Chapter 27: Reunited

"Sirius, come back!" Cassiopeia shouted from the door.

Alas, it was all in vain. Sirius was no where in sight.

"Just let him go, Aunt Cassie," Tonks said. "You know there is no arguing with him."

Cassiopeia was worried sick. It was already traumatizing that a werewolf was hunting her son and cousin. Now her husband and best friend were fighting him.

"What if he dies?" Cassiopeia asked, seizing handfuls of her hair. "Remus can't lose his father!"

"What do you want me to do?" Tonks asked. "If I go out there, I'll have every werewolf except Remus and Aaron after me. Greyback put a bounty on my head. One-hundred thousand galleons to whoever can kill me and bring my body back to him."

Cassiopeia knew it was wrong to ask so much of Tonks. She had been through enough already. "I'm sorry, Nymphie. I'll go after Sirius and Moony myself."

Tonks grabbed Cassiopeia's free arm. "No! Don't leave me alone. Please!"

Cassiopeia saw the fear in Tonks's eyes and sighed. "Alright, I'll stay."

Cassiopeia tried to put the danger out of her mind for Tonks's sake as well as her own.

Cassiopeia walked around the room, bouncing S.J. in her arms and smiling. "Goodness, Nymphie, he's huge. What have you been feeding him?"

Tonks shrugged her shoulders. "Whatever Poppy and others gave me for him."

S.J. promptly started to cry again.

"Speaking of which, I think he's hungry," Cassiopeia said with a smile.

Cassiopeia immediately conjured a bottle and sat down to feed her son. Cassiopeia smiled as S.J. gulped down his bottle. "He's so beautiful. Thank you, Nymphie."

"I barely know him," Tonks said glumly.

"Moony?" Cassiopeia asked.

Tonks nodded. "Yeah, and I'm this worried about him."

Tonks sighed. The day's events and stress had taken their toll on her. She stumbled to the couch and collapsed on it.

"You did perfectly," Cassiopeia comforted. "You rest now. I'm going to wait for Sirius and Moony."

S.J. finished his bottle and cooed, waving his chubby arms.

Cassiopeia smiled at her son. "That's right, Remus. Daddy is coming back, and Uncle Moony, too."

Tonks had already fallen asleep and did not hear Cassiopeia.

As the minutes went by, Cassiopeia became increasingly nervous. She tried her best to hide it for S.J.'s sake. However, the thought of losing Sirius and Remus terrified her. It did not help that she was still in pain from her ordeal at Hogwarts. S.J. would not stop crying.

"Shhh. Daddy is coming back, sweetheart," Cassiopeia whispered.

Sirius, Remus, where are you? Cassiopeia asked.

Cassiopeia continued to walk around the room, hoping to quiet down S.J. Tonks lay motionless on the couch. Cassiopeia was glad that she could sleep.

As the minutes turned into an hour, Cassiopeia's anxiety reached its peak. Sirius and Remus had been gone too long.

Please don't let them be dead, Cassiopeia thought to herself.

Before Cassiopeia could think the worst, Aaron, Remus, and Sirius appeared in the doorway.

"Hi, Cassie," Remus greeted.

Cassiopeia hugged Remus as tight as she could with her free arm. "Moony, you're alright!"

"Sirius, Sirius!" Cassiopeia cried.

"Hello, sweetheart," Sirius greeted.

Cassiopeia gave him a dark look. Suddenly, she picked up a pillow from the couch and smashed it into Sirius's face.

"Ow!" Sirius gasped.

"You stupid, brave, arrogant, weasel, Sirius!" Cassiopeia shouted, emphasizing each word with a whack! from the pillow. "I was worried sick. You could've gotten killed. And you come back with "Hello, sweetheart?"

"I'm back, am I?" Sirius asked. "Are you finished? Can I kiss you now?"

Without a second thought, Cassiopeia filled Sirius into her arms. "I'm sorry, darling. I couldn't help it."

Cassiopeia looked down and saw a gash on Sirius's left shoulder. "Sirius, you're hurt!"

"We're all fine," Sirius reassured her.

Remus looked at Tonks asleep on the couch. "It's a good thing she made it here."

"Yes, thank you all," Cassiopeia said appreciatively.

