The next three months were Hell for both Lily and James. Lily generally spent her days in a small apartment thinking abour James. The fact that she hadn't taken the ring off of her finger since that day hadn't helped. She found that she could shop her thoughts away but her bank account was starting to run dry. The only other time she left the apartment was when she needed food or fresh air. But this wasn't very often because she soon found out that guys would still hit on her despite the fact that her belly was just beginning to show and she was wearing the ring on her left hand. The thought of going back to James was soon running through her mind but every time it did Grandma Rose, as Lily had come to call her, would show up and remind her why she had run away in the first place. And so Lily stayed.

James was no better off than Lily. He moped around the house miserably, even Quidditch couldn't cheer him up, so he found himself looking out the front window restlessly, hoping that one day Lily would come back. Sirius had no luck getting him to date, talk to, or even look at other women and he soon started to curse Lily for making James the way he was. James would only leave his spot to eat meals and that was only because his mother refused to serve him when he wasn't at the table. Every night he slept in the chair that was by the window which was exetremely uncomfortable and only allowed James to sleep for about an hour at a time causing him to be irritable and achy all the next day. As it turned out, that was Lily's favorite chair to read in on a sunny day. Remembering this caused James to sit down in the chair opposite it and stare at the spot for hours at a time, alternating between staring out the window and at the chair.

"GET UP" Remus screamed at him when he came to visit one day. "You've been staring out the window for three months now! She isn't coming back"

"She's going to come back"

"No she isn't! She's gone! Now stop moping around the house like a three-year-old" Remus attempted to pull James from his post by the window. It now had finger-prints and face marks all over it from all the times James would press his face against it as somebody walked by.

"Just leave me alone"

"I can't let you do this! You're throwing your life away! All because of some girl"

"She's not just some girl"

"Yes she is! And I'm not going to just stand by and watch as you wither away waiting for her to come back"

"Just leave me alone Remus! I know very well what I'm doing and I think that I'm old enough to determine what is good for me"

"Well obviously not! Good god James! You're wasting away! Do you even care that you're alienating all of your friends? Or family? Lily wasn't the only one the cared about you! So stop acting like somebody shoot your dog! You're in mourning for somebody who isn't even dead"

"You don't understand! She was my best friend! She was the one person who... I don't know how to explain it. It's like... she was the one person that I could tell everything to. Everything. And I knew that if I told her something that she wasn't going to laugh at me. You don't have any idea what it's like to lose someone like that" There was a moment of silence before anybody spoke again.

"Sure I do. I'm losing you." He said quietly. James stood up, asshamed of himself, and nodded slowly before giving giving a small smile that Remus returned.

"I'm going to go wash away my laziness" James said excitedly.

"Okay. You have fun with that." Remus walked into the next room where Sirius was listening intently at the door.

"I told you I could do it." Remus said with a self-satisfied smile.

"Okay. You were right. I was wrong. You're smart. I'm dumb. You are the King of all the known Universe. And I am a lowly worm that has died and decomposed." Sirius repeated unenthusiastically.

"I'm glad to hear that you've changed your look on life, Sirius." Both boys turned around to see where the voice was coming from but they didn't like what they saw.

"Lily" Sirius asked skeptically

"Yeah."

"Oh crap." Remus took his head in his hand and started massaging his temples.

"This is just great."

"Well, I'm glad to see that I was well missed." Lily said sarcastically.

"What are you doing here"

"I came to visit."

"James is going to go into relapse."

"Relapse" Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Relapse."

"For the last three months all James did was look out the window and wait for you to come back"

"It's taken all of our energy to finally get him to move on! You can't be back"

"Well I am"

"Grrr..."

"You know it's funny, when you do that you sound just like"

"James"

"Yes"

"No! James is coming! You have to hide"

"WHAT"

"Shhhhhhh...! get in the cupboard! Quickly" Sirius pushed Lily into the cupboard and shut the door just as James walked in. He looked around for a second with a confused look on his face.

"Was somebody else just in here"

"No" They both answered quickly.

"Hm. That's strange I could've sworn I heard somebody else talking. I'm hungry." James walked over to the counter and took a banana out of the fruit basket.

"What else is new" Remus asked sarcastically.

