Okay guys, seeing as how many of you are unhappy with this chapter I though I might as well add in a bit more...I think its close a page on word but I have no idea, I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for getting me a hundred review you guys.

Love you all!

Sasha

PS. A sweet Refrain will be updated Sunday!

That is all...

lol, anyways guys thanks again for the reviews i don't know what i'd do without ya.

Chapter Five: Real life Love.

Still reeling from the shock Lily could barely form the words to answer his question. 'Fine.' Was all she managed and he looked sceptically at her. She had never expected to run into him here. One of the main reasons she had kept telling herself was because she had never seen him there before so it would be unlikely that he'd show up. Then what is he doing here Ms Lily? Her inner voice asked. Pushing that unwanted thought from out of her mind Lily pasted on a smile to back up her "fine" comment and decided to change the subject entirely.

'So you're the patient that has been scaring everybody?' she asked in a mildly amused voice.

'I have not been scaring anybody, if anything they have been scaring me. That last one grinned in my face and told me some holy terror of a healer will be taking over the shift.' James answered though it was slightly clear that it wasn't what he wanted to talk about.

'I think Lazar meant me.' Lily said grinning her face muscles stretching and she noted that it was her first real smile in weeks.

'You?' James scoffed. 'Please.'

'You don't believe me? I should tell you my hair is legendary as well as my temper.' Lily said defending herself. It felt good, this cheerful banter.

'Yes well, you'll pardon me if I don't believe you. Now would you mind getting me out of here, my health is moving along swimmingly and I have no need to remain here.'

'That's not what Healer Hiram said and I can assure you the man is very thorough in his work.' She said as she moved to check his vitals. While ignoring how the feel of his bare skin was shooting awareness up her arms Lily checked through him in a routine manner. She made notes all the while paying no attention to the fact that James was staring intently at her. She knew all the humour of whatever situation they had been in was gone. Neither one of them spoke. She hadn't wanted to admit it from the first but she had missed him even though they'd spent only one night together. How could she not?

She had been half in love with him after they spent the entire night making love and she had spent the time when she wasn't worrying about what was going on thinking about him. What he was doing, if he thought about her as much as she thought about him or at all? Or was he with another girl because he felt that there one nightstand meant nothing? That one had been the worst one of all.

'Lily, you haven't really answered my question.' He said quietly.

Lily didn't want o look up. She was a coward because she was afraid of what she would see in his eyes. The need to look in them though was very great and gathering her courage she looked up.

'I have and I already told you that Healer Hiram said that you'll have to stay the night.' She answered him being remarkably obtuse to his real meaning.

James eyes narrowed and he stared at her. She felt as though she was being stripped to her very soul with that piercing gaze. 'You know what I mean.'

'Yes but that doesn't mean that I have to answer you.' She said then made a show of checking her watch. 'I have other patients to see so if you'll excuse me.' She finished and made a hasty exit not even bothering to turn back to see his expression.

She wouldn't come to check on him again. She would ask the other healer to do it and if luck were on her side she wouldn't see him again so that she wouldn't have the need to profess her feelings to him or to tell him how much she might have needed his support this past month.

James watched her leave, his eyes following her out the door. She was hiding something, he had hoped to talk to her more which was why he played along with her change in topic but something was still wrong, he just couldn't place it. How could he when she clearly didn't trust him enough to tell him?

James sighed, she was clearly not coming back to check on him for the rest of the night. He had seen it on her face. When they were talking he had seen a glimpse of what she had been in St. Thomas and he'd bet his inheritance that she hadn't been worry free since then.

He didn't know where she lived but he could easily find out. He was a Ministry official after all and he had his fare share of contacts that he could ask a favour from but he figured he ought to just go and ask Lily's friend Laurel. She must know what's wrong with her, after all hadn't Lily said that they knew everything about each other?

When morning arrived, just as James had predicted another healer came in to do the final rounds. He smiled in spite of himself. She really wanted to left alone but she didn't know how stubborn he could be. In a couple hours—according to the healer—he would be released, and then he was to go straight home.

James barely restrained from saying, 'yeah right.'

As soon as he could James got dressed and was finished and waiting by the time Healer Hiram came in with the release forms. He rushed through what he could then went to work. He stopped at his mate Frank's desk.

