Disclaimer: Once again...I do not own Harry Potter, nor would I ever claim to own Harry Potter. Sad fact of life.

Sirius watched Remus from across the table. His eggs were untouched, his glass full, his toast whole. Remus stared at a patch of wall in front of him, his blue eyes looking for all the world dead.

Something in Sirius snapped. It had been almost three months since Alex's death, and Remus hadn't seemed to improve at all. If anything he was getting worse. Enough was enough.

Sirius slammed his fist on the table between them, knocking over both his and Remus' orange juice, but was unable to startle his friend.

"Remus!"

No response.

Sirius stood up, calmly picking up his and Remus' plates...then just as calmly dropping them on the floor next to his friend.

Still no response.

Sirius could change that. He hooked his foot around Remus' chair, swiveling his friend in a half circle away from the table. His friend didn't even blink.

Sirius gripped both of Remus' shoulders tightly, kneeling down in front of him, and shook his friend mercilessly until Remus' eyes lost their dead look and blinked in confusion.

"Sirius, what are you doing?"

"No, Remus, the better question is what are you doing? Look at me!" Remus' eyes remained stubbornly on the wall. "I said LOOK AT ME!"

Remus reluctantly looked away from the wall, his gaze meeting Sirius' frantic gray eyes.

"You're still living damn it! You do realize that, don't you? Cause you're sure as hell not acting like it! Moping around, refusing to eat, almost killing yourself on full moons, wanting to kill yourself all the rest of the time!

"Do you think Alex would like it if you died! Do you think she'd want you to abandon your friends, to drown yourself in pity!

"I can't believe I'm telling you this, but grow up! Your whole world didn't die with her! You still have friends here, friends who are dying! Friends who need your help!"

At that point, Sirius lost it. It was as if all the months of taking care of his sick friend, together with Alex's death and James and Lily's close call had finally overwhelmed his naturally happy-go-lucky spirit. He felt like a man defeated, looking helplessly at the tidal wave bent on taking him out. And he didn't have the strength anymore to fight it.

Sirius released Remus' arms and sunk to the floor, big, paw-like hands covering his face as his head dropped to his knees.

Sirius knew he was crying, something he had despised from childhood, but he no longer cared. He knew he must look like a fool, a grown man bawling and rocking himself at the foot of his friend's chair. But he couldn't make himself care about that either.

Throughout the scene, Remus had silently watched his friend as Sirius first shook him and then collapsed, a whimpering, grown man at his feet.

His friend's hurt startled him from his self-pitying solitude. Sirius never cried. What was going on?

Remus, having regained his mind, looked logically at the past three months in horror. He hadn't processed many of his actions, but he knew he had spent every morning after the full moon bleeding profusely, and his memories of most days were vastly composed of dark thoughts while staring at blank walls.

My God, I must have put him through hell.

Remus had always been hesitant to show emotion, but at that moment, overwhelmed with guilt and pity for his friend, he decided to make an exception.

He stood up slowly and looked down at the man still sobbing at his feet. His friend.

Sirius was considering taking his mutt form in order to deaden his embarrassingly open emotions when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. Sirius half-jumped, turning as he did so, only to look into the blue, remorseful and, most importantly, alive eyes of Remus.

His tears stopped, and he wiped face quickly on his sleeve, ashamed that his friend had witnessed him sobbing like a little boy.

"Remus," he muttered, trying to keep his voice steady, "I'm sorry, I-"

But his apologies were cut off as his friend suddenly embraced him.

"No Sirius. I'm sorry. I promise I won't abandon you like that again," Remus said, his voice filled with regret. "I never thought I'd see the day where you would have to take care of me...but Sirius?"

"What?"

"Thanks."

Sirius shrugged, his smiling self again. "No problem."

Author's Note: Sorry everyone that this has taken so long! What can I say? Life's gotten in the way. Despite appearances, I do have a plan for this story. Actually carrying out that plan has just been harder than I thought.

Thanks to all those who reviewed my last chapter and to those who have ever reviewed this story! I REALLY appreciate reviews...and they motivate me to write more!

cecelle: I'm obviously very glad that you found my story again! I hate Bellatrix as well...doesn't everyone? Poppywould be frantically running around the castle! She does so enjoy herjob. That's a great image! Teenage boys can be rather one-track minded, and Remus is no exception! Thanks for reviewing!

siruslycrazyzach:I'm soooo glad you like my story! I'm a Sirius fan as well (probably why I like writing in his perspective so much). What can I say? He rocks. But I think I relate better to Remus. Anyways, thanks so much for reviewing my story, and I'm sorry this update was so late!

Missie: It hasn't ended yet! (Even though it kinda looked that way for a while!) Thanks so much for reviewing, and I hope you continue to enjoy it!

Neurotica: No, I don't think it's strange to hate a fictional character so much. As long as it's Peter, that is. I think Sirius would agree. Sorry this update has taken sooo long! I hope I'll be better about that in the future! Of course I wouldn't mind if you recommended this story to other readers! I would love to get more reviews, though I am VERY grateful for the ones I'm getting at the moment! Thanks for reviewing!

Thanks to all who reviewed! I REALLY appreciate reviews, so everyone TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! And thanks for reading too!