Thanks to my reviewers last chapter- grannyHPfan, brona, A Tall Midget, irit), Kaedwen, AnIrishLily, loudandproud84, NikkyB, padfoot2446, Serenity, Dillie, Kelsie Barmore, luv24+alias, sumdea, teainamug, sowing seeds of truth and love, The Next Marauder, PranksterQueens, and Sunni Bunni.Once again, I could just leave you hanging like that. This is a little bit short, but I figured it would suffice. Enjoy!

Chapter 38- We're In This Together

Rachel sat with her back against her favorite tree by the lake with her knees pulled up to her chest, trying not to cry. She had just run away from that fiasco in Lily and James's common room and had ended up here.

Why had she been running her big mouth? She didn't even know that Sirius would be sitting there, playing chess with James. She wanted to tell him, but that's not how she had planned it.

But had she really planned anything? Sure, she had finally given into the pressures of her friends and decided that she would tell him, but that's as far as she had gotten. She didn't know how she would even begin the conversation, let alone tell him that she was pregnant.

Once again, Rachel's big mouth had come to the rescue and taken care of it for her.

Rachel didn't think she would ever forget the look on his face. His jaw dropped in shock, but his face reflecting the hurt. Was it hurt that she hadn't told him? Or was it hurt that she had gotten pregnant?

Being the pessimist that she was, Rachel believed it was the latter.

But there had been that look in his dark blue eyes... that lost, lonely, disappointed feeling. Like maybe he wasn't upset over the fact that she was pregnant, but hurt that he had been the last to know. She found it hard to tell the difference. She had shut him out for so long, ever since she noticed she was late. Things had been going so good for them, and everything changed at the drop of a hat. Rachel went with her first instinct and shut everything else out so she could worry about her problems.

Unfortunately, Sirius had gotten caught up on the bad side of that.

It wasn't like she meant to avoid him. Maybe she subconsciously blamed him for what had happened. Maybe it was all the moodiness. Maybe he just got caught up in the rush of things she avoided to feel less hurt.

Whatever it was, Rachel had to think of something fast. Sirius was walking across the grounds, right to her little tree.

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Sirius was walking a little slower than he usually did. He found this a better way to gather his thoughts, of which there were way too many at the moment.

Rachel was pregnant. That's why she had been avoiding him and acting stranger than usual. That's why she had bit his head off when he asked what was wrong. That's why she had said it was his fault.

Which wasn't completely true. Rachel had been there, and it was her idea. They were pressed for time. How was he supposed to remember to cast that damn charm again? It was just as much her fault as it was his.

But it wasn't anyone's fault, Sirius realized. What happened had happened for a reason.

That night in the Room of Requirement had been so great. It was the most personal of all Sirius's experiences, of which there were many. But the major difference was that he was in love this time. He actually cared about Rachel. It wasn't just some one night stand. It meant something to him, even if he couldn't find the words for it.

But now, because of their carelessness, they were going to have a baby. A baby... it seemed so strange for Sirius. He was seventeen- how could he be a father? How could he and Rachel be parents when they hadn't even finished school yet? His mind couldn't even begin to fathom how this was going to change their lives.

But first of all, he had to think of something to say. His feet had led him to Rachel and there was no turning back.

"Mind if I sit?" Sirius asked in a voice that didn't even sound like his own.

"Go ahead," Rachel said. "I have a feeling we might be here a while."

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Lily was sitting on the floor with her back up against her bed, thinking, when she heard a knock on the door. She told whoever it was to come in, and James's face peeked into her room.

"Okay if I come in?" he asked and Lily nodded. James came over and sat beside her. "What are you so deep in thought about?"

"What do you think?" Lily asked sarcastically.

"Sorry," James said. "Just thought I'd ask."

"It's just so... weird. Rachel and Sirius, having a baby. Who would've thought?"

"Don't look at me. It came as a shock to me, too."

"I didn't even know they had slept together. She never told me or Jez."

"Maybe she didn't want to get hurt again after that idiot," James offered.

Lily nodded, considering the fact. There was something that had been nagging at her since that morning that she wanted to talk to James about.

"James, this morning when Rachel and I were talking, she asked me if you and I had..." Lily found herself unable to finish the sentence, but James seemed to understand.

"What'd you tell her?"

"The truth. That we hadn't. And that got me thinking... you haven't tried anything or pressured me into doing anything. Why?"

James sighed. "Because... I promised myself this time would be different. I wouldn't just pressure you into doing things because... well, I don't know how you feel about that sort of thing."

"You never asked."

"Well, what are your feelings on that sort of thing?"

"I'm not sure," Lily said softly. "See, Mum and Dad were really big church people. Growing up I always believed in the waiting until your married thing. But then as I got older, I said, okay, maybe if it's the right guy and I'm totally in love and I know he's the one. But now... with this whole Rachel thing... I don't know. Maybe I'm reverting back to the waiting until marriage thing."

Lily looked over at James who hadn't said anything. "I mean, I want to, and I know you're the perfect guy and I know you're the one. But... I just don't think I'm ready for it yet."

"It's okay. I understand," James said.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Lil. We'll wait. It'll be better that way."

