Here it is! This one took a lot out of me, I hope you enjoy it. :)
"You're getting a divorce?"
Remus was sure he was hearing things, or at the very least had misheard.
Dana raised a brow, but continued her packing. "If you want to look at it that way, then sure. I'm getting a divorce. Everyone's doing it now a day's; wouldn't want to get left behind."
Her tone belied bitterness that he found oddly reminiscent of how Sirius was sounding these days. He watched her as she carefully folded Rhiannon's t-shirts and put them in her large suitcase. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her normally kept appearance was disheveled; he could tell this had not been an easy decision for her.
"Are you really surprised? I mean, it's happening to me and you seem more upset then I do," she sighed and sat on her daughter's bed. "Okay, maybe it's not really a divorce. Not even, at that. It's more like a separation, where he'll be living in Britain and I'll be living in Canada. Think of it as an extended holiday." She paused and he could see that she was on verge of tears. "Bloody f'n hell Remus, I'm just so tired. I've tried talking to Mark, I've told him how afraid I am, for him, but for Rhiannon most of all. He just doesn't want to listen, says that I shouldn't believe what that Potter kid says, and that depresses me as much as anything ever has. I just have this feeling…I love Mark, I will always love him and the last thing I want to do is hurt him. But I need to do this, for my daughter."
Remus sat beside her on the little bed, taking her hand in comfort. "So you're really going to Canada then?"
Dana shrugged one thin shoulder, " Seems about as good as any place really. Its not like I'm going to stay there, I want to come back one day, I plan to after all this…after all this is over. When it's safe. I've sold my business, told my mum- who doesn't understand at all and thinks I should just take Mark to therapy or talk to her priest- and now I'm telling you." She turned and looked him in the eye; there were tears pooling in her own, "I'm going to miss you, you know. So very much. You are the best friend I could have ever asked for, the twin of my soul. You've always been there for me, especially in the last few years and I know it hasn't always been easy putting up with my oddness, but I love that you have. I'm going to hug you now, just so you know." And she did just that wrapping her arms tightly around him, burying her face in his shoulder as he hugged her back.
Remus had had to make many goodbyes in his life; he was no stranger to loss and heartache. Still, he thought that this was perhaps one of the hardest. What Dana said was true for him as well; he didn't think she knew just how much he had relied on her unfailing, unassuming and unwavering friendship over the years. When they had met, he had just been coming out of a dark place, only just re-finding his footing in a world that seemed so upside down to him. The friendship that grew between them, after her initial infatuation, had been one of the grounding forces in his life for these many years.
"It is I, who should be thanking you Dana; your friendship has always meant more to me then you can ever know," he told her, feeling a bit shaken him self. "I'm not going to promise that everything is going to be alright, but I do know that you and Rhiannon will be just fine." He knew he couldn't promise more than that, not even that Mark would be okay and waiting when she came back.
"You will too. You have to promise that you'll look after your self Remus and that you'll look after Dora and let her look after you. I don't want to hear a month from now that something has happened to you or that worse your dead. I need you in my old age to putter around with me, and listen to me lament my grandchildren."
Remus knew he shouldn't make such a promise; in fact something in her words screamed to him of being a wish, a pipe dream, as if it wouldn't happen. Still, if it would make her feel better…
"I promise Dana, I will look after myself and Dora and I'll let her do the same." That he could promise at least.
"I know you will," she sighed, "I know." ++++
Tonks was sat at the long kitchen table, in 12 Grimmauld Place, silently trying not to watch Mrs. Weasley, or Molly as she had practically ordered the younger woman to call her, admonish her son, Ron, for some misdemeanor. She wasn't sure what it was about as she had only entered the room after the tirade had begun. She'd tried to slip out, but Molly had seen her and right in the middle of her telling off, said, "Oh no, Tonks dear that's quite alright, do have a seat," and then gone right back to her scolding.
She wished Sirius was not hiding up with his Hippogriff again, and instead was sitting there with her. It would distract her from her thoughts, not to mention drown out Molly's voice, although she doubted anything really could. She liked all the Weasley's a great deal, especially Arthur and his penchant for all things Muggle, but she found herself feeling a bit off when around Molly, or rather when she saw Molly interacting with her children.
