A/N: I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack!  I know, I know—I haven't updated in a while, and I'm truly sorry!  But I've been sooooooooooooooooooo busy that I haven't had the time to go on the computer except for the occasional e-mail check or college research.  I've been bombarded with field hockey, schoolwork, college applications, college essays, etc. that I haven't had any breathing time in a while.  But now I'm back and I'm updating like I promised…

ANSWERS ARE REVEALED In THIS CHAPTER SO READ CAREFULLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling but everything you don't recognize belongs to MOI!

MEMORIES

CHAPTER 24: Truly, Madly, Deeply

Written by ByeByeBirdie 

            Knock, knock.

            Brett opened the door and didn't say anything.

            "Hi," Lily said breathlessly.  "Listen, I know it's Christmas, but I really need to talk to you."

            Brett still didn't say anything, and instead he leaned on the doorframe with an emotionless look on his face.

            "Brett, I'm sorry about last night.  I-"

            "Forget it," he said coldly.

            "No, I won't forget it," Lily said firmly.  "You deserve an explanation, and I'm not leaving until I give it to you."

            "I know I deserve an explanation, but I'm not so sure if I care enough to hear it from you."

            Ouch, Lily thought.  "I know I'm probably the last person you want to be talking to at the moment, but I really want to explain myself."

            Brett sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.  "Fine," he sighed.  "But make it qduick.  I have family inside waiting for me."

            "I didn't run out on you because I hated you or anything-"

            "Is this supposed be a good explanation?" Brett said, aggravated.

            Lily cracked a smile.  "Yes, just hear me out."

            Brett snickered.  "Whatever."

            "It wasn't about you…it was about me," Lily continued.  "I thought I was over James, but it just turns out that I was holding my feelings for him inside for way too long and the moment you kissed me, I realized that I was still in love with him.  And I hate that feeling and I hated the fact that I handled last night completely wrong, but I didn't know what to do or think.  The only thing going through my mind was James…over and over again.  I feel terrible for the way I acted, and I just hope you can forgive me."

            Brett sighed.  "I guess I have to."

            Lily was taken aback.  "What?  Why?  I don't want you to feel like you have to forgive me…"

            "It's not that.  It's just that…well, Lily, I know how you feel."

            Lily looked up at him with a surprised look on her face.  "Y-you do?"

            He nodded.  "I had a girlfriend of four years, and she broke up with me one day for another guy.  I thought I hated her and I thought I'd never forgive her, but eventually I got over her…or so I thought.  Two years later, I started dating someone else.  But I kept comparing her with Lissa—my old girlfriend—and I realized I wasn't over Lissa yet.  So, I know what you're going through."

            Lily smiled.  "This was easier than I thought it would be."

            Brett smiled.  "Just follow your heart, Lily.  Don't hold off too long.  Trust me, I've learned the wrong way."

            "Wow."

            "What?" he asked curiously.

            "I thought I would come here and be ridiculed and insulted by you until I cried, but instead you're giving me advice about my former boyfriend.  It's a little bit different of my predicted situation."

            He laughed.  "Yeah, well I have multi-personalities."

            "And I thank you for that.

            He smiled at her.  "I thank myself for it, as well.  I wouldn't have been too happy if we ended up not being friends."

            "Neither would I," she said with a slight chuckle.  "Which is why I forced myself to come here today.  I didn't want to wait too long to talk to you, and even though it's Christmas I decided that now is as good as time as any to beg for forgiveness."

            "You didn't need to beg at all," he said with a laugh.  "Of course I forgive you.  You should be forgiving me for my unexpectedness anyhow."

            "There's no need to feel sorry about it, though," Lily pointed out.

            "I wouldn't say I feel sorry about it…just guilty and inane."

            Lily laughed and looked up at Brett's deep-colored eyes staring down at her.  "You're a really good friend, Brett, and don't ever forget that."

            "Thanks, and you're a good friend, as well, Lily.  Good luck with James," Brett said with a grin plastered on his face.  "I hope you two will end up together one day.  If not, I'd have to say he's rather unaware of what a great person you are."

            Lily blushed.  "Awww, thanks Brett."

