Chapter IV

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Rhea stood at the edge of the playground, watching Remus as he ran around and played. She felt happier than she had in weeks, seeing him running and playing like a boy of five should, and she wished that it would never end, that the full moon would never come. She heard their yells, their cries, their shrieks, but it seemed trivial to the glorious sound of Remus' laughter. He meant more to her than anything ever had, and a bond deeper than liking, or even love, gripped her. Yet it seemed as though everything had slowed as he fell and began to roll downwards. With a speed she had never possessed, Rhea tore across the grass and caught the boy in her arms, holding him to her and saying, "Oh, God, Remus. Are you okay baby?"

A single tear fell from the corners of his silver-grey eyes, but he forced a nod and a smile, "I'm fine Rhea. Can I still play?"

Smiling despite her mad shaking and the hand that clenched her heart, she kissed him and said, "Of course darling. Oh, my baby, you scared me. Be careful my baby, but have fun. I'm watching you."

Remus beamed at her, and kissed her before scampering off to play. Pressing a hand to her heart, Rhea went and sat again, wondering how the hours passed so easily when all she was doing was watching him. Looking down at her watch, she jumped when she saw it was nearly six. Standing, she called, "Remus! Come on, time to go home. You're father will be waiting."

The boy hadn't heard her, but another little boy had, and he called to Remus, "Hey, Remus. Your Mum's calling you. She said you have to go home now."

Amidst the grumbles of the playing boys, Remus ran up to her and catapulted into her arms, crying, "Mum! Let's go home." Rhea, resting him lightly on her hip, walked off laughing. As the playground and the boys faded away Remus asked curiously, looking up anxiously at her, "You don't mind, do you? That I called you Mum?"

Turning to him in shock, Rhea shook her head. "Oh, God, no. No, my baby. I love it, and I love you."

Satisfied now, and immensely pleased, Remus placed his head on her shoulder and smiled, "Good. Because I love you too."

Rhea Laurenzia felt a tug deep within her, and love unlike anything she had ever imagined swept over her. Hugging Remus fiercely, she said, "Oh, God, Remus. My baby."

He liked the sound of it. Calling her 'mum', and being called 'my baby' by her. He didn't like the tears that glistened in her eyes, but she was smiling, so it was okay, for now. And still, ever the curious five year old, he asked, "Why don't you marry Dad? You like him, don't you? And you like me."

Pressing a cheek to his hair, Rhea shook her head, "It's not that simple Remus. I love you, and your father. But he doesn't love me, and I won't marry a man who doesn't love me. Besides, he's never asked."

Understanding her feeling of being rejected better than a five year old should, Remus' eyes narrowed. His mind flew, plotting intricate details of how to get his father to either fall in love with Rhea or to ask her to marry him anyway. Still, he couldn't help but respond in his own childish manner, his question filled with an innocence that made Rhea melt, "But I love you Mum. Would you marry us, for me?"

"Oh, my baby, I'd do anything for you. Always. No matter what. You're my baby now."

Even though she hadn't said she would marry them, as he'd hoped, he felt a twinge of supreme delight as she called him her baby. If he was her baby it wouldn't matter too much, if she married his father or not. Still, he wanted to cement her place, and he ran outside and grabbed a rose, yelping as he pricked himself on a thorn. Ripping it off anyway, he ran back inside and handed it to her, saying, "It's pretty, but not as pretty as you. But be careful, it bites."

She laughed, delighted at him. Placing the rose on the side, she knelt before him and asked, "Did it bite you baby?" As he nodded she pouted and took his hand. She saw the little mark left by the thorn and brought his hand to her mouth, kissing it and asking, her voice saccharine sweet, and sincere, "There. Does that feel better?"

Thrilled that she was treating him like a baby, Remus nodded and kissed her, saying, "Dad's in there. I can hear him. Are you going to go now?"

"Yes," she said with a smile, "I still have some things I need to do. But I'll see you tomorrow darling."

Remus nodded and watched as she left. The moment she was gone Remus looked at where the rose he had given her had been, and he laughed and danced into his father's arms. Mars Lupin looked down at his elated son with a raised eyebrow, wondering what sort of five year old dream-come-true had sent his baby boy to cloud nine. "Dad?" Remus asked, hours later, his eyes boring into his father. "Why can't Rhea stay with us, here?"

Confused as to where that question came from, Mars looked at his son with a raised eyebrow and demanded, "Where in the name of Merlin did you think up a question like that? You spent the whole day with her already today. She has her own house Remus, she can't be here all the time. How do you know she's not married?"

Snorting, Remus found his father's attempt to scare him were pitiful, "She's not. We'd have seen her husband by now anyway. And she said she wasn't married when I asked her months ago. She stays here most of the time, and at night too sometimes. Why can't she just stay here?"

"It's not that simple Remus," Mars sighed, trying to think of a way to explain it to the boy who was wriggling in his arms. "If you live with a person, especially if there's a kid like you involved, you're supposed to be married. I can't just marry Rhea."