I'm envious, she realized as Ron sulked off looking relieved to get away from his mother. She has something I can never have, something I want desperately. Despite all pretenses, she had never gotten over not being able to have a child of her own. She didn't discuss it with Remus, she knew it would just upset him, and he had never brought it up, but she still keenly felt the lose of that particular dream. It was why she loved spending so much time with Rhiannon, but even that would be no more.
Molly was fussing around the counter now, banging pots in preparation for dinner after the meeting that evening. She watched her for a moment and then offered, "Do you need any help at all Molly? I'm just at odds sitting here, really."
Molly turned and smiled at her, "Oh no dear, that's fine. You've been working all day and up all last night too on guard duty. No, just have a seat. I should really get Ginny in here to help."
Tonks laughed slightly, "Good luck with that, I think I can hear her grumbling already."
Molly shook her head; "Sometimes those children drive me to distraction. It's a wonder I haven't gone grey already."
"But still," Tonks looked down at her hands, at the chipped polish on her nails. "You wouldn't change it for anything would you. I don't know how you do it, my own mum only had me to worry about and I gave her hell most of the time."
"Lots of patience," she replied as she sent some potatoes chopping. "And when I need a moment to myself I kick them all out into the garden and tell them not to come back in until the sun is setting. Or at least that's what I did when they were younger, now they're all almost grown up and more likely to hide in their rooms when they're home." She put the potatoes in the pot and started on some carrots.
"Still, I'm sure you'll know all about that yourself someday," she hedged.
Tonks stifled a smile. Molly was always trying to find out how old she was exactly, since it was so hard to tell from how she looked, but she would never out and out ask her. In fact she had never out and out asked anything really personal about her. Deciding to throw her a bone and really she figured, what's the harm in her knowing, she said casually, "I don't think that's in our future, although Sirius is always saying that if we ever have a child it should be named after him. He's been hinting at that since we first started dating."
Molly almost dropped the ladle she was using to stir her stew. Trying to hide the surprise that was clear on her face, as she looked at the woman seated at the table behind her, she almost sputtered, "I didn't know- you and Sirius?"
It took a moment for her question to sink in, but then Tonks was laughing so hard her eyes were tearing up. "Me and Sirius? No, oh Merlin no," she shuttered at the thought. "No I don't go in for the whole incest bit, thanks. I meant me and Remus of course."
Now Molly didn't even try to hide her surprise. Tonks didn't blame her; most of the Order knew that she and Remus were married and really, it wasn't like they discussed their lives at meetings. There wouldn't have been a chance for Molly, who was not part of the original Order, to know unless someone had mentioned it in passing. Which clearly they hadn't.
"Who was dying down here?" Sirius quipped as he entered the kitchen, thankfully not smelling of whiskey.
"No one, you berk," she rolled her eyes as he sat two seats down from her. "Molly just said something funny is all. We were talking about me and Remus and our lack of offspring."
Sirius nodded looking slightly disinterested, which really was his usual state of being of late, and said, "I still say if you and the hubby manage to procreate one day, that it has to be named after me. No kid in his right mind wants to be named after their dad or mum, but the uncle with lots of money? Absolutely."
" Thank Merlin it will never happen then, yeah? The world can hardly handle one Sirius. It would be a crime to saddle it with another just to please your vanity."
He snorted, lips twitching into a smile and reached for the evening paper, which someone had discarded on the table.
"You and Remus are married then?" Molly asked casually from her position across the room. " Isn't that against werewolf legislation?"
"Yeah, its why we don't tell anyone. We've been married for 13 years now, and so far no one has really caught on. Well at least if they have, they haven't said anything. Like Kingsley, he knew right from the beginning I swear, but he's never brought it up, always refers to Remus as "my friend".
"He coming tonight?" came Sirius's voice over the paper, which was hiding his face as he read it.
"Who, Remus or King?"
On Grey eye appeared over the paper, sending her a look that said don't be stupid. "King of course. What do I care if Remus shows his skinny arse? No, I had an idea about where I could be hiding, wanted to pass it along to King."
