Rain

Khaat was definitely disappointed and she was getting irked with some of her friends. Abbey's birthday--her first. And Rob hadn't so much as sent an owl for his daughter. And her friends were ticky for no valid reason. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. None of it. She watched her mother delighting in her daughters. Khaat went outside into the early morning sunshine. The weather had been almost exactly like this a year ago. But it hadn't ended in a trip to Tuscany, that was for certain. And in a way, it was her anniversary with Brian too. He'd been back in her life for just about a year now. Life was so different now.

Brian watched Khaat slip outside. "I think I'll go take care of mine," Brian said. "You lot are on your own with yours."

"That's why I'm happy without," MIchael said, watching Brian get up and go outside. He went out to Khaat. He slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her. That made her smile.

"I don't care who is out of sorts and who isn't," he said to her softly. "Its our daughter's first birthday. And I want it to be perfect. So as long as you and I are happy, it will be perfect. By the way," he said, "I bought you something."

"Me?" she frowned.

"Consider it a bit of a birthday present," he said. He reached in his pocket and presented her a little box. She frowned at him and opened it. She found inside it was a gold ring. It had a single sapphire and one little pearl set. Abbey's birthstone and Dakota's. "It's a mother's ring," he told her. "I'll add the twins when they get here. In a way, this is your birthday too. I didn't want you to think I had forgotten for one single moment all the pain and suffering you endured that night."

"I think once a beautiful child like Abbey is born, everything else is erased."

"Its not necessary they remember," he said, slipping the ring on her finger. "But I do. I remember."

"Thank you," she said, kissing him. "Its beautiful."

Jess sat up and shook her helf mentaly " abbys birthday I should so not be like this , I have a cake to do " she said and stood up walking to the kitchen smiling at the men who sat in the living room " jack would you finish the decorations streamers are in that box , he could use some help it is for abby after all " she said and quickly took out the cake placing it on the table she began to pipe abbys name on it and the words "happy birthday " she also added a small teddy made of fondent that she fashioned her self and stood back ok needs one more touch " she said and finished with a pink rose from the same icing. she saw Brian and Khaat on the balcony and smiled as she walked out " would you guys care to inspect the birthday cake ?" she said smiling at them both.

"Sure," Brian smiled. He walked in with Khaat, his arm still around her waist. They went over to the table, and the beautiful cake made them both smile. "Its perfect," Brian said.

"Thank you, Jess," Khaat said. "Its just what I wanted. Its beautiful..." She was about to say something else when she heard Abbey calling for her mama.

"Khaat," Kate called gently. "Look." Khaat turned around to see Abbey taking her first steps on her own. Khaat's heart leaped, and she was tempted to run. Brian snatched her hand quickly. They walked over together, slowly, gently as Abbey toddled toward them on her own two feet for the first time. They knelt, just as Abbey began to tumble. Brian's safe and strong arms reached out and caught Abbey easily as he and Khaat showered the little girl with praises and hugs and kisses.

Robert merely sat watching, the smile of a proud grandfather on his face. Kate was delighted.

"And on her first birthday! How more perfect is that?" Kate laughed. "You'd think she planned it all along."

Jess felt much better after Brian and Khaat liked the cake she ahd done she glanced over at Abby and smiled " wow the first big step " she siad taking a camera she snapped a shot of her walking and grined she knew exactly where it would go she moved from the kitchen to her bedroom taking out a small baby mempries book using her magic she developed the photo and placed it in side it smiling as she wrapped the book that contained several other images too and walked back to place it with teh cake. " so whens the party going to be?" she asked plcing the brightly wrapped presant down.

"Lunchtime," Angus said. He flicked his wand at the table to clear the breakfast dishes. He had the lunch already in hand. He had been up before daylight. He'd made a beautiful dish of chicken and noodles that was just simmering now filling the house with wonderful scents and aromas. He'd made a lovely salad to go with it, and homemade applesauce because he knew the girls would like the noodles and the chicken and the applesauce. Today the only thing that was about the adults was the salad, and even then, the girls did like some of the raw vegetables from it, particularly the carrots.

"Lunchtime gives us plenty of time to close up the house before we go to Tuscany," Brian said. "I thought we'd let the girls enjoy the best part of their day, so that later, when they're tired, we can all enjoy the best part of ours as grownups." Khaat smiled. An evening watching the Tuscan sun go down over the water. She craved it. She craved the sanctuary that Tuscany had become. In her mind she wondered about having the babies there. At home. In peace and quiet.

"You don't have your mind on anything today, do you?" Robert asked Khaat interrupting her thoughts.

"Yes, actually I do. I really do think I might like to have the babies born in Tuscany."

"What?" he frowned.

"Why couldn't I?" she asked.

"Because I won't have you having the babies anywhere but St. Mungos where I can do it properly. Get that little bit of nonsense out of your head right now," Robert said sternly. "If thats where your thoughts are, just stop it."

"Robert," Kate said. He said nothing, He picked up his newspaper and went back to it. "You have your babies wherever you like, Khaat," she said, glaring at the newspaper. Robert lowered the newspaper long enough to glare back at Kate and then raised it again, resuming reading it.

