The Ties That Bind

Khaat walked back into get her cup when she heard them making a bet.

"What's going on?" she asked.

"Your father created an obstacle course here for us to work out on and to let the organization tone up on," Brian said.

"Oooh!" she said, her eyes lighting up.

"And we were creating a bit of a competition," her father grinned.

"I want to be on someone's team," she said, excited.

"No!" Brian and Robert said simultaneously. She looked at them blankly, not understanding why they didn't want her. Robert looked at her, without saying a word, but he was deliberately trying to coach her, with his eyes, into remembering why he believed it was an obvious no.

"Oh," she said, her thoughts clearing. "But..."

"I will decide what exercising you do and do not do," Robert said, "And when and for how long. That goes for diet, and anything else. You will not be your own medical advisor. Are we clear?" It registered in her brain that they all knew.

"You told them?" she said, the color draining from her face.

"I did," Brian said. "I am not ashamed to be a father again. And I am never, ever ashamed of you." He said his words with confidence and strength. He wasn't sure she had the strength to look at this right now, not yet. But he did, and he was more than able to stand strong for both of them.

Steven looked at Khaat and was about to say she was not when Brian spoke he walked behind him along with Jack and smiled " Khaat we both know and its great thought i think i should perfect my baby hunting skills " he said and chuckled " Khaat were fine with it besides nothing we can do about it now " he said and sat down on the couch " so haw far are you ?"he asked casualy and softly.

Jack shook his head at his words and chuckled " yeah every ones ok with it khaat stop worrying and just look after your self and that baby " he said looking at Robert .

"Only a month," Khaat said,, "Well, about five weeks. The dinner was about the first week in March. I feel fine. Really. I didn't have any morning sickness with Abbey at all, and so far I haven't had any this time either."

"I do notice she seems to tire just a little easier," Brian said.

"I do?" she asked.

"Just a bit. Not much. I notice it because I know you," Brian said. "Oh, and by the way, I am going to wean you off that French Roast addiction. You might have gotten away with it because Rob left you without a lot of support. But I'm here this time."

"It didnt' hurt Abbey," she said.

"Yes, but you know better," Robert told her.

"Yes, I do," she admitted. "But you can't have my shoes."

"Oh, I am sooo not worried about those heels," Robert laughed, unable to contain himself. "You'll give them up in due time, my dear. But I do suggest you buy your summer maternity wear. You will need it."

"What are you going to do to my shoes?" she frowned.

"Me? Nothing whatsoever," he said. "You'll find out for yourself."

"Do you usually leave your patients in the dark?"

"No," he admitted.

"So why me?"

"Because I can," he shrugged simply. She sighed heavily, frustrated with him.

Steven chuckled rembering how Delilah was during her pregnacy and smiled thinking of his twins at home " yes Khaat caffine that strong isn't good for the baby or you " he said jack nodded back as steven stood up he looked at Brian " ow she will learn im guessing the hard way once they start to swell" he said jack moved next to her and nodded too " we will follow Roberts orders to the letter , good food rest and plenty of rest air for you from now on " he said jack nodded with him as he stood with him .

"And you're not living at St. Mungos this time and sleeping on your sofa. Not this time. You are not working for days and days at a time, showering in the gym and going back to work and living on cheesecake," Robert said.

"I had craving for cheesecake," she frowned.

"I know. But you're not going to eat just cheesecake. I am controlling your diet from now on. And your schedule. That is under my control."

"What's with you?"

"I am not going to see you nearly lose this child and your own life in the process. We are not doing that this time. Forget it. And we're not doing a delivery because you have a miscarriage either. None of it. You and your child are going to do this like everyone else. Understand me?"

"So you're being over protective."

"Call it what you like. You have one or two more days of dietary freedom while I finish designing your food program. You still have nutrition needs of your own. When I have it done, then we'll change things. But you might as well start switching over to herbal tea and dealing with the caffeine headache now. That will be one of the first things I do. Brian will be following my exercise program for you to the letter. You won't be getting away with much. Adjust. You might as well."

She sat beside Brian for a very long moment without saying anything.

"You might as well ell me what you're thinking," Robert said to her.

"I'm thinking I"m not going to any more ministry dinners," she said.

"You wanted another baby anyway. You know this is all part of it."

"You do not follow every step every one of your other patients make."

"They're not my daughter. You, however, are. And your past track record with this is not at all good. So I am in chage. Live with it." She groaned and she went out into the kitchen. Her mother looked at her.

"Your father getting on your nerves, Dear?" Kate asked her.

"Yes."

"Well, you only have 8 months to put up with him. I"ve been putting up with him for almost 40 years. Consider yourself lucky," her mother said. She took Khaat's mug, tossed the cold tea in it and poured fresh into the mug. "Almond tea. You really will like it. Trust me." She grabbed a large sweet pear from the fruit bowl and cut it into wedges for Khaat and handed it to her. "The sauce needs to simmer. Go grab a good book, leave the guys to muddle over fatherhood issues, enjoy your pear and your tea, and I'll finish dinner." She kissed Khaat's cheek and pressed the snack onto her hands.

