Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will.

A/N: Sorry, it took me so long my computer wasn't working. So here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

"Coming Home"

Two days past and Lily was weighed down with the thought of choosing whether or not to see her father again. It was apparent to everyone that something was bothering her, besides the fact that James and her weren't on speaking terms. Lily had bags under her eyes from the lack of sleep, her usual kept hair was a mess, and she seemed to wander aimlessly through the school all the time. Allie and Alice were worried. They confronted Lily about it, but the only thing they got out of her was a grunt.

James watched Lily fall apart from afar. He wanted to go and comfort her, to ask her what was troubling her, but his pride, his heart wouldn't let him. He didn't want to get hurt again. He didn't want to hear her say that she didn't feel the same way about him when he professed his love for her. So he watched her from a distance.

Lily sat cuddled against her blanket on the couch in front of the fire. It was well past midnight and no one but Lily was in the Common Room. She sat there with a cup of hot chocalate she conjured in her hand. Her hair tied up in a loose bun with strands of it falling into her face. Her knees against her so that if she wanted to she could place her chin lightly on top. Lily sat there and stared entranced by the fire and took a careful sip of her drink. She didn't know what to do. Questions ran through her mind. Why did her father want to see her again? She never went home for Christmas break. Should she go? What was going on?

Confused, Lily sat there and pondered. She silently seperated the pros and cons for going home, but everytime both sides came out drawed, the same. She sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What to do?" Lily asked herself aloud.

The Common Room door creaked open, and Lily turned to see who/what it was that opened the door. No one was there. The door slammed shut.

"Who's there?" Lily asked.

Silence.

Lily turned back towards the fire and decided it was the wind that had opened and closed the door. Lily glanced down at the letter beside her and picked it up. She reread what her father wrote to her and reread it again. All that time a chilling wind seemed to breathe down her neck that sent shivers down her spine. Lily wrapped her blanket closer to her.

Probably just the wind.

A letter was what was bothering her? A letter from her father?

James silently crept up the stairs into the 7th year boys' dorm. He dragged himself over to his bed and let himself fall onto his bed with a thud. He threw off his invisibility cloak and stared at the ceiling.

"Prongs?"

James grunted.

"What were you doing?" Sirius asked groggily.

"Couldn't sleep. Decided to go for a walk."

"Hmm...I'm going to go the kitchen I can't sleep either. Want anything?"

James shook his head, "No thanks."

When James was Sirius was gone he couldn't help think about Lily. Sure on the outside he seemed indifferent to Lily to everyone else, but to the Marauders and when he was by himself he was consumed with the thoughts, touch, and smell of her. She wouldn't leave him alone. James had promised himself the night she rejected him to move on and that was what he was exactly planning to do, if the thought of her would stop perstering him.

Sirius trodded down the stairs towards the Common Room expecting to be by himself, but as he quite clearly saw he was not. A certain red head hadn't been able to sleep either. Lily turned and looked at Sirius when she heard the stairs creak.

"Hey Sirius," Lily greeted softly.

Sirius walked over and sat down next to her.

"Hey."

Sirius examined her in the state she was in. He had seen her fall apart the past two days, he was worried. Afterall, she was his friend.

"Couldn't sleep?" Sirius asked her. Lily nodded.

"You too?"

"Yeah."

Sirius watched as Lily took a sip of her hot chocalate.

"Lily, something bothering you?" Sirius asked sincerely concerned. Lily shook her head. Lily unconsciously began to crumple the letter into a ball. Sirius watched her do so.

"Don't lie."

"I'm not," Lily denied. She wasn't ready to tell anyone her relationship with her father. Lily placed the crumpled up letter besides her, not expecting Sirius to dive for it.

"Sirius, give it back!" Lily cried outraged. She jumped off the couch.

Sirius ignored her, stood up, uncrumpled the letter, and read it. Confusion was written all over his face when he was done reading. "What's this?"

"It's called a letter," Lily said. She was angry. How could he go and read something so personal without her permission!

"Now give it back," she demanded. She was strangly calm and only thrust her hand foward to get her letter back.

"Not until you explain," Sirius retorted.

"There's nothing to explain. My father wrote me a letter asking me to go home for the break."

"So why are you so upset?"

"I'm not upset!"

