WARNING: Slash content ahead! No likey no ready! If this isn't your ship, get off at the next port. Or whatever, just don't flame me because you don't have the nerve or the inspiration to read something beatiful.

DISCLAIMER: Nope, not mine. None of it...Except if I make a mistake, then it's mine.

BROKEN

By Elizabeth Tears aka Secret Slashyness

88--88

The problem was not that it was a full moon, although that was part of it. The problem was that it was a red full moon and that Remus Lupin was a werewolf. There hadn't been a red moon in his memory of being affected by the phases of the moon and he hadn't known what it would do to him.

He hadn't known that the transformation, always painful, would double, even triple in intensity. He hadn't known that he, even with his high threshold of pain, would be brought shaking, sobbing and screaming to his knees in pure agony.

He hadn't known that it would feel like being torn apart by savage animals, ripping at his sensitive human skin. He hadn't known that it would feel as though he was desperately on fire, being consumed by insatiable fingers of heat licking at his skin.

He hadn't known that his muscles would seize up completely so that when his companions arrived, he wasn't able to move to greet them. He hadn't known that the great shaggy dog would go into a panicked frenzy and almost reveal himself to the authorities in Hogwarts. He hadn't known that for once, James would be the logical reasoning of the fiasco and send Peter (in human form) to find Madame Pomfrey.

He hadn't even known that he would pass out in wolf form, still hurting, only to wake up to shattering pain as he transformed back to a very fragile looking Remus Lupin.

88-88

Madame Pomfrey, after doing a thorough examination, said that there was nothing more she could do for him and that he might as well recuperate in the dorm, providing the truth about his illness didn't surface. She fought down the clamours of hurt voices telling her that they would never ever, even under the Imperious curse, betray Remus's secret. (Again, Sirius added bitterly, guiltily)

She didn't ask them how they knew the truth about Remus or how they knew he was hurt, or how they could approach him as a wolf and not get mauled.

She just accepted that Sirius Black and two other frantic 7th Years burst through her hospital doors with a wounded, weak Remus in his arms and demanded that she fix him.

She simply gave in to the unavoidable fact that if she didn't let Remus go back to the dorm, she would have to find beds for three anxious, immovable Marauders.

So that was how she came to find herself dressed in her nightgown, standing in the doorway of her hospital, seeing her most frequent and most endearing patient off down the hallway in the arms of a boy who hadn't let go of him all through her examination.

Watching the three boys and one in particular fuss over their werewolf friend gave Madame Poppy Pomfrey a suspicion that Remus Lupin would get more care and attention in his dorm than he could ever receive in the hospital wing.

And she was glad.

Everyone should have someone who loved them that much and Remus had that one person and two others to boot. Which was good, she mused, because Remus needed twice as much as anyone else.

88--88

"Be careful, Padfoot!" James hissed, hitting said Padfoot sharply over the head. "He doesn't need a concussion as well as a red moon transformation!"

"I know that, Prongs!" Sirius replied heatedly. "Don't you dare tell me that I don't know how to look after my Moony!"

"Since when did we lose communal ownership and Moony became primarily your property?" James demanded, breathing heavily.

"I don't think he belongs to anyone." Peter cut in quietly.

"Shut up, Wormtail!" The black haired, black tempered boys snapped in unison.

They were saved from further conflict on the topic of ownership of Remus as they had reached the dorm and thus had to be extraordinarily quiet. It wouldn't do to have to explain why Remus was cowering in Sirius's arms and being carried into the dorm, obviously too injured to walk on his own.

For once when not executing a prank, James, Sirius and Peter cooperated and managed to get Remus into bed, merely shirtless because there was no one had the stomach to take off more than that. Nobody who wanted to admit it, anyway.

Eventually, after much grunting and sharply snapped comments, Remus was lying peacefully on his back with his hands folded neatly over his stomach. The three remaining Marauders gathered silently around his bed, looking uncomfortably down at their unconscious friend.

"So … so what do we do now, then?" James asked eventually.

"I … suppose we just let him … sleep it off." Sirius replied uncertainly.

"Right." Peter agreed and made as though to leave and go to bed. He stopped hesitantly as he realized no one else had moved.

"Guys?" He asked. "I thought we were going to let him sleep?"

"He is sleeping." James replied absently, still staring at the wounded boy. "I don't think our presence is going to make much difference."

Sirius didn't say anything.

"It might not make any difference to Remus, but it's going to make a difference to you if you don't get some sleep." Peter said gently, tugging on James' arm.

James looked away reluctantly.

"Do you think so?" He asked worriedly, almost as though he was seeking reassurance.

Peter nodded.

"Remus isn't going to know if you're waiting there or not and you know you don't perform well without sleep. You have Quidditch practice tomorrow, as well, don't forget." He said with some authority.

"Oh … okay." James said slowly and followed Peter to their own beds and lay down.

Peter gave an uncertain glance at Sirius, still bent over Remus' bed. Perhaps he should try and coax Sirius into bed as well? But he dismissed the notion. Remus was Sirius's carer, not Peter. Peter's charge was James and James alone. Let Sirius sort himself out. However, James, at that moment, decided to sit up and blink blearily at Sirius's hunched figure.

"Padfoot?" He called quietly. "Are you going to bed?"

"No." Sirius replied. "I think I'm going to sit with him for a while longer."

James began to reply, but seemed to think better of it. He shrugged instead.

"Okay." He said. "Goodnight, then."

"Goodnight." Sirius echoed and the room was silent.

Moments later, Sirius was the only one left awake and that was the way he liked it.

Taking a sideways seat on the edge of the bed, he continued to stare unabashedly at the wounded werewolf in front of him. The scant amount of dim light the window allowed was barely enough to see by, but Sirius was loathe to make any light lest he wake anyone else. So instead he continued his observations in the strange half light.

His breath caught in his throat, his eyes watered and his heart broke at the sight of the boy in front of him. There was only one way to describe Remus.

Broken.

He looked like a neglected child's toy. His ribs were broken and he was spotted with fresh bruises on every part of his pale skin. He bore numerous nasty looking deep cuts, an especially severe one slashed down his eyebrow. His expression was that of painful suffering and Sirius knew that it was probably warranted.

He wiped away the steady run of tears from his cheeks, unaware that he had even been weeping. Sighing to himself, he lay down on the bed next to Remus and supported his head in his hand, gazing down at the unconscious boy. As an afterthought, he flicked his wand and closed the curtains.

More tenderly, more gently than he had ever touched anyone before, he carefully brushed the hair away from Remus' eyes.

"Get well soon, Moony." He whispered. "You're breaking my heart …"

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Well, that's the first chapter in this story. It's only my third slash, so I don't know how good it's going to be. It won't be a very long story, I don't think, so don't beg too much for updates. I'm not the best updater in the world. Anyway, yeah, that's about all there is to say for it, but I hope you enjoy it, whenever I get around to updating, and I also hope you review if you like it.

Lizzy :D