Sleep was a dark blanket, wrapping me in forgetfulness. I fought leaving its tranquil embrace, burrowing closer into seductive warmth.

"Nymphadora."

I woke suddenly like a sleeper who had kicked off her covers and was shocked by the cold. I realised the warmth I was trying to sink into was not a blanket. It was Remus. We were lying on my bed, bands of morning sunlight pouring through the shutters. My arm was across his chest, my leg over his as I pressed against his side. Remus wasn't wearing a shirt, and the tie to my dress had come undone. I felt the heat of his skin all the way down my body.

I looked up at Remus's face and joked weakly, "Did I miss the best night of my life?"

"No."

I could feel tears pricking the back of my eyes. "Was it the worst, for you?"

A corner of his mouth turned up. "Not the worst."

"I'm sorry."

Remus kissed my forehead. "I take full responsibility."

My face began to scrunch. "No. I'm the one who rushed off to find a boggart and then fainted."

"You didn't faint. I used a Sleeping Charm."

I stared into watchful eyes, trying to understand. "Because I got so…upset…?" I bit my lip. Mental was more like it.

"Yes, you were inconsolable."

There was no reproach in his tone, but I condemned myself for being such a nutcase over a stupid boggart. "Guess I'm not as tough as I thought I was."

His fingers stroked my hair. "You don't have to be tough."

The touch of his hands was soothing. I said, "I hate that I acted so weak."

"It takes strength to face your fears."

I could see it in his face. Remus wanted to talk about what we had seen, when my mind skittered away from the memory twisting my stomach into knots. I used my hand on his chest to lever myself up to see the clock on the bedside table. "What time is it? Am I late for…?" My mouth dropped open. It was nine o'clock!

"I took the liberty of contacting Jerry. You're officially out sick today."

"What about Samy and Aashi?" I asked. "Don't they need you?"

"Ambika doesn't have a morning class today. She was happy to postpone shopping until after I escort you to your Healer appointment."

I rolled away and sat on the edge of the bed, looking back at Remus to ask, "What Healer appointment?"

"Ten o'clock with Healer Wells. I owled her last night, and this morning she answered."

"While I slept through it all," I said bitterly. Remus made a move toward me. I stood and faced him. "I could've made my own appointment."

"But would you have?"

At that moment, I both loved and hated that he knew me so well. I shrugged. "Doesn't matter now." Unreasonably irked by his patient silence, I let my dress fall and said on the way to the lav, "Since you're being so helpful, feel free to make the bed and fix breakfast too!"

I shut the door with a snap and stood listening. Was he going to leave? I deserved it for acting so bitchy.

"Nymphadora."

I jumped. "Ahh…I mean, yes?"

"Would you prefer Muesli or Eggs and toast?"

I sagged back against the door in relief. Thank Merlin he loved me and put up with my moods. "Anything's fine with me, baby."

I might have imagined his huff of amusement, but the thought made me grin while stepping out of my thong and into the shower.

After I dressed in denims and a pink tunic to match my hair, I walked to the kitchen. Remus offered me a cup of coffee while he set our plates on the table. "I love you, but I would've burnt your toast to charcoal," I said, taking a seat and a bite of scrambled egg.

"Deliberately?"

I smiled, but it felt sheepish. "Sorry for showing my arse back there, both ways."

"You were provoked, and the physical mitigated the metaphorical."

A blush burned its way across my cheeks. "It did?"

He had faint shadows under his eyes from lack of sleep, but Remus's expression was alert…and wolfish. "Heart-shaped is my favourite."

I almost choked on a bite of toast and gulped down a swallow of coffee. I knew I had a heart-shaped face, but a heart-shaped arse? Why had nobody ever told me before? Not that many people had seen it, but still!

Remus reached across the table and caressed my chin. "Beautifully rounded, of course."

I took his hand and pressed it against the side of my face. "Thank you," I said, "Not just for the…erm…compliment, but for taking care of me, and making the appointment…and breakfast."

"I want you to be happy," Remus said simply.

"I am happy," I said.

"Then I want you to be happy without fear, without reservations."