"Where's Peter? I haven't seen him in awhile.

"I don't know. Now that you mention it I haven't seen him in awhile either."

"Strange." James threw away his banana peel and stood on the spot for a few seconds. "I'm still hungry" He said, heading for the pantry.

"NO" Remus blocked the pantry and quickly led James away from it.

"What is wrong with you guys? You've been acting very strange."

"That coming from the guy qho sat by a window for three months"

"Good point."

"That's what I thought."

"So tell me what's been going on. I haven't really been paying attention to anything."

"Go figure." Lily scoffed from inside the pantry. James turned around quickly.

"What was that noise? It sounded like it was coming from the cupboard."

"Oh it was nothing! Sirius has just been coughing all day." They turned toward Sirius and looked at him. Sirius coughed as best he could which wasn't that good and not very realistic.

"That sounded like a chihuahua growling." James said flatly. The comment made Lily giggle and James turn toward the pantry once again.

"I swear that I hear something coming from in there"

"No you don't! It was just Sirius again! COUGH SIRIUS" Sirius gave another chihuahua cough.

"Okay I don't know what is wrong with you guys but it had something to do with this pantry" Remus and Sirius scrambled over the table in the middle of the kitchen in an attempt to get to James before he got to the pantry but they didn't make it and before they could stop him James had opened the door.

"Lily" Lily stood there, feeling slightly in the limelight.

"Um. Yeah. Hi, James." They all stood in silence. Remus and Sirius laying strangely on the table. All of them staring at Lily. After a few minutes Lily started to get slightly bored and decided to break the creepy silence by clearing her throat loudly.

"Hem, hem" James snapped back to life.

"Lily? Is it really you"

"Yes, James. It's really me." Lily was nervous and not quite sure if it was a good idea for her to come back.

"What are you doing here" James said, but in a slightly more excited voice than when Sirius had asked her the same question earlier.

"I decided to come back." James looked so happy that he could have dies right there on the spot. He ran forward and strted hugging Lilly.

"Oh Lily! I missed you so much! You ahve no idea! Oh look at the baby! I'm so excited! You have no idea! This last three months have been torture! Have you been okay? Have you eaten well? Has the baby kicked yet? Oh I can't believe you're back" James jumped up and down and spoke very rapidly. In fact, Lily had no idea what he had just said ,at all.

"James. Calm down." But he took no notice. "James! JAMES"

He stopped jumping and looked at her, his face still showing that expression of sheer ectasy.

"Yes, m'dear" He quickly ran over to her and took her hand. He looked about ready to jump off a cliff if she told him to.

"Oh dear James. Dear, sweet James. What have I done to you" She took his face in her hands, which was difficult because he was at least a foot taller than she was. James frowned at this comment and refelcted back over the last three months. Over all the agony and pain and waiting. And he stepped back from her.

"You've put me through so much."

"I'm so sorry. I can't begin to tell you why I had to do it. I knew that you would be miserable but I thought that you would get over sooner or later and that you would move on.

"But I didn't. I just sat there waiting for you to come back. I missed you so much. I still loved you."

"I still love you, James. I always have and always will. For forever and a day. Do you remember" James nodded. Of course he remembered. He remembered the first time he had said those words to her. 'For forever and a day.' He remembered them all too clearly and he had meant it then. But did he still mean it.

"Yes." He answered his question out loud. "I think you owe me an explanation, Lily." Lily nodded and sighed.

"I guess I do. But it's a long story so let's go sit down." She led the way into the living room where she sat down in her favorite chair. She noticed that the cushions were indented from where James had sat in it staring out the window and it brought a tear to her eye that she had caused him such pain. She looked up and saw that they were all staring at her intently. She sighed a long, deep sigh and began her story.

"So let me get this straight." James said as Lily finished. "This creepy old dead chick comes to you and says you can't marry me because if you do some all powerful widard wizard is going to come and kill us both. So she convinces you to run away and live your life in seclusion"

"I'm not completely crazy, you know. I'm more like...a few crazy points below Sirius."

"I resent that."

"You would."

