A/N: This is a short, one chapter fic that I wrote for a contest. Basically a day in the life of James, Lily, Sirius and Remus. Short and sweet, so read it and tell me what you think.
Disclaimer- If you think I came up with the brilliant idea then I'm honored but what are you on? I don't own any of the characters! (Foggywaters doesn't really exist or if it does I don't own it)
So here it is… CHOICES
"I've got it," Sirius rushed in through the open door and stopped in front of Lily and James on the couch. They waited expectantly for his bright idea. "Rutherford." There was silence as the couple looked at Sirius, trying to figure out if he was kidding. Lily's eyebrows were raised and James' smile had faded slightly.
"Sirius," Lily said slowly. "We are not naming our child Rutherford." Sirius rolled his eyes and scoffed at her.
"Oh not for him, I know what you're going to name him. The name's for my motorbike." His voice sounded proud, as if he had just done something extraordinary.
James had stood up and placed a hand on Sirius' shoulder, staring into his eyes. "What do you mean, you know what we're going to name him? We don't even know it's a him." James asked. With a quick glance at Lily, Sirius finished his statement in a loud whisper.
"I had a vision."
Now it was James' turn to scoff. Turning to Lily he didn't bother to lower his voice.
"Oh God, not another vision!" Lily laughed as Sirius punched James lightly on the shoulder.
"Hey, I had a vision that you were going to marry Lily, and look at this!" Sirius argued, firmly believing in his vision. James rolled his eyes and collapsed next to Lily on the couch, wrapping an arm around her.
"So, are you going to tell us?" He asked Sirius. Looking even more proud of himself Sirius shook his head, happily.
"You have to figure it out on your own." He replied haughtily. "Now what do you think of Rutherford?"
"Sirius," Lily started, trying to tell Sirius nicely what she thought. "You know I love you," ignoring James' protested of 'I thought you loved me!' she continued. "But you can not name your motorbike Rutherford."
"Why not?" He asked, with his innocent and confused voce that could melt even Lily's temper.
"Because…" Lily's voice faltered. "It's well," she tried again but failed, not wanting to hurt Sirius' feelings.
"A crappy name." Remus said, sticking his head in from the kitchen. "Face it Sir, there is no way any girl would get on a bike named Rutherford." Sirius paused for a moment in thought, and decided that there was a good reason that Remus was the smart one, he nodded.
"Yeah, I guess you're right." He paused to look confused. Tilting his head to the side, as though he thought from there it might make more sense, he asked. "But Rem, ol' buddy ol' pal, what the heck are you doing in the kitchen?"
Remus shrugged, as though it was a normal activity for him. "I won't let Lily cook and James' screws up anything more complicated than cereal."
"Not true!" James protested. "I can make… umm… well… okay fine. But you could have taught me!" Lily giggled and when James gaped at her she hugged him.
"Sorry honey, but your talents, or lack there of, in the kitchen are not the greatest. But that's why I love you." His expression softened and he kissed her quickly on the nose.
"This doesn't mean I forgive you for saying I can't cook." James said pointing at Remus who slunk back into the adjacent room but not before calling out.
"Remember the spaghetti incident?" He mocked, fleeing into the kitchen. Sirius started to laugh hysterically but James hurled a pillow at the door that had closed behind Remus. Slowly a smile slid across James' face.
"Okay, it was kind of funny," He admitted at last. Lily snuggled into his chest. "Lily honey." He said, eyebrows drawn tight together
"Yeah," she murmured into his shirt.
"I'm going to learn how to cook." Sirius snorted at James' convincing tone, but Lily just grinned.
"That's great dear, you do that." Her voice was quiet and her head started to sink lower on his chest.
He shook his head firmly. "No really, by the time our baby is born, I will be a master cooker!" Lily laughed gently, trying to listen, and take him seriously.
"It's a chef baby." She answered, hardly succeeding in keeping a straight face.
James nodded, confirming that chef was what he meant to say and cooker just… well slipped out. "Yeah, that. And you're going to help me." Lily nodded slowly, her breathing steadying. Sirius laughed quietly, shaking his head.
"She fell asleep on you mate." James gazed down at Lily before smiling.
"I never expected to be happy that a girl fell asleep while I was talking." He lamented, sighing deeply in amazement.
Sirius chuckled. "The things love will do to you." James grinned, looking down at Lily. He shifted his weight before gently moving her to the side and onto the couch. Lily whimpered quietly as he did, rolling over to get comfortable.
James stood up and followed Sirius through the swinging door into the kitchen. Stopping once to glance back at his sleeping wife, as he watched her she shifted in her sleep and he grinned, still amazed that she was indeed, his wife.
"Guess what Rem." Sirius said cheerfully, skipping over to his side, and making a face at the funny smell coming from the stove top.
"What?" Remus asked, continuing to stir whatever was in the pot on the stove. Lily was firmly against magical cooking and wouldn't allow it in her house.
"Prongsy boy here is going to be a 'master cooker' and you get to teach him." Sirius' voice was excited and happy, although he had resolved not to help, because he knew better than to think that the three of them could make something without a fire occurring. Remus laughed and looked pointedly at James.
"Master cooker?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.
James grinned and nodded, completely missing the sarcasm in Remus' voice. "Yup, in three months, I'm going to be able to cook anything!" He squealed excitedly.
Remus sighed at his student's excitement. "I've got my work cut out for me."
There was a pause in which Remus and Sirius waited for James to understand.