            "No problem," he replied backing up a bit inside his house.  "I'll see you around."

            "You, too," Lily said.  "Call me later this week and we can hang out."

            He nodded and agreed wholeheartedly.  "Sure thing."

            She winked at him and then turned around and walked down his front pathway with a long sigh, thinking about James and what she was going to do about her feelings for him.

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            There was one more stop on Lily's agenda.

            Knock, knock.

            The door opened and Lily stood there in shock and confusion, not comprehending the fact that she was standing on the Potters' doorstep.

            "Lily!" Caroline Potter cried.  "It's so great to see you!!  Come on in!"

            Lily smiled and obeyed.  "How are you doing?"

            "I've been great lately.  And I'm very excited about this Christmas especially, since James has finally visited me and his relatives."

            Lily smiled.  "Speaking of James, is he here now?  I need to talk to him."

            "Oh, sure, sure," she said, walking into the kitchen.

            A few seconds later, James walked into the entranceway with a perplexed look on his face.  "Lily, hey!  What are you doing here?  I thought you were with Kaitlynne and Remus."

            "I thought I was, too, but…" Lily trailed off with a worried look on her face.  Her knuckles were white, and her face was paling as well.

            "But what?"

            "Well…I needed to talk to you."

            James nodded.  "Okay, about what?"

            Lily sighed.  Was she actually going to do it?  She wanted to and she knew she had to, but it was also the hardest thing she'd have to do in a long time…especially when it came to James.  She opened her mouth and closed it a few times, but no words came out.  She was so scared…but so determined to leave with what she wanted.

            "Um…well, I was talking to Sirius last night and…"

            James gave her a suspicious look.  "Is everything okay, Lily?"

            She nodded as a big lump formed in her throat.  "Yeah," she croaked.

            "Are you sure?  You look really…confused and worried about something.  What's wrong?"

            "Uh…nothing really," Lily said nervously.

            "Oh, Jamesie-poo!" a voice cried from the dining room.

            Jamesie-poo?? Lily thought.

            A second later, who should walk out but Avril Harper…

            "Hey, James, honey," she said with a sweet, innocent smile.  "We're about to eat."

            "Hello, Avril," Lily felt the courage to say.

            "Oh, hey…er…Lindsay, is it??" she smirked, knowing perfectly well who it was.  Avril knew about their history as well as everyone in the history of Hogwarts knew, and she was obviously gloating about the fact that she was with him now and not Lily.  Two weeks earlier, it was the other way around and Avril loved throwing it back in her face!

            Actually, Avril was always jealous of the friendship and the relationship between Lily and James and had always wished that it were her hanging all over James everywhere they went.  So, even plenty of years after Hogwarts, Avril would take any chance she got to rain on Lily's parade…if only she knew why Lily was there in the first place.

            Lily nodded, not bothering to correct her name, but James was two steps ahead of her.

            "It's Lily," James corrected.

            "Oh…right," Avril said with that phony smile of hers plastered on her face.  "Are you staying for dinner with us?"

            James turned to her and it was obvious that he was going to offer, but Lily interrupted his thoughts and his opened mouth. 

            "Oh, no, I can't," Lily lied.  "I already ate with Sirius," she fibbed.  She knew that Sirius had cancelled his Christmas plans with James, but she had no idea why, and she was hoping that James didn't know why.

            But if James did know, he didn't say, because James just left it at that.

            "Oh, well too bad," Avril emphasized, obviously not upset about Lily not staying with them.

            "Avril, I'll be right in," James urged, still wondering what Lily was doing on his front steps on Christmas morning.  He felt a bit awkward with Lily in front of him and Avril next to him, but he and Lily agreed that it wouldn't be able to work out between them again so that moving on was the next step.  And that's what he was doing.  He just hoped that Lily didn't feel awkward…

            "Not without a kiss, you won't," she snickered.

            James chuckled.  "Avril…" he warned.

            She gave him a puppy-dog face and whimpered slightly.

            James laughed and gave her a quick kiss before she skipped back into the dining room.

