Finding Femininity

"It doesn't make you any less," Khaat said. "It happens to all of us. That's the risk we take when we trust. If we dont', life is empty and pointless. And I know about the clothes. Angus sent me an owl asking if you could have some of them. I figured it was something like that. Angus also sent an owl to my father asking them to freeze your accounts in Gringotts. Your money is still there. You can go with my father at any time and they'll issue new account and vault numbers to you, new everything. But money, really, is not all that important. I've lived with it and without it. Its a convenience. Little more. You know we never asked you to leave in the first place, so you are welcome to come back. You certainly are welcome to the clothes. That's not a problem. I know you'll want your own, but I don't mind whatever it is you found. When you unlock your accounts you can do some shopping of your own, or I'll simply float you a loan until you get your accounts unlocked. Whatever you like. I'm glad Angus is taking care of things. Tells me he's the right man for taking care of the estate and of us. I'm glad. He's a good man."

Cassidy looked at Khaat and smiled to her "Thank you Khaat and yes he is a good man" her cheeks turned red " sorry I..I just got a bit more than i expected earlier. " she said her blush deepening .
She looked up at her " I am going to stay here perminaly if thats ok with you, i don't feel ready to be away from here, besides Angus could use the extra help in the kitchen and around the grounds what with the attack and everything . " she said smiling now softer feeling much better as she stood up " thank you again Khaat and I would like to go into gringotts when Robert is ready I have no rush, right now everything i need is here " she said and smiled warmly.

"Well, thats my thought too. I don't see a big hurry in it. You can go the next time Daddy goes in. You might have to take over the bulk of the kitchen for a couple of days, if Daddy and Brian are right. Sometimes energy drains take a couple of days to recover fully from. And it sounds like he reallly overdid it. He's usually more careful than that. I'm sure Brian will be talking to him and asking him whatever posessed him to use so much of himself like that. I'm sure that we can use Jack and Steven to do the barn chores and the outside work, but we might need you and Jess to handle the kitchen and the inside of the house, maybe the girls. If the two of you don't mind..."

She sighed heavily. "Brian and I paid for one more night at the hotel we were in. Seems like a huge waste of cash now...."

"No, its not," her father said, coming in. "I want you two to go back to the hotel for the night. Get out of here, so I can have the men scour the entire estate, make a lot of repairs that might be leaks for Burke and Gelding. I want you out of here for the night since you are the prime target. You can come back by daylight. I just told Brian I want him to get you out for the night. We'll take care of the rest. Cassidy, I'm going to send you and Jack and Jess and Steven to bed, and Kate and I will be running the house. I've sent for Kate, and we'll control the estate overnight. Is that clear?"

"Does Brian know?" Khaat asked.

"Yes. He's not happy, but he knows," Robert said. "Cassidy? Are we clear?"

Cassdy smiled now feeling once again she was part of a family" I don't mind the kitchen chorse i actully like it " she said smiling as she spoke about Angus " yeah he was hit hard , he has a mark on his chest from the chains.." she paused " but i've said enouph " she said her blush saying more than she could in words.

She heard Robert talk as he walked in and stood quiet as he told khaat he wantd her to enjoy the rest of the nights they had paid for in the hotel , she was about to protest about being sent to bed when he faced her and asked if he was clear " yes sir completly, but may i be aloud to tidy up first and visit Angus, just for my own peice of mind, i promise i won't stay long and i will go to sleep straight after. " she said " I promise sir."

"If you work in this house long enough, sooner or later, you end up seeing more of just about everybody than normal households," Khaat said. "Its sort of an occupational hazard. People get hurt, and we end up seeing parts of them they aren't proud of, that they wouldn't show you normally. And that means being braced that at any given point, one of us might end up that way. You just move past it before it gets to you."

"Yes," Robert said. "You may, Cassidy."

Khaat heard the sounds of a lot of apparating. The organization was arriving again to secure the estate. It was reassuring.

"I hope you have enough of that dinner to go around, Cassidy. If not, Kate may just transfigure it to last until she makes more food," Robert said. "Khaat, go find Brian and get out of here before he gets sucked into feeling he needs to stay." He smiled at Khaat. "You do look completely beautiful, my dear." He kissed her forehead. "Feeling any better?"

"I'm fine, Daddy," she said softly. "Thank you." Robert was going to let go of her, when the light caught her hand. He took her hand in his, and he looked at the ring on her left hand. "What's this?" he asked.

"Just a gift from Brian," she said softly.

"You deserve it," he smiled. He kissed her forehead. "Go find him, and get out of here, Babe."

"Thank you, Daddy. Goodnight, Cassidy. Take care of my girls." She left the kitchen to go find Brian.

cassidy nodded to khaat and smiled she didn't have a problem with wat she had sehe was actualy suprised that she was oly embarased after when she thought about it more. Pushing it away she smiled when Robert said she could finish tideing up the kitchen , humm I ealy only made enouph for us but give me a few mnets and i'll have sevrl trays done " she said and busied her self she smiled to Khaat " as if my own khaat " she said " sleep well " she turned back and in 30 minets had 12 trays made up and all laid out waiting . she gave a yawn now realizing she had to go sleep.

