The onion was forgotten in all the commotion as Lily and James told Remus and Peter all about their little miracle, but honestly the onion didn't make that big of a difference in the end. The dinner was still delicious with or without it and all the more so because every few minutes through the entire meal someone else would suddenly exclaim their disbelief and excitement about the soon-to-arrive Prongslet - Sirius most vocally of all.

"Can't you just imagine? Me with a tiny ickle Prongslet?" he swept imaginary tears from his eyes. "OH - what an uncle I shall be! He'll come out begging for his uncle Padfoot."

"Yes, begging him to shut up, most like," James laughed.

"I can't wait to hold him," Lily said dreamily and Dora grinned and turned to her daughter-in-law hugging her and smiling conspirationally.

"He or she will be very lucky indeed with the pair of you," Remus commended James and Lily.

"Very lucky!" Peter nodded, "And they'll have all of us, too!"

Dora told them her plans for a little romper she was knitting, complete with a tiny cap that would go with it. Sirius blathered on about seeing to it the baby was raised on the best jokes and pranks while Remus wondered what book ought to be the first one they start off the library with and Peter wondered what baby food tasted like.

James sat back and watched his friends reacting to the news, listened as they bursted with excitement and joy and made plans. He watched Lily's cheeks pinken with excitement and his mother's glowing face. Things seemed to move through his consciousness in slow motion, as though he were watching a film that shimmered 'round the edges a bit. He'd had that feeling before - always during important moments, he thought, looking back, the ones that kept him sane and made him feel most joyful when he recalled them, the memories that mean tthe most to him. He savored it, savored the moment as it was being made.

"What are you grinning about?" Lily whispered, leaning over to James, her fingers running across his back and shoulders as she hugged him.

"How thankful I am for my life," he answered and he turned to her and kissed the side of her head, right in the warm, soft bit of her temple.

It was a lovely night, and when the night was getting late, Sirius fell asleep on the couch, sprawled across James, Peter, and Remus's laps. Dora and Lily were in the chairs. Peter and James had drifted off with their shoulders touching, heads leaning against one another, and Lily and Remus were discussing a book they'd both been reading when Dora yawned and excused herself off to bed, pausing to kiss James on the forehead on her way out of the room. She brushed his hair up from his foreheand and pressed her lips to the span.

"Night mum," he murmured so sleepily that it was certain he wouldn't recall the kiss even a moment later, just like he'd always done as a child when Dora and Charlus had checked on him on their way to bed each night.

When she'd gone upstairs, Remus and Lily's conversation on their reading died away and they sat in silence, listening to the crackling fire. Remus remembered the night of the Full Moon when he and Lily had sat together in this very room and had a very similar time together with the other three asleep in their various positions. She'd been so good to him then, listening to his worries and thoughts about the werewolves and comforting him as best she could...

"Lily?" he said quietly.

"Hmm?" she mused, hand running over her belly. For now, there'd been no change to it and she slouched in the chair, imagining and wondering what it might be like once it grew. She couldn't wait for all the little evidences of Harry to start appearing.

"You've heard of figure drawing, yeah?" Remus asked.

Lily was still half-focused on her imaginings. "Mhm," she mused.

"We're doing some of that in my arts class," Remus said.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." Remus hesitated, watching Lily as she stared dreamily at her non-existent baby bump. He weighed whether he wanted to interrupt her moment with his burdens, questioned if he ought to just let it be. He bit his lips, then blurted, "Lula's been modeling."

Lily looked up. "Oh?" her tone had changed, though. "That must be awkward, one of your friends..."

Remus looked down at Sirius's head, which was at the far end, on James, and then back to Lily. "Yeah..."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "What does Sirius think of it?" she asked, reading into Remus's nervous glances.

"I haven't told him," Remus said.

"Why?" Lily asked.

Remus chuckled. "You've met Sirius, yeah?"

Lily nodded, "He can overreact at times, but you should still tell him. Unless there's some reason not to tell him."

"No," Remus said. He paused, then, affirming, "No."

Lily continued staring at him, her gaze pressing him. He drew a deep breath, then said quietly, "I think I might be... bisexual, Lily."

She nodded, taking that in, then said, "That makes sense. How are you feeling about it?"

"Confused?" Remus admitted, "Ashamed?"

"Why?" Lily's face was full of concern.

"I mean, how can I be both? I love Sirius to death and he's everything to me and what we have - it's everything. It's perfect. He's great. He's... you know, he's hot. But then Lula. I mean I'm not - I'm not considering anything rash or -- ... I'm just - admitting, I suppose, about... feelings. About thoughts I had. Things I imagined. Things I -" he was flushing.

