They left the Smoky Mountains a week later, they had stayed longer than originally anticipated, but the distance did better for all four of them, and for their friendship. They had all felt a little bit more empty since Sirius left, none of them had expected it to end so abruptly, nor the way it did. Remus always thought that Sirius would meet some biker and marry him, join some gang or something, he certainly did not think the head-strong man would get whisked off by some prissy girl who didn't know what the word 'no' meant.

He also noticed how they had all attuned to his needs, they were careful with their words as if they were scared he was going to break. He's already broken, he didn't know how it could get much worse, but he never did call them out on it, he just let them tiptoe around him. Well, only James and Peter did that, Lily was still the same old Lily. Remus had thought it weird for a while, but one day a couple days after they'd joined the living world again, an old couple had asked if they were together. Lily had simply laughed and told them he was his brother.

Remus hadn't felt that happy in months.

"Brother?" He'd asked her. He had to make sure she wasn't just saying it to fool the old couple or to get them off her back or anything like that. She'd laughed at him and slung a freckled arm across his shoulders, ruffling up his mop of hair.

"Of course. I've always wanted a brother and you're the only one who I can protect and who can protect me in return. We're practically twins!" Remus hadn't felt awkward around Lily since that day. He was as gay as gay could be, but at points, he'd wondered if she possibly liked him, but after that he had no more doubts.

They were in the middle of Illinois, Effingham, specifically, when Lily popped the question. Well, not the question, but a very important one. James had insisted they all go to lunch at the infamous Denny's, a food chain that had yet to arrive in their home country. Peter was almost as excited as James was to eat there, claiming it was the best breakfast food in America. Lily disagreed almost instantly, claiming it had to be Waffle House.

It was one of many domestic arguments they all had while on the road. They debated which fast food joint had the most unhealthy foods, or the most healthy. If a jaguar or a panther would win in a fight, and other small debates like that. Remus almost turned to Sirius numerous times for support in his side before he realized that his first love and best friend was no longer with them, he wondered if he'd ever get used to the idea. No, he knew he wouldn't. Sirius was such a big part of his, of all their lives, none of them would ever really get used to the fact he was gone.

While they were eating at that Denny's in Effingham, Illinois, Lily had pulled Remus aside, away from James and Peter, and asked him if he'd do her the honor of being the baby's godfather. Remus had broken down into tears, he hadn't expected Lily to ask that, not in a million years would he have expected that. He nodded rapidly, assuring Lily over and over that he'd be the best godfather he could possibly to her baby boy once he was born.

"I haven't cleared it with James yet, but he wanted to ask Sirius. I'm glad I made him wait because I would choose you over him any day." Remus hugged Lily after she had said that, he was convinced he'd never had someone love him that much, not even Sirius.

"You're the best sister I ever could've asked for," He muttered. She playfully swatted his shoulder and laughed her own tears back.

"You can't say things like that! I'm a pregnant woman, everything is going to make me cry!" They laughed again, and that's how James ended up finding them. Laughing about small nothings while they cried over nothing.

"Every single day I wonder more and more if when I marry Lily I'm going to end up marrying you, too," James sighed, looking down at Remus as he feigned disappointment.

"You probably are," Lily agreed. Remus elbowed her gently, grinning widely.

"Shh, you don't want him to know that!" Remus whispered.

"Truth be told, you guys are probably going to be stuck with the both of us," Peter said. Remus didn't bother arguing, it was true. Remus hadn't thought much of a future without Sirius and he wasn't ready to plan for it just yet.

"That's not bad, you're both my best friends and I wouldn't trade you for anything. Except for James. Or my baby, but other than that you two will always come first." Remus once again felt filled with a warmth he had felt many times before, but now he was finally able to identify it, he was finally able to put a name to it.

Family.

He'd felt it bubbling up inside his chest whenever he was around his best friends. Whenever Peter fell asleep on the drive to a new location and James handed him a marker with a smug grin. Whenever Lily laid on his lap and slept while James jokingly complained that his fiance was having an affair with his gay werewolf friend, making Peter laugh loudly, only to wake up the aforementioned fiance. Whenever he sat up front reading and James thought it would be funny to slam on the breaks, tossing him forward. Or whenever Lily talked about the baby like it was all of theirs, not just hers and James'.

The only person in this makeshift family of theirs that had a proper one was James, he was the only one who knew how a true family felt, the love and support of parents behind him, no fear of making the wrong move, no wondering if he might not get fed that night. Lily was a close second, her parents were happy to have a witch in the family, but they were also very wary, and her sister hated her. Peter's family died when he was young, leaving him with his border-line abusive uncle, and Remus, well, he was a werewolf. His mother was dead, father wasn't a good man.

