Three of the four young men known to many as the Marauders kept a silent vigil in the cold hospital waiting room. Every time someone walked by, all eyes looked up.
Sirius sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair holding on to Liesel tightly, brooding. Occasionally, they would hear a page of a magazine turn, or a slight cough. Finally, James spoke up.
"Bobby, do you think you can see if you can turn on the telly? I've been looking up at it all afternoon. The noises in this place are going to drive us all mad in a bit."
"I'm not going to be able to reach it, it's too high up."
"Sirius can lift you up," he said.
Sirius cut his eyes at his best friend. "You're closer, James."
"Wot, you won't mind my hands being all over your girl? Fine then. Come on, Bobby, I'll hoist ya up!"
Liesel rolled her eyes.
"No, I do mind and you're closer and besides, Lily knows how to operate the damned things as well..."
"Lily's asleep," James grumbled.
"No I'm not," Lily murmured. "I'm merely resting my eyes. James if you want the damned telly on, then..."
*click*
Peter climbed off of the chair and looked toward his friends. "There. Now shut up the lot of you! I'm tired of hearing your bickering!"
James and Sirius grimaced and then grinned at one another. "You don't have to get testy," James said.
"Anyway," Sirius added.
"All I've got to say is that you're both lucky that we're in a muggle hospital or I'd zap the both of you right now just for being complete gits."
Sirius shook his head. "No you wouldn't."
Peter looked directly into Sirius' eyes and nodded his head. "Yeah. I would. Let's not forget why we're here."
"Sorry," Sirius said under his breath.
"Yeah, me too," James added.
"Damn Wormy! You grew a pair! I'm proud of you!"
Peter rolled his eyes and shook his head and wandered out into the corridor and met with Remus who was seated just outside his mother's room.
Liesel managed to wiggle herself from Sirius' grasp and he protested. "Where are you headed?"
"Potty."
"I'll go with you."
"Sirius, it's the bathroom. I'm a big girl. I can go by myself."
"I know," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
"I'll go with you," Lily said. "I have to go as well."
"You'll need an escort," James said.
Lilly's eyes met with Liesel's and then to James'. "Oh for god's sake James! It's just the loo and it's right across the corridor!"
Liesel suddenly giggled and Lily looked to her with an annoying stare. "Is it wrong that I just had the vision of a conga line in my head?"
Lily pursed her lips tightly to prevent the laugh that wanted to escape and she nodded. "Let me guess? They'd be pulling up the rear?"
Liesel nodded. "Mmhmm."
"It's exactly the kind of thing they would do to ease the tension."
"Thought so."
The girls exited the waiting room and entered the loo together. On their way out, they saw Peter talking to Remus and they walked over too check on him. Remus looked up at them and smiled, but the girls' gaze was cast toward the glass-enclosed cubicles. There was only one patient in the intensive care unit and that was Hope Lupin. Liesel saw her mother sitting next to Lyall as he was seated close to his wife, holding his hand and her father seated on the other side of Laurie. No one was talking. When Hope coughed, Laurie darted toward her and took her bed pan to catch any blood that may have escaped her mouth. As she wiped Hope's face of perspiration, she looked up and saw her daughter and Remus as well as Lilly and Peter looking into the room, with looks of concern on their faces...they couldn't help themselves. Laurie motioned for John to pull the curtain and Liesel shook her head, mouthing the word no and when she looked down to see the anguish on Remus' face, did she enter the room.
"Why can't he be in here?"
"Because," John began gently. "Hope doesn't want him to see her in this state."
"Daddy she's dying, isn't she? That's why we're here, isn't it. Daddy, he's suffering out there," she said firmly but quietly. "Why can't he be with his mom? I know that if it were me in his shoes no one would be keeping me away!"
"But it's not you, it's him and he's..."
"The dutiful son. Right. What a crock," she said under her breath as she turned on her heel and moved to walk away until she heard a tiny voice say her name and she stopped in her tracks and looked into Remus' eyes.
"Bobby?"
She closed her eyes, swallowed hard and turned around as John pulled the curtain back. She looked at the frail woman lying in the bed and approached slowly.
"You are absolutely right. I wasn't trying to protect my son. I was trying to protect myself. I can't bear to see his face...see his pain."
"So look beyond it," Liesel whispered as she made her way to the head of the bed and kissed Hope's brow. "Do you know how strong your son is?"
Hope nodded. "But I'm not."
"He's got enough strength to hold us all up, Auntie."
Hope smiled. "You're a good girl."
"Yeah, well I've probably just got myself grounded for all of eternity."
Hope's smiled widened. "Oh, I rather doubt that," she wheezed. "Show my son in please?"
Liesel smiled. "I can do that." She kissed her god mother's cheek. "I'll see ya later, yeah?"
"Probably be much later darling."
Liesel's face fell and then she smiled bravely. "I'm okay with that, just as long as Remus gets to be here with you." Hope smiled and nodded. Liesel kissed her godmother's cheek tenderly and took her leave. She turned to head toward the door and at last she stood before Remus. "You better get your butt in there and make it count. Make her smile. Tell you that you love her. Thank her for your life. Tell her whatever it is that you want her to know. Just don't waste any time Remus. You don't have much of it left, I don't think."
