Rain

"It should be ready any day now, Jack," Robert said. "But understand that it changes very little. It is merely a more concentrated formula. You will still need to take it during the full moon like you always have. There is no cure for lycanthropy. All we know how to achieve at this point, even as advanced as we believe we are, is some degree of medical management of it.

"My guess is that the longer you stay away from trying to capitalize on what power you believe the curse gives you, the better your relationships will be with other people, and the happier your life will become. The longer Remus dealt with it, the more he hated the curse and respected his humanity. He came to believe that true power was in love and in humanity. I'm hoping that's what you'll find."

Jack held Jessica against him and sighed " yes, I Understand how he felt now , its hard to control it and tempting as it is to use them, I won't... ever." he looked at Jessica then at Khaat " I would lose too much and remus was right it is a curse, one I guess even my own mother hated to just abandon me like she did. " he said feeling jessica's hand rub up and down his arm gently as he stood holding her. " but that potion will go along way to help with that " he said and lent down to kiss jessica's cheek gently and smiled at her then looked at every one blushing " sorry" he said softly with a smile.

"I'll check on it shortly," Robert said. "With a little luck it will be ready before we go to Tuscany. I don't want to have to move that whole lab again."

"Well, I wouldn't move it," Kate said. "I'd just come back and check."

"I might," he said. He looked up as Kieran came back in with a stringer of fish he'd caught. "Oh well done, Kieran."

"It was good fishing this morning," Kieran grinned.

"I'll take those and get them cleaned," Angus said.

"Gladly," Kieran said. "That just is not my favorite part of fishing."

"No, but a very necessary part," Angus agreed. He took the stringer and disappeared into the kitchen.

"That's one thing I will use a spell for," Khaat said. "I don't like cleaning fish either. But those looked like they will be great to eat."

"They will be," Kieran agreed. "Brian, I have to say, I can see why you like it here better than Colorado. There just is something here that isn't there."

"Yeah," Brian said knowingly, "Its my family. That's the difference. My life is here now. It isn't there."

Jack looked at Robert and nodded " yes that would be good not that i need it right now " he said and loked past him at Keiran grinning at the catch he had " did you leave any for the rest of us?" he said and chuckled " I always let jess do mine shes a whiz at cleaning fish " he felt her poke him and he chuckled moving he kissed her again and smiled " sorry hon, but you are" he smiled watching her go to help Angus in the kitchen and sighed " I could have lost the one thing that is truly important to me, nevr again" he said and looked at Robert.

Jessica heard him say she was a wiz at cleaning fish and chuckled but gave him a poke so he'd know she wanted it to be a secret. Now it was out she smiled " ell i'll see if Angus needs a hand with the fish." she said and after Jack ahd kissed her and she had composed herself she moved smiling to the kitchen " Angus need a hand ?" she asked washing her hands and picking up a short but sharp knife.

"That would be nice. I would like us to be able to move on to serving lunch. The baked macaroni and cheese should be ready any time we want to serve it. I reduce the heat on it to keep it warm. But lets do the fish first. With two of us it won't take long," Angus said. "I have a salad for the grownups with a fresh raspberry vinaigrette, and I made some fresh applesauce for the girls. And I made a fresh strawberry sorbet to go with the cake. I think We should have all we need. There's a pitcher of iced tea in the fridge and some frozen fruit in the freezer. I thought we'd use the frozen fruit to keep the tea cold. Can you think of anything that I forgot?"

"Khaat," Michael said, in the living room with the others. "How's the wrist today?"

"It's fine," she said, smiling. "But the cast really is a pain in the butt. And its going to be more of a pain in the butt at the beach."

"We'll handle it," Brian smiled. "Its nothing we haven't done before."

Jess cleaned the fish and placed each on on a tray clean and wshed and descaled " sounds good to me Angus , ok thats the last one done " she said and slipped them into the fridge and turned to watch him make dinner for them all " where do you come up with all this I need a book or something before i start thinking what to cook " she said and sat down at the kitchen table.

Jack loked at Robert and khaat " oow that sand will be a devil if it gets inside the cast Robert , isn't there anything else ?" he asked hoping to help Khaat so sheould not be uncomfortable while on the beach " I mean besides putting a bag over it " he added.

