Lily spun the golden band on her slender finger, the rough diamond dragging beneath the tip of her finger. She focused on the cool metal against her skin, the same thought running through her mind on repeat. James is dead, Harry is alive. James is dead, Harry is alive…

She watched Severus in a slight daze, barely processing that he was there. He faced the floo, a ceramic pot in one hand and a fist full of black powder in the other. He was distracted, his attention having drifted from her. She ran a hand up the bumped flesh of her arm, goosebumps having erupted across her. The chills had come on suddenly. James is dead, Harry is alive…

"Severus?" She watched the shift of his hair as he turned an ear towards her before he gave an unconcerned toss into the fireplace. Green flames erupted, casting shades of lime across both of them. "Severus." She said again, more insistent. He glanced fully over her shoulder, a crease appearing on his forehead. She blinked, his features blurring. "Where are your glasses?'

Xxxx

He turned to face her, more than a little confused. "Glasses?" He began, the word barely drifting from her lips as she went limp, her body collapsing beneath her. His wand was in his hand in seconds, casting a silent spell to cushion her fall. The wood floor would not leave a good impression on her face.

"I should have ignored the sparks."He grumbled to himself, knowing it wasn't true. If he had ignored the call he would have yet another regret to add to his list. "Oh, Lily…" He began, lifting her into his arms. "What have you gotten yourself into?"

One arm was placed beneath her knees, allowing her legs to dangle over the other side while the other supported her upper back and neck. Her head lolled in unconsciousness and he shifted his hold so that she rested against his chest.

Muscular wouldn't be a word to describe him. But, it was clear she had wasted away. Lifting her was no more difficult than carrying a wet napkin. Severus snuck a glance at her face, so similar to the young girl that he remembered, yet so different. Worry lines crossed her face, ones that never should have been there and he set his jaw.

He stepped into the still flickering flame of the floo, muttering his location before he was engulfed.

Xxxx

"Mmmm." She stirred, feeling something soft beneath her. She shifted against the something, burying herself deeper under the warm blanket that was soft against her skin. It was a comfort she hadn't felt in years, and she had no desire to open her eyes, and ruin the moment. Unfortunately, his voice did.

"Lily?" His tone was cold in comparison to the heat that enveloped her, fighting the chill she had experienced earlier. She ignored him, hoping he would leave her be. "Lily Potter." Her last name was said with a sneer, his hatred bubbling to the surface. She groaned in protest before opening her eyes.

She had expected the cozy environment of his home, a flickering flame, while the sunlight outside dimmed. Instead she was met with darkness. Her breath quickened, catching in her throat as she scrambled from the vulnerable position she had been placed in. She wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, covering her chest, her pelvis, before realizing she was in the same clothes as before.

The vision of him swam into her vision, intimidating and overbearing as he approached her. She was short, a foot or so beneath him even when standing, but in this hunched position on whatever this was, she was dwarfed in comparison. "Don't touch me." She blurted with as much force as possible, though her voice shook. She caught the flicker of his brows, his one physical feature that could betray whatever emotion lurked beneath.

"That was not my intention."

He shrank, sitting on the other end of what she now realized was a bed. That did nothing to comfort her. The dark, musty, stone surroundings were too similar to the place she had come from and she started her chant again. Harry is alive, Harry is alive, Harry is alive…

"I think Its time you told me what the hell happened."

She opened her mouth to speak, to argue, when he held up a hand to stop her. "I have no interest in the private details of your life. You're in shock. You need treatment. You can't get it if Poppy doesn't know what's wrong."

"Pomfrey?" She looked around the room for the first time, expecting the fair haired matron to be waiting with Severus. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of furniture. "No, no one else. I don't want her to know."

"You're stuck with me, then."

Her instinct was to be repulsed, to tell him to leave. Should she die, she could accept that. She had begged for it for so long.

"I'm not leaving." He began again, seeming to know her thoughts.

Perhaps you should come along, see your son. His words replayed. Her son. She looked around the room, still trembling. It was too similar. "I need more light."

Her request was filled, his wand coming through the air and igniting a lantern beside her. He asked no questions, instead filling her demands with little show of curiosity. She didn't understand it.

"The Dark Lord took me prisoner."

His eyes narrowed at the words and she knew her mistake. It was too late.

"I merely needed to know where you were injured."

Where aren't I injured? Everything ached. It was a pain she had gotten used to long ago, had been able to push from her mind. Lily took in a large breath. Fearful of what came next. Her eyes squeezed shut, fighting the tears that had reappeared. She tried to wrap her mind around it, to force herself to believe that this was different, that he wasn't going to hurt her. Maybe another woman – Pomfrey – would be better.

She was about to open her mouth to say so when she felt the brush of his skin against her fingers. She opened her eyes, glancing at the touch. He hadn't gripped her hand, simply rested the tips of his fingers on top of hers. He hadn't even moved from his position, only leaning forward. She swallowed, setting her resolve. No matter the memories it drug up, it had to be done. You're safe. She changed her mantra.

"Can you…can you give me a moment?" She glanced up at him in hope, her eyebrows together. She half expected him to strike, to berate her, but he wasn't her captor. Instead he stood, leaving the room without a word and closing the door behind him.

She began slow. It was the most her mind could take. As she undid the buttons of her robes – his robes – she forced away the idea that she was undressing for a man before realizing that she was undressing. She wasn't forced to strip in front of a pair of hungry eyes, she wasn't having the clothes torn from her, she was choosing to do this.

She slid her arms from her sleeves, avoiding looking at herself. There was no bra to remove. Severus hadn't thought to provide that, not like she expected him to. Her trousers were removed next, left close beside her should she need to grab them. Lily pulled the blanket up, covering her bare chest, ensuring that nothing showed but what she meant to.