Finishing the last platter she cleaned and closed the fridge turning whe headed up the stairs to her room , pausing she stopped at Angus's opening his door quietly she moved to his bed , she said nothing a she saw him still sleeping. Now happy he was sleeping she moved to her own room again pausing at the door to look bbefore headedback to her own room and her own bed, slipping out the dirty jeans she looked at the top that lay on the floor she picked it up and placed it in the laudry basket then slipped under the sheets of her bed and into a peacful sleep. " night every one" she said softly and smiled.

Khaat found Brian, who was looking frustrated. "You alright?" she asked him softly.

"Yeah. How are you?" he asked, looking at her, concerned for her far more.

"I have you. I'm fine. Brian, Daddy is taking control of the estate for the night. He wants us back at the Parke Hotel for tonight. Is...is that okay with you?"

"What? Is he serious?" Brian frowned.

"Apparently so. He's called in the organization. Says he has work for them to do tonight. Do...do you think we should go?" Brian looked into her face and thought a long moment before he responded.

"Yes," he finally answered. "I do. Your father is up to something. I suggest we follow it through. Besides, we still have dinner reservations. We'll be late, but I bet they'll still seat us."

"You'd still go with me?"

"Any day, any time," he said. "Except, I'd rather you have your shoes." He laughed. He flicked his finger and summoned her shoes from the kitchen and put them on the floor in front of her. She slipped them on.

"Better?"

"Much," he handed her coat to her. "Let's go. Let's see if we can still go to dinner. Lets just turn this over to your dad for the night."

"And her mother," Kate said, apparating in. She went over to Khaat and kissed her. "You alright, my dear?"

"I'm fine," Khaat smiled.

"Brian, take my daughter for a wonderful dinner. Robert and I are very capable of taking care of this for the night."

"Yes, Ma'am," Brian nods, smiling, and offering his arm to her. She took it, and he apparated her out and back to muggle London.

Casiddy woke early nad headed right for the kitchen she stopped by Angus's room opening the door slowly she moved across taking his glas she filled it with cold fresh water just incase he was thirsty later she sat in a chair for a couple of minets. she saw his blanket had sliped and stood up pulling it back over him she wished he was awake so she could talk to him but she knew he was still drained of energy.

She headed down to the kitchen to make breakfast for every one. She knew what had to be done and soon it was laid on the table . With that done she moved back upstairs to check on the girls , she found them asleep still and smiled turning to walk back down to make apot of coffee for every one and a pot of tea for Robert who she knew whould be up soon . she sat at the table and drank her coffee looking through recipy books for ideas for lunch and dinner.

Brian and Khaat had spent the evening out to the beautiful dinner he had promised her. He had taken her, after the main course, to the dance floor and had spent one slow dance with her. He had savored every second of being on the dance floor with her, having her in his arms, holding her. He loved the feel of her silky hair on his neck as they danced, and he loved the smell of her romantic perfume. He took the rose and put it in her hair. They walked back to the hotel together, his arm around her waist, drawn close to him.

It was somewhere after 2 when they both finally slept.

They were up by eight, showered, and enjoying breakfast by nine. They had made up their minds that it was time to go home. Brian had the bags pack themselves while they ate. He watched her lay down her fork in the midst of breakfast and sigh heavily.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"This has been so wonderful since you got here. I just dont want it to end."

"It isn't going to. I'm going with you, remember?"

"Yeah, but look at what happened last night! We both got swept away into all of the crap again that always takes us away. If that's what always happens when we go home, then...."

"Sweetheart, we can't just never go home again. The things of life will just come with us whereever we go. It will be alright. I promise you--from now on, I will always, always make time for you. I will never be too busy for you."

"I'd like that."

"It'll be alright. Finish eating. Not eating wont' help."

Robert and Kate had been awake all night. They had gone to the gym to work out and had taken advantage of it. It helped reinvigorate them from their fatigue. They smelled the fresh coffee, and eventually it lured them out of the gym. They showered and changed into fresh clothes and went downstairs, leaving the babies sleep. They both said good morning to Cassidy, and Robert poured a mug of tea for himself and one for Kate.

Cassidy smiled seing Robert and Kate looking up from her recipy book " This isn't as easy as i thought cooking is but deciding on what to cook , im torn betwen a rack of lamb in a rich gravy or a lamb hot pot , both i can slow cook " she said taking a sip of her coffee and bushing her hair back behind her ear as she thought to her self "I am begining to realize just how hard angus worked " she said and smiled " he will be alright won't he , hes been out along time " she shook her head " no, he will be all right " she said with confidence and turned the page to the rack " rack of lamb with roat potatoes gravy and roatsed winter vegables , does that sound all right to you for dinner?" she asked deciding thats what she would cook.