I turned my face to kiss his palm. "Can I come see you after the appointment?" I tried to say with my eyes, I will tell you everything, I promise.

Remus's smile told me he understood. He nodded. "Have lunch with us. The children will be thrilled to have Commander Natasha play with them after their quiet time." After our talk, was clearly implied.

I picked up a piece of toast and pointed it at him. "Tell Samy if I have to be the bad guy again, I want a ray gun."

He grinned.

I said, "Hey, not all of us have martial arts moves like you, Super Commando Dhruva. Muggle villains need firepower."

Remus put his hands together and bowed. "Yes, my beloved."

.

A jolt of something I refused to call panic twisted my stomach when we approached the Healer's office. "That's it," I said, "just through that door." I pointed to the sage green door at the end of the corridor. "The whole place is painted in blues and greens. I think it's supposed to calm nervous patients."

Remus kissed me tenderly. "Then you'll benefit greatly."

I had to laugh. "Yeah, well, I guess I'd better go in." I stood smiling at Remus for a moment before saying, "Bye."

"Goodbye, love."

"You don't have to wait around," I said, after another few moments had passed.

"I think I do."

"I'm going to go in . . . eventually."

Remus hugged me. "Do you want me to carry you in?" he asked with a smile in his voice.

He was so funny. My laugh echoed in the corridor. "Would you?"

Three patients looked up when Remus carried me through the office door. "I was joking," I muttered, when he set me on my feet.

"I'll see you soon," he said, kissing my cheek.

"Lucky!" one of the women said after Remus left.

I smiled and went to sign in.

.

"My Gran has a blouse like that," I said when I saw the red silk top the counsellor wore.

"Are you and your Gran close?" Healer Wells asked, watching me plop down in the comfortable chair across from hers.

"Very." I saw her pleased look and asked, "Why?"

"If you associate me with someone you trust, it will be easier for you to trust me to help you."

"Help me, how?"

The counsellor said, "Your partner owled that you experienced a trauma involving a boggart last night. Tell me about it."

She avoided my question yet expected me to answer hers? I said, "I tried writing down my fear. I couldn't do it, so I decided to confront the fear head on."

Healer Wells remained silent, obviously waiting for me to continue. I contemplated my manicure, thinking she was probably writing down that I was unwilling to explore my feelings again.

"What form did the boggart take?"

One of my fingernails had a rough edge. I used a thumbnail to smooth it. "The boggart looked like Remus."

Silence fell again. I smoothed the edges of all my nails, whether they needed it or not.

"Was the boggart a werewolf?"

If the counsellor wanted my attention, she got it. "Of course he wasn't!" I said harshly. "Do you think I'm afraid of something so stupid?"

"Other people fear werewolves."

"Other people are ignorant gobshites."

Healer Wells smiled briefly. "Yes, people fear what they do not know."

"I know Remus."

"If you do not fear his condition, what do you fear?" she asked.

I looked toward the fireplace. There was no fire lit today. I frowned. "I can't explain it," I said.

"Shall I light a fire? It might help."

"How?"

The healer waved her wand, creating a fire with dancing blue flames. "Patients find staring into the fire relaxes them. Some are able to enter a state of dissociation, where they can review a traumatic memory calmly, disconnected from the critical mind."

"What? Like hypnosis? I don't think I fit the personality."

Healer Wells smiled. "Those who manage to shift their focus from present surroundings to a particular place in memory are not docile and malleable. They are imaginative and independent."

"I bet you say that to all the patients."

She chuckled. "Only the ones who stare off into the flames of their own accord…or roll their eyes."

I snickered. "Roll their eyes?"

"There have been studies associating the ability to roll the eyes upward with the ability to achieve a dissociated state of awareness. You are an excellent candidate," she finished dryly.

I said, "So you wouldn't be hypnotising me. I wouldn't end up clucking like a chicken."

"No. You would be outside yourself, an observer, yet retain total control, always."

I shifted to stare into the flames. "I want to face my fear."

"It may help to place both feet flat on the floor, and to concentrate on your breathing. Allow it to fall into its own natural rhythm, slow and deep."

I watched the blue fire, feeling tension fade as a sense of calmness grew. My shoulders slumped as my muscles relaxed and I became transfixed by the flames.

