Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize, and some of the stuff in here is collaborated ideas between me and some friends, so I can't take much credit…
Flames are okay IF they have some CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and they aren't about the cancer. I don't claim to be an expert on it in any way shape or form. I've done some research, but it seems that I've misinterpreted some of what I read, so please don't write me and tell me how stupid I am, because I already know =)
Chapter 13- More News
James didn't stop foaming at the mouth until Lily made her way toward him after the song ended. He met Lily halfway, holding out his arm for her. "Why did you dance with him?"
"Why not?" Lily retorted coolly. She smiled at James, hoping that would make him forget about the prior few minutes…it worked.
"So, shall we show Padfoot how to dance?" James asked, noticing how foolish his best friend looked on the dance floor.
"You bet," Lily said pouring on her charm in thankfulness for a change in subject.
They danced for the next hour. During each slow dance, the Marauders would swap dates. Lily danced with Peter first, which had been a more awkward experience than it had been with Snape, then with Remus, which made this turn belong to Sirius.
"Roses are red, violets are blue, but no flower is prettier, than the one that looks like you," Sirius said when they started.
Lily laughed. "Smooth, Black, smooth."
"Thanks," he said with a wink. "Hope Potter's treating you right, because you know if he's not I have a few new hexes I'd like to test out."
Lily chuckled again. "So far so good, but I'll keep the offer in mind," she said. "What about your usual victims, though. I've never known you to need a valid reason."
"Potter won't let me hex Snivellus anymore."
"Don't call him that, and since when did James care?"
"Since you told him not to. You know Sam and I have a bet going on what spell you used on him."
"No spell," Lily blushed. "I didn't even know he listened to that."
"He did. You've got him whipped, Lily, and I guess you've got some spell," Sirius smiled jokingly as Lily rolled her eyes. "And I just have one request, Ms. Evans."
"What is that, Mr. Black?"
Sirius leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Don't teach it to Samantha."
When James got his date back from Sirius, he escorted her out into the cool crisp air of winter, making Lily thankful for the long sleeves on her dress robes. They walked in perfect silence as he led her to a weeping willow on the edge of the lake.
Lily looked up at the night sky, which was almost as beautiful as it had been in the Great Hall. James came from behind, putting one arm around her neck and using his other hand to play with one of the sapphire earrings, reminding Lily again of where she had gotten them.
"Lily?" James said.
"Hm," Lily responded softly.
"Will you be my girlfriend?"
A flash of Violet's pale white face and limp body on a bed, then in a coffin, went through Lily's mind. Lily also remembered that she hadn't received the results of the latest exams. "I-I can't," Lily said, turning around.
James went into instant shock. "Why not?"
"I don't want you to get hurt," Lily said, sorrow filling her expression.
"How could you hurt me?" James asked, starting to feel his temper rise, though he didn't know why.
"By dying, James," Lily clasped a hand over her mouth trying to hide the emotions stirring inside of her.
"You're not going to die, Lily, you're taking the treatments and-"
"And they might not work."
"Why are you saying that?!" James shouted, shocking Lily. "You may or may not die, but right now- right now, Lily, you're alive!"
"You don't understand, James, there is no guarantee that things will go right. I don't want anyone to go through what I did with Mum," Lily choked up during the last few words. She knew she was about to break down, and knew she couldn't do that in front of James. "I'm sorry," Lily said quickly, then turned and ran toward the castle.
James walked to the trunk of the tree and pounded his fists against it in frustration.
When James went back to the Heads' common room 40 minutes later, he heard crying from the room on the right. He opened the door and saw Lily sitting on her bed, crying over what appeared to be an old muggle photo album. He noted that even in her pajamas and no makeup she looked beautiful.
Lily looked up and saw James, standing in her doorway as he had a hundred times that year. "I'm sorry," she said. Lily then covered her face in her hands and sobbed even more.
Before Lily realized it, James was sitting on the bed and had her safe, and strong in his arms. "Don't be," he whispered in her ear as she put her own arms around him. They just sat there, in peace holding one another for comfort, and James realized that this is exactly what he wanted; always to protect Lily.
The Monday before Christmas Lily had to go home again, this time to talk to the doctors. Josh was taking her to the hospital this time, and he seemed more anxious than Lily felt. They sat in the lobby silently until they were called into Dr. Grusso's office.
"How have you been feeling, Lily?" He asked as they entered the well organized office, lined with medical books, many on the subject of cancer and radiology.
"Fine," Lily said, her face was pale as a ghost.
"Mr. Evans," Dr. Grusso extended a hand which Josh accepted. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"It's fine, we were early," Josh informed him.
"Well, have a seat," Dr. Grusso offered. When they had done so, the doctor pulled out Lily's medical file and took a deep breath. "The Chemotherapy seems to have at least retained the tumor from spreading further, however," Lily's stomach plummeted, but was nothing in comparison to Josh's, "however, another round of the same treatment will either do the same thing or her body will become immune to the treatment and do nothing this time around. We want to intensify the Chemotherapy, increase it to every two to three weeks instead on once a month. I'll be honest and say that we don't know that it will work, and this is the last chance we really have to beat this."
