Disclaimer: It's not mine
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James had his eyes closed as he waited for the barrage of questions that would inevitably come from his wife. Or mistress. What the hell was Penelope, anyway? At this point, his exhausted brain couldn't decipher it anymore. Everything was too complicated. Maybe hibernation could become an option. That really was a good idea. Now what was Penny going to say? God, I need some aspirin. Or double malt scotch. Or both. I'm an alcoholic! Oh my GOD! James tugged at his hair in panic. He was going to make himself sick with all this worrying. There was an abnormal amount of hair in his comb this morning; the stress was making him go bald!
"…Do you even care what I'm saying?" Penelope asked, sounding rather testy as she drummed her fingers. "I don't know why you mentioned this if you're not even going to listen."
"I don't know why I bothered to tell you…it's not like I ever do anything right, anyway."
"James," Penelope sighed, running her hands through her hair in frustration. He was being so complicated. James hadn't been this dark and broody for days on end for months. It was a common occurrence when she first met him, but she had thought those days were over. Why did Lily have to come back and ruin everything for them?
And most importantly, why did this little group that James was in think that he had to be the one to convert her over to their cause.
That brought up the next question, and this one she voiced, "Why can she be in it, but you haven't even asked me?"
"She has things that are very valuable to our cause, Penelope. It's my belief that she could be very beneficial, but they want to be sure she can be trusted first. Now doubt he knows about it by now, but it is important she doesn't go back to him."
James had never given a name to go along with he, but Penelope has developed an inkling that Voldemort, known as He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, was that particular pronoun. "What can she do?" Penelope asked with a small amount of jealousy tingeing her voice.
"I can't tell you, Penny. I…I promised her…I can't."
"That's understandable; I can't expect you to betray her confidences, just as I would expect you to never betray mine. Go talk to her."
James sighed in relief, not able to believe his good fortune. "Isn't it a little late though?" he asked uncertainly.
"No…it's not. Just go and get it over with. Do you want to go to La Rue when we're done? Maybe go dancing and get a drink?"
He smiled lightly…no drinks. "If I can drag myself. Don't worry when you hear yelling; she'll hate this idea, and no doubt we'll have quite the quarrel. I promise not to kill her, and hopefully she won't kill me, but there's no telling with Lily."
"Quite the woman, huh?" Penelope asked with sarcasm.
James gave one of those sorts of smiles people give when they don't want to answer questions, but when he shut the door behind him, he said aloud, "You have no idea." Upon knocking on her door, it took several minutes for Lily to answer it, leading James to believe she wasn't at home. So, he was quite unprepared when the door was cautiously opened, and there he was, standing there with his hands in his pockets looking like a moron.
"James," Lily observed flatly. She was holding a sleeping Celeste in her arms, rocking her lightly. "Isn't it a little late?"
"Yes, it is, but wait, don't shut the door!" James hastily stepped through her doorway as she tried to slam, or realistically, nudge it shut. "I've already put this off too long. I have to give a report of my findings at a meeting tomorrow night, and I-."
"I'm not interested in being a goldfish for your observance. Please leave."
"It's not like that. Lily, please, give me a chance here. Just listen to my entire proposition."
Lily narrowed her eyes. It was obvious both mother and daughter were ready for bed; Celeste was clad in a pair of pony pajamas while Lily had on shorts and a t-shirt, her hair damp from washing and her contacts taken out. "Fine. Have a seat."
James followed her into the living room, where he was surprised with the changes that had been made since the last time he was here. It actually looked lived in now. There were toys scattered around and tucked in corners, and there were books that were obviously Lily's stacked by a chair. James took a pleasure in noting that it appeared to be a purely feminine domain, and while he was gloating, she was watching him impatiently.
"Did you want a tour, or are you going to get on with it?"
"Are you going to put Celeste to bed?"
"I rock her for precisely forty-five minutes. It's been six."
"Oh. Well…I suppose there's no easy way to do it, so I'll just get on with it, Lily. Are you in any way allegiant to The Dark Lord?"
"What?" Lily hissed, "Are you out of your mind?"
"Well, I, uh, I had to ask before I can continue. So you are not in any way considering returning to his forces?"
"I was never on his forces, you dingbat! I was his prisoner, or did you forget that I was kidnapped? I assure you, being a pregnant woman in the midst of a house full of criminals is not exactly my idea of a good time! You idiot!"
"That was deserved, I admit," James conceded meekly, hoping it would make his next task easier. "As I'm sure you know, The Dark Lord has-."
"Why the crap do you people call him The Dark Lord? His name is Voldemort. Nobody called him The Dark Lord before."
"And you didn't say crap before…obviously things have changed."
"I'm taking Celeste over to Professor Figg's, I can tell I'll end up yelling."
"Why don't I take her over to Penny instead, I'm sure Araminta will we asleep by now."
"I think not," Lily said glacially.
"Then put her to bed."
"She needs to be rocked! She has always been rocked for forty-five minutes."
"Why forty-five?"
"That's how long I had."
"What? Did you have an enforced bedtime?"
"You don't want to know, I assure you."
"No, tell me, I want to know."
Lily stood up and started towards the door, obviously taking Celeste somewhere. "That's how long I had until they came for me…fill in what happened next with your imagination. I'll be back."
James sat in a shocked and a rather nauseated silence.
