Ah, all ye of little faith, to thee I say….DID YOU REALLY THINK I'D LET THEM DO THAT TO REMUS????!!! HOW COULD I WHEN I LOVE HIM SO?!

Ahem.

Seriously, though, your reviews were…inspiring. Since I'd gone over a month without posting, I in no way expected for all of you to respond the way you did. This chapter is dedicated to MissMoony16, whose wonderful review was so impassioned that I came up with the next chapter pretty much there and then.

Chapter 20: Moving on is a lot easier than people think…first you put one foot forward, than another on – and before you know it…Presto! You've moved on.

"Mphmmgthmg" Remus mumbled incoherently as he felt someone shaking him rather violently by the arm. Cracking open a rather reluctant eyelid, he was more than a little bit confused to be confronted with a mass of red, red, and more red - Wait – red…I know that, its… "Molly!" he managed to exclaim, despite his stupor. "Oh, Molly – what…what's going on?"

"Really, I don't know what's got into you all lately. First Sarah and I have to levitate Sirius into bed – can you imagine, the poor dear fell asleep in a chair – he'll have a horrible crick in his neck when he gets up…and now you in the hallway…what is this world coming to? For goodness' sakes, why can't you children sleep in a bed like normal people? Honestly!"

Remus attempted to smile at the annoyed woman, but his tired muscles were not quite up to speed with his brain and ended up grimacing at her instead. "Ahh," he groaned, stretching his painfully cramped body out to its full length before slowly getting up.

"That's right, then!" Molly brandished a towel at him. "Now, off with you! I have to clean this hallway." She scowled ferociously at him for a few seconds more before the irritation fell away and was replaced with a look of concern.

"Remus, dear," she began, much less vehemently than only moments before. "Are you feeling all right? The full moon isn't for a while, is it?"

Remus winced inwardly but smiled at the older woman all the same. "I'm fine, Molly, but thank you for asking. I suppose it's simply the effects of sleeping on the floor."

"Well, if you say so," she eyed him warily, obviously not entirely convinced. "Oh, and before I forget, Sarah was asking after you earlier on – I think she's downstairs in the kitchen."

Remus stopped dead in his tracks, opening his mouth to ask if he had heard correctly, but Molly had already disappeared off down the hallway, peering into empty rooms and mumbling softly under her breath about 'children'. Sarah was asking for him? Shaking his head slightly, he managed to stumble rather ungracefully towards the stairs, trying to sort through the events of the last twenty-four hours in his head. Sarah crying during the Order meeting…Sirius yelling at Sarah…he fumbled down the stairs, making his way into the kitchen without banging into too many objects. Sarah was sitting at the table, her head down and her hands around a steaming mug. Sirius staying the night with her … his breath quickened, and Sarah stared up at him, surprised.

"Remus," she half grinned. "Oh – I didn't mean to wake you up, or anything…I just wanted to make sure that you were alright….before I left this afternoon. I just wanted to make sure that you'd be around when I left so I could say goodbye." She looked shyly at him, a look of concern also coming across her face.

"I'm fine," Remus told her before she could ask. "I fell asleep in an uncomfortable position last night."

"Ah, of course." Sarah bent towards her hot drink once again. "Sirius and I stayed up late talking last night…and he did the same thing, fell asleep…"

In a chair… Remus recalled. Suddenly Molly's voice echoed through his mind. Really, I don't know what's got into you all lately. First Sarah and I have to levitate Sirius into bed – can you imagine, the poor dear fell asleep in a chair – he'll have a horrible crick in his neck when he gets up…and now you in the hallway…

Remus felt rather foolish, a red flush creeping up his neck as he realized that all his despair over his supposed 'betrayal' by the two people he loved most was all for nothing. He remained rooted to the spot for the next few minutes, totally unaware of Sarah's queries as to his state of health. Suddenly, however, she was standing right in front of him, her eyes wide and concerned as she peered into his face.

"Remus, its not funny! Remus? Are you even listening to me?"

Snapping out of his stupor, Remus looked down at her and saw nothing but her lips, slightly moist and red from the hot drink now forgotten in favour of me… he though smugly, and, doing the only thing he could think of, kissed her. Taken completely aback, Sarah didn't respond, but her mouth formed a perfect 'o' of surprise against his and Remus took this as an opportunity to push the kiss further. He had just pulled Sarah close to him when his brain kicked into gear and he quickly pulled away, thoroughly disconcerted and rather embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," he said, trying his hardest not to look at her. What on earth is going on? He questioned himself. That felt like…like I was back in school, and kissing a girl I liked for the first time. Sarah was looking up at him, rather puzzled.