Cassiopeia turned to Sirius. "Sirius, let me patch you up, and you can hold your baby. He's been waiting."

"Hey, Moony, you know Tonks was worried sick about you, right?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, no teasing," Cassiopeia asked. "Come on, let me patch you up."

"I'm not teasing. I'm being serious. I've never seen Tonks like that," Sirius said earnestly, "Have you, Cassie?"

Cassiopeia shook her head. "Not really. Not since my false alarms."

"She wouldn't stop crying," Sirius said.

"We were both worried," Cassiopeia said.

"Not like that," Sirius said, shaking his head. "You should talk to her when she wakes up, Moony."

"Sirius, I don't want you getting sick from those cuts," Cassiopeia said, tugging on Sirius's good arm. "Come on."

"Alright, alright," Sirius sighed. "As long as you take your potion. Remus, where are the potions Tonks received from Snape?"

"I think she has them in her bag," Remus said, searching through Tonks's bag. "Accio pain potion!"

A bottle popped up and Remus caught it. "Here you are."

Sirius took the potion and gave it to Cassiopeia. "Drink up, darling."

"Do I have to?" Cassiopeia groaned.

"I'm taking care of you, and I won't take no for an answer," Sirius replied. "No arguing, Cassie. Come on. Drink up."

With a sigh, Cassiopeia drank from the bottle, gagging as she did. "Merlin's beard that's terrible!"

"Well, I hope you didn't expect pumpkin juice," Sirius laughed.

"Come on, your turn. Remus, can you watch over S.J. while I patch up Sirius?" Cassiopeia asked.

"Certainly, Cassie," Remus said.

Cassiopeia set S.J. down on a second couch and ushered Sirius to the bathroom.

Cassiopeia offered Sirius the pain potion. "You take it."

Sirius drank from the bottle, and he too, choked.

"I hope you weren't expecting pumpkin juice," Cassiopeia giggled.

"Well, it's not Firewhiskey," Sirius replied, with a smile.

"Let me see that shoulder."

Sirius took off his ragged, grey shirt, revealing the gash on his shoulder.

"Looks like Greyback did a fine job on you," Cassiopeia said with a shudder as she began to clean the cut.

Meanwhile, Aaron and Remus watched over S.J. and Tonks. S.J. was restlessly bouncing his chubby arms, and Tonks stirred in her sleep.

"Tonks must really be fond of you," Aaron whispered.

"Yes, I suppose she is," Remus agreed. "Maybe it's because I helped her take care of Cassie and S.J."

Aaron shook his head. "No, I think it's more than that."

"I don't think so. She's just friendly, that's all," Remus said.

From the bathroom, Remus and Aaron could not help but overhear Cassiopeia and Sirius.

"Ow!" Sirius groaned.

"Hold still!" Cassiopeia said.

Remus rolled his eyes. Oh, those two. Aaron gave him a look that said, "What did you expect?"

"Trust me, I've known Tonks for a while," Aaron said. "She wouldn't be that worried about someone who she was just being friendly with."

"She doesn't want a werewolf," Remus said, shaking his head.

"You know, I'm not the only werewolf friend she has," Aaron said. "She dated two werewolves while she was in Hogwarts."

Remus shot Aaron a serious look. "She dated two werewolves?"

"She likes to court danger. When I asked her why her only response was, 'it's the only thing that keeps me alive,'" Aaron answered with a shrug. Remus then turned back to watching her.

"No one wants me. I could kill her," Remus said solemnly.

Aaron laughed. "That's a stupid argument to use on her. Like I said, Tonks lives for danger."

"I almost killed a baby and his mother," Remus said seriously, nodding to S.J. "I can't risk it."

"Tell that to her," Aaron snorted. "Though I doubt Tonks will ever admit she fancies you."

"She doesn't," Remus said firmly. "She deserves a happy life like Sirius and Cassie."

"Remus," Tonks moaned as she turned in her sleep.

"Yeah, she doesn't fancy you. She just dreams about you cause she's being friendly," Aaron teased.

"She could just be talking about the baby," Remus replied.

"No, she calls the baby S.J. I haven't once heard her call the baby Remus," Aaron argued.

"She doesn't fancy me," Remus said firmly. "No one would fancy a monster like me."

