Chapter 28: Nighttime Musings

All Tonks could do was stare at Remus. She was so relieved and happy he was safe. She had never feared more for anyone's life. Tonks did not understand why she felt this way. She could not understand how she could fear for the life of someone she hardly knew. What puzzled her more was the fact that Remus seemed to care about her, too.

"I don't know why I was so worried," Tonks said pensively. "I hardly know you."

"I was worried about you," Remus replied. "I think it's natural to worry whether you know the person or not."

Tonks furrowed her brows. "Why were you worried about me?"

"I like you," Remus said earnestly. "I didn't want Greyback to hurt you or S.J."

Tonks shook her head. She was truly puzzled by this man, or werewolf, being so worried about her. After all, they barely knew each other. "You're a strange werewolf. Strangest I've ever met."

"I am, aren't I?" Remus chuckled.

"You are," Tonks replied. "You're not like the others. You're almost human. Just one thing makes you different than a human."

"I like to think I'm more human than werewolf," Remus said.

"You are really. I wouldn't be able to tell right now if you are a werewolf or human, if I didn't already know," said Tonks.

Remus shuddered. He knew Tonks had only forgotten the truth by his doing. However, he did not let that anxiety show. "Thank you. You should get some sleep. We all had a very trying day."

"Wait," Tonks said. "Will you um…stay nearby? In case something happens."

"Of course," Remus said, lying down next to the couch. "I'll be right here."

"Okay. Goodnight," Tonks said with a yawn.

With Remus nearby, Tonks felt safe. She did not seem concerned with the fact that she hardly knew him. She was only happy to have him by her side.

Hours later, Tonks woke up to use the bathroom. Tonks cautiously tiptoed through the darkness. Just then, she tripped on something. Tonks looked down to find Remus beside her. Tonks then heard a noise coming from Remus.

Merlin's beard, he snores like a rhino, Tonks thought to herself.

Tonks went upstairs to the next bathroom. As soon as she came out, she heard a voice. "What are you doing up, Nymphie?"

Tonks jumped and turned. She saw Cassiopeia in her bedroom, sitting on a rocking chair. "Merlin's beard, Cassie! You made me jump out of my skin."

"Shh," Cassiopeia whispered. "What are you doing up?"

"Had to use the loo," Tonks replied. "Remus fell asleep almost next to the couch. I almost tripped on him."

"You are such a klutz," Cassiopeia said, yawning wide. "Please don't…don't hurt yourself."

Cassiopeia could not stop yawning. As Tonks could see, there were big, dark circles under her eyes.

"I didn't mean to," Tonks said. "You need sleep, Aunt Cassie."

"No. I don't want to sleep. Today was too close. I'm afraid if I close my eyes for a second, they'll get hurt," Cassiopeia said fearfully, nodding to Sirius and Baby Remus.

"Cassie, they would have to get past me, Remus, and Aaron to get to you. You can sleep," Tonks reassured her.

Cassiopeia yawned again. "I can't."

"Cassie, you can sleep. You are protected. Go to sleep. Sirius and S.J. aren't going anywhere," Tonks said.

Just as Tonks said his name, S.J. started to cry. Cassiopeia immediately picked him up and kissed him. "Shh. I'm here, Remus. Mama's here."

Cassiopeia turned to Tonks. "He's hungry. I'll get his bottle."

S.J.'s cries instantly woke up Sirius. Sirius stretched as he awoke and crawled out of bed to find Cassiopeia with S.J. "Cassie, what are you doing?"

"She's going to get S.J.'s bottle," Tonks replied, shaking her head. "I almost tripped over Remus."

"Klutz," Sirius laughed before turning to Cassiopeia. "Cassie, I can see the circles under your eyes. You need rest. Go to sleep."

Cassiopeia shook her head. "No. Let me feed him."

"Cassie, please," Sirius said. "You can't take care of our son when you are dead tired. You still need to recover."

"I'm not going to sleep, Sirius. I don't want to close my eyes for a second."

