'Florence' had been the place to go for weekend dinners. James had been trying to impress some potential investors in the business. Sirius had originally come up with the idea to make other people's dreams come true, but James had taken over when Sirius wanted to pursue his own gallery. Everything for the business was still in Sirius' name though. James didn't need recognition or headlines like Sirius enjoyed.

Sirius had been in the middle of recounting the details of a particular business idea that they had set up for a young man in Canada. All of the men seemed fully engaged in the story. James was less interested having heard the story several times. He had been people watching when he saw a red head being pulled through the crowd by a man. She was absolutely stunning.

After a moment the man stopped them and had what seemed like a heated argument. The man's face looked as though it had been sliced open and glued back together. While his sweater vest didn't scream domestic abuse, but the large bruise the woman was obviously trying to hide did. James had the uncontrollable urge to make sure that woman was ok. James excused himself stating he needed to make a call.

The man started pulling her faster down the road stopping at a bookstore. James wanted to be as secretive as possible. Alerting the abuser could just make it worst for a victim. The couple went up and down the aisles before the woman stated she wanted to sit down. James ran to the front sitting area trying to look as natural as possible.

He had caught her attention and she had laughed a bit when he insinuated she might need help. She had also been thankful and offered to sooth his nerves by introducing the two. Remus had been introduced and James immediately liked the man. After the conversation stalled, James dismissed himself. The investors were probably gone, but Sirius would be concerned.

James was out the door before he realized that he didn't have the woman's name. He turned to go back in when he spotted her running out towards him. Like some romance novel they had yelled down the block at each other and she ducked back into the bookstore.

Sirius had quickly grown tired of James' retelling of the way Lily's eyes sparkled and seemed to draw him in. He had set his personal assistant on finding where the two might live. One Remus in the city left James with good odds that it was the same as+ the one he met. His assistant had joked that he should send as many flowers as they had in the store, but James had thought it was a brilliant idea.

Complaining to Sirius that he couldn't think of how to see her again, Sirius offered two tickets and a private showing to his gallery. James crossed his fingers that she would show.

James had seen her walk up in that purple dress and was star struck. His mother had warned that the bruise on her eye may not have been from her friend, but to approach with caution. Her hand had fit so well in his though. She had leaned into him, laughed at his jokes, and made him the center of her attention. James would go in slowly to flirt more obvious and Lily would jump back, let go of his hand, or direct her attention elsewhere.

Remus had pointed out Sirius' least favorite painting, the only comment Remus had made all night. Both of the friends' attitudes changed on a dime. Remus seemed to be somewhere else in his thoughts and Lily watched Remus like a hawk. James would make a joke and they both seemed to not hear him.

A walk through the exhibit with Sirius left James in tears. His brother had an issue with mirrors for a long time before he had learned to paint. Showing the reflections was so personal and revealing. Two feeling Sirius was not used to feeling. The horror happened when his two guests had nothing positive to say about it. Remus had all but demanded information about Sirius' painting.

For the first time out loud, Sirius had admitted that the painting were most likely from his soulmate connection. What had his guests done, run out! James was sure there had been a misunderstanding, but Lily wouldn't explain. She had taken his number and sent him a text that they made it home safe but had not replied to his request for a breakfast recommendation.

James took Sirius out to get drunk, hyping him up as much as he could. It worked until Sirius asked to go back to the gallery. He stood at the painting for a half hour before ripping it right off the wall. Sirius and James in the penthouse decided to leave the painting laying against the wall.

They didn't wake up until noon. Sirius was still a bit drunk, but demanded they get pizza. Unfortunately, the shop he wanted didn't deliver. They sat in the booth waiting for their to-go pizza to be finished. Sirius was in and out, but James heard the familiar voice of Lily. A group of 6 people had arrived. The eye contact was undeniable, but she and Remus were both trying to convince the waitress to sit them somewhere else.

James offered them a seat hoping to talk and maybe become better friends. Their group agreed and Sirius dug his head in to sleep. The greasy pizza helped to wake James up and soon he was chatting on about the newest movie coming to theaters with Gideon and Fabian.

They were all on board for the next week. He sent the information to Gideon and held the door for the group before kicking Sirius awake, informing him of the plans he had made.