Sirius and Cassiopeia emerged from the bathroom with sour expressions.

"Not that old line, Moony," Sirius groaned.

"Moony, you're giving me a headache," Cassiopeia added.

Suddenly, Tonks began to writhe in her sleep.

Cassiopeia knew she was having a nightmare. "Wake her, Moony."

Before Remus could attempt to wake Tonks, she started thrashing and screaming. "NO! STOP! DON'T HURT HIM!"

"Tonks, wake up!" Remus cried.

"NO! STAY AWAY!"

"Tonks, it's Remus. Wake up."

Finally Tonks opened her eyes.

"Hey," Remus whispered. "Tell me about your dream."

Tonks launched herself into Remus's arms. "You're…you're alright."

"Yes, I'm alright," Remus reassured her.

"But Greyback. He could've killed you," Tonks said fearfully.

"He's a coward. He didn't," Remus replied. "Sirius and Aaron are here, too. Sirius has a few cuts, but he's fine. Are you alright?"

"I was so worried that you would die. I kept seeing it in my head."

"I'm right here."

Tonks held on to Remus as if she would never let go.

Cassiopeia decided to lighten up the grim mood. "I think an adorable baby can lighten up everything. Sirius, would you like to hold your son?"

Sirius smiled. "Sure, Cassie."

Sirius sat down on the couch while Cassiopeia laid S.J. in his arms. "Mind his head."

For the first time, S.J. was peacefully quiet as Sirius held him. For Sirius, there was nothing more perfect than having his son in his arms.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Well, if everything is alright, I think I should go," Aaron said.

"Are you mad? With Greyback? Please, stay," Remus gasped.

"Aaron, don't go. You're my best friend. I can't lose you," Tonks pleaded.

"I'm sure I'll be fine," Aaron said.

"Aaron, at least stay till morning. It'd put all of us at ease," Cassiopeia said wisely.

Aaron shook his head, knowing Cassiopeia had a point. "Alright. That's reasonable."

"Thank you," Cassiopeia said.

Cassiopeia turned her attention back to Sirius and S.J. Sirius was completely enthralled with his son. He could not take his eyes off him.

"I love you," he whispered chanted, kissing S.J.'s head and his chubby hands.

"Sirius, isn't he beautiful?" Cassiopeia whispered, stroking her son's cheek.

"Yeah, he is," Sirius replied.

"He's beautiful, like his father," Cassiopeia commented.

"Maybe we should leave them alone, Cassie," Sirius suggested, nodding to Remus and Tonks. "You know, to talk."

"Oh, yes," Cassiopeia replied. "Come on, we'll talk in our room. Good night, Remus, Nymphie, Aaron. Say goodnight, Remus."

S.J. gurgled and he waved his chubby arms as if to say, "goodnight." Sirius and Cassiopeia made their way upstairs to their bedroom. Cassiopeia climbed into bed. Sirius took his son in his arms, holding him close and walking him about the room. Words could not describe the joy that Sirius and Cassiopeia felt having their son back in their arms.

"Are you ever going to stop holding him?" Cassiopeia laughed.

"No. I don't think I want to," Sirius replied, smiling at his wife and son.

"He has to sleep, you know."

Sirius smiled. "Alright."

Sirius laid Baby Remus on the bed next to Cassiopeia. Cassiopeia crooned as she kissed her son: Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket. Save it for a rainy day. Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket. Never let it fade away.

Within minutes, Baby Remus was asleep. Sirius climbed into bed beside Cassiopeia, who stared at her son in awe.

"He's such a beautiful boy," she whispered. "I told you he was like you."

Sirius chuckled. "I never doubted you. He's absolutely perfect, like you."

Sirius wrapped his arms around Cassiopeia, holding her close. "Come on, sweetheart. Go to sleep. You and S.J. are safe with me."

"I don't want to sleep. I don't want to take my eyes off either of you," Cassiopeia said groggily.

"The feeling's mutual, sweetheart," Sirius whispered. "Don't worry. We'll both be here when you wake up."

Comforted, Cassiopeia kissed Sirius and drifted off to sleep with thoughts of spending every hour with her family.

A/N: They're a family again! Thank you to all of my lovely reviewers, followers, etc. You know who you are! Thank you to my best friend, Roza Anne!