"Cassie, I love you, but don't be stubborn about this. You cannot do anything if you have no sleep. You should know better than to argue with me. Go to sleep."

"I don't want to. If I sleep, something terrible will happen."

"Cassie, you're being silly. Nothing is going to happen."

Tonks rolled her eyes. And I thought she was stubborn while she was pregnant.

"Good luck, Sirius. She won't listen to me," Tonks said, throwing up her hands.

Tonks then went back downstairs to sleep. As soon as she did, she tripped over Remus and fell. Remus was instantly startled awake.

"Oh my gosh. Are you okay, Remus?" Tonks asked apologetically.

"I'm fine," Remus said as he sat up. "What are you doing? It's after two in the morning. Is something wrong? Are Sirius and Cassie alright?"

"I went to the loo," Tonks said casually. "Then came back and tripped over you."

"I heard whispers. Are you sure those three are alright? I have a bad feeling," Remus said in concern.

"They're fine. Cassie won't sleep, is all," Tonks said.

"Why?" asked Remus.

"She's worried that something will happen," Tonks replied.

"Did you try talking to her?" Remus asked. "She'll listen. I know. I'll talk to her."

"Sirius is trying to talk to her," Tonks said. "It's alright. By the way, that reminds me: do you remember how your chocolate mysteriously went missing?"

"I do," Remus replied.

"I never got to apologize for that," Tonks said solemnly. "I had to steal some from you, but I always tried to replace it. Cassie had a serious craving while she was pregnant. She just wouldn't shut up until I gave it to her."

"That sounds like Cassie," Remus chuckled. "Anyway, let me check on her. You never know with Cassie Black. I'll be right back."

Remus went upstairs and peeked outside the door of Sirius and Cassie's bedroom. He watched as Sirius managed to coax Cassie to sleep.

"Sirius, I keep feeling something is about to happen," Cassiopeia whispered groggily. "I want to protect you and Remus."

"Cassie, I promise nothing is going to happen," Sirius soothed, kissing Cassiopeia's head. "It's alright, sweetheart. Go to sleep, and I'll feed Remus."

Finally, Cassiopeia drifted off to sleep.

While Cassiopeia slept, Sirius sat down and fed S.J. Sirius looked up and saw Remus standing in the doorway. "Moony, didn't see you there."

"Hi. She's stubborn as ever," Remus commented.

"Yes, but she's scared. I don't blame her," Sirius said honestly. "Come to check up, did you?"

Remus nodded. "Yeah. Tonks told me what was going on after she tripped on me."

"She'll be fine," Sirius said, nodding to Cassiopeia. "Tonks is her usual klutzy self."

Sirius looked down at S.J., who was quietly drinking his bottle, and back at Remus. "I never thanked you for watching little man. I don't know where he'd be if it wasn't for the both of you."

"You're quite welcome," Remus said graciously. "Did you know Tonks calls herself a monster?"

"Yes. I don't understand how she's a monster after one accident," Sirius replied as he bounced S.J. on his shoulder.

"I don't either. Nothing convinced her otherwise," Remus said, dumbfounded.

"She's the best Auror since Mad-Eye," Sirius said. "Come on, little man. Go to sleep."

Remus's eyes widened. He had no idea Tonks trained under Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the best Auror in the Ministry. "Mad-Eye trained her?"

"I heard she's his favorite. She's stubborn, a Black family trait," Sirius replied, before turning his attention back to a fussy S.J. "Come on, little man, go to sleep."

"Well, I better go back downstairs. Come down if you need help with S.J.," Remus sighed.

With S.J. in tow, Sirius followed Remus back downstairs. Tonks was back to sleep on the couch. As Remus noticed, she seemed to be shivering in her sleep.

"Hey, are you cold?" Remus whispered.

Tonks did not speak, but simply shook her head.

Sirius sat down on a rocking chair and tried to comfort his son. "I don't know why he won't sleep now. Is he ill?"

"No. He just wants attention," Remus replied calmly. "Hey, Sirius, where do you keep the blankets?"