"Tonks?"

"Hmm?"

"I want you to picture yourself walking into that room last night, watching as the boggart takes form."

In the fire, I saw the lid of the trunk open and the boggart climb out.

"Do you see the boggart?"

"Yes."

"Describe it to me."

"It looks like Remus," I said, "but older. His clothes are worn, and his hair has more grey."

Distantly, I heard Healer Wells ask, "You say it looks like Remus. How do you know it isn't?"

"His eyes."

"Tell me about the boggart's eyes."

"They're dull," I said steadily. "He has no hope. He's lost faith."

"Faith in what?"

"Everything . . . our love . . . the future . . . ." My lips turned down.

"What you see does not hurt you. You are observing, not feeling," the counsellor's voice reminded me. A moment passed. She said, "Pull back. You are floating at the ceiling, looking down. What do you see?"

"I'm on the floor, crying."

"Why?"

"I think Remus has rejected me."

"Has he?"

"No."

"How do you know?"

I looked at the man trying to comfort. "He said it wasn't real. He loves me."

"What's happening now?" the healer asked.

"The boggart is going back in the trunk, and I'm falling asleep."

The image in the flames faded. I continued to stare, entranced by the fire.

"Tonks?"

"Hmm?"

"I want you to blink your eyes and become aware of your surroundings."

I blinked and returned to the room.

"How do you feel?"

I looked at Healer Wells. "Good. Relaxed."

"What are your thoughts about the boggart now?"

I still didn't like to remember the pain I had felt, or the way the boggart looked so heartbreaking, but having seen the episode from a neutral perspective, I could say, "I understand why I was afraid…I've felt alone and rejected before."

"Do you still feel the same fear?"

"No. I know Remus truly loves me."

She smiled.

.

I knocked on the front door of the Patils' home, butterflies swooping like mad in my stomach.

Aashi answered the door. "Is that for me?" she asked eagerly.

I held the rose out to the man standing behind her. "It's for Remus."

The newly turned six-year-old girl pouted as she watched him take it with a smile. "Girls don't give boys flowers. Boys are supposed to give them to girls!"

"Maybe next time I'll bring one for you," I said.

The stormy expression on Aashi's little face immediately became sunny. "I would like a white lotus."

Samy pushed his way past his tutor. "The lotus is the symbol of love," he said in a singsong voice.

"Chup Raho!" Aashi pushed her brother.

He pushed back. "No, youshut up!"

"Children."

Two sets of large, guilty eyes stared at each other, and then their tutor. "I'm sorry," the twins said together.

I followed the three into the kitchen.

"Wow," I said. On the table, a colourful chicken dish was set out with basmati rice, grilled vegetables and a cucumber salad.

"Ambika's leftovers," Remus said.

We both grinned. It looked better than anything we had ever conjured.

"Mataji made the Tandoori chicken not so spicy, just for you," Aashi told me.

"That was nice of her," I said.

I sat between the children and listened to their stories while trying not to stare at Remus too much. I felt like a teenager, trying not to be obvious about her crush on a handsome boy. My heart raced every time our eyes met.

"Now we get to play!" Samy said after we had finished lunch and cleared the dishes.

I asked Remus, "Isn't it quiet time?" Time for the kids to go to their rooms so we can talk on the sofa…snog a lot and grope a little…if my luck holds.

"We don't have to have quiet time today! We get to play until you have to go home!" Aashi said with a wide smile.

Remus was wiping off the counters for a second time. "The children already had a quiet time this morning."

"We coloured while Mum was sick in the bathroom." Samy made gagging sounds until his sister told him to stop.

I didn't know what to think. Remus was avoiding my gaze. "What do you want to play?" I asked the kids.

"Super Commando Dhruva!" they said together.

The city of Rajnagar was under seige by Grand Master Robo, and Dhruva, with his commando force, had to find the criminal mastermind and send him to jail. Remus was Dhruva, Samy played Karim, Peter and Renu, the commandos, while Aashi switched between the role of a weak girl named Shweta and her secret crime fighter alter-ego Chandika.