            Lily was furious and she could feel the hot tears on the corner of her eyes, but she tried holding them back.  Great timing, Lily, she couldn't help but think.  It felt as if her heart was ripped into a million pieces and the pieces were strewn about the room randomly.  She knew it has been four years, but…it still hurt knowing that she could have had a little bit of a chance just a few weeks ago.

            "How long have you two…" Lily trailed off.

            "For now?  Only a week," he answered with a confused smile, which just made Lily feel even worse than she already was.  "I like her…and when you and I didn't work out, I called her up again.  When Remus met her in Hogsmeade a few Saturdays ago and told me I needed to start dating, I did.  And then when you and I got back together…well, you know that story.  But I called her last Monday and I invited her to dinner with me tonight, and she agreed."

            Lily nodded, mostly because she couldn't speak or else she knew she's be quivering and she refused to let James see her upset at the idea of him and another girl.

            "So, what were you trying to tell me?" James said, interrupting her thoughts.

            "Oh…uh…" Lily stuttered.  She was in a bit of a rut and didn't know how to get out of it…  "Um, nothing.  Never mind.  It wasn't that important…actually I forget what I was supposed to tell you anyway," she lied.

            James looked at her suspicious and was about to open his mouth, but Lily cut him off.  "Have a good Christmas, and I'll see you whenever I do," she finished, before rushing out of the house.

            "You, too, Lily," he said, confused and feeling a little skeptical. "Are you sure you didn't have to tell me anything?"

            Lily shook her head.  "Yeah.  Just forget it…never mind.  Just…uh…just have a very Merry Christmas.  Oh…and congratulations with Avril."

            James nodded, knowing that she was hiding something. "Okay.  Then…then I-I guess I'll see you later."

            She nodded.  "Merry Christmas," she responded, before apparating back to her house.

            She let the tears fall down her face like tiny raindrops.  Lily was in pain, and she knew it.  She's never felt that way before.  Sure, she's been hurt many times before with James, but this was different.  Because Lily had the chance, and she blew it—two times in a row she screwed it up with James and there wasn't anything she could really do about it.

            And now…now Avril took him away from her once again and there was nothing she could do about it.

            She trudged up the stars in her house in a complete melancholy daze, trying to figure out what could have gone wrong between her and James to end it so nonchalantly.  She sighed.  She was finally admitting her feelings towards James and she couldn't do anything about that except hold it in for as long as she needed to. 

            She flung herself on to her bed and sobbed into her pillow.  It just wasn't fair…James was hers!!  She's always thought of it like that, but now…now everything was different.  Because James had moved on…moved on from her.  He had gotten over her, but Lily hadn't gotten over James.  She hated having the feeling of emptiness, but that's what it was.  Because James wasn't hers anymore…  It was obvious that whatever James and Lily had felt about each other before was long-gone and in the past, and Lily shouldn't dwell on it.  She thought she had it all figured out two weeks earlier and now she had no idea what to think or how to act…

            And she still couldn't help but feel the way she did.

            What a lousy way to spend Christmas…

~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~*~~

            Sirius and Savannah stood there just staring at each other in shock,

            Neither of them knew what to say for a good minute and Savannah stood there in the blizzard trembling, and Sirius stood in his doorway with no jacket, freezing his ass off, letting the snow blow into his house. 

            Before Sirius knew what he was doing, he was embracing Savannah so tightly that he could smell the shampoo in her hair and he could feel her shaking all over.  Savannah returned the hug even tighter.  They were both shaking…mostly from shock, but also from happiness, and Savannah from being freezing and wet.

            "Oh, God, Sirius.  I've missed you so much," Savannah said, letting a tear from her face fall into Sirius' hair. 

            Sirius pulled her tighter and nodded, feeling the hot tears well up in his eyes.  He had wanted to be with her soooo much that it had been aching and now that he had almost tried to forget about their former relationships, she shows up.  Bad timing…and yet it felt so good.  "I know.  I've missed you, too," he whispered. "Oh, Savannah—I just can't believe it's you…"

            They eventually let go, and Sirius invited Savannah inside, out of the snow and out of the cold.

            "What are you doing here Savannah?" Sirius asked.

