A/N: WYATT IS BACK! This chapter is not my favorite as it merely sets up the next couple of chapters but it does provide some filler information. I actually like Keegan but she is certianly full of secrets. These secrets will be revealed eventually and she'll become a more likable character. But it's hard being likable when it's hard getting to know her. It's the same with Wyatt - he'll be completely full of secrets and it won't be until the next chapter or so that he'll begin to break down a few of those barriers. And there will be more of everyone next chapter - I promise!

Disclaimer: I would hope by now you'd realize I'm not J.K. Rowling.

Goodbyes on the Balcony

By ByeByeBirdie

Chapter 13: Of Warm Ups, Brothers, & Traditions

++KEEGAN++

I don't know how long I sat on that couch for thinking about the break-up, but it was well after midnight. Which was unusual. Because I don't normally think after break-ups. In fact, I don't normally sit around either. My first move is to often grab my stuff and leave. Leave everything behind to start anew. Leave and rarely look back. For the past four years, I've had five relationships. And after they ended, most in a very similar way to my break-up with Fabian with them wanting more answers from me regarding my past, I ran off to start over. It's what I did best. But for the first time in four years, I didn't know if I wanted to run. I was actually considering the idea of staying put. I just didn't know how.

Fabian was right about everything. I am guarded and I don't let myself get close to anyone. I did hide behind my past and I kept secrets very close to my heart. But I just didn't know how to let people in. I'm so afraid of getting hurt again that I can't imagine myself getting too close to a guy. I never wanted to be in the dark place I was forced into so many years earlier. It was easier pushing people away than letting them into a world that scared the hell out of me. It wasn't easy admitting that my relationships have all ended because of me. It was even harder admitting that while I tried to pretend my past didn't affect me, it inevitably did. Tristan was with me every day. I just couldn't ignore what had happened four years earlier. I had tried. And I had failed.

I knew it was probably time to stop pretending as if I was ignoring it. It was probably time to face it. Just at the idea of that, I could feel my heart begin to race. Staying put wasn't something I was used to. It was a lot easier ignoring the fact that once again I let another relationship fail when I was running away from it.

I'm not sure when I stood up off the couch, but I found myself heading towards the door. I had one thing I felt as if I needed to do before I could make any decision.

I took a deep breath in as my knuckles tapped the front door belonging to Sirius and Remus.

Sirius answered the door. I don't know if I was grateful for that or not. On one hand, I just wish nobody was home. On the other hand, he was the one I needed to talk to so I was glad it wasn't Remus who answered.

"What are you doing here?" he sneered.

"Apologizing," I murmured with a sigh. "You were right on Saturday. About everything. It's a hell of a lot easier being cynical after…after a lot of the things I've seen in my life."

Intrigue stared back at me. "And what, pray tell, have you seen?"

I should have expected that question, but I didn't respond. I wasn't ready to explain it to him. "I should have gone to St. Mungo's, I just…" I trailed off. "I don't like hospitals."

"Oh, yeah, and they're a big old bag of fun to me," he snorted, rolling his eyes. "No one likes hospitals, Keegan. But we deal with them. Because our friends deserve that much."

"I know," I murmured guiltily. "I tried going in. I did. I stood outside the doors for an hour on Saturday. And for another hour on Sunday. I just couldn't go in."

He cocked his head to the side curiously. "Why not?"

I hesitated. I went with the stupid answer. "Because I don't like hospitals."

He rolled his eyes. "Why not?"

"I just don't."

He scoffed. "You're so stubborn, y'know that?"

"I didn't come here to tell you all my secrets, Black," I retaliated, giving him a look. "I simply thought you deserved to hear my apology."

"Except you've yet to actually apologize," he said, a hint of a smile on his face. Damn, he was actually enjoying this.

"Technically it's not you I need to apologize to," I pointed out dryly.

He surprised me. He actually chuckled. "Fair enough. Is this just your warm-up before you go track down Fabian?"

My heart fluttered at the mention of his name. "Um, no," I murmured. "Not exactly. He was actually the warm-up before I tracked you down."

His eyebrows shot up. "Oh, you talked to him?"

"Yeah."

He opened his mouth, but quickly shut it. I had a feeling he was curious what had occurred between us but thought better than to pry. Which was slightly unusual for him. "Good," he said instead.

"Not really," I found myself saying. "We broke up."

He hesitated, meeting my gaze. He glanced behind his shoulder awkwardly and opened the door up. "Want to come in?"

I found that unexpected and simply shook my head. "No," I argued. "I just needed to let you know that you…you were right. You seem to know more about me than I wish you did. It's why I…well, never mind," I muttered, a tint of crimson flushing to my cheeks. I wasn't about to admit that the reason we got off on the wrong foot was because every time I looked at Sirius, I thought of Tristan. For numerous reasons. Reasons I was still trying to ignore. "Like I said, you were right. I…I stay negative and cynical all the time because it's easier being negative, especially when things inevitably go wrong. I used to be positive. I used to be optimistic. It got me nothing. It got me nowhere. And it is that much harder dealing with…with heartbreak and tragedy when it is unexpected. Dealing with that kind of negativity hurts a lot less when you're already negative."

He frowned uneasily. "That's not a healthy way to live, Keegan."

I had to swallow the lump in my throat. Otherwise, I may have broken out in tears and there was no way in hell I was going to cry in front of Sirius Black. "I know," I said softly. "That's why I said you were right. Because even though I may pretend it's easier being cynical and negative, in the end it…it just makes you feel empty," I found myself choking out, shaking my head in pure discouragement.

He stared at me, leaning casually up against the doorframe with a curious gaze. "Why…why are you telling me this?"

"Because I think out of anyone, you might actually understand." The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

Shock shone in his eyes. "What?"

I cringed, shaking my head. "Nothing. Just forget it. I just came to tell you all this before I-" I stopped. I was going to say before I left, but the words caught in my throat. "Anyway," I said hastily. "I said what I had to say. So…good-bye."

I offered him an awkward smile before whirling around.

"Whoa, wait," he said, reaching out to grab my arm.

I stiffened, glancing over my shoulder. "What?"

"What were you going to say?" he asked.

"What?"

"You said you just came to tell me all this before you…" he trailed off, shrugging hesitantly. "Before you what?"

"Nothing," I said hastily, shaking my head.

He frowned. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing."

"You're not a very good liar."

I shrugged. "Sorry."

"Oh yeah, you sound it," he snorted.

