Chapter Twenty Eight

Sirius waited nervously by Nikka's front door. He knocked again and heard footsteps.

Tonks opened the door and her hair flared bright red at the sight of him, "Go away." she snapped and started to close the door.

"Wait." Sirius said, putting his arm out to stop the door, "I just need to speak to Nikka."

"After the shit you pulled?" Tonks said, crossing her arms over her chest, "I don't think so."

Sirius looked behind her, he didn't really want to barge past her, apart from anything else, he knew she would curse him in a second, "Please."

"It's OK Tonks. I'll talk to him." Nikka said, coming up behind her friend.

"Are you sure?" Tonks asked, worriedly.

Nikka nodded and grabbed her coat, "I wont be long."

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief and followed Nikka round the corner of the street to a small bus stop. Nikka sat down, watching the cars go by. Sirius sat next to her and waited for a few moments.

"How are you?" Nikka asked.

Sirius shrugged, "I'm OK. I wanted to say how sorry I was."

Nikka shook her head, "I get it but… it sucked." she gave him a small smile.

Sirius took a deep breath, "I know I fucked up and if I could go back and give myself a good slap I would but I can't and I want to be with you, I can't imagine my life without you."

"Sirius I… I know and I want to be with you too..." Nikka sighed and turned to look at him, "What the hell are you doing?"

She stood up, looking at the exquisite diamond ring that Sirius was holding up.

"Marry me?" he asked.

Nikka bust out laughing, she covered her mouth to try and stop but her sides where hurting she was laughing so much, "Oh Sirius… No."

Sirius's face fell, "But… you said you wanted to be with me as well."

Nikka held his hands, "And I do, I really do but we are so not ready to get married!"

Sirius looked at the ring, "I… you.. umm..."

"We're still together, if that's what you want as well but, getting married, it's this big massive huge thing. It means a family and planning. You've not even met my family more than a couple of times. Are you ready for all that? Moving out, you love living with Lily and Danica. I know you want children so do I and I've not even finished my training yet." Nikka explained.

Sirius shrugged, "We were talking about it before."

Nikka nodded, "I know, but for one, we're in a totally different place than we were then and secondly I'm not sure we were ready then."

Sirius looked into her eyes and laughed as well, "I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking. I… I just wanted to make it all better."

"This isn't something that gets all better all at once. It'll take time, but we'll get there." Nikka smiled, she ran her fingers though his hair, "I love you. I think I always have."

"I love you too." Sirius said, he moved in and kissed her deeply. He'd missed her so much and with every moment of that kiss he felt his heart growing a little lighter.

"I think when you do ask me to marry you it'll be a little bit of a let down after this." Nikka smirked.

Sirius looked into her eyes, "You ask me. I think we can agree I'm pretty bad at timing?"

Nikka nodded.

"So you ask me. You'll know when the time is right." Sirius leaned in again and stole another kiss.

"Ok, I'll ask you. I'll make it cheesy and amazing!" Nikka laughed, "I was so determined not to forgive you and you're not totally forgiven yet but I, I have always felt so happy and safe and calm around you."

"I wish I had never put you though all this." Sirius told her earnestly.

"I know. And I also know that you've suffered these last months as well, but we will get there." Nikka said, "Me and you, together."

They sat, wrapped in each others arms for a while, until a bus stopped when they didn't mean it to and the driver got grumpy at them.

"I should head home. Tonks will be worried." Nikka smiled.

Sirius nodded, "You and her getting along?"

Nikka nodded, "She's my best friend. Our training is going well as well, we're first and second in the class."

"You should be very proud of yourself." Sirius told her, "We always need more well trained good people."

Nikka grinned, "Well we're getting there. I'll see you soon?"

Sirius nodded, "Oh yes. And I promise I will do everything I possibly can to make this up to you."

Nikka smirked, "You'd better. What do you want to do with this?" she held out the ring he'd wanted to give her.

Sirius shrugged, "Sell it. Help pay off some of your debts from training to become an Auror?"

"Are you sure? This thing must have cost a small fortune." Nikka said, looking down at it's cushion shaped perfectness.

Sirius grinned, "Don't worry about it. I'd want to help you anyway and, well, it wont fit me when the time comes."

Nikka laughed, "No I think you're more of a princess cut kinda guy, something with bright yellow gold and maybe a pink stone?"

Sirius laughed as well, "Sounds perfect!"

Sirius took her hand and walked her back to the front door. It was a lovely bright summers day and the last thing he wanted to do was let go of her hand.

"I really should go in." Nikka told him.

"I would come in but..."

"I'll explain everything to Tonks. She'll get it, she just hated seeing me so upset." Nikka assured him.

Sirius nodded, "I know."

They kissed quickly before Nikka unlocked the door and walked into the hall.

She hung up her coat and was greeted by Tonks, who came quickly into the hallway.

"Well? What did he want?" She asked, her hair rapidly changing colours as she tried to control her emotions.

Nikka put a hand on her arm, "He wanted to say how sorry he was and to get back together, if I wanted."

"Did you?" Tonks asked, she wasn't sure what answer she was hoping just, she knew how happy Nikka had been with Sirius but she didn't think she could bare seeing her friend go though such heartbreak again.

"Yes to getting back together, no to the marriage proposal." Nikka laughed.

"What? He asked you to marry him?!" Tonks looked shocked, he eyes wide and her hair colour fading in and out.

Nikka nodded and showed her the ring, "I said no. He wanted to make everything better all at once and it doesn't work that way. We'll get there though."

Tonks wrapped her arm around her friend, "That is one huge rock, I hope he's not over compensating for something."

Nikka dug her elbow into Tonk's ribs, "No he isn't."

"Oww." Tonks said, jokingly, grabbing at her side, "Well just thought I'd check."

Nikka slipped the ring on her finger and looked at it. It sparkled brilliantly in the light and the platinum had been shaped and moulded into delicate flowers that made up the band.

"It is pretty." Nikka nodded, "Not really me though, I mean if it had been the right time maybe I'd feel differently about it."

"What does he want you to do with it?" Tonks asked, wondering though to the kitchen to make them both a cup of tea.

"He told me to sell it. I think he knows it was a silly move and as he said, it wont suit him." Nikka grinned.

"I'm lost again." Tonks shook her head smiling and adding sugar to her cup.

"He wants me to ask him next time." Nikka said, she took the tea gratefully and they moved to the sitting room. Nikka tucked her legs under herself and took a sip.

"Do you think you will?" Tonks asked.

Nikka shrugged, "At some point, I hope. Not ready now though."

"You were talking about it before." Tonks pointed out, "So you should be able to get back there."

Nikka nodded, "Yeah. Though, to be honest I don't think we were as ready as we thought we were, I told him that as well. There is a lot to still work out."

Tonks nodded, "Yeah I get that. Hell I can't imagine ever getting married."

"Really? Not even to a handsome young-ish man we know who is good friends with Sirius?" Nikka smirked.

Tonks blushed, "I would but I don't know if he will ever want to. He could do so much better than me."

"That's not true, you're brilliant." Nikka told her.

Tonks shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the hem of her top which was suddenly very interesting.

Nikka smiled and shook her head, sitting back against the sofa cushions. She felt drained but for the first time in a long while she also felt content with the world; that everything was going to be OK.