a/n: 200 k!!! AHHH thank you sm! cryin in the club rn

also, it's halloween...which I think we're all aware of in this fandom. rest in peace lily and james you would've been the most faithful swifties </3

LYALL WALKED INSIDE the guest room where Claudia resided, only to find the girl shoving things into her trunk.

"And where exactly do you think you're going?" He asked, startling the girl plenty which only caused him to feel bad and apologise.

"I dunno," Claudia replied simply, continuing to shove clothes into her trunk. "But I'm leaving."

"No, you aren't," Lyall said sternly, picking things out from her drunk and throwing them on the floor, dying inside as he came across some underwear which he distinctly chose not to throw out.

"Stop," Claudia sighed, picking up the things that he had thrown out.

"No," Lyall replied, and so they continued to move in the circle of Claudia throwing things into the trunk, Lyall throwing them out and Claudia putting them back in it again.

"Whatever it is that's going on in your mind right now, you need to stop," Lyall said after a few moments of repeating the same actions. "You're staying here."

"And why should I do that?"

"Because of Remus. Because of your friends. Because of all of us. Including River," he said picking up the cat who was walking around the room and giving River to her.

Claudia surprised the man by placing the cat in her trunk as well.

"Are you packing your cat?"

"I'm packing my cat," she nodded.

"But...she's a cat."

"I know," Claudia sighed, picking her up again. "She can stay here with Remus, I guess."

"Now you're just being foolish. You're staying here."

"You're not my dad," Claudia scoffed, not even caring if she sounded rude because at this point she didn't need to make a good impression on him anymore.

Because she was set on leaving.

Well, sort of set on it.

Because, let's face it, Claudia couldn't leave Remus behind for the life of her.

"No, but I'm bound to be your father-in-law," Lyall said as if it was nothing. "And you're not going anywhere. I'm an adult, and I get to decide that."

"I'm sixteen," Claudia retorted. "I'll survive."

"And where will you go?"

"Home," Claudia lied. "I've got a dad, remember?"

"And something tells me that you're lying right now."

"Why would you say that?" Claudia questioned with a frown. "Did Remus tell you something?"

"He did," Lyall nodded. "He told me that someone you know just...murdered someone. And that you saw it."

"Great," Claudia mumbled.

"And he told me that you're freaking out. That you want to leave. That you want to break up with him because of people you, not by choice, are associated with. And I think you're being ridiculous."

"What?"

"I know that you're terrified after what happened. And I'm going to try to do everything I can to make sure that you will be alright. But you cannot, and you will not leave. You won't leave this manor, and you won't leave Remus. Okay?"

"Why not?" Claudia asked. "I've only made things uncomfortable and uneasy for all of you. It would only make things better if I left."

"It won't, and you know it," Lyall retorted. "This has been the best Christmas our family has spent in ages. We've spent Christmases with our son being in pain and agony. We've spent Christmases with just staying with him as he sleeps. We've spent Christmas not being able to afford anything and feeling like the shittiest parents in the world. But this Christmas was different."

"How?"

"You were there. And Remus was so happy. Is so happy. These entire few days have been absolute blessings, and it's all thanks to you. So there's no way you're leaving now. You're not leaving my son, and that is final."

"You don't get it," Claudia sighed. "I'm...bad for him."

"If you were bad for him he wouldn't have been smiling like an idiot for several days straight. I'm pretty sure his face is aching at this point. And, if you were bad for him, he wouldn't be this happier, kinder and less nervous version of himself. If you were bad for him he wouldn't love you like he does."

Claudia stayed silent.

"You're not bad for him. You're good for him. Perfect for him, even. And I'm not Hope, so me saying this makes it even more true, which is pretty much impossible. And if you leave that means that you never loved him as much as I'm pretty sure you've said you do. That means you don't love him as much as we all think you do."

"That's not true," Claudia replied. "If you love someone you shouldn't just want to be with them. You should want them to be happy. And to be safe. And maybe I can't give him that, and maybe that's fine."

"You're being childish, Claudia," Lyall said, surprising her plenty.

"What?!"