"Hang on…" she said, with the look of someone who attempting to work out a complex problem in their head. "Didn't we break up?"

"Yeah, we did." Remus replied after a moment, still trying to sort out the multitude of emotions running through him.

"Right, and...didn't you break up with me?"

Remus let this run around in his mind for a few minutes before agreeing with her. "You know, I did. But I don't understand…I didn't mean to kiss you…I mean…"

Sarah looked momentarily crestfallen at his words, but quickly recovered as she thought them over, and amused smirk growing on her face. "Damn," she said, pouting her red, delicious, luscious – stop it, Remus! lips at him. "I should have told you about Nathan first thing in the morning instead."

Remus' mind, which had previously been a fog of emotions, suddenly cleared and the world appeared crystal clear. Sarah's joking expression disappeared as she saw his darken considerably. "Yeah, I should have just told you before. I know."

"That would have been…preferable." Remus told her, his voice frosty. Sarah frowned at him.

"Look, Remus, yes, we just broke up. Yes, I was stupid, and yes, it's all my fault. And while I'd like for us to be friends, I understand that you probably don't want to be around me right now. But I'll be gone by tomorrow. There's no need to treat me like I'm a stupid child – or to yank me around emotionally like…that…when you know I still want to be with you. Honestly, maybe it's good thing we're not together anymore."

Sarah was outright glaring at him now, her hands on her hips and her lips curled up in disgust. "Really, you were supposed to be the older, mature one in our relationship. What – now that we've broken up its okay for you to be such a child?"

Remus stared angrily back at her. "Are you listening to yourself?" he asked her, stepping closer to her. " 'such a child?'" he snorted. "You think it's mature to take out your feelings on me by trying to belittle me?"

"Belittle you?" Sarah repeated, quickly approaching furious. "Belittling you??"

"Yes!" Remus stared relentlessly at her. "Or should I say, putting me down to make yourself feel better about not telling me? Putting me down so you don't have to face the fact that you messed up?". As he talked, his voice grew louder and louder, reason seemingly escaping him; Sarah grew angrier by the second.

"SHUT UP!!" Sarah yelled at him, tears leaking out of the corner of her eyes. "JUST SHUT UP!"

"Nice, very smooth," Remus sarcastically responded. "How very…grownup of you."

Both were so caught up in their anger that neither noticed the small crowd that had gathered at the bottom of the stairs behind Remus. Molly, Sirius, Tonks, and Percy Weasley were all staring at the two of them, horror-struck.

No, Moony, you're ruining everything… Sirius groaned, feeling helpless as he watched the two spiral further down into biting insults and hurtful comments. He only snapped back into action when her heard his name said.

"And then you, and Sirius, last night?" Remus was looming over the much smaller Sarah, whose tears were running freely as she still stood her ground. "With my own best friend…and only a night after we break up! You're right – it's such a blessing that I'm no longer stuck with you."

"Remus!" Sirius snarled, coming in between the two of them. "Remus, you idiot! Shut up!"

The damage, however, had already been done. Sarah stared fiercely back at Remus, her fist clenched into fists so tight her knuckles were white. "I hate you." she said, her voice quiet but carrying across the silent kitchen. "I hate you. I wish I'd never come here or met you. You're right, you know, I did mess up. My mistake was in ever being even remotely involved with you in the first place. Ugh…how could I have been so stupid??"

Turning on her heel, she abruptly whirled around and left the room. Remus stared at the spot where she'd been standing in absolute shock, his mind only just catching up with his mouth as he realized what he'd just said to her, and what she had replied. "No," he said, in disbelief. "No, no, she can't…"

"Oh, she does, and I would too, if I were her." Sirius drawled. Remus turned to meet the stormy blue gaze of his friend, flinching slightly from its intensity. "Thanks lot, by the way. Wonderful to know just how little you trust me." He too, turned away and began to walk out of the room. "Oh, and Remus?" he added from the foot of the stairs. Remus looked up slowly, his mouth still opening and closing as he was trying to figure out how he'd ever said the things he did to Sarah.

"Yes, Sirius?" he answered, his voice slightly shaky.

"When you finally realize just how much of a colossal idiot you've been and want Sarah back, don't ask me for help. In fact, don't count on any support from me – I hope she stays far, far away from you."

Remus nodded his head dully. She hates me, he thought. She actually hates me. Mind reeling, he went over every little thing that he'd done or possibly done wrong. No chance, he told himself. That was it. Could've been friends, but…it's all completely ruined. Mind you, she did her part too – Nathan Goldman! Almost wish he was alive…but then she'd probably go straight back to him, wouldn't she? His mind went round and round in circles, wallowing in misery and self-pity so deeply that he didn't even notice that everyone else had silently left the kitchen. It took Sirius' re-entry into the room to get his attention.

