A/N: Continuing on...
Disc.: You know, stand disclaimer of intellectual rights and what-not.
Chapter Twenty Two
Lily was supposed to be making a grocery list, but she had been sitting at the table for going on twenty minutes staring off into space. She was home alone, again, Scorpius off to work and Damon doing who knows what on his off day. Draco had set up their schedule to be complete opposite of each other, and while it made Lily curious as to why, she didn't spend too much time wondering about it. Instead, she was daydreaming about the one night she and Scorpius had been together.
It had been two weeks, and he hadn't so much as looked at her much less touched or reached for her. Any advance she made, he kiss her forehead and say that he was tired. Lily was getting desperate. Her thoughts went to Damon and she flushed, feeling immediately guilty. She was a lot of things, but she wasn't one to go chasing after her ... she paused. She didn't know what Scorpius was to her. She had hoped after that world rocking night that he'd want to pick up where they left off.
Scorpius had been sleeping in the spare room at night, leaving Lily feeling a bit alone and lonely. She knew she needed to give him time, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe this situation was too big for him to swallow. She was, after all, having a baby with another man. She glanced up at Damon came in the front door, not pausing to knock or anything. Since their drunken night, Scorpius and Damon had eased up and seemed to be getting along the few times that they were both off at the same time. Damon grinned at her before heading to the fridge.
"Oh, you're out of juice, too," he mentioned as he closed the fridge door.
"Making a list before I go shopping," Lily waved the piece of paper at him. "Need anything?"
"Is Scorpius going with you, or is it going to be you and me?" Damon asked.
"I was just going to go by myself," Lily admitted.
"No," Damon replied almost sharply. "I'll come, so you won't have to carry all the bags back by yourself."
"Done it plenty before, Damon," Lily reminded. Damon touched her stomach.
"You're carrying my kid, I should at least carry the groceries," he offered. Lily sighed and went back to writing her list, knowing that it'd do no good to try and get out of him coming. Lily leaned back in the chair, rubbing the ache that was almost permanently taking up residence in her lower back.
"I guess I'm about as done as I'm going to get with this list," Lily sighed standing up. She headed to get her purse.
"You know, if you want, you can just stay here and take a nap," Damon offered. "I can go when Scorpius gets back from work."
"How will I impulse shop if I don't even go," Lily joked as she opened her bag and checked to make sure she had some money. Purse swung over her shoulder, she headed toward the door. Damon grinned and jogged over to her, locking up behind them.
Lily added up the items in her cart. She was less than halfway through the list and she was pretty close to using up all of the money she had on her. Damon looked at her curiously as she steered the cart toward the cash registers. She silently begged Damon not to ask about it. It was bad enough that she had no idea how she was going to buy the rest of her groceries, much less afford to take care of a new baby. Her pride kept her from asking either Damon or Scorpius for help.
Damon watched her carefully as she watched the clerk ring up the various items, grabbing the last item and handing to the clerk with a mumbled 'changed my mind on this'. Lily fought the urge to cringe, handing over almost every last piece of paper money she had left. Now that Scorpius was back, she wasn't getting a bit of financial help from Draco. In fact she'd been shocked to see that he'd cut her completely off, and without the income from her ministry job, she felt a momentary panic at the thought that she was would be out of money.
"Are you okay?" Damon asked as they entered Lily's apartment, each carrying two sacks.
"Yes," Lily lied as she placed the bags on the counter.
"Are you sure?" he looked at her carefully. She glanced up, biting her lip like she wanted to say something but instead, she blushed slightly and nodded once.
"I'm fine," Lily told him, and he knew she was lying. She tossed her purse up on the counter, its sliding off the edge and spilling out onto the floor. She glanced at it like she debated picking it up, but sighed and turned away. She started putting the groceries away, leaving Damon to scoop up the items and shoving them back in her bag, minus her list that was only half-checked off.
"I'm going to go on back home, okay," Damon told her after a few minutes of watching her put the groceries away.
"Yep," Lily replied dismissively.
"If you want, and you're up to it, we can go for a walk later if Scorpius is busy," Damon offered.
"Uh-huh," Lily didn't look at him while he left. Instead, she stared at the nearly empty pantry and thought that something had to give. She felt horribly depressed. She paced the apartment for a little while, ignoring the owl that had swooped in the open window. She knew it was probably yet another note stating that Scorpius was working late. She headed towards his room, hesitating at the closed door. She touched the knob, wanted to invade his space, to get insight into the man he was now.
"WHO!" the owl screeched and Lily sighed, marching angrily back to the brown bird that seemed to glare at her from the counter top. He bit Lily roughly as Lily tried to untie the letter at his leg. Lily was able to free it with only two bloody bite marks on her hand. It took off and Lily skimmed the letter. Of course, it was Scorpius letting her know that he was going to be late and miss dinner.
