Sand and Snow

"Khaat swims daily," Brian said. "And it would be good for her to get out and do something. She really does need to burn off some of that frustration. I'm sure she'll join you, even if I have to push her overboard."

"I will?" Khaat echoed.

"Don't make me order you," Brian said. "You need to burn some of that off. And dont tell me its all in my imagination."

"It isn't," she said softly.

"Ok. For the one millionth time--this is not about you. You're the bait. Nothing more. Now--we're going to go enjoy our day. Understand me?"

She looked at Brian. He was serious about this whole having fun thing.

"Okay," she gave in. She looked at Cassidy. "Its not a big deal to not know how to swim. And it doesn't take that long to learn a couple of strokes. I'm sure you can learn a couple of the basics today if you want. Its not as hard as it seems. And I'm just going to trust Steven to teach you." Khaat wasn't stupid. Neither was anyone else. It seemed that the two of them had jumped off into romance already. Oh well, Khaat thought, some things never changed.

Cassidy smiled and nodded "I would love to learn , but not sure about Steven he'd drown me " she said and chuckled as she turned to look at him.

Steven chuckled "hey i would not " he said this caused Cassidy to come back with a "ow you so would, just so you could give the kiss of live and make your self my knight in shining Armour" she laughed "I would love to swim with you Khaat when you do " she said Jack placed his arm over her shoulder as he spoke "what about me then i tough Jess here " he said jess shook her head as she looked at her.

Steven stood up and moved to place his plate down on a trolley for dirty dishes and grab a coffee . seeing the look on Khaats face he shook his head. "I don't know what jack said but this morning was because she had a night mare I would have left but she pinned me and I feel a sleep, Nothing happened and nothing is going to, Cassie's made that clear " he said drinking his coffee .Cassidy nodded and looked forward to the boat trip.

"Then I say we go," Brian said, finishing his breakfast. Khat took her partially eaten plate and discarded it with the other dirty dishes. Brian said nothing, but Khaat could feel him keeping tabs. That just was Brian's way.

"I'm ready when you all are," Khaat said.

"Jack and Steven, would you be so kind as to go get Abbey and Dakota and then we'll go?" Brian asked. "Its hard to grab two babies with one arm."

"I could do it," Khaat said.

"Lets leave them to the big burley guys," Brian smiled. "Steven and Jack will bring them."

Angus came over and said,' Good morning! Hey, I understand you still want to go. The ship is ready, and my brothers are on board. I'll be there in a moment."

"Khaat needs the babies to be safe today," Brian told him gently.

"Khaat," Angus said, sensing that for some reason Khaat's tension level was out the roof. "The girls are with your parents. They're fine. Believe me. They're fine. We'll get them and meet you on the ship. Brian, get her out of here, Dude. She needs to be totally away from Paris. She needs some fresh air. We'll come right behind you."

"Maybe you're right," Brian said. He took Khaat's hand and didn't wait another moment. He apparated her right to the ship, leaving the others to bring the girls and come after them.

Jess looked at Jack and Steven shaking her head at Stevens remark, but watching as they moved to gather the two girls from Kate and Robert's room. Once gone she turned to Cassidy and spoke .

"Cassidy you know he feels for you?" she said seeing her nod as she finished , some one took her plate ans she tanked them and looked at her hand.

Cassidy looked at Jess as she took her good hand "Jess nothing is going to happen yes I like him too but i am not rushing into a relationship with him I'm still getting use to being comfortable around him, what happened last night i think was a reaction to the pain potion , he would never have got threw my door other wise , that and the night mare didn't help" she openedd up to her.

Jess smiled as she listened "hes a good man, take it slow he has a son make sure if things do go that way you talk to him first, Ronata his ex wife didn't and that upset things " she said Cassidy sat listening to her.

Cassidy listened to Jess who to her was sounding more and more like a good friend to Steven standing she smiled "I will keep that in mind , but its not as big as your all making it out to be, I won't hurt him and I don't think he could me " it was at those words she stopped realizing she had fallen for him.

Jess chuckled and placed her arm over Cassidy leading her to the hall door "come on rest time and you'll know when he sees you in that suit he says you bought , Jess aperated to the boat close to Steven who had abbey and jack who had Dakota. "sorry were late just a little girl to girl talk" she said smiling at them as she walked over and kissed Jack Cassidy moved to stand with Steven as they boarded the boat.

Brian had taken her to the ship and Khaat had gone down below deck, at his urgings to change. The weather was far above seasonable norms and was sunny and nice and warm. Brian urged her to change into her suit. She had a beautiful one piece floral designed swimsuit that accented the tan she was trying to keep. She caught a look of herself in the mirror and immediately was ashamed of how anorexic she looked. It was horrid. She snatched up her matching sarong, tied it around herself and then on second thought, put on Brian's white terry robe and tied it tightly around herself. She sat down on the bed, uncertain she wanted to go on deck.

Brian followed her into the bedroom, wanting to change into his suit, and frowned, seeing her wrapped in his robe.

"That's too big for you,"he remarked, seeing the sleeves that hung below her fingertips.

"Its all too big!" she snapped at him. He went over to her, slowly untied the robe and pulled it off of her with his good hand.

"Do you think they haven't seen you?" he asked her. "Do you think they don't already know? This won't be a newsflash to them. It might make Jess take over filling your plate at dinner, but that won't be a first either. Khaat, these are your family. They love you. Don't hide."

"I don't dare come out..." she began. He went over to his bag and found a potions bottle.

"Here. For your nerves. Just a small dose. Its very concentrated," he told her. She took a dose and felt herself calming, her nerves easing.

"What is this all about, Brian? Why can't I just snap back?"

