Surprise,"

Sirius Black stood on his best friend James Potter's doorstep at four o'clock in the morning thinking of what to say next. It was a very chilly night and Sirius had his coat buttoned all the way up to his chin and two scarfs were wrapped around his neck so tightly he could barely talk let alone breath. He was trying hard not to regret his decision. He didn't want to go back. He didn't miss them, but yet he had a hollow sort of feeling in his stomach that he couldn't describe. They were terrible, cruel, treated him horribly and hopefully he would never have to see them again.

"What are you doing here Sirius?" James asked still wiping the sleep from his eyes. "You better have a good reason because if you don't I'll strangle you right here, right now."

"I ran away." He said quickly barley getting the words out. He had not realized it was true until he had said it out loud and he was still having a hard time believing it.

"You what?" James whispered, looking extremely pale. "But you haven't got anywhere to go!" you'll be a dirty old hobo before you know it! James yelled. "You can stay here. If my parents say no I'll threaten to leave. Oh but that won't do us any good, then we'll both be homeless. I'll hide you in my basement, that's it. Or my closet, yes that's much better than the basement. "James was now brainstorming several ways that Sirius to live with him without his parent's knowledge and had forgotten Sirius was even there.

"James," Sirius Snapped though it was hard to hear what he was saying over the two scarves he had on and so he pulled them off and spoke freely. "I'm still here, and if you haven't noticed your parents love me." He said flashing a charming smile.

James grinned but then stood up straighter and took on a more serious expression. "I'm glad you're ok mate. I know they were horrible to you."

Sirius's grin faltered and he looked sad for a moment before catching himself. "You're parents are better to me then that old bat I used to call a mother."

Speaking of your family Sirius," James said. "Does anyone else know that you ran away?"

"Just Andromeda…"

James snorted. "How did that go?"

"Well..."

Flashback

"Oh Sirius," Andromeda sobbed. Yo-you have t-to go ba-back!" She wailed.

They stood in the small entryway to Andromeda's flat with the door still wide open from Sirius's arrival. Ted stood on Andromeda's right patting her shoulder sympathetically even though he had a confused expression on his face clearly not understanding why she was crying so hard. Little Nymphadora was sitting cross legged on the floor to Andromeda's left patting her mother foot since that was all she could reach.

"I'm not going back." Sirius said firmly. "Uncle Alphard left me some money and I can go live with James."

Andromeda stopped her sobbing to stare at Sirius's grey eyes which had a hard look in them, the look he had whenever he had made up his mind and wasn't reconsidering.

"If you need anything," She choked out "I'm right here."

"Bye 'Dromeda." He said turning toward the dark and empty street and boarding the knight bus that was in the road waiting for him.

"Bye Sirius."

End of Flashback

They stood in silence for a moment or two just staring at the sky which had now turned a slightly lighter blue then the dark one it had been before.

"Well come in." James said at last stepping aside so Sirius could pass. They then made their way to the kitchen to make a very early morning breakfast.

"Soooooooooooo..." Sirius said before grinning slyly. "How's Evans?"

James groaned. "Sirius, how do you expect me to know?"

"Of course you would know Prongsy darling you stalk her."

"That was only once!" James whined.

"You still did it." Sirius said with a shrug."

He suddenly looked up at James, a very sincere expression on his pale face. "Thank you so much James." He said quietly. "I really appreciate this."

James looked up at him and grinned. "What are friends for?"