            Savannah looked shamefully at the ground.  "Daniel ran off with his co-worker tonight…and for forever.  We've been having some major problems lately and I guess he just couldn't handle it anymore.  And I knew I couldn't take care of the house or the baby all by myself, so I came back to England.  But when I got here I didn't know what to do or where to go.  I ended up wandering around Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade for a while and then I started walking down random roads, still not sure what to do or where to go."

            "In this blizzard you were out there by yourself with a child??" Sirius asked, outraged.

            She dropped her head in shame.  "It started snowing harder, and I knew I was stuck.  But I couldn't help but think that it was a lousy Christmas Eve and there was nothing I could do to change that.  But…I…well…I came here.  I-I didn't know where else to turn, Sirius," Savannah said, already beginning to cry.

            He hugged her again.  "You came to the right place, Savannah."

            "I was afraid you'd hate me."

            Sirius stopped breathing for a second before taking a deep breath in and out.  "I'd never be able to hate you, Savannah."

            "I don't know what to do, Sirius.  I have nowhere to go, no job, no money, no family, no…anything."

            "Yes you do.  You have me," Sirius said from the bottom of his heart.  "Savannah, you can stay here for as long as you need and I know you'll be able to get a job and you're going to be fine."

            "How do you know that?"

            "Because I know you.  And that's enough to know anything about you."

            Savannah smiled at him as Sirius peered over Savannah's shoulder.  "So…uh…that's…uh…" Sirius stuttered looking at the sleeping child in a stroller.  He knew who it was…it just hurt a little to say it.

            "That's Elizabeth," Savannah said beaming.

            Sirius tried to shake the awkward feeling out of the back of his neck.  So it wasn't his…and he may hate that, but he didn't want to show it.

            "She's adorable," Sirius said realizing how cute the child was.  "How old is she?"

            "She just turned two last month.  And she's crawling and trying to work on the walking part.  She doesn't say any words yet, although she does like to babble to herself a lot," Savannah said with a smile.

            "She's got your eyes."

            "I know.  Everyone says so," Savannah said, staring at Elizabeth for a second with a bright smile on her face as Sirius watched Savannah.  "You know Sirius…she doesn't have a middle name."

            "What?  Why not?"

            "Don't you remember?"

            "Remember what?"

            "The bet we made in sixth year," Savannah said.

~ ~ ~ ~ F L A S H B A C K ~ ~ ~ ~

            "I know it was stupid, Vannie!" Sirius cried.

            "No, it was more that stupid!!  I trusted you this time, Sirius Black!!  I thought that maybe you changed.  Maybe you wouldn't hurt me again, but this is the fourth time and I'm tired of it!" Savannah cried.  "I probably should have learned my lesson the first three times, but obviously I was too dumb to remember."

            "Vannie-"

            "No, just stop it.  I can't even stand to be around you anymore.  But I'm sure Campbell wouldn't mind it."

            "Savannah Turner, you listen to me right now, I-"

            "No, you listen to me, Sirius Black.  Don't come crawling back to me when you've realized you made a stupid mistake that you can't take back.  I don't need you in my life anymore.  Just stay out of it, and I will be happy."  She started to walk away, but Sirius grabbed her arm.

            "Wait.  Fine, I'll do this for you just because I know I can't take back what had happened.  But-"

            "There's a but??" she asked angrily, pulling her arm away from him.

            "Yes there's a but.  I just want to say that I know you and I will end up friends again and maybe even start dating again, because it's usually what we do, and-"

            "No, not this time.  It's different now, Sirius Black.  Now I've learned my lesson and I've realized I don't need you."

            "Fine, say what you want to say, but I'm betting that you will."

            "Betting?" she questioned angrily.  "You know what?  I bet that I won't ever date you again."

            "Oh, really?" he said.  "And what do I get if you do start dating me??"

            "I'm not betting against us, Sirius!!"

            "Because you know I'm right."

            "No, because I really don't want to stand here and talk with you!  I'm done talking—I just want to walk away and not have to deal with you!"

            "You'd just be running away again…"

            Savannah rolled her eyes at him and smirked angrily.  "Get off my back, Black."

            "Fine, run from this, see if I care."

            "I can do whatever I want, Sirius!  You don't control me and you never will!"

