May 24th

I'm going to die. There's nothing anyone can do. Not from lack of trying though. It's because of the transformations; my body is breaking down faster. Sirius knows… I told him this afternoon. Well, he knew before I was going to die early, but now he knows it's sooner than he thought. He started crying. I knew he would though. I would, if my lover, my best friend, the man I love, was dying. I can't imagine if Sirius was the one dying. I am so scared. I don't want to die now. I'm 48 years old. I should have my life ahead of me. But I'm fucking DYING!

Remus stood, throwing his quill across the room. "Yeah, like writing in a journal will help any." He said as he sat by the window. He looked up into the sky, seeing no moon. He began to cry.

Sirius awoke to the sounds of Remus crying. He sat up in the bed they'd shared since Sirius's acquittal. "Moony what's wrong?" He stood up, moving to the window where Remus sat.

"I don't want to die. I want to see Harry married. I want to hold his children. I want to grow old with you. I don't want to die," Remus sobbed.

"Remus, when you told us all that you were a werewolf, we did as much research as we possibly could, James, Peter, and I. We knew you were going to die young and we made a promise to each other. We promised that we would all be there with you. We said we would all run one last time." Sirius paused, wiping away his tears. "We promised that we would go out and get smashed one last time. We said whatever we were doing, families or no, if we were still alive we would be there for you."

Remus broke down into hysterics.

Sirius looked at him, "I love you Remus, you know that, don't you?"

"I know," Remus managed. "I don't think I'll be able to run with you one last time Sirius."

Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus, "Moony, I don't care if you can run with me again or not. I love you." He stopped when Remus grimaced. "Are you all right?"

"It just hurts Siri, like I'm on fire almost." Remus still had tear falling down his cheeks. "I did tell you how long the doctors think I have right?"

"Doctors don't know shit! You'll die when you die Remus. If it's this moon or next or even the one after, it doesn't matter."

Remus laid his head on Sirius's chest, listening to his heartbeat. "Let's go back to bed Siri, I'm so tired."

The next morning Remus wanted to sort through everything. They went through the entire house in three days, starting in the basement, ending in the attic. Remus had James and Lily's school things he was planning on giving to Harry for his 18th birthday. They found a bottle of champagne from their wedding. Remus donated a collection of books to the Hogwarts library.

Finally they cleaned out the woodshed. This was where Remus kept everything that was salvaged from Godrics Hollow besides the books. There were several photo albums, some of Lily's knickknacks, but most importantly, The Photo Album.

The Photo Album is an album Lily created in their seventh year. It had pictures of everything from James and Sirius playing Quidditch, to Remus in the library, to Sirius and Remus cuddled in a chair by the fire. Lily spent days working on this album. It was time they went through it again.

An hour into their trip down memory lane, Harry showed up. So they started over, telling him all the stories. They were up until well past midnight.

Sirius and Remus spent the next two weeks before the full moon doing everything they could together. All too soon, or finally, the night before the moon came. Sirius knew it was to be his last night with Remus, so he planned a surprise for him. He got his motorbike out of storage to take Remus for a fly. The rode above the clouds of course, not only so muggles couldn't see them, but so they could have a starlit ride. They were going back to Hogwarts for a picnic by the lake. Sirius made plans with Albus for them to stay there, so they could run the forest one last time, if Remus was able. Albus allowed Remus to transform on the lawn since school was out for the summer. Moony tried his best to run with Padfoot. He was too weak; he barely made it to their clearing. Padfoot merely lay with Moony until the moon went down. Once the moon went down Sirius carried Remus into the Shack, like he had asked. Laying him on the bed, Sirius held his hand. Remus looked into his eyes whispered, "I love you Paddy, I love you. Will you do something for me?"

"Anything Moony, you know that." Sirius said.

"Torch this damn place, build a garden for the kids, and torch it alone Siri. I don't want anyone but you there."

"I will, now lie back. You are so beautiful." Remus tried to interrupt him, but Sirius cut him off. "I want you to just listen to me Remus. Don't even try to speak. I have always loved your hair you know that? Even before I was your boyfriend I wanted to run my fingers through it. It's beautiful." Sirius paused to run his fingers through Remus's hair. "I love you," he said as he lay down next to him, wrapping him in his arms. An hour later Remus whispered, "I'll see you there." As he took his last breath.

Since Remus's last wish was that the Shack in Hogsmeade be torched, that no one but Sirius be there, and that a garden the students of Hogwarts will take care of be constructed, Sirius did just that. As Sirius watched the flames he saw two people, two young men, standing off to the side. Walking over to tell them to get lost he recognized them. Running now, he reached them. "James, Remus. But I thought…." He was cut off by Remus, "Siri my love, it's time for us to go. James is here to help me across. I want you to know I'll always love you."

"I know Moony, I love you too. I will cherish every memory I have of you, and of us. You look so young Remus."

Remus laughed, "Everyone looks like this in heaven Siri, you will too someday."

James cut in, "I hate to do this to you both, but it's time to leave Remus. Sirius, can you tell Harry something?"

"Of course I can. What is it?"

"Tell him I'm proud of him, I've been watching him, and I'm proud of him." James started to tear up.

"I'll tell him, I love you Remus."

Remus started crying, "I love you too, I always will." They hugged, then kissed. Remus broke away, "I have to go now Sirius, don't cry anymore. I'm free now. I don't have to be afraid of the moon anymore." Remus wiped away Sirius's tears. "I'll see you in a little while, I'm yours forever, 'I Remus Lupin, take you, Sirius Black, to be my Husband. To have and to hold, from now, to eternity, to beyond' Remember?"

"I remember, 'I Sirius Black take you, Remus Lupin, to be my beloved Husband. To have and to hold, from now, to eternity, to beyond.' I'll see you there."

"I'll see you there." Remus responded.

Sirius watched them as they walked to the edge of the forest. The three of them turned once they reached the edge.

"MARAUDERS FOREVER!" James and Remus yelled punching their fists into the air.

"MARAUDERS FOREVER!" Sirius echoed, doing the same.

He watched as Remus waved and blew him a kiss before they vanished. Sirius watched the spot they were at for several minutes, before turning back to watching the flames. As the last of the flames died down, he heard a wolf howl. Falling to his knees, he wept. He cried out the name if his love, wishing it wasn't over yet. 'Sirius, don't cry anymore. I'm free now.' He stood as he recalled Remus's words. 'I'll see you there' he thought as he walked back to Hogwarts.