James Potter fell out of the bed startled, when a limp hand belted him right in the stomach. He pulled himself off of the floor and glared angrily at the person sleeping by his side. How he loved the woman, but sometimes, no matter what the circumstances she could be a right pain in the arse. He lay back on to the bed, pulling the covers over him, lying flat on his back his eyes were beginning to droop close once again when he saw the fist coming for him once more. He grabbed it this time, and flung it onto its side. Glancing at the clock he knew that he would only get a bit more sleep it was already nearing 5:30 and he would need to get to work early. His team captain was making them practice earlier and earlier each week. Three weeks ago practice was at 8:00 in the morning, the week after it was 7:00 and this week it was 6:30. "Two more weeks, and we'll be practicing at four in the morning." James grumbled to himself as he finally closed his eyes to go to sleep.
For the second time that night James felt a hand attacking his body. "For the love of Merlin." He yelled as he caught the wrist once more in his hand, tightening the grip. "Listen here, woman, if you don't stop, I'm never laying in this bed with you ever again." He threatened.
"James." Lily softly cried out to him. "I'm not feeling to good." She stated as she clutched her hands over her stomach, as if trying to protect it.
With a flick of his wand James turned on the lights in the room. One look at Lily and he scooped her up in his arms, and made a beeline straight for the front gate, where it would be safe for him to apparate them.
"I'm taking you to St.Mungo's." He cried. "What's wrong?"
"I think it's the baby. He maybe ready to come out now." She said her voice shaky, and the complexion of her skin turning pale. "It hurts so much." Lily said her voice hitching in her throat. It was getting hard to breathe. "James something doesn't feel right."
"We'll be there in two minutes. You'll be fine." He tried to reassure her through soothing words and a gentle tone.
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He remembered how almost nine months ago, he came home after a hard game to find a deserted house, his Lily nowhere insight, the morning dishes still left unattended, and no note of where she had gone. Panic started to eat away at him. He checked every inch of the house calling her name, but he never got a reply. His mind started to wander back to the day when the man had tried to kill her with the unforgiveable, and instead of panic a fear that he only felt that one time almost three years ago started to set in. What if she was attacked again? James ran through the house to the front door, intent on running up and down streets until he found her. He threw open the door and almost barrelled over the person he was looking for.
"James Potter, What on earth has gotten into you?" Lily shrieked from the front porch, keys in hand, ready to put it into the lock.
"Me, where have you been?" He demanded. "I come home and you're not here, no note, nothing. You're usually done work before me, and if you're late, you usually send Artemis with a note for me, telling me you're running late. Blimey woman, some days you just drive me barmy." He yelled.
"If you don't mind, I'd rather we have this discussion inside, where neighbours can't hear us." Lily said as she shoved James aside, and moved herself into the room. She undid her pink satin cloak that she was wearing around her neck, and hung it onto the wooden cloak rack, amongst side James'. She than made her way into the kitchen making herself a leftover spinach quiche, with a large pile of bacon, and ham on the side. She filled a glass with pumpkin juice, placed her meal on a serving tray and took it into the den to eat. While in the meantime James followed her around like a lost puppy. "I'm famished." She exclaimed, taking a bite out of the quiche, alongside some of the bacon.
"Where's mine?" James asked, clearly put off by the way she was acting.
"In the kitchen, dear Husband. You have two hands make it yourself. It doesn't take a potions master to figure out how to warm up the meal." She said as she took a swig of her juice. "Yum." She murmured in his face.
"All of a sudden I'm not so hungry anymore." And with that he made himself comfortable on the chair, waiting for Lily to finish her dinner, knowing that the answers that he was looking for would not come until she was done and ready to tell him.
At long last Lily finished her dinner, with a wave of her wand she vanquished the dishes to the kitchen to be washed. She got up from the comfy spot that she was sitting on and headed to the bedroom.
"Wait a minute." James yelled at her. Tired of being ignored for so long, and than totally forgotten about. "Where do you think you're going?" He demanded.
