(AN: Hope you are continuing to enjoy the story! Comments and follows are always appreciated and welcome! As always I own nothing)
Remus felt like he recovered very slowly after the Full Moon. He had spent the next several days in bed.
But, he was glad he wasn't alone. Tonks had stayed with him most of the time.
She oftentimes would begin to fuss over him though.
He could tell she was very shaken up still over what had happened. Much more than he was.
"My love, I'm okay. I don't need anything right this second." He assured her, when she tried to readjust the pillows under his still injured leg for the fifth time that morning.
It was been 6 days since his injury and he still struggled to walk well unsupported.
She gave him a guilty look.
"I-I just want to make sure you're okay." She said, a little shakily.
Remus nodded. She was afraid.
"Come here, why don't you sit with me for a little while." Remus instructed.
She cuddled up close to him, resting her hand gently on him.
He stroked her hair.
"Your dad is coming over soon." Tonks told him.
Lyall had been coming over daily as Remus recovered. Remus had greatly appreciated it, as he was still needing a lot of help and he'd rather Tonks not have to support his weight if he needed to get around the apartment.
Remus nodded, kissing her on the head.
Just then, the fireplace roared to life in the other room.
Tonks got out of bed a little slower
than she normally would have to greet Lyall.
"Wotcher. Good morning!" Tonks smiled at Lyall.
"Hiya, how are you guys?" Lyall asked.
"Pretty good." Tonks explained.
Lyall smiled.
"Hi dad." Remus called from the bedroom.
Tonks brought Lyall into their room at that second.
"Hey, how you feeling, bud?" His father asked kindly.
Remus smiled back.
"On the mend. Thanks to you both." Remus wanted to make sure they knew how much he loved and appreciated them.
His father patted him on his shoulder gently.
"Don't even mention it." His father told him.
"Why don't I make us something to eat?" Tonks mused..
"Oh, Tonks that's too sweet, that would be lovely." Lyall told her.
Tonks retreated to give Remus and his father space.
"Do you think you can get up again to go to the bathroom?" His dad asked.
He had managed to go twice yesterday with his help. Before yesterday he'd still be so sick he'd been using a bed pan. Which he hated.
Remus nodded.
"Can I have the cane?" Remus asked, pointing to the corner where it sat.
Lyall carefully gave it to him, and helped him hoist himself up to stand.
Remus held on to his dad with one arm and the cane with the other. he trembled slightly as he stood.
Lyall looked at him wearily.
"I'm okay." Remus mouthed, barely any sound coming out.
They slowly made their way to the in suite bathroom, and over to the toilet.
"Are you okay? I don't want to let you go if not?" Lyall asked.
Remus grabbed the wall, bracing himself.
"I'm okay. I'm gonna stay right here, in case you need me. Do you want to sit down or?" His father started to question.
"Thank you, standing is easier." Remus gasped.
He peed carefully and held onto the wall for dear life.
Lyall held his cane out to him once he was done, and he helped him over to the sink.
Having something to lean against was extremely helpful.
He trembled in agony as he washed one hand at time, and gripped the edge of the counter for support.
After, he looked up at the mirror and his father's face was ghostly and he looked like he might cry.
His eyes had tears he saw him blink away.
"I'm alright." Remus tried to assure him.
But Lyall shook his head, "you're in terrible terrible pain. I want to stop it." Lyall whispered helplessly.
"I am. But, it's getting better. Little by little." Remus shuddered, gripping his cane again.
"One day soon, you'll understand what it's like to have a son. You don't want to see them hurting for even a moment." Lyall told him.
Remus closed his eyes.
He smiled a little at this.
He nodded, showing he understood.
He helped Remus get back into the bedroom, but he protested.
"No, I wanna be in the living room." Remus told him.
Lyall looked like he might argue with him but agreed, helping him into the living room.
Remus groaned and shuddered as he sat down on the sofa.
He was grateful when his father propped his leg up with a few pillows.
Soon, Tonks brought in a tray of scones and juice.
"Thank you, sweetheart." Remus told her.
"Just a warning, I'm an Auror not a housewife. My baking isn't the best." Tonks warned them.
The scones were just slightly dry but still tasty. Remus had two.
Lyall also didn't seem to mind them either.
"Oh no, these are good Tonks." He promised.
"Thank you Lyall." She smiled.
Lyall sipped his juice, then jumped a little like he had remembered something.
" are your parents excited to be grandparents soon, Tonks?" He asked happily, clearing his throat.
"O-oh um. They sorta ah." Tonks attempted to explain.
"They actually don't know yet, dad. You were the first family member we told actually." Remus clarified.
"Oh, well I'm honored to have known first. Even if I did find out on accident." He added, smiling.
Remus left out the part about The Order knowing first. That had been because they had to tell them, but he didn't want his ddd as to think so many others knew first.
"We will tell them soon." Tonks added, feeling slightly guilty.
Even a few days later, once Remus was back on his feet, she still felt guilty she was 18 and a half weeks pregnant now, and her parents still didn't know. she knew now that Remus was feeling better they should tell them.
