AN: Sorry about the delay on this one, we had to finish writing it. Hope you all enjoy… But first… a message from the lovely Snaps. She says: "Hai! Er… thanks for reading our fanfics… We spend almost all our time on them. ~ Lily M. Evans"

Chapter 4

October 31 1981

James was in shock. He'd know that Alice and Frank had been marked for death but for it to actually happen... Their poor son... He'd only been a day older than Rose... James shivers. It could have been them... It could easily have been them... But Voldemort was gone... Somehow. He'd killed the two best Auror's as easily as swatting a fly and yet, for some reason he hadn't been able to kill a little boy... How had he found them? They'd been in hiding under a Fidelius Charm cast by Dumbledore himself! It didn't make sense...

Lily holds close to her husband. Alice and Frank had been close friends of hers... she'd helped get them together. She sobs quietly, Rose in her arms.

James wraps his arms tightly around his wife, holding her close as she sobbed. Voldemort was gone but they'd lost two very good friends in the process. Even though the rest of Wizarding Britain was celebrating, inside the house of one of the Order, was a sombre gathering.

Lily held close, her tears dampening his shirt. She pulled back slightly and looked around at everyone who had known them and studied their faces. She then returned to crying, quiet sobs coming out of her chokingly.

James clears his throat to speak several times but can't get the words out. Their fearless leader also seems to be having trouble speaking. Eventually Remus steps forward and raises his glass of Firewhiskey. "To Frank and Alice," he chokes out. The rest of the Order raised their glasses in return. "Frank and Alice," echoes around the room. James tosses back the alcohol, wincing a little at the burn. "I... I can't believe it..." he mumbles.

She had done the same, and was now clinging to Rose as if she were a lifeline.

Harry, beside them, starts to cry and James scoops him up. "Hey little man," he mutters hoarsely. The child stops crying, reaching for his father's glasses. "Lils..." James pauses, unsure about what he was going to say. Shifting Harry to his other arm, he wraps his now free arm around his wife's shoulders, holding her close. "I'm so sorry..."

She sobs into his top. "N-not your fault-t"

"Shh love," he mutters helplessly, awkwardly stroking her hair with one hand.

Lily looks up at him with tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks.

James dropped a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Do you want to head home?" He asks her softly.

She nods, still crying.

"I'll say our farewells, shall I?" Without waiting for an answer, James, still cradling his now sleeping son, let's their friends know that they're going home. Sirius is morose, Remus tired and paler than usual. Peter looked half-terrified, half-relieved for some reason but James shrugged it off. Saying farewell to Dumbledore, James returns to his wife's side. "Ready love?"

She nods again and holds his hand, waiting for him to Apparate them away, too unsteady to do it herself.

Holding her close, he gently helps her outside and turns them all on the spot, Apparating them home.

She collapses on the couch as they enter the living room, holding Rose close and crying into her daughter's hair.

James takes Harry upstairs and lays him in his crib before hurrying back downstairs to comfort his wife.

Lily holds close to rose, who was crying by now, only because her mother was. She tried hushing the baby, but it was no use when tears were flowing down your cheeks.

James holds out his arms to take his daughter. "I'll get her settled and then we can do whatever you want."

She nods and passes her over, now choosing to bury her face in a pillow instead. The Longbottoms had been close to her... Very close to her... The thought of them gone... More tears streamed down her cheeks.

James rocks his daughter who slowly falls to sleep in her father's arms. He wanted to hold Lily close, promise her everything would be alright but he has to get his little girl to sleep before he could comfort his wife. Finally Rose is out and he hurries her upstairs, laying her down and heading back down stairs. Without a word he wraps his arms around his wife, pulling her close.

Lily holds close to him automatically. Her arms twine around the familiar body and she cries into his chest. "J-James... I lo-love y-you-u..." she hiccups and stutters to him.

"I love you too Lily, always and always." He gently rocks her, as is she were their daughter, stroking her hair soothingly.

"Don't leave me..." she whispers, breathing in his scent in her shallow breaths.

"Shh I won't, I couldn't even if I wanted to which I will never, ever want to do." He kisses the top of her head. "I love you."

A small, sad smile can be seen on her face and in her eyes. "I love you too..." she leans on his shoulder, sniffling once in a while.

He brushes his lips across hers, no passion, no longingly... Just love and comfort, trying to convey without words his feelings.

She kisses back softly, needing his support.

"I'm here love," he murmurs softly. "I'm not going anywhere..."

