfectly which hadn't been a problem as she had enjoyed everything she'd done. Well, she didn't really enjoy knitting."

"But she did it anyway," Remus interjected, grinning at the warm memory. "She sat there for hours, just knitting and hating every second. She did it just long enough to make two scarves, one for me and one for Sirius."

"Yours was orange and Dad's was puce; they were horrible, full of wholes and basically looked like a ball of yarn had exploded."

"I liked it; still have it actually," Sirius said, gazing warmly at Ella.

"So is there anything else she didn't like doing?" Leo asked, wanting to know as much about his twin as possible.

"Yeah, sewing," Ella answered hurriedly. "Remus taught me, thought I should know."

"I made her embroider a set of napkins and she did it but, again, hated every second." Remus leaned over and ruffled Ella's curls which she immediately patted back into place.

"Not a domestic?" Leo inquired humorously.

"She's good at cooking," Sirius observed. "It's basically just thread and yarn she's got a problem with." Leo laughed. He then leaned over and grabbed two cookies and a mug of hot chocolate.

"Cookie Elle?" he asked. Sirius snorted. "What?"

"I'm fine thanks," Ella replied tersely, shooting a glare in Sirius' direction.

"Get used to that Leo. She's not a big eater, our Ella." Remus explained casting Ella and Sirius a wary look.

"Oh, I guess I'll just have to make up the difference."

The next few days passed and Leo soon became settled. He and Ella shared a room for lack of any better solution. Leo's bed had been fixed on the opposite side of the room, against a bookshelf of books Ella seldom read (muggle science texts). It was late and pitch black in the little house in London. All in the house were silently sleeping but not for long. A piercing scream ripped through the hush. Ella began thrashing wildly in her sheets, clenching and unclenching her fists full of her comforter. Sirius, who was a notoriously deep sleeper was pulled forcefully from his slumber. He hurdled to Ella's and Leo's bedroom, tearing open the door. Leo was sitting up, looking petrified in Ella's direction.

Sirius hurried to her side and put his hands on each of her shoulders. She wrenched away from him, still thrashing. Remus came in, hurrying to the bedside as well but Sirius shooed him away. "Get back Moony, sit with Leo." Remus, too shocked to argue, obeyed. "Ella, wake up," Sirius begged, putting his arms more forcefully around her.

"It hurts, it hurts," Ella sobbed.

"What hurts?" Sirius murmured, pulling her to him. She woke with a jolt and pushed him away, looking around wildly. "Ella, what's the matter?" Sirius asked, concern apparent in his voice. Her breathing slowed and she began to sob uncontrollably, falling back into Sirius' arms. "Ella, tell me what you dreamed." She shook her head, unable to get a word out. After a few minutes she sobs died down to light hiccups.

"I-it was so t-t-t-terrible. Darkness all around and it hurt so much," her voice was muffled against Sirius' t-shirt.

"What hurt baby?"

"Like knives, all over my body; I can still feel them. He was laughing and, his-his servant."

"Who?" Sirius recognized her description as crucio. He was sure his daughter had never experienced it.

"Y-you k-k-know who."

"You've had a rough night. Why don't you try to get some more sleep," Sirius suggested softly. He needed to get to the bottom of this. As he got up to leave, however, she grabbed his arms.

"D-don't leave me p-p-please." She looked at him in such a way that all he could do was nod. He lay her down and crawled beside her, wrapping his arms about her as he had done when she was young. He gestured at Remus who lead Leo to Sirius' room. Ella's breathing steadied but Sirius did not rise. He remained with her, savoring the moment borrowed from the past when his baby girl needed him so. He didn't know how very much she would need him in the time to come.

A/N: Another chappie up! It's really just a transition but I hope you enjoyed it. I will not be posting review responses as I have known fan fiction to shut you down in doing so. Suffice to say, thank you to those of you who reviewed and for your helpful feedback. I do hope I've answered most of your questions. Anyway, REVIEW!