Author Note: This story was written for an gift exchange on tumblr. It was written for Christmas. I'm finally getting a chance to post it here.
It was Christmas Eve, the best kind of Christmas Eve with snow falling gently all around. James and Lily Potter had just finish decorating for Christmas; they were ready for their friends—Sirius, Remus, and Peter—to come tomorrow. They were sitting by the roaring fire with delicious hot coco. "Lily makes the best hot coco" thought James with a smile. He never had it until Lily made it for him and the other marauders. It was brilliant. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.
"Who could that be?" asked Lily as James got up to answer the door. Lily followed. Nobody was expected tonight. James opened the door revealing Mad-eye Moody.
"Moody, what are you doing here?" asked James confused.
"Potter, the mission that Black was on has gone wrong. He was badly injured and is unconscious. At the moment he is at St. Mungo's. "Moody said gruffly. "Both of you need to come with me there, now. "
"The mission went wrong! Sirius was injured! BADLY! He's at St. Mungo's! Merlin! He could die!" James thought as the three of them apparate to St. Mungo's.
St. Mungo's was crazy. There were injured wizards everywhere. Forturally, they didn't have to wait in the queue; Moody already knew where Sirius was taken. As Moody led the Potters to Sirius' room, he explained what had happen. Sirius was attacked while on his mission for the order. His cousin, Bellatrix, was part of the group who attacked him. She was out for vengeance for Sirius' betrayal of the family traditions. When other Order members arrived, Bellatrix had Sirius under the Cruciatus Cruse. Bellatrix apparate away before she could be capture but before she escaped Sirius was unconscious for long expose to the curse. Throughout the story, the panic inside of James increased; the fear of Sirius dying increased; James didn't think he could survive if Sirius died. Finally they made it to Sirius' room.
"I'll leave you two here. " Moody said as he turned to leave.
Lily said farewell to Moody as James continued to panic about Sirius. When they entered the room, the healer came towards them. The healer was a small witch with golden hair.
"Hello, what can I help you with?" she asked kindly.
"Where's Sirius Black? Is he here? Is he alright? Please, tell me he's not dead. Where is…."
"James, calm down!" Lily said sharply. "Give her a chance to answer. I'm sorry, er"
"Healer Jerkins"
"Healer Jerkins, my husband is just really worried about Sirius. Can you possible tell us where he is and he's doing?"
"Are you Mr. Black's family?"
"YES!" James practically yelled.
"JAMES"
"Calm down, sir. Mr. Black is in the last bed. His condition is not…" but James didn't stay to hear the rest.
Once James made it the bed, he looked at Sirius. "Oh, Merlin!" James gasped. Sirius looked horrible; his skin paler than usually and traces of blood on his clothes and hair. James collapsed by his bed. He was in shocked. Sirius looked like he was dead. "But that can't be right; Sirius can't be dead. This has to be a joke or a prank or something. Except it's not funny. Sirius just can't be dead." James felt like crying. He didn't want to lose his best friend, brother really. "Dammit, Sirius you can't be dead. You need to wake up. You reckless idiot! Why do you have to take on your cousin huh? NO! You have to fight her, didn't you? Dammit, Black! You can't die! You can't! I need you! I need you." A small touch brought James out of his thoughts. James looked at Lily with tear-full eyes.
"I'm so sorry, James. The healer said that Sirius' in a coma. He might not wake up. I'm sorry" Lily said gently, pulling James into a hug.
"I can't lose him Lily. I can't. He's my best friend, my brother. Lily, he has to wake up. He has to. What am I supposed to do without him? How could I let this happen? I promised that I would always protect him for his stupid family! I broke that promise. His fucking cousin did this to him. HIS OWN COUSIN! And he could die. LILY SIRIUS COULD DIE! HE COULD DIE. HE CAN'T DIE. HE NEED TO FUCKING WAKE UP NOW! I can't leave without him. I can't. I need him, Lily. I need him." James cried. Lily pulled him closer, trying to comfort James, knowing how important Sirius was to James.
After some time, James calmed down enough so that he could talk without scream or crying. "Now what?" James asked in a small voice so unlike his regular way of speaking.
"We could leave if you want. " James gave Lily a look like she was insane. "I didn't think so. James, do you alone with Sirius?" James just nodded, staring sadly at Sirius lying in the bed unmoving. "James, remember that he could wake up and that it's not completely hopeless. And please come home at some point" Lily squeezed James shoulder as she left.
James continued sitting there for a long time after Lily left; just staring at Sirius, wishing he would wake up or that this was a horrible dream. He began to ramble, "Come on, Sirius! I know you're not dying. Please don't be dead. Please wakeup. I need you. Did you know that Lily was pregnant? We were going to tell you guys tomorrow at Christmas dinner. Can you believe it? Me and Lily Evans are going to have a kid. It's amazing, isn't it? You need to wake up so you can be the kid's godfather. You're going to be the kid's godfather no matter what you say. You're my best friend. We're practically family. And you can't just die now. We have been through so much. You were my first friend at Hogwarts. You became my brother. You were my best man. You'll be godfather to Lily and my kids. Just wake up, Padoot, please. I love you. You're my brother. You were there for me when Mum and Dad died. You were always there for me. I sure of been there. I sure of prevented this from happen. Sirius, come on! Wake up! Please!" James fell silence as he continued to stare at Sirius still form, begging him to wake up.
