Well this one isn't the exact definition of Fortitude. it's more like, James being strong in a time of Lily's pain providing Lily strength, okay? Good as you can tell i had some problems writing this one and it hope it's okay!

Theme 20: Fortitude

Rating: K

Of Course, POTTER!

Her reaction was nothing she expected. No she felt angry, very, very angry. Ripping the paper to shreds she let out a shriek looking for anything else she could break. She felt like tearing apart her books, ripping down her hangings and throwing her quilt across the room.

Gripping her wand hard she felt an amazing pressure build up in her chest, her head her body altogether. It kept growing and growing! She wanted it to go away and she needed to do something destructive! She needed loud music or to scream or smash something or run, maybe she could run.

Rushing down the Girl's stairs she knew that wasn't it, she didn't particularly like running.

There; across the common room. POTTER! Perfect she'd pick a good fight and get it all out. What to fight about? It didn't matter, she was already rushing across the room to him

" POTTER!" she screamed, ahh she already felt better. He turned his head to look at her in his still relaxed and content position, sprawled in his chair. She smacked him soundly in the back of the head. " GET UP!" she yelled. People around them twittered and there were low murmurings of wondering what he did this time. He stood slowly fixing his disheveled glasses. He didn't look happy.

A cold slice of fear wedged itself into her sternum. She gasped feeling her anger give. God he looked pissed, and when did he get so…big and intimidating? No way to back out now.

" Lily?" he asked in a clipped tone, " what appears to be the problem?" he hissed and she felt like she was eating her words, what was the problem. She resorted to what she'd said in the past.

" I hate you!" she spat and he raised an eyebrow she knew she must seem crazy; she wasn't one to pick a fight for no reason.

" I know that already, is that all?" he asked crossing his arms and she felt like ripping them back down. NO IT WASN'T ALL! COULDN'T HE SEE SHE WAS UPSET? If he couldn't…could any one? That cold slice turned into a large block and she gasped.

If Potter didn't care…who did? She stopped seeing the common room then, just the words she'd just read going over and over in her mind, she didn't have any one anymore. She felt frozen in horror and felt herself edging backwards, out of the burgundy room she couldn't be there anymore. She had to run and she had to find a new life.

She didn't know where but Lily Evans would no longer exist! "Lily?" James' voice seemed to no longer penetrate her mind. She fought for breath and turned to run blindly from the common room. Scrambling through the halls, she ran.

She didn't know where she was going just that she had to be gone. Somewhere behind her someone was shouting, shouting for her? No, no one cared any more remember?

A hand clamped down painfully on her arm and she was halted. Reluctantly she turned to see who'd caught her. She locked onto very worried hazel eyes before she was pulled into the biggest bear hug she'd ever experienced.

She felt stiff in this warm embrace, stiff and uncomfortable. But she couldn't break away, the warmth was calling to her, but it was behind a wall and she couldn't find the door. Heavy breathing reached her ears and she felt a thudding heart against her own chest.

" Lily," his voice sounded scared, "Lily, what's going on? What's wrong?" imagined images flashed through her mind of a smashed car and lorry. She shut her eyes but it seemed to only get more vivid the sounds practically around her. She squeezed him back, anything, anything not to see this any longer.

" Lily?" his voice was close right beside her. She was standing in the wreck now, a tire beside her, smoke in the air, sirens blaring.

" They're dead," her voice was steady. She didn't know what to do but it chilled her into a state of calm.

" Who?" his voice was still right there, still with her.

" My parents, it was an accident," she said flatly and the environment she was surveying with such a broken spirit evaporated as she felt the first tear roll down her cheek. She heard Potter swallow hard.

" Oh, Lily…" he pulled her closer if possible and she willingly molded. As she wept if felt like she was being released of her pain, sharing her burden. Potter was caring and he was there for her.

Slowly he led her to a safe place and he stayed with her. Lily didn't know how long he stayed how long they were in that room, or how long she cried. He still stayed he gave her something to lean on and he didn't rush her.

When she was ready to get back to her life so was he. Looking into his caring green brown eyes she sighed.

" Thank you so much…James," she smiled shyly; no one had ever showed that kind of care before to her.

" Anytime Lily," he smiled pushing her hair back out of her face like he had so many times in their time together, " Anytime,"