Moving Forward

"You're right, Jess," Khaat smiled. "But it amazes me all the time about how much they are learning. They seem to be noticing so much more now. They want to see everything and explore everything. Especially when it comes to food. If they see Brian or me eating something, they want to try it themselves...."

She was interrupted by Abbey, who was apparantly delighted by having juice. She began tapping Jess's shoulder with the bottle and chanting "Ba! Ba! Ba!"

Khaat looked at Abbey and then at Brian. "She's just learned a new word!" Khaat said.

"She's a smart girl," Brian smiled.

"You know, she's going to think everything is a Ba now," Angus laughed.

"I wonder when she'll take her first steps," Khaat said, trying to imagine what that moment would be like when Abbey actually took her first steps and what it would be like. Part of her wanted Abbey to learn all those things quickly, and another part of her wanted to enjoy every little precious moment she had with her while Abbey was tiny.

She watched the girls, glad that Gelding's world had not apparently affected them, because they had been so small when Gelding had taken them. Abbey was busy chanting her new word while she was tapping Jess's shoulder with her bottle. Dakota decided she was far more interested in Jack than in her bottle, and decided she was going to grab ahold of Jack's ear and give it a yank.

Jack winced as he felt tiny fingers pull on his ear . "ouch!" he said taking her hand off his ear "Dakota thats not a pull toy , its my ear" he said with a sigh as she went for it again "seems this ones taken to pulling ears " he said and stood up after she had tugged it again .

Jess could not contain her soft laugh at Jack's dilemma with Dakota and held Abby " well can she stand on her own if so shouldn't be long till she's walking " Jess said and smiled "thats a nice word Abby " she said and smiled at her "now drink your juice" she sat her down on the floor in front of her.

Cassidy turned to the main doors and looked out seeing two men walk past she remembered them from the patrol and so didn't worry knowing they were doing rounds which she would have to do soon before locking up for the night.

Khaat drank her coffee, feeling grateful for the pain potion. Shefelt her head spin just a little bit. "She sighed heavily, feeling tired. "Khaat," Robert said, " really do want you to rest. You are far too injured and tired to think you have to be on alert. That's what we're here for. " He rearranged her pillows. "Alright. Lay back. Rest."

"I'm sorry to root you all out of your homes again," Khaat said to them all. "Seems like we've been doing this for months. I don't know that I can promise you there will be any end to it in th enear future, much as I would like for that to be the case. I really am sorry."

"Khaat," Brian said. "You didn't ask for it, and you can't control it. Forget it. Get some rest. We'll take care of things." She didn't want to sleep but she fell asleep heavily anyway.

"Robert," Brian said. "Shouldn't I get her up to bed?"

"No," Robert said, "Not just yet. She's safer here where we can keep an eye on her, even if it isn't the most restful for her. I'd rather have her where she's not alone."

"She's having visions, Robert. Of a standoff with Burke and Gelding. Alone."

"Over my dead body!" Robert frowned. "Not going to happen. Thats just not an option. You got that?"

"I do," Brian agreed.

Cassidy hearing those two names gave a growl loud enough to be heard buy every one but she stood her ground even seeing Steven looking at her with a curious frown on his face her arms folded in front of her as she showed her obvious disgust at the mention of those two men. She turned to look once more out the window and into the near dark garden.

Jess shook her head and looked at Robert "I think thats a unanimous decision Robert , you will not fight them alone myself and jack will be at your side and I'm sure Steven thinks the same thing too" she said looking at Steven who just nodded looking as if he too could take out any one who spoke at that moment, his face frowninjg ad his stance defiant.

Cassidy turned back to face them looking at Jess before she spoke " I may have only just joined but you have my support in this " she said "Sir " she added feeling she had to with such a man of importance that now stood in the room with her.

"Thank you," Khaat said. She wanted to believe that Jess was right and that visions could be changed. Or perhaps Brian was right that she merely had not seen all of it, that there might have been more people there that she had not seen.

"Khaat," Robert scowled. "Stop it. You have an army of friends, and if that's not enough, I have an army of aurors. You don't need to fight any war alone. Forget them for now. Burke and Gelding are not new threats to us. We don't need to solve this today. Ok? Leave it alone. Just for now." He brushed the hair from her face, and as he did, he cast a bit of a spell to relieve her anxiety. He understood she was afraid, and he knew she had good reason. He just didn't like the effect it was causing on her overall health. He was getting concerned for her. She was too thin, fragile, out of shape. And he doubted she could fight off a hinkypunk, much less two powerful evil wizards.


"Daddy, Brian and I ran into someone who told us Sophia is missing again. Any chance it's Burke?" Khaat asked.

"No," Robert said. "Not his style. Not an adult. He'd just flat out kill an adult. No, we're already aware of that, but I dont' have many helpful leads. Stop your brain for awhile. Rest."

Cassidy watched some one missing this was a new development and she wondered if she could help in any way she had contacts she could call on who didn't talk to Aurors. The more she thought about it the more she wondered if Brian knew any of them seeing he'd been around long enough to know them she had been told of a trustworthy Auror who helped a lot of people.

She gave a sigh as she moved to a chair and sat down to listen hoping they would not mind she was use to being on her feet but right now she felt a little out of place standing. Even though Steven seem to do it a lot, he'd been standing when she had met him and now he still stood watching. She found a chair and sat down. She thought back to what had brought her to this point . Her friend at school being taken , her overwhelming urge to find her , the happiness at finding hr and the shock of realizing what had happen to her finally the realization she could do something about it now here was some one who was being terrorized buy the two most hated men in her life, she folded her arms after brushing her hair from her face.

Khaat felt her father setting more spells in place, and now she was getting sleepy again. She started to doze. She felt her father get up off the sofa and pull the blanket farther over her.

"Make sure she gets some rest," Robert said. "Her stress level is out the roof. Here's the real information on her health. She is very underweight. Her muscles are out of shape. She has severe nutrition deficiency. She's lost almost all her toning and strength. She's sleep deprived. Her nerves are shot. Her body hasn't healed from Barker. This is going to take awhile for us to straighten out for her."

"I am thinking of taking her to Tuscany for a few days," Brian said.

"Then do it."

"What about the Barker trial?"

"She's got a few days. Take her and go. How soon could you be ready?"

"Morning?"

"FIne by me."

"How about the rest of you?" Brian asked. "Tuscany? Can any of you go?"

Cassidy looked up and listened to the list of problems she had and shook her head lightly hearing Robert ask if any one had any problems she sat quiet she knew she could go nothing held her in one spot and she always loved to see it the countryside and taste the food . the closest she had come was a small Italian restaurant, now she was actually going.

"Fine buy me , Sir" she said looking at them all she'd just got to the mansion Brian owned and now she was off to Tuscany in the morning she was in a way glad she had not unpacked her bag.