Finding Femininity

"Ah, that's a good cookbook," Angus smiled. "From what I understand, it belonged to Khaat's grandmother and Kate passed it on to Khaat when she married Rob. There are a lot of notes in the margin from past generations about what they thought worked and what they thought didn't work quite so well. I like reading their comments almost more than the recipes themselves."

Khaat changed to black silk slacks, a black cashmere v necked sweater, and her black cloak, putting a pair of black gloves in the pockets. She tucked Remus's wand in one boot and her new wand in the other boot. Brian changed to black jeans and a black crewneck sweater, his black boots, black cloak, and black gloves. He put his wand on the inside pocket of his cloak.

"You don't have to go, you know," Khaat said to him softly as they finished dressing.

"Yes. I do. You will never ever be alone with that scumbag again," Brian said firmly. "If you can't take the kill shot, I will. Are we clear about that? I will give you every chance, but he's not slipping away one more time."

"Don't put yourself in the line of fire for me," she said.

"That's the job, Khaat," he said, looking at her very seriously. "That's always been the job. Don't let your heart get in the way of that tonight. Remember what you were trained for. This is when it counts the most."

"I..." she began and then quit. He walked over to her and stroked her cheek.

"Say it," he said softly.

"I dont' want to lose you," she said.

"Nor I you," he replied. "And I'm not planning on losing anybody. Okay?" She nodded. He led her back downstairs, as Robert and Kate returned, ready for the night's work.

she sighed " yeah, thats what I have been doing " she said " it kinda makes me feel i know the lupins a bit better " she said and moved to the kitchen door watching as they all readied for the mission Cassidy wrapped her arms around ehr waist feeling a little like she wanted to not watch them go she saw Khaat with brian and sighed as she turned back loking up to face Angus " Im sorry i can't help feeling inside ..." she stopped and moved to the window " I want to be strong, but right now i don't feel it " she said wiping a tear that ran down her cheek.

Steven returned dressed all in black along with jess and jack both in tight fitting suits all in black all stood facing Robert, Brian and Khaat waiting for the order to go. Steven smiled " you watch my back i'll watch yours " he said to jack who nodded.

"Deal " he said jess smiled and folded her arms .

"And who's going to watch mine ?" she said looking at both.

Steven held up his hands " thats down to jack i don't want to get into trouble " he said and chuckled jack did the same and kissed her mouthing that he loved her , steven saw her do the same and smiled.

"Let's go. None of you let Khaat out of wandshot," he ordered. "Your jobs are to make sure she doesn't get ambushed from behind or overtaken. I'll draw Burke out into the open. Brian--you stay on Khaat no matter what happens. That's a direct order. If Gelding shows, he's mine. He'll kill the rest of you before you raise your wand--no offense. Gelding is far more dangerous than you have any concept of. I want my daughter and my wife coming back alive.

"Spread out as far as you can without being out of wandshot. Use the natural cover of all the bushes and trees that Gelding is so obsessed with. Stay hidden. Don't rush the house unless I order it. We're only after Burke tonight. We're not trying to start a war on Gelding's estate. We dont' have the manpower for that tonight. That's for another night." He passed them plain white shell buttons. "Portkeys," Robert said. "Gelding's estate is across the street from a park in Paris. The portkeys will take you there. You'll arrive, if you do it well, near the fountain and hopefully not in it. Gather there, and we'll make our way to Gelding's. Silence and stealth is the key. You don't want to be seen or heard either one. We'll meet you there." He took Kate's hand and apparated out.

"Good luck," Brian told them. He felt like saying a lot more, but he knew they were focused and he didn't want to disturb that. He took Khaat's hand and said "We'll see you in Paris." He portkeyed them out and to Paris.

steven , jess and jack nodded as Robert told them what he wanted them to do and they all awsnered at the same time " yes sir " each took a portkey and waited till robert Brian and Khaat and gone to follow.

