Miss Priss Moo Cow- Well, it's about TIME you reviewed!  Hee... don't worry, I still love you!  That's the naughty rebel Amy I know- reviewing ficcies during Computers!  Tsk tsk!

Moondocc- Oh thanks!  You really like it?

MPPSexxySiriusJamesRemus- Yes, in time Luke will get what he deserves.  "A short drop and a sudden stop."  (From POTC.)  No, I'm not going to hang him, don't worry.

BlackLupin- Whoa, long review!  I loved it though.  Don't worry- I'll make sure Caitlin and Sirius get together in this chapter, I promise.  Or at least one step closer… Lily will come to her senses soon enough-sometime after they get back to school.  Don't worry, I have that all figured out.  Caitlin will get floods of letters from Sirius, though, and she'll get it soon enough.  She's just a stubborn chick, that's all.

uNoeWho- Yeah, I know who you are.  Thanks for telling me, though.  No, Rita Skeeter's spy was not Alicia…eh, you'll find out later.

Nilu- Quite a weird name.  Potts.  Interesting.  Yeah, I LOVE BlackLupin's stories!  She's actually a character in TBYA!  Her suggestion.  Can you guess you she is?

~*Bianca*~- Nah, he's not a Death Eater.  But Luke's not exactly an angel, either.  You'll find out when they go back to Hogwarts what his true nature is!

cherri ookami- Yeah, she is.  I guess she's just hung up on Luke and annoyed with James.  Just sympathize with her.  ^_~

To Be Young Again

Chapter 21: Back Once Again

Caitlin, baby,

Caitlin, dearest,

My sweet Cait,

Loving Cait,

Caitlin, my love,

Caitlin, darling,

This was how Sirius started letter after letter, but never were they read by Caitlin.  They were simply chucked into the fire, where she thought they belonged.

An owl pecked Caitlin's window until it nearly killed itself trying.  Out of sympathy, for the owl had done this about fifty times, Caitlin opened the window.  The owl dropped yet another letter on her bed and left without waiting for her to reply.  Caitlin picked up the envelope, ready to toss it in the growing, well-fed fire.

However, when Caitlin picked up the unsealed envelope, the letter fell out.  Without really knowing why, and out of sheer overwhelming curiosity, Caitlin read Sirius' familiar scrawl.

            Caitlin,

I know I'm a jerk and a fool.  I was a jerk to play you and a fool to let you go.  I miss you terribly; it's like having a constant stomachache.  I miss your company, I miss having you around- I miss you, Cait.  Please allow me to finish my apology… and there's something else I must tell you.

            Yours,

            Sirius

Well, at least it was respectful, Caitlin thought before crumpling up the letter and throwing it on her desk, her eyes welling up with tears.  The letter, however, was still accessible and did not burn.

*

Caitlin awoke with a start.  What is that bloody noise?  It's midnight- I'm trying to sleep here!  She thought, aggravated.  Her eyes widened as another rock hit her window.

She got up, walked to the window and pushed it open.  Sirius was grinning at her.

Figures, she thought as she crept quietly down the stairs.  She left the house in nothing but her plaid pajama bottoms and her T-shirt.

            "What?" she grumbled, pretending not to have read his letter.

            "I presume you got my letters…?"

            "Yeah, I got them.  They're in my fireplace now, merely ashes.  Your poor owl.  Jeez, give it a break.  Poor thing-"

            "You read the last one," came the cut, quick reply.

            "I- what?"

            "You read the last one," Sirius repeated.

            "I… I…"

            "Listen to me, Caitlin.  I know I've been a jerk and a fool.  I was stupid to let you go.  But most of all, I was scared.  Scared because I'd never felt this… feeling with any of the other girls.  I felt it with you.  You may think I'm making it all up, and I don't blame you if you do, but I'm not, Cait.  I… I love you."

Caitlin stood there, too shocked to say anything.

            "I've been aching for you all summer.  Listen to me, Caitlin.  Please.  I love you so much it hurts."

Caitlin said nothing for a minute.  Then all the emotions she had felt for Sirius Black and had been forced to bottle up came spilling out.  She slapped him.

            "W-wha-?"

            "That was for breaking my heart.  And this… this is for coming back for me."  She stood on her tiptoes, leaned forward and kissed him.

A wide grin spread over Sirius' face.  He picked Caitlin up by her waist and spun her around before kissing her face all over and eventually landing on her lips.

*

Caitlin crept back through the front door of the house.  She was grinning like a fool, but she didn't care.  Sirius was hers again.  He loved her and admitted it.  And man, nothing had ever seemed more right.  In her entire life, she felt like this was what she wanted.  Sirius was all she needed.

Then she saw the figure standing by the dining table, eyes intently focused on her.  She gasped softly.

            "So," Jake said, in a casual voice, "I wonder what my baby sister could possibly be doing at this time of night, outside in nothing but her pajamas."

            "I…er…"

            "Who was it, Cait?"

            "I… listen, Jake, it was just… Sirius.  A guy that I know from school.  Well…"

            "Tell me the truth, Cait.  I'm only a step away from telling Mum and Dad."

            "No!  Jake… promise you won't tell?"

            "Well… maybe."

            "Well, Sirius was throwing rocks at my window, so I went down there, outside, in just my pajamas 'cause I was really… I dunno, anyway, he pledged his undying love for me and now we live happily ever after."

Jake raised an eyebrow.

            "Okay, so maybe it didn't go exactly like that.  Sirius was throwing rocks at my window, and I did go outside in my pajamas.  He told me he was sorry, and that he really missed me, and… oh, Jake, it was so sincere, I know he wasn't bluffing.  I'm happy now, Jake, truly happy.  Please promise me you won't tell Mum and Dad that I went outside with a boy in the middle of the night?  We didn't do anything, for God's sake."

Jake considered this for a moment.  "Well… alright."

Caitlin's face brightened.  "Thanks, Jake.  You're the greatest."  She swept up the stairs, only stopping to plant a kiss on his cheek lovingly, and proceeded to her room, humming softly.

            Oh God, Jake thought.  My baby sister's in love.

A/N: Oh guys, promise me you won't hate me for making this short?  At least I'm updating… Caitlin, I hope you're happy.  ^_~

Next chapter will be the train back and the start of a new year.  Also we'll find out who the Head Boy and Girl are.  *sarcastically* I wonder who they could be? ^_~  And the chapter after that, we'll find out what Luke's got up his sleeve.

Review!

~*OutofAzkaban*~