'Potter out the St Mungo's already?'

'Yes but I was wondering if you could do me a favour. Do you know a woman by the name of Laurel Gannon?'

'It sounds vaguely familiar, why?'

'Well I need to talk to her about something could you find out where she works?'

'No problem mate.' Frank said as he got started. 'I'll have it ready in an hour, do you want me to send it to your flat?'

'Yeah, I would. Thanks mate, I owe you one.' James said grinning. 'Oh while you're at it could you see what a woman by the name of Lily Evans has been up to this past month?' James said changing his mind. 'But send me the information on Gannon first.'

'Okay, see you Potter.'

'Right.' James called over his shoulder as he left the building before apparating to his flat. He needed to shower and change first he smelled too much like a hospital as it was.

Then just as promised, an hour later a Ministry owl swooped in while James was using a cleaning spell to clean his kitchen. After running through the letter he learned what Frank had found out.

'Laurel Gannon.' He read aloud to himself. 'Twenty-three years of age, owns her own bookshop that she had inherited from her grandmother three years before. Place of residence and job: # 42 Hyde Park Cresent, City of Westminster.' That's near the St. John's Church.

Finishing up his chores he moved quickly into London in the area of the City of Westminster. He found the bookshop with no problem. It was apparent that there was a flat situated just above the store. He walked in and noted the atmosphere. It was a mixture of muggle and magic. Walking up to the cashier who was a teenaged girl he asked for Laurel Gannon.

'Ms Gannon you've got a visitor.' The girl called without even bothering to walk in the back and fetch the woman.

James smiled politely and muttered a small thank you. A few seconds later laurel breezed thought the back door smiling at James when she saw him.

'Yes is there anything I can do for you?' she asked as she stood in front of him.

But James didn't answer right away. Now that he was there, he didn't know quite what to say. He couldn't very well go oh hello I'm your best mate's one night fling on the island of St Thomas and I've come to find out how she is.

'Uh yes.' James said.

'And that would be...?' prompted Laurel. But he had no idea what to say to her.

'Right,' James muttered and then decided that the truth will be the best thing. 'I'm Lily's one on the island of St Thomas and I saw her last night at St Mungo's but she ran away before I could ask her anything.'

'Ohmigosh.' She said clasping her hand to her mouth. 'You're him.'

'Him? Him who? She mentioned me?' James asked quickly.

'Well no not technically, I mean I know that she meet someone but she didn't tell me your name.' Laurel said softly and James knew something was up.

'What is it? Why didn't she tell you?'

'Well, you see we haven't spoken to each other in almost four weeks. I talked to her the day she came home but she has been avoiding me ever since and I'm worried about her.'

'All I knew when she left the island suddenly was that she had a personal crisis to attend to. Do you know why?' James said latching onto the hope that Laurel would be able to help him. Seeing Lily again had opened up a whole new set of feelings that he thought had been non-existent since she left him. A flux in the natural order of things, that's all he thought it was. He didn't now.

'No but...' Laurel said suddenly getting quiet.

'But what...?' James prodded. It was all he could do but not shake the information out of her. She was taking to long.

'There was this thing a while ago with Tandem Griffin.' She said. 'He caused some trouble for Lily after she went out with him. But that was just one time however he didn't seem to think so. You see Tandem is very good at getting what he wants and at the time it was Lily. She didn't encourage him though, but there was always something that Lily never told me about him.'

'Was she serious about him?' James had to ask. He couldn't stomp down on that jealously that sprung up in him.

'She never slept with him if that's what you mean.' Laurel said before cocking her head to the side and stared at him for a minute. 'Nice. You'll do.'

Before James had a chance to ask her what she meant by that she spoke. 'You should check her flat. I went there a few times but every time she wasn't home. I figured she stays between her flat and her mothers house on church street.' She said then laughed ruefully. 'Its either that or she's been hiding out on me. I haven't gone to her mother's because I knew she wasn't well mentally. She's a nice woman but she had a minor stroke years ago after Lily's father died. I didn't want her to think something was wrong. She doesn't need the worries or the extra stress.'

James noticed the strain in her eyes. Laurel was missing her friend and was feeling left out because apparently Lily couldn't find the need to trust in their friendship to help her. She was hiding behind her mother and didn't want anyone to know.