"Screw this," Lily grumbled as she pulled on her coat again. She glanced out into the hall, before slipping silently in to hall and running down the stairs, not pausing at the doors when she heard someone call her name. She took a deep breath, spun around once and aparated. She didn't even care if someone saw her. She stumbled but for once, didn't fall, though the baby did kick her rather swiftly.
"Sorry," she murmured as she patted the baby hidden below her jacket. She glanced up at St. Mungo's. She headed. She wasn't sure what she was doing there, exactly, but she felt drawn there.
"Lily?" a voice asked from to her side and she saw Marshall standing there surrounded by a gaggle of good looking candy striper-type assistants.
"Hey," she smiled at him.
"I'll see you ladies later," he grinned as he pulled away from them and headed towards Lily. Lily could see the glares of some of the less subtle girls thrown her way. He stopped short of her, glancing only momentarily down at her stomach. "What has you all the way out here?"
"I'm thinking, I need to go back to work," Lily confessed.
"Oh," Marshall looked again at her stomach.
"Look, I know it's no secret that I'm pregnant, and I doubt they'd let me just be a healer since it's been so many years, but I need to go back to work," Lily's face was burning with embarrassment. Marshall looked at her with a slight frown.
"You could probably work our old unit, but it's only going to be three nights a week," Marshall offered after a few minutes of staring at her.
"Oh really? Thank you!" Lily threw her arms around him, catching him off guard.
"Don't thank me too much," Marshall chuckled slightly. "Miss Alice has become quite the character."
"You have no idea how much this helps me, Marsh," Lily released him. "When can I start?"
"Are you busy now?" he asked. "You could put in a few hours and refill out your paperwork, our latest part time healer just quit."
"You're not going to get in trouble, are you?" Lily hesitated.
"As head of the critical curse unit, no, I'm not going to get in any trouble," Marshall offered. "Plus, maybe Miss Alice will listen to you."
"Maybe," Lily hugged him one last time before practically skipping up to the ward, checking with Shana, the head healer that had seen over that department. Aside from Marshall being the big boss in charge of the whole wing, it was like old times.
They were definitely getting their money's worth having Lily back on. Miss Alice had gone even more off the edge since the last time that Lily had worked there. Twelve years was a long time, and while she'd remembered all of her training as if it had only been yesterday, trying to force potion down the throats of unwilling patients had Lily exhausted and sticky when she got off of work. She didn't particularly want to walk home or aparate for that matter, but she was too tired to wait for the muggle bus, much less did she have the money to pay to ride. She aparated to the jump-off point, ignoring the angry baby kick as she drug herself home.
"Merlin, Lily, you're okay," Damon embraced her hard the minute she walked in the front door before pulling back an arms' length and inspected her head to toe. He sounded relieved, where as Scorpius look very, very angry with her.
"Where have you been?" he demanded. Lily tried to take a step back but Damon still had her arm in his hand.
"I.. I was at work," Lily explained. Scorpius narrowed his eyes.
"You work? Since when?" he asked.
"Since today," Lily mumbled.
"What about the baby?" Scorpius asked. Lily frowned slightly.
"I worked while I was pregnant with Theron," Lily reminded him. "It's only part time, anyways. A few days a week for a couple of hours."
"It's about money, isn't it?" Damon asked. Lily shot him a hostile look.
"Money?" Scorpius repeted.
"Don't think I didn't notice that you only got half your list at the market, Lily," Damon tattled. Lily jerked her arm away.
"Is there a problem with your accounts, Lily?" Scorpius asked calmly.
"No, unless you consider the fact that they're nearly empty," Lily snapped at him. She jerked her jacket off, missing the hook again. She glared at it.
"You're broke?" Scorpius and Damon both said at the same time.
"You didn't honestly believe your father would keep supporting me once you came back. I can't expect you to support me, our son is in school, and Merlin knows that you're not about to support another man's child," the words seemed to tumble out of Lily's mouth.
"If this is something you've been worried about-"
"What, Damon? You're going to ride in here on your high horse and be my white knight?" Lily's words were high, almost hysterical. Damon looked hurt.
"You're carrying my-"
"I know, your child," Lily threw up her hands in exasperation. "I'm going to take a shower." With that, she marched off toward her bedroom, slamming the door and climbed into the shower, the water masking the tears of frustration and fear she felt.
She thought of just going to bed, but she couldn't ignore the hunger that rumbled through her as she glanced at her bedroom door. She hadn't cooked dinner, but she knew there was still a bit left in the box of cereal and there was a little milk left in the bottle. She eased out of the bedroom and headed over to the kitchen, opening the pantry. She stopped up short, the shelves full. She frowned and opened the fridge, finding it full as well. She started to cry, the box of cereal in one hand and the bottle of milk in the other.
"Lily? Oh, Lily are you okay?" Scorpius asked rushing to her side, taking the food from her and wrapping his arms around her. He pulled her close.
"It's been so hard," Lily cried. She buried her face into his shoulder.
"Shh, hon, are you okay?" Scorpius stroked her hair.
