This chapter is pretty short, and I'm not sure I really got it right...so sorry about that. Thanks for the reviews, they are much appreciated. Keep 'em coming, they encourage me to write faster ;)

Rebel

For what felt like the thousandth time, Sirius was waking up in James bed, feeling as though he'd been hit by a truck. This was certainly getting old. He was tired of being a nuisance to everybody, and tired of feeling worthless. What would he have done if James' hadn't shown? Well he was done leaning on people. He was sixteen years old and a Black; he could take care of himself. He threw his things in the truck and grabbed his crutches. He levitated his trunk and made to leave when he walked right into James.

"Ouch!" James complained. He glanced at Sirius and his trunk, "Where do you think you're going?"

"I've done my time, I'm going to get my own place."

"But why?" James appeared genuinely hurt, "Why do you want to leave?"

Sirius paused. "It's not that I want to leave you. I can't put you and your family in any more danger. It wouldn't be right."

"Don't be such a prat, Padfoot, you're staying with us."

"I can't do this, Prongs. I can't live life looking over my shoulder for him. You could get hurt. Your parents could get hurt. I owe you too much to let that happen. I need to be on my own and fight my own battles."

James just looked at him. "You don't owe me anything. My dad said you're much a part of this family than any of us."

Hearing this made Sirius' heart ache with joy and a terrible sadness. "You've all been so good to me. Especially you, Prongs. I don't know what would have become of me if it hadn't been for you."

"You would have made it," James grinned, "I have no doubt."

"I'll see you at the beginning of term, Potter."

"Padfoot, wait. I'll go to the funeral with you."

Sirius froze. "What?"

"Come on, I'll go with you. I don't want you alone facing your horrible family."

Sirius smiled in a sad sort of way, "Thanks, Prongs."

"Anytime. Why don't you stay here until the funeral is done with?"

"Nah, I'll just meet you here. Nice try, though."

"I'll see you in a couple of days then. Be safe."

"I always am."

The house was unusually quiet and somber without Sirius and Mrs. Potter had actually cried when he left. The rest of the week passed without interest and before James knew it, Sirius was standing in front of his house again, wearing all black dress robes. He had smoothly covered the remains of his black eye and his eyes were bright silver. James walked over to him and asked, "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

When Sirius arrived with James, they both attracted a lot of stares. James for being a non-Black and Sirius for being…well…Sirius. It's hard not to be noticed when you're the only family outcast left. Sirius caught his father's eye and looked away. He felt his father's eyes stay on him, but didn't turn around. He sat with James toward the back and remained silent during the entire mass. When the whole miserable affair was over, James excused himself to go to the bathroom and Sirius walked up toward the casket that held his uncle Alphard. It was open. Sirius always hated those; they creeped him out. But he wanted to say goodbye to the best man he knew. He stared down at Alphard's still young face and felt tears leak out of his eyes. He whispered to the man, "You were the only one who understood me. You were the only one who cared about me. How could you leave me with them? How could you leave me with him?" It wasn't fair how to good people died and the evil lived forever. Sirius knelt next to his uncle and sobbed openly, "I don't blame you!" he wailed, "I would have left me too! But now I have no family left at all!"

Sirius heard someone kneel next to him and put their arms around him. It was James. Sirius sank into the hug, feeling weak and alone. James held him and stroked his hair gently.

"Poor Sirius," said James, in a voice that didn't sound much like him at all, "You're so alone in the world aren't you? Does it frighten you? To know how truly alone you are?"

Sirius eyes snapped open, and he realized it wasn't James who was holding on to him. He struggled to break free of his father's grasp, but Orion held him tight and crushed Sirius to him. "It doesn't have to be this way, Sirius. You don't have to be alone."

"Let go!" Sirius cried, "What do you want from me? How miserable do I have to be before you're happy? Why won't you leave me alone?"

"You're my son. You belong with me, with your family, at home."

"I'll never go with you! You're like the goddamn devil! I'd rather die before I go with you!"

Orion made a grab for his son which Sirius narrowly avoided. "Shut your mouth. Never say that again." Sirius looked as though he was poised to run. "Get back here!" Orion commanded in a voice that used to make Sirius snap to attention but today he just stood up and edged away carefully. "SIRIUS! I am ordering you to return home today. You've had some time alone; you will obey your father and return home."

"I'll never go back. I'm going someplace where my mistakes aren't punishable with broken bones."

