We Made It

"Don't hurt anymore. I love you."

It was true.

Sirius Black, the "bad boy" of their group, missed those who were gone the most of all. The only one who would have compared was James with Lily......but they didn't know how Sirius blamed himself for Marlene's death.

Flashback (about a year and a half ago)

"You'll be coming over for supper right? I want you to get to know mum and dad more." Marlene smiled. Sirius grinned.

"Course I am!! Wouldn't miss it, Marley!" He winked. She rolled her eyes.

"Don't call me Marley.....Siri." She said, with a sly grin.

"Oi! If you can call me-" She cut him off with a kiss that threw him over the moon. They broke apart slowly, taking in each other's faces.

"See you tonight." She waved as she began to walk away.

"Marlene!" He yelled, jogging to catch up with her.

"Yeah?"

"I love you."
*****************

Sirius was grooming himself, getting ready to meet with Marlene and her family.

Wear something nice. She'd told him when they were together.

Nothing in the world could describe how he felt at that moment. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, his head felt light, and the smile that he'd worn when she'd kissed him was etched upon his face. He glanced at the clock.

6:27

Damn! He jumped, he was supposed to be there at 6:30! Running his fingers through his long dark hair, he checked himself over in the mirror, grabbed his coat and ran out the door. A beautiful orange and yellow sunset greeted him at the horizon line. Smiling yet again, he walked to the corner and disapperated on the spot.

He materialized on her street in seconds and stretched, he'd always hated the feeling of apperation. Strolling down the street, there was an eerie silence that followed. A child's play set sat empty, swings creaking as they swung in the light summer breeze. The smile began to waver on Sirius' face. He rounded the street corner and made his way to Marlene's front door.......which was cracked open. Sirius cocked his head to the side like a curious dog as he drew his wand and entered.

"Marlene? Mr. McKinnon? It's me, Sirius!" He called, silently praying for an answer.

Nothing.

Dead air.

Sirius began to silently panic as he made his way down the darkened, carpeted hall to the sitting room. He turned the corner and saw them, Mr. and Mrs. McKinnon lying on the floor. Sirius' wand hand shook ever so slight as he made his way to them. Kneeling next to them, he took a pulse.....

"Oh my Go......" He began as his breath caught in his throat. He conjured his Patronus and sent a message straight to James and the order, alerting them of an attack on the McKinnons.

A guttural groan escaped from around the hallway. Sirius' head whipped up as he sped out of the living room and made his way into the second hall.

Marlene was trying to prop herself up against the wall. The hallway was smeared with blood as well as the body of a death eater cloaked in black. Marlene's eyes were misty but fearful as she saw him enter.

"D-don't c-come any c-closer." She warned with a grimace on her face. She was a mess. Her usually soft brown hair was matted with her own blood. A bleeding wound was pouring profusely above her eyebrow. The eye below that was swollen shut and steadily turning a purple black. Sirius dropped to his knees and crawled to her.

"M-Marlene?" He croaked, the words barely escaping his dry mouth.

"Sirius?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, yeah. It's me....can you move?" As he asked, she tried to edge toward him but cried out in pain and anguish. "Hey, it's ok. Lie down. Everything's going to be alright." She did as he told, letting him lie her on the bloodstained carpet.

"Mum and dad?" She asked softly as he began to examine her. His nonresponse gave her all the answer she needed. She began to cry silently on the floor as Sirius tried to steady his shaking hands.

"What hurts, Mar?"

"Everything."

Sirius cringed at her defeated tone.

"M-my stomach, Sirius. They g-got me pretty good t-there."

Sirius softly lifted the hem of her shirt to reveal a long jagged cut that was deep. Sirius felt a sob rise in his throat and a knot in his stomach but he held back, knowing Marlene needed him.

"Sirius...." She whispered, raising a ghostly white hand to his face and placing it on his cheek. "It's over for me, Sirius. Don't be sad." But tears had already begun to cling thickly to his cheeks.

"N-no. It can't be....I won't let it! I should have been here on time....I could have stopped this!" He cried, his voice breaking along with his heart.

Her attempted laugh turned into a hacking cough. "Y-you know, you're cute when you're distressed." Sirius tried to smile and roll his eyes but more sobs merely rolled out.

"Hey." She whispered as her eyes seemed to begin to haze more. "I never told you this enough b-but I l-love you, Black."

Sirius placed his forehead against hers, tears steadily rolling down his face onto hers.

"I love you too, Marlene. I love you so much." He whispered croakily back. The ghostly fade of a smile crossed her face as her breathing became more ragged. She began in a hacking cough once again. Sirius placed his lips to her ear.

"It's ok, Marley. I'm right here. I'll always be here. You can go. Don't hurt anymore. I love you." As if on cue, Marlene's breathing slowed significantly. She placed a shaking hand on Sirius' cheek and drew her last breath.

****

James and the Order had arrived mere minutes later to the McKinnon residence. They entered the house to find Sirius placing a sheet over Mr. and Mrs. McKinnon's bodies in the living room.

"Sirius...." James breathed, "where's Marlene...." His sentence drew out as he looked on Sirius face. He looked gaunt and empty. The look could only be compared with one who'd experienced the Dementor's kiss.

"T-the hall." He said in a low and scratchy voice, evidence from screams. "She's g-gone, James.....all of them....gone. If I had just been on time..." His voice broke as he fell to his knees in the middle of the room. Yet, as James had run to Sirius, Lily had exploded behind him and had run to the hall where she instantly broke down in sobs.

"Here!" She'd cried recklessly. "She's I-in here! Oh God, Marlene...."

The last thing Sirius remembered was the sound of his own sobs and screams as James grabbed Sirius into a desperate and shaky hug.....

****

Almost instantly, Sirius was back in the room with James' hand on his shoulder, looking down at the picture of him and Marlene. Sirius then turned to James and embraced him in a sorrowful and broken hug that conveyed every feeling that coursed through his shaking and sobbing being.