Rain

"It sounds like an excellent idea. Brian bought a lovely bottle in France several years ago and he never had cause to open it. Its been just aging and waiting for a good cause," Angus said. "I'll go get it." He disappeared downstairs to the wine cellar and brought up the prized bottle of champagne. He called to Robert.

"Robert, do you still remember how to do saber service?" Angus asked.

"Yes, but its been years since I've done it. And I don't exactly have a saber with me," he said.

"Sabers we have," Angus laughed. "Do you mind?"

"No, but I believe I'll do it outside," Robert said. Angus brought a large antique sword from its place on the wall of Brian's office. Robert doublechecked it. "Should do," he answered. He took the sword in its sheath and the bottle.

"Come watch," Khaat said to everyone. "I've only seen Daddy do this once."

jack chuckled and move with Jess to watch he'd never seen this type of opening a bottle before and so was intrested he could tell by jess's smile she was too and he wrapped his arms around her waist as he stood waiting for him to un cork the bottle in a way he ahd not seen before " so whats he going to do?" he asked " uncorking I undeerstand but with a saber, that I don't ?" he said and waited.

Jess heard Robert and grinned " wow not going to miss this" she said and smiled as she moved to Jack's side " its great he takes the top off with the saber I have only seein it done once before and even then he took the whole top of " she chuckled and rested back agauinst jack who she felt hold her tight she liked it as she now felt warm and not cold as she first had when she stepped out.

Everyone else followed outside. Angus picked up Dakota, and Brian picked up Abbey and made sure the girls got to go out with them. Robert took the wire and foil off the top of the bottle and made sure he was holding the bottle in the proper direction. He laid the edge of the saber at a precise angle against the lower lip of the bottle to give him an idea of where he needed to aim and tried to get the stroke fixed in his head. He made sure no one was too close. He didn't want anyone hit with a flying glass shard.

He double checked everything, and taking a rather deep breath to calm and steady himself, he took one large, dramatic and forceful stroke against the lower lip of the bottle, just below the bottom edge of the cork. The cork, still in the glass neck of the severed off bottle shot off into the distance. Robert quickly righted the bottle so the champagne would not all shoot out of the bottle.

"Oh, well done!" Kate applauded him. Michael and the others joined in the applause.

"I knew you could still do it," Michael smiled. "You'd better let them know that you won't be serving them broken glass in their drinks."

"Oh, well, yes. That's true," Robert said. "The saber service cuts the bottle in such a way that there are no glass shards to end up in your glass. Its perfectly safe. It is, though, a rather nice way to open a bottle."

"I'll take that and serve it," Kate said, going to him and taking the bottle inside to find the glasses. He dried the blade of the saber and sheathed it.

"Thank you, Daddy," Khaat said.

"You're very welcome," he smiled.

Jack was taken aback as the top flew off and the bottle was left with no top " wow " he said and clapped " that was amazing " he said. Jack smiled " guess that was a once in a life time experiance " he said and grinned watching jess head to the kitchen and return with a tray of champane flutes.

jess nodded she agreed and chuckled at the comment that they would not get glass in their glasses. moving she picked up a tray and moved to Robert " would you do the honers" she asked holding it for him to pore out the glasses for everyone to have a drink.

"My pleasure," Robert smiled. He poured the glasses, and was sure to include a glass for Khaat. "Just one for the mom-to-be, but its not fair that she not get any on her first child's first birthday. Even I'm not that hard hearted." He smiled at Jess. "But she doesn't get more than that. As a matter of fact..." He took the first elegant crystal champagne glass and handed it to Khaat. "Here, my dear. This certainly beats where we were last year this time of the day."

He was right. Last year this time, her life and Abbey's had hung by a thread as slender as a spider's web. She didn't regret Abbey. Not for one moment. But she would rather be here than doing that again. She looked at her father. "You do realize we will be doing that again, right?"

"Not like that we won't," he laughed. "I refuse. We're doing to do it a whole lot healthier this time. No lives at risk if we can prevent that." he returned and helped Jess pass out the rest of the glasses to everyone. Once the glasses were distributed, he looked at Brian. "This toast should be yours, Son."

