"Altair!" A familiar voice rang out. Only through experience had Ava learnt not to hit her head when she was yelled for when under one of her projects. Carefully removing her body from the car, she saw Lily standing there with her hands on her hips, waiting expectantly. Ava tossed a smile that said 'yes?'

"James and I had breakfast earlier this morning. And do you know what he told me?" Rhetorical, of course, Ava didn't even have a chance to guess. "His best friend had a fight with his girlfriend, who coincidently, is my best friend."

"Oh?" she asked with concern as if it weren't her Lily referred to.

"What happened?" Lily asked her friend seriously.

"Dale, I'm going to lunch." Ava called out.

A tall dark-haired man came out. "Sadly, no. Too much work to do without you skiving off to lunch. We've discussed this, you need to cut those breaks out." He teased her as he eyes Lily up and down. With a tilt of his head he turned to Ava to ask her about her friend.

"Bugger off!" she tossed her oily rag at the fit guy. "Just for that, I'm taking two hours."

"Two hours!" he called after her. "We wont get any thing done till you get back!" he made the effort so the she heard him even though she was out the door.

Shaking her head, but with a grin, she had to explain to Lily that they were just kidding. She never took lunch breaks, let alone two hours. Lily didn't seem interested though. They walked along until they came to a café where they went in for a cuppa. Sitting down, Lily waited patiently for her friend to start, her eye expectantly on her.

"We had a fight." She tried simply, maybe Lily would let it go.

"Obviously." Obviously Lily needed to work on her.

"To keep a long story short," she summarized it for her, "I told him if you don't want to give me some of your time I don't want any of your time."

Lily's just looked at her not saying anything. Ava sighed and eventually let more come out. "He was going out every night. I was working late every night. We just need some space I think."

By her tone, Lily could tell it was a bit of a touchy subject, no matter how well Ava pulled it off. So she changed the subject. "So where are you staying?" she was surprised to hear that she had left his place and yet hadn't shown up at hers.

"A friend's." Lily's eyes bore into her. "A friend I met through work."

"Ava!" Lily couldn't believe what she was hearing! She launched into a monologue on the issue. How could she already be with another man? Was that the reason for the split?

"Lil," Ava tried to tell her. Lily kept on lecturing her, until Ava cut her off. "He's gay! He's gay." She had to repeat herself when Lily's mouth dropped open and recognition dawned. "Just a friend, that's it."

Lily was relieved to hear that, but didn't stop her from wondering what could happen. Sirius would go mad to lose her to someone else, when he realized it that is. She calmed down as Ava told her about her platonic friend. Lily wondered at something. "How did you get your things out so fast?"

"It was a spell I worked out in school when I was moving around a lot. A charm of sorts," She told her. "I'll spare you the details. Just a snap." She figured Lily wouldn't care about the details of how it needed to be linked to something of Ava's like her wardrobe or an object on her.

"So just snap and pop and you left?" she still had a hard time believing it. She knew Ava was capable of it, it just seemed so extreme.

"Snap, pop." She gestured around, with a slightly forged smile.

"And?"

"Eathan was a bit surprised when I popped up on his door, literally." She joked. She had to assure Lily that he was definitely a friend, and very gay, not interested in her or vice verse.

"And Dale?" Lily remembered the tall dark-hair, rather handsome lad from the shop. She wouldn't have Sirius lose Ava because of his pride, nor hers. She just had to keep her free.

"Just friends." Ava laughed. "Never going to happen. A) He's involved, and B) I work with him. I don't mess with co-workers. Besides I'm not like that, Lils, you know that." She knew what her friend was getting at. "And Sirius and I never, we are," she didn't quite know how to say it, they hadn't broken up she had thought.

"Just a fight," Ava started again. "We both just needed some space and time."

Lily just nodded. She knew her friend wouldn't get herself into any trouble, but that still didn't stop Lily form worrying. Feeling slightly guilty for pulling so much out of her friend, she changed the subject again. "Just another week or so, and it'll be ready." She meant their flat, not that she needed to tell Ava that, she seemed ready.

That brought a smile to Ava's face. Lily couldn't help but tease her though. "So don't get too comfortable at Eathan's." Ava nodded dutifully.

Ava's mental groan echoed through her head as she saw Lily's open house in full swing when she got home from work. She shut the door behind her, fighting every inch of her body to run out behind her or slam and kick it while she was at it. Knowing she smelled, getting bathed in diesel earlier, she figured the guests wouldn't want to smell it anymore-she didn't either- she wanted a shower. She made a line for her bedroom, getting stopped along the way by various friends. Had she really agreed to this? When she made it to her door, she made a general sweep of the room, her eyes catching Sirius' for the splitest second, and then she was on the other side of the door.