"Lily, look at yourself. You haven't slept in days. If this letter isn't keeping you up, what is?"

Lily didn't answer. She didn't move from her spot either. Her hand was still stretched out waiting for Sirius to return what he had stolen.

"Tell me. I'll understand." With that Lily cried out in frustration.

"No you don't! You don't get it. No one does. Do you know how it feels to feel so unloved? How it feels like no one could ever love you? My father beats me. Did you know that? He hates me. I want him so badly to hold me and tell me he loves me, but he doesn't. Do you know how much it hurts? How much it hurts to know that your own father doesn't want anything to do with you?"

Tears streamed out of her eyes.

"Yes, I do," Sirius answered. His Adam's apple bobbing up and down uncontrollably like he wanted to cry, but was holding it in.

"Can you tell me why he doesn't love me?" Lily asked Sirius quietly. She sat down on the couch and stared at him like a child who needed comforting, a child that wanted, needed love.

Sirius walked over to her and sat down.

"All I want is for him to love me. Is that to much to ask?" Lily looked at Sirius. Lily hugged herself and rocked herself.

"Is it?"

Sirius watched Lily and he cried, he cried for the first time in front of a girl. Lily telling her story awakened the feelings Sirius had. His family didn't love him. His family hated him. He rememebred when he was just like Lily, wanting nothing but to be loved. To do anything for his parents' approval, but it never came.

"No, Lily it isn't. It isn't too much to ask."

Lily hugged Sirius tightly. He hugged her back. They needed each other at the moment.

Lily buried her face into Sirius' shoulder. He told her his story, and she sat wrapped in his arms and wept for him and for herself.

"I wish I was as lucky as you, Lily."

"Why?"

"Your father actually wants you to go back to him."

"To probably call me some other foul names," Lily snorted.

"No. Maybe he's changed."

"What if he didn't?"

"If my parents even bothered to send me a letter asking me to go home back then, I would have flew at the chance. Not anymore though, I've come to face the fact that they aren't worth it."

"And how do you know my father is worth it?"

"I don't. But if he's anything like you, he's worth it."

Lily smiled.

"I'll think about it."

"Good," Sirius said, letting out a sigh.

Lily replayed what had happened the night before in her mind. Sirius and her hadn't slept at all. Lily yawned. But she had come to realize that she should take some chances. Her conversation with Sirius had made her realize how much her father meant to her even if he did beat her to take away his pains.

She had decided she was going home. Her quill touched her parchment, and she began to write.

Dear Father,

For the first time in days Lily had slept. She was awake and clearly happy. Breakfast that day, Lily placed her name on the list of students going home for Christmas.

No turning back now.

Allie and Alice were going home too, but it was decided that they would meet up later before going back to Hogwarts.

"You going to the ball?" Allie asked Alice.

Lily's head shot up. "The Potter's ball?"

"Yup," Alice siad.

"You're invited right, Lily?" Allie asked. Lily nodded.

"Are you going?"

"I'm still thinking about it."

"You should go. It'll be fun! I mean Sirius, Remus, Peter, Allie, me, and James are going to be there!" Alice's voice seem to fade as she came to realize that James was going to be there.

"Sorry, Lily. I didn't mean to bring it up."

"I know. It's okay."

"You two have to figure this out. You guys were great friends. I mean even if a relationship isn't going to happen between you two, why can't you be friends?"

Lily shook her head. "It's too complicated to explain."

Allie sighed. Lily picked up her set of books and placed it in the trunk.

"Lily, hurry up! We're going to miss the train."

"I'm coming!" Lily cried. She ran with her trunk to the train and jumped on board. As soon as she reached the train it began to move. Lily sighed in relief and turned to follow Allie for a compartment.

"Omph!" Lily rammed into someone. "Sorry, I wasn't looking." Lily looked up to see James staring down at her. His face free of emotions. Lily blushed.

"I'm sorry," she stammered.

"It's okay, Evans." James turned to leave, his owl's cage in his hand. Lily watched him leave and sighed. Pain seared through her heart as she remembered he called her Evans and not Lily.

"I miss you, James," she whispered to herself. She turned around and went the other way. She walked down the train making sure to catch up with her friends.

Friendship. Psh...he won't even call me by my first name!

A/n: Hope you enjoyed. Please leave a review. I love getting them.