I'm so sorry for not updating in such a long time. I've been very ill and the doctors didn't know what was wrong with me. My liver and spleen have been swollen and I have been having really bad bouts of illness. In my spare time I was able to type this chapter. I am working on the next one also, I'm so sorry for everyone who has waited patiently with me. Thank you all. Now here is Chapter 22, just to let you know this chapter raises some questions that will be answered in the next few chapters.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Avril, and the story line. Everything else characters and world wise belongs to J. K. Rowling.

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Chapter 22: December

Well the boys served their detention with glum faces. They were pretty ticked that Sirius and Lily weren't joining them. November came and gone, and we now come in at mid-December a few weeks before Christmas break.

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James and Lily were sitting by the fire in the common room, it was December 20, and three days until Christmas break. Both were staying over the holiday. Normally James would have went home on break to be with his mother and father but Lily was staying and he didn't want to leave her there alone. Lily's cousin Avril wasn't staying she was going to spend Christmas at Remus's and the rest of the marauders were spending the holiday with family.

Lily sat comfortable in James' arms while she was staring at the fire. "James?" James looked up from his trance with the fire light.

"Hmm?"

"I have to go," said Lily as she attempted to get up.

"Go where?" asked James holding her still not letting her up.

"I have to go to the studio," she said trying to get out from his grip.

"Lily, you were just there, not even two hours ago! Why are you spending so much time there all of the sudden? Is it me am I doing something wrong?"

"No, no," said Lily quickly. "Not at all your wonderful James simply wonderful," she said kissing him on the lips in a passionate kiss and succeeding in getting his grip to relax and loosen enough so that she could jump up out of his reach.

"Lily!" James called after her as she ran from the room. I'll never understand her.

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Lily didn't return until three hours later and she looked absolutely exhausted. Like she hadn't slept in weeks. Which wasn't far from the truth, Lily wasn't getting much sleep these past few weeks. Lily quietly slipped in hoping not to run into James. Lily got past the portrait entrance and breathed a sigh of relief she had gotten as far as her dormitory steps when suddenly she was grabbed from behind. "James what are you doing!?" gasped Lily he was holding her tighter then usual. James covered her mouth and threw the invisibility cloak over them both and carried her out of the portrait and towards a painting of fruit in a deserted hall. James tickled the pear and the portrait swung open to reveal house elves?

Lily looked around flabbergasted. Am I in the kitchens? she thought to herself then James took the cloak off and released his hand from her mouth.

"James Harold Potter! Where am I and why was I kidnapped from my own common room by my boyfriend and-"

James covered her mouth with his hand again. "Shush keep it down! We're in the kitchens and I don't want Filch to find us. You weren't at dinner. Where were you? Were you at that god forsaken studio the whole time!? Lily here you have to eat you are only human you know!" said James as he released her mouth again this time to shove a piece of bread in it that he had grabbed off a table on the way in. "Chew, come on chew it-"

"James your not a train stop acting like one. And its perfectly fine if I skip a meal or two I'm fine just fine without your help, thank you very much." And with that she stormed off towards the portrait. But James got there first.

"Lily your spending too much time in that place and not enough time with me or your friends even Remus has noticed a difference. I have noticed a difference! Lily you've haven't just been skipping one meal you haven't been to dinner in three days you have got to eat and keep out of that studio-"

"James your obviously delusional I'm fine and you can't tell me what I can and can not do," said Lily and she tried to pass him but he blocked her way again.

"I may not be able to tell you what to do but something is wrong and you need me to keep you on track and your not to go to that studio again!" at this point with anyone else but Lily he would have been fuming but he had all the patience in the world with her.

"James, move aside," said Lily patiently but with her anger starting on mid-boil.

"No, I will not your going to here me out," he said still standing between Lily and the portrait.

"James, I don't want to have to hurt you now move," now she was really getting angry.

"I told you I will not move until you here me out!" now James' patience was starting to deteriorate.

"James! I said move out of my way or we're over!"

James just stood there unmoving just staring at her like she was sprouting another head. "Do you really mean that Lily?"

Lily had apparently not heard him she was already drawing her wand out of her pocket. "Tarantallegra!" she shouted and James started doing a quickstep, his legs jerking out of control.

"Lily!" James called after her while trying to get his wand from his pocket but his legs were twitching this way and that swaying his whole upper body. Lily dashed past him and ran down the hall away from James' shouts of 'Lily! LILY!'.

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Lily ran though the halls not knowing where she was going. She couldn't go to her studio James would expect her to go there, he would look there first, he was smart, but she was smarter. She couldn't go to the common room either. Having James in the same house was definitely not a good thing in this situation. He just didn't understand, he didn't know, he would never know no one would, no one could know they would blame her like her father and Petunia blamed her. No one would ever know the truth about what she had done.

Lily ran though the hallways as fast as she could, she had no doubt that James would break free of her curse at any moment she could try to out run him she could beat him in long distance running and endurance but his speed was unstoppable. She would have to out smart and find somewhere to hide or lie low until he, until he what? Gave up? Couldn't take her any more and moved on? No James would never do that, he loved her. Or did he? That moment in the common room he scared her turned into someone else, and she was afraid. She never wanted that to happen again she had to get away.

