Sand and Snow

Khaat heard the very clear sound of her friends breaking into the back of the house. It was drawing fire and attention to the back, just where they wanted it to be. Brian fired a Bombarda at the front door and insisted on entering before her, firing his wand at the guards in the front hall. They were all scattering and were obviously caught totally off guard.

"Quinn! You!" One of them shouted at Brian.

"I know,' Brian laughed. "Miss me?" He fired at them to ward them off while Khaat entered in behind him. She fired at everything within radius that she could destroy, blast to smithereens, blow up, or otherwise obliterate.

"Lupin!! Its Lupin!" One of the men shouted. He cast a sonorous that Khaat was in the house. Khaat immediately fired her wand and killed him. Brian looked at her, floored. Men flew from every direction and the next thing she knew, she and Brian were fighting for their lives. Actually, they were trying to kill her, and Brian was protecting her.

She heard the sound of a blast upstairs. Her father. He was finally here. Well, he had missed the grand announcement that she was in the freaking house. Perhaps that was best. He needed to concentrate on his work.

"Behind you!" Brian shouted at her. She spun to see herself face to face with Luther Burke. He had his wand drawn and he was ready to kill her. His eyes were glazed over, and she knew he had every intent on killing her, out and out. She fired a killing spell which he deflected easily. He tried to kill her, and she tried to fire, but Brian fired a Contego to protect them both. His shield held. He shoved her roughly behind him. "You get the idiots," he told her. "Burke is mine."

She fired repeatedly, rapid fire, knocking out or killing Gelding's men, but more just seemed to be coming from everywhere. Brian, in the meantime, was involved in a bitter duel for Khaat's life with Luther Burke. Khaat knew she'd been hit with some sort of spell, but she wasn't sure what it was. She just kept firing at them. She heard footsteps running down the stairs and she turned, instinctively and fired.

"Whoa! Watch where you're pointing that thing!" she heard someone shout to her. She looked to see her father racing down the stairs with Michael right beside him. They were helping to draw fire now. She was relieved.

"Sorry," she said.

After making sure Cassidy, Jess and the children were safe Steven and jack headed back running threw the kitchen out to the main hallway the saw two men sneaking up on Khaat, Steven fired killing one while jack leaped at the other after firstly knocking the mans wand out of his hand tearing his head clean off his shoulders. Steven quickly aimed at the corridor roof that the men were coming down hitting it plaster fell on several more men but they climbed over.

Jack ducked as Khaat fired at Robert grasping another man who foolishly thought he could take him on bear handed tearing his throat out he dropped him to the floor before turning to another who fired at him it hit but Jack didn't notice now full of adrenalin and werewolf rage for these men.

"Brian we got the kids there all out, every ones out " Steven shouted taking out another man as he made his way to where Khaat and Robert stood jack following behind watching his back. Steven saw the man Brian was fighting and glared at him wishing he could help. Aiming he fired at Gelding also in unison with Brian.

"That's Burke!" Robert shouted. "Gelding's gone. He got away. Get him!"

Khaat fired a shot at Luther Burke, and the Burke's blood splattered everywhere. Khaat watched all the color drain from Burke's face. He stood, stunned, staring at her, his life seeming to empty out of his eyes right before her. He was dying. And he would bleed out in seconds if nothing changed.

"You..shot me," he said to her softly, stunned and confused.

"Yes, and I'm going to kill you," she hissed at him, not feeling one ounce of remorse.

"I'm leaving," he said, with a tone that told her that he might well not live the next few seconds. He apparated out right before her eyes.

"No!" she said, desperately wanting to kill him. She dove for him, but it was too late. He was gone. She felt two arms wrap around her from behind, restraining her.

"Khaat," her father's voice said firmly. "Stop. Its over. They got away. They're gone. Jack, Steven--both of you. Go through the house. Destroy everything in sight. Once that is done, set the place on fire or blow it up. Don't let it stand. Got that. I have to get her out of here or she'll bleed to death. We're going, Khaat. Brian, you wind this up." Robert apparated out with Khaat wrapped tight to him, her back forced tight against his chest. He had one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders.

"Lets make this place into dust," Brian looked at Jack and Steven. He glanced around at all the bodies on the floor. "This shouldn't take long."

Steven fired at the walls while jack just rampaged starting up stairs, he opened one door and found a teen age girl wrapped in a blanket huddled on a dirty bed, her wrist chained to the post , he snapped the chain and slowly scooped her up in his arms kicking the bed it flew and it a wall bursting into splinters as Jack roared in anger at this act.

Steven hit pillars to his right and half the house came down he saw Jack head up to the second floor returning with a rather battered girl wrapped in a blanket his eyes told Steven all he needed to know and he became angry firing an especially big bolt he ran out teh door "BRIAN GET OUT ITS COMING DOWN!!" he shouted .

Brian raced towards the door and a huge beam fell on him, knocking him out and knocking him to the floor. He was trapped. His wand skittered across the floor away from him. He could hear the building groaning and straining as it began to structurally give way. He didn't want them coming back in for him. His mind began to flash to Khaat and what it would be like for her and the girls without him. He felt dazed. Something hurt, but he wasn't sure where it was or what it was. He hoped they weren't silly enough to try to come back and get him out. He couldn't get free by himself, and he wasn't sure the building would hold long enough for them to actually come back. As far as he was concerned, it was all over for him.

Jack saw the beam come down , he looked at Steven and both ran into the house again , Jack quickly found Brian and positioned himself over the bean masonry fell around them covering both men in plaster as Jack grasped the beam.

