Finding Femininity

"It's yours," Brian told her. "Tradition dictates when you defeat a wizard, you earn the wand. Its yours now. Congratulations. And thank you. It sounds like you did everything just like you were trained to do. Well done. Sounds like you wounded him. That should slow him down for a couple of days. Its not an easy feat to slow down Luther Burke for any period of time, let alone wound him. We'll stay on alert in case Burke thinks he can find the place and try to come here again. My guess is that he simply walked into St. Mungos and checked Hannah's schedule when he couldn't find the estate anymore. It sounds to me like Robert deadended him coming here, at least for the moment. This really, in a twisted way, could be a very good sign indeed."

Jess loked at it " i'd prefer to make kindeling out of it " she said chukaling but she under stood the meaning behind it and nodded " I agree best pace right now is here " she said and looked back in the room at Robert and Khaat " she's in good hands Brian stop worrying over her " she said and chuckled asshe faced him " your screaming you thoughts for her and its alittle dificult to chanel them out " she said chuckaling " ok coffee , I could use some since my butt is still kiling me and i thnk i have a splinter " she said wincing alittle as Jack moved beside her " ok thats my cue , come on spare room let check it out " he said and took her hand " ow help the big mans got me " she said jokily as he then lifted her into his arms.

"I refuse to touch that," Brian sighed, turning and going back into Khaat's room. Robert had Khaat in bed.

"She's awake," Robert said. "You can talk to her a moment, and then I want her to sleep. She was wounded with a sectumsempra. Its closed, but you know the blood replacement takes a little time. She just needs to sleep. I'll go take care of securing the rest of the estate." Robert left them so Brian could visit. Brian went over and sat on the bed. He took Khaat's hand in his and kissed her hand.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Fine," she said, yawning sleepily. "I'll be up in a few hours. I promise."

"Take your time. I just want you well."

"Jess....Is she alright?"

"Fine. She won his wand. She did well." He paused as Khaat's eyes fluttered shut. He kissed her forehead. "Get some rest. Someone will be closeby. I promise." When he looked up, Angus was there, in the doorway, gripping the doorframe. Brian got up and went over.

"What happened?" Angus asked.

"Burke attacked her at St. Mungos," Brian said. "She's alright."

"I'll meet you downstairs," he said, returning to his room. Brian sighed. It had rooted Angus up from resting. There would be no sending him back to bed now. He left it alone. A few moments later, he went downstairs, leaving Khaat to sleep, and found Angus now dressed and downstairs, sitting and waiting.

Cassidy was busy in the kitchen making preperations for the next days meal when she heard foot steps putting on the kettle she knew who ever it was would want something hot and sweet to drink . Making up a tray she walked out " Angus ?" she said a little suprised " I thought you were resting " she said softly placing a cup infront of him she left the tray on the table and walked back knowing now was not teh time for small talk he was clearly focused on some thing else and she under stood to leave him.

Jess winced as jack tried to take out a small spliter from her " ouch , your enjoying this emensly arn't you...Ouch " she said as he found another he kissed her and smiled " yeap" he said puling yet another and heard jess growl " just you wait mister " she said "OUCH!!" she cried out loud as he took the last one out " idle threats" he said and kised her back.

Cassidy stood at the kitchen door glancing back in as she manages to make scones and they were cooking she wanted them golden brown and not black this time , this was her second try.

Robert had made a patrol of the grounds himself. He came back inside. He looked at Angus, understanding. "She's alright, Mate," Robert said gently. "It needn't have rooted you up."

"Yes. It did. She's family, Robert," Angus said.

"She'll be up by nightfall. She just needs to rest for now. She's fine. You know how these things go."

"I do, and Burke will pay dearly for using a sectumsempra on a woman."

"Its not her first, and I doubt it will be her last," Robert said. "I need you well. Cassidy!" he called her. "Find Steven. When we're all gathered, I'll tell you what I want you all to do."

"New assignments?" Angus asked.

"Maybe a bit," Robert said. "But you'll all need to be up to it."

Cassidy stepped into the room looking at Angus and then Robert " I am sir and ready " she said on hearing him ask her to find steven she nodded knowing where he would be she heard him say change of assigments ashe moved back to the kichen taking out teh scones she left to find steven. She found him in the barn changing the hay for the horses " Robert wants you inside " she said " now" she moved back with him following behind her.

" ok whats up ?" he asked he could feelt the tenshion in the air " I know of the attack on Khaat and alerted all the men here they were on high alert incase he came here " he said moving to tke a cup of coffee from the tray in front of him. He sat dow facing Angus " good to see you up but you look likr you still should rest mate" he said siping his coffee waiting.

Cassidy sat on the end of the couch waiting for her orders hoping she would still remain in the kitchen but at the same time hoped she could see more action she bent forward and picked up a cup of tea stirring it thought fully " if he went to the ministry would that mean he can't get in here, there for we blocked him for now?" she said looking at Robert

"In St. Mungos, she's completely vulnerable," Robert said. "Always has been. In the ministry, though, she's on the same floor as the aurors. He'd be a dead man before he ever got off a shot at her. They've all been briefed and given posters of what he looks like. And when she's in the office there, they all look out for her. No, the ministry isn't the issue. St. Mungos is. BUt you are right that the fact that they went back there so soon means, as far as I'm concerned, that our enchantments are holding. They can't get back in here to get her nearly as easily as they thought. The enchantment I laid last night was that I deepened the illusion of the forest that already surrounds the grounds. And I turned a wide perimeter around it to have a portal built in. Anyone who isn't invited here will wind their way through the woods and find themselves deep in the Black Forests of Germany. And, trust me, without a portkey, they could be lost in there for days and never get back out......"His words were cut off by Khaat's bloodcurdling scream. Robert could pickout, from the scream, that she was calling for Brian over and over at rapid speed. Brian stood up and apparated back upstairs, his wand drawn for battle. Robert rose, drew his wand and followed.