But the time to bring it up on her own quickly passed. Few nights after Lyall's visit Tonks received a letter from her parents asking if they could come over the following day to see her.
She couldn't refuse and she was now so far along that she was pretty sure they would probably notice. It was now or never. She thought, looking down at her growing baby bump. Which was now much more obvious than it had been.
She wrote back and agreed that they could come over the following morning.
The next day, Tonks paced back in forth in their bedroom.
"But, what if they're not happy about it?" She asked Remus coyly.
Remus was certainly nervous about telling his in laws about his wife's impending pregnancy as well.
"It's a possibility." He agreed. "But, my dad is quite excited, so perhaps they will be too."
He was trying to remain positive in that moment.
Tonks looked at herself in the mirror. She had on a short sleeved casual black dress that she often wore at home, but now a fairly noticeable bulge protruded from her abdomen.
She rubbed her belly a little, knowing they'd be able to tell when they saw her she was pregnant.
Remus moved to the end of the bed, and reached out to Tonks. She went over to embrace him.
He rubbed her back, hugging her. He ran his hand around to her bump. He caressed it delicately.
"Well, I'm happy about him." Remus smiled.
Her heart swelled and she could tell he meant it.
Later on, Tonks was sitting behind their small table and her parents were busily discarding their coats.
They seemed solemn for some reason.
"Want a biscuit?" She asked once they sat down.
"Oh, sure hun." Her mother agreed absent minded.
Tonks briefly stood up to pass the biscuits across the table, and her mother gasped when she did, her eyes looked at the small bump protruding from her daughter's abdomen.
Ted noticed too. His mouth agape.
Tonks licked her lips a little, looking at them both. Knowing she was about to tell them.
"You're having a baby?" Ted asked, gasping a little.
"Wait, Is that why you got married?" Her mother asked quickly, looking around.
Tonks glared at her mother. "No. No, it wasn't. I wasn't pregnant then." She told her, clearly irritated.
Andromeda put her hands up in defense.
"S-Sorry, bad assumption." She admitted, seeming embarrassed.
Remus could have dropped dead though. His mother in law thought the only way he could get his wife was to accidental knock her up.
That was great.
"H-how far along are you?" Ted asked.
Tonks swallowed hard.
"18 weeks." Tonks had to be honest.
Andromeda gasped.
She shook her head just slightly and looked at Ted, she looked devastated.
It unnerved Remus entirely.
"And, you still want to leave? Even now?" She questioned Ted.
Remus saw Tonks brow furrow, she was also confused about the reaction.
"A-are we missing something?" Tonks thankfully asked.
Andromeda sighed.
"I'm sorry. This whole pregnancy is….exciting and all." Andromeda clearly didn't mean this.
"But, we came over today to discuss some not so great things." She added. This part, she meant.
Tonks went slightly pale.
"Tell her, Ted."
Ted Sighed.
"This stuff with the muggle born registration and everything. I think it would be safer if I left home and went on the run. At least for awhile. It's taken them a bit to get to where I am on the list, but I will come up soon. When that happens I can't be around when they come to look for me. It would put everyone in danger." Ted told his daughter.
"What? W-where are you going to go?" Tonks asked, breathless.
"There are others like me out there. Just trying to hide and survive. I'm hoping I can find some of them and lay low till this is all over." Ted said sadly.
"Daddy, no!" Tonks cried.
"You can't do that!" She pleaded.
Tears fell down her face
Ted looked like a tired and old man in that moment. Remus almost wondered if he was going to change his mind. He looked close to breaking.
Remus held Tonks as she cried.
"Look what you did Ted. You made your pregnant daughter cry." Andromeda criticized him.
Remus could tell it was an obvious defensive mechanism on her part. But, couldn't help but feel a bit bad for Ted.
Tonks detached herself from Remus' shoulder. She wiped her face.
"Dad, why couldn't you just hide somewhere where we'd know where you were? We can find a friend or family member to hide you. So, we can keep you safe." Tonks pleaded
Ted smiled and touched her hand.
"It's not your job to protect me. It's my job to protect you." He told her, endearingly.
Tonks shook her head.
"And, soon you'll understand when you have your child soon." He added.
That was it. There was no fighting with him.
"He's made his decision." Andromeda said.
Remus felt like he needed to say something.
"Ted, if we can help, we want to." Remus explained.
"Ah, you're too kind. Thank you. But, no. I have to do this alone." He assured them.
Remus blinked, but nodded.
"I'm going to leave tomorrow morning, at first light" Ted explained.
"Will you be able to contact us?" Tonks asked
"I'm not sure, Dora. I'll certainly try my best." Ted told his daughter.
"So, you're not going be here to see the baby when he's born?" Tonks asked, sadly.
"Unfortunately, I may not be. I wish I could be." He told her.
"May I ask, the baby? It's a boy?" Andromeda asked.
Remus could tell it was a genuine question.
"Yes, he's a boy " Tonks explained.
Ted sniffled slightly.
"That's wonderful." He told his daughter.
Andromeda nodded.