Orion's eyes narrowed. "I'll break every bone in your body, if that's what it takes. I'll drag you back by your hair if I have to. You'll go where I tell you, and I'm telling you to come home."

"No."

The two Black men stood glaring at each other for a while until Sirius made to walk away. Before he could, Orion spoke softly, gently taking his son's arm. "I can assure you; your place is with your family. You don't belong with the Potters or any of the other trash you hang around with. Werewolves and mudbloods? What happened to you? Where's my son?"

"I do belong with the Potters. And the trash I hang around with are more my family than you and all the other Blacks have ever been. And I'm not your son. Not anymore."

Orion dropped Sirius' arm as though it had burned him. An unrecognizable look crossed Orion's face. Was it hurt? Regret? As long as Sirius had known his father, Orion had never showed signs of either emotion. All Sirius knew was that Orion had dropped his arm. Sirius took a few steps away to test the water.

"What's going on in here?" James had finally reappeared. He walked briskly over to Sirius and took his arm, "Come on, Sirius, let's go."

"What will you have when they're all gone, Sirius? You'll have nowhere to go; you'll come crawling back to me." Orion had snapped out of his reverie.

Sirius stopped and turned around. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know what it means." Orion eyes flickered to James and back to Sirius, "I can take everything from you. I can leave you with nothing. And I will. Unless you come home and behave yourself."

Sirius swallowed, processing the threat.

"He's not ever going back." James snapped unexpectedly.

Sirius motioned to James and walked out and didn't look back at his father, who was still standing there. Orion looked as though he wasn't quite sure what had hit him. Sirius went into a bathroom, threw some water on his face and walked into the small meeting room where Alphard's closest family was gathered for the will reading. Once again, Sirius avoided everyone's eyes, but he didn't have to. The entire group was watching a wizard at the head of the table who was holding a small but important piece of paper.

"Ahem," began the wizard, "Alphard would have me read something before the will, so bear with me, please."

The Blacks shifted uncomfortably.

"To my dearest family: I hope you all know that although I may be gone now, my love for you will last forever. Truly, I have never known anything as special as my family. Although we may have disagreed sometimes (perhaps most of the time), each and every one of you has a special place in my heart. But I know you're here for business so I'll keep it the will short and sweet.

"I, Alphard Cygnus Black, being of sound mind and body, do hereby bequeath my estate, my assets and all my possessions to my dearest nephew, Sirius Orion Black.

Silence. Then pandemonium.

"THAT'S IT?" screamed Narcissa.

"EVERYTHING GOES TO…TO…SIRIUS?" cried Bellatrix.

"How could he?" wailed Regulus.

"What about the rest of us?" yelled Rodolphus.

"I will not allow him to—" snarled Orion

"SILENCE!" shouted the wizard at the head of the table. "These are Alphard's wishes."

The Blacks all composed themselves, and the table was silent, save for someone chuckling in the corner. It was Sirius. His laughs were getting louder and sounding slightly hysterical.

"You should have…you should've…you should've seen your faces!" Sirius laughed maniacally, and James felt concerned (Sirius did sound rather hysterical) but couldn't help but join in. All of the Blacks looked gobsmacked and Sirius' laugh was so contagious, he just couldn't help it.

"Sirius…Orion…Black…that's…that's ME! STUPID, USELESS BLOOD TRAITOR ME! What a scandal," Sirius continued laughing hysterically, "And you all came here to pinch at a dead man's pockets…WAIT! Shhhhh!" Sirius scolded, as if he weren't the only person making any noise. He closed his eyes and said, "I want to remember this moment forever. I want to remember…" His eyes snapped open.

"That's right! And I am…I'm FREE!" Sirius danced around the table, wringing everyone's hands. He snatched the vault key that was in the bewildered will wizard's hand. He even grabbed James around the waist and lifted him into the air. "Oh, here's your money back, Orion." Sirius tossed the bag at his father, narrowly missing his head. "HASTA LA VISTA, MOTHERFUCKERS! Have a great life! Looks like Gryffindor's won the house cup again, eh?".

Sirius addressed his family one more time, "So, don't bother to keep in touch because I hate you all. I've waited so long to say that. It feels so good. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you all so fucking much. Honestly, I've always hated you. The only thing you ever taught me was how to hate. And I do it so well, but then, you all make it so fucking easy for me. Oh, and don't bother to come to my funeral because none of you are going in my fucking will."

Sirius blew a kiss to his still frozen family, and walked away for the last time, his middle fingers high in the air.