Lily spun around, her red hair whipping across her face. "I am going to bed. It's been an extremely long day, and I'm very tired. So if you don't mind. GOOD NIGHT!" She seethed through clenched teeth, and stalked out of the room.
James did not want to mess with her, he gave her a couple of minutes to herself, and when he knew she would be asleep he quietly entered the room. He smiled to himself, when he got a good look at the bed; his Lily was scrunched into a tight ball, her hands rubbing along her stomach, unconsciously, and a huge smile on her face. She looked like an angel. He felt regret about the way that he treated her recently. She did nothing to warrant such reactions from him. He knew what would make her happy. In the morning he would tell her he wanted to try having a baby. They had been discussing it for quite some time, and he would always finish with they were still young, and would have one later, when the timing was right. This time he knew that it would be right.
Earlier the next morning James quietly slipped out from the bed and prepared a grandiose breakfast for Lily in bed, it consisted of all her favourite foods. He had it set up like a mini buffet all across the room, and all they would have to do was say the foods that they wanted and it would float right to them.
"Lily wake – up." James whispered into her ear. No response. He moved a few strands of wayward hair off of her face and kissed her lightly on the forehead. "Lily wake – up." This time he said it more loudly.
"I'm still mad at you." She exclaimed through a tired haze of sleep.
"I know." He said a small smile curling up on his lips, "But there's something I want to tell you, and to show you." He pulled her into his arms and held her, until he felt her becoming more responsive.
"What," She asked, "Is so important that you needed to tell me this early in the morning."
"I want to start trying to have a baby." He said his hopes high; he held his breath waiting for Lily to respond.
"Well, I don't think that's possible, James." Her words cutting through him like a knife.
"Well why not. I thought this was something that you wanted. That we wanted."
"Aren't you the one that keeps insisting we wait until we're older to have a baby? Aren't you the one that keeps saying you're not ready to have one yet?"
"Well, yes, but now I'm ready to." James said giving her what he usually dubbed his sexy grin. He knew that this smile was the one that would melt any hearts; at least it did with his fans and reporters.
"Listen here James Potter it's my turn to say that I'm not ready to try to have a baby…"
"Fine then." He interrupted her, and rolled over on the bed.
"You didn't let me finish." She said. " Remember the night when we ran out of Madame Consecs Contraceptive, and you said, don't worry dear, nothing will happen?"
"I remember that." James smiled fondly.
"Well something did happen. The reason I wasn't home last night is that I went to see a healer; I haven't been feeling very well. And I got the most wonderful news. Apparently that nothing won't happen, turned into something did happen. James the reason we can't try to have a baby is because we're already having one." Lily said fondly staring down at her small stomach, that she knew would get bigger in time.
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James was pulled from his thoughts when he finally managed to get them to St. Mungo's. He stepped out of the apparition room and ran to registration with Lily in his arms.
"Help I need a healer now, my wife's pregnant." James yelled throughout the waiting room.
All occupants in the room stopped what they were doing and stared at the man with the wild black hair, carrying a woman in his arms. The looks that they were giving him were on the verge of thinking he was crazy. James knew what they were all thinking, but he did not care, his wife, his beautiful Lily was in great pain, and her breathing seemed to be erratic he needed a healer now.
"Are you all daft, I need a healer NOW!" James yelled.
"What's going on here?" A man with a white uniform asked. "What's all this commotion about? We are a hospital and we need peace and quiet here. People are sick." He shouted.
"My wife." James said more softly now that there was a healer in front of him.
The healer moved closer to exam the girl in the man's arms. Comprehension dawned on his face. "We need to get her to the delivery room, now." He said. The healer took Lily from James' arm, and he apparated the two of them to the delivery room. James was left on his own to find the place himself.
When he did he saw healers, and medi – wizards pointing their wands and shooting spells at Lily from what he could see. He ran into the delivery room and was stopped when a person blocked his way.
"I'm sorry sir, you're not allowed in." The medi – wizard said.