'Don't worry I'm going to see what has been going on.' James assured her.

It wasn't hard to find Lily's mother's house with Laurel's directions but it was hard waiting for her to come to the door. Though he heard movement in there he was anxious to see if Lily was there.

The door opened and James saw a small but warm woman standing there. Though he saw no evidence of the woman's frailty, he didn't doubt that she had struggled in the last few years. Just like his mother did when his father passed away. She hadn't been strong enough and went to join him soon after.

'Hello?' she asked.

'Hi there,' he said as he took in her appareance. She didn't look a thing like Lily except perhaps the smile that her face radiated. 'I'm looking for your daughter, Lily? Is she at your home?'

'I'm afraid not young man. She has been staying with me on and off for the past few weeks but she went back to her flat days ago.'

'Thank you, I'll go there.' He said already knowing from Laurel where she lived. The address was imprinted in his mind. 'It was nice to meet you.'

'You too but I haven't gotten your name.'

'Oh I'm sorry, its James Potter but I expect to be seeing you some other time in the future but for now I'll wish you adieu.' He grinned at her before leaving quickly.

James apparated when he was out of sight but he didn't hear the older woman mutter softly 'please take care of her' with a smile just before she closed the door.

Two hours later after going to his office to speak to Frank Longbottom, James picked up the payphone and dialled while looking directly at the lighted room on the third floor. Of course part of his auror training was to familiarize himself with muggle gadgets. He didn't know what prompted him but he placed the call to the phone she had in her flat. Getting the number was easy, of course I have to remember to thank Frank when I get the chance. He thought and smiled grimly to himself. He now knew Lily's secret and he was more determined than ever to help her.

Lily had just stepped out of the bath when her telephone rang, as she briefly wondered who could be calling her she took of her towel and shrugged on her bathrobe. 'I'm coming.' She muttered to the insistent caller. Only few people actually had her tele number after all not many magical people actually knew what a telephone was.

'Hello.' She said into the mouthpiece after picking up the receiver.

'Hi Lily.'

'James!' he didn't even have to introduce himself. She knew who it was, the rough timber in the way he said her name was enough to make her shiver slightly. How did he get her number?

'I know what's going on.' He said getting right to the point and for a few seconds she wondered frantically how could he have found out.

'I don't know what you mean.' she said swallowing.

'Lily please don't play games. I know about Griffin and I intend to help you.'

'I don't want you involved.' She said and realised he had contacts everywhere, he could have found out things without any problem.

'You hadn't told me anything from the beginning how can you know whether I want to be involved or not.' He spoke into the phone. Why was he doing this? She had already accepted that there could never be anything between them.

'I didn't want you involved and I still don't.'

'Lily I'm not going anywhere. Can we meet tonight at least so I can talk to you?' Lily really badly wanted to say know but she ended up checking the time and sighed.

'Look I don't want to leave my flat and it's too late for dinner, why don't you come here.' She said and waited while the other side was silent.

'Okay, go to your terrace and open the door for me.' He said.

'Wait how do you know—' but she was cut of by the dial tone. By the time she made it to the terrace she heard a sound that could only be a wizard apparating. Pulling the robe tighter around her she realised she should have changed before coming to the terrace. Just seeing the outlined form of his shoulder made her acutely aware of how naked she was under her robe.

She opened the door and he walked in. 'Could you explain to me what you were doing?'

'So I called you from the payphone across the street, is that a crime?' he said and smiled arrogantly at her.

Leaving him to follow she went to her kitchen to start on coffee.

'I know about Tandem Griffin. I know what he is, what he has been suspected off and I also know what he wants you to do.' He said behind her but she didn't answer, instead her movements stilled.

'Lily I know he wants you to break the law.'

'How do you know that?' she asked and was grateful her voice didn't quiver.

'Your mate Laurel mention man you used to see, Tandem Griffin and since seeing you in the hospital I've been wondering about you. I'm worried, I have been ever since I saw you last night.' He said drawing closer behind her but she still didn't turn around. 'I know that smile you had on you face when you left was fake and don't deny it. I know Tandem is holding something over you.'

'So you claim. I never told you to go into my personal business.' She said her back still to him but after a few second she felt a finger trace her exposed neck and shivered with awareness.

