I'm going to update now so I can spend the rest of my Friday evening guiltlessly rewatching Agent Carter. So here you guys go.

I got some wonderful reviews last time! Thank you so much to those who contributed, it means so much. I hope you guys enjoy! Please, please review! I want to hear what you guys thought of this chapter.

James woke up and nuzzled his head closer to the soft neck of a redheaded girl. He pulled her waist closer to him and took in the scent of her hair. What is that? Strawberries?

His eyes shot open. Oh, no.

He stared at a hand on her waist. Is that mine? One, two, three, four, five- he lifted his fingers off of their resting place, praying that she hadn't woken up. She exhaled and turned to face him. James froze. She hummed in her sleep and snuggled up to James.

James would not have been more surprised if she had grown an extra limb. He stayed frozen, his mind racing.

What does this mean? About me? For us? Is this subconscious or was it an accident or is she just cold or what do I do, this is so stressful, where's my inhaler, dammit-

James twisted around to where he could reach his toiletry kit on the nightstand. Chin up, press down, breathe in…

As James's lungs calmed down, his mind began to clear. He sat his inhaler on the nightstand and settled in beside Lily, he decided to enjoy Lily's affection while it lasted.

But isn't this taking advantage of her? She's asleep, she can't make these decisions. And I strongly doubt she would want to cuddle with me. He sighed, sat up, detangled himself from Lily and moved towards the bathroom to start his morning.

XXXXXXX

Lily stumbled out of bed a little while later, ruffling her hair and pulling nervously on her overlarge flannel pajamas.

"James? Where are you?"

James turned around from where he had been standing at the bathroom sink, brushing his teeth. Lily caught her breath. He was wearing a thin white t-shirt and jeans, his hair sticking out all over the place, wet from the shower. Lily could see every muscle on his arms. As she walked nearer, she could see his glasses were crooked, and the scent of his citrus shampoo intoxicated her. She wanted to trace her fingers up his chest and shoulders, and press kisses on his lips, not chapped like most boys, but smooth and red…

James smiled when he saw her, which was a bad decision, as his mouth was full of toothpaste froth. His eyes widened as he bent over the sink to spit it out, and Lily's reverie was broken by James's antics. Oddly enough, she found herself admiring him in a different way, a way she had tried not to notice for the last three years- his ability to make her laugh.

She leaned on the bedpost and smiled at him- an open, genuine smile. James turned around red in the face, wiping his face on a towel.

James smiled slightly. "Well, after that unfortunate greeting-"

Lily laughed. "I thought it was funny. Not a mean funny, just a nice way to wake up."

"Well, you can wake up with me any time, Evans," James smirked.

Lily turned away. "You're intolerable, Potter." But she felt herself smiling slightly. Walking over to the nightstand, she picked up James's inhaler. "You're asthmatic, Potter?"

James strode out of the bathroom, blushing slightly. "My lungs are weak. Let me live."

Lily smiled at him, her eyes crinkling. "I wasn't making fun, I just didn't peg you for having weak lungs, Potter."

"Why not? Because I'm handsome and fit?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Sure, kid. Whatever floats your boat."

She gathered up a pair of jeans, two socks (not matching) and a sweater, and headed to the bathroom, shutting the door. "So, Potter, what's the master plan?"

Shrugging on a flannel from the outside room, James's strong voice rang out. "Well, we're actually going to head towards Exeter today- we need to go a bit fast and stop a bit less- there's some nasty weather headed this way. But fear not, milady, I'm sure Sirius has some plans-"

Sirius burst into the room. 'Did someone say Sirius Black?"

"Um, no I just said your first- have you been waiting out there until one of us said your name?"

"Maybe. Or maybe you invoking the name of his Royal Highness, Lord Sirius, Ph. D., Architect Extraordinaire, just summons me."

"I definitely didn't say that."

"Well, you said part of it, so it kind of counts. Anyway, what's crackalackin'?"

"Please do not say that ever again. Anyway, what if you'd been interrupting something?" James looked pointedly at Sirius.

Lily emerged from the bathroom in a burgundy sweater and her hair in a braid. "As if, Potter."

Sirius howled. "She told you, boy!"

"Rude."

Still cackling with laughter, Sirius slung his arm around James. Between laughs, he managed to gasp, "So, mate, what's the plan?"

"I was checking the radar this morning and it looks like some unfortunate weather is headed towards us. We're leaving as soon as we get packed up."

Lily zipped up her purple suitcase. "I just finished, guys. I'm going to call Marlene, would one of you take my stuff out to Bertha when you go?"

Sirius saluted. "Will do, Your Highness."

Lily bowed to Sirius. "Thank you, kind sir."

James hollered at her retreating form. "How come he gets a bow and a smile when he calls you nice names and I don't?"

"Because he isn't an insufferable twat when he does it!"

Sirius chuckled again and clapped James's back. "You've got a long way to go, Prongs."

"Not so far as you think- get this, she was checking me out this morning."

"I highly doubt that. However, in the rare case that you were right, how did you deal with it?"

"I accidentally spit toothpaste all over my shirt."

"You have a long way to go, my young padawan."

"Sirius, if anyone's the padawan, it's you."

"Not true!"

"I'm taking the stuff out to Bertha. We will continue this later."

"Oh, you can count on it."

XXXXXX

"Hey, Mar."

"Hey, Lily-blossom."

"Marlene, when will you run out of nicknames?"

"When there are no more words in the English language. Then I'll move to French. Then I'll move to Italian. Then Spanish. Then-"

"Okay, okay, I get the point!"

"You obviously don't, songbird, since you ask every two weeks."

"Anyways, I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot, girl."

"I think I might maybe like James Potter."

"Well, most people do. He's a lovable rogue, a handsome delinquent- he's Robin Hood. He pranks the pretentious to help the plebeians laugh."

"No, Mar, I might like like James.

Marlene gasped. "Lily, you had better not be pulling my leg, I swear-"

"Marlene, I swear on the Pact of the Sisterhood that I am not pulling your leg."

A loud thump came from the other side of the call- Marlene had flopped on the ground. "This is big."

"Yeah. There's just one problem."

"What?"

"He doesn't like me."

Marlene snorted. "What on Earth made you believe that?"

"He ran away from me this morning."

"He was probably tired-"

"We were in the same bed."

"WHAT?!"

"Not like that! Sirius could only get two rooms and he barricaded himself in one of them- I know, I banged on the door for ten minutes- so we had to share the same room. He was going to sleep in the shower, but I had taken one and he was complaining about how wet and cold it was, so I guess I felt bad for his and let him sleep in the bed with me- just to shut him up, mind you, I had no immoral intentions- and I woke up and his hand was on my waist and he was so warm and I felt so safe so I snuggled closer to him and he got up and moved away."

Marlene whistled. "That was some story, pumpkin."

"It's true."

"I believe you."

"So how do I get over him?"

"Slow down, Lils! You don't need to get over him so fast- enjoy being around a guy you like for a little while. Who was the last guy you liked? Fabian Prewett, when we were sophomores! Let loose! Live a little!"

"Why would I spend my precious self-esteem and emotions pining after someone who could never like me back?"

"I wouldn't say that, my dear. Not in the slightest."

"Marlene- what does that mean?! What does that MEAN?!"

Lily shut her phone off angrily- Marlene had hung up. Stomping angrily into the building, she didn't see a lithe figure hide behind a blue Toyota. Fuming, she went to go find James.

Sirius peeked out from behind the car. Having heard every word, he chucked and began plotting the events of the day.

They'll be together before the trip is over.