Lily said, "There are loads of people who feel that way, Remus."

"Have you ever -- had a crush... you know, on -- on another girl?" he looked at her, desperate to be understood.

Lily shook her head, "No, but I'm straight, Rey, honey." She felt bad letting him down, she could tell he really, really wanted her to understand what he was saying.

"Yeah," he said with a sigh. He looked down at Sirius's ankles criss-crossed on his lap and he murmured, "Apparently Stewie's bi, too."

"Maybe the pair of you ought to talk about it," Lily suggested, "Maybe that will help you feel less confused and ashamed. Neither of which should you be, by the way." She was still absently brushing her fingers over her belly. "Even if nobody else on this planet understands, Remus, we four here will always love you regardless." She paused, smiling at her hand on her stomach, then looked up at him, "Five, rather."

"Thanks Lily."

"Of course." She paused, "But I do think you should talk to Sirius, too. Regardless with whether you talk to Stewie or not." She got up and ruffled Remus's hair as she walked behind the couch, "It'll only be worse if he doesn't hear it from you."

"Yeah," Remus agreed.

"Are you thirsty? I'm suddenly parched," Lily said as she went and got herself a glass of water.

"No," Remus answered, "Thanks."

She got distracted in the kitchen, putting away things and waving her wand for the plates from the table to the wash. When Lily came back to the living room, Remus had dozed and now all four Marauders were asleep on the couch in one of their classic poses - just as they'd done many times in the Gryffindor common room over the years. Lily smiled and gently unfolded a blanket, laying it over Remus, who looked cold, and settled into the chair again, watching the group of boys sleep.

"Harry, you've got the best role models any boy could ask for," she whispered. "I can't wait for you to meet them all."

A couple hours later, the boys woke up. Peter, Sirius, and Remus went home - Sirius carrying Remus and disapparating rather than going by floo, since Remus was still quite sleepy - leaving James and Lily alone. James lay down on the couch again when they returned inside after saying goodbye to the dogs. Lily got her cup from the table and started to go out to put it in the kitchen when James caught her skirt.

"Hey," he said, "The cleaning can wait. C'mere."

She sank into the soft cushion of the couch and lay with him, their bodies entwined, his legs cradling her on either side, her back to his torso. He hooked his chin over her shoulder and hugged her close, breathing her in and feeling her presence. She could feel the energy coursing through him - raw and warm like the smell of the roast cooking. Comforting, that is. She smiled and stroked her fingers gently over his forearm and wrist as his palms, splayed wide, lay on her belly. There was so much love echoing through him, it was nearly tangible.

"I love you, Lily," he whispered in her ear.

She smiled, sliding her hands over his. "I love you, too, James," she answered.

He closed his eyes, comfortable and in love, truly happy.

Lily could feel it when he paused in happiness, when his joy took a stumble. She'd felt it earlier for a moment, too, faint since he hadn't been wrapped around her, but now it was sharper, more in focus.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I'm worried about the war," James admitted. "About the baby coming in times like these."

Lily nodded, "Yes, I am too. But - but maybe it doesn't matter what's happening out there... maybe it's about what's happening in here. In our world."

"How do you mean?" he asked.

"I love our house and our life, our friends, our family..." she was murmuring. "I think my favorite bit of being pregnant is knowing that our baby will get to come into this world wrapped up in all the love we have here." Lily turned her head, leaning so she could look him in the eyes. "We're young, we're healthy... Our baby will get us in our best years, while we have the energy to keep up..." she smiled, "And your mum will see him. What a blessing."

James nodded, and she felt his tension ease a bit. He started to doze.

"We should get a car."

"A car?" James asked, opening his eyes again.

"Yeah."

"A muggle one?"

"Do they make wizard cars?"

"No, it was a stupid question," he laughed sleepily.

"I just think a muggle car would be very handy. I don't like the Knight Bus and the floo network is dangerous for baby once I get further along and disapparating is out of the question..."

"Okay. So we'll get a muggle car."

"Alright."

"We'll go tomorrow."

Lily kissed his jaw. It was strong and angled just right to take her kisses and the slight stubble on his cheek scratched her skin deliciously. She reached up, putting her hand in his hair and held on, turning his face toward hers, kissing him deeply. He hummed with appreciation for her and his arms tightened about her, as did his legs, so that she was cocooned in her husband's frame.

It was too good to move, so they stayed there on the couch and just fell asleep like that.