"Yes, it is." She agreed.
A while later, Ted was excitedly talking with his daughter, on the couch.
His hand was on her abdomen. "That's your grandson." Tonks said.
"Wow, that's him?."Ted laughed.
Tonks nodded.
And, At that moment, Remus knew he could feel the baby moving. He didn't know that it was possible to feel the baby from the outside yet. Tonks hadn't told him. He knew she had felt occasional small movement, but had no clue when it started to be noticeable from the outside.
He instantly felt a wave of emotion wash over him. One he wasn't sure he'd felt in a long long time. It was jealousy.
He suddenly wanted to feel his baby move too. He worried that perhaps he didn't deserve it though. He had shunned the very thought of the child for so long and the thought of bonding with him was an extremely exciting, but also terrifyingly wonderful thought now.
But, he wanted to feel him all the same. His recent near death experience had really put things into perspective.
Remus brought over the tray of coffee and Popcorn.
Depositing it down on the table.
He sat across from the two of them.
He watched them gush gleefully. He wanted so badly to join them.
"I so desperately want to meet him. I'm sorry I have to leave." He explained sadly.
"Are you sure you couldn't stay with a friend, or with us?" Tonks offered up options
"I don't want to think you're out there alone." Tonks told her father.
"I won't be alone, remember. There's others. Like me out there trying to survive till this ends." Ted told her.
Tonks shook her head. "I'm worried."
"See, even Nymphadora thinks this is a bad idea." Her mother piped up.
"The decision has been made. It's not safe for me to stay .I'll try to contact you whenever I can." Ted told them.
"But, Daddy. We need you." Tonks cried again.
Remus' heart broke at this. And he could tell it broke her father's heart too.
Ted held her close.
Remus looked over at Andromeda but she was looking off out a window. Perhaps she didn't know what to do either.
Eventually, they said their goodbyes and they left, Tonks watched as they both stepped into fire, disappearing from sight.
Later that night, Tonks and Remus were doing the crossword on the back of the paper together, and Tonks had her hand resting on her swollen little bump.
"He's moving a little, you can feel him a little bit now. Would you like to feel?" she looked at him.
Remus swallowed hard. He knew he should agree to it. He wanted to.
And, What kind of father would he be if he didn't. He had been so jealous of Ted just a few hours before.
What was he waiting for? He wondered.
He had touched her belly a few times before after all, just before he could feel the baby.
He cleared his throat, trying to put his fear away.
"Oh. Ah, sure." He said, hoping he didn't sound terrified.
He was scared. He was almost certain his hand would shake.
But, when he reached out his hand was steady.
He breathed deeply as he placed his hand on her belly.
"Here." She moved his hand slightly over.
Remus could feel a small little twitch under his wife's skin.
He gasped a little. "Oh that's, oh." He wasn't sure what to say. Or, if he needed to say anything at all.
Tonks stayed quiet and didn't say anything.
He felt another little kick just barely moving across his palm. It felt nice to feel him move. It was reassuring.
He knew deep down he would have to learn to actively bond with his son despite his own fear. Loving him from a far or cautiously wouldn't continue to work.
He wouldn't do that. He couldn't. Not anymore. After all, hadn't he just told her he was excited to be his father.
He rubbed his thumb over her belly a little, feeling more little kicks beneath the skin. It was a bizarre feeling.
Tonks watched him to try to gauge his reaction. He clearly cared for their child to some extent. Had he not almost died less than a fortnight ago, when he thought the baby was hurt? She considered this.
His face was almost impassive and hard to read.
"It's cool, right?" She asked.
"Mmm." He murmured.
He kept his hand there on her belly for a few more seconds before pulling his hand away.
"Thank you." He said after a few seconds.
She looked at him a little funny.
"For what?" Tonks asked. "Letting you touch me?"
"For sharing him with me." Remus said plainly.
Tonks kissed him sweetly at this..
"Anytime."
"Do you think you'll be here for the scan tomorrow? Tonks added, after a few seconds.
"Ashlee said this scan we might get to see him more properly. And, you've never seen him in person." She asked him.
"Oh, Ahh." He stuttered. He wasn't sure he was ready to see his son that way yet. It would make him so real. His emotions had been running so high since the full moon. he was worried he'd get emotional in front of Ashlee.
He was also terrified that they'd get bad news at the scan. He wasn't sure he was ready for that yet either.
"I'll try my best, it's our first radio broadcast, it could run long." He said, trying to soften the blow. He had made a promise to Kingsley too.
He had spoken to Kingsley the previous week and had agreed to help run The Orders broadcast that they were planning on releasing.
She just nodded, before they both went back to working on the crossword.
He could tell she was disappointed though.
Eventually, they both went to lay down in bed.
Remus reached out and touched her belly once they were next to each other. She put her hand on top of his.
"You know. You're going to be a really good dad, Remus." Tonks told him.
He caressed her bump as they talked.
"I hope so. I know you'll be a wonderful mother to him." He promised.
Soon, they fell asleep, thoughts of their son's future dancing in their heads.
