Hi. I've not been on here in a really long time as an author. Mostly I've been helping other friends with their stuff and writing my own private stories. (I'm in the middle of a Robin Hood book that I want to finish writing). But this was a present for my friend for her birthday since I got her sucked into the Marauder era. I am kinda proud of it. I hope you all enjoy.

James sighed and ran his hand through his hair as he pushed open the door to his bedroom. His and Lily's bedroom. Their sanctuary. He promptly plopped down on the bed with a groan after an exhausting argument with his best friend over why there was no more spotted dick ("-because you're the only person here that likes dick, Pads!" "Hey! I like sponge pudding! There's a difference!").

Then he heard a strange sound. A small sniffle, it seemed. James perked his head up, trying to discern the location of the sniffle. Again. His head snapped toward the bathroom. There was a sliver of light spilling out from underneath the door. He cautiously pushed himself up and moved toward the door.

"Lily?" he called nervously, hand on the door handle, "Is that you? Are you alright?"

He heard a small squeak of surprise and a series of shuffles and sniffles. He turned the handle. Locked.

"Lily?" he cried, his voice raising in pitch with his anxiety, "Love, what's wrong?"

"N-nothing, James. I'm fine. Fine! I'll be out in a minute!" she called back, her voice obviously thick with tears.

James pulled out his wand, muttered alohomora, and shoved the door open to find Lily on her knees in the floor trying to gather up used tissues and garbage surrounding her. He immediately fell to his knees to help her, pulling over the bin. Once it was all cleared away, he snatched up her hand and forced her to look at him.

"Darling… tell me what's wrong," he pleaded, staring earnestly into her eyes, shifting their weight and pulling her into his lap.

She shook her head and gave into sobs as she buried her head in his chest. They sat there for what could have been hours or seconds with him just holding her and rubbing her back as she cried and cried. He stroked her back and her hair just shushing her and whispering sweet nothings in her ear. At long last, when it seemed that she might finally be calming down, he spoke.

"Now there," he began, forcing her face away to look at her, rubbing away her tears "Tell me what this is all about."

She hiccupped squeezed her eyes shut. "Oh, James," she flung her arms around his neck, "It's so terrible! I don't know what to do!"

"Shhh, love. The first thing you should do is tell me what's happened."

She just shook her head into the crook of his neck. He sighed, looking around the room for a way to get her to let him in. Dismayed, he lowered his gaze. Then he saw it. At first, he wasn't sure exactly what "it" was. He pushed his glasses up his nose and he saw, plain as day, a small purple plastic stick lying between the toilet and the tub.

"L-Lily?" he questioned, leaning carefully over to reach it.

Her head popped up, following his gaze to the plastic before jumping into action, reaching to snatch up the object, "No! No, that's nothing! Nothing!" His fingers clasped it before hers and he used his other arm to restrain her as she struggled to pull the object out of his hands.

"James! It's nothing! Let me have it!"

He studied her face closely as she froze in his arms, "If it's nothing, then why do you want it, love?" he countered. Her face had gone deathly pale and fresh tears were streaming down her face. His gaze moved down to the purple plastic in his hands. Then the realization dawned upon him, his eyes going wide.

"Oh Merlin… Lily, i-is this..?"

He looked more closely at the end. A plus sign.

"Oh. My. God." He sputtered, dumbfounded and using a phrase he had picked up from the girl. She just sniffled, watching him from where she was trapped in his inescapable embrace.

"L-Lily?" he stuttered, finally breaking his stare and flashing to her face, "A-are you… pregnant?"

He watched as she closed her eyes, new tears rolling down her face, turning her head away in shame. From his shoulder, he heard a muffled whisper, "Yes."

He sat there for a moment, frozen in shock. Then he dropped the test with a clatter and pulled Lily around, pulling her face up to meet his lips in an eager, passionate kiss. Lily's eyes flew open as his lips claimed hers roughly, yet ever so gently. She squeaked and flew away from him. They sat there, across the tiny space, staring at each other earnestly –James looking dazed and Lily, shocked.

"Y-you aren't upset?" she hazarded after a moment. This seemed to reach James like a slap in the face. He looked back appalled.

"Y-you thought I was going to be upset? That you're pregnant? Lily, this is wonderful news!" he cried, reaching over and pulling her back into his lap, "This is brilliant! It's not like we're in Hogwarts anymore, love. We're married. I couldn't be happier!"

"Damn it, James! This isn't brilliant! This is horrible!"

"What? Why? Lily, this is amazing news!"

"No, James, it's not! What are we going to do now? We can't just bring a child into the world now. England is in shambles! And we can't just leave! We have friends and family here! Not to mention we're Aurors! Aurors, James! Not desk clerks and stay at home parents. And we're broke! We are barely scraping by as it is! And with Sirius living with us… damn it, James."

He squeezed her tightly, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head.

"Well, first of all… we're not broke. Turns out, Mum and Dad left me the contents of their Gringotts vault. And the place at Godric's Hollow. And they left Sirius more than enough, too."

She looked up, puzzled.

"I went to see the legal offices to get the rest of their affairs squared away and they had found their last will and testaments. I was going to tell you tonight. I thought you were working late."

"I was… but I got sick in the training room again and Moody sent me home. Alice mentioned I was starting to get as bad as her and suggested I see a Healer, but I never get sick, James! I stopped by the store on my way home and… I-I didn't think-! It was just a hunch! It wasn't supposed to be positive…"

"Lily, this is the most amazing news I've heard all year," he soothed, "I mean, the will was great, but it came along with my parents dying. This? This is pure elation. Positively the most excellent news I could ever hear after you accepted my proposal… after you finally went out with me," he grinned. She did not look amused.

"But James… what are we going to do? We can't raise a child in a war. In a war we are fighting in. What if we make the baby an orphan? Where would it go? Petunia?"

James hugged her to him, "I won't let that happen. I will never let anything happen to you… or our child. And even if we both die, we'll choose a godparent. I won't let your spiteful sister get a hold of our baby… not that she would have it, anyway."

She sniffled, looking up at him hopefully.

"It's all going to be fine, love. I promise," he declared, cupping her face with his hands and brushing a stray lock of hair away from her face.

"You can't know that."

"No… but I can act like I do. It got me through 7 years at Hogwarts," he replied with a smirk.

This elicited a small, reluctant smile.

His own grin widened and he kissed her forehead, "That's my girl."

She leaned into his embrace, nuzzling against his chest.

"OI! PORCUPINE!" came a distressed cry. The couple's eyes flew open.

"Where'd You Put the Chocolate Dog Biscuits?"

James groaned, slamming his head back against the wall. After a moment, he reluctantly pulled away from her then slipped out of the room with a peck and a smile.

"For the last time, Sirius! I have antlers! Not spines!" he shouted back, good-naturedly as he bounded down the hallway.

"Sure, Sure! So you're spineless, eh?"

Lily rolled her eyes with a smile as the argument faded from earshot. She looked down and placed her hand carefully on her belly, "It's going to be all right, love. I promise."

So that was that. What did you think?