Lily came to an empty classroom it was at the end of the hall and the door open she snuck inside and hoped that no one would come there until morning when she was long gone. She waited five, ten, fifteen minutes not moving not stirring a single muscle. All the years of dance had taught her body to obey, not to give in to the desire to move. She was crouched quiet when she heard it. Feet pounding down the hall, then they stopped, but she knew better he was in the room. He was searching for her, but he wouldn't find her. She was in a corner behind a desk shoved up against a wall, he would not find her unless of course she moved, which she would not let her body even breath. He came closer and closer then nothing moved at all. Not a sound was heard from either party. Then someone called her name. Only, it wasn't James' voice.

"Lily," the someone whispered. "Lily I know your hear. Come out Lily its okay he's not here."

Ever so slowly Lily got up preparing to make another run for her life, but then she saw who it was and relaxed, a little. "Sirius? What are you doing here?"

"Shush, quiet he's still out there. Come on, here I brought this," and Sirius handed Lily her invisibility cloak.

"Sirius how did you get this?" Lily began to ask but she was cut off by the sound of someone coming.

Lily felt a flood of panic ensue her. She turned to Sirius but he was already in action.

"Sorry Lily," and with that he planted a kiss right on her lips turning her from the door so no one could see her face. The room was so dark no one could tell her hair color form there.

James came running in out of breath. "Sirius, is that you?" Sirius turned and looked at him and James saw a girl in his arms and decided to leave him to it. But not before he asked, "Have you seen Lily?"

"Nope, she's your girlfriend not mine Jamesie poo."

James murmured a thanks and left running down hallways again.

Sirius and Lily stayed like that for only a moment. Then Sirius spoke. "I think he's gone."

Lily looked at Sirius. "I don't know whether to slap you or kiss you," and with that she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.

"Lily look, we have to get out of here I know where we can go are you with me?" Lily nodded and Sirius grabbed her hand and slowly lead her out of the room and walking down the halls.

Finally he reached a, bathroom? "Sirius what are you doing this is a girls bathroom!?" exclaimed Lily as he pulled her inside.

"Well would you rather us go in a boys one?" Lily nodded no and then went to put a locking charm on the door.

"Lily what are you doing?"

"Uh, well installing a locking charm on the door. Do you want girls coming in and seeing us in here? They would think that we were…." and Lily trailed off shuddering at her own thought.

"Lily, Lily, Lily" Sirius said shaking his head. "This is moaning Murtle's bathroom. No one ever comes in here. Now tell me what happened?"

Lily remained quiet what would she say? If she told him what happened then he would ask why she was down there so often anyway. Then she would have to tell him and she couldn't. "I dunno," she lied.

Sirius just looked at her. "Well I saw you run down the hall like a mad women and decided to see where you were going and saw you duck into a classroom. Boy you sure can run can't you," and Sirius laughed.

Lily just smiled a sad smile and she walked over to Sirius and hugged him muttering a thank you. Then letting out a huge yawn.

Sirius just smiled at her. "Looks like someone is tired. Come on put on the cloak and I'll smuggle you into the common room and then you can make it up to your dorm."

"Sirius how did you come across my cloak anyway?"

"Well I went into the girl's dorm to tell Remus that I was going off to the kitchens and found it. I asked what it was and Avril said it was yours and asked if I could take it to you seeing how you would need it, as it was getting dark and past curfew. Come on lets get you back," and with that Lily put the cloak on covering her entire body. As she put it on it reminded her of the night her and James had used it to sneak through the halls to get back to the common room. James. Lily sighed.

Sirius led her to the common room and said the password. "Audacia," (an: audacia is Latin for boldness, daring. I thought it was fitting for the Gryffindor entrance). Sirius turned to Lily and nodded. She ventured in and took note that James wasn't there. Still looking for my I gather. Sirius followed her in and looked around as she had done. The common room was empty except for a few first years and Remus in the corner playing wizard's chess with Avril.

Sirius not knowing where Lily was whispered out into nothingness that she should get up to her dorm and that he would be up later and they could talk.

Lily went over to where Sirius was and hugged him. From the onlookers view it looked like Sirius was being squished by air, but luckily no one paid him any attention, much to his disappointment.

Lily rose to her full height and whispered in his ear. "It's okay I just want to go to sleep, thank you so much. Please don't tell James that I'm here and if you could keep him out of my dorm I don't want him barging in. Oh and one more thing. Talk to him convince him to just let me be. Please. I have a few things I need to sort out on my own," and with that she crept up to her dorm not wishing to attract any attention to the squeaking staircase with no one on it.

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So, does anyone know what's up with Lily? No because I am the only one who does besides my best buddy Moonlight. Well, I will go and get started on the next chapter now as I feel up to doing it. Please review me reviews always make me feel better.

~*~Midnight~*~