I rolled my eyes. "Good-bye, Sirius," I whispered achingly.

"Hey, stop," he said, grabbing my arm and stopping me from disappearing into my flat.

I let out a frustrated sigh, turning to face him. "What?"

He frowned. "Why did that good-bye sound so final?"

I was about to tell him to shut up and let go of me but I made the mistake of looking up into his eyes. Those eyes that showed so much pain and vulnerability and emptiness and fear and hurt. It was the same thing I saw every time I looked into the mirror. I frowned, sighing deeply. "I-I don't know," I started slowly. "I just…usually when my relationships end, I use that as my time to pack my things and move away so that I can just bury the past and start anew."

"Another healthy behavior."

"Yes, thank you," I scowled sarcastically.

"Well, what do you need from me? To help you pack?" he teased.

"I didn't come here needing anything from you," I snapped. "I simply wanted to apologize."

He hesitated. "Is that really all you came here for?"

I rolled my eyes. "The only thing you could remotely do for me right now is to tell me to stay and I'm pretty sure you won't be doing that."

He blinked. "Uh, yeah, ya think? I'm pretty sure, hm, oh I don't know, anyone else is more qualified to do that."

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe Remus."

He glanced at me, confused. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I pursed my lips hesitantly. I hadn't knocked on Sirius' door for any sort of relationship or post-relationship advice.

I swallowed hard. Or maybe I had.

I found myself blurting out, "I guess I just meant that both you and he understand all about running away from past relationships."

Panic seeped through his eyes. "You don't know what you're talking about."

I gave him a look. "Don't I?"

"No," he retaliated harshly, his eyes narrowing. Uh-oh. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. "Because you know the reason that Fabian dumped you. Maybe if you had shown up at the hospital, you wouldn't be in this predicament."

"I couldn't show up at the hospital!" I defended, my voice full of regret.

"For reasons that you still haven't really admitted to," he snorted. "So maybe it wasn't just the whole not-showing-up-at-St.-Mungo's issue. Maybe it's your whole desperate-to-hide-the-past issue. Either way, it could have been rectified. And you chose not to."

"Oh sure, reprimand me for keeping the past hidden," I retaliated with a stern look. "Pot, meet kettle."

"What?"

I rolled my eyes. "It's a Muggle expression."

"What the hell is a kettle?"

"We're getting off-topic."

"Good, I don't want to get back on-topic. It's a stupid topic to be on."

"I've been living with Lily for seven months, Black," I pointed out with a shrug, ignoring his request. "And I think I've heard you all allude to Riley maybe a total of three-"

"How the hell do you know her name?" he grunted.

"Times," I continued, ignoring him, "So don't talk to me about keeping the past hidden because you've done a damned good job of it yourself."

"So what?" he snorted, rolling his eyes. "This isn't about me. This is about you feeling like I'd have a reason to keep you here. Well, you're outta luck. Go ahead and pack your things. I won't be stopping you."

Yep, definitely should have kept my mouth shut. He attempted to slam the door in my face, but I outstretched my hand and stopped it. "I think that of all people, you should realize that I'm not actively trying to keep my past hidden," I said softly, finding sudden interest in the chipped nail polish on my fingernails, "It's just easier that way. Easier pretending that…that everything is fine. That my past has nothing to do with the present. That my relationships now aren't affected by what's happened in my past. It's easier not wearing my heart on my sleeve and not getting too emotionally attached to anyone. Except there's just one problem. I did."

"Fabian?"

I hesitated. "Partly," I said softly. "But also to his friends. To Lily and Kay, to Remus and Peter and James, to Alice and Frank, to Lance and to Dezzy and Drew. Somewhere down the line, they became my friends too. And I guess for the first time in four years, I'd rather not leave everything behind I don't have to."

There. I said it. I don't want to walk out on the recent life I've created for myself.

"You don't have to do anything," Sirius snorted.

I knew he was right. "Maybe not," I said vulnerably. "But sometimes it feels like I do."

Bloody hell, why was I talking to Sirius about this? I blame the post-breakup blues.

He gazed at me with his usual casual gaze, his eyes filled with wonder and curiosity. "Why do you feel the need to run?"

I wish I had an answer for that that didn't make me sound like a total coward.

"Because honestly? I don't think it's running that you've become accustomed to doing. I think it's hiding."

My heart fluttered. This is where I'd normally throw in a defensive comment and storm off. For some reason, I stayed silent this time. Maybe because I recognized the understanding in his voice.

"Hiding from the past," he continued. "Hiding from the truth. Hiding from exactly what I had said on Saturday: your own damned feelings." He hesitated. "Maybe you're right. Maybe you did come to the right person. Because honestly? I might be the only one to not only tell you but understand what it means to stop hiding and just start living."

"Oh, sure, it's that easy, hm?" I snorted. Oops, spoke too soon. Defensive comment #1.

"Hell no it's not easy," he responded with a curt shrug. "But maybe you should stop trying to do everything that's easy and start just living your damned life. Because here's a useful tip, Rouge. Life isn't easy. Love isn't easy. Nothing is ever easy no matter how much you pretend it may be."

I hesitated before saying, "Love is easy. It's the falling out of love that isn't."

He stiffened, pursing his lips tightly. "What do you know about that? Considering you seem to run away every time a relationship ends, it seems to me that the falling out of love part should be easy for you."

Ouch. He kinda had a point. "Running away from love and falling out of love are two different concepts, Sirius," I said softly, a lump forming in my throat. An image of Tristan flashed through my mind.

"Hm, so now it's love you're running away from?"

"This time around? Nope, just you," I snickered. Defensive comment #2.

He shrugged. "And once again, I'm not stopping you."

I frowned.

"But," he muttered. "Seems to me it's not Fabian you're running from. It's yourself."

I met his gaze with a hesitant frown.

"But here's the part we often seem to forget," he sighed, shaking his head. "You can't run from your own thoughts. They're always going to be there. Even when we think shots of tequila are going to erase our thoughts, they don't. Even when we think sex or a relationship is going to mute our fears, they don't. Even when we busy ourselves in our work in order to not focus on our insecurities, it doesn't help. Even when we believe that running away will keep the past in the past, it doesn't. And I personally don't think anyone can really move on until they realize that."

His eyes were penetrating through mine. It was scary how well he seemed to know me. "Have you realized it?"

He opened his mouth and surprised me with an honest answer, "I'm trying to."

I couldn't help but crack a smile. "And yet you still seem to love tequila and sex."

