Disclaimer: Yep, still belongs to Jo

He waited outside the door for several silent moments before the door opened, revealing her tear stained face.

James looked at her intently, this being the third time he's ever seen her cry and the second time today. "Lily, I have no idea what's happened. And I understand you might not want to talk about it, but please don't be alone. At least let me sit in here for a while. Mum should be home in about an hour and you can talk to her if you'd like"

She nodded and opened the door wider for him to come in. James looked at her trunk in the room and saw all her clothes, wondering what would have happened to make her stay with them so long- not that he minded. She crawled into her bed mumbling an apology for walking into the bathroom while he was showering. Just for safe measure, James picked up the trashcan by the door and moved it next to her bed before sitting in the chair next to her in case she needed to be sick again.

She sat staring at the wall seemingly to tired to do anything. "So Evans," James began, "I heard you got head girl. Is your family happy?"

Lily's eyes immediately got watery and she focused all her energy on the next sentence, trying to get through it. "Yes, they are-" were. She said in her head. They were. She could no longer hold her emotions in check and for what seemed like the umpteenth time that day, Lily cried. She cried for her parents, and her sister. She cried because the last words she said to them were "Don't worry, I'll be fine. I'm just going to get groceries" and she didn't bother to return her mother's "I love you" as she trounced out the door. She cried because she just knew that Snape would know about what had happened. And he would look at her like she was a dog on the side of the road when he was probably instrumental in putting her there. She cried because she was so full of hate towards so many things in her life.

James didn't hesitate to lay next to her and pull her to him. She seemed so broken. And what had caused it? Him asking about head girl? Her family? Her family. James remembered his father getting a letter this morning and his mother muttering something about protocol and a safe place. James knew a lot about the ministry, but having Lily here would mean that she was no longer safe at home.

"Lily, what happened?" He asked so quiet that he could barely hear it himself.

And Lily told him. About her last word to them, about running as fast as possible towards her house as if it wasn't already too late. As she told him about what had only happened this morning she continued to cry. He sat them both up and pulled her into his lap, smoothing her hair with one hand while the other was holding her close to him.

After she ended her story she wriggled on top of him to lean her head on his chest. It was then that James realized he was still very much naked.

"Erm.. Lily, I'll be right back, are you going to be okay?" Lily nodded and James scrambled off her bed and rushed out of the room, trying to keep his back to her.

Back in James' room he thought of how awful he was. He put her into a position where she practically had to tell him about her parents- although it was unintentional. And afterwards, he pays more attention to her body and how her ass was practically setting on top of him and his body decides it would be an amazing time to begin getting a hard-on.

James threw on his clothes and resolved his problem. He was about to reenter Lily's room when he heard a voice behind him.

"And what do you think you are doing? I specifically told you not to bother her." James groaned as he turned to his mother. He could tell she was already getting angry, and he tried to tell her that Lily was sick and he wanted to comfort her. Mrs. Potter did not accept his reasoning though, and pushed him back towards his room as she entered to talk to Lily.

After James relayed the whole incident to Sirius, sans his uncomfortable situation, Sirius looked very deep in thought.

"So what can I do to help her?" He asked Sirius as he finished recounted the entire story.

"I think you should give Lily time, mate. D'you remember the first week I was here? I practically never spoke. I needed time to accept what'd happened- or so your mum tells me. This just happened to Lily this morning, her head is probably reeling. And I'm not saying she would, but it might be possible that she regrets telling you-"

"What's that supposed to men?" James interjected angrily.

Sirius sighed before continuing. "I just think that Lily was in a vulnerable position and maybe when she's feeling better it will be uncomfortable."

"That's absolutely bonkers! Lily has stopped hating me. You'll see." James finished and stomped out of Sirius' room to start planning on his own. But the thing he realized was that Lily probably hadn't stopped hating him. She probably thought he was still the same arrogant toerag he had been in fifth year. So James knew he had to be the person she could not only be friends with but love before the year was over. No distractions.

Lily decided that she was exhausted of crying.

Mrs. Potter left her alone again, and Lily began eating the biscuits she had left. Her entire body was in pain. She was sore from running and crying and almost getting sick. But it was not just physical pain; Lily's soul felt like it had shattered. Her mind was in excruciating turmoil trying to process that she would never see her parents again.

She pushed thoughts of her parents away from her and focused on something else. James. He had been very sweet to her today. And surprisingly, she was able to open up to him.

She remembered the day she had had enough with James. The same day Snape called her that horrible word. She had decided that neither of the were worth her time. But hadn't he attempted to make amends just as many times as Snape had?

Lily decided that she needed him. And not because she had feelings for him like she knew James did. No, she needed him as a distraction. And he damn well better be one for her.