CHAPTER SIX: CORINTHIANS ONE, CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A/N A chapter with an odd title, I hear you say. Just get a bible and go to that particular reading. I think you'll get the idea. But just in case, in most bibles some of the chapters have subheadings. In this case, in mine this chapter has just one word as its subheading. Guess what that word is and you'll see why I used the reference as a chapter title.

Sirius left Lily alone while she got ready to meet up with James. He went back to his flat, feeling much easier than he had when he arrived. Somehow he had a feeling that James and Lily would work things out now. Assuming that they didn't fall into having a silly argument when they met, Sirius was certain that by the end of the day Lily and James would be together again. He went into the flat and found James, dressed in a pair of jeans that looked new and a white t-shirt, he'd also made an attempt to flatten his hair, not that it had worked. Sirius smiled thoughtfully. James looked casual, which suited his personality, but also smart, which, Sirius knew would please Lily.

James looked at Sirius anxiously. 'Well? How did it go? Is Lily all right? Is she going to see me?' He fired the questions out one after another, it was obvious he was nervous. Sirius smiled thoughtfully again and sat down. James began to pace the room in agitation. Sirius stood and steered James into a seat. 'Now just slow down a bit, you'll work yourself into a state…nice clothes by the way Prongs' he added, as an after thought. James frowned. 'Oh, well, the time dragged while you were out. I just kept worrying about Lily and what might happen, so I went out and did some shopping…so, come on, tell me, is she going to see me?' Sirius realised he wasn't going to get anything out of James until he gave him some answers, so he nodded and grinned.

James Potter saw Sirius Black nod and smile and his heart turned over. Lily was going to see him! He could hardly wait. Turning towards the door, he went to go out, but Sirius grabbed hold of him. 'Hang on a minute Prongs, we need a little talk'. James was immediately worried again. Turning to face Sirius once more, he stood stock still, his heart thudding painfully. He couldn't help thinking that this might be bad news. But then Sirius sat down and indicated a seat for James to do the same. He did so, as if on auto-pilot. 'Listen Prongs, Lily does want to see you, but you've got to have a serious talk with her' Sirius said decisively. James swallowed and nodded. 'I know, I know it won't be easy, I don't expect Lily to take me back just like that, but just as long as I can see her, I can explain to her why I went and…' 'Lily thinks you've stopped loving her', Sirius interrupted abruptly.

It took James a second to absorb what Sirius had said. 'Lily thinks…she thinks….what?' He was amazed. Why on earth did Lily think that? Sirius nodded, 'Yes, she was really upset when I first got to your place, in tears and everything. She was sure you'd gone because you've stopped loving her'. James had to swallow hard. He felt so guilty, it was terrible. He had left because he thought Lily didn't love him; it was never his intention for her to think he had stopped loving her! James knew that would never happen, it just couldn't. But then he had a thought. 'You said she was upset because she thought I'd stopped loving her…so does that mean she…she loves me?' Suddenly James could see a chance for him and Lily. Surely if they loved each other, they could work out this mess. Sirius nodded, 'Yes, of course she loves you; she told me she does, so go and talk to her, sort it all out'.

James was suddenly lighter than air. He grinned at Sirius before turning again towards the front door. He couldn't wait to see Lily again. Though it had hardly been a day, it felt like forever. James knew in his mind, if Lily was prepared to take him back, he would never leave her again. He moved closer to the door when Sirius suddenly called him. He turned back, a quizzical expression on his face. Sirius smiled brightly. 'Tell Lily you're going to help her clean your place up more in future, offer to help her more around the house'. James was confused. 'What? What does housework have to do with…..' Sirius frowned. 'Just do it Prongs'. Still confused, James wordlessly nodded, before, with one last wave to Sirius, he left to meet Lily.

A short time later James arrived at the park where he was to meet his girlfriend. As he walked the paths of bark chippings that crunched softly under foot, he remembered all the other times he had been to this place with her. He thought of all the picnics they'd had, sitting in a huge area of open, grassy ground that was lined with trees. Above was just an expanse of sky with nothing to disturb it. James loved that place especially. It reminded him of the grounds at Hogwarts and how he and Lily had first got together. However, there was also the boating lake here, where James and Lily had spent many hours, talking, learning about one another and, James had thought, growing together. Now he wondered how well they really knew each other if they had managed to misunderstand one another so badly. He silently began to pray they would be able to sort it out.