I saw him trying to fight a smile. "Hence the word 'trying,'" he joked.

"You're not trying very hard, are you?" I pointed out with a chuckle.

He frowned, slowly shaking his head. "We're not talking about me."

"Sure we are," I urged with a shrug. "Because the truth is, Sirius, you and I? We're quite similar. Maybe a little too similar."

He rolled his eyes. "Don't go spreading that around."

I frowned, biting down on the bottom part of my lip awkwardly. This is where I should have turned around and walked away. "I know what it feels like to get hurt, Sirius," I said softly. "I know what it feels like to wonder if you'll ever be able to get over someone. I know what it feels like to lose love and -"

"Oh, don't pretend like you and I are the same," he jeered.

"We are," I said almost defensively. "You just don't know about my past."

"Yeah, and you don't know a damned thing about mine." His eyes were filled with frustration. That was probably when I should have shut up.

And yet I found myself admitting the one thing I have been so desperate to hide to the one person who might actually understand. "You might not believe me when I say this, but I've been in love before. That head-over-heels, can't-live-without-them love that feels like it only happens once in a lifetime to a person. A love I know you've felt based on the way you actively avoid talking about," I said softly, swallowing away the pain. "And I've lost that love, just like I know you have. I know what it feels like to…to have your whole world turned upside down and to literally hear your heart ripping to shreds. Tristan was-"

"No one I care to hear about," he sneered, giving me a stern look as he practically jumped off the sofa. "Whatever sad, pathetic break-up occurred between you and him has no bearing to what happened to me."

Anger boiled inside of me. Sad, pathetic break-up? "And how the hell do you know that? You won't even listen to me."

He glared at me. "I don't want to listen to you. I don't want to talk about this." He started walking towards the kitchen, as if that would end this conversation.

I frowned and for some reason decided it would be a good reason to push it. "There you are, once again, trying to run and hide from the past."

He snorted, opening up the refrigerator to grab a beer. "What was that whole pot and kettle expression?"

"You're right," I said, surprising even myself. "I do run. I do hide. Because it's like you said on Saturday. I'd rather avoid my own feelings than admit that I've been…" I stopped short, my heart beating out of my chest.

He shut the refrigerator door, glancing curiously at me. "That you've been what?"

I bit down on the inside of my lip hesitantly, my eyes never straying from his. "That I've been hurt in the past. And that it's been hard to get over. I know you can relate, Sirius. I can see it in your eyes."

He rolled his eyes and turned his back on me again, twisting off the beer cap and chucking it on to the counter. "This isn't going to be Sirius and Keegan bonding time. Find someone else to convince you to stay," he snorted.

"This isn't about me needing convincing anymore, Black," I pleaded. "I think you and I both know that we probably understand each other more than we would like to-" I didn't get to finish my sentence.

He whirled around so fast, I expected his head to fall off as he chucked a half-empty beer bottle across the room. I jumped as it crashed against the wall and lay broken on the wooden floor. "You don't know a damned thing about what I went through, Rouge!" he snarled.

Holy outburst.

"Just because you may have gotten some backwards information from Lily doesn't mean you can understand it!" he barked, glaring heatedly at me. "Did you fall in love with Tristan when you were only eleven?" He said Tristan's name as if it were some sort of disease and I wanted to strangle him then. "Did you sleep with Tristan just to break his heart a few days later by sleeping with someone else because you were too damned scared of the idea of love? Did you think that that was the end of you two? Did you lose all hope because of one goddamned silly mistake? Did you pine after Tristan for nearly seven years before she—er, he,finally gave you a chance that you probably didn't deserve but you wholeheartedly appreciated nonetheless? Did you try your damndest to show that you could be romantic so that he wouldn't be able to find any reason to leave? Did Tristan run off scared at the first sign of trouble in the relationship and did all you want was to make him realize that you were madly in love with him? Did you try to get over him but came to the realization that you absolutely couldn't live your life without him? Did you profess your undying love for Tristan on top of a table in the middle of the Great Hall, not caring about anything else except her? Him," he quickly corrected.

His voice was shaky now, but anger still showed on his face. I cowered slightly, feeling ashamed for even attempting to bond with Sirius Black as I recognized just how troubled he clearly was.

He fell silent briefly and for a moment, only a brief moment, there was overwhelming pain staring back at me. But as quickly as it passed through his eyes, it was gone and irate coolness reappeared. "Did it break your heart when you found out that Tristan might have to move to Australia for an entire year? Did you feel it was unfair? That you just got back together and now she was being ripped apart from you once again?"

He didn't even correct the wrong pronoun that time.

"But were you still finally able to convince yourself that Tristan deserved to follow his dreams? Were you the one who convinced Tristan needed to go to Australia? That it might be alright, that it was only a year apart and you two could get back to the way things were when he returned? Did you think that Tristan would never be able to say that he loved you? And was it the happiest day of your life when he finally did? When he finally conquered all of his fears and insecurities and let you into his heart completely?"

He lifted his gaze and met my surprised, guilty eyes. If he was a girl, this is the part where his eyes would well up with tears. Instead, complacent grief stared back at me.

"And did you finally get to a point where you knew you had to ask Tristan to stay? That maybe, just maybe, love would be enough to keep you two together? That telling her to go was a big mistake and you wanted to take it all back? But…but before you were given that goddamned chance, he left!?" He practically shouted that last part. "Did you fall asleep one night with Tristan right beside you and wake up thinking he'd still be there just to find out that he disappeared in the middle of the night!? That he just walked away? From me, from our friends? Without a bloody goodbye!? Did your heart break into a million irreparable pieces the moment you realized the love of your life was gone forever?"

I knew all too well what that last one felt like, but I didn't say anything. I could have, but I chose not to. I just knew that in that moment, Sirius didn't want a response. He needed to rant. I knew it wasn't necessarily me he was angry with. Maybe it was himself, maybe it was Riley, but either way, he probably had kept that all bottled in for four years and I was more than willing to let him vent if it helped any.

"You don't know what it feels like," Sirius sneered, shaking his head vehemently. "You don't know what it feels like to think you have five days left with someone just to have them disappear without so much as an explanation. You don't know what it feels like to wonder every damned day if there was something you could have done to stop her. To wonder if only you had heard her stirring and woken up while she packed before she left so you could have at least demanded some sort of reasoning. You don't know what it's like to wonder what it is you possibly could have done to deserve abandonment. To wonder…to wonder why. To have a million questions in your head and to never get even remotely close to the answers. You don't know what that feels like. You don't know me. So don't pretend that you do."

