Butterfly Wings

Disclaimer: roses are red, violets are blue, I don't own Harry, so you do not sue.

Chapter Seven

James paced his bedroom nervously. Lily arrived (if you could call it that) three days ago and she still had not stirred. He wondered if he made the right decision to keep her at his house, though her injuries weren't life threatening they were pretty serious and a hospital could take care of the much better. Mind you the last time lily showed up at the Hogwarts Express with her arm in a sling she snapped that she really really didn't like hospitals. James rubbed his head as he sat down in a puffy purple chair next to his bed. He knew he should be at the Quidditch practice for England's national team (ok I didn't know if James played Quidditch of a living of not…but I happen to like it very much…so please don't hit me if I'm wrong…prongs cowers in a corner) but the Capitan seamed to accept the fact his girlfriend was seriously hurt.

Lily stirred lightly and gave a tiny moan. James jumped up and knelt by the side of his bed. Lily's long lashes fluttered for a moment before finally giving way as she opened her emerald green eyes. Though they were normally clear and bright they looked cloudy and matte.

"James" lily whispered roughly. James stroked her hair gently "I'm here baby" he sighed. Lily's lashes fluttered closed again as her breathing deepened and steadied. James kissed her forehead softly, pulled the coverlet up again and left to find Remus and Sirius.

James found Sirius and Remus in the den talking in hushed voices. As James walked into the room Sirius smacked Remus and both of them fell quiet. After rubbing his hands under his sore, tired eyes James announced, "Lily's awake." Both of the men scrambled to get up pestering James with questions like "how is she?" "Did she say anything?" and so forth.

"She doesn't look great but she'lllive" James replied, " all she said was my name, and no I don't know who hit her Remus" James sunk onto the chesterfield with a sigh. "She was only awake for a minute but she's sleeping better now."

"Well that calls for a celebration then" Sirius announced as he summoned three bottles of beer from the fridge. As he opened one Remus and James pushed theirs away.

"This is to serious for a drink" James replied sullenly. When a puzzled look from Sirius followed his statement he led the men upstairs to his room.

As they snuck into James' bedroom Lily stirred softly on his pillow, as if hiding her neck from sight. James knelt by his bed, Remus and Sirius around him and, placing cool fingers under Lily's chin, shifted her head so the hand print bruise on her neck was clearly visible. A murmur echoed from Remus a James drew a finger down it. Sadly he set Lily's head on the pillow again and left the room.

No words were uttered by ether Sirius or Remus as they returned to the den. Mind you no words were really necessary. Someone has tried to kill their Lils, their adopted baby sister. Each lost in their thoughts sat on a leather couch in the den. After a moments silence, James angrily ruffled his hair and stalked out of the room. Remus and Sirius, after sharing a meaningful look hid their heads in their hands.

James edged into his bedroom where a sleeping Lily lay. He gently stroked her face and asked softly "Why love, why?" He sat down in the chair beside the bed, only to get up and pace the room again. Only the ringing of the doorbell woke him from his thoughts. He answered the bell only to find a distraught looking Tonks on his porch.

"How is she?" Tonks asked immediately

"She'll live" James replied sullenly. He showed her inside but the moment she saw Remus she flung herself at him sobbing hysterically. Remus rubbed her back speaking soothing words to her as James slipped from the room. He opened a cupboard filled with jars of odd shapes and sizes, filled with creepy looking potions. After grabbing one for pain and the other to cure small cuts and bruises he returned to his bedroom. He slowly dabbed the healing potion on Lily's black eye and gash on her forehead before sliding her top off her shoulder to get a better look at her dislocated shoulder. By now it had turned purple and black, but thankfully was not broken. As James was finishing up with her shoulder Tonks walked into the room. She stopped dead behind James. With a look of horror in her face Tonks rushed to Lily's side.

"Oh my god!" Tonks cried, "What happened to her?"

"I don't know" James softly said, a touch of weariness in his voice "She was awake earlier this morning but she's asleep now" Tonks touched Lily's swollen and bruised face delicately "Oh Lily" Tonks cried as tears welled up in her bright blue eyes. Remus came on and rubbed Tonks shoulders affectionately, sensing she was seriously distressed. "James you should get some rest. You haven't slept in four days" Remus said kindly James would have loved to have drifted off to sleep and just forget any of this ever happened, but sooner or alter he'd wake up again and remember. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for remembering. Anyways he wanted to be there when Lily woke up again. He swore he would kill whoever laid a hand on his Lilly. Deciding to keep his thoughts to himself James only shook his head no and sat down. Tonks and Remus left a little later but James just sat and stared at Lily. Why? How? Who? Were the only thoughts that filled his troubled mind. He sighed again; he seamed to be doing a lot of that lately. Lily stirred on his pillow so James knelt by the bed.

