Thanks to messyblackhair66, zenon-92793, browneyez, WhiteCamellia, appleali and chickibabe46 for reviewing. This story is very quickly drawing to an end. A few more chappies to go! If all goes well then I want to have it finished and posted just after New Year before I go away so I don't leave all of you hanging with about a chapter or so to go for a few weeks. So, hopefully I should update once or twice a week so it's all finished.

In case some of you don't come back on before then, Merry Christmas to everyone and Happy New Year as well! Hope you all have a great holiday.

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Ch 24: Decisions

"Morning James." Lily said curtly. She turned back to her pancakes, her body shifting slightly away from his. Yet again he tried to engage her in conversation but she answered shortly and ignored him again.

"Lily, stop being like this. I'm sorry. What else can I say?" James said desperately but he couldn't help a bit of frustration entering his voice.

"You could tell me where you were last night." She replied simply without turning to look at him. James sighed loudly.

"I can't. I've already told you that."

James wasn't sure whether he was annoyed at her for being like this or just plain apologetic and desperate to not have her mad at him. At the moment it was a very confusing mix of the two. Sometimes he just wanted to snap at her. Tell her that he couldn't tell her, that she just needed to trust him and accept that and move on. But the next minute he just wanted to sweep her up in his arms, apologise profusely and kiss her senseless.

Lily huffed and didn't reply. She was just as confused as James. She wanted to just forget it, trust him and get over it. She knew that would be the adult thing to do but right now she wasn't feeling very adult. All she wanted to do was be huffy and offish and make him feel as bad as possible. In other words be a brat.

"Were patrols okay last night?" James asked, trying a different tact. Maybe if he just dropped the whole subject and talked to her about other things the whole thing would just blow over. For now.

"Fine." Lily answered shortly. She wanted to spill everything about Marly, how worried she was about her. She wanted him to wrap her comfortingly in his arms and tell her that everything would be okay. But something held her back. She would be breaking Marly's trust and she was still just in a plain grumpy mood and still wanted to make him feel bad enough to tell her. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be relenting so neither of these options seemed to be panning out very well.

"Seya later." Grabbing a couple of slices of toast and a glass of cool pumpkin juice, Lily left the table. Marly had refused to come down to breakfast so Lily was bringing her up something to nibble on if she could convince her too. After all the support Marly had given her in the last few months, it felt weird to Lily to be in the reverse roles. Now it was Marly's turn for the unconditional love and support and Lily was more than willing to supply it.

"Are you coming to herbology?" Lily asked Marly gently. She was still lying in bed and looked like a mess.

"I suppose. I can't very well stay here and mope all day." Marly said reluctantly as she dragged herself unwillingly out of bed.

"It will keep your mind off things." Lily said reassuringly.

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Marly put on a brave face. She went about her days as usual, slightly more subdued than usual but more or less her usual self. She moved out of the spotlight, for once not wanting the world's attention on her. Marly just wasn't the sulking type. Where Clara would stay in bed and eat chocolate for a week, Marly would take on the world with new strength.

She hurt, that wasn't in doubt. Her heart was in shreds, her dignity battered and bruised but her pride and resilience remained. She held her head high, her face barely registering when she caught sight of Will. Her eyes flickered over him carelessly as he smirked nastily and whispered something to his friend. Her tough stance never faltered. Lily was so proud of her.

She watched her carefully and looked out for her constantly. But her worries were unfounded. Marly was tough. She may have fallen down but she sure as hell got up again.

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Walking into the common room purposefully, Lily headed directly towards one of the couches by the fire where a familiar head of messy black hair was visible. James barely noticed her until she was right in front of him. Then, without pausing she bent down and kissed him full on the lips. James was taken aback but was by no means about the push her away.

"What was that for?" He asked confusedly when she pulled back. "I thought you were mad at me."

Lily took a seat next to him and snuggled into his chest. "I am." She replied. James was still confused but Lily didn't elaborate.

"Well, if this is you mad at me, I'm looking forward to when you're happy." James said with a grin. Lily laughed but stayed quiet. She had caved. Her cool act with James was taking far too much energy. And she was pretty sure he felt bad. In fact, she knew that he felt bad. And who knew, maybe he did have a perfectly legitimate reason for where he had been. Maybe she should just trust him after all. And his warm, safe embrace was far too enticing for her to refuse any longer.

For a while they just lay there together. Lily closing her eyes tiredly and allowing herself to relax and James gently stroking her hair.

"What's that?" Lily asked suddenly. She no longer looked peaceful. Her eyes were wide open and looking curiously at his arm.