Followed with a sigh, her back fell against the door behind her. She should have known he would be here. And why not? He was Lily's friend too. A piece of her kicked around why he shouldn't, but she ignored it. He had every right to be here, and she would just deal with it. As she passed she couldn't help but glare at the coats that lie on her bed. She resisted the urge to linger in the cascading water of her shower. Promising Lily that she would be social was coming back to haunt her. Quickly dressing and making herself, somewhat, presentable, she was done in five minutes. Maybe ten.

Deep breath. Within a few minutes of venturing out into the party, she found herself making conversation with someone she didn't know. Must be a friend of Lily's…obviously…A glass of red wine found its way into her hand, she looked up to see Sirius give her a polite-handsome-smile. He turned around and wandered off. She took a sip.

While Karin whoever babbled at her, she thought on the exchange. He hadn't walked off because he didn't want to intimidate her, did he? Like he could she mused. He must have just been trying to make a peace offering, showing he wanted to talk later. She tried to listen to the woman, but had to cut her off in search of Lily.

"Excuse me, Karin," What was her last name? "I haven't seen Lily all day, I'm afraid we need to confer." She politely excused herself, saying it was lovely to meet her, etc.

She went into the kitchen in search of her roommate. James, who was arm in arm with Lily, saw his friend's face and begged off. He knew they'd need to talk. Instead he went off to talk to people he didn't actually know. Completely unaware of how she stepped right in front of who Lily was talking to, they wandered off politely as well. Ava set her glass down, which Lily refilled waiting to see what she said.

"Lils," She moaned, running her hands through her hair. "I'm so shattered, I don't even remember half these people! Have I ever met them?"

"Drink up." She urged the glass into her hand.

Ava did as told. She turned around and looked to see who was actually here. Maybe she might know some of them. They talked about the various people about, Lily very careful to side-step mentioning Sirius. However Ava took that plunge herself. Relating to Lily about what had happened. She would need to deal with it sooner or later, and apparently it was sooner.

Ava took the rest of her glass in one swig and set it down on to the bar in front of her. Immediately picking it back up a second later. She shook it at Lily to refill it again, which she did devotedly. With a deep breath, "Off I go."

She walked around finding Sirius talking to some people, again, that she didn't know. As with Lily, she was oblivious to the people he was talking to as she stepped in between the conversation. Sirius, however didn't seem to mind. He gave the same small-safe-smile.

"Talk?" she asked casually, ignoring the anxiousness she felt. She turned, not bothering to see if he followed, and walked over to the window.

An uncomfortable silence loomed above them. Sirius, looking for easy ground, finally spoke. "Nice place you have here."

"Thanks," Ava went with it. "Lily's doing."

"Of course." He nodded. "Look I-"

"I-" she started as well. Both pausing when they heard the other. A few more minutes passed.

"I-" Sirius started again, not thinking Ava would. "I guess I should say I'm sorry."

"I guess I should too."

They both were in a pause, a standstill. Neither would really admit to what was off, leaving them nowhere. To get anywhere, not one, but both would need to go out on a limb.

"I didn't like what happened." Sirius blurted out. "The outcome."

"Neither did I." Ava tried to say with a neutral tone. It was hard to keep the emotion in tact. "It could have gone differently."

He took an involuntary step toward her. "Ava,"

Hearing him say her name destroyed any self-control she had. Her reserves spent, she couldn't stand the heat that was searing the room. "I- I'm sorry." She turned around and walked out to the balcony. Her voice slightly above a whisper, "Maybe Bellatrix was right. I'm not right for you, and you-me-"

Stunned, Sirius stood there for a second while she left and closed the sliding glass door behind her. He too ka step forward, but a hand on his arm stopped him. He turned to see Remus holding him back. Remus could see the confusion dance in his eyes.

"It was just a fight," he scraped, "I thought."

"Everyone has their demons." Remus tried. He really didn't know what to say. He just tried to talk common sense into his friends when the need arose.

"Without doubt," Sirius mumbled. He looked over to his friend. "You, of all people, would surely know."

Remus gave him a small appreciative smile. "Let me talk to her." He turned around not even reading Sirius' answer.

Stepping outside, he was surprised to find that fall was on its way with the chill that swept by him. Summer was fading and fall was starting to make its appearance. He walked over to were Ava leaned against the wall and looked out over the city. Touching her arm brought him to her attention. She turned towards him and he could see though her eyes were dry her cheeks were red from more than the breeze.

"I'd rather test my limits with ones I love and know the depths of that trust and love, than never have a fight with someone and never know how long it will last." He didn't beat around the bush, jumping right into the matter. "I would always wonder if could last if things turned bad."

"Something needs to be tested to know its value." Her eyes on him, knew what he said, but she turned back around, gazing at the lights. He kept on. "There's nothing wrong with that, or getting angry."

"Love it a very unpredictable and temperamental emotion." He randomly pulled something out. He could see he was losing her.