He met my gaze and neither of us spoke. I could feel his pain in every word he spoke and it was like a dagger to my own heart. I felt my own heart ache for him and for Riley while it ached for myself and Tristan at the same time. He wasn't alone in his suffering. He wasn't the only one who had ever dealt with overwhelming heartbreak. His heartbreak was obviously tough, I wasn't going to deny that. To not have any closure as to why the love of your life could up and walk away was something I wouldn't know much about. I always knew the reason to all of my break-ups. But that didn't make them any easier. And it especially didn't make me getting over Tristan in particular any easier. He was the start of my running away tradition. I thought it would be easier leaving everything behind that reminded me of him and start a new life. Truth is, I haven't spoken about Tristan since the day I left France. Until now.

"You're right, Sirius. You are. I don't know you very well, mostly because I've tried to make sure I didn't get to know you," I said softly. "But sometimes it feels like I do whether you or I would like to admit it."

He clenched his fists and strolled towards the door. "I am so outta here," he snapped.

I glanced over at him, confused. "This is your flat!"

He glared at me, his hand on the doorknob. "Yeah, well that's just how much I need to get the fuck away from you. I don't care for people who try to get involved in my personal matters that they know nothing about no matter how much they think they might."

I shook my head, sighing. "No," I said, giving him a look. "You don't want to be around me because you're afraid that maybe, just maybe, I do know exactly what you went through. And if that's the case, then you can no longer pretend as if everything is fine and dandy with the world when in fact, it isn't. And it never will be. Not until you get the answers to all those questions in your head. Answers you know you'll never get but you still desperately hang on to."

"Oh, go to hell, Rouge," Sirius barked, glaring at me. But there was shock in his eyes. Shock that proved perhaps I did know more about him than he would like. "After months of you pretty much hating my guts, you don't get to waltz into my flat and act like the high and almighty Queen Keegan who is so clearly picking on me because it's easier than admitting that once again a relationship of hers failed and she has absolutely no one to blame but herself!"

Ouch.

But damn, he unfortunately had a point.

"I'm not the one looking for answers. You are," he snapped. "Go ahead and pack your things. Leave and never come back. Run away and hide from the truth. See if I care."

Before I could respond, he was storming out and the door was slamming behind him.

I sighed. Well, that could have gone better.

He was absolutely right though. I had, for some bizarre reason, been hoping to get answers from him. Hoping to get some understanding of myself and my past by digging into his past. I wanted to pretend as if he and I were the same because I saw the same pain that rested in me in him. I saw grief and agony and pain. I saw disappointment and anger. I saw confusion and sorrow and desperation. All of these emotions and feelings that stemmed from uncontrollable heartbreak. All of these emotions and feelings that I was determined to ignore. That clearly he was determined to ignore. I had clearly hoped in the back of my subconscious that if I focused on him and his past I could still ignore my own.

But maybe the time had come for me to face reality. To face the fact that I was still hurting four years later. And maybe, just maybe, I'll never be able to get over Tristan. Because the one thing I desire most is just the chance to say goodbye to him.

But he was gone before I ever had that chance.

++JAMES++

My whole body went numb. I barely acknowledged my girlfriend, who looked as shocked as I felt. My eyes met Wyatt's, who merely stared at me in awe. He looked twenty years older than the last time I saw him. He looked weary and lost, broken even. As if a stampede of giants had trampled him a million times over.

"James," my brother finally said softly, a relieved smile spreading across his face. "You…you look good."

"You look like crap." The ruthless words were out of my mouth before I could process them.

"Er…I'll leave you two alone," Lily muttered, slowly backing away from the door.

Neither of us even glanced her way, refusing to tear our eyes away from each other. I've thought of this moment for over eight years. The moment where my long-lost brother would reappear. I had thought of a million things I would say to him, the accusations and the comments filled with anger and grief, but at that time I couldn't think of a single one. I was still trying to wrap my head around the fact that the brother I hadn't seen in eight years was standing on my doorstep. I should have had so many thoughts swirling in my head, but it was blank. I was too shocked to even think. Too speechless to speak. I could only stare at him, trying to soak up every detail of that single moment.

"What are you doing here?" I eventually asked for lack of anything better to say, my voice hoarse and shaky.

He took a deep breath in, sighing. "I…I-I just wanted to see you."

I smirked derisively, shaking my head in disbelief. "Seems to me you had eight years to pop your head in to say hi and you haven't chosen to do so. So the whole you just dropping by for a visit act isn't really going to cut it," I snapped, anger suddenly coursing through my veins. "Seriously, Wyatt, what the hell are you doing here?"

He turned away and I could have sworn I saw a glisten of tears in his eyes. He stared off into the distance, a pensive look of heartbreak evident on his face. I was about to ask my question again when he spoke up, his next words shocking and confusing me. "I just needed to make sure Dezzy and Drew were safe."

I froze. "You been reading the newspapers?"

He shook his head. "No, I just…" he trailed off, guilt reading on his face.

I gazed at him, noting how he kept looking behind his shoulder. As if someone was going to sneak up on him at any moment. "Just what?"

"Just tell me they're okay."

"Right after you tell me what the hell you've been up to for eight years!" I barked, rage bulging from my eyes.

Anguish flickered in his eyes. "I can't," he whispered.

I glared at him. "Right," I snorted, shaking my head in disbelief.

"Not because I don't want to," he added. "But…but because I'm trying to protect you."

Cynical laughter emanated from within me. "That might be the funniest thing I've ever heard. Were you trying to protect me when you disappeared eight years ago? Without so much as an explanation or a good-bye? Were you trying to protect me by not bothering to be there by my side when Brite was murdered? Or when our father walked out on this family? Or when JT was kidnapped and killed? Was your way of protecting us not caring!? Or not-"

"Wait," he hastily interrupted with a hoarse voice, shaking his head and holding his hand up frantically. "Brite and Jaron are…how…what…they're not…" he dithered, his bottom lip trembling in fear. His face was white, his expression frozen with shock.

I almost felt guilty. Almost. "You…you didn't know?"

"They're…they're…"

I turned away, suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of grief for my two brothers. "They're dead," I whispered.

I have never once seen Wyatt cry so that 'almost' disappeared from my guilt when tears welled up inside his eyes. I felt even more guilty when a tear slipped down his cheek.

