Sand and Snow

"Brian will fix that," Khaat said, one of the dumbbells slipping from her hand and falling on her swollen foot. "Ow!" She sighed frustrated.

"Enough," Brian said, taking the weights from her. "Ok, Miss I'm-On-Vacation, what would you like to do with the rest of your morning?"

"Tan?" she asked.

"Brr," he frowned. "Its a bit chilly for that, isn't it?"

"No, I'll be fine."

"You're crazy, but if you promise not to catch cold, ok. But stay on the rooftop deck, alright?"

"I promise."

She apparated to her room, changed into her swimsuit and found it massively too big. She had to shrinnk it even more than her last stay here, and then she apparated out to the sundeck on the roof. It was cold, she had to admit. She noticed some people walking down the beach who were dressed in long pants and sweatshirts. She decided she might not stay out here as long as she had originally hoped, even though the bright sunshine did help.

Cassidy felt her head drop for a fifth time her eyes wanting to close now feeling like lead, standing up she found her self drifting in to Steven her hand resting against his chest as she paused to catch her breath.

"ok thats it Cassie bed and sleep you no good to us like this" he said and placed his arm around her guiding her to the gym steps "Ill be right back once i get sleeping beauty to her room" he said to Jess and Jack he saw the smirk on Jack's face "don't even go there " he said shaking his head ans he lead her up the stairs to the door of her room and opening it for her.

Cassidy felt his arm around her and she knew she was in trouble as she walked to the door , she sighed feeling a little like a small girl being taken back to her room buy her father not the impression she wanted to give and was a little humiliated buy it .

"Cassie you have to learn you limit I think you crossed it today so get some sleep we'll see you later and don't worry we all started this way, you have nothing to prove just do you best"

Cassidy cringed as she called her Cassie only her father had ever called her that she moved into her room and sat down again on her bed.She heard the click of her door and lay down for a moment before showering and changing into an emerald green tank top and pants as she lay on the bed to drift asleep or try to.

Once she was in the outdoors and its peace and quiet, Khaat dozed off also, despite how cold it was. She fell into a deep, exhausted sleep quicker than she thought she might.

The next she knew, Brian was shaking her gently. "Hey," he called. "Wake up." She opened her eyes and yawned. It didn't seem cold anymore. She looked and saw it had gotten cloudy outside.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"YOu didn't come in, and I forgot you were out here. You need to come in. You've been out here too long. I don't want you to catch cold. You've been out here at least 2 hours. Come on. Inside." He simply picked her up and sighed heavily.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"You're way too thin, and you're as cold as ice. A hot soak for ou in the tub is next, I think."

He took her to her room, drew a hot bubble bath for her, and helped her into it. He tossed the swimsuit aside like it needed to be tossed out. "You don't like my suits?" she asked.

"When they get to be adult sized again, then yes," he said dryly.

"Would you send Angus up with a cup of coffee?" she asked.

"No,"

"No?"

"He doesn't get to see you in the tub. That's my privilege. I'll bring the coffee," he said, leaving. "Behave!"

Cassidy stirred on the bed her dream waking her with a start two hours later. She sat up and swinging her legs over the bed she wiped her hands over her face to wipe away her sweat as she sat feeling the warmth from the sun threw the glass hit her skin and she closed her eyes sighing till she forced hem open and grabbed a towel and her robe she moved to the door not wanting to be seen buy any one in her pj's.

Opening the door she saw the hallway was empty and she stepped out , quickly heading for the bathroom to shower. Opening the door to the nearest bathroom she quickly shut it thinking she had locked it. Turning on the shower she stepped under the water and pulled the shower curtain around her as she washed away her sweat and grime slowly looking like and feeling like her self.

Steven walked down the corridor he headed to the kitchen for a drink but passing the bathroom he pushed open the door and walked in not thinking , he thought it was Brian or Angus who had decided to shower as he washed his hands. But the more he listened the more he realized it was ether Cassidy or Khaat and he didn't want to be caught in the bathroom with Khaat. Quickly he moved to the door but froze.

Cassidy froze hearing what she thought was the door opening taking the shower curtain she wrapped it around herself looking out suddenly coming face to face with Steven her face went red and he fumbled to get out .

"Hey, didn't you hear the water running?!! " she shouted at him ,superior or not she was not amused even if she saw on his face his embarrassment, "get out !!" she cried grabbing a sponge throwing it at his back as he dove out the door as she locked it and checked it this time that it was locked.

Steven stood out side the bathroom red faced and with a soaked back from the sponge which he now held as he breathed fast. " you might need your sponge ?" he said and she peeked around the door grabbing it and closing the door quickly, "you should have checked the lock Cassie , too many men around her not to" he sighed shaking his head.

Brian passed Steven coming out of one of the bathrooms as he brought the coffee up to Khaat. Brian raised one eyebrow at him. "Either you've started using rose scented shower gel, or you just were someplace you didn't belong," Brian said. "Its not Jess, and Khaat doesn't use roses. Please don't run off the new employees their first day on the job, Steven."

