Sand and Snow

"Oh, well done!" Khaat said. "Bring them here." Brian put the packages in front of her and helped her go through them. She was wanting to cast a spell to wrap the gifts, but then realized she couldn't.

"I'll handle it," Brian said. "You don't have to do it by hand." He flicked his wand and the gifts began to wrap themselves.

"This is frustrating," she sighed.

"Then you need to learn to not run off alone. Thats why you have guards," Brian said. "I will not feel sorry for you. I refuse."

"Liar. You do too."

"I didn't say I don't. I said I wont'. Means I"m going to stop feeling sorry for you."

"No you wont. You love me," she said.

"And you're pushing it," he kissed her softly. "You really are. Will you just stop? Stop and let us take care of you?"

"Brian--my seer's powers still work. I keep seeing visions of a lot of blood every time I close my eyes."

"Hm. Well, there's good and bad in that. Its good that your seers stuff still works. Its not so good what you're seeing. Dont run off by yourself until we know what it means--okay?"

"I'll try not to."

"That's not good enough."

Cassidy moved forward and held up her hand "I'll help " she said taking out her wand she held it out and the first gift was wrapped with a simple bow "hum there's that or this" she flicked her wand and it changed to a swan head and neck hows that ?" she asked looking proudly at her.

Steven on the other hand had placed his bag on his knee and was peeking in and smiling to him self happy with what he had got that day shopping , he stood up and walked to the kitchen humming as he went not noticing if the others had heard him or not.

"It's beautiful," Khaat smiled, pleased with Cassidy's wrapping. "Thank you." She had noticed that Steven had obviously purchased something, and by his behavior it was something for Cassidy. She wasn't going to acknowledge she had even seen anything whatsoever. She didn't want to spoil his surprise. She left it alone.

"So, Cassidy," Khaat asked. "Did you order the flowers?" If all went well, the day of the dinner there would be more flowers than her mother had ever seen delivered to the house. She did'ntn care what it cost, but she wanted it to be right.

"I wonder if I need to double check on Michael tomorrow and make sure he doesn't need anything," Khaat said.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. He doesnt' handle that well. He might take it better from you, but still, you're pushing it," Brian laughed. "Leave him alone with it. He's pretty territorial in the kitchen."

Cassidy looked at Steven and shook her head "don't think so things have calmed down between us lately, he's been spending time away , I'm not bothered we'd made plans but I didn't think it would go any where his kids are nice but working together as well as a relationship , nope too much like his last, were good friends nothing more now" she continued to wrap the gifts "They will be here in time she promised deeply" she said smiling as she sat cross legged on the floor she chuckled as Brian told he to stay out of the kitchen and away from Michael.

Steven just sat watching them the bag now down at his side as he blew on his coffee .

Khaat was interrupting what was sounding like an intimate conversation with Steven and Cassidy. She had no clue what they were talking about. It embarressed her and made her self conscious. She excused herself and went upstairs quietly to check on the kids. She didn't belong there. On her way upstairs, she decided to slip into her room and take another dose of Rob's potion. She swallowed it, putting the cap back on the bottle, wishing that Rob would do something about the formaldehyde like taste of it. Once she had it in her system, she went across the hall and checked on her children.

She had felt such a surge of emotion when the potion wore off that it was almost terrifying for her. She didn't want it coming up from wherever it was buried, didn't want it coming forth. It was better buried, never ever being let forth. She wanted to run from it, and she knew it wasn't going away. She waited for the potion to kick in, but it hadn't helped. She took the bottle she had hidden in a secret hideaway and took a second dose. That seemed to help. She'd never had to use this much before. Not even when she had been caught on this stuff when she and Rob were living together. She didn't know much about Rob's variation on it, but he'd given her some mumbojumbo about it not being as effective because not only of tolerance but because of systemic failures. Somehow that didnt' bother her. Not at all.

Steven stood to go on his usual patrols and walked to the patio doors sliding them open he smiled and sighed feeling the warm breeze against his skin as he stood . Moving out Cara joined him with her pups each as lively as his or her brother . He stepped out and stroked her head "going to be a beautiful night Cara" he smile and walked around the perimeter.

Cassidy just chuckled and continued to wrap gifts till each was done some had roses others butterflies but all looked good , standing she sat where she now noticed Khaat was gone "where did she go?" she asked looking around the room then at Brian.

"Upstairs," Brian said. "Probably to check on the kids. She's a very protective mom. But I do have to confess that her low weight and her slow recovery. There's something not right there. I'm not sure what it is, but I really do have a bad feeling about it. I'm not a seer or anything, but I don't like it. I've never seen anything quite like this, and especially not from her.

"I was with her when she lost Remus. I walked all those weeks with her of being willing to die because of her grief. I was with her every step of the way. I was with her through her labor and delivery when she almost died and with her every moment when she was in Intensive Care. Something is different here, and its something I dont' like."

"What are you going to do?" Angus asked.

"I haven't a clue," Brian sighed.

Cassidy sighed she was about to say something she hoped she would not be yelled at for saying "maybe you should just out right ask her and not back down till you get your answer , she is stubborn" she said and quickly stepped back from them waiting for there reaction.

Steven walked in hearing the tail even of the conversation and nodded "I agree, looked what happened to jess when she didn't tell any one an jack didn't ask " he said sitting down in a chair by the fire as he sighed once more.

"I never did understand what that was about," Brian admitted. "Except that Jess had something going in all of a sudden and didn't say anything. I don't know if any of us understand it. Not sure Robert does either. But I do know I don't want to lose Khaat, and if I were a betting man, I'd say that she was just wasting away right before my eyes. I've asked Robert about it, and he's noticed some rather subtle changes, but he's blaming it on stress. I'm not sure I buy that anymore. I used to, but I'm beginning to think there's something more. I'll try to ask her again. So far, she's been pretty avoidant. Tells me to trust her father. I do, but there's something else."

"Do you want me to check on her?" Angus asked Brian gently.

"No," Brian sighed. "No, give her a little space. How soon til dinner?"

"Only a few minutes."

"I'll go upstairs, I guess," He said, changing his mind. He went upstairs slowly and found her up in the nursery with the girls. They were playing on the floor, and Khaat was just sititng in the rocking chair, just watching. "Khaat?" he asked. "You okay?"

"What?" she looked at him blankly, preoccupied.

"Where are you?" he asked, concerned, coming in.

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I..don't mean to be distant. Honest. I just have a lot on my mind. I'm sorry. You deserve better."

"I'm not concerned about that. I'm concerned about you."

"Give me a bit? Please?" she asked, not wanting to shut him out, but not sure how to talk to him either. She just didnt' know how to say the words.

Cassidy walked to the kitchen and made a fresh pot of coffee having finished the wrapping of the gift now she made sure all the groceries were away and smiled seeing they were . poring out the old coffee she refilled the pot and waited once done she made a fresh pot she walked threw and pored out a cup for steven and Brain then her own and sat down.

Steven smiled as Cassidy poured him a fresh coffee as he listened to Brian "yeah she just seem to go off the rails, but she's with Jeffrey now , best place" he said and sipped his coffee.