"not going to lift it for long " he said and took the strain slowly inch buy inch he lifted it he could feel the wood dig into his fingers. Steven ran with Jack into the house following he found Brian and checked for a pulse.

"hes alive " he said "Brian were going to get you out, hang in there " he said holding under his shoulders as Jack lifted the beam he slowly pulled him out "drop it I got him Jack lets go" Steven aperated back to the H.Q and took him right to the medical bay where Cassidy was already and lay him down on a bed.

"ok, your tough as old boots, don't make me have to tell Khaat she lost you too" he said as he lay him down and the doctors started to work. he saw jack walk in and move to Jess who was sat with Cassidy the girl from the room sat close bye. Steven moved to sit with Cassidy carefully he held her as she wrapped her one good arm around him.

Robert had taken Khaat to his own quarters in the headquarters and he had quickly worked on healing her sectumsempra. She would be fine. It was going to take her some extra rest because she was so fragile to begin with. He set a light sleep spell in place in order for her to rest. It was late anyway. The clock was just chiming 2. Two in the morning. Not bad for a nights work--if everyone had survived. He looked at her, as she started to fall asleep in his bed. She was starting to look worn, haggard, exhausted.

Once she was asleep, he stepped out in the hallway and left Owens within earshot of her. He went to check on the rest of the operatives. He started upstairs in the large ballroom that they used to "process" children that had been rescued. They were being cared for. Bathed. Fed. Wounds bandaged, hearts mended, fears alieved. It was a scene he had seen play out countless times, and it was the sole reason he did what he did.

He left there, passing Michael who was puffing on his pipe and carrying a glass of firewhiskey. "How's Khaat?" Michael asked.

"She's going to be fine. Have you seen the others?"

"Just passed them. Your young lad has taken a heavy hit. You might be needed there. Your granddaughters might like their father to survive tonight."

"Indeed," Robert frowned. He made his way to the sickbay and found people frantically working on Brian. "Move," he commanded with every ounce of authority he could muster. They parted in front of him like the Red Sea. He laid his hand on Brian's forehead and began to assess. "You are not going to die on my watch, Boy," he said to Brian. He drew his wand and began to cast spells to reverse the damage and stabilize him. He watched the blood began to disappear and go back into Brian's body where it came from. He heard bones snap and crack and pop as they began to set themselves. The bleeding wounds began to close. Robert ordered healers to clean him up, and bring Robert supplies to dress his wounds. He ordered a sling and a rib brace. Then he turned to the others who were waiting on word.

"He's going to be just fine," Robert said. "The bleeding has stopped. He has some broken ribs and a broken collarbone. He's going to be very, very sore for awhile. And he's going to have a lot of bruises. But give him a few hours and he'll be up and ordering you all around again. Now, how is everyone else? Cassidy, I presume the healers have at least started to see to you?"

Jack breathed out as Jess held him tight "that is good news " he said and turned to see Cassidy and Steven his arm around her.

Cassidy looked at Robert "yes sir, but they said i still need to have it in a sling for a few days " she said as a young woman walked over to he taking the arm she placed her hand on it smiling at her she then placed it in a sling across her chest. Cassidy lent on Steven as she looked at Robert " I guess i need some more training " she said looking a little sheepish at him.

Steven looked at her "its an occupational hazard, next time you'll be ready and not make that mistake" he said hoping he had said the right thing to alleviate her fears.

"Don't worry about it," Robert said. "Brian has enough experience that I trust him with countless lives, not the least of which is my daughter. And he didn't escape scotfree either. He's going to match you with a sling of his own. Oh, and by the way, Khaat is fine. She's in my quarters, asleep. That was a hell of a sectumsempra she took. You got her back here just in the nick of time. She'd have died if you had waited any longer. I healed the sectumsempra and put a mild sleep spell on her.

"Alright. Steven, you know where my quarters is. You'll find Owens guarding Khaat in my quarters. There are two guest rooms and Brian's room that are available for use for you all to get some sleep in. Owens can show you the guest rooms and you can flip some sort of a coin as to who borrows Brian's room. Angus is already back and is busy upstairs with the kids.

"Breakfast is at 8. You lot go get some sleep, and I'll see you at breakfast. I need to go find Kate and check on her and Abbey and Dakota. Well done, All. Cassidy, you can go with the others to a guest room if you like. YOu don't have to remain here in sickbay unless you want to."

Steven nodded and smiled "thats wonderful news , i mean thats shes safe and alive " he said looking at the others tired faces he looked down at Cassidy and nodded "yes sir , I'll look in once every one's settled" he said he looked up to see jack and Jess moving to the door .

"tell khaat I'll see her in the morning " said Jess "If i know you she's probably asleep right now and thats best for her" she smiled and turned to Steven , Cassidy, Steven and looked down at Brian "night all" she said and together Jack and Jess left .

Steven looked at Cassidy "guess I will take Brian's room so you can have a guest room" he said pulling her to stand slowly up, he wrapped an arm around her waist smiling a she left it there he assumed they had given her a pain potion which made her drowsy.

Cassidy looked at him "you don't have to?" she said feeling like she had had several pints of beer " you could always..." she didn't finish as she felt her self go limp strong hands caught her .

Steven was about to protest when he saw her legs go from under her and he caught her looking at Robert as he held her "I wouldn't take advantage of her " he said "I'll take Brian's room she can have the guest room" he said and walked to one of the guest rooms.

placing her on the bed he was careful not to lay her on her bad arm then placed a blanket over her, brushing her hair from her face he kissed her cheek gently and stepped back smiling just as she did hoping she drempt of nice things to come , walking out he closed the door behind and headed for Roberts quarters to check on Khaat for himself before he went to the gym and finally to bed for himself.