"Why not?" Remus demanded, feeling a sort of cocky confidence at the realization that the conversation was going exactly where he wanted. "You like her, don't you?"

"Of course I do!" Mars exclaimed, staring at his son in surprise. "But I like Mrs. Potter too, does that mean I should marry her?"

Laughing, Remus shook his head, "No, that's silly." Still, he looked levelly at his father and said, his voice coming out smaller than he had thought it would, "But I want a mum; I want Rhea to be my mum."

Something jerked in him and he held his son to him, saying gently, "I know Remus, I know. Merlin, I'm sorry. I can't just expect her to marry me because of us."

Burying his face in his father's shoulder, Remus begged, "Why not? She said she loved me. And I love her too, Dad. Don't you love Rhea?"

Mars felt as thought he had been punched in the gut and the breath whooshed out of his body as he placed the boy on the counter. "Remus," he began, not knowing where to start or what to say, "love is a very strong emotion. It has the ability to hurt people very badly or make them very happy. Rhea's her own woman, she may love you, but I'm a different story to her."

Punching his dad in the chest as hard as he could, which wasn't very hard at all, Remus said softly, "Is that why she got all sad when she said she loved me? And you're wrong Dad. She said she loved you, and she looked like she was going to cry when she said it. Why don't you love her? You could marry her and make everything all better."

Feeling as though his son had just turned him inside out, Mars stared blindly, absorbing the fact that she had said she loved him. Did he love her? He buried his face in Remus' shirt and stood there, completely at a loss of what to do, feeling as though his world had just crashed around him. He could feel Remus patting his head reassuringly, but there was no laughter at his son's seriousness this time, not when he could hardly think. Looking at his father, Remus understood slightly what Mars had meant, saying that love could hurt people. Unsure of what to say now, Remus began, "I asked her to marry you, Dad. And she got all sad and said she shan't marry someone who doesn't love her. But you love her, don't you?"

"Dear Merlin," Mars managed, wondering how the wave of emotion could have swamped him so suddenly, "I think I do. Merlin, I do."

Remus laughed, happy now, and bounced as he took his father's hands, "Then can you marry her? Please?"

Seeing his anxiety, Mars managed a soft smile and said, "Well, I have to ask her first. I can't just marry her. She has to say yes too."

"It'll make her happy," Remus declared. "She looked like she was going to cry, and then I said I loved her and she got happy. So she'll be happy if you tell her, right?"

Then everything clicked and Mars remembered the words of weeks ago vividly, much too vividly for his liking. I've done everything I know how to do to tell you that you mean something here, he had said. What else do you want me to do? Now he remembered her reply, and the trace of tears with it, and he cursed himself. If you don't know, I shan't tell you. He turned to Remus and said softly, "Yes, I think she will."

The two smiled, their own private secret between them, and Remus ran into the living room. Mars leaned against the wall for a moment, wondering if his son had perhaps had that planned all along. However, he forgot to think about that and he ran into the living room as Remus called, "Dad! Miss Eli's here!"

Elizabeth Potter's head was in the fireplace, and her eyes were worried. "John Mars Lupin! Is Rhea here?"

"No," Mars began, feeling his stomach drop and his gut begin to twist, "she left hours ago."

"Dammit," she said fiercely, before looking apologetically at Remus. "Sorry, darling. Do you have any idea where she'd be? She's not at her house or at the clinic. And nobody at the clinic had any idea where she could be."

Mars shook his head, the colour draining from his face. Then he heard the crash of thunder outside and he jumped. Remus' voice was scared as well, but it presented an option the other two hadn't considered, "Maybe she got stuck outside?"

Elizabeth disappeared for a moment, before coming through the fireplace with two mirrors in her hand. "Here," she said, shoving one at Mars. "Let's go look for her. Remus, you stay here. If you find her, just say my name and the mirror will show me. I'll do the same if I find her."

Taking it silently, he nodded. She disapparated and he flew out the door, leaving it to slam shut with a bang that made Remus jump. Panic welled within him, and for a moment he wondered what would happen if she was hurt. Unable to bear even thinking about it, Mars shoved the thought aside and said, "Dammit, Rhea, where are you? Where would you be?"

Without any reason as to why, everything suddenly fell into place. He knew where she would be with a certainty that surprised him. Pulling out the mirror, he called, "Eli!" Her face swam before him and he shook his head, "I know where she is. I'm sure of it. You go home. What do you want me to do with your mirror?"

"Just give it back later," Eli snapped, brushing her wild hair, now plastered wet against her face, away from her eyes. "And, Mars, please, don't be a fool."

Smiling, Mars said softly, "I was. I think I'm over that stage."

