Sirius came back in with James behind him. Sirius held a care-free smile on his face, but Lily was terrified. Sirius had promised to protect her, but James was strong and determined. James had swung Severus around like he was a rag doll. It was still clear as day. If Lily had stayed in the room with both of those men and they had decided to team up, she would have stood no chance.

James seemed sweet the past few weeks, but last night, he was all rage. Lily knew now that deep inside of James laid the ability to be dangerous. Lily wasn't going to fall for another Severus. She would have to be vigilant in making sure of it.

James was immediately annoyed with Sirius. James went to go sit in the chair next to her, but Sirius slipped it teasing that James would be more comfortable on the spinning stool the nurse would use when they came it. He opted for standing over the wobbling chair. James reached for Lily's hand, but Sirius got there first. Lily was a deer in the headlights not taking her eyes of James for a moment.

Sirius blabbed on about hospital pudding and other nonsense things. James had it with Sirius. His soulmate was extremely hurt and here he was making light of it. James wanted to shake some sense into him.

After it was clear that Sirius was leaving, even after multiple attempts of James making up excuses for him to leave. James decided to get something off his chest. Severus had addressed several concerning things, and James wanted answers.

"Lily, why did you tell Severus we were dating?"

The heat from Sirius' glare made him want to back down. This situation wasn't between him and Sirius though. Severus had said concerning things and he wanted to know how much was true.

"I didn't mean to. I don't know why I said that." Her voice cracked. "I was talking about the gallery at that dinner and he just assumed that it had been a date."

James had wanted it to be a date. He had been excited when he thought it was a date. Why would she be so adamant against it? "He said he was helping you to pay some bills. Did you need help still?"

Lily wouldn't look him in the eyes. Her hands twisted together pulling at her tubes. James wanted to reach to stop her. Made sure she wouldn't pull them out. She scurried back on the bed at his movement. If that didn't break his heart, the fact that she looked to his brother for something instead of him did him in.

"Why don't you go get some food from the cafeteria? I think Lily would like some saltines to settle her stomach."

Remus passed James as he was leaving the room. Remus had caught James saying that Lily was having Severus help pay some bills. He wanted to throw up. If that's why she went back, Remus wouldn't forgive himself. Lily had helped on several occasions with his legal bills during their time to overturn false charges. Then another though wrecked his body. Did she go to Severus for help with the legal bills?

He needed to stop that. Remus needed to focus on Lily. Sirius stood and when Remus was close enough, he stretched up to whisper "Is it ok if I hug you?" Remus was grateful that he had asked. Most people thought it was weird to ask so they either didn't touch Remus or made him uncomfortable by touching him anyway. Remus pulled him in close. Touching had never been the way Remus expressed love, but Sirius melted into him like butter.

Lily's machine went off signaling that her bag of meds was ready to be changed. This brought his attention back to her. Remus took the seat and Sirius stood.

Remus wanted to ask what had happened, what drove her back, why she didn't say anything. He wanted to know everything. All of those were selfish questions though. He ended up asking "What do you need?" Her response surprised him. She started to laugh. When her giggles had cleared, she with a sobering smile and tears in her eyes requested him to lay with her.

"Just like when you have nightmares."

Remus tried to make the small bed enough for the two of them side by side. He ended up having to situate Lily on top of him laying in the crook of his neck. Her hands started to play with his hands. They slowly moved to the freshly wrapped bandages on his arms. The only sign of her crying was the dampening of his shirt. He asked Sirius to grab him a brush. Remus started brushing her hair back. He would take a small strand and loosely braid and unbraid it.

Sirius stared at the two friends laying in the hospital bed. He was surprised to not feel jealousy at all. Instead, he took out his sketchbook and captured the moment forever. The comfortable silence lulled Sirius to sleep.