"I would not"

"You just said that you do"

"Yeah but I don't"

"OKAY ENOUGH" James settled the dispute quickly, making Sirius and Remus retreat upstairs. "Why did you come back Lily"

"Because I realized that you never were the type to just let go. And that I was probably putting you through Hell by staying away. That and I didn't want our child to grow up father-less just because some 'creepy dead chick' said that some 'all powerful dark wizard would come and kill both of us'. Is that a good enough answer"

"Yup" James was a lot happier knowing that Lily had come back of her own accord. "Okay for the next question! Do you still want to get married"

"Do you"

"You're not pull'n that on me. I asked first" Lily laughed. Still the same old James.

"Fine. Yes, I still want to get married."

"Okay good." And he kissed her. "You know." He said as they pulled apart. "That's the second time that you've tried to jilt me."

"I don't think it counts as a jilt unless we're actually at the alter." Lily said, standing up and taking James' hand.

"Okay but I should probably start handcuffing you to me just to make sure that you run off again." James said playfully.

"Not on your life. I'm hungry. I need some Oreos."

"Oreos? But you hate chocolate cookies."

"So what? I'm craving Oreos."

"Good lord."

"Oh shut up. How about we go for a walk down to the grocery store and then you can by me some Oreos"

"Do we have to" James whines in his best two-year-old voice.

"Yes."She said, leading him out the door.

"Fine. But let's get some ice cream too."

"Okay we can get ice cream but only if its chocolate chip cookie dough."

"What is up with you and chocolate"

"I don't know. OH! Thinking of which! Where do we stand on me being a teacher" James sighed.

"Whatever makes you happy, my dear Lillian." Lily beamed and gave James a peck on the cheek.

"Your the sweetest. Not that it would have mattered if you had said 'no'."

"I know. You're too wild for me to tame."

"I feel like a horse."

"I feel like a deer"

"Well deer season is approaching..."

"I'll just have to be extra careful than won't I" They talked randomly as they walked, drawing curious glances from the people around them. When they got to the store Lily bolted for the cookie aisle, leaving James to go get the ice cream.

"Yummmmm... Double Stuf..." Lily said as she drooled over the cookies. Suddenly an old lady walked over to her.

"Oh. When are you due m'dear" She said as she patted Lily's slightly enlarged belly.

"February..." Lily answered awkwardly. No one had ever done this before.

"I bet its a girl."

"No, it's going to be a boy."

"No, it'll be a girl."

"It's a boy."Lily said forcefully.

"But it's a girl."

"Boy"

"Girl."

"It's a boy"

"It's a girl." The lady spoke as if she knew everything causing Lily to become so angry that she picked up an package of Oreos and stomped off, holding her belly protectively. She met James at the checkout counter where he was chatting with the young woman at the cash register.

"So you sit by a window for three months when I'm not there but when I finally come back flirt with other women" Lily said with a smile in her voice, walking up behind James and putting her cookies on the counter.

"Well you know me, always trying to get rid of you." James said with a fake sigh.

"So you must be Lily" The woman said perkily.

"Yes." She turned to face her.

"Oh! So how far along are you"

"About three and a half months."

"How sweet. When did you two get married"

"Oh were getting married in December." The woman stiffened for a second and then rang up their items quickly and pushed them out the door.

"What was that about" Lily asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"She was Catholic and doesn't believe in any kind of 'procreation' before marriage."

"How do you know that"

"She said so when we were talking."

"And she actually used the word 'procreation'"

"Yup."

"Well isn't that charming." They got back to the house quickly and had just started eating their food when Cordelia walked in.

"You're going to ruin your appetite and I've made a huge feast in honor of Lily's return" She said, swooping down and giving Lily a hug before taking away the sweets.

"How did you know that I was back"

"Remus told me."

"Oh! I see."

"Well, dinner will be ready in about 15 minutes so go get ready." And she hurried back off to the kitchen. Lily and James walked up stairs to mke themselves presentable and made it to the dining room just as the food was being brought out. They all talked excitedly over dinner. Telling Lily what had been happening in her absense (nothing really...) and making small arrangements for the wedding. But it was quickly over and they all walked uietly up to bed and fell into peaceful dreams.

"SHES STILL HERE! SHES STILL HERE" James screamed as he ran downstairs the next morning. Sirius and Remus looked up from their game of wizard chess for a second replying.

