he clutched Florence's letter in his hands, laying in a curled up ball on the couch as Remus rubbed circles into his back.

"They're both idiots!" James shouted, his voice cracking as he paced in front of everyone. "We could have helped them... they would both still be alive if they just would have told us!"

"I didn't even get to say goodbye to Flo." Peter said, his voice barely loud enough for anyone to hear.

"Why was this a secret? Why wouldn't they come to us for help?" Marlene asked, wiping away the tears that kept spilling from her eyes.

"She says in her letter that she and Regulus were already risking their lives, and they wanted us to live to see a world without You Know Who." Remus explained for the millionth time, the pain somehow getting worse and worse each time he repeats it.

"And now look - they failed. And now they are both dead." James stated, as he pulled at his untidy hair.

Sirius continued to sob, the pain growing more and more in his chest. He desperately wanted to place just one more kiss on Flo's cheek, which always guaranteed a loud laugh, and to hug Regulus one last time.

Sirius couldn't remember the last time he had hugged his brother. And all this time... all this time Regulus had been trying to find a way out. Trying to be good.

And to top it all off... they were in love. Florence and Regulus died thinking the other would live to tell their story. They died in hopes the other would survive. They died out of love.

The pain was too much to bear.

_____

Flo had left Regulus' apartment information at the very top of the letter.

Once the initial shock of Flo and Regulus' deaths began to fade, James had finally convinced Sirius to visit Regulus' apartment and see if there was anything that needed to be moved out. Although it was initially going to be a two man job, Peter had convinced the boys to let him go just in case Flo had left anything behind as well. At that point, Remus also decided to tag along.

The four boys apparated right outside Reg's apartment, before apparating inside.

"The lights are still on." Peter said quietly.

"Leave it to Florence Crown to forget to turn the light off." Sirius laughed lightly - laughed for the first time since Florence and Regulus had died. James smiled and patted him on the back.

The four Marauders went from room to room, clearing out whatever Regulus and Florence owned; just the small things to remember them by, like Regulus' favorite shirt and his necklace with his initials on it.

Peter got choked up when he sees his battered copy of The Great Gatsby placed on what seemed to be Flo's small table beside Regulus' bed, the bookmark stuck 3/4's of the way through. A smile tugged at his lips. Flo left not knowing Gatsby, whom she expressed to Peter was one of her favorite book characters so far, dies in the end. Perhaps she pictured a happy ending for him.

"Dont get me wrong - sure, Gatsby and Daisy. But picture this - Gatsby and Nick! Merlin, now those two are soul mates!" Florence had exclaimed to Peter the day before she died.

Peter picked up the book, careful to leave the bookmark in, and placed it in his small bag.

"Is that it?" Remus questioned, looking towards the other three boys.

There wasn't much. The furniture stays. Regulus only had brought so much... and only a few of Flo's belongings had ended up here.

A tear fell down Sirius' cheek. He was never any good at goodbye's.

The four Marauders made their way out of the apartment. Just as Peter was about to shut the door, he turned off the light. From far away, he could almost hear Florence laugh and thank him.