I entirely blame Sable for asking so nicely, and for Worthfull for putting the idea in my head. I was simply going to describe the events that transpire below you, but then she got me thinking and it ended up growing into its own chapter.

*whew* I was nervous about whether anyone was going to like Lily or not, I'm so glad that she seems to have been received well! I think we can tell that everyone is a bit 'edgier' in this fic. I've always liked the idea with Lily having a tattoo, so I decided why not?

Thank you all so, SO much for your reviews, I'm going to try and get to them all when I can!

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Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, and only the story line and any OC's belong to me.

This chapter is especially for Worthfull and for Henny since they are so, SO lovely xxx and as always Calebski makes me smile with her reviews (I'm sure you'll yell at me later dear ;p)

As always, for Sable and Lais xxx

Flashback

Lily

Lily quietly steps into the dark room, the only light is coming from the almost full moon. Lily frowns at the sight, there are mere days before the next Full Moon and she hates it. She always does. She always has- well, ever since she learned what happens to Remus on that night.

He's sulking, Lily notes as she see James, sitting down with his knees bent, back against the wall under the vast window, the moonlight casting his long shadow towards her.

James is shirtless, his scarred and toned chest on full display, he's only in his tight trousers, but they've been unbuttoned at the top, and his feet are bare. James's hair is messier than normal, like he's been frustratedly running his hands through it for hours-it's sticking up at odd angles, and especially so in the back.

"Guessing by your expression, you met our guests," James says blankly, but there is a bite of ice at the end of his statement.

"Still wrapping my head around it," Lily says honestly. She starts to walk towards her wizard, boots clipping across the hardwood.

"And?"

"I thought I was dreaming or that maybe I'd inhaled too many potions fumes in my life for a moment," Lily murmurs, stopping right in front of James, stooping down and meeting his gaze. Her knees are to her chest, and her hands are delicately resting on her kneecaps.

"Why are your hands so dirty?" James frowns, reaching out and grasping one of her smaller hands in his much larger, much warmer, much rougher one; though because of all the cuts and burns she's gotten over the years whilst she toils away over cauldrons, hers aren't exactly soft either.

"I was taking a stroll in the park today-in Muggle London, and some bloke with a filthy mouth was harassing this lovely young lady so…" Lily trails off, and leaves the rest of the story open ended and up for interpretation; of course knows his witch very well, and comes to an accurate conclusion within moments.

"You kicked his sorry arse, didn't you?" James asks with a ghost of a smile.

"I may or may not have shoved his face into a flower bed, but that's hearsay and if I did, he deserved it," Lily nods, and James squeezes her hand tighter, amusement dancing in his eyes even if his face looks haggard and weary.

I do wish he'd smile properly, Lily thinks sadly, and she knows what she has to say.

"James,"

"Lily?" James says hesitantly-they don't refer to each other by their first names often, old habits die hard and all that, mostly they had a few pet names or called each other by their surnames.

"Before we talk about time travellers, or the fact that one of them is our son from another dimension, or about Peter-" James's face contorts with pain and blazes with rage and fury, so potent, so raw, she pauses in her speech for a moment, "-Dorea says you should be the one to tell me...either way, before any of that, I have something to tell you," Lily says nervously.

"Something to tell me?" James asks, brow knitting together as he leans forward.

"My answer. About marrying you-" Lily feels him stiffen under her fingers, but she persists, free hand moving to grasp his neck, "-I will. I want to marry you James Galieus Potter."

"What?" James says dumbly, hazel eyes widening.

"Yes, I will marry you," Lily repeats, biting her lip.

What if he doesn't want to marry me anymore? What if he's decided I'm more trouble than I'm worth-Lily's inner monologue is abruptly halted and interrupted as James reaches forward, his legs dropping open to the sides and pulling her into him. His body is shaking and she can't tell if it's from laughing or crying, but she frankly doesn't care.

"Thank Godric," James whispers into her hair, and then everything is okay. The man she loves, loves her, and he wants to marry her still, even if she was hesitant and wary. After all the death and pain they have endured recently, any bit of happiness they get seems to be a cruel joke.

It doesn't take her long to take off her makeup and shower quickly in James's shower. The steam billowing and fogging up the bathroom. Under normal circumstances, he would join her, but today is far from normal.

Whilst she dries her hair with her wand, he changes into his pyjamas, and then she grabs a nightie from his closet. She's slowly been accumulating quite a wardrobe in James's cupboard, and to date he hasn't complained so she had simply kept adding to it.

The emerald green silk nightie is smooth and gentle on her skin, and she pads over to his bed. James holds her hands and explains what happened today, all of it, not skimping any details.

James then cradles her in his arms, whispering the rest of the terrible truth in the darkness. She tucks her head under his chin, and wraps her arms around his middle.

By the end of it, Lily is stunned and she can't think of anything to do besides squeeze James tighter, and stroke his chest and whisper sweet nothings to him.

Lily falls asleep that night, thoughts plagued by the information James disclosed to her. Peter, Lily thinks morosely, she never would have guessed, never would have suspected him capable of betraying them all.

I suppose that's why it's called betrayal though, and you never see it coming since it is the people that are closest to you. They're the ones that cut deepest, the ones that hurt the most and leave you a ruined husk of who you once were, Lily thinks, sorrow engulfing her, gulping her down and dragging her to its depths.

The darkness swallows them both, but they are together, and that's all that matters. As long as they're together, they can conquer anything. That thought comforts her, and it's what finally lulls her into a-thankfully-dreamless sleep.