"That's my wife. I have every right to see her." He screamed.
"I'm sorry sir, but nobody's allowed in here." The medi – wizard didn't move from the spot he was standing on, blocking James' entrance.
"Do you realize who I am?" James asked, the medi – wizard. "I am James Potter, the best seeker in the whole of Britain. And you dare deny me to see my wife." James look was imposing enough, but the medi – wizard wasn't going to back down just yet.
"I know who you are, Mr. Potter, but that does not mean anything right at this moment. Now I suggest you stop this, and wait until we have word for you."
James knew it was a losing battle. He would have to wait outside. James nervously went pacing back and forth outside the door, wondering what was going on. Finally at long last a healer came out.
"Mr. Potter." The healer asked. "I am Healer Puckett." The man said extending his hand.
James shook the man's hand and than ran his hand through his hair, like he always would do whenever he was nervous. Lily loved his hair after he would do that. She always said it drove her wild. Until she noticed other girls staring at him, and she would grab his arm and pull him away, trying futilely to tame the hair afterwards. "How's my wife?" He asked him. "How's the baby?"
"There were complications with the pregnancy, a lot of blood loss. The baby's doing just fine."
"Well if it's not the baby who is…" James' loud voice, stopped, and trailed off far away. He did not want an answer to the unfinished question. His eyes became as large as dinner plates. "No." He whispered, his voice strained from realization. "It can't be. Everything was going fine. We were told she was progressing nicely. No, you've just made a mistake."
"I'm sorry Mr. Potter, but the baby's mom is fading fast. I wanted to let you know we have done everything we can do for her, but no magical healing charms can help her now, we think it's best that you leave. The baby needs you now." Healer Puckett said looking at the soon to be widower.
"I don't believe you. I want to see my wife, and I want to see her now. This is a conspiracy."
"Mister Potter, please, I can assure you, this is no joke. But you have a new baby that needs to be looked after."
"No, not my Lily. My beautiful Lily. Dear Merlin please I beg of you, take me instead, I'll give you the last of my breath, the heart from my chest, please I'm begging you, take me instead, see this as my last request, Please Merlin, take me out of this world." James hit the floor his knees slamming into the hard tiles. He felt no pain, only remorse, and regret that it could not be him. Tears streaming down his eyes, he knew what he had to do. He ran passed the doctors and he saw his wife. His beautiful Lily. Her breathing was laboured, and her lips were turning blue. "Hiya, beautiful." He whispered, leaning down to give her a kiss. Her lips were freezing but he made no move to shudder from the cold.
"Jamie." She sighed.
He realized that she hadn't called him that in years. It was her nickname for him, since the day they became friends.
"Lily promise to fight this. Promise not to leave me. I don't know how I'll live without you."
He felt fingers running through his hair, and than he heard them drop limply down onto the mattress.
"Tell Harry all about me James, tell him he had a mother who loved him very much. Tell him that when he's feeling alone that I am there watching over him from above. I am sure when he's older he will be just like you, so be careful." He saw the last twinkle in her eyes, as he knew she was thinking about her son growing old, and realizing that she would not be there. A huge gasp escaped from her throat. "I love you." Her lips mouthed, before she closed her eyes, a single tear running down her cheek. She never opened her eyes again.
"Please, please, please, dear Merlin don't take the girl." He held her cold, still body in his arms. Rocking them both back and forth. The Healers tried pulling him away without any luck. They would not push the man to leave; he had just lost the most important person in his life.
"Excuse me, Mr. Potter, but we came to move the body." Some new Healers not knowing the circumstances had come into the room, unaware that the body that they were collecting had passed along under unusual circumstances.
"A few more minutes, not yet, I just need a few more minutes." He said his voice muffled by Lily's hair.
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"That is not funny James Potter, not funny at all. You are such a child, grow up." Lily berated him as she came out of the great lake her hair all wet, Gillyweed clinging to her body. "Do you know what the Giant Squid did to me, and the merpeople? If I was two years old too I would do the same thing to you." Lily glared at him from the 2inches that was separating them from each other.