"I love you guys," Remus told them. He'd never exactly claimed he loved them, none of them really had, it was just unspoken knowledge. They all grinned at him before James started laughing. "What?"

"You're gonna be the gay uncle. Everyone has a gay uncle, one that has glasses and wears sweaters and travels and can't keep his nose out of a book." Peter laughed loudly, he never could suppress his laughter. "Peter, you'd be the loud uncle that spoils the child rotten and stays single this whole life, traveling around the world. And Sirius..." He trailed off, frowning deeply.

"We all have the uncle that's an utter disappointment. Sleeps around, drinks, smokes," Lily listed on, but Remus tuned her out. As much as he loved Lily, he still didn't like to listen to people talk bad about Sirius. He knew if he hadn't slept with Sirius that night he'd still be around. Or... no, he wouldn't. If he hadn't spoken to Marlene he'd still be around, if it weren't for her... Remus didn't know it was possible to hate someone as much as he hated Marlene.

"Well," James interjected, clapping his hands together. "Now that we've eaten should we continue on our way to Missouri?" They all agreed with a nod of their heads and left the restaurant once they paid and climbed into the back of the van, Lily in the front with Peter in the passenger side with Remus and James sat in the back.

"I kinda miss the music," Remus admitted. "Not so much the obnoxious singing, just... something to fill the silence."

"That," Lily began, scooting forward and pressing a button up front, before settling back down next to Remus as music filled the car. "That is what radios are for." Remus grinned while Lily climbed into his lap. He placed his hands protectively on her belly, which was now visible. She now looked pregnant, she had before but every day it seemed her stomach grew. She was five months pregnant now, which meant she could technically start to feel the baby kick any day now.

"Do you still want to live together when we go back home?" Peter asked the question. Remus didn't feel it was his place to answer. He'd love to, of course, he wasn't quite ready to be on his own, but he wasn't the one expecting a baby, he wasn't the one getting married.

"As long as it's in a bigger house," Lily replied with a cheeky grin. James laughed and Peter laughed and Remus slouched in relief, he was glad they were all so laid back, so tightly-knit, they were the best friends Remus ever could've asked for.

"Have you thought about baby names yet?" Remus wondered aloud. James nodded from the front seat.

"Kind of, all we know is we want James to be his middle name, we still haven't decided on a first name. Well, actually-"

"No, James, we're not naming our child Pronglet," Lily sighed. Remus snorted, he should've known James would come up with some stupid name like that. "Or any play off of Prongs, it's going to be an actual human name, not some weird play on words." James pouted but said nothing more. "Anyway, I like the name Leo but James shot it down because constellations and stars are the Black's tradition."

"Leo James Potter. It does sound nice," Remus agreed with a nod.

"I also like Ethan, but James said it sounds too boring and typical, so that one's off the table, too." Ethan didn't sound as good as Leo did, but Remus didn't voice that opinion.

"I like Harry. It was the name of the dog my parents had when I was a little, he died along with my parents," Peter suggested.

"Harry... I like it," Lily responded. Remus nodded in agreement.

"I like it too, but we still have four months, let's not settle for a name right now."

/

They arrived at their destination two hours later, a hotel in the middle of St. Louis, Missouri. They hauled their things up to their rooms and changed their clothes. Remus wanted to go out for the night and no one was very keen on letting him go out alone, Merlin knows what he'd do if he was by himself. Peter was going to go, but then Lily decided she didn't want to go out seeing as she was pregnant. James had instantly volunteered to stay, but Peter explained how much better it would be if James went with Remus.

So he did.

"I want a meaningless one night stand, you know?" Remus sighed, and so did James. He knew how his friend thought, despite being one of the smartest of the bunch he was also, in some capacity, the least rational. "I wonder if there are any gay bars around here?"

"Moony, Remus, I don't think that's such a wise idea," James told him.

"It's probably not," He agreed, "But my last time was with Sirius, and I don't... I want someone else tainting me, not him. He said he loved me, you know."

"He what now?" James sputtered. Sirius was certainly unwise, but that was downright stupid. Why in the world would he actually say that? James could see how Sirius felt, or at least he thought he could, he never expected him to actually do or say anything.

"Yeah. When we were... er, fucking, he said it and I said it back because it was a heat of the moment thing. Afterward, he said he had meant it and I told him I didn't. I can't help but wonder if I had said something different if he would've stayed." James placed a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave him a small, sympathetic smile.