"Time. You know that. There aren't a lot of people who have been through what you have and survived. Be patient. Give me one minute and I'll go up with you." She waited while he changed. Then he reached for her hand. "Better?" he asked her.

"Yes. Thank you," she told him. He flicked his wand at her suit to shrink it to the right size for her.

"You're welcome. Come on." He led her back up on deck. He was hoping that Jess, at least, was on her game about how traumatized and ashamed Khaat was about being in a swimsuit in front of everyone right now. He was counting on Jess to help her over her shame. It wasn't her fault. It was Barker's. As far as Brian was concerned, she had nothing to be ashamed of.

Jack and Jess placed the babies in a crib down below with Angus and Jess went to change she found a black one piece and slipped it on a black sarong was tied around her waist she moved up onto the deck and found a sunny spot placing a towel down she lay down and started sunning her self knowing jack and Steven would probably be watching the girls. Jess smiled as she saw Khaat and brain come up on deck.

"hey, looking good, This sun is wonderful I'd almost begun to think of my self as a vampire" she chuckled to her self and smiled at Brian " I saved you the best spot , I think Cassidys going to join us "

Cassidy rose from below to Jess's words and smiled "ok , some one tell Steven to put his tongue away" she said and moved out into the sun , she saw Khaat but smiled looking to Brian and Jess hoping she was not reveling to much.

"don't be shy come sit with us Cassidy, the sun will do you arm some good then when Angus says we can swim thats when you get your first lesson " she smiled taping the spot on her right.

Spoiler:

Khaat sat down in a lounge chair and when Brian laid his robe on the end of his lounge chair, Khaat went to snatch it up, but he swiped it from her.

"Oh no you don't," he laughed. "You are much too beautiful to hide behind that enormous bathrobe. Angus, do you still keep sunscreen on this tub?"

"Hey, this is a five star tub now, thank you very much," Angus laughed, floating out a large bottle of cocoa butter scented sunscreen to them. Brian grappled with the bottle for a moment, and Khaat took it from him.

"You can't do this one handed," she said. She took the sunscreen and massaged it into Brian's skin. He began to openly relax at her touch. He soon was laying back on the lounge while she finished putting lotion on him.

She managed to put her own lotion on pretty much everyplace but on her back. He told Khaat to pour the lotion into his hand and he managed to do that much one handed.

"I could have someone else do this," she told him quietly.

"Not a chance," he laughed. "I'll manage, believe me." That made her laugh. He was enjoying the simple pleasure of helping her with her sunscreen. "This sunscreen won't rinse off with sea water, so you're all welcome to try it," Brian said. "And you can swim without it coming off. Whenever you all would like to swim. And, don't worry, Cass. We haven't lost anybody from a quick dip. We aren't about to start now."

Jess could sense her uneasiness and sighed "Khaat relax please, nobody is judging you but you " she said smiling as she sat back to take in some sun.

Cassidy looked at Brian and held up her hand a little. " Can i have some of that once your done?" she asked wondering just how she would get to her back with only one arm , she sighed looking at it a slight red mark and a silver thin line on her skin was the only sign it had ever been broken she flexed her fingers feeling pins and needles suddenly start at the tips of her fingers after a few flexes it dissipated.

Cassidy picked up a second bottle she found and started to cover her self in a thin layer leaving her back for the moment. Cassidy looked at Khaat then spoke "can I ask why are you so hard on your self ?" she asked but it was Jess who spoke "she thinks she looks too thin and unattractive" she said. Cassidy looked confused at Khaat " I don't see it , I just see you as you" she said honestly " as for unattractive i guess not since i can see the way brain looks at you, kinds how Steven looked at me when he saw me in this " she said and blushed.

"Maybe you're right," Khaat said.

"Did I not say that downstairs?" Brian asked Khaat. "Well, maybe its partly my fault. After Khaat had Abbey, she was so underweight that it nearly killed her. I had been gone out of her life for a few years and I promised her I'd get her back on her feet...."

"He did too. He took over my diet and made an exercise plan for me. I was in the best shape I've ever been in, in my whole life. And..well, it didn't take long for it to all go south again," Khaat said.

"I pushed her pretty hard to eat right, exercise daily, strength train, get enough rest...maybe I put too much of an idea of perfection in her head. But truly, all I see is how very, very beautiful you are," he said to her softly, kissing her slowly. "All the rest? That's little stuff. We can fix that. We did it before, we can do it again. Don't worry. If you really need to see that you're doing something, then see yourself as working on your tan and resting up a bit. You got enough exercise last night. And if you want to swim a bit, then you can consider that a workout."

She nodded. "That'll work." She looked at Jess. "You know me much too well, don't you? I didn't have to say a word, did I? And don't tell me it had anything to do with your seer's abilities. It wasn't about that at all, was it?"

Jess just smiled as she tanned "I have been around you khaat for along time so has jack " she said and looked at her "If cassidy a new comer can see it, then it has to be true " she said and grinned "besides i think with us three those boys don't have a chance at looking else where" she said grinning as she saw the blush on Cassidy's face.

Cassidy listened to Jess talking to Khaat for a while then shadow crossed over her and she opened her eyes to see Steven now changed into his bathing suit stood in front of them.

"Hay, move it you blocking the sun" she said picking up the sunscreen bottle she threw it at him and he caught it.

"Well thank you just what i was looking for" he chuckled and smiled at khaat " Dakota and abbey are below i think the rocking of the ship sent them to sleep, jack said i could come up for a bit hes on baby guard duty for now" he said and moved to the prow looking out over the water as the ship moved threw it.

Cassidy could not help blush bright red as she looked at a certain part of his anatomy from behind her cheek felt like they were on fire and she quickly closed her eyes .