James woke with a start the next morning. Sirius' condition still hadn't change. He was still in a coma.
"Merry Christmas, James." Lily greeted. She had returned. And had brought with her Remus and Peter. They were worried as well. James barely moved as the others come to sit down by Sirius. "How can it be Christmas? How can we celebrate it without Sirius?" James thought.
"Merry Christmas, Prongs" Peter said. James just glared at him.
"There is no need to get angry at him, James," Remus said.
"I'm not! But how can you celebrate CHRISMAS when our best friend is dying." James said angrily.
"James" Lily placing a comforting hand on James, "Sirius would want to mess up Christmas. You know that; he still would have wanted you to celebrate it."
"We brought the presents" Peter added. "If you want we can open them here."
"So it's like Sirius is still part of the celebration" Remus said.
James agreed, eventually, to that plan. Soon they were open each other presents. It did relieve some of the tension that James had been feeling but he was still worried about Sirius. He could completely relax. Sirius still hadn't woken. After they finished opening the presents, Healer Jekins came by to check on Sirius, sending them all away. James was going to argue with this but Lily had dragged him away before he had the chance to say anything. James was fuming as they waked to the tea room.
"We can go back later, James. You have been there all night." Lily said. James just glared at Lily without saying anything.
Once they arrived at the tea room, they sat down at a table. The other three tried to get James to join in on the conversation but to no avail. James was loss in thought. He was still completely worried about Sirius. It felt strange that Sirius was not here. He missed Sirius. After about an hour, the group left the tea room and headed back to Sirius' room. Back at the room, Healer Jerkins informed them that there at been little change. Lily thanked her as she left. James took up his sit by Sirius' bed grapping onto Sirius hand. "Come on, Padfoot! Wake up! It's Christmas. Don't you want to open up your presents?"
The rest sat quietly by the bed. "You mangled mutt! Wake up. We miss you. We need you, Sirius. So just wake up." James fell silence again. Everyone sat there in the silence, comforting each other the best that they could. After several hours, Peter and Remus left saying good-bye.
"Let us know if there has been any change" said Remus as he left.
There were only the Potters left now. Lily continued to comfort her husband as best as she could. James, continuing to grasp Sirius' hand, "Come on, Padfoot! Wake up for me. You're my best friend. We know everything about each other. We finish each other's sentences. We know each other's thoughts. So just wake up now! Please!" James got up and started pacing by the bed. "We have gone through both bad times and good times together. You're my brother. I can't lose you. You need to wake up so you can see my kids and be their crazy godfather. You need to teach them all about pranks with me. Help them get in trouble. You need to survive this so we can win the war. So we can live without worrying about being killed. We can grow old together. Just wake up Sirius! I'll do anything if you just wake up. Don't leave me, mate. I love you." James collapsed by Lily. "I love you. You're my family. My brother. I love you, Sirius, I love you." James started to cry. Lily pulled him close, trying to smooth him.
"Shh, Shh, I'm here James. I love you too. Sirius would wake up. I'm here, James, I'm here." They sat in their embrace, comforting each other.
"Prongs, why are you crying? Where I am?" James jumped from Lily's embrace and started at Sirius in shock. Sirius was awake.
"Prongs, why are you stare at me like that? What's going on?"
"You were in coma for a day, now. We thought you would die." Lily stated, shocked as well at Sirius' recover.
"What? Wait, it's Christmas? Like today is Christmas." Sirius asked confused.
"Yes" Lily said.
"What about…" Sirius question was cut off by James jumping him.
"You're not died! You woke up!" James grinned.
"Well, yeah, Prongs. I'm pretty sure I'm not dead." Sirius said.
James smacked him in the back of the head. "I know that. Never do that again. Don't do this ever again." James scolded Sirius.
"Aye, Aye, Captain." Sirius mocked James. James glared. Sirius smirked. "I won't James."
"Mr. Black, you're awake." Healer Jerkins said. "That is good. It's amazing. I'm glad you're awake. We need to make sure that everything is ok with you before you can go." Healer Jerkins turned to the Potters. "I think it's best if you leave now. You're friend needs rest but he should be able to come home soon."
Lily thanked the healer for her help. "Take care, Padfoot." She said. "Come home soon."
Lily waited by the door, giving James a change to say his goodbye.
James pulled Sirius into a hug. "Come home soon, Padfoot. I'm so glad you're alive."
"Me too, James, me too. I see you soon, right. And can we celebrate Christmas again."
"Of course, Sirius. We'll have Christmas dinner when you are released and open all your presents with you. "
"You better" Sirius threated playfully.
"Bye. See you soon." James grinned.
"See ya'" Sirius said.
As James and Lily made their way home, James thought that everything would be ok. Sirius was alright. He was awake now and everything was alright again. "This was a better Christmas than expected." James thought as them arrived at home. He was exhausted.
"Come on, James. Let's get some rest" Lily led James up the stairs to their bed. James fell asleep grateful that Sirius was no longer in danger of dying. He had his best friend back and they can win the war. James was happy and full of hope that night.