Disclaimer -- I own nothing... not even my home... it's all JK Rowling's, who is one of the most creative people I have ever had the privilege to read...

Author's Note -- This one is short, so I uploaded two... Enjoy!

Reassurance

The mornings went that way for just over a month. When the babies were six weeks old, there was a definite difference though. Instead of Rowan breastfeeding, there were bottles of formula at the table. Both Remus and Sirius was quite happy to have started feeding the babies, who were now sleeping through the night. The difference showed in the older trio's appearance as well. Both seemed much more rested.

Harry, who was feeding Mattix, asked, "So are you three going to stay together and rear the children that way, or are you just going to live in the same house and the children have separate parents?" Rowan didn't have an answer as they had not talked anymore about it. Harry seemed to read the unspoken words and continued, "Okay, how about I put it this way? Ginny and I volunteer to watch the babies for a few hours and let ya'll figure out what you are going to do. Since they are six weeks old and doing the bottle thing now, we can handle them."

Sirius looked at his godson. "Thank you, Harry, but that's not necessary. We'll figure it out on our own. It isn't as though we have to make a decision right now. None of us are prepared to go anywhere. So, even if we decide not to stay married, I am not leaving the room and neither is she, and you can bet Remy won't be going anywhere. They're a handful," he paused for a moment and looked to Rowan before continuing, "honestly, I don't know how you managed with Mason and Madison, and they're fifteen months apart. And she was willing to have Harry too."

Harry did a double take at his words. Turning to Rowan, Sirius added, "Can you imagine Rowan? Two boys like Mason and Harry, then throw in Neville later, and Madison? Oh my, your hands were already so full. How would you have managed?"

She looked at him, not sure if she should do this now. But chose to say what they all needed to hear, clearing her throat, she looked at Sirius. "Well, first of all, maybe my sanity would have been more in tact. Guilt can do funny things to a mind. But if you think about it, Siri, I think you meant, if we had gotten Harry? You would have been around to help. We would have eventually gotten Neville, and you STILL would have been around. Because it was just me, I did what I had to do for us to survive."

She looked to Harry, even though she was speaking to Sirius, "I wanted Harry, with or without you involved. I would have taken him to Texas and never looked back. I would have accepted Neville as well, and we would have managed. It would have been like having triplet boys though. It would have been worth the trouble." she finished and looked back to Sirius.

Sirius nodded. She turned to talk to Harry again. "Harry, I've told you before, but once again, you need to hear it: I did want you Harry. Albus made that decision for us and we did not get a vote. Sirius went to get you that night. I waited for him to come home with you. Your crib had already been set up in our little flat in Surrey. I… expected to rear you with Mason. I'm sorry you didn't get that life."

As their eyes met, he knew she was telling the truth. He had been wanted and loved, just as he was now, "Of course Mason and Madison can tell you of me being a bit insane at times, so I am not sure you would have been any better off. The only real difference is that you would have felt as much love as the others did. I also want you to know that I think of you as Mason's brother. When I talked to my family about coming back here, you were part of that equation. I know we have had our differences, but I hope perhaps that we can put them aside or talk them out. Not that it matters, because I'm not leaving again."

He nodded and handed the baby off to Ron, stood and walked to the older woman. He hugged her with as much love as he could find in his soul. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, "I never realized you wanted me too."

"I did. We both did." She sniffled back in his shoulder.

And from that simple declaration, the world was spinning in the right direction again.

The counselors came beginning that week and both Sirius and Rowan spent extended amounts of time with them, Remus joining when the counselors thought it necessary. Madeline and Mattix spent that time with Molly or Narcissa. On occasion, Harry and Ginny, or Mason and Katie, or Hermione and Ron would take the children during counseling. Although the trio healed individually, their relationship continued platonically.