When Lily found out she was pregnant, the first person she told was Ava. James and Sirius both gone on a joint mission left them to have fun with each other. Unfortunately, the former were unaware of the information that their significant others had come across. They wouldn't have to worry about it until they got backthey had other things on their minds.

"I'm still stunned." Ava admitted to her friend, as she leaned back, a bottle in her hand drinking for Lily. She pulled her long legs up onto the chair.

"You?" Lily laughed at her, drinking apple juice instead. "Sod me!"

"Yeh." Ava nodded facetiously.

"How are you going to tell him?" Ava changed the subject on her.

"Think I'll wait awhile." She led Ava on. "See if he notices when I'm a house!"

"I don't know." She finally started again after they got all their laughter and jokes out. "Flat out, direct might just be best."

"True."

"We'll just see how it goes and play it by ear." Lily nodded as she spoke, thinking that sounded like the best idea.

When they finally did get home, Sirius knew better than try to check his home first, knowing Ava and Lily would be together-most likely at the Potters'. Not that he had a sound reasoning, but just a strong feeling that was where his other half was. James was just as happy to be home after that ordeal, but how was he going to tell Lily what they found? James opened the door to his house and walked in, soon followed by Sirius. All was forgotten for a few moments of a happy reunion, not that it had been that long. But the two felt good to have a reason to be happy, enjoying seeing their friends and family again.

Once all had made their hellos, it was time to say good-bye. Both Sirius and Ava were quick to get out for their own reasons. Ava, because she knew Lily was going to tell James her news, and Sirius because he and James each had to tell them in their own way of the trip's outcome.

Sirius and Ava left through the front door and stopped on the mat. Ava claimed she wanted to walk home, it was a fair night, but Sirius felt the need to just get home, claiming to tiredness, when in truth he felt it becoming dangerous and would only grow more so. Ava obliged willingly, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Sirius apparated home to the living room, only to find Ava laying on the bed, looking up at their enchanted star ceiling. He couldn't help but smile, as he fell down beside her, not even jarring her. She gave him a quick look, a sly grin hidden in her features, before she looked back up to find a new star. She never had to look for either of their stars, always knowing exactly where they were.

"What are you playing at?" he asked her, knowing she had a secret.

"Whatever are you talking about my dear Sirius?"

"I know you," he grinned, turning her towards him, "And I know that smirk. Give."

She played silent for a little bit seeing more of how much she could wait instead of him. Finally she burst out, Lily would kill her that she told him first. "Lily's pregnant!"

For a split second, Sirius was stunned in a good way, but the beginning of his smile faded as what he knew set in. He was stunned in a bad way now. Ava saw his face drop, confused over the change she gave him a closer look.

"What?" she asked in a wary tone.

Sirius just looked at her for a minute, not finding his words. His blue eyes darkened. Ava's own brown eyes were on him as he closed his eyes and looked a way with a vulnerable sigh. "Luv," he started to shake his head, all of Ava's high flew from her. She gestured for him to go on.

"James, Lily," he tried. As if he just remembered, he stressed over the thought. "Pregnant-"

"Yes, yes," Ava urged. "But?"

"Voldemort's after them!" he spat out as soon as he grasped the thought-James, Lily, baby, Voldemort. Ava's jaw dropped. He could see the same thoughts dawn on her. Both fell silent as the concept stole their thoughts and words.

Neither talked as the dark thoughts overcame them. Sirius knew that James wouldn't tell Lily now, how could he? That is, if Lily had told him her news first, which he was sure she had. James would have to wait until it wasn't a risk to tell his wife. A little happiness would do Lily well during her pregnancy, all nine months. Finally Ava gave Sirius a light smack, jarring him out of his daze, and he told her everything he knew.

"So what are we going to do?" she asked him.

"There's not much we can." He shrugged. "Just do our part I guess in keeping them protected."

Ava nodded reluctantly. Letting out a pent up sigh, she cranked her neck to the side and rubbing the soreness that would soon become familiar she felt from all the stress. Sirius grimaced in his own manner, knowing it would get harder, all the pressure.

"At least it's not all at once." He walked over to her, as she turned to look up at him with a confused expression. He laughed in spite of himself "I mean, Lily will be able to have her child without the pressure on her. It will be some time before things get really bad."

The scoff that came from his love let him know what she thought about that. He was right though after she considered it. Voldemort was still building his forces. The Order was still working on their own. It wasn't time for battle yet, just the declarations mostly. Mulling it over, Ava seemed to sink into a deeper melancholy.

"Not a high life expectancy," she muttered more to herself.

"What?" Sirius asked, not quite hearing but noted the sadness in her voice. Looking over, he saw a dullness in her clouded eyes.

"You risk a lot to be out there," she looked up at him, all seriousness in her face. "And I am here."