"I'm fine, I'm fine," she sniffled after a second. "I just-"
"Damon did that," Scorpius gestured to the fridge and pantry. "He didn't know. Hell, Lily, I didn't know..."
"It's not your fault, it's mine," Lily sniffled again, wiping her face with the back of her hand. "I shouldn't have expected."
"Let me make you something to eat, more than a bowl of cereal," Scorpius took her by the hand and led her to the table, pushing her gently into a sitting position. He stored the milk and cereal away, and instead whipped her up a piece of chicken and some pasta dish. He poured her a glass of juice and placed it all before her.
"This is good," Lily sniffled.
"I've learned a thing or two over the years," Scorpius explained with a slight smile.
"You're not going to eat?" Lily asked.
"Oh, we already ate while you were in the shower, Damon and I," Scorpius said dismissively. He gestured toward the counter.
"Oh," Lily murmured. She ate slowly, enjoying the food, drinking the drink.
"Knock, knock," Damon called out as he came in. Lily was sitting at the short end of the table, Scorpius at one of the long ends.
"We're in the kitchen," Scorpius called out. Lily startled slightly, the baby kicking hard at the sound of Scorpius' voice so loud and so close. He touched the back of her hand a second before he let his hands drop in his lap.
"Feeding her, good," Damon nodded once, sitting.
"She was going for the cereal and milk, like I told you she would," Scorpius grinned at Damon and his best friend grinned back. Lily burst into tears.
"What's wrong, Lily?" Damon asked immediately going to her side, knocking his own chair askew. He squatted down to her level and she wrapped her arm around his neck.
"You guys are just being so civil to each other," she sobbed. "Almost like it used to be."
"Awe, Lily," Damon wrapped his arm around her lightly. "Please don't cry."
"She's been like that since she found out you finished up her shopping, and then some," Scorpius explained and Lily could hear mirth in his voice and she cried out again, throwing her other arm around Scorpius, dragging him closer.
"Have not," Lily lied through the tears.
"Hormones?" Damon asked. Scorpius chuckled.
"You still have fifteen more weeks of this, brother," Scorpius teased with a laugh. Lily cried harder.
"Is there an off button?" Damon whispered to him over his head.
"Nope," Scorpius tossed back with another laugh.
"You guys are being so nice to each other," Lily cried. Damon pried himself free, circling back to his side of the table and righting the chair. Scorpius stroked her hair a minute more before pulling back.
"Finish eating, Lils," Scorpius suggested. Lily nodded once, and started eating.
"Lily, we get that you're independent, we do, but you shouldn't worry about things," Damon expressed as he drew shapes with his finger on the table top. He looked up and grinned as Lily opened her mouth to protest. "I know how much you enjoy working, I do, and I'm not going to ask you to give it up. But hon, you have to let us know when you need something. We both love and care about you."
"Okay," Lily mumbled with her mouth full of pasta. She swallowed and repeated herself. "Okay."
"And Lily, I think it's time for me to move out of that spare room," Scorpius told her slowly. Lily looked at him in disbelief, pain evident on her face.
"Why?" Lily whispered.
"You need that room for the baby's nursery," Scorpius explained as if it was an obvious thing.
"Where would you stay?"
"Well, I could always move back in with Damon, but..." Scorpius looked at her. "I was hoping, if you had room to spare, I could move back into our bedroom."
"You want to move back in with me? I thought this bothered you," Lily murmured as she touched her stomach. Scorpius rolled his eyes, firmly planting his hand on her stomach.
"Lily, I love you, baggage and all," he teased. He took her hand. "I want it all with you, and if that means Damon and his evil little spawn, so be it."
"He's only joking, Lily," Damon cut in quickly as Lily went to protest. "He and I hashed it out, and we're determined to make it work."
"We're going to knock down the walls to the middle unit and make it a massive nursery so that all of us can do our part in bringing him up," Scorpius offered. He looked at Lily, his smile almost shy. "That is if that is okay with you, of course."
"That's so much, I can't expect you to pay for-"
"Lily, both Scorpius and I are funding the project, rather than each of us fund a nursery," Damon explained.
"Then why say you need to move out of your room for a nursery?"
"I want to move back in with you," he told her with a shrug. He brushed his hair out of his eyes.
"You never needed an excuse," Lily breathed as she pushed away from her food and cradled his face with her hands. She kissed him on the mouth sweetly.
"I think that's my cue, for now," Damon chuckled. "When's your next day to work?"
"Day after tomorrow, night," Lily murmured, still cradling Scorpius' face. She glanced back at Damon.
"I'll walk you," Damon offered. "On my way in to work."
"Sounds good," Scorpius answered for her, taking Lily by the hand as he stood.
"Lily?" Damon asked her. She glanced at him, nodding, before turning her attention back to Scorpius. Damon hugged them both, leaving back out of the apartment.
"So, Miss Potter," Scorpius teased lightly. "Shall we?"
"I thought you'd never ask," Lily breathed as he bent down and claimed her lips, pushing the bedroom door open, leading her inside.