"Thank you," Khaat said. "You don't need me to help?"

"You helped plenty. Besides, Angus is itching to get back in here. I'll be fine."

"Alright," she said, going up to her room. She laid the pear wedges and put the tea mug on the nightstand and got out a book from her bag and curled up on tthe bed with a huge stack of pillows to read her book, while the divine smells of her mother's sauce began to get thick and heady in the house.

Steven chuckled at Robert and Brian he understood how tromatic khaats first pregance had been and seen how thin she ahd become " I'll help , we all will brian , jess and angus can cook healthy meals , my self and jack can work out with ehr and stop her ..maybe , from going to fare she will never be alone ecept with you brian or you robert , as fare as I am concerned she will not go threw the same thing she had with abby." he said and looked at them both " thats my promise " Khaat is like a sister and i don't want her hurt again"

"Thank you," Brian said. "My child will be healthy and so will its mother."

"Your child?" Robert looked at him.

"Yes! MY child!"

"Just wanted to be sure," Robert said.

"Look. Do you have any clue how hard it was for her to tell me about this? Do you know how ashamed she was and how afraid she was that I would leave her? Do you?" He was angry.

"Why are you angry, Brian?" Robert sat back and drank from his mug.

"Because she's NOT his, she's MINE!"

"Technically, she's his," Robert said. "And so is Abbey."

"No. Abbey is NOT his technically. Khaat has sole custody. And I take care of them. They live with me!"

"Brian, you aren't going to lose her," Robert said gently. "You don't have to fight so hard to keep her. She might feel like running, but if you've noticed, she's not going. She didn't go running back to Rob. She told you, and she's still here. As far as carrying this child to term, thats my job. Your job is to just follow the instructions. That's all. In the meantime, you need to realize that what you're feeling is what all of us have been through as first time fathers. Being afraid is very normal. It's very much allowed."

"I don't know that's what this is!"

"You don't?" Robert gave him a slight smile. He looked at the others. "What do you think?"

steven chuckled and smiled as he walked over so did jack both smiled at him " welcome to the club of first time fathers who were nervouse " he said and grinned " we all go threw it " he siad jack nodded .

" ow yeah i kinda didn't sleep for three days worrying about how things would go then once we had the first session everything was ok , you be fine you have had practice nd besides we'll be here for you" he chuckled.

Steven nodded his agreement and folded his arms acros his chest " yeap, I threw up everytime i ate " he said " janet had to force me to watch to scan and when i saw him I was over the moon as you will be Brian so quite panicing " he sid and chuckled .

"Thanks," he said to them. "Keep reminding me. I just know how we only got her through Abbey's birth by grace alone. Why do you think I've made her wait to have another? I wanted to build her up, to make sure she was in top shape before..."

"Son," Robert laughed, "Life does not always go as we planned. The Hebrews have a wise saying that says we make our plans and God laughs. It actually makes immense sense to me. You have time. I don't think she will be delivering your child tomorrow. You do have time. You'll have to work at it. She's underweight, still needs plenty of vitamins, still needs plenty of strength training and toning."

"Why don't you let me worry about the nutrition?" Angus said. "Robert can give me her dietary needs and I can be sure that I pass on the menus or requirements to anyone else who cooks."

"You have cooked for her long enough now to know her tastes," Robert agreed. "That sounds fine to me, and I'm sure Jess and Cassidy will agree. I'll give you the requirements. She's not going to be used to it. You'll have to be a bit, well, sneaky."

"I do work for you, remember? I did learn something about stealth," Angus laughed.

"Touche," Robert said.

"Brian, I want you to not only do full body strength traing and toning, but as for most pregnant women, I want you to especially focus on her back, her abdominals, her legs, all the places she will be carrying the load...."

"I know how to do this," Brian said quietly, his mind thinking.

"No, I mean give it more. I'll tell you when its enough and stop you before its too much. Got it? And yes, we will be doing double the followups in this case. Because of the prior issues."

"Have you discussed this with her?"

"Not yet. You've heard what I've told her. She has a lot to adjust to. She doesn't have to bite it all off at one time. You let me handle that piece."

"Alright," Brian said. "I...uh...I'm thinking I need to go for a run."

steven listened as jess walked out the kitchen and over to Angus " sure I'd like to help with Khaat she did it for me time i paid her back and helped her out " she said and smiled " my twins wen't exactly conventual rember Robert they wer almost morn in the minstry bathroom" she said and chuckled to him .

Steve noded at Brian sugesting he go for a run " want one of us to go with ?" he asked stepping forward to off her as he felt he needed to run off his energy from all the standing around he'd done and chaching colored bunnies