Cassidy heard them leave and left the kitchen moving to sit down on the couch cross leged and quietly so she read her book and forget what was going on she left her coffee in the kitchen but didn't return for it. she couldn't even focuse in the book and so placed it down deciding instead to look out into the night and the garden that was in front of her some where in the dark.

Steven apeared kneeling he quickly found jack and jess his wand out just as theres was , they all turned following Roberts gesterures waiting for the next move the all knew it would be hard and it would be fast so that they would have no time to think or react and the all knew burk was Khaats nomatter what they were there to isolate Burk and control the guards so she could do what she needed to do.

Khaat and Brian arrived in the park behind Robert and Kate. Robert looked at her in the dim park lighting.

"Ready?" he asked her very softly. She nodded. "Okay. Go," he told her.

"I'll be right behind you," Brian told her. She decided to do her best to draw out Burke herself. She knew Burke was, for some odd reason, attracted to her stiletto boots, so she had worn them on purpose. It was designed to be as clear a signal to him as a neon sign. She walked out of the park and crossed the street in the dim streetlight. She easily apparated onto Gelding's estate, on the opposite side of the wrought iron fence that separated the property from the street.

She walked across the grass and soon found herself face to face with a tall cloaked figure.

"You're tresspassing, Kitty," a voice said in a slithery tone.

"I came for you," she said, her wand firmly in her hand.

"Excellent," the voice laughed. "I missed you too."

"Just tell me why, Burke? Why me?"

"Why not you? Do you think you're exempt because you have a famous relative? Don't be so superior, Kitty. You're not that skilled. Parisian women are a lot more satisfying, actually. But I do have an answer to your question." He lifted himself through the air, flew, and caught her around the neck, his forearm restrainiing her. He began to whisper in her ear.

Brian was right behind her, hiding in the brush. He saw Burke fly. He somehow had not known Burke was a flyer. And now he had Khaat. He wanted to move in and rip Burke apart piece by piece. But from behind Burke, he saw Robert and Kate standing, hiding behind some trees. Robert lifted his hand, not wanting anyone to move in. Not yet.

steven loked at Robert and staid in posistion he saw Jes holding Jacks arm as he held her back wanting to stop him again but they all knew they would not move till Robert gave the order all they could do was watch and wait it out . even steven watched in horror as Burk flew and grabbed her his hand the knuckles turned white as he clung to his wand.

Angus saw Cassidy's fear, but he didn't understand it. He understood that she was afraid, but he also didn't understand why it was so high. For someone who was supposed to be an experienced fighter, she seemed unduly afraid. It just didn't make a whole lot of sense to him, much as he wanted to understand. "Cassidy," he finally said. "I know you're afraid. Its a dangerous mission. I think everyone is a bit on edge tonight. But Robert rarely loses anybody. You trained with him--you should know what a perfectionist he is. If there is anyone who can make this happen, its Robert. We're better off if we keep ourselves busy." He saw Abbey and Dakota start to get whiny and sleepy. He picked up Dakota, who was always the more difficult one to soothe to sleep, and started simply walking the floor with her to try to soothe her to sleep. He picked up a baby blanket from a stack of them on an end table and draped it over Dakota to comfort her.


Brian was within eyesight of Khaat and Burke. Khaat still had a few angles to get a clear shot at him. Her hands were free, and she had her wand. But what mystified him was that she seemed to actually be listening and absorbing whatever the deuce Burke was saying to her. And the more she listened, the more the color drained from her face. Her eyes betrayed her fear at first, and Brian was glad that Burke had her back pressed into his chest so that he could not see the fear in her eyes. And then he saw the look on her face change. She became blank. The more she listened, the more blank she became. Then it hit Brian. She was numbing to him. Burke had said something to Khaat that was so terrifying that Khaat could not cope, could not absorb it, and was shutting down. And this was definitely not the time for that.