"I…I've missed so much," he whispered hoarsely, discreetly wiping underneath his eye.

"Whose fault is that?" I snorted.

He met my gaze but didn't answer the rhetorical question. "How did they…"

"Voldemort."

His expression changed into shock and regret. His mouth dropped open slightly, his eyebrows knitting in anger. "That son-of-a-bitch," he growled. "And now he's after Drew and Dezzy."

"How did you hear he was after them?" I asked.

He hesitated, shaking his head slowly. "It's not important."

"Yes, it is important!" I cried out irritably. "You don't get to show up after eight years and hold back secrets, Wyatt! I deserve some bloody answers!"

"You're better off not knowing," he pleaded.

"Am I better off not knowing why you left? Am I better off not knowing why you didn't bother saying good-bye? Am I better off not knowing what you've been up to these past eight years? Am I better off not knowing why you came back?"

He turned away from my hard gaze and shrugged. "Yes, actually."

I clenched my fists, shaking my head in disbelief. Something was definitely suspicious. The panicked look in his eye confirmed that. I hesitated before asking, "And am I better off not knowing how it is you heard about Dezzy & Drew but you haven't heard about Brite or JT?"

"James, I-"

"Did you not have newspapers wherever the hell you've been for the last eight years?"

"Um, no," he murmured. "Not exactly."

"What does 'not exactly' mean?"

"It means you don't want to know," he pleaded.

I really wanted to punch the guy. So much. But I had a feeling if I did that, he'd be less inclined to tell me what was going on. "I am sick and tired of people putting me in the dark!" I barked, clenching my fists tightly. "I'm not a kid anymore! I'm twenty-one-years-old for Merlin's sake! I'm one of the best new Auror recruits in our Department, I'm working in the best goddamned Auror Department in the world, I'm a member of an elite organization designed to destroying Voldemort, I help train other Order members, and considering the fact that Voldemort's sole target now appears to be me, I plan on making his life a living hell if I have to. I know how to take care of myself. I don't need my older brother or my mother or my coworker or my Headmaster trying to protect me anymore. I can protect myself!"

When I gazed into his eyes, my own blazing with rage, I was surprised to see compassion staring back at me. He cocked his head to the side curiously. "What exactly has Dumbledore and Sydny been telling you?"

Well, that threw me for a loop. "What?"

"You mentioned that you knew Voldemort was after you. You also mentioned a Headmaster and a coworker," he said with a shrug. "I assumed you meant Sydny."

I was reminded of something Sydny had said to me the first time we met. She had worked with Wyatt. "How did you know that Sydny was my coworker?" I asked determinedly.

His lips pursed instinctively. "Look, I shouldn't have come here. I realize that me showing up is a bit of a shock," he muttered. "I was taking a big risk coming here and I see now that it was a mistake. So please, just pretend you never saw me. It's better for you if you do."

Before he could rush away, I grabbed his arm. "You're just going to leave without giving me any inclination as to what it is you've been up to for eight years? Eight goddamned years!?"

"James," he said softly, fear residing in his expression.

"No, don't James me," I sneered, shaking my head. "You don't get to disappear without an explanation or a good-bye or a goddamned letter or a visit for eight years and then suddenly show up here thinking you can get away with once again, not saying anything! Who do you think you are, Wyatt? Because you sure as hell aren't the brother I knew growing up."

"I know that," he said pleadingly. "I know I'm not the same guy anymore. But I've been through a lot, James. I've seen things and heard things that have made me grow up a lot faster than I ever intended."

"What things?" I begged.

He shook his head. "Please, James," he said. "Don't make me tell you."

I frowned, sensing utter discomfort in his words. And it just made me angrier. I was seriously on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Maybe it was just better if he left. "Fine," I said with a cold shrug, counting to ten in my head so as not to blow up at him. "But don't expect me to welcome you back with open arms."

He hesitated before saying, "I don't expect that. I never expected that. In all honesty, I dropped in to speak to Mom & Dad. For your sake and your safety, I didn't want to come back and see you. Or Dezzy or Grant or…" he trailed off.

"There's no one else," I responded shortly.

He met my gaze, and a twinge of regret coursed through my veins. I should have been glad to see Wyatt, seeing as the rest of my family is disappearing, but a part of me blamed him. He left first. He didn't deserve my forgiveness. He deserved to know what it felt like to feel abandoned.

"And I don't know what's worse," I continued, clenching my fists so tightly, my nails were digging into my palm. "The fact that you walked out on all of us without any sort of explanation, or the fact that you finally come back and you still refuse to give an explanation. As if we haven't wondered every single day of the past eight and a half years what made you feel as if you had to disappear. As if we haven't been so desperate to get the answers to all our questions about you. As if we didn't miss you," I said as an afterthought, shaking my head. "Well, we stopped missing you a long time ago. You shouldn't have come back, Wyatt. We're doing just fine without you."

He hesitated. "Says the guy who lost two brothers."

Ouch. "Three."

"What?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I lost three brothers," I sneered. "The moment you walked out on our family, you were dead to me."

Regret shone in his eyes once again. He swallowed hard, turning away from me. "Well, maybe that's a good thing," he said softly.

I didn't even bother asking how that could possibly be a good thing. I've learned not to expect anything from anyone, especially from the guy who chose to abandon us eight years earlier.

Neither of us spoke. I was still trying to figure out if I was angry or sad or frustrated or disappointed or confused. Or maybe I was just all of those rolled up into one. Maybe I was just feeling hurt.

"James, I don't know if I'm ever going to see you again," he said whimsically. "This…this has to be good-bye. For a while at least."

"Oh, so you do know how to say good-bye?" I snorted, rolling my eyes.

He frowned. "I'm sorry that I disappointed you, James," he whispered, slowly backing away. "Please just…stay safe."

All of those thoughts I had assumed I should be thinking came barreling at me at once. The whys and the hows and the wheres. The what-ifs and the what-could-have-beens and the what nows. I just didn't know where to start. "So, that's it?" I murmured, shaking my head in disbelief. "That's what you're going to leave me with?"

"It's all I can leave you with."

"Answer me one question."

He hesitated. "I can't promise anything."

"How did you know Sydny?" I asked.

He didn't respond, but I didn't expect him to.

I sighed, crossing my arms bitterly. "Good-bye, Wyatt."

He looked at me long and hard, his gaze never wavering. There was a sense of unsettled discomfort in the air that we both just let hang there. All of our questions were left unanswered, all of our speculation remained open, all of our desperation continued to show. "James, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"That's worth shite."

