So…this is my depressing story of Lily and James' final moments together. If you cry, then I guess I did my job. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing Harry Potter….wish I did. BUT I don't. Sad face

M for a lemon in the middle.

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow

Lily had been having dreams again. Waking up in a cold sweat, shaking from fear and exhaustion, she cried every night. And every night, a comforting hand rubbed her back while a strong arm held her close to a strong chest. He never asked about her dreams, but she told him anyways. She dreamt of a life without him or their child. She dreamt of her death, of James' death, or Harry's death. Lily would fall asleep happy, and wake up violently ill as she watched her friends and family fall before her, their eyes open in death, the violence forever in their sight.

James would wake up when she did, and he would hold her close, murmuring soothing words while he tried in vain to calm his beautiful wife down. Her pain was his…she knew this. Together they would get out of bed, and tiptoe to their son's room, to watch him sleep peaceful, unaware of the war that raged around him.

She was tired of being on the run, tired of hiding. Her family had defied Voldermort so many times…and then the prophesy had been spoken. James, fearing for the safety of her and their child had encouraged the hasty move to Godric's Hollow where they could be safe, with Peter being their secret-keeper.

When the world returned to normal, Lily vowed to restart her life. She was going to train as an Auror, and she was going to raise her son to be a good wizard, to respect his fellow wizards and witches, and she was going to ask James for a second child. Granted, they were so young, but she wanted so much more. She loved how Harry already looked like James, with his flyaway dark hair, and his casual smiles. But one thing Lily loved the most, were her son's green eyes. Her eyes. She knew…that whatever happened to her or James, Harry would always have something to remember them by…his looks.

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Lily opened one eye, exhausted after a particularly long night of nightmares. James was already awake; she could hear him rummaging in the kitchen, talking to Remus about the Quidditch scores. Lily chuckled. Only her husband could think Quidditch at a time like this. Rising from bed she pulled on her shorts and a t-shirt, pulling her hair up into a messy ponytail and walked downstairs.

Remus smiled warmly at her, rising to pull out a seat for her at the table. "Morning, Lily."

She smiled at him. "Morning, Moony. How was your weekend?" He had been stuck on patrol all weekend with Sirius. James put a plate of eggs and bacon in front of her and kissed the top of her head.

The werewolf ran a hand through his sandy blond hair and smiled tiredly. "It was uneventful thankfully. Padfoot snores loudly though. I thought a horde of trolls was thundering in our direction."

James laughed. "Yeah…he used to keep me awake all the time when we lived together. Where is Padfoot anyways?"

On cue, the elegantly handsome third Marauder walked in. "I'm here. I was just admiring Lily's rose bushes." He shot a glance at James, and the two surrogate brothers shared an unspoken conversation for the briefest of moments. James nodded slightly and motioned for Sirius to sit.

Remus frowned at James. "You know…I haven't heard from Wormtail in quite a few days. Have you?"

James frowned, and shook his head, his hand resting warmly on his wife's thigh, a little too close to the hem of her shorts for her comfort. She pulled away from him and shot him a warning glance and picked up Harry from his highchair, wiping eggs off his face, cooing at him as she left the room to get him changed, leaving the men to talk.

As soon as she left Remus sighed. "Is she still having dreams?"

James nodded helplessly. "Terrible nightmares. I think this war is finally starting to wear her down. And now that we're in hiding, she's frazzled." He smiled ruefully at his friends. "She's so agitated I can't even get her to have sex with me."

Sirius barked out a laugh, well aware of the lust that had plagued James throughout Hogwarts concerning Lily. Remus blushed and looked down at his table, jealous of what his friend had. He stood up slowly. "I better get going. We'll send news as soon as we hear something, Prongs."

Finishing his breakfast, James waved his wand and the table began clearing itself, the dishes washing in the sink. Sirius finished eating as well and the two men stood silently in the kitchen for a while. Finally, Sirius slapped his friend on the shoulder in a goodbye and hurried off to kiss Lily and Harry farewell.

Lily smiled as Sirius wrapped his arms around her. "See you later, Lily-flower. Be kind to James…he's going crazy too." She nodded and Sirius picked up a giggling Harry and kissed him soundly on the nose. "And see you soon little man. You behave for your mama!"