Tonks shook her head, trying not to roll her eyes again. "You are such a child, you know. And yes, he's coming, far as I know."
It had been truly funny when Tonks had first brought Kingsley into the Order. She had lead him into the house, setting off the painting of her dear sweet great aunt of course, and then they made their way to the kitchen where introductions had been planned to be made. What had happened though was this: Kingsley upon entering the kitchen had been greeted by Dumbledore and had been just about to sit down when Sirius had come in behind him. Tonks had stopped just outside the door to retie her boot before entering and, ever her clumsy self, tripped over the step into the kitchen, knocking into Sirius, who in turn knocked into Kingsley who then turned at Sirius's cry of "Bloody hell Nymphie, learn to walk!" And upon seeing the man he had spent two years chasing, promptly stunned him.
What followed were many hurried explanations to a confused and slightly angry Kingsley and Moody's gruff acknowledgement, "Now that is Constant Vigilance!"
Since that meeting and explanation as to Sirius's innocence, King had been taking Sirius's suggestions on places he would be likely to be in the world.
An hour later, the room was full with Order members, including Dumbledore, but excluding Remus, who had guard duty that night, and the meeting was in full swing. Even Snape had made an appearance, to rely his news of "the dark lord". Currently, they were trying to figure out how to get the Dursley's out of the house when they went to get Harry in two weeks.
Tonks was leaning on Sirius's shoulder, falling asleep as her fellow members made one frankly ludicrous suggestion after another. She roused herself, just as Mundungus Fletcher suggested that they send them a teapot that caused whoever drank from it to have severe stomach pain.
"This is ridiculous," Sirius muttered to her, a frustrated edge to his voice. "Instead of wasting all this time figuring out how to fool his aunt and uncle, we should just be getting Harry out of there. Did Remus show you the last letter sent? Merlin's balls he's going crazy there."
Tonks sighed and squeezed his hand reassuringly. "How bout," she began loudly, as Moody was berating Dung, and all eyes turned to her, "We send them a letter, telling them they won something. From what I remember, they're really really full of themselves yeah? So it would be right up their alley if they won, say, an award for best kept lawn or something."
Some more discussion followed this, but in the end it was decided that her suggestion would be it. About time too, she thought as those who weren't staying for dinner filed out and the kids who were pretending they hadn't been trying to eavesdrop filed in. Poor Harry, Sirius is right, he is probably going crazy just waiting.
"You staying here tonight?" Sirius asked, as Molly set two flagons of Butter Beer on the table.
"Nah, I think I'll go home to my bed, especially since Remus isn't there to hog it. I'll stay with you for a bit though, I'm working evenings tomorrow."+++
By the time she got home Tonks was almost asleep on her feet. She just managed to make it upstairs to her bed, barely remembering to leave the window open for Bevin the old owl, before collapsing fully clothed on top of the covers.
She was awoken at three in the morning by a voice yelling up from her living room. For a moment she laid there, her mind still foggy from sleep, until the voice yelled again and she sat up quickly, adrenaline and confusion coursing through her.
"Auror Tonks! Nymphadora!"
She jumped up and half ran, half fell,down the stairs and into her living room, where in the fire was the head of Robards. "There you are woman. Hurry up, we've got a bloody mess to clean up."
"What's happening?" she asked, confused as to why she was being called upon when there would be other Aurors on duty. She shoved her feet into her boots and made sure her wand was still in her robes pocket.
"It looks like someone attacked a family in Surrey. Hawksley was first on the scene, he was supposed to report back. Hurry up, it's 259 High Street." He disappeared and Tonks stepped out of her house, closing the door firmly before disapearating.
When she arrived she could see Robards outside the house talking to Dawlish and looking around. A woman sat on the front step, crying.
Tonks approached, cursing the ministry for their lack of preparedness. She just knew that this was something to do with the Death Eater's and yet she also knew that no one would acknowledge that. In the old days there would have been five Aurors there and another five looking for the culprits. Now they were lucky if night shift consisted of five Aurors.
"What happened?" Tonks asked the woman gently. She felt ill at ease.
"They took my daughter," the woman sobbed. "My husband is dead, they killed him and they took my daughter. My little Anna. I couldn't fight them off. Oh Merlin, I wish they had just killed me too!"
