Thanks for the reviews, CharlotteBlackwood, thewrittenword87, and Nova5621! :D

Writing took me longer than expected, I kind of just got carried away. So I'm splitting this into two chapters. Lots of Sirius in both, prepare yourselves.

Also, I'm now opening up an idea for Deleted Scenes (the little project I have coming out when this story is complete). Ask me any question (in either a review or a message), in regards to this story, or my first, and I will write a one-shot answering that question.

A really famous example: "What if Peter hadn't escaped?"

Hey! You! Yes, you! Review? :P

DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN ANY OF THIS, EXCEPT FOR ANY CHARACTERS YOU DON'T RECOGNIZE. JK ROWLING IS JESUS!

CHAPTER 85

The tensions between my husband and I were steadily on the rise in the previous few months and that was just the beginning of it all... The fights were sporadic, just as the making up was. Sirius and I never believed in going to bed angry, at least in the beginning. As things got worse, the outcome always varied.

"Alright there, mate?" James asked quietly.

Sirius sighed and nodded.

"Have you two been doing that a lot lately?" Remus asked.

"Not really." Sirius replied. "Every now and then…but it's random…we both get stressed out, but she's getting stressed out because I'm stressed out."

"That's called marriage, Sirius." said Lily.

"I know, Lils. I just feel terrible about it." He said, looking up at her. "She doesn't need that right now, and I know I certainly don't. But this war is eating me alive…and it took my kid brother in the process. I mean, he wasn't even smart enough…he just got sucked in…and now he's gone. I honestly don't know how I feel about it."

"A little angry, apparently." Marlene said, sitting across from him.

"Half of the time I don't even know what I'm saying when I'm angry." Sirius sighed.

"You've got that right." Remus muttered.

"I heard that." Sirius grinned, looking at his friend. "I've gotten better over the years."

"You're still stubborn and irrational." said Lily.

Sirius shrugged, he couldn't argue with that. He rose from the table.

"Where are you going, Pads?" James asked.

"I'm going to go get my daughter, and go home…I need to have a chat with my wife." He said, bidding his friends a goodbye.

Two hours later, the Black's apartment in Oxshott.

Have I ever mentioned that I am terribly awkward after arguments? Because I am.

Sirius and Audrey sat in their living area; both were to their own devices, Anastasia was sleeping. She sat on the red chaise, reading through sheet music and transcribing. He sat opposite of her, in an armchair, scanning the Daily Prophet…or at least pretending to be. He would steal glances at her, waiting for the right moment.

It was still rather tense after their argument at Order headquarters. Sirius had returned almost an hour after Audrey had. She was a little hostile at the door.

Sirius knocked.

"Who is it?" She said gruffly, it was very unlike Audrey.

"It's me, Audrey." He knew better than to use any pet names when she was mad.

"What's the first thing you ever said to me?" She asked, her voice sounding slightly like Ayla, her alter ego.

Sirius smiled to himself.

"Hey! You're the girl from the train station."

Audrey let him in, stepping aside.

"Thanks." He murmured, pressing his lips to her temple. She did not reciprocate. "I'm going to put her to bed." He said, gesturing to their sleeping daughter.

Audrey nodded, and went into the sitting room.

Sirius was no fool; he could easily pick up on his wife's distraction. He sensed the curiosity about Regulus. It was a topic that even James had tried to get Sirius to talk about over the years.

Audrey was indeed distracted; the tension between her and her husband was bothering her greatly. She wanted to know why he was so against speaking of his brother. Why was he so quick to deny that he saved his wife and child? He had surely seen and heard it in Audrey's memory.

"Something's bothering you." said Sirius, figuring it was time. Audrey snapped her out of her thoughts.

"What makes you say that?" Audrey asked sarcastically, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you were staring at the same page of music for a good twenty minutes." Sirius smirked. "What's wrong, love?"

Audrey sighed, putting the sheet music to the side. "I know you know, Sirius."

"I do." He admitted, as he walked over to the chaise, he tossed the newspaper in the fire.

Audrey moved over, making room for him to sit with her. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him but she turned away.

He moved her hair over to one side.

"I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear. "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier, I'm sorry I upset you, and I'm sorry for bringing up Severus…I know it's a sensitive topic."

"Apology accepted." Audrey replied, slowly turning to face him.

"You have a question." Sirius said, his eyes searching her.

"How do you know?" She asked slyly.

"I can see it in your eyes." He replied.

"You're not going to like it." Audrey said, looking at him. "And I think you know what I'm going to ask…in the five years we've been together we've barely spoken of this…"

"You are going to ask me about my family and Regulus." Sirius said calmly.

Audrey nodded.

"Look, if it bothers you…we don't have to talk about it…"

"We can talk about it." Sirius sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's about time I manned up and spoke my feelings-"

"Rather than being a stubborn git?" Audrey interrupted with a smirk.

"Oh, a clever one." Sirius cooed, kissing her forehead. "What do you want to know specifically?"

Audrey was about to speak, but then paused. She was trying to figure out how to phrase her question without offending him.

"Don't worry…I'm not going to get angry. I promise."

Audrey sighed and then said. "Two years ago, when the theater was attacked and I told you that Regulus had helped me, you were very quick to deny it…and then again, tonight, you denied it. Why?"

I knew she was going to ask that.

Sirius looked as though he was in deep thought.

"Really, love." Audrey said, looking at him. "If you're not comfortable talking about it. It's alight…"

"No, no." Sirius said, coming out of his thoughts. "I'm just trying to figure out how to phrase my thoughts...really, I haven't told you anything about my family."

Audrey nodded and said. "You know a lot about me and my family, but every time I've asked you…you've avoided the subject."

"My brother and I…" Sirius began, still thinking. "We got along great when we were younger. But just after I turned 11, no…10 really, I began to notice the things my parents said. I always questioned to myself why they said such things. By the time I had gotten my acceptance letter to Hogwarts, I was incredibly disillusioned with the Black family and their elitist pure blood outlook. It was just so narrow!"

Sirius scowled for a moment, Audrey nodded, waiting for him to continue.

"I didn't openly voice my opinions to my parents or my brother until a week or so before we went off to school…it was when we ate dinner."

He flicked his wand and his pensieve came off of a nearby shelf.