"Maybe, but you can't blame this on yourself, Moony, it's not your fault." Remus smiled and placed a sloppy kiss on James' cheek, grinning when he wiped at his cheek in disgust.

"Thanks, Prongs."

"Remus why, why in the world would you do that?"

"For that exact reaction. Now come on, let's go find a gay bar." Remus grabbed James' wrist and pulled him into the nearest bar to ask for directions. Turns out, there was one just a few blocks away. Remus thanked the young bartender and hurried out, not once letting go of James' wrist.

"I hate you. Guys are going to flirt with me!" He whined.

"You are such a prat. Suck it up, just tell them you're taken. Or you're trying to be a wingman for me, point the cute ones in my direction." James sighed and pulled his hand free from the werewolf's tight grip, falling into step next to him.

"I can't believe that me, a straight man, is going to be a wingman for my gay best friend. This is friendship, I hate you."

"Love you too, antler boy." It was nearing nine at night, so the bar was rather busy when they entered. The music was loud, the lights were flashing, and it was the perfect atmosphere for Remus, he'd needed this. "You do whatever straight guys do and I'll sit here and look pretty, if a cute guy flirts with you point him my way."

"Remind me again why I'm doing this?"

"Because my ex left me for some girl who probably doesn't know her right from her left." James shrugged and took a seat at the bar a few feet away from Remus, just close enough to keep his eye on him. As much as he loved Remus, he didn't trust him in situations like this one. Desperate Remus was an unpredictable Remus, and those two things did not go very well together.

It really didn't take long for some guy to buy Remus a drink and chat him up. James just awkward sat there, thanking Merlin that no guy had taken an interest in him. But it wasn't long before some girl sat next to him, placing a beer in front of him. "What's a straight wizard like you doing in a bar like this one?"

"I'm not a wi-"

"Don't lie to me, I can't see your wand poking out of your pocket. You might want to fix that." James shoved his hand into his pocket and made sure his wand was no longer showing before smiling sheepishly. "Where'd you go? For your schooling?"

"Hogwarts, I would assume you went to the one in America?"

"Ilvermorny, yes," She confirmed. "Drink your beer, I didn't taint it. I'm Celia, what was your Hogwarts house?"

"James, my house was Gryffindor," He replied. He picked up the beer and swirled it around in the cup before taking a drink.

"I was in Thunderbird. What brings you to a gay bar in St. Louis?"

"Well, my friends and I all decided we wanted to go on a road trip across America and this was one of the places we wanted to visit. My friend," He motioned over to Remus, "Wanted some meaningless sex and I didn't trust him to go on his own."

"How funny, my friend's the one he's taken an interest in. He's after the same thing, Lance is, so don't worry about it, they'll both get what they want. You single?" He shook his head.

"Engaged, actually."

"Congratulations!" She exclaimed. "Getting married young is risky."

"I loved her before I even knew what love was." She grinned and playfully punched his shoulder.

"You lucky dog!" James grinned sheepishly and shrugged it away. He'd never thought much of it, but she was right. Meeting the one you want to grow old with while he was so young, it was somewhat of a blessing. No, he mused, meeting Lily was a blessing all in itself.

"Yeah, we're pregnant. Well, she's pregnant, I just helped her become pregnant. Well, you know, I just, it wasn't on purpose, it was an accident. We're young, you know, but-" James would've kept rambling on if Celia hadn't stopped him.

"I get it, don't stress. I myself am I very single lesbian desperate for some action," She told him dramatically, pretending to faint. James laughed and rolled his eyes, shooting a glance back at where Remus sat, laughing at something Lance had told him.

"Lance... he's a good guy, isn't it?" Celia seemed to sober up at the question and she shot a glance at where he sat.

"Interesting. He's into some sketchy business but if your friend is only looking for a one night stand, he'll be fine. As long as it's not prolonged."

"Then... are you...?"

"Am I into it too? Because I'm his friend?" James nodded nervously. "No, the opportunity presented itself and I was wrapped up in it for a little, but I made it clear to Lance that if he wants my friendship he has to keep me out of it," She explained.

"Can I ask what he does?"

"Probably not, but will that stop me from telling you? Probably not," She sighed and looked back at Lance before leaning in closer to James. "He's involved with both the wizarding and the no-maj black market. It's... it's far from legal. Drugs, wizarding plants, dragon eggs, other illegal creatures."

"No-maj?"

"Muggle."