"Oh," Brian said, unprepared. "Well, alright. To my gorgeous fiancee and my beautiful daughter. I can't think of any place else I'd rather be or anyone else I'd rather be with. Thank you both for making my life so worthwhile. And to Abbey, a very happy birthday, may you have at least a hundred more." He kissed Khaat and Abbey both softly on the cheek and raised his glass.

Jess nodded and smiled but let him take Khaats glass as she handed out the others ahd took ehr own being the last as she placed the tray on the table and raised it when brian did the toast she smiled and took a drink touching glasses with them all and Jack as she smiled to him.

Jack took his glass and held in he chuckled as Brian made his speech and he too rasied his glass loking at Jess as she looked at him " and to a hope that I don't screw up again " he whispered to jess softly and smiled at her.

jess faced him and nodded " yes lets hope not " she drank her champaine and moved to hold Jack close.

"And now, let's all enjoy that birthday lunch," Robert said, motioning them to the dining room. He led the way where everything was laid out beautifully.

"Thank you, Jess and Angus," Khaat smiled. "It is absolutely beautiful. I hope someone is going to take pictures of this beautiful feast before we demolish it."

"I hadn't thought about it," Brian said. "I'd only thought about eating it." He put Abbey in her high chair as Angus put Dakota in hers. Both babies smelled food and began to get excited and chatter loudly.

"I think they're hungry," Angus laughed.

"So am I," Brian replied. "If we taking pictures, lets hurry up while the babies are still happy about it. Jess? You still got that camera handy, by any chance?"

Jess accioed the wizard camera into her hand and smiled " right here Brian " she said dna snapped a picture of the girls excitely waiting for the food " ok now one of the perants" she said and snapped on each magicaly apearing in the book as each one was taken. All she saw happy and smiling. Jess chuckled as Abby hit jack on the head with hr bear as he sat next to her " I think she wants that spot for her dad " she said and chuckled as he moved to let brian sit beside abby. " ok the cake " she said and lit one candle and moved it infront of brian and Abby " does mom and dad want to help?" she looked at Khaat and positioned the camera to capture that moment as they blew out the candle together.

Jack moved to behind jess and smiled " rember when ours turned one, I know it was double trouble " he said and chuckled he loked down at jess who quickly kissed him and told him she did rember and it was the hapiest time of her life.

"Make a wish," Brian said to Khaat softly. She looked at Brian, closed her eyes for a moment, making a wish for Abbey. She and Brian blew out the single candle on the cake together. "What did you wish for?" Brian asked, as they sat down together.

"I wished for Abbey to have the sort of peaceful happy life that every parent wants for their child," Khaat smiled. Brian laughed.

"What's so funny?" Khaat asked.

"I wished for the same thing. That and lots of grandkids and great grandkids,"he laughed.

"One generation at a time, please," Robert laughed. Angus put new pretty printed baby bowls in front of the girls with their lunches. Abbey saw the noodles in her bowl and got excited. Brian laughed as she picked up the macaronis one at a time to eat them with her fingers. Dakota was about to throw hers but Brian looked at her and said to her, pretending to be firm, "No, no, no. No throwing. Eat it." She stuck out her bottom lip at him, pouting. Robert roared with laughter.

"Who in the world taught her how to manipulate her father like that?" Robert was laughing so hard he could hardly talk.

"It only counts as manipulation if it works," Brian laughed. "So far, its cute, but its not working."

Jess snapped the shot and in it went to the book she smiled and chuckled at there wish " I think she'd be happy with her dinner" She said and laughed at Dakotas face "awe thats so cute " she said and snapped a pic for the future. Jess sat down and started to eat her own food beside jack " some times I wish i could have more but then i rember the trouble i have with the twins and I change my mind " she said smiling a she drank the last of her wine.

Jack wrapped his arm around Jess as she sat next to him he could feel her against him and he loved it and her " yeah you almost had them in the town hall if it hadn't been for Robert and Khaat you would have " he said to her kissing her cheek " anyway happy birthday Abby and have many more happy ones to come" he said as he to ate his meal smiling.