"It was a joke Lily, a joke, get a sense of humour, for Merlin's sake." With that James, Sirius, and Remus walked away from the wet girl.
James would never forget though, the way her beautiful red hair, glistened in the sunlight.
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James came back to the present when he felt a tap on his shoulders. "Mister Potter, I thought you would like to meet someone, I know he's been looking forward to meeting you." Healer Puckett said.
James turned his head away from his wife's silk hair; it still smelled of wildflowers, and honey, to face the person who was talking to him. When he saw who it was, he went back to his wife. Ignoring the baby that was cradled in the healer's arms.
"Mister Potter, why don't you hold him? I'm sure you both will like that." Healer Puckett said once more trying to get a reaction out of him.
"I can't take care of him, he'll be better off in an orphanage. Find a loving family for him." James said, forgetting Lily's last wish. He got up and walked away. Away from his son, away from his Lily.
The echoes of baby's cry could be heard throughout the hall, as James made the slow trek to the elevators leading off of the emergency/maternity ward. As James passed along the rooms, he saw one with the door wide open. A young couple holding hands, looking down upon their new arrival. He watched the scene with an empty heart, he could be no father, his son would be placed in a better home, with loving parents. He could not do it, not without his Lily.
"You bastard. How dare you deny your son? Lily's going to roll in her grave when she finds out about how you treated your, HER, son."
James spun around as fast as he could and without even seeing who was talking to him, he punched the person right in the jaw. "How dare you, don't you ever speak to me like that."
"I have every right to. You're being selfish; you're not the only one that lost somebody today. The little baby, your own flesh and blood, has lost his mother today, and because of you're selfishness, it looks like he's going to lose a father as well."
"You don't know anything Sirius Black, nothing. So get out of my face." James pushed his best friend aside, and strode past him as fast as he could.
"Oh no I don't know anything? You're right, the woman you loved just died, and I don't know anything. You don't think I don't know how much you're hurting, and that all you want to do is crawl into a hole and die. That you're scared about raising a child on your own, that you can't look at him because he reminds you of her. You're right Potter I have no clue how you're feeling. Lily was also my best friend, my sister. She was with me when I couldn't turn to anybody, when I needed someone to listen to me she was there. So you're right Potter I don't know anything."
"You…You…You…I hate you." James crumpled to the floor. Tears flowing once again from his eyes.
Sirius sat down on the floor by his best friend, and wrapped his arms around the grief stricken man, that he loved. His brother, he hated to see him in so much pain. Sirius rocked the grieving man in his arms like a scared child, for what seemed like hours, until he felt someone poking him on his shoulder.
"I have someone I want you to meet."
James looked up to see his other best friend holding a small bundle wrapped tightly in a blue blanket. He looked away. "Take him away Remus I can't deal with him now."
The sandy haired man sat down by his two best friends. "He's part of Lily, James, that has to mean something."
James turned to look at the little bundle in his friend's arms, and when he got encouraging nods from them both as support he leaned over to take the baby in his arms, slowly, carefully, and with much trepidation. He held the baby feeling the smallness in his arms. He felt his heart melt. The baby opened up his tiny eyes, and each man could not miss the emerald eyes that poked out, with the red little lightning bolt shape on his forehead, as his birthmark, the baby was perfect. "Lily." James spoke pressing the small little miracle closer to his chest.
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--Thank you all for the reviews, please continue, I've decided one more chapter and than I'm finished with this story, and I can continue with Promise to Stay. All right I've been very bad, but let me tell you, how hard it was to get this chapter out. Life has been very hectic. Please be patient, I will get the last chapter out, and hopefully in the next couple of months(I Know, I know, can see death glares now) I can get out the next instalment to Promise to Stay.
If you still have any love for me you still you will review.
Love to all my readers.
ONE EXTREMELLY EXHAUSTED READY TO COLLAPSE HEDWIG 11445