"Khaat!" he heard himself shouting, regardless of Robert's orders. She looked his direction, and Burke's wand fired, striking Brian and knocking him to the ground. He knew he'd been hit somehow, and he tried to rise but could not. He could hear the sound of others running now, coming to aid Burke.

"Stand your ground!" Robert shouted to the others. "Get the others! Take them out if you have to!"

Casidy looked at him as he spoke she sighed and nodded " your right , god im acting like some one scared of there own shadow" she said as she picked up Abby holding her she wrapped her in a blanket and rocked her gently while she hummed a soft lulaby " they will be fine , hes got things timed down to the last detail " she said feeling Abby drift off to sleep in her arms she chuckled " one down hows yours " she said and walked over to behind him and smiled " almost " she said moving to face him she smiled " thanks its hard to get out of old habits I lost one family to a duel i guess in my mind i thought it was hapening again , but your right Robert it stronger than my father ever was and so are kate, and brian " she said.

Steven burst from his hisding place taking down two men that ran for burk jess took down another so did Jack all firing and each hitting there makr over and over , steven felt himself hit but ifg nored it , jack transphormed into his wolf and tore and tore some men to shreds , others screamed and ran now missing limbs as they fell several feet from the . Jess fired bolt after bolt not just from her wand her hand sem to act like a wand and she fired in both directions.

"You aren't going to lose anything," Angus said. "Robert doesnt work that way. Not if he can help it. The only exception I've ever seen to that is if something happens that takes him by surprise, but he tries hard not to allow that to happen. He works hard to try to cover all the bases. We might have to do some first aid. That comes with the territory, but nobody's going to die tonight from our team."

Brian looked into Burke's face as he continued to whisper into Khaat's ear. She stood frozen. Brian saw the utter insanity in the man's face. It was unmistakable. He lazily flicked his wand and fired into Brian a second time. He cried out in pain, forgetting to shield himself altogether. And still Khaat didn't move. Brian was not going to let this go on for one more moment. He saw that Steven, Jack, Jess, Robert, and Kate had all the battle fire they could muster, and Khaat was completely frozen. His mind flashed to the training that Remus had drilled into her. She would respond to that, if she wasn't too far in shock.

"FIRE!" he used the fiercest voice he could command, shouting at her, ordering her to fire her wand, in as much the same tone as Remus used to use when she would freeze during training as a child. He watched her jab her wand behind her into Burke and fire the killing curse right into his side. He fell dead instantly, falling on top of Khaat and knocking her to the ground.

"LUPIN!" Brian recognized the sound of Tom Gelding all too well, and he saw the man's silhouttte against the outside lights on the estate. Gelding was marching straight towards Robert. Robert pointed his wand at Burke and hurled Burke's dead body right at Gelding, the body landing at Gelding's feet.

"I dont' want you," Robert shouted. "Not tonight. Just your lackey."

"Hold your fire!" Gelding shouted at his men. He stared down at the corpse of Luther Burke. "Useless bastard. Take him. He's yours. You got what you wanted. Now get out." He tossed the corpse back at Robert.

"Bear off. Go home!" Robert ordered. "Its over. We got what we came for. Leave no one behind."

Steven dove to Brian aperating him home as jess ran to Khaat wrapping her arms around her she aperated back to the rantch jack followed a little scared but nothing seriouse.

Cassidy nodded she was about to talk when steven apeared in front of them with Brian " hold that thought Angus" she said not flicking a switch back to her normal self and placing Abby who was now asleep, in her play pen . Accioing the first ait kit she began patching up people with out even looking back " Angus put pressur here while i see to Khaat "she said moving she sat her down " no wounds she's in shock , thats Roberts expertese " she said and looked at Jess " stay with her till he gets here , now jack that shoulder " she said and soon had him bandaged even though he was a quick healer she wanted it clean , finaly she moved back to Brian , jess now hand one hand on him stemming the flow of blood as she cleaned it up of grass and dirt that sat in the wound.