I was informed that after I got finished playing Robo, I could become Natasha and kiss Dhruva. "In that case, I give up now," I said.

Aashi giggled, but her brother was not amused. "You can't cheat!" he said sternly.

I raised my hands in a gesture of peace. "OK, I'm going. How much of a head start do I get?"

"Dhruva will count to one hundred," said Samy.

I said cheekily, "In Latin?"

A ghost of a smile tilted Remus's lips as he counted, "Unus, duo, tres . . . ."

I took my ray gun and dashed out of the room. I immediately ran upstairs. On the upper landing, I used a Muffling Charm and then scurried back down the steps, heading for the French doors leading outside. At the far end of the garden was a potting shed. I decided to hide behind it, so if anyone checked inside, I could make a run for the house.

I sat on the ground, picking blades of grass while I waited for the kids to finish looking inside and come out to search the garden. I began to tear the grass into tiny pieces, trying to figure out why Remus was avoiding talking about the session.

Did you discuss the boggart with your partner? What did he think your fear was?

The voice in my mind belonged to Healer Wells, the questions ones she asked at the end of our session. I had answered "no" and "I don't know."

I threw the grass down. Instead of just agreeing that I needed to find out, I should have asked her what she thought he thought my fear was.

"You're under arrest, Robo!"

A tiny crime fighter stood at the side of the shed, pointing his ray gun at me.

I had put my gun down to pull grass. I needed to stall until I thought of a plan fit for an evil mastermind. "Which commando are you?" I sneered. "You all look alike to me."

Samy put a hand over his mouth to hide a smile. "I am Karim. Put your hands on your head!" he ordered, slipping back into character.

I wasn't going to let the little do-gooder get the best of me. I said, "No. I have a new weapon, created by my scientists."

Karim/Samy frowned. "Which scientists? The evil ones in your mountain hideout, or the good ones you force to work for you in your underground lair in the city?"

I curled my lip. "The evil ones."

Dark eyes widened. "What kind of weapon?"

I silently chanted a Disillusionment Charm. "Invisibility!" I boasted, jumping to my feet. "You shall never catch me. I will disappear into the crowd and return with my army to level the city and—" I yelped when strong arms pulled me back against a muscular body.

"Monologuing leads to the villian's downfall every time," Remus said, his chest shaking with repressed laughter.

His grasp was loose. I went limp and slid right out of it. With the help of a muttered "Impellere," I turned and pushed him back several metres.

"You little cheat!" Remus said, chuckling.

"Dhruva will get you, Robo!" yelled Sami.

I laughed wickedly, starting to run.

Remus hit me with a trip jinx.

Before I could rise, a small body landed on my back. "If you move, I will shoot you!" Aashi said.

"How did you know where she, er, he was, Chandika?" Sami asked, rushing over to help his sister by sitting on me too.

"Robo's scientists are not so smart. The air was blurry when sh-uh-he moved."

"Good work, Chandika, Karim. Thanks to you, Grand Master Robo will not be so grand in prison," Remus said.

I wondered if he was keeping a straight face. I was smiling as I spit a blade of grass out of my mouth. "You have not heard the last of me, Dhruva!"

My captors bounced up and down. "We won! We won! We beat Robo!"

I became visible. "Can we stop playing now? Please?" I begged, gasping for air.

The children laughed gleefully while Remus helped me up.

"You can be Natasha now," Samy said graciously.

Aashi giggled. "You can kiss Dhruva."

I stepped close to Remus. "My hero," I sighed, batting my eyelashes.

He pecked me on the lips. I pouted much like Aashi had earlier. Heroes were supposed to kiss girls better than that!

"We've enjoyed playing with you," said Remus.

Here's your wizard hat, what's your hurry? The old expression came to mind as I hugged the kids. I pasted a smile on my face and backed away. "Bye, guys," I said, before Apparating.

.

At home, I cleaned the lavatory before the Sanitising Spells rubbed off and my mind cleared of self-pity. To hell with going away meekly, I had another idea. It had slithered into mind, courtesy of my black streak, no doubt. I cackled to myself, heading for the shower.

When Remus stepped out of his fireplace, he saw me and stood transfixed. I smiled and used a variation of Incarcerous.