"That's not... awful," James replied. She leaned back and shrugged.

"And organs."

"What?"

"Human organs. It... it's awful but... it keeps the bills paid." James sat back in his own seat, eyes wide.

"Human... human organs. He sells them?"

"And makes damn good money doing it, too," Celia confirmed.

"Merlin's balls." She snorted into her drink and finished it off. "Shouldn't you, you know, not tell me these things? If anyone heard... and you just met me."

"We don't get many wizards around this area and most tourists that are, in fact, wizards, fall for whatever he does, I thought I should give you a heads up. I love him to pieces and he's a great guy he's just... dangerous. Let your friend have his fun with him for tonight, just keep your eye on him, all right?"

"What?"

"Lance knows the rule, no bringing people home. He'll be in your hotel room, just keep your eye on them and you'll be fine."

"Fuck, am I supposed to watch them have sex? I don't..."

"Look, if it makes you feel any better I can tell Lance we have to go, that he doesn't have time for sleeping with someone tonight," She offered. James could hide the relief that swept over his body.

"Would you? That would be amazing. I don't mean to be rude, I just..." She grinned at him and shook her head, hopping off the chair she was sitting it.

"I get it, don't stress. I hope your friend finds someone else tonight, he's certainly kept Lance talking longer than he usually talks, so he must have a good personality."

"He does," James agreed.

"Also, if anyone finds out and he's arrested or almost arrested, I'll know who told, and he'll be selling your organs next. Oh right, and the wizarding world would be exposed, so I recommend you keep your mouth shut because your head will be on a silver platter." She smiled and walked towards her friend. James didn't trust her for a second, he didn't trust either of them. They looked like a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde. Celia and Lance, it almost had the same ring to it. James looked down at his drink, hoping that she hadn't put anything in it. He hadn't even suspected it until she assured him that she hadn't, that's when it started going downhill. So pretty early on.

After Lance and Celia had left (but not before she told him goodbye) James had persuaded Remus to leave, too. He had whined and protested it for a bit, but James managed to get him out. Remus needed to be held up, it took a lot out of James to drag his friend back to their hotel. He was incredibly drunk, which was odd considering Remus had only had one and a half drinks, small drinks, at that.

"Remus, you've got to help me here." The elevator in the hotel they were staying at was out of order and their rooms were on the second floor, and James couldn't possibly drag Remus up those stairs. James glanced around and pulled out his wand so he could cast a quick lightening charm before hauling his friend up the two flights of stars.

Once he entered their room, Lily was at his side helping get Remus into bed. "What the bloody hell happened?" She asked. Lily was helping him take his shoes off as she asked the question, trying to get him free of clothes before letting him sleep in their bed. Though, he was practically asleep already. James had brought him into his and Lily's room, he didn't want Peter to worry.

"I met this girl and apparently her friend sells organs on the black market. And that friend of hers happened to be the person Remus decided he wanted to sleep with, and I think he might've slipped something into Remus's drink." Lily sighed and slipped off his jeans before doing her best to get him into bed and under the covers. "I was worried something like this was going to happen."

"Maybe you're a seer," Lily joked weakly. "Are you sure it wasn't some joke?"

"I'm sure, the look on her face was... it was unnerving." Lily walked over to James and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I really hope we don't have to deal with them again," Lily whispered.

"We won't, we're leaving here in the morning. I don't want to risk staying here any longer, especially not when I have you and our baby to worry about." Lily tilted her chin up so she could bury her face into James' neck, smiling shyly.

"Merlin, James, I can't believe I ever thought you were some arrogant prat who thought of everyone lower than himself. Well, yes I can, but you're also the sweetest man I've ever had the pleasure of meeting." James wrapped his arms around Lily and buried his nose in her hair, smiling just as much as she was. Soulmates existed, he was sure. He was sure because he was holding his soulmate in his arms, the women he knew he was forever meant to be with.

"I love you, Lily."

"I love you too, James."

"Forever?"

"Of course James, forever and even on after that, until there is nothing left but us."

"Through sickness and health?"

"Yes, James."

"Til death do us part?" Lily chuckled and pulled away, looking up at her fiance with playful eyes.

"Wedding vows?"

"C'mon, til death do us part?" She rolled her eyes and leaned into his chest once again, slowly nodding.

"Til death do us part."

"I now pronounce us even more prepared for our wedding."

"Merlin, you're an idiot." James grinned and pulled away, looking down at his future wife with sparkling eyes.

"Yeah, but I'm your idiot, right?"

"Yes James, my idiot."