"In the cupboard," Sirius said. "Fetch me one for Remus."

"Okay," Remus said as he opened the cupboard.

Remus pulled out two blankets. He found a long blanket for Tonks and a smaller one for S.J. and handed it to Sirius. Remus draped the blanket over Tonks, who pulled it up to her neck.

Sirius bundled his son in the little blanket. "Did you wake me just to spend time with me, little man? How about another bottle? Moony, can you fetch me Remus's bottle?"

"Sure," Remus said politely, picking up the bottle.

"Warm it up a little," Sirius instructed him. "Warm milk might do the trick."

"I know, Sirius," Remus assured him.

Remus took the bottle into the kitchen to warm it up.

"That trick always worked on Harry when he was a baby," Sirius recalled as S.J. grew louder. "Shh, shh. Uncle Moony has your bottle, little man. Remus, the bottle. Hurry."

"I know," Remus said. "Don't rush me."

S.J. only cried harder as Sirius rocked him. "Shh, it's alright, Remus."

As S.J. cried it out, Sirius walked him around the room. "Shh. Uncle Moony has your bottle. It's alright."

Finally, Remus hurried out of the kitchen with the bottle and gave it to Sirius.

"Thank you," Sirius said appreciatively. "Here you go, little man."

Sirius sat down and watched as S.J. avariciously sucked down his bottle. Just like Tonks, Sirius was astounded at his son's appetite. "You have a really big appetite, don't you? Come on, sleep, little man."

Finally, S.J. began to doze as Sirius rocked him. "Good, sweetheart. Go to sleep."

Meanwhile, Remus walked back over to Tonks and noticed she had kicked off her blanket. Quietly, Remus draped the blanket over her again. Tonks pulled the blanket up to her chin.

"Well, at least she's sleeping," Remus said in relief.

Remus gazed at Tonks as she slept. "She's peaceful when she sleeps."

"She is," Sirius whispered, gazing at his baby boy. "He's beautiful, isn't he?"

"Yeah," Remus said in a daze as he watched Tonks.

Sirius could not help but make fun of Remus. He knew Remus felt something for Tonks. He would never miss a chance to tease him about it. "Getting all lovey-dovey, are we?"

"No. Just protective," Remus replied.

"Because you love her," Sirius teased.

"No. That's not it at all," Remus said defensively.

"You love her as I love Cassie."

"No, I don't."

"If you didn't, you wouldn't be watching her. Just admit it, Moony."

"I'm just concerned that she'll have another nightmare."

"That is what I call love. But you call it what you want. I'm going to bed."

"Right."

"Good night, Moony."

"Night."

Sirius went back upstairs to his room and put S.J. down. As he did, Cassiopeia rolled over. "Is he asleep?"

"Yeah. And Tonks tripped over Remus when she went back downstairs," Sirius whispered.

"She's dead clumsy," Cassiopeia groaned. "Sirius, are you sure nothing is going to happen? I have a bad feeling."

"Everything is fine," Sirius comforted. "I'm sure Tonks, Remus, and Aaron will protect S.J. with their lives."

"What about you? If Greyback kills you, or the Ministry finds you?" Cassiopeia asked fearfully.

"I'm sure everything will turn out alright," Sirius said optimistically.

"You know Greyback won't stop hunting our baby now," Cassiopeia said.

Sirius knew Cassiopeia was right. He knew there was no denying the truth. "I think he'll go after Tonks before going after S.J."

Cassiopeia shivered. The thought of a maniac werewolf hunting her family was much too terrifying. "I don't want him to go after anyone. Sirius, I'm afraid."

Sirius was not going to let Cassiopeia be troubled. She had already been through enough in the past few days. "It's alright. Just sleep for now."

"Alright," Cassiopeia agreed, wrapping her arms around Sirius. "Everything is better with you next to me."

Cassiopeia finally gave in to sleep beside Sirius. For this night, Cassiopeia and Sirius had peace. What they did not know was that peace was about to be disturbed.