The Ties That Bind

"Evidently some of our team members don't know what can happen if they never ever take the medallion off. It could have some dire consequences if someone just happened to be in the shower and were summoned. That might be a handy distraction. I hope none of you are doing that," Robert said.

"Not a chance," Khaat laughed. "Brian and I know better."

"There would be no excuse for you two," Robert said. "None whatsoever. Angus, well, maybe he could claim too many hits to his head, but as for the rest of you...."

"Hey!" Angus laughed. "I haven't been hit in the head that many times, have I?" Khaat and Brian roared with laughter.

"He doesnt' even remember how many times he's been hit," Brian laughed. "The rest of them can plead newbie and get away with it for awhile. What about you, Robert?"

"Me?" Robert frowned. "I'm not senile yet, Junior."

"I have never ever seen Robert do anything stupid," Angus said.

"Hang around," Khaat said dryly. "He's as human as the rest of us. Believe me." It was Roberts turn to laugh.

"You all go ahead and laugh. I'm going to go check on our prisoner." He stood up and apparated into the apartment. He was there only for a moment and came back. "He's passed out. I would expect the detox to begin by the time he wakes up. He's going to be one sick squib when he comes around. And desperate to find a drink. He'll do his best to tear the place apart. None of you goes over alone--you got that? Not even you, Brian. Pairs at the least. Any questions?"

Steven chuckled and smirked a the thought seeing Cassidy in the nude as she aperated into the middle of a fight " hum yeah embarasing " he said and chuckled agai seeing her cover her face again and groan as she did laughing along with them at the comments they made she chuckled at Angus as he spoke about too many blows to the head and forgeting how many times he had been on his head she was glad things hand settled down and every one could now laugh about things she sat back and watched Robert leave only to return several minets later and tell them pairs only nobody was to go alone to keiran. she was glad he was passed out it meant she would not have to go feed him.

Steven could not help laugh at Angus's comment and shacking his head as he chuckled now understanding the reason behind Cassidys blush earlier " i take mine off too " he said " just got to remember to put it back on again" he whispered to her as he finished his coffee placing it down and he saw Robert leave . Looking back up he was suprised at how quick he came back but wasn't suprised that keiran was passed out in the apartment section. " I am g uessing your expecting trouble when he wakes then?" he asked folding his arms across his chest .

"Yes," Robert said. "I do. I think he's going to tear his apartment apart looking for alcohol, so I hope you all got it all out of there."

"Not unless my spell didn't work," Khaat said.

"Good girl. I think its probably clean too," Robert said. "I tried to summon any that was left, and didn't get anything. So, unless its well hidden, then the place is clean. I think he'll be starting into withdrawal in the morning and he'll be trying to keep himself from being sick. He's not going to want to go there right now with this. Not while we're all here and he has so much at stake. And there is no way to predict what he will be like once that sets in.

"Khaat," Robert said. "Once I go, you will be the most experienced healer here. You will be needed, and I try very hard not to make rules for you at your age. But I'm making one now. Unless it is a medical emergency and you have absolutely no other choice, I do not want you to go deal with him without taking one of the guys with you. Cassidy and Jess, the same goes for you. I don't want either of you to go over there without one of the guys along. We can't afford to trust him. Squib or not. Guys, I know you won't hesitate to put Kieran in his place, but we do need him alive. Remember that. I know he's a pain in the ass, but do try not to kill him. He's a valuable bargaining chip right now to help Brian keep his property. We don't want to lose that. Does everyone understand the plan for now? We keep looking over the evidence to see if we can figure out who he owes all this to, and we try to keep him alive at the same time. Thats' the plan."

"We'll handle it," Khaat said quietly.

Cassidy sat and listened to Robert she wouldn't want to go near that man etherway. She could tell from every ones expreshion that they didn't like him ether . " yes sir, I wouldn't go near that squib even if you paid me to" she said and sat back in her chair a s she genltly brushed her medalion with her fingers brushed it lightly against her lips as she sat deep in though she knew not to turn it, she brushed it against her lips as she became deeper in thought .

Steven nodded at Roberts orders and was a little disapointed that he could not teach keiran a lesson for what he did to Khaat but he understood going cold turky would be worse than anything he could do at that time and so he continued to just sip his coffee . He had reaslized that the gym would be well used by him the estate was huge and he knew he would get a good work out walking it on his patrol and he knew that he would eventually readjust back to us time.

Jess sat with Jack needing his closeness as she felt tired she looked at Robert and she ahd spoken and then at Khaat she could not argue she was a stronger healer than she was , she was just learning how to use her healer abilitys since they had been latened for so long. She felt jack move to hold her around her waist and she smiled at him " its going to take all my concentration to block him out " she said looking at robert worried that she might not be able to block him completle as he went threw the cold turkey.

"Don't worry about it, Cassidy," Khaat said. "That will be my job."

"Unfortunately, yes. It will be your job,' Robert replied.

"I am a qualified healer," Brian said, bristling.

"You are going to relieve Kieran from his suffering? Get him through detox? You can't make me believe you'd do that for him," Robert said.

"I would--if it kept Khaat from dealing with him," Brian said, trying hard to repress his anger.

"She won't be going alone," Robert reassured him.

"Damn straight!' Brian said. "I will handle Kieran."

"No," Robert ordered quietly. "You won't. That's an order. You do still work for me...."

"This is family!..." Brian protested.