"James?" Lily hoarsely called

"I'm here love, I'm here" He tenderly replied

"Were am I James?" Lily asked sorely glancing around

"My beach house" James answered. "Listen Lily, who did this to you" James asked but was unable to keep a twinge of pent up anger out of his voice. Lily remained silent "Lily?" he asked again. Still she refused to answer. "Your lying on my bed beaten to a pulp after showing up on my doorstep unconscious and your not going to tell me what happened. I love you Lily, but I can't help you in less you tell me" James clenched his fists as she again, didn't answer.

"She'll tell you when she's ready mate" Sirius softly commented. James took a deep breath. She had been through a lot by the looks of her, so she needed time, to accept and heal, and then she'd tell him. As Lily's eyes fluttered closed again James left the room.

Another night passed without James getting much sleep. Though Lily was awake and as well as she could be there was still something not right. James knew Lily wouldn't have cheated on him, so this wasn't the work of a jealous boyfriend, it looked to personal and messy to be gang related, but that only left, family… James knew she didn't get along great with them but…surely they wouldn't harm her would they…

These thoughts, while they kept James awake again that night didn't prevent him from being with Lily when she woke

"Morning Lils" James said

"Morning" she whispered back.

"How are you feeling?" James asked

"A bit like road kill to tell you the truth" Lily jokingly replied. James smiled in return.

"Are you ready to tell me what happened" James asked tentatively.

Lily wanted to throw up. She knew she should tell him, but to actually tell him she was a weakling, that she could not stand up for herself, the thought made her sick. It wasn't enough that she hated herself for what she became but to divulge it to the one person who loved her like no one else could…

Tears formed in her emerald eyes, clouding them. She looked downwards, not wanting him to see how much this hurt her. Regardless of her body language he placed cool fingers under her chin, making her eyes look into his. One glance into her over-bright eyes reflected the pain in them. Like a million knives stabbing into her body, his heart shattered into a million pieces just glancing at the reflection. James fingers reached up to touch her face, stroke her cheek gently, take away her hurt. His fingers trailed down her cheek, as soft as butterfly wings. The warmth and tenderness in such a soft touch made Lily's breath catch in her throat. She turned her face away from his, hiding in shadow. James curled his fingers into a fist and placed it on his lips. She couldn't know how much that hurt him. For her to be unable to stand looking at him. His insides shredded into a million pieces. He rose from the bed silently and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

James stalked out onto his patio, jaw clenched, fists tight. He tried to sit down on the hammock, only to find he had no patience to sit. He got up and paced across the deck. Why wouldn't she just tell him what happened, what was so hard about that! He'd told her lots of difficult things before! How was this any different! Couldn't she trust him! He braced himself on the railing of the deck. The sight of the sun rising over the ocean stifled his anger, though unwillingly, mainly because anger was easier to deal with than the sting of Lily's actions. He breathed in gently and ruffled his already messy black hair. Hanging his head between his arms he moaned. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was should be the hero, rescuing his fair maiden from pain and suffering and galloping into the sun set. Not standing on the deck, washed up and rejected.

James' fingers burnt from where he stroked Lily's face, wanting, wishing, waiting for that fairy-tale moment where she would throw her arms about him and let him whisk her away from her problems. I guess its unnecessary to say that that moment faded from dream to fantasy, the kind you conjure up at night when you've tried everything to get the one you love to notice you.

James sat down on the hammock, head in hands. He had tried to get her to open up to him, let him in for once, just once, and she shunts him aside once again. I hate karma, James decided, after all these years of pushing girls aside, using there affections to get sex, he'd never actually considered the fact it hurt. Now that he to had been pushed aside, shafted, he could actually realize it hurt, like hell. All this coming back to bite me in the as fucking sucks!

James stood up again and paced the deck again. Hands constantly ruffling his hair. With the sun, fully risen and glowing in the early morning sky James sat on the steps. The cherry sunbeams only making the empty echo inside him more pronounced. Head in hands he sat, greeting the morning with a broken moan.

Yay! I've redone…well changed parts of yet another chapter all in one night!!! And this is the seventh one!! There should be some kinda award for this…

Well if theirs not one for me there's one for you…I'll dedicate the wonderful. glorious chapter 10 to the person that reviews or at least comments on every last chapter!!! And if I can find a box big enough I'll send the winner Sirius Black…the wonderful glorious god of life love and everything yummy…especially orange soda…yummm orange soda….anyway… do review please please please

-Prongsies