He threw on his leather jacket and with another casual wave, mounted his motorcycle and drove off in search of friend he had grown suspicious about. Peter Pettigrew…he had some questions to answer. Sirius turned around and glanced once more at the safe house where his friends resided. James was his best friend, Lily-the little sister he never had. He loved them with all his being and he promised himself to save them soon. With that, he rode off, a handsome wizard in a leather jacket, and a cause to believe in. He didn't realize that this would be the last time he or Remus saw their friends alive.

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James watched Lily put Harry down for to bed for the night after a fun filled evening with his broom from Sirius with a smile. She was so good with children…Harry was a lucky boy. From his position leaning against the doorframe, he could see his wife's perfect body under her form-fitting emerald sweater and jeans.

"Lily." His wife looked up and smiled at him, her vivid red hair falling around her face in effortless waves. God, she was so beautiful. "Do you know what today is?"

Lily sauntered over to him, a smile playing on her lips. "I don't know James. What day is it today?" Hooking her fingers through his belt loops, she pulled him close to her, standing on her tippy toes to kiss him.

When they parted, he took a deep breath, trying to situate his thoughts. His hazel eyes sparkled at her. "It's Halloween." Lily laughed. Only a Marauder would get excited about Halloween at his age.

"I suppose you're going to want a treat, eh?"

James laughed and ran his hands up her sides, watching with interest as her eyes darkened. "That would be wonderful."

The young couple fell into their bed laughing, for the first time in a long time, completely carefree. As James worked on removing his wife's clothes, he cherished every part of her, covering her body with soft kisses. She shuddered against him, having gone so long without his intimate touch. When she was fully undressed, stretched out in their bed, he grinned wolfishly at her and quickly removed his clothes. Their bodies touched and someone, James wasn't sure if it was himself, sighed in quiet contentment. In the twilight glow of the evening, the young couple, so afraid of the future, calmed themselves in each other's touch.

Lily, in quiet passion, pressed up against her husband, gasping as he slid into her, her body stretching to accommodate him. His soft lips pressed kisses into her neck, his teeth grazing her sensitive skin. As he moved within her, his hand roamed her body, coming to a stop where their bodies were joined, his calloused thumb rubbing languid circles against her throbbing clit. She cried out and dug her nails into his back, finding his mouth with her own in a fiery kiss.

As she neared the point of no return, she paused for a moment, stilling herself underneath James, who froze and gazed down into his wife's emerald eyes, his own eyes questioning her. She grinned and flipped them over, so he was lying on his back, she straddling his strong body with her legs. Slowly, almost torturously, Lily lifted her hips, riding him with casual elegance, her eyes shut in concentration as her orgasm approached. James watched her in fascination, responding to her movements with the gentle thrusts of his hips. In the pink light of the fading sunset, her hair burned a marvelous red over her shoulders, and her teeth bit into her bottom lip as her muscles tightened around him.

James groaned and pulled her down flush with his body, bucking up into her as she screamed her orgasm. He followed moments after, calling out her name as he spilled into her. They lay joined together for some time, their breathing heavy, their tangled bodies and limbs covered in sweat. James sighed and wrapped his arms around his wife who lay snug on top of him, her hands drawing innocent pictures on his skin. The love he felt for her was so powerful, he felt like he could fly.

"Lily, darling, I love you." She looked up at him, a soft smile on her face.

"I love you too, James. Forever." James nodded. Forever, indeed. Finally, after a brief moment of silence, Lily sat up and untangled herself from his arms and legs. "Come on, I'll make you dinner."

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The couple ate in silence, too satisfied to talk much. Finally, Lily cleared her throat. "James."

James looked up, his eyes sparkling. "Lily."

Scowling, she playfully poked his shoulder. "Don't be a prat." He laughed and caught her finger with his hand, kissing the digit and releasing it.

"What?"

Lily smiled shyly. "When this is all over…" she cleared her throat again, "when this is all over, I want to have another baby."

James smiled at her in amazement. Only his Lily. "Harry not good enough for you?"

His wife laughed. "Of course he is! It's just…well…I really want to be a mother of two. And a little girl would be so nice in a house constantly filled with men."

"What would you name her?"

