The Ties That Bind

"Khaat is a small eater," Robert said. "And once she started craving cheesecake we could get her to eat little else but that and French Roast. She grieved so hard for Rob's absence while she waited for Abbey that she just lost all ability to eat and sleep either one. She was nearly starved to death and exhausted by the time Abbey came. And Abbey's survival was due to a lot of hard work and prayers and determination when she miscarried at 6 months. And I see her grieving now. From her own guilt. I do not want a repeat of what we went through before. I would prefer that any and all of my grandchildren arrive safely and leave their mother intact. Khaat's starting behind from where I would have her be at the beginning of a pregnancy, and I want her prepared this time. Able and ready. So, yes. I am calculating everything and taking no chances."

Kate walked Khaat back to the house and diverted her to the kitchen to fix the pasta to go with the sauce that she had made earlier. Khaat needed to work. She had energy to burn. She set the table by hand and poured glasses of iced tea, putting the pitcher on the table. She cut a long baguette into crostinis and toasted them until they were crisp and flavored them with rich garlic butter. She put a caesar salad on the table with the crostinis as her mother served large pasta bowls of spaghetti and the savory sauce.

"I think we're ready to eat, if you're all hungry," Khaat finally called them.

Jess smiled and nodded " I think we all are Robert none of us want a repeat we'd like to se her happy and safe this time" she said as jack smeled food and shifted under her at the smell of it and sound of kate and khaat returning.

Cassidy ported back in apering right above Steven who caught her in his arms some what stunned look on his face as she landed " oops, sorry my porting's been thrown off some what " she said and slid from Stevens arms to stand on her own two feet. " I'd like to come back to work if hats ok with you Robert ,sir " she said looking at him. She was alitel dizzy from porting so far but felt better because she had done so. She crossed her arms in
front of her self as she smelt food " something smells good " she said smiling at them all. Jess chuckled and stood up.

" welcome back Cassidy, did you manage to sort everything out?" she asked moving to stand with her. She saw her nod.

" yeah, kinda " she looked at Robert as she stood biting her lip as she wondered what he would say about ehr situation she didn't mind staying in the main house and not going on missions, she understood it was not just ehr to concider now.

"Yes," Robert told her, "If you can keep up with some limited duties, Cassidy, then thats fine. If it is too much for you, then you'll need to go on leave. I'm open to trying it, though. Come and eat. Khaat, set another place, please."

"I'm already doing it, Daddy," Khaat said softly. She wasn't dealing with her own pregnancy, and whatever mysteries it held that her father knew and for some reason wasn't telling her. And now Cassidy was pregnant too. "Welcome back," she said to her. Cassidy's return brought confusion for her. It wasn't that she wasn't glad to see her. She was. But she didn't like the emotion about her own situation that it brought up for her. She really wasn't hungry. As people started to walk to the table, Khaat started to head upstairs. Robert immediately got up and followed her.

"Oh no you don't," he said, catching her hand. "You need to eat. We missed lunch."

"I had a pear," she replied.

"Bully for you," he said dryly. "This is dinner time. You will come and eat. That is not a request."

"I'm not hungry," she replied. He laid his hand on her forehead and eased her nerves. She felt peace returning for the moment.

"We'll talk later," he told her. "For now, come eat." She sighed heavily and gave in. He brought her back, and they all sat down at the table.

Cassidy nodded and smiled " that I can do , Im fine " she said and shook her head at his sujestion that she could not keep up " no, no I'll be fine " she moved to the table watching them all smelling the pasta sauce as she sat down. She saw Khaat leave and followed at a distance she heard Robert and nodded she knew it was the same for her she ahd to eat not just for her self but her child. she sat back down and found her self next to Khaat " erm...Khaat do you think we could talk after dinner?" she asked some what nervouse she just wanted to talk to some one about the whole pregnant thing and what she had to come seeing this was her first .

"That's fine," Khaat said. "Its good sauce, Mom." It had been one of Khaat's favorites as a kid, and one of Remus's, but they had not made it in years because of the memories it always brought up for Khaat. She didn't feel them tonight. They weren't so painful tonight. Remus didn't feel so far away right now. She was almost silent through dinner. She listened to the men talking about the obstacle course and how they were looking forward to trying it. Brian was challenging them to going through it and just seeing if they could do it at all, no time constraints at first. He'd impose time constraints later.