"I know," he said softly. He turned away from my gaze, his eyes drifting towards the open field far off in the distance that housed many Quidditch matches when we were younger. He got misty-eyed and I pretended not to notice. We stood there, neither of us speaking, as I watched him digest the familiar old surroundings. Eventually, he turned back to me. "Good-bye, James."

I've waited a long time for those words and somehow they just made me feel worse.

I didn't say anything. I had already said my good-bye. I don't know if he expected me to say anything, but a flicker of disappointment gleamed in his eyes as he turned his back on me to walk away. Maybe I should have called after him. Maybe I should have asked more questions. Maybe I should have demanded an explanation. Maybe I should have even hugged the guy or said that I had missed him.

Instead, I let him go.

I watched him apparate and continued to stand in the doorway, overwhelmed by emotion. A part of me, a small part of me, was relieved to know he was still alive even after all these years. But it was frustration that really consumed me. Frustration towards him. Frustration towards Sydny. Frustration towards Voldemort. But mostly, it was frustration towards myself.

My family was falling apart in front of my very eyes, so I should have been happy to see Wyatt. I should have welcomed him and embraced him and never let go of him. I should have been glad to know that he wasn't dead. But my frustration was blinding the small bit of gratitude I felt. It was hard being happy knowing that a) he had abandoned his family and chose not to reach out to us in nearly nine years and b) he didn't even want to see me now that he was back. Why was my life so full of drama? Why couldn't I, for once, go a day without some sort of bombshell landing in my lap?

"Hey."

I stiffened at the sound of Lily's voice behind me in the foyer. "How about those beers?" I muttered.

"Already a step ahead of you," she said, handing me one.

I chugged half of it, heading back into the living room.

"Want to talk about it?" she asked.

"No," I said immediately, shaking my head. I plopped on to the couch with a groan. "I just want to forget about it."

She frowned and I could see the wheels turning in her head. She was clearly trying to find a way to tell me I was being an idiot in a more subtle way. "Do you really?" she said hesitantly. "Or are you clouded by anger?"

"Of course I'm angry," I said, staring at my beer bottle with narrowed eyes. "But I think I'm allowed to be."

"I'm not saying it's not justified," she agreed with a shrug. "But look at the big picture, James. Your brother-"

"No longer means anything to me," I murmured.

She swallowed hard, turning away from my pleading gaze. "James, I don't think you realize that I know what you're going through. I know what it's like to be abandoned by a…a sibling and wonder every day for many years why they didn't bother to write or reach out to you. Even if it's just to say good-bye."

"Lily, please spare me the psychology lesson," I pleaded. I winced slightly. My anger was towards Wyatt, not Lily.

She sighed. "He's your brother, James."

"No, you see, that's where you're wrong," I grumbled. "He hasn't been my brother in eight and a half years. If he was really my brother, he would have been there to support us when Brite died. He would have been there for us when Dad left. He would have been by our side as we waited for news on JT's kidnapping. And he would have been at JT's funeral. He's no brother of mine. And he can't just waltz back into our lives and pretend as if he is!"

She placed her hand on my knees like she so often did to attempt to comfort me. "I don't think he expects anything from you all. He just wanted to see you."

I quickly turned away from her sympathetic expression. "No, actually, he…he didn't," I murmured, the words catching in my throat.

I could feel her scrutinizing gaze on me. "What?"

"He didn't want to see me. He came to talk to Mom and Dad before planning on disappearing again," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. I slowly shoved Lily's hands off my knees and stood up. "And fine. If that's what he wants, so be it. I say good riddance."

She cocked her head to the side. "Liar."

I fixed my stare on her. "Pardon?"

"You don't mean good riddance," she argued, pursing her lips hesitantly. "Yes, you're angry. But it seems to me you're upset, too. Upset that he came back and didn't want to see you. That hurts more than the fact that he's been gone these past eight and a half years."

I swallowed hard, staring at her in awe. Sometimes I hated that she knew me so well. "You don't know anything."

"Or maybe I know everything," she whispered, reaching for my hand and squeezing it tightly. "I know you're angry. I know you're upset. I know you're confused and I know you're hurt. But most of all, I know you're afraid."

"What? Afraid of what?"

The palm of her hand crept up to my hair, pushing it comfortingly back from my face. "It's what we're all inevitably afraid of," she said softly. "You're afraid of getting hurt."

"What?"

She offered her usual lopsided smile filled with sympathy. She clarified. "You're afraid of letting Wyatt back in because what happens if you do and he hurts you again. What happens if you lose him again."

"I've already lost him," I whispered.

Tears welled in her eyes and she leaned over and kissed me. A quick, light kiss. A kiss that was just meant for her to show me she loved me. "I know you've been through a lot with your family," she said, framing my face with her hands. "You've…you've lost a lot. But you haven't lost Wyatt. Not yet. He's alive. And you should be thankful of that."

"I am," I admitted in a small voice. "But that doesn't mean I can forgive him."

She sighed and I hoped she realized that she couldn't convince me otherwise. "Okay," she murmured, dropping her hands from my face and sitting back.

"Okay?"

She shrugged. "It's your brother. It's your family. It's your life. I wasn't there eight years ago so I don't really think I should be the one to try and persuade you to talk to him."

"Good," I said, somewhat unconvinced.

She hesitated. "But can I just say one last thing?"

Why was I not surprised? I sighed. "Yeah."

She slowly climbed off the couch, grabbing our now-empty beer bottles. "As much as you'd like to think differently, Wyatt is your brother. And as much as you'd like to think you've lost him, you haven't. Because he's still alive. You have an opportunity for a second chance with him. A second chance that you unfortunately don't get to have with Brite or Jaron." She set her gaze on me, hope in her eyes. "With everything that's happened to you, you need your family now more than ever. And whether you like it or not, that includes Wyatt."

As I stared at her, I had a strong desire to tell her what Dumbledore had told me in her hospital room. About Voldemort going after me and everyone around me. But I didn't. I didn't want to worry her any more than I had to.

Lily headed back into the kitchen while I sat digesting her words, confused and angry and upset. But most of all, afraid. Lily had been right. I was scared out of my mind. But not necessarily for the reasons Lily thought. Yes, I was afraid of letting Wyatt back in. But it wasn't because I was afraid he might disappear again. It was because I was afraid of watching him die. Voldemort has made it pretty damned clear he didn't care about anyone in my family and he would do anything to destroy us. He was out to get me. And he was out to get my family. And like Lily said, that included Wyatt. It was hard enough forgiving Wyatt. But how could I ever possibly forgive myself if I did let Wyatt back into my life and he ended up dead because of it? My life was a complete and total mess. And I had no desire to invite anyone else into it if I didn't have to.