            "You don't know that," he pointed out. 

            "Yes I do," she said angrily.

            "Then bet."

            "NO!" Savannah cried.

            "Just do it and I'll leave." 

            Savannah hesitated.  "Really?"

            He nodded.

            Savannah rolled her eyes.  "Fine…but you have to leave me alone when I'm through with this!"

            "I promise."

            "…100 galleons?" Savannah cried, frustrated.

            "No money."

            "And why not??"

            "Because I'm broke."

            "So you admit you're going to lose?"

            "Savannah, just choose something else," Sirius said hastily.

            "Jackass," she muttered.  "Why don't you choose?  If I'm the one who's going to be losing, so you say, shouldn't you be choosing??"

            "Fine, fine. How about I can…uh…name your first child's middle name," Sirius said spontaneously. 

            "What!?"

            "Hey we were talking about my aunt's baby today and that's the first thing that came to mind!!"

            Savannah laughed evilly.  "You actually think I'd trust me with giving your child a middle name?"

            "Well, I know you'd hunt me down and kill me if I choose Xavier or Sirius or Ms. Ugly Face or…or…Bitch or whatnot."

            "Fine, I'll take that bet.  And I get to name your first child's middle name if I don't date you by the time you have your first child."

            "Fine, agreed," Sirius said shaking hands with Savannah.

            "Now, leave me alone," Savannah said, pushing past him.  "Besides, I think Campbell was looking for you."

            "You know I'm sorry about that and that it was a stupid thing to do!!" Sirius cried after her, but Savannah didn't bother turning around to curse him out.

~ ~ ~ ~ E N D   OF   F L A S H B A C K ~ ~ ~ ~

            "Oh, my gosh," Sirius said.  "I completely forgot about that."

            "I didn't.  And I never break a promise…or a bet."

            "So you actually want me to give her a middle name."

            "Yeah.  I trust you, Sirius," Savannah said.  "I think."

            "Oh, that's reassuring," he said sarcastically.

            Savannah laughed.

            "Alright, Xavier it is," Sirius joked.

            "Sirius!" Savannah warned.

            "Okay, fine…Sirius sounds better anyway," Sirius said with a grin.

            "Sirius!" Savannah said with a laugh.

            "And you seem to agree."

            "SIRIUS!!"

            "I'll think of a middle name while you get out of those clothes and into comfortable, dry, warm ones okay?" Sirius said. "And I was just about to make hot coffee."

            "I don't have any other clothes to put on," Savannah said quietly.

            "Okay," Sirius said. "Hold on." Sirius went to get sweats and a sweatshirt of his for Savannah, a blanket for her, and then a second blanket for Elizabeth.

            "Sirius, you don't have to get me clothes, it's fine," Savannah called out to Sirius, knowing exactly what he was doing.

            "No, you're right. I'll just let you freeze to death and feel really guilty," Sirius said sarcastically. "Here put these on. I'll cover Elizabeth with this blanket." Savannah just smiled.

            "You don't have to do that," Savannah said.

            "I am not gonna let a child into my house while she is shaking from the cold and not give her some attention," Sirius said.

            "You've always been good with kids…you know that right?" Savannah said.

            "You're the second one to tell me that today," Sirius said.

            "Who else?"

            "I baby-sat Jenna today and Allie and Josh told me I was great with her," Sirius said.

            "Who's Jenna?"

            "Allie and Josh's baby."

            "They have a baby?!" Savannah exclaimed.

            Sirius looked up from covering the baby up and just kind-of looked at her oddly.  He almost forgot that Savannah didn't know anything about anyone.  He couldn't help but realize that things have changed since she's been in touch with anyone and he couldn't help but feel a bit awkward. 

            "Yeah, and she has another on the way," Sirius said eventually, turning away and trying to push the awkwardness away.

            "Wow," Savannah said. "What else is new around here?"

            "Lily moved back to England and James is now living in England as well."

            "Lily moved back!?"

            "Yeah.  She got a great job working at the international office of Daily Prophet."

            "That's awesome!!"

            "What about you?  What's going on with your job?"