"Hey!" He said insulted. "You don't think I can do it!"
"No James," Sirius grinned. "We know you can't do it."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Lily woke up a few hours later to the smell of something burning. She jumped up and rushed into the kitchen (or did the best that someone five months pregnant could jump and rush), just in time to see Remus put the fire out with his wand. As the three turned to face Lily they plastered innocent smiles on their faces.
"Lily, darling, you're up." James took a step toward her but she held out a hand to stop him.
"What the hell are you doing to my kitchen?" She scowled, glaring first at James who just kept smiling, her gaze soon fell on Remus next who was standing in front of the still smoking oven, trying to hide it, and finally Sirius who was holding a 'Lucky Charms' box and loudly crunching on them. As she glared at him, Sirius slowly brought his hand back out of the box and to his side, before placing the half eaten box on the counter. Shaking her head, Lily closed her eyes in defeat, no longer wanting to know. "You know what. I'm going back to bed." Leaving the three still smiling she walked out.
"Well," Sirius grinned. "That went well." James and Remus turned to look at him with identical exasperated expressions. "Well it could have gone worse." He said in explanation.
Turning back to the stove the three stood staring at it, none of them volunteering to take the substance out, Sirius even backed up a step not wanting to get any closer than necessary. At last Remus stepped forward, with a pair of oven mitts on.
"I've got it under control." Remus reached slowly into the smoky abyss and lugged out a black clump of something that smelled subspecialty like burnt rubber.
"Well," Sirius began, but his voice drifted off, as the smell reached his nose and he tried to hide his disgust.
"Yeah," James agreed with the unsaid statement, nodding slowly. "It's not exactly meat loaf."
"Not exactly," Remus shook his head. "Maybe we should try something a little easier."
Sirius snorted. "It doesn't get much easier then meatloaf!" Clapping a hand on James' shoulder, he declared. "You can screw up anything, James."
James sighed deeply. "Maybe I'm not cut out for this. I just suck at cooking."
"You don't suck, per say." Sirius said, trying to lighten the mood. "You just kind of…" His voice trailed off.
"No, you sucked." Remus was not one to lie, or even beat around the bush.
Sirius let out a snort of laughter before hitting Remus sharply. "He's kidding." "Sirius just admit it, I will never be a cooker." James said in frustration.
"Well you might not be a cooker," Remus admitted. "But with practice you could be a chef."
"Thanks for the support Rem, but I think I'm going to have to give up on this one." James sighed reluctantly.
"Now wait," Sirius said. "Look at this meatloaf. It almost resembles something edible." Sirius made it through with a straight face, until James looked at him. Gasping for air he admitted. "Okay, so no one in their right mind would get anywhere near it with a fork."
"You just need practice." Remus said, trying to believe his own words.
"C'mon James," Sirius said cheerfully. "When have you ever given up on something?"
James shook his head sadly. Untying his flowered apron, he handed it over to Remus ceremoniously.
"Sorry guys, I'm just not cut out for this cooker thing."
As James left the kitchen Sirius' smiled returned full force.
"He finally gave me a chance to be better than him at something." He exclaimed excitedly.
James poked his head back in. "I heard that." He smiled grimly before saying. "It's not going to happen again, so feel privileged.
"Almost worked." Sirius shrugged. "Oh well, no more burnt meatloaf." He cringed as he poked the black lump still smoldering.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"So honey," Lily asked, looking over at James. He had sulked into the living room, collapsed onto a chair and turned on the TV all without looking at her. "How'd the cooking lessons go?" The question only caused James to glower more.
Lily sighed, before pulling herself up from the couch, and waddling over. At five months pregnant she was having some trouble walking. She flopped down onto his lap, taking the TV remote out of James' hand, and turning off the TV.
"You know what?" Lily said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm glad you can't cook." James grunted inquisitively. "Because then you'd be perfect."
He looked slowly up at her before letting a smile creep first into his eyes and then over his face. "Then how am I supposed to compare to you?" he asked, watching her eyes light up. Leaning against her growing stomach he grinned.
"What do you think of the name Dustin?" James asked, lost in thought.
"I always liked Lorelei." She answered. As they continued suggesting names Sirius and Remus slowly creaked open the door. Peeking out the two grinned.
"Are you going to tell them?" Remus whispered. Sirius smiled, and shook his head slowly.
"Nope, they're going to figure it out soon enough."
As they watched, James and Lily glanced at each other and in a quiet voice said together. "Harry."
"Jeez!" Sirius burst out. They turned, startled. "Well took you long enough." The couple turned back at each other and smiled.
"I like it." Lily said thoughtfully.
"I like that you like it." James said smiling. As they leaned in for a kiss Sirius made a noise of disgust.
"Now can I watch my show?"
Lily grinned, "Oh I suppose." She gave in, handing over the remote.
Sirius skipped over to the middle of the room and sat down two feet from the TV screen.
"What are you watching?" Remus asked as the TV flickered on.
"Foggywaters." Sirius answered happily.
"Foggywaters… Are you crazy?!" Remus gaped. "That's a soap opera!"
Sirius grinned and shifted to get comfortable on the floor. "Yup, I know."
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
A/N: So, what do you think? I'm not going to continue it, unless the urge strikes me, but I figured I'd put it up. So… REVIEW and tell me if you like it.
-Gretch
P.S. Duva corrected me, Duva owns Foggywaters, not the soap opera but the names Foggywaters. Thanks Duva for letting me borrow it. :-D