But I did need answers. I just hoped I wouldn't regret the answers once given to me.

++REMUS++

I was finally glad to slip away from Potter Manor. I don't know how I got sucked into helping Lily put together her new dresser, but somehow I did. It was probably the pizza and beer. Everyone else had left long before I did, but I didn't mind sticking around. After what had happened with Lily and James over the weekend, a part of me realized that life was so short. And they were both not only so lucky to be alive but they were lucky that they had each other by their side. It just reminded me how much I had really lost the day Jillian walked away from me. It wasn't just love I lost, it was companionship and support. Something that I really missed. And it was easier busying myself with construction than admitting I was lonely.

I walked into my flat expecting Sirius to have some half-drunk, half-naked girl there. What I wasn't expecting was Keegan. "Keegan?"

She turned around, startled. "Oh, hey, Remus."

My eyebrow shot up. "'Oh hey?'" I repeated with a snort. "That's it?"

She gazed at me, confused. "What more is there?"

"How about an explanation as to why you're the one sitting on my living room couch drinking our beer?" I snickered.

She glanced down at the beer in her hand, looking slightly shocked. As if she couldn't remember getting a beer. "Well, I prefer to drink my beer, not throw it at the wall," she said, nodding towards the opposite side of the room where a broken bottle rest on the floor, surrounded by small pools of beer.

"Sirius?" I asked.

She nodded. "Yeah, we…er…we kinda got into a fight."

"No surprise there," I snorted, rolling my eyes.

"No, this was a big one," she sighed. She actually looked distraught. I was intrigued. "He stormed out. My guess is he's at Blarney's right now."

"He stormed out of his own flat?" I asked curiously. "What did you guys argue about?"

A flicker of regret sparkled in her eyes. "Nothing," she murmured, shrugging. "How was moving in Lily?"

I hesitated, but eventually shrugged. "Oh, it was thrilling," I joked, letting the subject change happen. "You missed out on some good times."

She chuckled as I headed into the kitchen for my own beer. I hesitated before saying, "Fabian stopped by for a bit."

Silence came from the living room. "Please tell me he wasn't trying to help move in furniture. He's still recovering from the attack."

I wanted to ask her how she would know that since she never bothered showing up at the hospital, but I held my tongue. "Nah, he just wanted to stop in and see how James and Lily were doing."

"Ah."

"I think a part of him thought you might be there."

Another round of silence. "I was busy cleaning up my flat after Lily took all of her stuff out."

"Or maybe you were trying to avoid Fabian." The words were out of my mouth before I could stop them.

She didn't respond, but I didn't expect her to.

"Want a beer?" I asked.

"No, still working on this one."

I opened the refrigerator to sift for a beer, wondering what was going on between Keegan and Fabian. It was evident that Keegan was hesitant about something, that had always been evident, but I had a feeling she wasn't willing to share what the hesitance was about. And I wondered if Fabian was going to be able to take it much anymore.

"Remus?" I heard her say a few minutes later.

"Hm?" I murmured, reaching for a beer.

"I-I just wanted to say how truly sorry I am how…how things turned out for you and Jillian."

Silence engulfed me. I was completely taken aback by the unexpected comment, not sure how to take it. Time passed but neither of us spoke. There wasn't much to say. Her words said it all.

Eventually, I slowly walked out towards the living room, my eyes singling her out. "What brought that up?"

She shrugged awkwardly. "I just…I've been thinking about it a lot."

My eyebrows shot up. "You've been thinking about me and Jillian a lot?" I snorted defensively.

"No," she corrected. "I've been thinking about…" She hesitated, sipping her beer. "About heartbreak."

"Hm," I murmured, plopping on to the lounge chair. "How depressing."

She forced out a smile. "Maybe."

I cocked my head to the side curiously. "What's going on, Keegan?"

She opened her mouth but said nothing. I saw hesitance in her eyes again.

I didn't question her further. Honestly, Keegan and I have never been that close and I didn't think it was my place to interrogate her about something that probably wasn't any of my business. While we had started out as really good friends, I've felt a bit of distance grow between us in the last few months. I have no idea what it was that caused the detachment, but I've never tried finding the answers. Like I said, it wasn't my place to interrogate her.

"Fabian and I broke up."

My mouth dropped open. "What? When?"

"Tonight."

"Oh," I said, cringing. "I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, me too," she murmured.

She sounded it, but she didn't look it. "You okay?" I asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "Worse now after talking to Black about it."

Did I just hear her correctly? She was talking to Sirius about her break-up? "Er…what?"

She sighed. "Yeah, I know, sounds strange."

Beyond strange.

"But…but it isn't that strange at all," she said in a soft voice. "Because I know he's been there. In the worst way possible."

"What are you babbling about?"

She gazed at me determinedly. "With Riley."

I hesitated, a bit surprised. "Oh, no," I muttered. "Please tell me it wasn't Riley you two fought about."

She winced, turning away from me. "Er…maybe?"

I groaned, shaking my head. No offense, but who did she think she was discussing Riley with Sirius? It wasn't her business and she had no idea what he had gone through. "That wasn't really your place, Keegan," I sighed.

She hesitated, a flicker of remorse in her eye. "Maybe not, but I know what it feels like," she murmured, meeting my gaze. "To lose the love of your life."

Ah, hence the mention of Jillian. "Fabian was the love of your life?"

I saw panic in her eyes. "No, I'm not talking about Fabian," she sighed, swallowing hard.

Confusion set in. "Then what are you talking about?"

"Nothing," she murmured, quickly shaking her head. "Forget I mentioned it. I-I really don't want to talk about it."

"And yet, you talked about it with Sirius?" I snorted. "A guy who you've butted heads with since day one."

She bit down on her bottom lip, staring down at the beer in her hand pensively. "Only because when I met him, I saw a lot of myself in him. A lot of myself I…I don't particularly like," she murmured. I was shocked by the comment. I never would have thought she'd admit she and Sirius Black had similar qualities. The rest of us have seen it, but I didn't realize she had, too. She hesitantly glanced up at me, meeting my curious gaze. She opened her mouth slowly and said cautiously, "Truth is, Remus, if I hadn't known you and Jillian as a couple, I would very much butt heads with you in the same way I butt heads with Black."