He walked past him and took the coffee in to Khaat. "Thank you," Khaat smiled. "It smells wonderful. Did I get any tan at all today?"

"A little," he replied.

"I want my walking and running back, Brian," she said, sipping on the coffee.

"It will come. Trust me. But in the meantime, what sounds like fun for the afternoon?"

"Time alone with you," she smiled.

He smiled and was about to reply when he heard Abbey let out an angry cry from the nursery across the hall.

"Hold that thought," he kissed her, getting up and leaving her. Khaat sighed. Babies had a way of cutting into grownup time.

Steven saw Brian walking down the corridor towards him he stood open mouthed as Brian said for him not to rum off the new members.

"Hey she left the door unlocked" and he chuckled as he moved to his room to change his shirt as he moved he slipped it off .

Cassidy moved out the shower and wrapped a towel around her and her robe, tying the sash she moved out of the bathroom into the hall way making sure it was clear she was glad she'd had enough shocks but hearing Abby she froze hearing and seeing Brian move from their room.

"is she hungry sir, i could fetch a bottle?" she said hoping he would not notice the robe she wore and now stood in.

"I'll get it," Brian said. "If I know my girls, Dakota just walloped her with a toy again. Dakota is all energy, and poor Abbey doesnt' quite know what to do with all that. Oh, by the way, Dakota loves crawling behind things, underneath things, getting into things,...you have to keep your eyes open when she's running loose. Abbey is the gentler child, by far." He went into the nursery and saw baby toys that apparently had been hurled everywhere. And there was a new little red bump on Abbey's forehead where she'd been smacked with something or another. Abbey was angry and crying. Brian went in and picked her up and kissed her forehead.

"I know," he soothed her. "It made you mad, didn't it? That's okay. Daddy's here." He looked at Dakota who was giggling at the whole thing. "You are a little troublemaker, you know that?" he laughed. "I really do need two of me. One for each of you. Because if I leave you here by yourself, you're going to tear the whole room apart, aren't you?"

Dakota just giggled and babbled at him in response.

"That's what I thought," he sighed, shaking his head. "One of me and two of you. Lets hope your mother doesn't have quads next time. I don't think I can take it."

Cassidy watched him move to the nursery and sooth a crying Abby and a giggling Dakota, she could not help but chuckle "I know some one else like that when she was small too" she said leaning against the door frame , " My mom was forever pulling me out of our cellar, I'd hid behind the boiler, she always used to said i must have been part lizard coz i loved the warm" she folded her arms across her chest as she watched "so your planing to have more?" she asked just out of curiosity but a door opening made her look into the corridor.


Steven heard voices as he walked back out his shirt half on as he walked down to the nursery and behind Cassidy "Erm... Cassie, about before I,m sorry i should have knocked before I came in. " he said to cassidy.



Cassidy chuckled and held up her hand "forget it, I should have made sure the door was locked better" she said still looking at Dakota and smiling at her.

"Khaat wants more," Brian said. "But she's not nearly well enough for that right now. She's far too thin and fragile for it. And Abbey isn't even a year old yet. Neither is Dakota. Much as I'd like to have a child that is biologically mine, we do have time. I do not need any more in diapers right now with these two. Besides that, I think her father would kill me if we jumped the gun on that. Khaat's an excellent mother, though, so I'm sure we'll have more at some point. I've sort of lost track at how many kids she's the legal guardian of. She's the happiest when the house is full of family and friends.

"Would you watch Dakota for awhile for me? Abbey just can only take so much of Dakota and then she needs a break from all that energy. I'll take Abbey with me for some quiet time with her mother. Abbey is a cuddler, and Dakota is an adventurer. They really are very different from one another, for two girls who have been raised together. If you check with Angus, he probably has a couple of juice bottles in the fridge. Maybe that will redirect Dakota for awhile. Once I get Abbey and Khaat settled, I'll get a juice bottle for her too."

cassidy listened and smiled. "you still got plenty of time "and moved into the nursery and sat in front of Dakota smiling "now Missy try and throw something at me and you'll find out I'm hard to hit" she said and smiled for some reason she looked back at Steven but coughed looking at Dakota realizing she was looking at his chest not him.

Steven folded his arms watching her , he was not about to leave her alone with Dakota not yet. he sighed" you said used to?" he asked " your mother not around?" he asked her as she spoke to the baby and played with her.

Cassidy looked up again this time into his eyes as she spoke "Yes, she's dead, so sue me, it happened years ago. " her voice now some what anger that he had asked her a question about a memory she wanted to leave but not to much that she would walk away from Dakota.

Steven stood up and looked surprised at her. "OK, I hit a sore point, won't ask again, but to become part of a team we have to know about you , no secrets " he said and stepped into the room " If you feel happier I'll go first, names Steven walker I have a son John , about a year ago I was in a coma Khaat brought me out of it , she also found out that my son had been abducted buy the same men were protecting her from and thats my life " he said smiling .

Cassidy looked at him as he told her about him she wondered why he was telling her thought she knew about Khaat and Brian maybe as she thought to trust she had to let them know about her "maybe later " she said looking at him then to Dakota her voice telling him she would but later on.