Lily knocked impatiently on the door to James and Penelope's flat and immediately stepped in when the door was opened. "James said I could leave her here for a bit while he discusses I don't know what with me. She needs to be rocked for precisely thirty-four more minutes. I wouldn't have brought her, I assure you, except for the fact that I have the feeling that yelling is impending. Don't worry, I'll try not to kill your husband, but if I do, you will be a very rich woman; he carries a splendid life-insurance policy that's good until 1985. I'll be back."
"Errr…"
"Thank you, Penelope." Lily stalked back to her flat, fully prepared to wage war, raise Cain, stir up hell, and otherwise get into one whale of a fight. "Now what do you want?"
"I want you to join an anti-Voldemort group that works aside from the government. We have members in several fields, we have Ministry officials with us, Hogwarts teachers, shop-owners, and Healers, like myself."
"No."
"Don't you want to stop him? Personal revenge for what happened to you?"
"I want him stopped, but I've paid my price, I'll let someone else do it. I believe my life has been sufficiently ruined, and you have no idea what happened to me, so don't pretend you do."
"So tell me."
"I don't think so."
"You know my secret."
"And you obviously know one of mine, which is why you're here. You've got my answer, so get the hell out."
"You can't say hell."
"I just did, and I'll say a lot more four-lettered words if you don't get out of my sight right now."
"Lily, Lily, calm down," James soothed, rising as she did to grab her arms softly. He felt her shaking violently under his grip, but James didn't know what the cause was. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to."
"James, stop it. I don't need you anymore. Just please leave me alone?'
"No, I can't. I realize that is what you want, but the Order assigned me to this, and we need you. You can help us stop him, so more people aren't hurt. Do you want other women to be taken like you were? Do you want to see parentless children? That's what is happening every single day."
"Don't you think I know what's going on? I lived it! I saw the people he brought in! I don't want to remember it anymore. He knows what I can do…that's the only reason I didn't completely lose my mind in there, and that's the only reason he can't get me again! Please…don't make me do it, James, please, don't!" Lily cried in anguish.
James wasn't expecting this reaction, but he reacted the only way he knew how; he hugged her, letting her cry against his jumper.
Lily didn't want to think about what she was doing at the moment. The stable and comfortable warmth of his arms around her seemed to make her breathe easier. She knew he would let go when she needed him to and that she was physically safe with him. Lily had never been emotionally safe around him, and she suspected that his was no exception. She relaxed, savoring the comfort that another adult was able to give her. Lily was completely undone by the familiar scent that James still carried-vanilla and sterilizing agents. James would put vanilla in anything possible. The thought made her smile reluctantly.
James, seeing this as a promising sign, tucked a strand of wet hair behind her ear as he leaned down slightly. He grinned as he registered the height difference; Lily being a good five inches taller than Penelope.
"I-ummphmm."
Lily leaned into him, shivering as the memories of a thousand similar kisses raced through her mind. Things felt so singularly perfect until James's hand moved slightly, making her aware of what exactly she was doing. She jumped back hastily, separating the two of them by the coffee table in the middle of the room. Lily put her hand over her mouth, trying not to start crying again. "Please leave me alone."
"Do you really want that?"
"I do…I need you to leave me alone."
"Lily, I-."
"James, leave! Please, just leave me alone."
"But, I-."
"I'm going to go get Celeste. Please be ready to leave by the time I get back."
"Wait!" James grabbed her arm, stopping her from walking out as was her goal, "What about the group?"
"Do you trust me to actually be in it?"
"I have no doubts, and once the rest of them meet you, I'm sure they won't either."
"Let me think about it. I'll drop by your flat tomorrow to tell either you or Penelope."
"I'll have to accept that."
"Yes, you will," Lily said firmly, and hastily left James standing behind her as she went to get her daughter.
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Well, here's the new chapter. I know it took awhile, but I had a personal crisis, and that's about the only explanation I have. I don't feel like this is my best work, but I'm tired and ready to finally get this over with. Thank you for all the excellent reviews, they are an excellent pick me up after a sucky day. I got a lot of reviews for this chapter, woohoo!
Reviewers:
Torifire126-again with the bubbly feeling.
AmandaTate-Hopefully it will be sorted out with time.
Katie-I guarantee you there will be zero catfights.
Rainfire-She grows on me too. Lily's mark was on her temple, not her wrist.
DayDreamer-Whoa! What a review! Will you marry me? Celeste is between two and three years old, and Lily was in captivity for 2 years, 8 months. James is 25, Lily is 23. Not everyone was as the meeting. Remember when Moody told Harry that that picture was the only time they were all together, well, that's not the time the picture was taken. I've got my dates sorted out, don't worry. I think I should do more with the order too.
RBFfreak22-You'll find out slowly but surely.
Nicole-*wink*
Tina-No idea.
Celine-no, you can't.
Zebragurl-rape it is.
LadyoftheLake-Oil is far too good for her.
Lilbird-You write Just Curious, don't you?
Ljpottafreak- James has got to make sure Lily won't go back to Voldemort…loyalty is essential. You've been doing a lot of thinking, it appears.
Natty Natterz-She's a woman, it's our job to be stubborn!
Awesome Job, Natalie, Katelyn*8, JazzNsane4eva, Jessey, Clare, Nike25, Erriy, Elassar, Melissa, unicornjewel, Melissa, Lily, hpandkiki, CarmenSandiego, dolphingurl, Love, Life Sanity, Angelisa Snape, Bon, Kelly, MegHart, punkchiclosr6078, lilyflower1989, tash, Julie Anna, The Elfin child, Lexie, Trish, luv-jinxy, Anarane Anwamane, Mistocean,