"You're needed here." he reminded her. She was valuable asset to their espionage, interrogation, and apparatus means. Did she not see it?

"I don't want to be here," she said in an all to calm voice that worried him.

"I know," seeing the look on his face, she amended what she said. "I just would prefer to be out in the field and active not unlike you."

"Would it wrong for me to say that I would have you here?"

"What?"

Sirius sighed. He would have her safe. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"And I you."

A brief moment of silence past as they accepted what the other said. Neither was trying to pick a fight, but Lily's pregnancy did bring up some questions that lurked about.

"James would have you here now to watch over his two." Sirius smiled at her. She mirrored a brief smile.

"She would as well." She finally said. "Want me by her side instead of out and about."

"Yeh." He nodded. She appeared to have settled down some, not that she was flying off the handle. Sirius worried after her more than anything else before, above himself.

"I have to know though," she asked him, looking him directly in the eyes. "What makes it okay for you?"

"What?"

"For you to risk your hide and my heart out there?"

Sirius, though he loved her dearly, let out a weighted sigh, frustration leaking through. Ava's eyes trained and level on him, kept their watch. Knowing it wasn't easy, she still felt compelled to ask. She was grounded and safe, fine she would course through, she would be free from her duties some day. But Sirius was as at risk and unsafe as she was grounded.

"I don't take it lightly." He finally said. Since they weren't fighting, she had given him all the time he wanted to answer her question, which he was more than grateful for.

"Hope not." She smiled encouragingly at him. His coy smile struck her heart, but she stood her ground waiting for him to go.

"Luv, I-" he started. "You are the foremost thought in my mind. A day doesn't go by that I don't think of you."

"Casanova's sidestepping though."

He grinned at her one-trackness. "Yes, but since you are the heart of my thoughts, and the thoughts of my heart I wouldn't do anything that would put you out of place." Now he had her laughing.

"So," he continued. "If I must stay alive to keep you happy," he reached over and touched her face, "and smiling. Then alive I must stay, mustn't I?"

"Touché."

Later...

"What?"

"Why are you smiling like that?" Lily asked her friend suspiciously. After all their time together, she knew that face and what it might mean. "What?"

"What do you think about having," Ava gestured around innocently, "a party?"

"What!"

"…Seems to be the word of the week," Ava laughed.

"Mainly because you're nutters, lass." Lily told her, trying to play off a serious face, but a grin breaking through.

"Hmm," Ava mused. "No need to state the obvious, we'll discuss that later." She changed the subject back. "A little get-together?"

"Aves," Lily groaned, which Ava mimicked. Lily turned a glare onto her instead, which only kicked Ava in to a higher gear.

"It won't be a shower. It'll be small. Hell, we can make it more of a thing for the Order. Some cheer would boost morale."

Lily nodded slowly, agreeing with the last bit. Everyone could use a break and enjoy some reveling. An excuse, such as a pregnancy, might be a good reason to bring everyone together. The days grew darker, Lily knew, James was slightly standoffish from his last adventure. She could hardly blame him, knowing he must deal with some murky information. Lily felt she should do more for the Order, but knew her friends would never let her now that she was on maternity leave. So maybe throwing this party would count for something, everyone deserved it.

"Ok." Lily finally nodded to her patiently waiting friend.

"Ah, you'll have fun, you'll see!" Ava flung her hand at her.

"Mm." Lily mulled. Something told her she would be taking this planning on herself.

Then...

"Peter hasn't been around of late." Lily commented while she went through the list of Order members. Ava shrugged and went back to what ever she was doing, Lily couldn't quite tell.

"Okay I have the everyone's names down, now we can decide if anyone needs special considerations." Lily gave Ava a hard swat to get her attention and back on track.

"Okay, okay," Ava shrugged turning back to Lily's organizing. "Slave driver."

"Stop faffing about and help me, this was your idea."

"Which you took over willingly." Ava smiled innocently at her, which only received Lily's glare in response.

"It would never get done otherwise," Lily told her with a mock seriousness.

"Ah, you like it." Ava laughed her off, Lily joined in.

"All you need to do is pick a date, pick a place and just tell everyone, no big deal." Ava summed it all up for her.

"If only." Lily laughed at her friend's simple plan. "Look, you just tell everyone, and I'll take care of the rest. Seven o'clock, not half of six or seven. Seven…at Creighton's, the hall in the back."

"Nineteen hundred hours, Creighton's." Ava nodded.

: Okay, I'm back! Yes, yes, hold the applause (hearing only crickets anyways…) But, I'm still working on it. You know how it goes, Life likes to throw those curve balls occasionally, but we manage.

Soon, I will update my other ventures, and hopefully not disappoint you all.

And on another note, I should warn you that my story will not be done until I have said so, so look for 'the end' or some such official acknowledgments. Thanx!

Stay Tuned Kids!