Taking her by the shoulders he turned her around. 'I want to help you Lily, if you let me. You haven't even confided in your friend, you need to trust the people who care about you Lily.' She felt bad. Laurel was one of the closet people to her. She just didn't want her hurt or worse...killed.

'You know why I could involve her, why I can't involve you.'

'Lily you aren't threatening me so that I can help you. I want to help you because I care.' He said and tears threatened.

'Look I appreciate that you care enough about me that you want to help but I wish you'd just... just stop.' She said and turned to face the counter once more.

She felt him move and he turned her around once more, she tired to move away but he drew her into his arms tightly and just held her. She gave into the feeling for one blessed moment. She enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. He stroked her back; her hair and she felt the whispered contact of his lips against her temple. Lily battled the twin needs for comfort and desire.

'You're not alone in this Lily, I won't let you be.' He said quietly. 'You're in over your head. Some very bad people are involved in this lead by one mean son of a bitch and Tandem Griffin, Griffin needs to be stopped.' he finished, his voice a deadly calm.

'What did I do to deserve such devotion?' She said trying to make light of it but failed. It came out sincerely and curious.

He stared at her intently, so seriously. He stroked her cheek. 'You made me laugh, you made me want, you made me happy.' Simple words yet they made her heart pound. 'When you left me on the island I was sure I didn't want to see you again because you didn't feel as much as I felt that night.'

'I did, Tandem, he—he came to the island, I met him as I was going to my room. That's when I knew I had to leave there. I didn't know if you wanted anything permanent. We never talked about it. It was just one night, I didn't want to believe in the magic of it; I did the only thing I could have done.

You know you make me feel all of those things to James but I should be making you run screaming in the other direction. The timing for us is just so—'

'Perfect.' He answered and she laughed. 'What?'

'It is. Lily every couple goes through hardships eventually, we'll just deal with it before. I know it's rocky now but they happen.'

'Things are more than a little rocky.'

'We'll handle it.' he said and she liked the word we. How nice it sounded. If only...

'Like I've said before I don't want you involved. You could be hurt.' She whispered.

'I could be hit by lightening tomorrow.' He said so unexpectedly that she laughed at its absurdity.

'What?'

'I mean that life doesn't have its assurances all we have is this moment and others to look forward to and I don't want to be anywhere else.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around him, resting her cheek on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. And let out a deep sigh, it was the sound of life and hope.

'Thank you.' She said softly.

He stroked her back. 'For?'

'Going for what you want, not turning back because it wasn't a safe bet.'

'I almost did, if I hadn't seen you last night at the hospital I might not have. Even on my way there I couldn't stop thinking about you.'

'I wish this was all storybook perfect James but—' he silenced her then with a kiss. And there was nothing calm or steady about it. It was fierce and hot and it literally stole her breath as well as a good piece of her heart.

She wanted to fight this but it would be like fighting all of Voldemort's followers but James wasn't worried and she wanted to lose herself in him. Her hands found their way past his neck and into his hair. She wanted to be absorbed by him, by the need to let all her problems go away; even if it was just for the here and now.

It was James who tore his mouth away first. 'Darn it Lily.'

'What did I do?'

'I don't know, you're like some kind of addiction and I can't seem to get enough of you and I don't want to. You're in my system and I can't get you out. And I don't want to. Do you understand? It's insane how much I want you.' He said framing her face and kissing her again.

She responded instantly and he groaned deep in his throat deepening the kiss. When she moaned whatever was left of his control was snapped. He pressed her back against eh counter, all but devouring her: with his hands, his mouth and his tongue. It was though he was consumed by the need of her and she was completely willing to let him feast on her.

Part of her knew she should talk to him. To reason out what they were doing before they did it. But as he shoved off her bathrobe and gripped her hips all coherent thoughts vanished as she made a grab for the waist of his jeans.

Hell what's one more complication, it wasn't as though they weren't emotionally involved in everything. And then he was grabbing her legs and wrapping them around his waist as he yanked her up against him. He entered her with a growling thrust and she was sure she let out a growl of her own, locking her ankles tight to keep him deep inside her, gripping his shoulders as they both bucked and drove each other quickly to the edge and over.

She slumped against him, both of them were breathing hard as he gathered her close.