Josh took a deep breath and squeezed his daughter's hand, not knowing if he could handle loosing her too. "Are you up to that Lily? You don't have to go back to school this semester, if you don't want to."
Lily thought about Samantha, all the hard work she had already put in these 7 years, and James… mostly of James. "No, I want to go back to school."
"We might not be able to do them all on weekends this time," Dr. Grusso informed her.
"That's fine," Lily said. "I can talk to the Headmaster about makeup and such," Lily said, omitting what school she went to. In the medical files, they only had that she went to a small private school in Scotland.
"Alright," Josh said, seeing how much like Violet Lily was. "If that's what you want." Lily nodded.
Dr. Grusso went on to make dates for treatments and explain to them exactly what would be required of them.
When Lily got back to school Wednesday morning, she decided it would be best to talk to all her friends about it right away, that way they couldn't get upset at her like they did when she tried to keep it from them. She was wrong.
"What the hell do you mean? Didn't it work?" Sirius shouted.
"It did, sort of, but they have to do more of it, a lot more if it's going to work and even then there's a chance that it won't have any effect on me this time," she explained.
"And you're just going to believe that?!" Sirius shouted again.
"Calm down, Padfoot," James said.
"I will not calm down! She's just going to lie down and take it!"
"I am not!" Lily shouted back. "Do you think I like the treatments? Do you think I want to be like this?"
"Then don't be, just be stronger than it!" Sirius said harshly.
"It isn't that simple, Sirius!" Lily was desperately trying to find the sense in Sirius. "Besides, I'm just telling you what the doctors have said."
"Well as long as you're going to act like this, I refuse to be around you!" Sirius stormed up the stairs to his dormitory.
"I'll try talking to him," Samantha said, going up the stairs.
Lily's eyes started filling with tears, but she refused to let them fall. "I try not telling you, and he gets angry, I tell you, he gets angry. Is he going to refuse to go to my funeral too?"
"Don't say that," James said with a warning tone.
"I don't know how to deal with this, James," Lily said, "if you don't want to be around, no one's forcing you, same with Sirius and the others." Lily followed Sirius's suit and stormed out of the Gryffindor common room, and went to her own room.
This left James alone with a pensive Remus. "What should I do?" James asked as he slumped down on the big chair in front of the fireplace.
"I have one idea," Remus said.
"What?"
"Does your aunt still work at Mungo's?"
A/N: Sorry this chapter is so short, but it didn't take as much writing to accomplish what this chapter needed as I thought. Remember: I don't think Sirius is such a jerk, but I do think he's rash and has a short temper. I wanted to say that before people start flaming me about how wrong I am about Sirius reacting like he does. Hope you like this chapter. Next chapter I think there will be an appearance by Kyla =) can't wait for her... but we'll see. Also you'll get to know why Snape has been as involved as he has been.
PLEASE REVIEW
Thank you:
Theoneandonlystephy: Thank you for reviewing, and for the permission to cut the caps.
Happichip: I'll try to keep you happy, but sometimes I just get a block. You know, like when you know what the next bit needs to be, but you have to find a way to get there. That's what took me so long last time, because I wanted the ball to be spectacular, but I didn't know how to do that!
AAandACFOREVER: Glad you like it… I like the fact that Lily says yes, James was probably so shocked by that, that he didn't remember to kill Snape =)
Mell Minamoto: Okay 1am? Now that's dedication. Hope this one lives up to midnight readers everywhere!
Bitter Heart: Sorry about the wait, but you could read some of my other fics to tide you over… I think I've seen reviews from you on some of my other fics, but I don't remember…sorry =) bad memory!
Animalluvr75: I'll try…
JamieBell: I was telling my roommates about you, and how dedicated you are, and that you were my 1st reviewer and such. I showed my LDS roommate the 'In our Humble way' songfic you wrote, and she laughed sooo hard. I think she's becoming addicted to Fanfic now HEHEHE I did that =) I like Lily being sweet to Severus to because of the relationship I've established between them and such, although she won't be buddy buddy with him again, doesn't mean she has to be a complete snob or b you know what I'm saying? With James, I really don't like when people make him so sweet to the point of no longer being the arrogant teenage boy we all love (and hate) so much. So I throw in moments like this and like the 'score one Potter' thought, so you see that he still has mostly the same mind set, but that he's learned how to control it. Sorry if I've blabbed too much =) Luvya, (fill in the blanks)
Mad-4-u: The first time I read your review of chapter 12, I didn't know if you were completely hating it or liking it and angry at me… anyways, thank you for the review, if you really like it, tell others, and yell through the streets "read this fanfic" ( ;
Rose in Winter: There, does this chapter answer the cancer question?
Jlatmil1: Some are really good, but you'll find that the majority of them have the same exact basis and ideas, but that's just my opinion =)
Hearts: Something is going to happen with Snape and James, but I promise it will NOT be what you're expecting (laughs maliciously then chokes on gum)