"Well, not really," Robert sighed.

"Don't lie," Khaat said. "We can take it off for that long. It isn't broken. It isn't going to make a massive difference in the long run if I go without for a short period. It'll be fine." Her father scowled deeply at her.

"I did not lie," Robert said firmly. "There is no way to get into the water with a cast and not damage it. However, if you are careful, we could remove it long enough for you to enjoy the water. I will not let you do any horseplay with it."

"I didn't cause it in the first place," she responded.

"Yes, in a way you did," he replied. "Eli was my case. You interfered. You came between us, made a scene and tried to fire on me with your wand. I protected myself. And you were your own cause of being left out in the rain for several days by apparating out with a broken wand. You were lucky you didn't blow yourself up."

"Do not try to make that my fault!" she retored.

"Enough!" Michael intervened. "Ozzy, if you want to make a point, make it. Otherwise, let Khaat enjoy her day with her daughter. If you just want to argue, do it with me--again."

Angus listened to how Michael shut down Robert pretty effectively. Then he turned his attention back to Jess. "I guess that whole incident isn't over for Khaat. I knew it bothered her more than she was saying that she hasn't heard from Eli after that whole business happened. She feels llike a mother to that boy. She loves him with all her heart. Anyway, in answer to your question, Robert has been extremely specific about what he wants Khaat to eat and when. That makes me be very creative. Especially when I have to consider a couple of youngsters who are just learning ot eat solid food. So, I do try to do my menu planning a bit in advance. I know what foods I can work with and what I can't. You're welcome to sit in on my menu planning when we get to Tuscany if you would like. I'll start by showing you my lists of what Khaat is required to have and what the girls like. Those are the two biggest obstacles. Everyone has some preferences, so if I keep those in mind as much as I can, it gives me a bit of a kitchen challenge, and actually, I rather like challenges."

Jess chuckled at him and nodded " Im afraid so, I think that was part of the problem before she won't admit when things just are too much and she bottles them inside ...bit like her father I guess from what I have seen" she said and listened further " ow that would be good might help me at home with the twins thought thee like the father eat anything " she said and chuckled as she watched him more in his cooking " begining to smell wonderful " and I agree the girls need varaity in the diet so they don't become fussy eaters " she siad closing the fridge door as she moved away to stand next to him to watch him again.

Jack stepped back as the words grew heated it was then he turned to see michael talking to both and breathed out he hated argments especialy between Robert and Khaat " michael's right this is abbys birthday a day of happyness not fights " he moved and sat down playing with Abby and the bear.

When the fish was cleaned, Angus packaged it and put it in the refrigerator for later use. He planned to take it to Tuscany and prepare it there. He flicked his wand to set the table with a set of good china that Khaat had bought and had never used. It was a beautiful spring pattern, and he thought it would be a nice touch. He let Abbey's birthday cake be the centerpiece and arranged it on a cake pedestal, and sent the good silver to arrange itself on a tablecloth made of pink irish linen and trimmed with handmade irish lace. He double checked it when it was done. It looked fine. He set out some beautiful stemmed waterglasses for the iced tea.

"I think we should eat," He told Jess. "Would you set out the applesauce and set out the salad and the vinaigrette, please?" He drew out the large dish of steaming hot macaroni and cheese and set it on the table for everyone. Then he came back and drew out bowls for the girls, and the pitcher of iced tea. He prepared two bottles with milk for the girls and took them to their places.

"Did we forget anything?" he asked jess.

jess smiled and watched him lay the table when he asked her to take out the things he'd asked for she did it and stepped back " not unles you want wine for the adults to toast abbys first birthday " she said and smiled " would be something " she watched as jack walked in and grinned seeing the table infront of him.

"wow looks ..." he took a deep breath " and smells wonderfull Angus " he said and moved to take some apple sauce thought jess smaked his hand he wimpered softly till she kissed his hand better and he laughed " wouldn't it be a nice touch for some champage to toat abby on her first day and her first stepps too ?" he said to angus " what do you think?" he asked