Brian found exactly what he expected to find. Khaat had been asleep and had been rudely uprooted by nightmares--by the workings of her own mind. He rushed to her and wrapped her close in his chest, buried her head in his neck and reassured her over and over that he was there, that it was all a dream, and she was safe. He promised her that Burke was far, far away.

Robert sighed heavily. He lowered his wand and checked for signs of danger. There were none. They were still secure. But what bothered him was that Brian had not been surprised in the least at what he would find. He had drawn his wand, but upon reaching the bedroom, he had put it away to go to Khaat instead. He had expected exactly what he had found. Robert opened his bag that was sitting on the sofa in the bedroom. He rooted through it and found a potion. He poured a glass of it and handed it to Brian.

"Give it to her, Lad," Robert said softly. Brian obeyed, and he coaxed her through the potion easily. She curled tighter into his shoulder, now weeping, and in a few seconds, she had fallen into a very sound sleep. Brian sighed heavily. He brushed her tears away and stroked her hair for a moment or two.

"She won't wake now, Brian," Robert reassured him. "She won't dream. She'll just rest. Has this happened before?" It seemed like a ridiculous question. Obviously, at least to Robert's estimation, , it happened all the time.

"Almost every time she closes her eyes," Brian said.

"She won't dream now," Robert promised. "You can let her rest now. I swear." Brian reluctantly laid her down again.

"I thought I wrestled all that out of her. But evidently, we got everything but that," Brian sighed.

"Its entirely possible, that you did wrestle that from her, and Burke's little attempt put it right back in her head. We'll find out later. She'll sleep now for hours. Let her rest, Lad. You come with me."

"How can I leave her?" Brian looked at him, torn.

"I love her too, but there is nothing you can do here. Come on. Come back downstairs with me. Let her sleep. If Kate comes back, I'll send her up to be with her. I promise. I won't let her be alone. Come on. The rest of us have work to do."

Brian pulled the covers closer and kissed her. He found it almost impossible to be pulled from her, but he obeyed and followed Robert back downstairs. By the time they got there, Kate was apparating in. "Robert?" she asked. "What did I just pick up on? Such utter terror!"

"Nightmares, Kate," Robert replied. "She's sleeping now. I"ll explain it later. But would you mind staying with her? She should sleep soundly now, but all the same...." He didnt get to finish. Kate apparated right up to Khaat's room without letting him finish. Robert took a deep breath to help himself relax and regroup before continuing. "Alright. Where was I?"

Cassidy sat listening along with Steven then cam a scream it made her jump and she saw Brain aperate up stairs , she saw Steven dive up and thought there was enouph people to handel the situation and staid down stairs with Angus. She held her wand in her hand waiting when no sound f a battle hit her she quickly moved to the bottom of the stairs seeing steven walk back down putting his wand away. she made a fresh tray and brought thebutter scones and sat facing Angus now.


Steven on hearing the scream ran up the stairs to see Brian holding Khaat and he sighed knowing now she'd had a nightmare he listened to Robert some what knowing what it was like to have the woman he loved wake to a nightmare as Delilah still did with a nightmare of Clayton taking Dylan , he ahd managed to stop them for not but he knew if he showed up again she would start all over again. Deciding he was not needed he turned and headed down to the living room and the coffee he had left behind , he smiled finding fresh made butter scones with a fresh cup of coffee " thanks Casidy, and new asignmments for us in lght of the attack on Khaat. " he said to Robert who had joined them again aa he picked up a scone.

"Oh yes," Robert said. "Locking down security. As you've noticed, Khaat is trying to make a return to work. It's been slow going for her, and I haven't been encouraging her because we've never been able to provide her good security. My suggestion is that we reformulate how we take care of her when she works. She does not need us underfoot because if we do, she won't be able to function. Not only that, but if the director needs bodyguards everyplace she goes, it makes all the patients feel very uneasy coming there for care. I've had a couple of thoughts. I might actually hire members of the organization, provide them security uniforms and pay them to act as hospital security so that at least they would be closeby for her. However, if I do that, I'm considering giving each of you an identical uniform so that one of you can always be within earshot of her. It seems to me that somehow we have to lock this down. But I want your input. If there has always been, historically, the number one place she has been attacked, it has been always at St. Mungos, and typically in her own office. There was a time when the Order was going to provide that for her, but that never panned out. Thoughts? Suggestions?"

Cassidy sat quiet thinking " well... Jess is kinda healer, why not let her be at st. Mongos as a healer in training, that way she would be close and being a seer she could keep tabs with out actualy being with her ?" she said looking at him " well you did ask for sujestions, i just thought with her abilitys it would make sense , she could focuus on khaat, there for, being there with her with out being there, you see what I mean" she picked up her coffee and took a drink looking at them all not realy sure if it made sense even to her.

Steven istened to ehr and looked at Robert he came up with nothing but surounding the place with Aurors but he knew that was inpratical and impossible and so just sipped his coffee quietly beside Cassidy.