            Savannah sighed.  "Well, I haven't had time to our with anybody or even practice any of my songs, so I've just been hanging back and Daniel kind of paid our way through everything."

            "But what about your song lyrics?  You write so well!"

            "I haven't had time," she sighed. 

            Sirius nodded, as if to understand.

            "God I've missed so much around here," she said, changing the subject.

            "Yeah…unfortunately…you have," Sirius said.

            "I wish I hadn't."

            "I do too." They smiled at each other.

            "Okay, go get into those warm clothes now," Sirius said.

            "You'll make a great father someday," Savannah said.

            "I hope so," Sirius said as he watched Savannah walk into the bathroom and change. She came out a few minutes later looking like an oversized…Sirius.

            "These are a little big Si," Savannah said. Sirius laughed at how she looked.

            "But they're warm…you can't argue with that," Sirius said. "It's not my fault you're so small."

            Savannah smiled and turned back to the sleeping Elizabeth.

            "Savannah, can I ask you a question?"

            Savannah turned back to Sirius and she nodded.

            Sirius leaned against the couch and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to figure out a way to word what he wanted to say.  "Um…why didn't you ever write to any of us?  Or call us?  We were all worried and when Lily told me a few months after you left that you hadn't written, I began to wonder if you were ever going to write to us."

            Savannah sighed, and turned back to Elizabeth.  She paused a long time and didn't know how to answer.  It was a good question and Savannah truly didn't know what to tell him…or anyone at that matter.  It was one of her biggest regrets that she's had in her entire lifetime but it was too late now to worry about it.

            "I-I don't know," Savannah stuttered.  "I didn't at first because…because I was trying to get my life back on track.  I was so busy the first couple of weeks talking to different agents and unpacking all of our stuff, that I didn't have a lot of time to write to anyone.  But as the weeks turned to months, and as the months turned to years, it just…it just got complicated.  I was afraid that you'd all hate me for leaving and for not writing, so I ended up putting it off for longer than I expected.  And then…then I decided just to let it all go.  After a year I just…I just knew that my life back in England was over with.  I didn't live there any more and I wasn't a part of it.  It was different.  I changed…and my life changed.  I was afraid to go back to the way it was because I figured you had all moved on without me."

            "We all held on to you, though," Sirius said barely audible.  "None of us forgot you and none of us let each other forget you.  You were a big part of my life…and everyone else's life.  That we'd never forget.  You will always belong with us here in England, no matter where you are.  No one moved on without you.  Sure, we all moved on but that's because we had to…but we didn't move on without you.  You were still there in spirit and in memories."

            Savannah smiled.  "I was an idiot, wasn't I…"

            "I'd have to say yes to that."

            Savannah smirked.  "It's just…well, every time I picked up a quill pen and a piece of parchment I just stared at the paper holding the pen and ink in my hands.  My mind went blank.  I didn't know what to say…so I didn't say anything."

            "We all missed you."

            Savannah looked up at him with a look in her eyes that only Sirius had ever seen before…hope and love.  "I missed you, too."

            Sirius gave her a pat on the shoulder, and they both welcomed the awkward silence, before Savannah broke the tension.

            "So I'm dying for some coffee," Savannah said. Sirius laughed.

            "I can only do one thing at a time," Sirius said.

            "Then I'll make it," Savannah said.

            "Well I'm done wrapping Elizabeth up so I can do it," Sirius said.

            "You never did let me do anything on my own," Savannah said.

            "Well if I'm here I don't feel as if you need to."

            "But you don't have to make coffee for me, bundle up my child, give me warm clothes and I see you started a fire as well," Savannah said.

            Sirius shrugged. "It's the least I can do."

            "Sirius, I should be doing all of this. I come over here uninvited when I haven't seen or talked to you for over two years. You shouldn't be doing any of this. You should be sleeping and not having to bother with me."

            "You and I both know that won't ever happen," Sirius said to her.

            "Yeah," Savannah said with a smile. "I know. But you sit right here and I'm going to make coffee."

            "No, I a-" Sirius started.

            "Sit!" Savannah ordered. Sirius laughed.