Eli smiled and was gone and Mars left, shoving the mirror back into his pocket as he stepped through the gardens. They had been here together before, on his birthday. He found her and felt his heart wrench out of his chest. She sat, ramrod straight, and her hair was down, looking black in its wetness as it was plastered to her back. Her face was wet and Mars wondered if it was tears or rain that had initially rolled over her cheeks. Stepping towards her, he placed his hands on her shoulders and whispered, "Rhea?"

In response she closed her eyes, the only outward sign that she had heard him. Easily he stepped around the stone bench and knelt before her. From close he could see the tears that fell from her eyes and he winced. Her hands were clenched in her lap, and he took them, easing them from their fists and bringing them to his lips. His voice was soft, gentle as he begged, "Rhea, please. Listen to me."

"No!" she cried, pushing away from him and turning away. Her shoulders shook slightly now, and he came closer to her, feeling something break in him as she lashed out at him and yelled, "Leave me be! I shan't listen to you any longer! Leave me be!"

He watched as she began to crumble, and easily he scooped her into his arms. He held her to him and pressed his face into her wet hair, saying, "Please, Rhea. Merlin, I'm a fool. I was such a dammed fool. Please, dear Merlin Rhea, you have to listen to me, just this once. Please."

He knew she was hurting even as she nodded against his chest and curled her fingers into his arms. Tilting her head up so she faced him, he said, "I love you." Her mouth opened, to retaliate, and he placed a finger over her lips, quickly, "Please, Rhea. You have no idea how hard this is for me. Don't make it harder. I didn't understand, not until tonight. I'm in love with you Rhea. I want you with me. I want to wake and see you next to me and I want my son to climb into a bed with two parents when he has a nightmare. Remus loves you, and dammit, so do I. Words don't come easily to me Rhea, and Merlin, this is the most difficult thing I've ever done in my life. Remus could say it better than I can, but it doesn't matter. As long as you're here nothing matters. Please, Rhea, stay."

Tears shone in her eyes and she buried her face in his chest. There was no music, no poetry, no flowers, no candles, nothing that could have remotely hinted to romance, but it didn't matter. She was in his arms, and she was shaking like mad. A weight lifted from his chest as she nodded slowly, and he tilted her head up again, kissing her gently. She was shivering, he realized, and he cursed himself for a moment. Lifting her into his arms, he carried her to safety, not letting go of her until he stepped into his house. Remus was sitting, wide eyed, and he jumped and ran to her, throwing himself in her arms. He saw the light in her eyes and he looked up, approvingly, at his father, who smiled and nodded. His voice was soft, filled with boyish innocence, "Will you marry us? And be my mum?"

She engulfed him in her arms, pressing kisses to his hair, and she nodded, "Yes, yes, I will. I will."

Mars looked at her and scooped her up, ignoring the fact that Remus squealed and clung to her. "You're soaked to the bone," he said. "I'll take you upstairs and you'll take a warm bath, and then put some warm clothes on."

Rhea nodded meekly, something she rarely did, and Remus jumped down, saying, "I already took a bath! And Dad, you're just as wet as she is!"

"I'll be taking a warm bath too then," Mars said simply, smiling as Rhea looked up at him with wide eyes. He set her down and watched as she scurried into his bathroom. Pulling out dry clothes for them both, he smiled and stepped in after her. She had lain in his tub, up to her neck in water, a small layer of bubbles hiding her from view. Eyes wide, she stared at him as he knelt beside her and kissed her. "You're warm now. And you smell good."

Lifting an arm out of the tub, she brushed his wet hair back and said, "You're going to get sick if you don't warm up."

Smiling, Mars stepped into the tub with her, lowering himself down despite her eyes, huge in her face. He kissed her gently and waited for her arms to wrap around his neck, which they did, and he said gently, "I know. My Rhea."

Rhea's eyes fell closed and she felt his arms wrap around her, pulling her close.

"You have a huge tub," she said, stroking his hair away from his face. "And I'll never be able to look at taking a bath the same way again."

Mars smiled at her and said, "I meant to do that. And yes, I know I have a huge tub. It's one of the small luxuries of this house."

Laughing, she stood and wrapped herself in a towel, saying, "You're going to shrivel up if you stay in there any longer. I'm going to bed."

He watched for a moment as she dried herself and left, and then he leapt after her. As he walked into the bedroom he saw her sitting on his bed, the towel still wrapped firmly around her. She looked appraisingly at him as he dropped his own towel and stepped towards her. Reaching up, she wrapped her arms around his neck and said, "John, this is entirely inappropriate."

Forgetting about the clothes on the bed, he climbed in after her and said, "I don't care Rhea. Say my name again, and say it right this time, you stubborn witch."

She smiled as she obliged and they made use of the large bed. And after they fell asleep, Remus peered into the room and smiled. His small feet padding lightly, he ran back to his bed and fell asleep, perfectly content that he had once again triumphed. And the little smirk would stay on his face long enough for both Rhea and Mars to wonder if he hadn't planned it all out himself.

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