James walked for a long while, deep in thought. Soon he realised he had reached the boating lake. The early summer sun reflected across the water. James looked down into the reflections, suddenly drawn to a shape, an oddly familiar shape that was topped by something which, even through the water, looked distinctly red. James dragged his eyes away from the water, his heart pounding in his chest. He looked up and then he saw her. Standing on the opposite side of the lake, with her back slightly turned away from James and the water, with her head bowed, was Lily Evans.

James resisted the temptation to call out to her. She was standing almost directly opposite him, with just the small boating lake between them. He was immediately torn. Part of him wanted to run to her, take her in his arms and beg forgiveness. But another part still lingered. What if Sirius had got it wrong? What if Lily didn't love him after all? What if she did love him but still wouldn't take him back? Then he pulled himself together. One way or another, he had to know for sure. He had to talk to her. Slowly, he began to walk around the lake, each step taking him towards Lily.

Lily Evans arrived at the park just a few seconds after she had dressed into something smarter than James's pyjamas. She had apparated there, even though she really didn't like the sensation of apparition. Just for once, she didn't care. She wanted to see James and apparition was by far the quickest way to get around. Now she wore an emerald green sleeveless summer dress. It matched her eyes and complimented her hair. She wanted to look her best; somehow the thought that she looked good gave her confidence to face whatever was going to happen now.

Lily walked through the park, turning over what she wanted to say to James in her mind. She thought once more about her feelings for him. She could hardly believe what Sirius had made her realise. In the year she had been involved with James, she had never once told him she loved him. Looking back, Lily knew that she hadn't deliberately avoided putting her feelings into words, but she realised that what she had done was fall into a habit of trying to show him how she felt, thinking that was all it would take, and James would know. Now Lily wished she could go back and relive the past. If she could, she would make sure she told him. However, she knew she couldn't go back. What she had to do now was go forward, tell James what he meant to her and hope that he believed her.

Lily was so deep in thought that she didn't realise where she was walking until a reflection made her jump. She looked down and suddenly realised that she was looking at herself through water. She had reached the boating lake, where she had spent so many happy hours with James. Overwhelmed by a hundred memories at once, Lily felt tears stinging the back of her eyes. Turning, so that she had her back to the water and her face turned away, she silently blinked the tears away. She didn't want to be in tears when James arrived. She needed to be able to talk to him properly.

Soon Lily was distracted from her thoughts when she realised that someone was standing almost right behind her. Without even turning around Lily knew who it was. She could sense him. Then he spoke.

'Lily', whispered James, as he came and stood right behind her. The sight of her took his breath away. With the early summer sun making her hair shine vividly, and a summer dress that he knew would match her eyes perfectly, she had never looked more beautiful to him. He knew that whatever happened now, he would never leave her again, not if she was prepared to have him back.

Lily stood still and absorbed the sound of her boyfriend's voice. It seemed to flow all through her body, warming her heart. She wanted to turn and face him, take in the features that she had grown to know as well as her own, but it was suddenly as if her brain wouldn't take the signals from her legs. She stood still, while her heart pumped dramatically.

James stood behind Lily, barely able to prevent himself reaching out and slipping his arms around her. He knew instinctively though, that he couldn't do that yet. They needed to talk. So, swallowing, he concentrated on the back of her head and spoke, wishing all the while that she would just turn and look at him. 'Lily I…' he began, suddenly feeling as if his mouth was full of cotton wool, he was nervous. He swallowed again, harder than before, getting a grip on himself. 'Lily….I'm sorry love, I'm so sorry!' he exclaimed, his heart racing. He needed to convince her that he knew he'd done the wrong thing in leaving and, if she'd just give him a chance, he would never do it again.

That was all it took for Lily. In an instant she turned on her heel and was facing him. 'You don't need to be sorry James, it's me who needs to be sorry, and I am, really, I'm so sorry, I've been so stupid, stupid and selfish'. She looked into his hazel eyes as she spoke, desperate to convince him she was telling him the truth. James shook his head decisively. 'No, it's my fault, I should never have just walked away like that, it was wrong. I should have talked to you, told you what was worrying me. Instead I just went, left you alone. I should never have done that. I promise you Lily, if you'll just forgive me and give me another chance, I'll never leave again, never!'