"Okay" She called, her voice cracking. The door was opened again and he returned. Whatever relief she had been able to dredge up disappeared. He stared at her face and she was thankful his eyes didn't linger lower. She had an idea of what she looked like and new the state she was in wasn't pretty.

"I'm going to sit behind you." He spoke slowly, waiting for her approval. She nodded and he did as he said he would, his movements careful and predictable, an effort she was thankful for. "Can I touch your back?"

She nodded again, unable to form words through her tight throat. Her eyes stung with fresh tears. She gasped at the touch of his thumb near her spine. He pressed, causing her to wince and clench her hands into fists.

"Crucio is particularly hard on the back."

She felt the tip of what she assumed was his wand next, pressed at the base of her spine. There was the muttering of an incoherent charm before a warmth began to spread through her nerves. It tingled at first, snaking through her body before giving way to heat. She relaxed at the sensation, her shoulders slumping.

"Poppy taught it to me. I guess she became fed up with my constant stays in the hospital."

There was a lightness in his voice she had had yet to see, an attempt at humor, and she appreciated it. Part of her wondered why Pomfrey was healing him in the first place.

The sensation of before dimmed and his wand was removed. "May I see your arms?"

"Yes." She croaked and he moved slowly to the front of her. Lily clamped the blanket beneath her armpits to hold it up over herself as she held her arms out towards him. He stared at the backs of her hands, his thumb running over her wrist bones.

"There's a break that didn't heal correctly." He pointed at a space at the back of her wrist. "You see that kink?"

"I… I remember."

"How long ago did it happen?"

It occurred to her that she didn't know how long it had been. "At the beginning."

"It'll be harder to heal, then. The pain will be intense." He looked at her with a questioning gaze and she shook her head.

"I've lived with it long enough, what's a little more?"

He was silent and she took it as an answer, an agreement, before her arms were turned over. She felt his grip tighten momentarily in the surprise that she had been expecting. She saw Severus' eyes fixate on the spot in question, unable to contain his surprise. He must have had a suspicion.

"How long?"

"At the beginning." She repeated again, her own eyes glancing at the dark mark that disfigured her.

"But, how?" The question was quiet, not meant for her. "Only the Dark Lord can give it." He cleared his throat, recomposing himself, and returning to his exam. His hands wandered further without any more questions, checking her upper arms, her shoulders, her neck, and fixing things along the way. It was when he noticed the only part left of her upper body was her chest and abdomen that any hesitation entered his voice.

"Um…your ribs, did you break any of those?"

Had the situation been any different, had she not just escaped captivity, she might have laughed at his awkwardness. Instead, she wanted to bury herself in a hole, feeling her own cheeks blush at the thought that her breasts – no matter how innocent – had entered his mind. "A few."

"I expect you can take care of those yourself?" He lifted an eyebrow and she was grateful for the suggestion.

"I…I can try."

His evaluation of her continued to her legs, fixing broken toes, an ankle, and stopping at her knees for which she was thankful. Noticing the brilliant shade of red that had crept up his neck, she assumed he was too.

Severus stood suddenly, leaving the room without a word. Through the open doorway, she could hear the unmistakable clink of potions bottles. He turned with such an armload that part of her felt ashamed. Who knew so many healing potions existed. He handed her one of deep maroon first. "This should help any internal injuries you may have suffered. My healing ability isn't up to par for those, a healer would have been better."

She knew what he was suggesting, but the thought of another person there was too much for her right now. She ignored the insinuation, downing the foul potion instead and grimacing as it hit her tongue. "Was it brewed with rotten cabbage?" She wrinkled her nose, handing the vial to him.

He said nothing, a smirk appearing on his face instead as she was passed another. "For potential brain damage."

She swallowed the pale blue potion, sputtering even worse than before. "Are you sure you aren't trying to poison me? Did you lose your touch?"

"A kind insinuation, and no." Severus shoved bottle after bottle into her hand with a simple explanation for each. She took every one that she was given, each more dreadful than the last, but she spared him her comments. Lily was sure her face told him all he needed to know. When there were three items left in his arms did he stop.

"These last two are optional."

She recognized them immediately. They were ones they had brewed as students, a part of the curriculum. A sleeping draught and a potion for memory restoration. "No, absolutely not."

"As I expected." They were set down, leaving only a tub left.

"And this." He held it up. "is for cuts and scars."

Part of her wondered why he had been so silent about it. There were many that crossed her body and he would have had to have been a dimwit not to notice. She took that one eagerly, wanting to rid herself of any marks the Dark Lord had left her.

"It won't get rid of them completely." He cautioned, sensing her excitement. "But, the cuts will heal and the scars will fade."

She stared at the container of white ointment not knowing what to say. There was a relief inside of her that came from a variety of sources. He had healed her, he had eased her pain, she was safe, and all of it was because of him.

"Thank y-"

"No, net yet." He lowered himself again, meeting her eyes at her level with a sincerity that surprised her. He had been so cold not long ago, not believing what was in front of him. "I don't think its wise that you see Harry, not yet."

The Injustice struck her, a pain zinging through her abdomen. That thought had kept her going tonight. She opened her mouth to protest, but he continued over her so quickly that she didn't have a chance.

"He's under an exorbitant amount of stress. He doesn't need to see his mother in such a fragile condition."

She was silent, looking down at the blanket, unable to look at him. It hurt to hear, but it was right. It wasn't fair to Harry. Hell, it wasn't fair to her. How was it that Severus had known her own son better, longer, than she had? "I'd like to get dressed again." She mumbled, unable to comment on their discussion.

"Dresser is there if you need anything." Severus gestured to a piece of furniture on the other side of the room with a nod off his head before he left, shutting the door and leaving her along once again.