"Mam, please," Dawlish came over, "Calm yourself. Auror Hawksley has gone to search for your daughter, and Auror Robards has just left too."
The woman shook her head, causing her long black hair to whip around her. "They won't get her back! Oh Merlin," she began sobbing again. "It was him, that Greyback they talk about. Him and a woman in a mask. They were Death Eaters I tell you."
"Now mam," Dawlish began, probably about to tell her that she must be mistaken; they couldn't possibly be Death Eaters, when Tonks interrupted. "Did you say Greyback? Fenrir Greyback?"
The woman nodded, unable to speak through her anguish.
"Oh my-" Tonks looked around quickly, now she was really worried. Something was telling her that she needed to move. "Dawlish, I'm going to go find Mark. See if I can help him."
She set off, walking quickly in the direction Dawlish pointed. Her wand was grasped tightly in her hand and her gaze flickered almost erratically around her. She knew, with some sick clarity, that they would not be getting the little girl back. She was probably being taken to Greyback's pack, recruited in as one of the child werewolves, and raised to be nothing but the worst of creatures.
Eventually she came to a wooded area and steeling herself she moved forward, still looking around, her sense of dread mounting. She didn't know what it was, but she could just feel that something had or was about to happen. Fifty feet into the woods, she heard something, a sick kind of spluttering. Raising her wand she moved towards it, heart pounding. At first she saw nothing, not even movement in the trees.
"Hello?" she called, voice clear, her unease not showing. "Who's out there?"
"Ton…Tonks," the voice was low, rasping. Almost as if it were fading.
She looked around again and with a slow breath muttered "Luminous," lighting the tip of her wand. When she finally saw the source of the sound, she found herself wishing she had kept to the dark.
"Oh my…" she fell to her knees, hands fluttering to the gaping wound in his chest. "Mark."
His hand reached for hers,clasping it, holding it surprisingly tight for how weak he looked. He was pale, clearly having lost a lot of blood but he wouldn't allow her to apply any pressure to his wound, or even to try and cast a spell. "No Tonks, it doesn't matter now. Its too late," he gasped.
She shook her head, tears fighting to break free. "No, no. Hawksley, you fight damnit! I will not be the one to tell Dana and Rhiannon you aren't coming home."
He smiled weakly at her. "We all have to do things we don't want to Nymphadora. Look at me, I had to take you on as a partner and that didn't work out so bad."
Wrenching her wand hand away from him she sent up a series of sparks, praying to whoever may be listening that they would be seen and he would be saved.
"Don't know what your talking about, we were horrendous as partners."
"Only at the end. I'm sorry," he said, his breathing laboured.
"I know, great prat. Stop wasting your energy. Please Mark, please hold on." She knew he was apologizing for all the things he'd said, for how he had treated her. She didn't want that, not now if it meant he would be gone.
He didn't seem to hear her. "It was Greyback, he caught me off guard. Wasn't vigilant enough, Mad Eye would be ashamed."
The tears were falling freely down her face now, and she wondered why help didn't come. Surely they weren't that far away. She sent up the sparks again.
"You have nothing to be ashamed of. Mad Eye would tell you that. Please Mark, I need you to stay with me. Dana and Rhiannon need you. I need you. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you, I should have tried harder." Her tone was pleading, almost frantic.
"My fault," she had to move her head down to hear him. "My fault," he whispered, "stay with me."
Behind her she could hear the crash of feet and then light dawned on them. Robards cursed. "Hawksley, Merlin man, what's happened to you? Dawlish, help me lift him, we have to get him to Mungo's."
Tonks barely heard them; she only had eyes for her partner, her once dear friend, who now gazed up at her with unseeing eyes. His trials in this world were over, leaving those left behind with a wound that was not soon to heal.
'Tonks, we need to move him," Dawlish admonished.
She shook her head, "Its too late, he's gone." She cried then, like she hadn't cried in years, great sobs pulling at her chest. She cried for Dana who had lost her husband, her love. For Rhiannon who would never really know her father. And she cried for the partner, the friend she had lost. Her first casualty of this new war.