Remus stared into her eyes and swallowed hard. Finally he nodded his head and squeezed her hand then, walked into the cubicle across the large room, his head held high, his eyes full of purpose.
"You should have been placed in Gryffindor," Peter said. "I heard everything. You were bloody brilliant! Definetly worthy of Marauder status!"
She looked into Peter's eyes and tried to smile as she looked into the room and saw her father's arms across his chest, glaring toward her out of the corner of his eyes. "Thanks Squeaker, but my Dad is really pissed." She looked in again and saw Remus sitting on the edge of his mother's hospital bed beaming; his face was animated and his hands were busy as if he were counting. And a tear left Liesel's eye. She turned and headed toward the waiting room. Sirius got to his feet immediately and she fell into his arms and sobbed as Lily and Peter explained what had happened.
A hour later, Peter had left them, stating that he had to get to his job and John and Laurie returned with Remus, who appeared terribly forlorn. John reached into his pocket and handed Sirius his car keys and told him to take everyone back to his house.
"I rode my bike," Sirius said. "And I'm not going to leave it."
"Minimize the bike, Sirius," John replied annoyingly.
"I've no idea what that'll do..."
"Look, if the bike is rendered inoperable, then I will either have it repaired or I will replace it. Now go. Bobby's in no shape to drive."
"Daddy, what about you and Mom," Liesel asked.
"Don't worry about us Sweetheart. We can disapparate for home and pick the car up tomorrow."
Sirius nodded. "Come on you lot. Let's get Remus home."
"No. I want to stay," Remus said with a steely calmness to his voice. "And no one is going to talk me out of it."
James and Sirius each looked to the other and then to John who shrugged his shoulders. "He has every right to stay if he wishes."
Remus raised his brow with suspicion in his eyes. "You're not going to try to talk me out of it?"
"No,"James and Sirius said simultaneously and Liesel and Lily both sighed with relief.
Remus' eyes grew large. "You're not?"
Sirius raised his brow. "Do you want us to?"
"No," Remus whispered.
"Then by all means, stay with your Dad. Your room's not going anywhere for about another month," Sirius said. "You can come home when you're ready."
"Thank you," Remus replied.
"Just erm, let me know when. That's all I ask?"
Remus' face contorted a bit as he nodded. "Alright. May I ask why?"
'I might be, erm, naked."
Remus laughed. "Wouldn't be the first time that I've seen you in your birthday suit, Sirius!"
"Well, I know that. But erm, Bobby might be as well," he replied under his breath.
Liesel covered her face and hid behind Sirius as she shook her head.
"Excuse me, I'm still here," John said with an annoying tone to his voice.
Sirius grimaced. "Sorry John." He cleared his throat. "Well...erm, I suppose we should be going now?"
"Please express our condolences to your dad, Remmy," Lily said and she moved to embrace him and kiss his cheek. "I'm so sorry."
Remus smiled sadly. "Thanks LIls," Remus replied.
James cleared his throat and offered his hand. "Yeah, me too." Remus looked at James' outstretched hand and James chuckled then grabbed at the young man and embraced him. "If you need anything and I mean anything, call on me," James whispered as he looked directly into his eyes. "I mean it, Remus."
Remus nodded. "I will. Thanks."
Liesel approached her god brother and put her arms around his neck and held on to him for a moment, weeping quietly. "She's in a better place now."
Remus nodded and he felt a hard cry well up inside him but managed not to let it out. "I know she is," he whispered, feeling her slender hand stroke his hair. "I owe you big time," he whispered. "Thank you..."
Liesel nodded and released him then he looked to Sirius, who'd bee staring uncomfortably at his own feet, noticing a scuff on his boots.
Sirius shook his head. "I can't even imagine what you're going through. I don't think I'd be terribly upset if my mum died right now. But I feel terrible for you. And your Dad." He put his arm around Liesel's shoulder and nodded toward John. "And I feel awful for the Moody's. But I don't feel sad for your Mum. I know that sounds wrong and I'm sorry..."
Remus nodded and held on to Sirius' strong arm. "Please don't put yourself through this Padfoot...I know exactly what you mean! There's no more pain, no more illness! She's at peace now...She's finally free!"
As soon as the words escaped his lips, did the reality of them hit him hard and his face crumbled. Sirius enclosed him in his strong arms and held on to him. "I'm sorry Moony," he whispered. "I'm so sorry."
Liesel put her arms around Remus' waist and Lily did the same from the other side. James stood behind him and placed his arms around them all. John stood by as Laurie made her way to the waiting room to give Lyall some alone time with his wife. "Oh," she whispered as she threaded her arm around her husband's waist, smiling warmly at the solidarity that they were witnessing first hand.
Finally Remus lowered his arms and nodded. "I think I'm going to be alright," he said smiling. Sirius looked into his eyes and noticed that they seemed mostly blue instead of the normal hazel color.
"We'll meet up at the shack in two weeks, alright," James said.
Remus nodded as he looked into James eyes. "Yeah, alright. I'll see you then!"
The four teens watched as Laurie smiled and held out her hand for him so that she could escort her godson to his father.
_____
Sirius did as he was told and drove his bike to a quiet street and minimized it, then walked back to Liesel, James and Lily who were waiting in the car for him. When he reached the car, he got in and pulled Liesel over close to him then put the car in gear and left the hospital parking lot for home.