QLFC Round 6: Link 'Em Up

Team: Caerphilly Catapults

Position: Captain

Pairing: James/Lily

Word count: 2412

Betas: S L Blake, NevilleGonnaGiveYouUp

This round confused all of the teams at the beginning, but soon enough we all loved it :D I know my team certainly does. It's so creative!

Our chain started with Regulus Black.

The pairings we used are: RegulusJames (Seeker), JamesLily (Captain), LilySirius (Keeper), SiriusMarlene (Chaser 1), MarleneHermione (Chaser 2), HermioneMolly (Chaser 3), MollyFleur (Beater 1), FleurOliver (Beater 2).

Enjoy reading!

Agitated Minds

"Do you and your wife have anything special planned for the weekend?" his colleague, Davey Gudgeon, asked as he and James left the office after a very long and exhausting day at the Ministry. "I mean since Mallard took over your Sunday shift."

James sighed and pulled his bag further up his shoulder. "I'm hoping for nice days at the local park and relaxing evenings on the couch," he said as they walked down the corridor that would lead them to the atrium.

"Relaxing evenings on the couch, eh?" Davey punched him in the shoulder, a wicked grin on his youthful face.

James rolled his eyes. He couldn't even bring himself to really react to that level of sarcasm.

He just wanted to go home, to where Lily was, lean back, and close his eyes. The day had been horrible. It had started with their usual lecture on tactical thinking and planning—since it was a Friday—which had ended abruptly by being interrupted by none other than Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody himself. There had been a raid going on and the Aurors on-site had needed backup.

What better way to teach the new guys how to survive on a battlefield than to throw them in head-first, with barely any preparation whatsoever.

"Constant vigilance," Auror Moody always said whenever he had the chance to, and constant vigilance it had been. James just wanted to sleep and nurse his bruises.

"Honestly, I'd just be really grateful for a few nights spent at home, away from hide-outs, lecture halls, and offices. It's been a while since Lily and I spent some time together, and with that I mean quality time of us just enjoying each other's company in front of the fireplace."

Davey wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, and now, it was James' turn to punch his colleague, and he barely held back.

"Ouch! That hurt!"

"It was supposed to hurt, you prat! Get your mind out of the gutter!"

But before he could do more than huff, Davey's smirk was back in place. "Did I hit a sore spot there? I did, didn't I?"

"We've been very busy and in need of a couple of free days," James said softly, his thoughts already at home with his wife, the couch, a nice, hot mug of tea, and the burning fire in the hearth. He could practically feel its heat on his skin. "That's all. Hey, why am I even justifying myself? It's none of your business what my wife and I do at home!"

"Well, I didn't ask you to, but since you feel the need to explain your plans…" he trailed off, still with that suggestive smirk on his face, which, as the seconds ticked by, agitated James more and more.

"Just…" James halted, closed his eyes, and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just stop, will you? I've had enough."

"Woah, relax, okay? I'm just fooling around." If James had looked up at that moment, he would have seen Davey frown at him worriedly. "Hey, mate, are you alright?"

"No, I'm not alright, Gudgeon!" He tried his best to keep his voice at a reasonable volume, but he failed miserably. "I haven't really spoken to my wife in what feels like months, we barely see each other because of our jobs and the odd hours we get called in, and if I don't fix this soon, it might mean the end of our marriage and your idiocy really isn't helping calm me down at the moment, so, do you mind?"

"Merlin, James, take a breather, will you?"

James sighed and looked up at his friend. "I'm sorry, Davey, I didn't mean to shout at you."

A group of wizards walked past them, and his colleague waited until they had left hearing distance before speaking. "It's alright, mate, really. I didn't mean to offend you or anything."

James rubbed his hand over his face and took a deep breath before he started to walk again. Davey followed close by. "It's just been a long week, that's all. Lily said she might manage to get the weekend off as well, so I'm looking forward to some time spent well for once. Merlin knows we both need it."

As they reached the crowded Apparition point, Davey turned towards James and placed his hands on both of his colleague's shoulders. "Great job today on-site, mate," he said, causing James to smile tiredly. "And thank you for knocking that bastard out before he had the chance to do the same to me. Now go home and enjoy your weekend with your wife."

James nodded slowly and clapped his friend's shoulder before the other spun on the spot, disappearing from sight.

James didn't hesitate before picturing their little cottage, flower beds in front, framing the cobbled pathway leading to the front door, and the big willow tree to the left side. He inhaled deeply before he, too, turned on the spot and Apparated straight into what he was hoping to be some alone time with the love of his life.

The first thing he noticed were birds chirping and the soft breeze of warm air against his skin. He blinked open his eyes and smiled at the sight of their home. Not wanting to waste any more precious seconds, he pulled his bag further up his shoulder, opened the front gate, and walked up to the wooden door. The flowers smelled incredible, which helped ground him even more.

"Lily?" he called as soon as he opened the front door. He let his bag fall off his shoulder, toed off his shoes, and set about to find his wife. "I'm home, where are you?"

"In the kitchen!" came the melodic voice of the woman he was dying to see, and he hurried towards the door on the left side of the hallway.

"Hey, you." She smiled at him as he walked through the doorway and turned away from the countertop. "How was your day?"

James winced slightly at the reminder before wrapping his arms around her slim body, pulling her towards him. "Exhausting," he mumbled into her hair as he inhaled her calming scent.

"That bad, huh?" Her hand trailed up his back and rubbed small circles at the nape of his neck. She always did that, and he loved it. If he were Bings, their cat, he would purr right now. "Do you want to talk about it?"

His nose rubbed against her hair as he shook his head.

"Alright."

Merlin, how he loved her.

"I got Sunday off." He pressed his lips against her cheek before letting her go slightly so that he could see her reaction. "Mallard is covering for me."