"That's good to know, James." Remus said, moving his boshop to take Sirius' castle.

"You don't get it! She didn't run away again! Everytime I wake up in this house she isn't there! But shes here"

"Technically she only disappears every other day so she could be gone tommorrow." Sirius pointed out.

"Don't say that, you dolt" Remus exclaimed as he threw a book at Sirius.

"OW! Hey that hurt"

"It was supposed to"

"Shes not going to leave again. I can feel it. Shes staying this time." James concluded, sitting down in a comfy armchair

"I'm sure she is."

"Of course I am" Lily came bouncing down the stairs still in her pajamas and sat on James' lap.

"Good morning, sweetie." She said, giving James a peck on the cheek.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well"

"No."

"Why not"

"I can't sleep on my stomach, for obvious reasons, and sleeping on my side hurts so that leaves sleeping on my back which makes it exetremly difficult to breathe. So I had to settle for a mix between my back and my side which was uncomfortable but painless."

"Okay."

"But anyways! We have to get planning! We have lost three very precious months and only have three left"

"And if I may remind you, it was your fault that we lost those three months."

"Either way we still have to have all this planned by December or your mother will blow a gasket."

"What's a gasket"

"Nevermind." Lily flipped her hair over her shoulder and flicked her wand. Suddenly a large box flew through the air and landed in front of them. James leaned forward to see the the box contained catalogs. Lots and lots of catalogs. Ring catalogs, dress catalogs, flower catalogs, tux catalogs, and the list went on and on. Lily plunged her hand into the box and pulled out a catalog containing invitations.

"Okay! Let's begin"

"Is there any way out of this"

"No. You either plan or you marry someone else. Plus I'm not moving my fat butt until we've planned a suffcient amount of this wedding."

"Fine. But your butt is not fat."

"James. I've gained at least 15 pounds since you last saw me. There is no way in hell that you have not noticed it and no amount of flattery is going to get you out of planning so get your butt in gear and start looking through catalogs NOW"

James nodded meekly and started pulling out catalogs.

"Rings? No. Dresses? No. Invitations? No. Flowers? No."

"Will you just pick a flip'n magazine already" Lily said, looking at a particularly revolting set of invitaions and making a face of disgust.

"Fiesty today ,aren't we"

"Stow it, Potter." She threw a catalog at him containing different tuxes.

"Very feisty. indeed." He commented but then quickly shut his mouth when Lily threw him a death glare. Subtle expressions of amusement had settle on Remus and Sirius' faces. They sat in silence except for the occasional clinking sound as two chess pieces wrestled with eachother.

"What do you think of these, James" Lily asked, showing him a set of textured white invitations with red poinsettas in the corners.

"They would definently be appropriate."

"Why"

"Because of our Christmas Wedding. And Poinsettas are the Christmas flower.

"Oh I see. Well that wasn't what I was going for but it is a plus. Anywho, I think they are perfect."

"Okay then lets go for those."

"Okay" Lily marked the page and put the magazine down on the floor. "Have you picked out the tuxes yet"

"They all look the same to me"

"You are such a baby sometimes" She complained, taking the catalog from him and looking for a few seconds before exclaiming.

"These are all completely different"

"How" James argued.

"This one is grey with a grey vest. This one is grey with a black vest. This one is black with a grey vest. This one is black with a black vest"

"Okay I get the point! SO pretty much I'm picking out colors"

"Generally."

"So what should the colors be"

"I was going for red and white. It would match the invitations and give a Christmasy feel."

"Red and White"

"Yup."

"Do you really want me dressed in red and white"

"NO! I meant that those would be the general colors for the wedding"

"Oh! So what colors should I choose" Lily sighed deeply.

"Fine! This is obviously too difficult a job for you to do through catalog so I hope you people are free tomorrow because we're all going down to a men's clothing store where you are going to pick out perfectly acceptable tuxedos for our wedding"

"Lily" Remus asked quietly.

"WHAT"

"Nevermind..."

"Good. Now I am going to go get in a nice relaxing bath because you people are making me tense" She said, climbing off of James and stomping out of the room.

"But we didn't even s" Sirius began to object. Lily stopped and glared at him and then continued out of the room and up the stairs.