"I've said it a million times, and I'll say it a million more. You make him happy. You make him safe. He's a very anxious boy, you know, but you help him cope with that. And with being a werewolf. He's told me how much you took care of him after the last full moon. You make him happy and safe, and you love him. And, because of that, you aren't going anywhere."

"Alright," Claudia sighed, lifting the trunk of her bed and placing River on the bed. "I guess I'll...stay."

"Good," said Lyall. "Now, we need to figure out how
to make things better for you. Do you need anything?"

"I want to be alone," Claudia said. "Please."

"Of course."

"And tell Remus that he can...just wait a little while, okay? I need some time."

"Of course," Lyall repeated, smiling warmly at the girl. "You're a strong girl, Claudia. I'm proud of you."

And, once again, Claudia was met by the warm feeling of actually being cared for.

Oh how much it meant to her.

Claudia sat down on the bed as Lyall walked towards the door. Her plan was just to sit there and wait for the tears to come or something.

But this time around she couldn't cry.

"Mr. Lupin?" She questioned before he got the chance to leave.

"Lyall," the man sighed, turning around to face her again.

"Lyall," Claudia repeated. "I'm sorry for being rude."

"S'alright," Lyall replied. "It's normal. And, besides, I'm used to it. You remind me of someone I know."

"Who?"

"Hope, of course," he chuckled. "She always gets mean when she's panicking. The way you acted right now was angelic in comparison to her."

•••

Claudia couldn't sleep. She had been alone with her thoughts all day, which might've been bad but at the same time not.

All she could think about was her father and Alvin.

How Alvin's life was ended and how her father was the one to do it.

How her father was the worst person she knew. How much she hated him.

"Claudia?" She heard someone whisper.

Of course, it was Remus. He couldn't sleep either, and all he had done for the rest of the day was sit outside of her room in case she would need him.

"Remus?" Claudia questioned groggily, turning around and seeing him standing there by the door.

"You're awake," the boy said, carefully and slowly nearing her.

"Mhm," she nodded, sitting up and pulling her knees up against her chest.

"I can't sleep," the boy said.

"Me neither."

"I know this is selfish of me but I need to talk to you," he said, sitting down on her bed and, instead of looking at her, looking straight ahead.

"I need you to stay," he said. "You're not breaking up with me. I refuse to let you break up with me."

"Remus..."

"I love you, and you love me. So there's no point in you breaking up with me because either way we're going to go right back to each other and-"

Remus didn't finish the sentance, because Claudia took his hand and squeezed it.

"I'm not breaking up with you," she said.

"You're not?"

"No."

"Oh, thank Merlin," he said, taking a deep breath of relief.

"I freaked out, and I'm sorry," Claudia apologised. "I'm really sorry."

"You don't have to apologise," Remus spoke softly. "I'm so sorry for what happened today."

"It's awful," Claudia said shakily. "I can't stop seeing it in my head."

"I know," Remus soothed, releasing her hand and placing both of his hands on her cheeks. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No," the girl whispered, closing her eyes at his touch. "I'm sorry, but not now-"

"That's completely fine," Remus said, caressing her cheeks. "Do you want me to stay?"

Claudia opened her eyes, feeling a huge wave of guilt was over her. "No. I'm sorry, but I think I need to be alone for a little while longer."

"That's okay," he smiled softly, kissing her forehead. "I'm right next door if you need anything, okay?"

"Next door?"

"Yeah, I switched rooms with Sirius."

"You did?"

"I wanted to be closer to you," he shrugged. "In case you have a nightmare or something."

"Thank you," Claudia said softly, watching him go, before she had a thought.

"Remus?"

"Yeah?" He asked, turning around.

"Do you know where Ri is?"

"I saw her right outside when I came," he said. "Do you want me to get her?"

"Yes, please."

"Okay, I'll be right back," said Remus, walking outside and immediately finding the little ball of sunshine that had its own ways of comforting Claudia, and picking her up to bring her to Claudia.

"Here you go," said Remus, handing her the cat who immediately started purring. "I'm next door, remember? If you need anything, anything at all, I'll-"

"I know," said Claudia, looking from the cat to Remus. "I love you, Remus."

"I love you too."

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