UnExpected

Chapter 2

Hello. Good to see you. How have you been? These would be the normal ways to greet a person – and the friendliest. Very unlike the one Buffy received when she stepped out of the fireplace. Instead, what she did receive was a threatening wand to the face.

"Slayer," he growled.

Stretching to her full height, which wasn't much, Buffy grabbed her wand and pointed it at her attacker.

"Werewolf," she said with smirk.

They were at a standoff. Eyes firm and wands ready to fire. At least until the man smiled, lowered his wand, and opened his arms.

"Hello, Buffy."

Buffy beamed. "Hi, Remus," she said, lowering her weapon and running into his embrace.

"I've missed you," he said into her hair.

"I've missed you, too."

It was their well-kept secret. The lethal, pre-destined title Merrick had given her had been too much to bear alone; she knew what it meant, what it stood for, even before that fateful day, and when Buffy was told she was the Slayer, the Chose One, Remus had been the person she turned to. The only person she felt she could confess to, to vent to, to help alleviate her fears. He understood what it was like to keep a darker part of oneself a secret. To have a whole other life when the sun went down, to have attained abilities you couldn't comprehend, and to protect those you loved the most by trying to keep them away from it. And as much as Remus hated to keep the secret from Joyce, he gave Buffy his word and, so far, had yet to break it. Something Buffy will always be eternally grateful for.

The flames in the fireplace flickered again and Joyce Summers stepped out of the hearth, smiling upon the warming sight that welcomed her.

"I'm beginning to feel a little left out," she said jokingly.

At the sound of her voice, Remus let Buffy go, and turned his attention to someone else he hadn't seen in quite a while.

"Joyce," he greeted with a smile.

"It's been a long time, Moony."

They embraced each other, reveling in the comfort of familiarity, the sense of home, before pulling apart. His girls had finally returned, they were by his side, and knowing them well he knew the first thing to ask.

"Hungry?"

"Starved," answered Buffy.

Yes, he definitely knew them well.

Leading them out of the parlor, down the corridor, down the stairs, Remus held open the door as they followed him into the kitchen.

"Well, well, well look at what the werewolf dragged in," a smooth voice drawled out.

From the opposite side of the room, a tall man with dark hair rose from the table.

"Always the charmer, aren't you, Sirius?" Joyce teased.

"Only when it comes to you, luv," he said with a playful wink.

Overwhelmed by his presence, Joyce Summers let her emotions overtake her and nearly threw herself into Sirius's arms. Holding tightly onto the man she hadn't seen in years but never faltered on her belief in his innocence.

"How long has it been?" she asked, still not releasing herself from his entanglement.

"Too long," he whispered thickly.