"You'd better not..." she mutters in return. "I love you..." she says again.

He smiles a little, the expression quickly fading. "I love you," he responds softly. "You need to sleep love..."

"I... I know..." she rests her head against his chest, closing her eyes, her breathing getting fuller.

James keeps gently stroking her hair, holding her close, his own eyes sliding shut.

A smile appears on her mouth as she drifts into unconsciousness, the comfort of her husband keeping her safe.

Wrapping his arms more firmly around her, James follows his wife into sleep.

The next morning, Lily woke up alone on the couch. "James?" she croaked, her voice hoarse.

James comes downstairs, carrying a wide awake Rose. "Morning love," he says softly, having heard her whisper.

Lily's eyes look like they're going to shut again any minute. "Morning..."

"Go back to sleep love, I'll make breakfast..." He keeps his voice soft.

She nods thankfully. "Thank you..." she trudges up the stairs and collapses on their bed, asleep again within seconds.

James hums to himself, balancing Rose on the counter top so he can get the pans out.

Lily wakes up around an hour later, trudging downstairs.

James looks up, grinning broadly as he presents her with some not too badly burned pancakes, toast, eggs, bacon and a glass of juice. "Morning, again, love... I made you breakfast..." Rose is clinging to his leg but immediately toddles unsteadily over to her Mum. She only fell over twice.

Lily smiles and picks Rose up. Walking over to James, she pecks him on the cheek and mumbles a "Morning, love," before saying, louder that "I need to teach you to cook." with a slight laugh.

"Hey! It's not that bad." He protests in defence of his cooking. "It's not too badly burned..." He pulls her in for a searing kiss before she can say anything else.

She gasps softly and kisses him back, before Rose interrupts with a "Mamma..." Lily pulls away softly to kiss her daughter on the forehead. "Shhh, baby girl."

James smiles wryly at his wife and grins at his daughter. "You had your breakfast cheeky... Let Mamma eat, okay?" Rose grins back toothily. "'Kay Dada." and she holds out her arms to him. James scoops her out of Lily's arms and settles her back into her high-chair, dropping a kiss to the top of his wife's head as he passes.

She hesitantly takes a bite of the bacon, chewing it cautiously. "It's... Not bad." she looked surprised, but attempted to hide it.

He catches her surprise, years of stalking... Erm "relentless dedication" to Lily had given him great insight into her expression. He mocks hurt. "Surprised my flower? I'm crushed..."

She smiles a small smile and kisses him softly. "Yes, surprised... Because you're horrible and you know it."

"I'm not completely horrible." James pouts, looking pitiful.

"At cooking? Well... Not completely. It's not black... This time." she grins wider and pokes her tongue out.

He pouts further. "So mean... Mamma's so mean to me Rosie." He complains to his daughter. James is just glad to see her smiling again. Rose giggles. "Ba' Mamma!" She points at her mother. "No mean 'oo Dada!"

James grins triumphantly at his wife and cuddles his daughter. "Good girl Rosie," he croons.

"But Dada was mean to me first!" she pouts at her daughter, holding her arms out.

"Ba' Mamma," their daughter says again, snuggling into her Daddy. James chuckles.

Lily pouts. "Not fair." she crosses her arms.

He stops laughing and moves back to her side. "Sorry love."

She smiles softly and kisses him. "Don't worry. You're going to be jealous when she's a teenager and she needs help with boys and stuff." her grins is wide and teasing.

James pales and covers Rose's ears. "Don't listen to Mamma Rosie!"

She laughs softly and picks Harry up from the floor next to her, where he'd been blubbering quietly. "He's mine for now." she snuggles close and holds him tight.

Rose sticks her tongue out at her baby brother and clings to her Dad. "No sad Dada. Have 'e!" James chuckles and kisses her forehead. "I do too little one." His mood sobers. "I got a message from Dumbledore just before you got up..." He trails off.

She sighs resignedly. "Well?"

"The funeral is organised for later today... He said he'd understand if some people didn't want to go..." He doesn't meet her eyes.

She sniffles and holds Harry closer, before nodding. "I... I want to go..."

"I already said we would." He admits softly. James shifts Rose to one arm, gently rubbing his wife's shoulder with his now free hand.

She winces, a single tear falling. "G-Good."

Biting his lip, he slides into the seat next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders tightly, kissing her temple. "It'll be alright love," he whispers hoarsely. "We'll get thought this. Together. I promise."

AN: Chapter 5 shall be up momentarily.