Lily sighed. "I'm so glad you said that. Because if you said you couldn't have waited... I probably would've yanked you up on my bed and we'd be going at it right now."

James laughed. "Well, if you want to-"

Lily elbowed him. "Shut up," she said, not being able to hide the smile that came to her face.

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"So how was the conference?" Remus asked Jez as they sat down to lunch.

"You know, you're the first person to actually ask me that," she told him, shaking her head. "It seems so long ago... like a really distant memory. But it was really good, actually. A lot of people were interested in what I was doing with that potion. This guy is going to try to work out a schedule. He had the idea of taking it an entire week before the full moon, and this really nice lady is going to add some more ingredients to see if we can't perfect it. It was just amazing how much attention my little potion got. They were calling it the greatest thing that the conference had seen in over a hundred years."

"Wow," Remus said, shocked.

"Yeah, that's what I said. People kept asking me why I cared about werewolves so much."

"And what did you tell them?"

"I told them that the most amazing guy I knew, also known as my boyfriend, was a werewolf and that it hurt too much to see him go through that horrible transformation. They said that was I was doing was great. I just enjoyed it so much, seeing all that stuff and being with people who Heal sick people... it was great. But if I had known what was going on back here-"

"It's good that you weren't back here," Remus interrupted her. "What you were doing was important, and you needed to focus on yourself for once."

"Yeah, but Remus, what are we going to do? Rachel can't take care of a baby! She can't even remember to make up her own bed!"

"So we'll help her," Remus said. "There's no way we could let her go through this on her own."

Jez sighed. "Still, we're too young for this. They should have just waited. And if they couldn't wait, they should've just used the Charm. I mean... this is going to change all our lives, whether we like it or not."

"So you haven't..." Remus asked, but Jez shook her head.

"Nope. I guess I've always had the little idea that I'd wait until I'd finished Healer Training and I was married, or at least with the perfect guy and I knew that the relationship would last."

Remus just nodded, having gotten all the answer he needed.

"But you know what? I've found the guy... I just need to get through the rest of it first," Jez said. "Plus, it's not exactly a good time, what with us having a pregnant best friend and all."

Remus smiled. "True. But someday?"

"Yeah," Jez said. "Someday."

Then she leaned over and kissed him, not caring that they were in the Great Hall and that everyone saw them. She was just happy to be back with him again.

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Rachel and Sirius were still sitting by the lake. Neither of them had said anything yet, but it was only because neither of them was brave enough to start the conversation.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sirius finally asked, his voice cracking.

Rachel sniffled, trying not to cry. "Because I was worried about how you would react."

"What do you mean?"

"I was worried that you'd get mad or break up with me-"

"You thought I'd break up with you over this?" Sirius asked incredulously. "Rach, I wouldn't break up with you in the first place. Why would I leave you over something like this?"

Rachel wiped her eyes. "I don't know... because you don't want a kid at seventeen."

"Rachel..." Sirius began, not knowing exactly what he was about to say. "I wish you had told me. I wanted to know. I wanted to help."

"Sirius, what can you do for me? I'm the one who has to carry this baby. I'm the one that has to give birth to it, and I'll be the one that takes care of it."

"What makes you think I won't take care of it?"

"Sirius, no offense, but you're not exactly the fatherly type," Rachel told him.

"Says who?"

Rachel just shook her head, not believing him.

"Rachel, I love you. And I'll be here for you as long as you need me. Heck, I'll even stay after that. But Rachel, don't think that I'd leave you just because you're pregnant. I'd never do that. I couldn't just leave you that easily."

"But Sirius, what are we going to do? I can't have a baby! I'm not even finished school yet, not to mention the fact that Auror training starts in a few weeks. What are we going to do?"

"Rach, we'll get through this somehow. Trust me. We'll do whatever it takes."

Rachel nodded, finally believing what Sirius was saying.

"Do you know if it's a boy or a girl yet?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Jez said we'll know in a few weeks."

"A boy would be nice," Sirius said. "Someone to teach the ways of pranking to. Someone to teach how to fly and take to the Quidditch matches-"

"What makes you think a girl wouldn't want to fly and see Quidditch matches?" Rachel asked defensively.

"I'm not saying she wouldn't," Sirius said, raising his hands in innocence. "But I have a feeling she'd be a bit of a girly girl. She'd be beautiful. She would have your eyes and your smile..."

Rachel blushed.

"But if it was a boy, he'd obviously have my dashing good looks-"

"Shut up," Rachel said with a grin, hitting him on the shoulder.

"Okay, okay. But either way, I'd be happy."

Rachel looked up at him, seeing the smile on his face that told her that he meant it. "Thank you, Sirius," she whispered.

"Don't worry, Rach," Sirius said, putting his arm around Rachel and pulling her close. "We're in this together. Trust me. Whatever happens, I won't leave you."

Yes, a very sweet ending. Most people just wanted to see Rachel and Sirius make up, so that's what happened. Next chapter is... I have no clue. Probably some baby stuff or other drama... we'll see if inspiration strikes at the beach. But I promise, this is the last update before I leave. Please review! It'll mean so much to me to come home to an inbox full of reviews! It'll help me type up the next chapter faster! Please review! Until I get back from the beach, lots of love and happy packing, Emma