Her smile widened as she gazed up at him. "And Crane is covering for me."

"Really?" Relief flooded him as he looked her in the eye. There was an excited sparkle in them, one he hadn't seen the last couple of days.

"Really!"

"So, we have no obligations this weekend? It'll be just the two of us?"

He couldn't believe his luck. A mere ten minutes ago he had feared for his marriage, for his relationship with Lily, but those thoughts had left as soon as his arms had enveloped her in a warm hug. He felt at home. This felt right, it felt like it was supposed to be, and now he believed that he could trust this feeling.

Everything would be alright. They would be alright.

"Actually, just today and tomorrow, as I have promised my parents that we would go by their house on Sunday for tea."

The silence that followed, as James looked at her, without showing much of a reaction at all, was deafening. He felt as if his brain had shut down. He couldn't comprehend what she had just said.

"You promised that we would go to your parents this Sunday?" he heard himself ask before he blinked and finally caught up with his own words. "Wait a second, Lily, you told your parents we would visit them even though we've been talking about needing some alone-time for ages now?"

His arms fell away from her soft body, having no strength left in them.

"Why?"

"Well, we haven't seen them in months, James. Mum calls every week and asks when we would be going to see them, and because of our schedules we haven't had time to do so lately. It wasn't just us we neglected, it was our family, as well." Lily looked at him with big, imploring eyes, yet James saw a determined shine in them that had replaced the excited sparkle from before. She would not back down.

"She misses us."

"I miss you!" he all but shouted before he buried both hands in his hair and pulled. "We haven't really talked in ages, Lily. And I don't count this as talking. I mean to sit down and just… be for once. To not have any obligations but ourselves to tend to."

"And you think that I don't?" She sounded hysterical as he walked to and fro in front of her, almost like an incarcerated panther. "But even you have to see how important it is to keep family close."

"What is that supposed to mean, huh?" He whirled around, eyes blazing dangerously. "Do you think just because my parents are dead, I don't know what having a family means? That I've somehow completely forgotten what it feels like to have parents that want to see me? I have to disappoint you, Lily, I have not forgotten how that feels, and I have not forgotten that it is important to keep in touch with them!"

He was out of breath but kept going, seeing but ignoring the tears that had gathered in Lily's eyes. "But would you say your parents are more important than our marriage? Because if you do, then—"

"Then what? Huh?" Her eyes were blazing dangerously as the first tear welled over and trailed down her red cheek.

James was gasping for air at that point, unable to speak the words that had frightened him for over half a year now. His heart sped up, beating so fast that it was painful. He didn't want to lose her. He wouldn't survive it. But no matter what he had done over the last months, he had not been able to make her understand how he felt. He was at his wit's end.

As he stood there, fighting with his thoughts and emotions, he couldn't ignore the pain that was practically radiating off of Lily. She was still where he had left her, in front of the counter, yet her face, except for her cheeks, was deathly pale. Her green eyes looked even brighter with tears that hadn't fallen yet and all he could think of in that moment was that he had done that.

He had caused her to cry. He had hurt her. He had done all the things he had sworn to never do in his entire life. He had disappointed her, he had lost his patience, and had yelled at her.

He was a terrible husband.

A lump formed in his throat as, slowly, unsure of whether he would be allowed to, he reached for her and took a cautious step forward.

"I'm sorry," he whispered brokenly as his hand touched the side of her arm. She didn't flinch away, which almost had him break down in relieved tears. "I didn't mean to say all of that, I'm sorry."

Lily sniffed and wiped away a few tears that had just spilled out of her eyes. "But you're right," she all but whined before she gasped for air. New tears welled up in her eyes and James felt his heart break even more. "You were right with everything you've said! We haven't really been together in months! Whenever you're at home, I'm at work. Whenever I'm at home, you're at work. We haven't had a day in which we could just relax and not do anything in a long time."

James raised his hand and wiped away the tears with his thumb, earning himself a weak, teary chuckle from his wife. "I'm sorry I made you cry."

"No, I'm sorry," she answered softly before taking a deep, calming breath. "I shouldn't have accepted Mum's invitation for Sunday. I know now that it was stupid of me to do so. I should have known better."

"Of course, it wasn't stupid, what are you talking about?" He took her face in between his palms, holding it as if it might break at any second. As he felt she might. "You were right, as well. I would have loved to spend the entire weekend with you, but we can't forget our family. They're not getting younger, you know?"

"James!"

The indignant tone of her voice caused his stomach to do somersaults. There she was!

"You know what I mean."

She sniffed softly and looked him in the eye. Her green depths were gentle again; gone was the fierce glint and back was the love and calmness he had fallen in love with years ago. "So, you think I shouldn't cancel it?"

"No." He shook his head and pressed a kiss onto her forehead. "Definitely not. We just need to keep in mind that it is okay to ask colleagues to cover for us once in a while so that we can spend some time together. I love you, Lily, and I've missed you so much."

"I've missed you, too, love."

He leaned forward and gently pressed his lips against hers. Waves of electricity shot through his body as he buried one hand in her soft hair and deepened the kiss. She responded instantly, kissing him like she hadn't kissed him in ages.

This was what they had needed, he thought absentmindedly, as he picked her up and navigated them out of the kitchen and into the living room with practiced ease. This was what had been missing.

They needed each other, they were each other's rocks, the tether to the world, to sanity.

As Lily's back hit the couch's cushions, an adorable squeak escaped her that washed away all the doubts that had nested themselves into his brain before he captured her lips yet again.

They were going to be alright. Even if they had to have tea with his in-laws on Sunday. Up until then, they had each other. All for themselves.

I hope you liked this little fight! Well, not the fight, but you know what I mean xD

Until next time - see ya!