Title: Wake Up

Raiting: M (for Mature)

Pairing: S. Snape and N. Tonks

Disclaimer: Don't own JK's characters, and I really don't own her plot.

A/N: Finally! I've got a beta! ;D Many thanks to Eldaria for her betaing and suggestions! Any mistakes left are probably mine, so..yeah..anyway, on with the story:)

Wake Up

Chapter 1 - No Fear.

She struggled against the spell holding her. Her eyes shifted from the brightest blue to the darkest brown as she growled. Laughter and silence surrounded her. Before her stood the person she detested the most: her aunt, Bellatrix Black Lestrange - the killer of her cousin. She was laughing at her.

"My dear Nymphadora… My dear Tonks! Why so angry? Haven't you missed me?" Bellatrix said as her laugher died away. Tonks glared at her as she bared her teeth in frustration. The black-haired woman sneered as she stepped closer and caressed Tonks' cheek with her thumb, her mad eyes searching for any sign of fear. She was disappointed.

"Hmm… No response. Well, well. I must confess that I've missed you, Nymphadora."

Her tone betrayed her words as she straightened and slowly walked around the cornered woman with a pleased expression. Shadows from flickering lights made her bony face seem ever more starved as she smirked and threw her dark hair back, the look in her eyes challenging.

"Really, Bella, I thought you had manners," Tonks managed to spit out. Blood from her mouth spattered the floor around her. Bellatrix stopped and traced Tonks' spine with her nails.

"And I was stupid enough to think that the hours of spying on – or, rather, stalking – Snape would've taught you the delicate art of exchanging insults with grace. But then again, you've never shown any sign of having grace in anything you do," came the smooth reply. Tonks winced as the insult hit home.

"Oh, yes! That one hurt, didn't it?" Bellatrix whispered. "But I have something in store for you that will be even worse. Something beyond words… Except for the actual name of the spell."

Although she fought it, shivers went violently up and down her spine as she closed her eyes to shut out the endless mass of black cloaks and silver masks. The cold and crowded room they occupied seemed to shrink, and she could almost feel the mouldy walls embracing her.

"I think you underestimate the power of simple actions and well-spoken words, Bella," a silky voice sneered. Tonks opened her eyes but could not spot the person who'd spoken up. Apparently he was behind her back – a swish of robes revealed that Bellatrix had to swing around to see the man.

"Ah, Snape… You must be pleased to have your stalker put into her rightful place," she heard her aunt snap back. Tonks could almost hear him smirk. It seemed she knew his face all too well.

"That's a first, coming from you Bella," came the quiet reply. As always, he tucked the hidden meaning away until one asked for it. Bellatrix fought not to do so, as she would lose the mind game if she did. The endless war of words between the two of them wouldn't end in the near future. Tonks shuddered unnoticeably. The man kept his tongue guarded around both Order members and these… 'Monsters,' she thought, unable to find a better word to describe the Death Eaters. She did not care to think about how his insults would feel, were he to allow himself to speak freely. She was in enough pain as it was.

The fight she'd had with the group of twenty Death Eaters had been a clear loss even though she'd blocked the first hex thrown at her. She'd been doing her rounds, keeping an eye on the people in Diagon Alley with an older Auror named Timothy. She'd only known him for a couple of days, and wasn't getting along with the tight-lipped man.

It was still early when the two of them decided it was time for a shift change. Then the Death Eaters struck. The Alley was almost empty, and the two Aurors had been surprised. Timothy went down first; his leg broke in a loud snap that had made her wince. Extreme pain made him pass out. But she hadn't let herself give up and was almost proud to say she had managed to hurt at least two or three of the Death Eaters lethally. But she'd sustained quite a few injuries as well. It would be a wonder if she came out of there either alive or sane.

The sickening truth had yet to sink in – she might be dead in just a few minutes. All this and she hadn't even seen the Dark Lord yet. He would probably be the last thing she'd see… A tear managed to escape and as it slowly ran down her cheek, Tonks became aware of the things going on around her. She heard a cold voice with an unnaturally high pitch and was roughly pulled into full attention as a sudden pain struck her, burning flesh from bones.

"You should show me more respect, Metamorphmagus," the cold voice sneered. She froze and didn't dare to look up. Her anger and the remaining adrenaline from the fight quickly disappeared as she let her arms fall limp in the invisible grip of the spell holding her.

"Words do seem to have an influence, or maybe it is just my mere presence," he stated. Tonks bit her lip as she forced herself to look up. 'No fear… No fear…' she thought as she met the blood-red eyes of Lord Voldemort. "I don't blame you for having fear for me. It is very… Appropriate, don't you think?" he continued in a mocking tone. Tonks tried to take a stumbling step back, but was stopped by the bounds of the spell.

"My Lord..." she heard Bellatrix say in a tightly controlled voice, but she was cut off by the white skeleton himself.

"In time, Bella, in time. Have patience. We need information. Severus!" he snapped. Tonks watched Snape appear and kneel before his Lord out of the corner of her eye. Anger swept over her at the sight of him. Wasn't he on her side? What was he doing? Why wasn't he out sending for help? Her face must have conveyed her anger as Voldemort's laughter could be heard only seconds later. She froze again and concentrated on not throwing up at the sickening sound of it.

"Severus, I have a task perfectly suited for you," he said as he stared at the woman tied to nothing but air. Tonks closed her eyes and shut her mouth tightly. "You will take this so far useless half-blood and break her. Break her so there is nothing left. When I next summon you, I want her shattered. I want the pieces left of her served to me and I shall turn them into nothing but ashes. Do I make myself clear?" The venomous threat in his voice made even Bellatrix shiver. Tonks fought back tears as his words made their way to her now dizzy mind. 'It wouldn't take long,' she thought desperately, 'I'll break down before he even gets the chance to lift his wand…'

"Yes, My Lord," he responded quietly while bowing even lower to show his respect. Voldemort seemed pleased as he signalled for him to stand up.

"Take her now and leave. Your house is empty," he sneered while eyeing the now mousy-haired woman with her eyes locked on the ground, open but unseeing. The knowledge of what was awaiting her had almost made its way through. He didn't want her to leave without knowing what she was facing, he mused with a smirk.

"Have fun with the traitor Metamorphmagus," he said before his servant Apparated with the woman, who wore an expression of deep shock as the new realisation hit home. He prepared himself for the complaints his dear Bella would have about having the filthy half-blood stolen by someone who, by her standards, wasn't any better. 'Too bad she cannot see the power of Dark potions,' he thought before turning his gaze on her.

"My Lord…"