Jess nodded and smelt the food it send her mouth watering and she smiled " smells wonderful Angus " she said moving the cake to a counter the presant she held moving to Brian and Khaat " this is for Abby from me and jack I hope you can use it and it brings you lots of happy nights. " she said and handed it to her " she can always call you if anything goes wrong she said and i'm with her so if she fels not right even I can send for you " she said smiling " besides shes got along way to go yet " she chuckled and smiled as Jack moved to her.

"seems some bodys in a better mood now" he said and wrapped his arms around her waist feeling her rest against him her hand rested on his cheek and he kissed it " yeap, shes feeling better" he chucked as he saw the presant also " yeah we got given them for our kids, so we thought you could use one there handy to look b ack in" Jack smiled .

"Jess," Khaat said, "Thank you. And thank you too, Jack." Khaat opened the package and found a wonderful book with some of the most amazing pictures of the girls inside. It was far better than anything she had ever received. It was beautiful. She turned each page slowly, looking at each picture. She loved wizarding pictures. They were so much better than muggle photos. Even the photos towards the back of the book--ones of Abbey walking. She was so moved to have that captured for all time. She had been so caught up with Abbey that she never thought of the camera. "Its beautiful," she said. "Really beautiful."

"It will bring us more happy nights than I can ever imagine," Brian smiled. "Thank you." For the first time, he could see himself when he was Robert's age. Perhaps enjoying his first grandchild. But when he looked at Khaat, she still was as beautiful in his vision as she ever was. He didn't think he could ever possibly see her any differently.

"We bought a gift too," Kate said. "Perhaps its time for it." Robert nodded. He drew out a box and handed it to Khaat. "She's a bit too small for it now, but we trust that someday she'll grow into it." She opened the box and found an antique necklace. One she knew well. She had seen it many times when she was a little girl. It had belonged to her Grandmother Lupin. It wasn't magical, but it had been expensive and it had been handed down from one generation to the next for a long time. "Forgive me," he said to Khaat gently. "It should be yours. I had forgotten it. And then I found it and decided you'd be alright if I gave it to Abbey."

"Alright?" Khaat echoed. "I'm honored. Thank you." The necklace was simple Just one single stone set in gold, on a chain. It was a heart shaped diamond. Nothing more. But it was lovely. Khaat had often admired it when she was a child. And now it was Abbey's. She was pleased.

Jess smiled at both brian and Khaat as they admired the book " I thought you'd like it and that last one was perfect timing " she said and smiled at Abby " ow here " she took out a small stuffed teddy " happy birthday to you too abby " she said and gave her it " its all baby freindly " she said nad smiled as Abby cuddled it close to her. She saw the necace and smiled " its beautiful " she said but noticed Jacks aprihention at getting any closer to it as Khaat held it and she knew why she saw a soft glow from Khaats neclace " its beautiful Jack trust me" she said.

"The necklace won't attack unless you transform, Jack," Khaat said, watching Abbey squeal and giggle with delight at her new teddy. The little girl hugged it and sat down on the floor to play with it. "Relax. As long as you're in human form, it only glows to alert me. That's all. Sorry if it unnerves you. I don't have a choice about wearing it. Believe me, I've tried. It won't come off."

"It never harmed Remus. He did get annoyed a few times when they were out camping because the green glow used to wake him up in the tent at night," Robert laughed.

"Oh, I remember that!" Brian said, the memory of Remus's frustrations returning to him. He laughed out loud. "Khaat, you remember that night he actually went down to the creekbed, got a handful of clay and tried to wrap that thing in river clay for the night?" Khaat burst out laughing.

"I do," Khaat said. "Within minutes the clay was just gone. Just disappeared. We laughed all night. Remus was so mad at us for laughing all night long."

"It was a great sleepout," Brian laughed.

"He was ready to box both your ears," Robert laughed. "As I recall it was your mother who kept him from actually doing it."

"It was. I reminded him of how stupid it was to be fiddling with a stone made by Nicolas Flamel," Kate laughed.

"That actually was pretty stupid," Robert agreed. Khaat saw that Dakota was getting jealous. She started to crawl over to Abbey to take it from her.

"I'm on it," Brian laughed. He picked up Dakota and accio'd a couple of cookies from the kitchen. She didn't want the cookie. She wanted the bear. She threw the cookie in anger. The cats ran to nibble up the crumbs

"That girl has Mis's temper," Robert laughed. He flicked his wand at the bear that Abbey had and duplicated it, except in a different color. He took the duplicate bear and handed it to Dakota. She clutched at it tightly, apparently satisfied.

Jess smiled at how things seem to have righted its self again in the house she spotted Dakota and shook hr head softly " I guess I should have brought two but its Abbys birthday " she moved to Jack who sighed.

Jack looke at Robert and sighed " I know but ...but some thing won't let me get closer like its frigtened " he said and staid back from her he was happier when jess moved and held him close " thanks jess that made me heaps better" he said smiling as she moved on her tip toes to kiss him gently.

she smiled seing him smile and feeling him relax against her she moved to lean against him and watch Brian , Khaat and Robert all talking about the necklace.