Lily smiled again. "I would name her Rose. And she would have my red hair, and your hazel eyes…just to switch it up." When her husband smiled she blushed. "And she would be my little princess."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and James kissed her hand again. "We'll have that, Lily. We'll have a hundred kids if you want. When this is over…and it'll be soon, we'll get started on that dream."

"Promise?"

James took a deep breath. "I promise. Just like I promised to love you forever, to comfort you when you needed comforting, to be there for you no matter what. I promised then, and I promise now to kiss away your tears and to compliment your cooking…to always see you as beautiful, even when you think you aren't. I promise to be a good father, and an excellent husband, and I promise to stay out of trouble with the guys. Lily, I love you more than I have ever loved anything. You are the light in my life…you are my strength, my better half, and you are an excellent mother to my child. I love you so much that my heart breaks every morning rising from your side…because being away from you, even if only for a moment hurts."

Lily let a single tear drop and roll down her cheek. "I love you, James."

"And I love you, Lily."

They were interrupted by a loud bang from their front yard. James jumped up and pulled his wand out from his pocket, his eyes widening as he saw who had just crashed through their gate. "Lily…get Harry, and leave. Apparate to Grimmauld. Now." Lily stood up frantically, her chair falling backwards.

"Who is it?" But a single glance told her who it was. All her fears crashed before her, and she ran to James, kissing him, the salt of her tears mixing against their lips. She knew what he asked of her. "I can't, James…I can't!"

James kissed her, and then pushed her towards Harry's room. "No, Lily, you have to! Get Harry and go. I'll hold him off and come get you."

Lily let out a strangled sob. "I love you." James smiled sadly at her and gave her another shove.

"I love you too. Go."

Lily ran to her son's room and shut the door, crying out as a loud crash sounded through the house. She heard the struggle as she frantically grabbed her son. But the flash of green told her the outcome. Her world stopped for a single moment.

James. Her wonderful husband…the boy who had grown up in love with her, who had loved her until she had loved him back…was dead. The killing curse had a distinctive color…one she knew all too well after seeing many people die from its hated words. Her heart broke and she glanced down at her son, seeing the perfect replica of her husband. No. James…dead. No. The door thundered open, and Lily threw herself over her screaming son to protect him. Voldemort gazed upon the scene with no compassion in his eyes.

"Hand over the child, and I will let you live." Lily stood to face the man she despised, his offer ringing in his ears. How could she live when James was dead? He was all she knew. She couldn't raise Harry by herself, she couldn't live without James. Her heart was breaking, and her tears were flowing, but she couldn't bring herself to give up her child. Harry was all she had left of James.

"No." She held her son close, kissing his dark hair…James' hair. "You can't have him."

Voldemort raised his wand, tired of the delay. Avada kedavra. Those two tiny words echoed in Lily's mind and she felt the curse hit her body. As she fell, her last thought was on Harry, and her love for him. She felt the light course over her body, and her mind relaxed. Death. James wouldn't have to wait long for her…she could already see him on the other side of the veil. James…her soul mate. Her better half, her best friend, her confidant, her lover, her husband…the father of her son. They would be together forever after all…and her son…her son would live.

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Epilogue

Sirius pulled up to the smoking wreckage of the house, his mind filled with the horror of the scene. Jumping off his motorcycle he ran into the house, avoiding fallen beams. James' body was in the living room, and Sirius choked on his tears. He turned and saw Lily's body in Harry's bedroom, and the tears came forward. Harry was alive though…Lily had somehow saved him. Sirius picked up the child and hurried out of the house, handing the child to Hagrid along with the keys to his motorcycle.

"Keep him safe, Hagrid…his parents died protecting him…let's honor their wish."

With a sob of grief he returned to the house to pull his dead friends out of the house, laying them side-by-side in the cool grass. Both looked so peaceful in death, and he envied them. He could almost sense his best mate beside him…a cool touch of breeze that danced across his face…he could have sworn he smelt Lily's perfume. And muttering a silent prayer, he hoped that they were at peace.

His grief soon turned to rage, and he pulled out his wand. Peter Pettigrew had some questions to answer…and he ran off, tears staining his face, in search of the man who had betrayed his friends.

Together in life, together in death…James and Lily Potter.

End.

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I cried while writing this…hope you enjoyed reading it.