            "Fine." Sirius sat down and admired Elizabeth. He couldn't help but to admit to himself that the baby looked a lot like Savannah but also a lot like Daniel and of course…nothing like him. And he couldn't help admitting that he wished with all his heart that it were his child.

            Elizabeth must have known Sirius was staring at her intensively because she woke up and started wailing.

            "Oh Elizabeth!" Savannah cried, running from the kitchen.

            "Hey, hey!" Sirius exclaimed. "Go back to making coffee. I'll deal with her."

            "But, you don-" Savannah said.

            "Go!" Sirius ordered and Savannah just grinned and went back.  Sirius picked Elizabeth up and wasn't quite sure how to get her back to sleep until he remembered a song that he used to sing to Savannah when she was asleep.  He refused to let her make fun of him in school J.  But now…everything seemed too perfect for Sirius to care anymore.

~ ~ ~ ~ F L A S H B A C K ~ ~ ~ ~

            "You mean a lot to me Savannah. I don't ever want to lose you…again," Sirius was saying to Savannah a few weeks before graduation. They were sitting under their favorite tree and it was one o'clock in the morning.

            "You won't have to," Savannah murmured before she fell asleep in his arms. Sirius sighed, he couldn't believe how happy he was.

            Before he knew what he was doing he was singing to her but he was really glad she was asleep because when they were eighteen, singing to his girlfriend felt dorky.

 

            "I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish, I'll be your fantasy.

 I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.

 I love you more with every breath truly madly deeply do.

I will be strong I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning;

A reason for living; A deeper meaning.

I want to stand with you on a mountain.

I want to bathe with you in the sea.

I want to lay like this forever.

Until the sky falls down on me..." Sirius sang softly to her and soon he was asleep along with her.

~ ~ ~ ~ E N D  OF  F L A S H B A C K ~ ~ ~ ~

            Sirius sat there holding Elizabeth in his arms and began to sing to her.

"I'll be your dream, I'll be your wish I'll be your fantasy.

 I'll be your hope, I'll be your love, be everything that you need.

 I love you more with every breath truly madly deeply do.

I will be strong I will be faithful 'cause I'm counting on a new beginning;

A reason for living; A deeper meaning.

I want to stand with you on a mountain.

I want to bathe with you in the sea.

I want to lay like this forever.

Until the sky falls down on me..." Sirius sang softly. After each line Elizabeth got softer and softer until she was asleep again and not wailing at all but sleeping peacefully.

            He was looking down at Elizabeth, rocking her to sleep, knowing that Savannah couldn't hear him because she was in the other room. The only thing was, he was paying so much attention to the baby that he didn't even notice Savannah come into the room and lean against the doorframe. Sirius slowly put Elizabeth back in her stroller and wrapped her up so she was warm.

            "That was pretty," Savannah whispered. Sirius jumped a mile.

            "Oh…I…you…we…I didn't know you were listening," Sirius stuttered as he turned beet red. Savannah smiled and walked over to him and handed him his coffee.

            "You used to sing that to me," Savannah said.

            Sirius spit out his coffee.   "Wh-what?"

            Savannah laughed.  "I loved to hear you sing it but I didn't want you to know or you wouldn't do it anymore. I knew you sang it to me almost evertime you thought I was asleep so I just acted I was asleep all the time," Savannah admitted.

            "But…but…"

            "I was always awake…"

            "You little sneak," Sirius said with a smile and took another sip of his coffee "You remembered how I like my coffee."

            "Of course I do," Savannah said.  "I only remember the important things." They both smiled at each other. "I can't believe how great you are with her," Savannah said pointing her head to Elizabeth. Sirius shrugged.

            "I guess it just comes naturally," Sirius said.

            "I just figured you…you…that…I…we…nevermind."

            "No tell me…what is it?"

            "Well…it's Elizabeth.  She's…" Savannah trailed off.

            "I know what you mean but just because Elizabeth is half Daniel's, doesn't mean I'm not going to care."

            "And it's not just Elizabeth.  It's me, also.  I just figured that when I showed up you wouldn't want anything to do with me," Savannah said. "And you-"

            "Why wouldn't I want anything to do with you?"

            "Because you said to me when I told you I was pregnant that you didn't want to see me again if you couldn't be with me at that time."