"What?"

She swallowed hard. "Because that look in your eye? The longing, wistful, vacant look in your eye? That's the same one I see in Black. It's the same one I see in…" she trailed off, but I had a feeling that sentence ended with 'myself.'

I was getting increasingly uncomfortable with the conversation. I have tried so desperately to shun my past and it was clear that Keegan was actually struggling to face hers. "So exactly what does that have to with you not getting along with Sirius? How is it a single look can make you dislike someone so much? What are you so afraid of?"

She stiffened. "I don't know," she admitted in a small voice. "But I'm trying to figure it out."

"By bringing up a part of Sirius, and my, past that we want to avoid thinking about?" I snorted, probably a little harsher than necessary.

She sighed. "Never mind," she murmured. "I can tell you want me to shut up, and I learned my lesson earlier with Sirius, so just forget I said anything about it."

I couldn't figure her out. It was as if there was a strong part of her that wanted to talk about heartbreak (what heartbreak she's been through, I have no idea), and then another part of her who simply wanted to forget it. I wasn't sure which part I wanted to deal with. So I said what was on my mind. "Look, Keegan, I have no idea what has happened to you in the past and what that has to do with Sirius' or my past. But I'd really like to keep…keep Jillian in my past if you don't mind."

"I really wish people would stop saying that it's all in the past," she sighed. "Because it's not."

I gazed at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"The people—er, the person that you are today has everything to do with the person you used to be, the person you unfortunately lost the moment that Jillian left."

I frowned, wondering exactly what Keegan possibly could have gone through. But I knew better than to ask outright. Heartbreak was a tricky subject to discuss. "You sound like you really do know what you're talking about," I muttered curiously.

She shrugged. "Yeah. Maybe."

"And maybe I did lose a bit of who I was when Jillian left," I said bravely. "But for three years, she was my life. She was everything. And then suddenly one day, she…she wasn't. It's not easy losing the person your world revolved around. It's even harder losing yourself."

"No, unfortunately the easy part is losing yourself," she said softly, her eyes migrating towards the broken beer bottle on the floor that evidently Sirius had thrown. "The hard part is finding your way back."

Her words were barely audible, but I heard them loud and clear. Her bottom lip trembled, her eyes were filled with a jumble of confusion and remorse, and the frown on her face showed true grief. All emotions I knew everything about. "Yeah," I said softly, not taking my eyes off of her. "I know."

She quickly turned to me, all of the confusion and remorse and grief stricken from her gaze. It was replaced with her usual stiff indifference. "I should get going," she muttered. I swore I saw guilt in her eyes, but she turned her back on me before I could read anything into it. "Thanks for the beer, Remus."

"Er…I didn't give it to you. You kinda stole it."

She chuckled lightly. "Right," she said. "Well, thanks anyway."

"You going to be okay?" I blurted out.

She hesitated, pulling out her wand from her back pocket to clean up Sirius' broken beer bottle. "Sure," she eventually said dismissively, heading towards the front door.

That 'sure' sounded an awful lot like a 'no,' but I didn't push it. She and Fabian just broke up. Of course she wasn't feeling okay. "I'll see you later?"

She froze, her hand on the doorknob. I stared at her curiously, wondering why the question seemed to make her uncomfortable. She turned around to face me and a look of guilt was displayed evidently on her face. "Sure."

Okay, that time that 'sure' definitely sounded like a 'no.' "Keegan," I said, stopping her before she could disappear.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry to hear about you and Fabian. But that doesn't change the fact that you're still our friend. Just because Fabian is, too, doesn't mean you're not anymore now that you two broke up."

She turned around, surprise etched on her face. She opened her mouth to comment but shut it quickly thereafter. A slow, hesitant smile appeared on her face. "Thank you, Remus," she said before disappearing into the hallway.

Keegan was a very difficult person to read, but it was clear there was a lot she was hiding. Not only from us but from herself. Like myself, like Sirius, I could tell she often felt lost and alone. I just hope that some day she would find her way back to the person she used to be. Just like I hoped one day Sirius would find his way back.

I sighed. Just like I hoped one day I would, too.

++KEEGAN++

What the hell was the matter with me? First, I attempt to have a conversation with Sirius that never should have been brought up. I then tried to do the same with Remus. Two people who I have actively distanced myself from over the last few months and I chose the worst topic in history to try and relate to them with? Seriously, what the hell was the matter with me?

It was as if I was trying to find reasons and excuses to stay instead of trying to convince myself of reasons and excuses to leave like I had in the past.

To put it bluntly, I was scared. I was scared of staying. But I was even more scared of running. How much longer could I try to go on like this? I couldn't run and hide from myself forever. Maybe this was my opportunity to try to implicate a new tradition. A tradition of not packing up my things when things start to go wrong.

But as I wandered back into my apartment, I knew that I would focus on the traditions I was used to. I couldn't stay.

I guess I was going to give Sirius his wish. I was going to pack my things. I was going to leave and never come back. I was going to run away and hide from the truth.

It's all I've ever really been good at.

++REMUS++

I was still in the living room when Sirius ventured back into our apartment, smelling like alcohol.

"Hey," I greeted.

Sirius merely grunted, plopping down on to the armchair to my left with a sigh.

"So, I heard Keegan stopped by earlier."

Sirius met my gaze. "We are so not discussing her, Moony," he snapped.

I shrugged. "You alright?"

His eyes narrowed. "She told you what we argued about, didn't she."

"No, not really."

He glared at me. "But the gist?"

I hesitated. "Maybe a little."

"What right does she have dredging up my past?" he scowled, his brow furrowing irritably. "She knows nothing about it. She doesn't get to try to make herself feel better about her own break-up by focusing on mine."

I frowned broodingly. "I don't know if she was trying to make herself feel better about her break-up with Fabian," I pointed out.

Sirius shook his head, slowly climbing off the chair and heading into his own room. "No, she definitely wasn't talking about her break-up with Fabian."

He shut his door behind him, leaving me there quite confused.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean!?" I cried out.

All I got in return was silence.

A/N: Yeah, like I said, not my favorite chapter. A tad boring and definitely a filler - I'm just trying to build Keegan's character more and ease you into the Wyatt storyling. But I'll try to update sooner rather than later so you have something to really look forward to! Be patient with Keegan. And there's more of Wyatt to come. And more of James and Lily of course! Stay tuned.