1Shelby chatted excitedly as Lily put together the pumpkin pies. James sat quietly, holding his baby sister in his lap. Lily could tell he wasn't completely there, and she allowed him the time to think.

After making the pies, Lily pulled out some cookie dough so that Shelby could help. The small girl seemed more interested in eating the dough than placing it neatly on the pan, as Lily demonstrated. James quietly retreated to his study.

Lily was torn between wanting to seek him out and wanting to give him his space. But she was spared the decision as Shelby desperately needed a bath.

Shelby got a bath, then Lily read her a book, and fed her a cookie before bedtime. Shelby put up a major fuss at the prospect.

Lily's hair was frizzy, her eyes were droopy and her feet felt like lead by the time she got the fussy toddler to settle down. She didn't want to entertain, she didn't want to have a long talk with her husband. She didn't want to clean up her cooking mess. And James would definitely be handling bedtime next time!

Luckily, James had served his friends, and only Sirius was hanging around when she emerged from the guest bedroom. Lily welcomed this as the guys were having a heart-to heart talk as they washed her dishes. Thank goodness!

She slipped back into her bedroom and changed into sweats. She grabbed a book and sat down by the fireplace in the den. She was trying to read, but she kept hearing the conversation that was going on in the kitchen.

"...without even considering his family! It's not about me anymore, Sirius. Shelby...Karen...Mom. It's wrong that he's doing this. He doesn't need the money and there are plenty of young guys that'd be willing to do it!"

"This isn't about them, James, and you know it. You don't like that he's involved in factors that you can't control. You're scared James. I understand. But you can't snap at him like that. He's doing it for you, for your mom and for your sisters..."

Lily got up and left. She'd made a pact with herself not to intrude on James' privacy with his friends. And she didn't have the energy to stress at the moment. There were some things that James could only share with Sirius, and she had realized that long before she started dating him.

She tried to read in her room, but her mind kept wandering. After about an hour, she founf herself in the kitchen with James. Apparently Sirius had left.

"Hey, babe," he sleepily smiled.

She scooted herself up on the counter top and grinned at him.

"I know you heard that," James whispered.

"I figured something was going on with you and your dad," she admitted.

"I should talk to him, and I definitely shouldn't have yelled at him, but..."James trailed off.

She gently took his hand, "Too much. Let's talk tomorrow."

He sighed heavily and nodded. Then inspiration struck. He leaned toward her and kissed her sweetly, "Let's go to bed."

And Lily knew that look in his eyes. He dragged her grinning out of the kitchen.