Moving Forward

"I'm sending for Steven right now," Robert said, handing a note to an owl and watching it fly out of Sparks.

"I'll send you and Steven to patrol the estate," Brian said. "Its larger than you think. It will take two to do it quickly. This way," he said. He helped Khaat to her feet and moved her slowly and gingerly to the ktichen. He paused to place a dinner order for delivery to the house and left it with Lizzie. Then he helped Khaat with her coat. Robert took Khaat's face in his hands and kissed her forehead lovingly.

"Don't ever give up, Khaat," he told her. "Remember what Remus told you all your life. There just are some things worth fighting for, no matter what. Go home and get some rest. I'll be there later. It'll be alright."

"Promise?" she looked into her father's eyes. Robert smiled at her.

"Yes. I promise."

"Shall we go?" Brian took Khaat's arm and held his hand out to Cassidy so she could simply apparate with them.

Cassidy remembered Steven and nodded but thought this place she was going must be bigger than she had first thought if it took two of them to patrol it. "yes sir " she said and moved to take Khaat's have gently once Mr Quinn had finished and held her.

She took a breath in then let it out, even though she aperated all the time she still had the breath taken from her every time she did it. Maybe she was doing it wrong and though it best to watch how Mr Quinn did it s o she could perfect her aperating technique a little more, couldn't hurt to brush up.

"forgive me for asking but how big is this place?" she asked softly to Khaat hoping not too big but Mr Lupin made it sound huge.

"Enormous," Khaat smiled. "The main house has ten bedrooms, if that tells you anything. The guesthouse has 4 bedrooms. Its hundreds of acres."

Brian apparated them to the living room of the estate. Angus came into the room from upstairs. "I got an owl from Robert. What happened?" he asked, going to Khaat quickly. Angus didn't say anything, but Khaat could tell that he saw, in her face, the potions in her face. He took her coat from her and sent it off to the closet to hang itself up.

"Are my girls okay?" she asked Angus softly.

"They're fine, Babe," he reassured her. "Not to worry. I was just up there. Are you okay?" She nodded. "Come and get off your feet. Let's get..hey, what happened to those boots? Weren't those your good Jimmy Choo's?"

"They were," she sighed and pointed at Brian.

"Dude," Angus frowned. "You should know better than to hex Khaat's shoes. You know how she is about her heels. Bad call." He led her to the sofa and helped her sit down. He knelt at her feet and gently removed her boots. He frowned at how swollen her ankles were. "Let's elevate those, honey. You'll feel better." He set about making her comfortable with pillows for her to sit up and lean against, and more for her to elevate her feet on. He brought her a cup of the Christmas spice tea they still had and set the mug beside her. Then he flicked his wand at her boots, transfiguring them back to their original sheek design.

"Angus," Brian said, "This is Cassidy Mitchell. She's a new recruit."

"Welcome," Angus said, "Angus Donohue. Chief cook and handyman. Nice to meet you."

Cassidy whistled at the size of the house and grounds that Khaat described. She felt the pull of aperation and sure enough it didn't take her breath this time . So on appearing again she looked around the room they now stood in. She watched another young man walk down from some stairs and start to look Khaat over. She stepped back moving to a window where she saw the light wasn't all gone and saw just how big the place really was.

"Nice place " she said softly but she wondered where Steven was or to her Mr Walker was. She shook her head as she looked around. She was impressed with the man called Angus as he transformed khaat.s shoes back to there original state. She could not help but chuckle lightly at his slight scolding to Mr Quinn for changing them."Nice to meet you Mr Donohue " she said

"Oow Jimmy Choo's, there expensive ,but hes a really good designer, I like his Black Leather Sandal's " she said but looking back out the window as she saw Mr Walker walk right in and past her.


"Ok what did he do this time?" Steven said moving quickly to Khaat's side "I was down at the north paddock exercising one of the horses when i got the message" he said kneeling in front of her just as concerned as Angus had been. Standing up he looked around and saw Cassidy but said nothing to her.

"If you're going to work for Khaat and Brian, you need to learn to use first names," Angus smiled. "Doesn't look like Brian has had time to fill you in on much of anything. But, they don't go by titles with much of anybody. Don't let the big house fool you. They're both very down to earth. Glad you could make it, Steven. Robert said he was sending for you and Jack and Jess. Cassidy works for us now, so you know. And I know better than to not have a pot of coffee on board with our crew. I'll go put some on." He looked at Khaat. "You need anything, Babe?"

"No. Thanks,' she said, shivering again. Angus smiled.

"Okay, that's seer's code for 'Angus, get me a shawl,'" he said. "I'll be right back." He went upstairs and brought Khaat a large tan colored cashmere shawl and draped it around her. "Now. You rest. We'll do the rest." She nodded as he disappeared.

Khaat looked at Steven. "It was Burke," she told him softly. "I won't go back, Steven. Not to that. Not ever. No matter what."

Brian frowned. "Hey," he called to her. "You know better. There are too many of us. If you stay with us and aren't alone, he can't get to you. You don't ever have to go back there. He just brought back all those memories for you."