"And this is your attempt to find a way to defy an order to protect Khaat," Robert said very calmly. "I am protecting Khaat, but I am protecting you too. Live with it, Son. You're our family too. You're a good healer, but Khaat is better and you know it. We need her. Its just the way it goes. There are at least three of you who can go with her when she goes to see Kieran." Then he looked at Jess. "I think you're trying too hard, Jess," Robert told her. "The more you try to block something out, the more it becomes part of thoughts you can't get out of your head. Its not him drawing you to him. He's not magical. You have him or something that he reminds you of on the brain. Eliminate that, and your control should come back," he told her. "Make sense?"

Cassidy loked at Robert not even realizing he had noticed she let the medalion fall and took a deep breath nodding to him knowing now she wouldn't have to deal with Kerian. She focused on cooking and looked at jess and jack who she saw looked comfortable in each others arms a Jess looked at Robert and signd she smiled at them.

Jess looked at Robert and sighed knowing he was right " I know and I am trying but his thoughts are so loud " she said softly then she took a deep breath and relaxed best she could , she felt his thoughts disapear and looked smiling at Robert thankful for his advice just as she had been for Jefferys. She rested against Jack smiling again. " so what should we do now , hes passed out and its lunch and theres nothing in" she said.

Cassidy looked at Angus then at Robert " we really should go and shop " she said and stood up walking to angus with her coat in hand and waitiing as she smiled at him like a school girl on her first outing away from the perants. She was excited to see more of this country but knew she had to be on her guard still. "I wonder what we should cook for dinner?" she asked him.

Robert frowned. "I'm not sure how his thoughts can be that loud when he's passed out. Maybe you're not up for this assignment. Maybe you shouldn't push it to be here. If he's unbalancing your control when he's passed out, it does make me concerned for how he will affect your control when he's conscious and awake. You need to seriously think about whether this is too much for you this time, Jess. If its too much, then speak up. You can always opt out of this one."

"Feels like we just had breakfast," Angus laughed. "But yea, I'll go to the store. I get the message. Its 'Angus, feed us.' Alright. Where are the keys, Brian?"

"Kitchen. In the farthest drawer on the right. Should be labeled. Take what you want. You need American cash?"

"No, still have an American muggle credit card," Angus said. "I'm good." He went into the kitchen and retrieved a set of keys.

"Which one are you taking?" Brian asked.

"The smaller suv. The bigger one is really unnecessary for running to the market."

"Depends on how much you buy," Brian said.

"I have my wand. We'll be fine. Shall we go, Cassidy, before they start gnawing on furniture?" Angus asked.

Jess looked at Robert and smiled " no Im fine its probably the nightmare hes having " she said " its passed " she moved to touch him " see , its gone" she said " I have Jack as an ancore " she moved back into his arms and folded them genlty around her as she listened to Angus say about shopping . She was g lad Cassidy was her self again the small child like attitude had not sat well with her but now she saw the woman Cassidyt realy was thanks to Robert taking her under his wing as he had with them all at some time or another.

Cassidy watched Angus now leave to go to the kitchen returning with a set of keys in his hand , quickly she joined him and looke dabck at the others as she smiled " yeah c an't have that on brians funiture"

"Then, let's go," he said. He led her through the kitchen, out the kitchen door and down the stairs to the large garage. He chose the small black SUV and unocked the door for Cassidy. "I presume I'm driving," he said, going around to get into the driver's seat. He got in and told her to fasten his seatbelt because American law required it. He fastened his and started up the engine.

He found a GPS on the dash and figured out quickly how to use it to find the large organic supermarket. It wasn't a hard drive and wasn't overly long. It took only about 20 minutes. This wasn't a peak shopping time, so the activity at the enormous market was light. He led her inside and chose one of the oversized shopping carts. He drew his very long list out of his pocket.

"Remember," he said to her very softly. "You're with muggles now. No magic."

Khaat, meanwhile, got up and refilled her cup and came back. She was a bit uneasy about several things, but none of it was exceptional, and it was all normal for her to have a bit of nerves about. She was a bit anxious about dealing with Kieran. She was a bit anxious about whatever they would face in dealing with Kieran's debtors. She was also a bit anxious about whatever Gelding might be up to now since he nearly burned their house to the ground or tried to. And she was a bit anxious about being so far from her girls. Jess seemed to be coping with her anxiety by not being able to let go of Jack. Well, that was one way to handle stress. Khaat knew she and Brian just didn't seem to operate that way. She wasn't sure really what that was, but it seemed like when the stress went up, they more or less did their best to stand on their own two feet. It made it look a bit like distance, but they weren't distant at all. In fact, they were more in tune with each other when the risk seemed to go up. They just did it differently.

"When are you going, Daddy?" Khaat asked.

"Soon," he said. "As soon as I feel that you have this under control," Robert said.

Cassidy smiled all the way to the SUV she watched him open the passanger door to let her slid in, witch she did gladly she chukled when he said he was driving " yeap not go my lisance here yet " she said buckaling up her seat belt as she then roled down the window she found traveling in any muggle vehicle she ahd to have the window down. As they drove she admired the view around her " its beautiful" she said softly and when they arrived at the enormous market she at with her mouth open. She looked at him when he said she was a muggle now for the duration of the trip.

" Its going to be hard but Ill try " she said " should i put my wand in the glove box or keep it on me ?" she asked feeling it tucked into her boot that she wore. as the SU V stopped she un did her belt and slipped out looking at it. " ok where to first " she asked but then scratched her head " ok daft question since were out of everything " she said she undid her jacket a little letting the cool air wake ehr a bit more as they moved inside. Cassidy just followed Angus as he seemed to know where he was going.