James looked down and felt his heart sink. His robes had ridden up slightly to reveal a huge blue and purple bruise on his arm and numerous tiny scratched littering the skin.

"Nothing." Lily eyes narrowed. She took back her earlier thought. She was annoyed again. And worried. You didn't get bruises like that from 'nothing.'

"Where did you get that?" she knew it was from his 'mysterious night out' but she was determined to make him say it.

"You're not going to get mad at me again are you?" James asked looking worried and doing a bad attempt to avoid another argument.

"No." James visibly relaxed but not for long. "I'm not going to get mad at you again. I already am. Now how did you get those injuries?"

Relenting slightly James sighed. "The bloody Whomping Willow thwacked me on the arm." If he had thought that would satisfy her and deflect a few questions he was very wrong. Lily's eyebrows rose and she eyed him dangerously.

"And what were you doing by the Whomping Willow?" Since Davey Gudgeon's accident a few years back the students had learned to stay as far as possible from the nasty tree with anger management issues. Which was why Lily could not fathom why James would have gone near the bloody tree.

James was a truly terrible liar. Maybe if he had just continued with the 'I can't tell you' things might have panned out better. But no, he had to go and make up some lame arse excuse which no one in their right mind, let alone Lily, would believe in a million years.

Lily's eyes narrowed in that familiar way and her face flushed. "For God's sake James. And that is supposed to prove to me that I can trust you?" She huffed angrily.

James couldn't think of a reply. He really didn't have anything else to say. His fellow Marauders were watching him curiously from the corner where they had gracefully moved when Lily had arrived but he avoided their eyes. They knew what Lily and his argument was about and he could already see Remus twitch guiltily.

Storming off in true Lily fashion, James was left sullenly lying on the couch. Slowly, his friends gathered around him to bombard him with questions.

"What was that about?" Peter, always the thinker, asked dumbly.

Sirius glared at him. He didn't want to make Remus feel guilty any more than James did.

"Nothing." James said reluctantly. Remus looked at him unconvinced.

"I'm sorry James." Remus said quietly, not looking at his friend.

"No, Moony. What are you talking about?"

Remus raised his eyebrows questioningly but still looked uncomfortable. "I'm not stupid James. I know that you and Lily have been fighting recently. Because of… well… because of me. And my 'furry little problem.'"

"Moony –" James tried, looking awkward as well.

"No James. I don't want to be a constant upset in your relationship. I know how Lily is about things that people don't tell her." James tried to but in again but Remus carried on over the top of him.

"And that's why I'm saying that you can tell her. I know that we can trust her. In fact, I'm surprised she hasn't figured it out before now. It's only a matter of time anyhow." Remus said confidently although he looked a little pale.

Sirius, James and Peter were all silent. "But… but…" James trailed off.

Remus looked at him defiantly. "Although I'd prefer you told her rather than me." He added as an afterthought.

"What about the rest of it?" Peter squeaked. They all turned to look at him. "Lily's going to ask what you being a werew–" The others shushed him loudly as they were still in the common room where anybody could overhear. Peter looked down bashfully. "She's going to ask what that has to do with the rest of us."

The others looked at Peter in awe. He wasn't exactly known for his perceptive skills. In fact, they all rather doubted if he had any at all.

The four boys all looked at each other. No one wanted to make the decision.

"Do we tell her everything?" Remus asked. James had been very quiet. He didn't want his friends to feel as though they had to reveal their biggest secrets just because of him.

"Yes. We can trust Lily." Sirius piped up confidently. James looked at him in surprise. After all, Sirius hadn't exactly like Lily much until very very recently.

"Wormtail?" Remus and Sirius had both proclaimed their agreement. James knew he would have to tell her one day although he dreaded the argument he was sure would follow. Peter was the only one left to decide.

"I suppose." He said timidly, looking frantically around at them all. He hated being asked his opinion, everyone listening and waiting for his response.

"That's settled then." Remus said with as much strength as he could muster given the subject matter. Despite having lived with his 'problem' for most of his life he still never liked to talk about it.

"Thanks guys." James said sincerely. Only true friends like the Marauders would give up something so big for their friend's girlfriend. But they all knew as well as the other how important Lily was to James. She wasn't just any old girlfriend. She was in for the long haul. James knew it, the Marauders knew it, it was just Lily who didn't know it just yet. But she would soon. Fate worked in funny ways.

Gulping softly, James stood up. It was now or never. And with a last glance and the flash of a smile back at his friends, James set off to find Lily. Actually, he had already found her. All he had to do was figure out how to get up those damned stairs.