Sirius had long given way to Padfoot. He wasn't sure how long it had been. He only knew that the sky had lost all its stars again, and the only sorts of things he could measure were the cold and the loneliness constantly pressing in on him. He scorned his den, though, despite the suffocating fear of the expansive dark, remaining at his station on the little hill with a dogged, futile faithfulness even as he despaired.
He knew he was alone forever this time. He'd lost this Remus, as well, and it was only what he deserved. That was why, when he heard the sounds of rustling grasses and felt the tiny tremors in the ground beneath him from feet pounding steadily closer, he didn't believe it until he heard the sound of his name.
"Sirius!" And then Remus was there, dropping to his knees as Padfoot whined and rolled belly up, offering his submission. "Oh, Padfoot. I'm so sorry."
Remus draped over him, petting him, holding him, begging him to be Sirius again. "I'm sorry," he whispered over and over. "I won't leave again like that. Not ever again. I promise."
The air shimmered and Sirius was there, underneath him, hanging on as if he were drowning. "Please don't leave again. I'm sorry for whatever I did. I'm sorry. Don't leave me here alone."
"Shh..no," Remus gave a strangled sob. "I won't."
Sirius couldn't stop staring, his hands found Remus' face in the near pitch darkness, tracing the features he could barely see. "I thought you were gone forever, like the stars."
"The stars?" Startled, Remus tried to raise his head, but Sirius didn't let him, sinking his fingers deep in Remus' hair and bringing their faces a bare millimeter apart.
"I thought you were gone, like my Remus. He hates me now, I know it, and I couldn't bear...I couldn't bear it if you hated me, as well."
"No. No, Sirius. Never."
"I don't want to be alone anymore. And I miss James, Remus. He must hate me now, too."
"He could never hate you. Not James. Not Remus. Not me." The whisper brushed over Sirius' lips like a balm, and he parted them to take in the sweet breath.
"I miss my Remus. He used to hold me like this."
"Oh, God. Sirius..."
When Remus crushed their mouths together, Sirius gave himself over without thought. It wasn't until later, when the beat of their blood had slowed to a sedate and measured pace, that Sirius noticed all of the stars had come back. The meadow seemed so much brighter, brighter than it ever had before, and when he rolled his head to scan the sky he saw the waxing gibbous moon.
He shot up in wonder. "Moony!"
Startled, Remus sat up as Sirius' face lit with excitement. "It's almost full! Are you like my Remus? A werewolf?"
Remus nodded slowly. "You remember?"
"Yes. We ran with Moony every month. All of us! Me and Prongs and..." His face fell.
"I'm glad you remember. Because it will be full tomorrow and I don't think I'll be able to come here."
Sirius' features contorted, and Remus rushed to explain. "No! It's not you. It's the moon. You know I have to go with it. But I'll come back as soon as I can. I promise."
"Why can't you come here. It's safe with Padfoot. I know what to do! Please, Remus!" He clutched at Remus desperately. "Don't go away again."
"Sirius. Sirius!" Remus grabbed the sides of his face and forced him meet his eyes. "I'll only be gone one night. Just one. And you know..." Hesitating, he studied Sirius' face carefully. "You know this...this place...where we are-it isn't precisely real, don't you? You know it's a dream."
Sirius tried to look way but Remus wouldn't let him. "Remus, I don't like-"
"I know you don't like to think about it, but you know it's true." Sirius shut his eyes against the words Remus was saying. "Sirius, I don't know how the magic will work that night. If it will work at all. I'll try. I will. Maybe the wolf will come, maybe I will, or maybe nothing will happen."
"You won't come back. If it's just a dream, you'll wake up forever, and I'll be trapped here all alone," Sirius whispered.
"No. I'll always find you." Sirius whimpered as warm lips brushed his temples. "I swear to you, Sirius. I'll always find you. Trust me." His eyelids were tenderly kissed and Sirius fluttered them open. "I trust you, Sirius. And I need you to be strong. When I come back...we're going to fix things."