Severus watched Remus for a moment longer, and waited for the closure of Remus' eyes; for the light to leave them fully.
The once soft, milky brown eyes – now lifeless, and empty.
Unsure of how long he sat there, Severus just stared down at Remus' body.
"There you are," a wispy voice of another kind broke through to Severus. As he brought himself to look up, away from Remus' face, Severus saw the gradually deserting room, in an unknowledgeable focus.
His eyes, swollen and sore, had dried. Stone dry. Like his heart; he commended. There were no more tears to shed.
Lucius headed towards him.
It took a moment for Severus to even realise it was Lucius. He too, it appeared, had been affected greatly by his imprisonment, and departure.
Where he once had long, almost golden hair; it now hung limply, not unlike Severus' own hair.
"The Dark Lord wishes to see you," Lucius said, not even commenting on the way Severus clutched at Remus' lifeless body.
"Now?" Severus asked. His own voice, once uplifted with the brief joy of having Remus against him once more, was now empty; like Remus' eyes. Like the room.
"Now," Lucius confirmed.
Severus took his gaze back to Remus. His neck stung slightly; stiff from having looked down at Remus for so long.
He stayed like that for a good few minutes, thinking of the fact that he would soon be joining Remus – wherever he was.
"Now," Lucius repeated, agitated at the thought of being in trouble once again, with the Dark Lord.
"I'm coming," Severus snapped.
Flinching, Lucius took a step back; retreating.
"He's in the boat house," Lucius informed, turning his back of the lonely, desolate man before him.
Severus shrugged, indifferent.
"This is what happens, you see, when love gets in the way..." Severus thought; the mental voice sounding very like Albus. The voice was cheerful, smiling.
Severus closed his eyes, and found himself imagining Albus standing there, before him.
Albus stood, looking down at Severus with large, proud eyes. The elemental colouring of them, shining fondly.
"Is he there, with you?" Severus asked him immediately.
"Waiting patiently for you, my Son," Albus replied.
"I'll be joining him soon. Could you tell him for me, please?" Severus asked, his voice no longer sounding as dreary as it did in reality, his neck feeling fine.
"Do not hurry. He shall wait forever; never fear it. Do not doubt him," Albus warned.
Severus nodded, not really listening as the day-dream faded from his mind.
He tore his eyes open; not really seeing the room around him, as he unwound his arms from Remus.
"I love you, Rem," he repeated to the figure before him.
Severus rose, and cast one mildly hopeful look at Remus, before making his way out of the room.
"Naigini," The Dark Lord instructed.
Severus' eyes snapped shut as the snake's jaws clamed around him.
Pain coursed through him; knocking him to the ground as the snake poised to attack again and again.
"You have been a faithful servant," The Dark Lord added carelessly, "Naigini, come."
The blood trailed from Severus' body, before the life did.
The world flickered around him as unconsciousness came to the forthright, willing to take precedence.
"Severus," Remus' hesitant voice struck a chord in Severus' numbing body.
Looking out across the blank canvas of the hillside, Severus saw Remus.
Remus held out a hand to Severus, saying, "You're almost there now, I believe. Though I don't think it's too late to turn back," Remus added as an afterthought.
"Still the same sensible fool you always were?" Severus' voice; clearer on the other side, muttered.
Remus smiled at the jibe, and seemed set to keep Severus' mind from the searing agony in that that was real life.
"Concentrate on me, love," Remus said. The words triggered something within Severus. Something he had never thought to feel again.
Severus focused on Remus' face, unable to hold back a brief wince.
"Concentrate," Remus repeated.
Uncharacteristically obeying, Severus' mind gradually became more and more alert where Remus stood, encouraging.
In the real world, the life left Severus' body; cut, torn and bloody.
In heaven; his life had just begun.
Again.