'Merlin, I'm sorry.' He whispered raggedly.

'Are you?'

'I've just never lost control like that.'

'I wasn't exactly fighting you.'

'Did I hurt you?'

'I wasn't screaming because I was in pain.' She said then saw the first signs of a smile tease to corners of his mouth. 'No?'

'No.' she said softly. 'I've missed you.'

He let out a great sigh and pressed her even closer, 'I've missed you too. I know this complicates things but my objective when I came here was to help you first before any of this happened.'

She smiled. 'I know but you want to know something?'

'Sure.'

'Part of me is glad you don't follow orders. I'm glad that you didn't listen to me.'

'Me too. Life is full of complications but I guess that's what makes it interesting and all things considered, this relationship is fairly new. Learning more about each other, what drives us, what we believe in and I know we wont always agree but we'll grow with each other.'

'And if we do disagree?'

'Then we get mad at each other, argue a little and then have great make-up sex.' She let out a surprised laugh because that line was so seriously delivered.

'Oh is that the way you see things going?'

'Let's just say a guys can't be too hopeful.'

'James it's uh late I don't want you going home at this time of night.' She said which was debateable since it was only nine.

'You don't?'

'Absolutely not.'

'But we still need to talk—'

'Later.' She said as she pressed a finger to his lips.

'Later?'

'Much.'

'Promise?' he asked.

'About talking or about it being later?'

'Both.' He said and she wondered then when she got James Potter in her bed, would she ever want him to get out?

'Promise.' She said.

It was morning when they finally talked and James's hunch about Griffin was right. Ever since that first and only date that he and Lily had Griffin had been trying to get her to work for his boss. His Master. Lily told James that they wanted her to join them either willingly or by force. They had threatened her mother and she had been agonizing over it ever since she came back.

Voldemort wanted her to kill survivors of anyone who was brought into the hospital after a death eater attack. James was sure he could bring a stop to it if he could only find Tandem and make him tell them everything. But the next day he was nowhere to be found.

Although he alerted the authorities James also told the people who would make greater use of the information. His former headmaster—at Hogwart's school of witchcraft and wizardry—Albus Dumbledore as well as his brother Aberforth were the only ones he knew of who were able to actually do some thing with the information.

Albus and Aberforth founded what they call the Order of the Phoenix. James couldn't help but feel privileged to be asked to join such and organization. It was just beginning however. No one other than those who were involved knew about the secret organization.

It had started a month before James had gone to St. Thomas. Now however there was a fair amount of people.

It was the end of the week and still no Tandem; his home had been searched but the wreckage that stood in the rooms confirmed it. Tandem Griffin was gone. It was obvious to his superiors that he was in hiding but in a confirmation from Dumbledore James knew that Tandem was done away with because he had failed.

It was Saturday morning and Lily and James had spent the last few hours in bed engaging in unmentionable activities. There were at his flat and knew that within a couple of hours James's friends would arrive. Lily—unfortunately—had already met Sirius. She was a bit surprised at his boisterous attitude but James new she found him welcoming.

The bloody idiot had showed up at his flat last night to meet her first—before everyone else—was his reason. They were in the middle of getting hot and heavy when the blooming idiot he calls his friend apparated into the kitchen and called out to see where they were.

It was so lucky that they weren't far in the lovemaking yet because he bounded into the living room to meet her. James could remember scowling at his friend; who took no notice of Lily's dishevelled state and sat plop in the middle.

Much to his exasperation Sirius had started talking a mile a minute with so end in sight. It was when Lily started laughing at his animated stories James had had enough. Smiling ruefully now on his bed James realised it was the first time physically thrown Sirius out of his house/flat.

It had been a frenzied night of passion after which James told Lily the truth of his love for her. That coupling was just after the one when Sirius left.

'I love you too you know. I didn't say it before but I do.' Lily said quietly stroking his chest. He hadn't realised she was awake.

He reached for her as he took a sharp breath, neither one of them was sated and the admittance of love only added fuel to the flames. 'We'll make it work Lily, as long as we love.'

And they did.

THE END.

There you go more... I hope it's not as abrupt as it was at first. LOl but u never know besides at least there is more right, nevermind that i think it's boringish but writer's usually think thier work is ...wel notot thier liking at times.

Luv ya all!