            Sirius looked up at Savannah and knew that deep down inside he thought he'd be feeling that way.  "I meant it then…and I always thought I'd feel that way, Savannah.  But I realized…you're too important to me to be out of my life forever.  I've always loved you, and nothing's going to change that.  I just needed time to realize that you and I were over.  I think you gave me more than enough time, though."

            Savannah lost her breath at that moment and looked him in the eyes.  "I've missed you, Sirius.  But after what you said the last time I saw you…I couldn't handle dealing with…anyone.  So I shut everyone out of my life.  Now I'm just afraid of what they're all going to do and say."

            "Don't worry about it.  I think if I can forgive you, that everyone else can."

            "Sirius, you're so understanding.  The truth is…I never figured out why I turned to Daniel when the one man I've always been in love with was so close to me."

            Sirius looked at her for a long minute.  He then looked down at the ground, not sure of what to say.

            "You know what I realized when you left?" He said quietly.

            "What?"

            "Well…I've hurt you many times in the past time, right?"

            Savannah gave him a strange look, wondering why he was bringing this up.  "Yeah…"

            "I finally realized how it felt to be the one feeling the pain," he explained.  "I don't think anything hurt more than that…and I don't think anything ever will.  I just realized how terribly I treated you over the years…"

            "Sirius…you've done stupid things, like kissing a girl…but I got pregnant.  To a man I wasn't even in love with.  I'm so sorry," she said, sobbing gently.

            "Sorry?  There's nothing to be sorry for," Sirius said, stroking her back with a confused look on his face.

            "Yes there is," she said, hesitating.  "I'm sorry that it wasn't you."

Snow fell down

You were there

I cried for you

Knowing it wasn't fair

Storm-a-rushing in

Wind was howling

I thought of you, you were there

            Sirius froze.  Stopped breathing, stopped moving, stopped doing anything…was this really happening?  This has been his dream for as long as he could remember, but he never thought that it would actually happen…

            "Sirius…I love you," Savannah said quietly.  "I always have.  You were always the one that I was meant to be with…but I was too scared to admit it."

            Sirius looked up at her with passion deep in his eyes.  "Savannah, I knew from the moment that I saw you that you were the one.  You were the one I was supposed to marry.  You were the one I was supposed to love. You were the one who I was meant to be with forever."

            Savannah smiled, with a hint of glistening tears in the side of her eyelids.  "I'm just sorry I wasted two years of the time we could have been together."

            "We've grown up.  We're different now," Sirius pointed out.

            "We're more mature.  We now realize what we want in life," Savannah added.

            "Yeah, and I'm not afraid to say it, Savannah.  I want you."

            Savannah smiled.  "I've always wanted you."

            Sirius fixed a serious-stricken look on Savannah.  "Savannah, in a few minutes I'm going to ask you something that I'm either going to regret or something that's meant to be.  First off, you know I've hurt you multiple times and you've always been afraid I'd do it again…you're probably still afraid of that, because ever since you left for Canada, I always thought that it would be possible that perhaps you could hurt me once again.  I hated that feeling, but it was there."

            "Sirius, I-"

            "But I know one thing," Sirius interrupted.  "Now that I know how it feels, I'm never doing anything stupid to you again.  I promise you that.  In fact, I love you too much to do anything to you ever again."

            "But-"

            "You're probably wondering how you trust me this time, but…but I just have one thing to ask of you that I should've done a while ago."

            "Why are-"

            "No, let me finish.  Well…um…I just…this is going to sound so random, but I need to say it.  I need to know the truth.  I need to know what's going to become of us."

            "What are you-"

            "Savannah, um…well…er…Savannah Lydia Turner, will you marry me?"

A/N: GASP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Cliffhanger (again!)!!!!!!!!!!!  Hmm…what's gonna happen next between James and Lily, and Brett and Lily, and James and Avril?  Most importantly: what's Savannah gonna do!?  What is she gonna say!?  Hm…well, just keep on reading!! (I'll try to update soon!)

The songs were "Truly, Madly, Deeply," by Savage Garden and "To You I Belong," by B*Witched.