The basement seemed several degrees cooler than the main floor had been. Remus whispered a lumos, carefully making his way down the creaky wooden staircase by his wand's light.

She'd shoved him down these stairs once. It had been hours until sunset, barely past sunrise, but she'd insisted he shouldn't be around real people on a full. Remus cursed as he collided with a rolling cart covered in chains, knives, and whips. It looked like something belonging in a torture chamber in one of the old Hollywood films he loved so much. He frowned, finger brushing over one.

Remus sighed. Maybe they'd misheard. Maybe the whining sound hadn't been down here. It wasn't fit for anyone anyway, even an animal. He could hear water dripping down the old stone to an accumulated pool on the ground. Remus knew exactly where it was, the stain the hard water had left behind, even on the rare occasions it was allowed to dry. With a cursory wave of his wand Remus turned to hurry back upstairs.

The next sound stopped him cold.

Caelen had tried to stay quiet like her mother demanded, she'd really tried. Her mother's friends never meant good things for her anyway. She didn't understand why he'd come down the stairs? Did mother send him? Was she in trouble? She did sound angry...Cae sniffled anxiously and the man stopped. It very nearly made her burst into tears immediately.

Remus turned back toward the sound, his wand brightening as he held it higher. "Hello?"

Caelen curled up a little tighter, squirming as far back in her corner as she could get. Her hand landed in the puddle with a splash and she gasped at the sudden cold.

Unfortunately the sound drew his attention. Light landed on the tiny child and she cowered away, hands flung up to shield her eyes.

Remus sucked in a sharp breath. "It's ok...its Alright." None of this was alright! He took a half step nearer and the child whined, curling into a tight little ball.

"Its ok," he repeated. Remus eased himself to the ground, much as he would've for an injured animal in his garden. "My name is Remus...you got a name, love?"

She glanced over at him through damp curls. "Caewin..." the child mumbled shakily around her thumb. She peered at him, trying to get a decent look at the man in the darkness.

Remus seemed to catch on, promptly shining the light in his face. "You Wanna get out of here? It's kinda cold, right?" He began searching his pockets for a bit of chocolate.

Cae watched him suspiciously. "Not awowed..." she whispered. How could he be one of her mother's friends and not know that? Maybe it was a trap? But...if he really was Remus, she hated him almost as much as she did Cae, right?

She moved to uncurl cautiously, thumb leaving her mouth at last so she could crawl a few inches nearer. "You da Wemus her hates?" She asked.

Despite himself Remus let out a sudden laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, guess so. Feeling's mutual..."

Big brown eyes stared at him quizzically. "Dunno what dat means," she admitted, moving a few inches nearer. "Her's not yellin no more?"

Remus couldn't respond. The child had moved fully into the circle of light his wand cast in the dark basement and he found he suddenly couldn't breath. Her hair was the same sandy shade of brown his had been when he was younger, the same brown in her eyes he saw in the mirror every day. She sat before him, drawing her knees to her chest, thumb returning to her lips, and stared unblinkingly up at him.

He held out a square of chocolate in silent offering. "It's yummy," Remus whispered thickly. "You'll feel better, promise..."

"No tank tu..." she mumbled.

Remus glanced down at his hand. "It's ok...its chocolate, See?" He ate a square himself, noting how she studied him. "Mmm..."

Once more her thumb left her mouth as the girl reached out cautiously. "Otay...tank tu..."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "How would you like to get out of here?"

"I'm not 'wowed-"

"No, I know you aren't allowed upstairs," Remus murmured gently. "I meant, would you like to leave? Go somewhere else? Somewhere warm, with more chocolate..."

Caelen had just placed the chocolate on her tongue and the look on her face was nothing short of pure wonder. "More?"

Remus smiled. "Can i pick you up?"

"Why?" She mumbled, her little face scrunching up into a frown.

Remus felt like he'd been stabbed in the heart as he watched his baby, she was clearly his, inch away from him nervously. "What does you mother say about me?"

"S'upid bad man s'uck me wif a mons'er!" She quoted immediately. "S'oulda got wid of bof of you!"

Remus nodded. "Yeah, sounds about right. You know what that means? The, sticking her with..." there was no way in hell he was calling his little baby a monster. "Listen, sweetie...I'm your daddy."

"I knowed dat when you say-ed you was dat Wemus..."

"You're a very smart little girl," he whispered. "Well, being your daddy means I don't want you cold and scared in this yucky basement. So if you say it's ok, I'm going to pick you up and take you home with me. You won't ever have to see Gena again."

Caelen hesitated. Her right foot turned, leaving lines traced through the dirt on the cold stone floor where her toes drew repeated circles. "You pwomise you won' frow me or dwop me? You put me down nice?"

"I swear I won't ever, ever, intentionally hurt you, sweetheart..."

Cae sucked in a trembling breath and crawled the rest of the way into his lap.

She was trembling as he lifted her into his arms and he inwardly cursed Gena all over again. "Ok. Let's go, love," Remus whispered. He slipped his worn cloak over her like a blanket and headed purposely upstairs.

"Nuts. We're leaving."

"What about your things?" She frowned.

"I've got all that matters," Remus shifted his cloak just enough she would see the little hand, still trembling, where she was clutching his jumper.

Nuntis went still, eyes flashing with rage. "I will meet you at the cottage."

"Nuts..."

"I'll meet you there, Remus," she cut over him firmly.

He spared one more glance at Gena, his eyes dark with hate and the rage he was only holding back for the baby in his arms. He nodded sharply, adjusted the little girl, and walked away.

(Merry Christmas lovely readers!! I hope you enjoyed!)