"Thank you, Dear," Kate smiled.

"Can we not make this another 20 years before you make it again?" Robert asked.

"I'll try," she laughed.

"Its been much too long," he said. He had noticed that Khaat, for the first time, was not in as much distress because of remembering Remus tonight. The sauce had not brought that back for her, and he was pleased. Perhaps she was finally trying to move forward with her life.

Cassidy ate the dinner feeling it actualy fill her up she'd not wanted anything else after it and sighed as she listrened to the men talk she was curiose as to what obstical ocurse but fought to stop her self asking if she could have ago , she'd always been one for trying new things to prove she could do it. She looked at Khaat next to her " if you don't mind me saying your looking well " she said and smiled as she pored a glass of fruit juice she wasn't keen on it but she thought it better than the coffee she was use to and pulled af ace at her first mouth full . she ahd promissed Clay she would take care of herself while on duty and part of it was eating and drinking right.

Finishing she moved to the living room sitting down on the floor with the girls she smiled thinking she would one day be doing the same thing with ehr own child in front of her. she watched as each moved from the table to the couches and sat back against one. " angus if its ok with you i'll help in the kitchen more " she said giving a nervouse look at him.

"That would be fine. I have to take time for my leg to heal anyway. It could be a few more days," Angus said.

'Thank you, Cassidy," Khaat said. "I'm feeling well. And you?"

"I have a surprise for you," Kate smiled to them all. She got up and went into the kitchen. She came back and revealed a large orange vanilla "creamsicle" cheesecake. She sliced it into fairly thin slices because it was so rich with its shortbread cookie crust, and the candied orange peel on the top and she served it to everyone.

"Cheesecake?" Khaat eyed her mother.

"Coincidence," Kate smiled.

"Sure it is," Robert laughed. He took a forkful of the cheesecake and tasted it. "Kate, that is utterly amazing. You do have to give that recipe to Lizzie. It'll be a top seller this summer."

"It certainly will," Khaat agreed. "I love it. You did make more than one, right?"

"I did," Kate laughed.

Cassidy moved back to the table leaving the girls playing " its ok angus I kinda like cooking besides I guyess I should learn more " she said and looked at Khaat " ow... the sikness was a bother and dizzyness but they seem to have gone now, only thing now is I can't have coffee , Clay banned it from me says its not good" she said and pouted at the thought of no coffee for 7 months. she tasted the cheese cake and smiled its flaovor subtle but she thought somthing was missing for her " this is good kate , but do you have any gurkins?" she asked and lookeda there faces " what?" she said " I like gurkins" she said smirking at them as she sat.

"No," Angus said. "I didn't buy any. We had no need for them when we went to the store. Over here, you have to look for pickles. They're not gherkins over here. Its a cultural terminology thing, but when I go to the store, I'll get some the next time I go."

"Pickles, huh?" Brian laughed. He looked at Khaat. "I wonder what you and I will have to deal with this time."

"Your biggest struggle will be getting her to eat at all," Robert said. "Its not that she's nauseated, she just looses any desire to eat whatsoever."

"Well, I"m not putting up with that shit," Brian said.

"You're not?" Khaat frowned, looking at him. And what exactly was he putting up with? She was the one with no appetite, not him.

"WE," he emphasized, "are doing this together. Stop that 'I'm-all-by-myself crap."

"I'm not trying to," she said. "I am trying to deal with this the best way I know how." Robert rose and made her a mug of chamomile almond tea and put it in front of her.

"Here," he told her. "Try this. Chamomile works wonders. It'll make you feel better."

"Thank you," she said to her father.

Cassidy sighed and pouted more " pickles huh" she said pushing the cheese cake around the plate she listened to Robert and it made her glad she had kept her apinite even if it had gone strange on her with the pickles. She pushed the plate away and sat trying to drink her juice but failed with that too finding it very acidic on her tummy. She looked back at the girls and smiled seeing Dakota playing with max gigling happily. she held her breath as she felt her indijestion become worse " excuse me I need soem milk " she said and moved to the kitchen and took a drink.