"Love is like Bertie Botts," he tried again. This time her puzzled eyes turned to him, falling on him for longer. "You really don't know what you're going to get until you try it. They look different than they actually are.

"Sirius, in fact, is like one." Laughing, Remus was glad that he wasn't out here to hear this. "He looks like an interesting choice, but once tried, you find out he's completely different. Sirius is an acquired taste."

"Like wine," she said swirling her near empty glass.

"Like wine," he smiled, knowing he was getting through to her now. "Sirius is…different than he appears. I'm sure you know this, but when we were in school, he was always going through the girls." Nodding she knew it, she saw it.

"He was always with another girl each week. And no, he never told us why the last hadn't worked out," he felt bad for saying some of this, but it should be said he thought. She'd see in a minute. "But we all knew why he hadn't stuck it out. Either he'd get bored and not want them to get to know him. Or before he was ready they would figure out who he really was, and they didn't like that.

"You know first hand what he can be like." He meant that as a good thing. "You're probably one of the few people that know exactly who he is and take him for exactly like that."

Ava nodded. She did know that he was great, to her. He had been a friend when that was all she needed or wanted. And he was more. But she could see where other girls might be thrown off. Maybe they thought they could change him from his tricking prankster self to their prince. Maybe they got to know him and were disappointed when they were alone, and no one there to see her with the dangerous Sirius Black. Maybe they were all about image.

"Don't let someone you wouldn't trust yourself with make your decisions." His wolf ears had heard her low mention on leaving. Bellatrix was not worth the effort. "She's full of it," he told her, "I don't know what we'd have done without you. Or where any of us would be."

He could see her slightly smile. "Your eccentric ways have driven us mad. But in the good way." He smiled at her perplexed expression. "A little madness is good every once and awhile. Who would keep Black in line anyway?" he jerked his head back to the flat. She grinned at him knowing he was right, about Bellatrix that is.

"So, if Sirius is the misleading jelly bean," she looked sideways at him. "What kind does that make me?"

"You my dear," he put his arm around her, "aren't a mere jelly bean. You are more like a chocolate frog. Not exactly a safe bet. But a risk worth taking." He was more than pleased to see her really laughing out loud now.

"An you?"

"Ah," he shrugged it off. "I'm more of a run-of-the-mill jell bean. Salt flavored or something."

"No," she told him, wrapping her arms around him, giving him a thanking hug. "Butter methinks, because it wouldn't melt in your mouth." She laughed again, turning back out to look out at the lights with a new mind.

Remus was glad to see the Ava he knew back. He saw out of the corner of his eye Sirius pacing by the door, he probably wouldn't wait much more. Remus turned to look out at the city too. "What would you say to Sirius if you could?"

Ava let out a heavy breath. She racked her brain, wondering what she really wanted to say to him, or how to say it. So deep in thought, she didn't even hear the door slide open and Remus leave. With a sigh, she knew what she would say to him, if she could. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." She turned around to see Lupin had left and there stood Sirius. He took a step closer to her, his eyes trained on her face. "I shouldn't have said that."

"I shouldn't have started it."

"I-" he needed to tell her the truth, no excuses. "Someone said something about marriage to me, and honestly, it scared the shit out of me." He winced to see the look on her face.

"What makes you think I'm not?" she asked in a strange tone. "Scared shitless too that is." He relaxed to hear that, that explained the face. He was beyond happy to hear she wasn't ready to get married.

"Sirius," She started, "Don't get me wrong I-" unconsciously she adjusted not to say something unsuitable, "care for you very much. But I happy living with Lily." She hadn't realized the stress that she was under to live with someone again, she should have known better as last time didn't go as well.

"I understand." He felt the same in a way. He wasn't ready to give up all of his freedom either. Neither said a lot, but they didn't have to. Both had felt a pressure living together and weren't ready for it. The fight had just been tension coming to the surface, not that they were so horrible matched and awful for each other.

"You know I'm not saying," he grasped around, trying to tell her that its not that he was hideously opposed to the idea, just not in the near future. She shook her hands at him.

"I'm not-" she fumbled, trying to tell him she didn't expect it either. She was nowhere near ready. Not even thinking in that way, that was Lily.

They both smiled at the others dancing about, equally amused at the absurdity of the topic. Ava tossed her arms around him, savoring the feeling of him. He was just as glad to be through the mess.

"Besides," she pulled away from him, giving him a smack against his chest. "No one else has anything to say in our relationship but us."

"That's not the way I hear it." he couldn't help but tease her. "Seems my cousin does." He made a face just thinking about the harpy.

Her mouth dropped as she gave him another playful, half-hearted tap. Only a truly loved one could get away with saying something like that, and so soon.

:: Been dragging out, sorry I've been sort of busy. But that's okay, cuz no one seems to notice. Oh well! We still have a ways to go, so keep it up.