Remus sat bound to a chair, staring incredulously. "What do you think you're doing?"

I sashayed forward. "I once told you I'd talk things out if I had to tie you to the bed to do it." I bent and trailed my fingers over the ropes across his chest. "You don't have bedposts, so I made do with what I had."

"You have a lot," Remus said, his eyes on the level of my black leather vest.

I grinned and kissed him. "Thanks, baby, now talk."

"That's an interesting outfit you've put together."

And I thought I was good at evasion. I glanced down at my leather miniskirt and knee-high lace up boots. "It seemed to go with the bondage theme."

"The bonds are unnecessary. Release me, and we'll talk," he said with a smile.

I shook my head and sat on Remus's lap, facing him. I cradled his face in my hands and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "You didn't talk to me earlier."

"I wasn't ready. I apologise."

"I should've talked to you this morning, but I wasn't ready, and I'm sorry." I smoothed his hair back. "Talk to me so we can kiss and make up, OK?"

"All right. Where should we begin?"

I swallowed hard. "The boggart. What did you think it meant?"

Amber eyes darkened. "I tried not to attribute meaning, but I couldn't help thinking you were afraid to end up with an old werewolf who had nothing to offer."

His voice was deliberately light, which made my guilt feel heavier. It had been selfish of me not to face my fears. "No," I said, in between covering his face with tiny kisses. "You're not old, and you give me so much. I was afraid you'd stop believing in our love, in our future together."

Remus turned his head to bring his mouth to mine. I opened my lips, engulfed in the heat of his kiss. The sweep of his tongue made me melt inside. Outside too, where the softness of my body melted against the hardness of his.

I dragged my lips away. "I don't fear it anymore. I know that you love me. I trust you, with everything." I exhaled shakily and asked, "Do you trust me the same way?"

"Yes, Nymphadora, I do."

Remus's smile was so beautiful I wanted to cry out of happiness. Instead, I said, "I love you, I love you, I love you!" between kisses.

The pounding on the door startled me so much I fell off Remus's lap and onto the floor.

"Remus! It's Tom! Is Tonks with you?"

My jaw dropped when Remus stood, heavy ropes breaking like silk threads. "H—how?"

"Marauder secret."

I took his hand and stood. "I never really had you tied up?"

Remus winked. "It was my pleasure to let you have your way." He went to open the door while I scooped up the ropes and ran into the bedroom. I dumped them on the floor of the wardrobe before grabbing a white tee. I hurriedly stripped of the vest and then put it back on over the shirt. I looked in the mirror. Vaguely piratical was a better look for friends than dominatrix!

In the lounge, Tom stood with his arm around Julia, both of their faces grave.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

Tom said, "A missing person's report has been filed on Maris's bodyguard."

"You had nothing to do with that," I said.

"That's not all," Julia bit her lip.

Remus held out a piece of parchment. "The blackmailer made another demand."

"He wants three times the money," Tom spat angrily.

My eyes flew to Remus. I asked, "Isn't that a funny co-incidence?"

His mouth curved slightly. I could see we had the same idea.

"I can't afford to pay this," Tom said. "What are we going to do?"

I looked at Remus. He said, "We're going to pay Rosier a visit."

.

.

A/N: The Scooby Gang is back in action next week, for those of you who've missed them. I'll leave it to each reader to guess if Evan will be the bad guy, or Red Herring. :D. The readers who didn't leave me guessing if they liked the last chapter, reviewing and making my week shiny were…... 40/16 alix33 amattsonperdue Arilla Rossi Bardlover cupcakeswirl die Loreley Dolphindreamer eleen Embellished Enorance Fauzia FNP Freja Lercke-Falkenborg GraceRichie ishandtwofourths Kates Master katieweasley (n1264) Kileaiya ladyofthebookworms LaneTechFreshie Leena7 Lerie lilmispris Lizet M MollyCoddles mon-ami-runa Moonlight Nethiel Nessime potteronpotluvhim remus R us siriuslycoco Sivaroobini Lupin-Black Slipknot-3113 Sophia Loren sunny9847 The Wilted Rose and WriterMerrin