AN: This is going to be quite a long chappie, since it's going to be the last one about Lily and James. This story will be ending very soon...sniff sniff. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: The usual...

Chapter 29: I Loved You All The Way

Lily's eyes welled up again as she took in the sight of James, rain-soaked and weak.

"James," she gasped out.

A smile lit up his face, and he moved towards her, clasping her in his arms. "I finally found you," he rasped.

Lily couldn't answer; she simply cried into his chest.

After a few minutes, James suddenly stumbled. Lily then noticed the rain that still pelted them. "I better get you inside."

James leaned on her for support, tiredness overcoming him.

Lily sat at James's bedside. Not long after they had entered the house, James had collapsed on the floor, with a raging fever. Mrs. Evans came in with some medicine and food on a tray. "How is he?" she asked softly.

"Still unconscious," Lily replied quietly. She gently ruffled James's thick, unruly black hair.

Mrs. Evans checked his temperature. "Well, he's recovering. The fever's gone done a bit." She patted her daughter on the shoulder. "I'll be downstairs if you need me. Call me if he wakes."

Lily nodded mutely. When the door closed softly behind her mother, Lily leaned over and brushed a light kiss against his burning forehead. "Please get better," she whispered. "There's so much I want to tell you--so much I need to tell you." She kissed his nose, and then finally, his lips. Suddenly, she was aware of an arm wrapping around her. She opened her eyes to see James, his eyes awake and alight with love.

"James!" she squealed. James slowly sat up in bed, all the while not letting go of Lily. He hugged her tightly.

"So what was that you wanted to tell me?" he asked, eyes twinkling.

Lily snatched up the medicine. "Take your meds."

James frowned and pouted. "That was it? Guess I should have just stayed asleep and not wasted my energy and--"

"I love you."

James paused in mid-rant. "What?"

Lily's eyes were shining with tears. "I love you, James."

James pulled her into his arms again. "I love you too. I always have."

"I've missed you so much, James." She lifted her head to look at him, her eyes wide and child-like. "Please don't do that to me again."

"I will never do anything to hurt you again," James promised her. He rested his chin on top of her head as Lily sighed contentedly.

James's fever went down that day. He stayed with the Evanses for the night, getting to know them better. The next morning, he and Lily got ready to leave for the wizarding world again.

"Are you all set?" Mrs. Evans asked as Lily hoisted up her bag.

Lily nodded. "Looks like I am. Thanks for everything, Mum."

Her mother looked at James. "How about you, James?"

"I'm good too. Thanks for all your help, Mrs. Evans."

"No problem. I'll just send you the bill for all the medicine."

They laughed.

"Take care of our Lily, James," Mrs. Evans said as she walked them to the door.

James nodded. "I will, Mrs. Evans."

The gang had arranged to meet at The Three Broomsticks. James and Lily arrived first, and were sipping butterbeer when Remus and Phoebe walked through the door.

"Compadre, hey!" Remus lifted his palm., and James slapped it.

Lily rose to greet Phoebe. "Hey, how are you? I've missed you guys."

"Lily, hi. We're doing good." Phoebe asked, taking a seat beside Remus. She looked from Lily to James. "Hey, you guys are back together. That's great!"

Lily beamed; her heart felt so light and happy. Then something dawned on her. "Where's Sirius?" She didn't know how to face him now; with all that had happened between her and James.

"Looking for me?"

Lily whirled. Standing behind her was Sirius...accompanied by Elsa.

"Hi, group," Elsa called out cheerfully. James's mouth dropped open as he noticed her arm around Sirius's waist.

"What happened here?" both James and Lily exclaimed in unison.

"Well, you really didn't expect me to wallow in grief and heartbreak, did you?" Elsa asked James.

"That so wouldn't have been me," Sirius told Lily. "Although I did have to drown my sorrows in a couple of bottles of firewhisky."

"And I practically blew apart the Shack venting," Elsa admitted.

"Let's face it, you guys were really big parts of our love lives. We kinda had to be a little upset," Sirius added.

"But then we met a couple of matchmakers here." Elsa stared pointedly at Remus and Phoebe.

"They convinced us to go out a couple of times. It was mostly 'Lily blah blah blah, James blah blah blah' for a while, but things changed." Sirius finished.

Lily was struggling to take it all in. "Oh-kay...so now it's really...you guys."

"I think I'm starting to feel the seeds of jealousy here," James complained. "Yeesh Elsa, did it take you this fast to get over me?"

"Yeah, Sirius. I was gone for a couple of days and you ditch me?" Lily was starting to look a little deadly.

"Well, I could always take you back," Sirius replied.

Lily looked at James. James looked at Lily.

"Or I could carry on with this lovely lady while you guys waltz off into the sunset." Sirius put his arm around Elsa and cocked his head.

It was a pretty obvious choice.

Lily reached around her neck. "Here, Sirius." She handed him the necklace he had bought for her months ago.

At the same time, James unhooked the necklace with Elsa's lucky ring. "I have to give this back to you."

Sirius smiled. "It's a reminder for people to find their own true happiness." He hooked the locket around Lily's neck again. "Consider this my blessing to you and James."

"It's supposed to be for luck in finding yourself." Elsa pressed the necklace into James's palm. "Keep it, James. That way, you won't hit your head and get amnesia again."

James closed his hand around the gold band. "Thanks."

Lily smiled up at Sirius. "Thanks."

Sirius placed his hands on her shoulders. "I'll still always be around for you, okay? Tell me when James is fighting with you; I'll beat him up for you whenever you want."

"Hey!" James objected.

It had felt like forever since they all hung out together. The group spent the entire day together. They ended the day at Sirius's place...with a couple of pleasant surprises.

"To the Marauders!" Sirius called, holding up his bottle of firewhisky. They all laughed and toasted him. James and Remus whooped

Elsa grinned. "To two people here, whom I hear will soon be getting married."

"Hey, who told?" Remus yelped. "Phoebe!"

The others looked at each other in shock.

"Am I hearing things correctly?" Sirius gasped.

"I must be going nuts, 'cause I could not have heard what I just heard," James breathed.

"Ooh, Remus," Lily teased. "What happened to all the meek-little-puppet talk you heaped on me and Sirius half a year ago?"

Remus groaned and placed his head in his hands. "I'll never live this down," he cried dramatically. "That's it, Phoebs, I'm breaking off the engagement."

"Don't you dare, Lupin. You know why? Because you'll never find anyone like me again. I would be the only girl who would be willing to put up with a bum like you who'll never get a job and turns into a monster every m--" Phoebe was interrupted as he placed his lips on hers.

"Whoo," Remus breathed when the kiss ended. "Okay, consider me engaged to you again."

They all burst out laughing. When all was quiet once more, James cleared his throat. He fumbled in the pockets of his robes.

Everyone understood what was going to happen.

"Will you marry me?" James asked. Lily's mouth dropped open. Then she smiled.

"Duh."

James grabbed her in a hug. "I love you, Lily Evans."

Lily's eyes sparkled. "James Potter, I loved you all the way."

The room burst out in cheers and claps as they kissed.

AN Again: This is not yet the last chapter, okay? I don't know if it is possible to have an epilogue without a prologue, but that's what the next (and last) one's going to be--an epilogue. Please review! :)