Brian was right. Burke had. It had all become real again for her. And when he had grabbed her, she had not been able to fight. She had just frozen. That wasn't in her nature, but she had completely frozen. She didn't know if she would ever fight to defend herself ever again or if she would always freeze up. Maybe her days as a warrior were overwith. Maybe she was useless now.

"Drink your tea," Brian directed her. "It'll warm you up." He was far more interested in stopping whereever her brain was taking her to than whether she drank enough tea to float away in.

Cassidy looked at Angus and nodded but staid quiet as she watched Steven with Khaat she saw all of the people around her cared for her and every one around them like one big family.

Steven sighed as she told him about Burke "will he never give up" he said and took her hand "its OK, Khaat he can't get to you here " he said and glanced up at Robert and nodded just as the floo opened and out stepped Jack and Jessica.

Cassidy stepped back again the man was big and the woman looked like she knew her stuff so she kept out of the way just a bit longer , knowing every one was being brought up to what she knew already.

"ok whats happened , Burke again right?" said Jack as he moved to Robert looking at him as he noticed Jess move to Khaat and kneeling in front of her.

"don't start Khaat your not useless" she said softly "if you start thinking those thoughts he's won now stop your better than that" Jess said .

Cassidy raised her eyebrow but shook her head figuring she was a seer like Khaat and folded hr arms as she saw Jess look to Robert "sorry were late had to get a babysitter, Robert" she said and again she raised an eye brow. She was more surprised when she walked over to her and stood facing her.

"This her?" she asked "Jess Darkheart , that is my husband Jack , pleased to meet you Cassidy and thank you for what you did in the sparks" she said and smiled making cassidy breath out .

Jess turned back to face Khaat and spoke again "ok rest were all here now and we'll make things safe, jack coffee" she said.


Steven walked over to Cassidy and opened the door she stood next to "patrol" was all he said and stepped out side Cassidy followed but not before looking towards Robert, Brain and Angus one more time.

Her father's potions were hammering hard at her brain, making her slow down, making her brain stop the panic. And they were making her sleepy. She was glad for Jack and Steven and Jess. It was making her feel exhausted, and a bit groggy. Brian took her mug and set it aside.

"It's okay to close your eyes," he told her softly. "We're right here." She reached for his hand, and he took it, sitting on the edge of the sofa with her. Her eyes fluttered shut, and a moment later, her even breathing told Brian she had given in to Robert's potions finally. Brian took a blanket off the back of the sofa and covered her.

"I'm glad you're all here. She's rattled. They've just struck too many times too closely together. One of the toughest jobs I"m going to have with her is how its all playing on her mind. That's one the biggest enemies I hae. If she were in better shape, I could turn her brain around and get her fighting again. Right now, she's not able to train, and that only deepens how helpless she feels. Anybody got any suggestions for that? We need to boost her spirits again."

Jess walked over to Khaat gently moving her hair from her face " I felt it as soon as i came in the room Brian" she said as she took a cup from jack. "maybe an old fashioned barbecue would do the trick that and we can size up cassidy she seems ok, but whats your opinion ?" she asked looking at Robert "can she be trusted and has she got the stuff to keep going when its looking like all is lost?" she stood up to face Brian with a smirk " and our going to test her right just like we all went threw"

Cassidy walked around with Steven she looked and checked every where twice once going and once coming back. her eyes searched the garden's in front of her . She noticed Steven glanced once or twice but was calm he too wore his wand on his hip and unlatched just in case of trouble .

walking in she noticed the serious look on every ones faces and the fact they looked at her now feeling alittle like the bug in a jam jar.

"That is an excellent idea," Brian said thoughtfully. "But how about we find someplace a little warmer to do some outdoor grilling than here in the snow? What do you all think about a few days away to the villa in Tuscany? It'll be a bit nippy, but better than here. They're having a warm winter there, I hear. It's just sweatshirt weather there right now. And the change of scenery would be wonderful for her." He puased a secon before he added a piece from his own heart. "Besides, I've been meaning to take her back to Venice for a couple of days. She...well, she had a terrible fight of some sort with Rob, and she's really hurting. Much as I know she loves me, there's a part of her that will always love her, and she said she thinks Rob is done with her for good. She doesn't really need to have to deal with a broken heart on top of trying to stay alive. I'd like, I guess, to remind her that I"m still here. That I"m not going anywhere, and that. well, as Remus would have told her, there are still some things left in her life worth fighting for. Even just a long weekend would help, but I'd like to take her for a week or two. We could grill on the beach. And we've always talked about taking the girls. What do you all think?"

Jess smiled and nodded as she stood up to stretch her legs "perfect I know myself and Jack would enjoy the brake from the kids unless you want us to bring them too, a bit of normality would be good Brian" she said softly as she then looked at Cassidy as she entered "what about Cassidy ?" she asked now sitting in a chair.

"what about me , I'm not tied down , nor do I want to be for a long time " she said looking at all there faces before she spoke again "OK, if its some test i need to pass, I'll be happy to do it , if that's what it takes " she said and crossed her arms as she stood facing them.

Jessica looked at Brian and them to Cassidy" what do you say C.O.B ?" she asked "shes not really one of us till you try her out " she chuckled remembering how Khaat turned jack into a yellow fluffy duck.