"Moony," he said, his voice rather gruff. "Moony, you're a right arse, you know that?"

Remus looked up at him, his eyes confused. "But I don't want to get back together with her! How could I ever compete with this Nathan? He's dead – the man can do no more wrong – and all she's going to remember is that when he died, she loved him and never got the chance to tell him so! I'd always be in second place!! I can't…we can't…"

Sirius sat down heavily in the table beside him. Somewhere in the back of Remus' swirling consciousness, he noted that he'd managed to sit down himself somewhere in the last hour or so. "Beautiful girl, Sarah." The animagus stated.

"Absolutely."

"Great legs."

"I'm already a believer." Remus shot back.

"Fabulous sense of humour."

"Did you know that the twins are considering naming a line of their products after her?"

"Intelligent, too. Can actually put up with all your book nonsense."

Remus glared at his friend. "I do prefer to shag someone with a brain, thank you very much."

"Nah," Sirius dismissed this. "Then you get all attached – and messes like… you and WonderLegs happen."

Remus stared for a second, then nodded in agreement. "Hell, yes." He turned to look quizzically at Sirius. "WonderLegs?"

"Hey – I missed out on the section where you had fancied this girl but thought you could never get her. You know – remember Curly? And Ooh, Samantha!!"

Remus chuckled softly as Sirius sniggered. Whenever anyone amongst the Marauders liked a girl, said young woman was almost always nicknamed by Sirius within a matter of days. 'Curly' had been a curly-haired Hufflepuff brunette that Peter had been madly in love with, whilst 'Ooh, Samantha!!' had been one half of a pair of best friends that Sirius had steadfastly pursued all through his days at Hogwarts after seeing them in a heated lip-lock while on a dare.

"So, now that you're going through the 'I-really-really-really-want-her-but-definitely-can't-have-her' all over again, I think that she should be appropriately named. Plus, Sarah really has got fabulous legs."

"Very easy on the eyes, Sarah's legs." Remus sagely agreed, simply choosing to ignore or was there simply no point in disagreeing with the truth? Sirius's comment about his wanting Sarah back.

"You fucked up royally, Moony." Sirius patted Remus' back. "Completely messed it all up."

"Thanks," Remus dryly responded. "I can always count on you to cheer me up, Padfoot."

"Hey, no sweat." Sirius grinned at him. "You'd be lost without me, you know."

"I do." Remus replied. "I was, for a time."

Silence reigned in the dimly lit room as the two men sat back and absorbed the words just said. Suddenly Sirius transformed and leapt at Remus, slobbering all over him in the process.

"PADFOOT!!!" Remus yelled, shoving the large black dog off of him. Sirius transformed back into a man, smiling sheepishly at him.

"I felt the moment called for an expression of brotherly love," he explained. "And I couldn't just have leaned over and hugged you, could I?"

Remus rolled his eyes. "Yes, you could've." He sighed, before looking almost shyly at Sirius. "Not so mad at me anymore, then?"

"No, I couldn't be…you were always horrible when it came to relationships and girls…seeing as you didn't have James' and my expertise…"

Remus sat back down in his chair, shaking his head. "Typical," he muttered.

"Therefore you were bound to be a complete idiot and screw everything up sooner or later."

"You know what?" Sirius suddenly snorted with laughter. "You actually manage to get back together with Sarah…and then actually get serious with her… and I'll dance with Snivellus at your wedding."

Remus nearly choked on thin air as a great burst of laughter bubbled up from within. "Dance…with…Snape?!"

Sirius looked as he regretted ever uttering the words, but then leaned back confidently in his chair. "Like I said, though, it'll probably never happen, so don't get any ideas."

Remus managed to contain his laughter for long enough for him to sink momentarily back into his depressed state to agree with the sad fact that he'd permanently lost Sarah. The image of Sirius dancing with Snape was far too much for him to handle and he collapsed with helpless laughter. "I'm holding you to that, Padfoot," he gasped out, ignoring his logical brain telling him that it would never happen. "I'm holding you to that."

A/N: Yes, I know it was a shortie, but the next chapter is coming soon!! ( and I actually mean it this time, as I actually have time to write as well as gasp no writer's block!!! And, the next chapter may very well be the last (depending on how long it is), but if it isn't, there should only be about one more after that one. So please review and tell me how you think it was…any constructive criticism is much appreciated!!

-Laren.