Lily could see James meant every word. He seemed determined to take all the blame for what had happened and she just couldn't let him do that. But he was still talking, his words tumbling out one after the other. 'I just panicked, I suppose I thought if I just put some distance between us you would work things out and we'd be all right. It was stupid, thoughtless. I should have given you a chance. I should have told you I was worried, I'm so stupid, I…' James's passionate outpouring was halted by Lily as she reached out and took his hand in hers. 'James' she whispered softly. James stopped talking abruptly; he grasped the hand that was in his. He gazed into her striking emerald eyes and had to swallow hard. Lily was looking at him with such an expression in her eyes; she took his breath away again. He found himself unable to speak. Lily saw her chance and took it. 'James I need to tell you something, something important I should have said ages ago, something that I truly never meant not to say…..James I love you'.

'James I love you'. The words echoed in James Potter's ears for a few moments. He let them sink in, while he felt like a Bludger had hit him on the head…hard. Then the fog in his mind cleared and, he did the only thing he could think of doing. He reached out and pulled Lily to him, holding her as tightly as he could.

Lily clung to him in return, she sighed with relief. 'I never meant to not say it James, really. I suppose when we first got together I was just so certain we knew how we both felt that we didn't need to put it into words, even though you did, very often' she half smiled against James chest as he held her and she felt his grip tighten. 'Then, when I moved in with you, I just got into a habit of trying to show you how I feel. Now I wish I'd just said it'.

James continued to hold Lily close. 'I should have told you I needed to know. I should have said I needed you to actually tell me how you feel. I can't believe I tried to make you guess like that, that was just stupid, and childish, I'm sorry'. His voice was filled with remorse.

Lily eased out of James's arms and gazed intently into his eyes. 'I thought you'd stopped loving me, I thought I'd lost you, then when Sirius came he was adamant that you loved me. I thought about it and I realised that if you loved me, you hadn't left because you'd stopped, so I knew it must be something I'd done. Sirius asked me when I'd last told you I love you, but he didn't tell me why he was asking. I thought he was being silly. Then he made me think. I realised it wasn't just a case of me not saying it for ages, like the habit some people get into. It was worse, because I realised I'd never said it, not once. I knew I had to put that right….assuming you still want me'.

James reached out and grasped Lily to himself again. 'I never meant for you to think I'd stopped loving you. Lily I do love you, I love you so much. Sirius made me see what I'd done. He made me realise that if you couldn't work out my stupid guessing game we'd end up being apart. He made me see I'd done the wrong thing. He told me I should talk to you, to give you a chance to tell me how you feel. I realised that there was a chance that if I was determined not to talk to you, we might never be together again, even if we do love one another. I just couldn't stand the thought that I might have lost you'.

Lily looked up into James's eyes. 'You couldn't lose me James, I love you'. James beamed, 'I love you too Lily, so much'. Then they kissed tenderly.

Lily sighed, easing away from James again. 'Well we'll have to remember to thank Sirius for this won't we?' She smiled brightly. James nodded, his eyes shining with happiness. 'Yes, but there is just one thing'. Lily gave him a quizzical look. James went on. 'He says I should help you more around the house'.

Lily started to laugh. 'Well, I'll tell you what James, if I remember to tell you I love you every day, will you remember to pick up your clothes off the bathroom floor after you've bathed and will you try not to leave the toilet seat up, do we have a deal?'

James Potter beamed with pleasure. 'Yes my love, we have a deal'.

They sealed their arrangement with a kiss, before hand in hand they went home together, only stopping briefly to thank Sirius Black for being such a good friend.

The End

A/N Well there we are, the finish! I should like to thank you all so very much for your reviews of this and also the reviews of my other stories. I hope the end of this one comes up to scratch. Due to some stuff going on at home I've had to finish it faster than I intended, I'm open to rewriting this chapter if people think it needs it. As ever, read and review. Thanks again for all your encouragement. Personal replies to all reviews soon!