Rain

"It's their loss, Jess," Robert smiled at her. "And our gain. They have no idea what they missed. Thank you. I am tired tonight, though. I think I'm going to go to bed. Maybe its the sea air. Who knows? Sleep well whenever you go, Jess. Goodnight." He left the nursery, heading for his room.

Brian had gone and satisfied himself that Kieran was alright. He found his brother in such a deep, deep sleep that he didn't expect him to wake for hours. He saw no point in disturbing him. He came back downstairs, hearing Angus starting to put something on in the kitchen. He knew Angus's habits. He was making an egg casserole for an easy breakfast so it could set overnight in the fridge.

"Did Robert get lost?" Brian asked.

"I doubt it," Kate said. "He looked tired. My guess is that he'll surrender to it and go to bed. I think I'll go myself. Goodnight, Boys. Play nice." She got up and left.

"Jack, I think Angus is making breakfast, shall we take a quick look around to secure the place for the night, then?"

Jess smiled and nodded feeling inside it ment alot to her to hear those words fom him and nodded " sleep well Robert " she said she staid for a moment then headed down passing kate on her way up " night Kate , Robert just left to sleep " she said and headed to the living room. Jess shook her head when she saw jack finish his sandwich.

Jack was down to his last bite , pushing it in his mouth and nodded to Brian , swollowing the sandwitch he spoke " sure " he stood up and moved to jess kissing her as he passed " go to bed " he said softly and headed out the door to patrol the external of the villa.

Jes sat down and pored a cup of coffee " do you need any help angus?" she asked him not really wanting to head to bed yet even if she did feel tired.

"I plan to put a couple of chickens in a roaster and set them to slow cook all night in the oven. I want them to braise slowly. You could get them ready. Stuff their cavities with wedges of citrus fruit, onion and large sprigs of fresh herbs. I'd use sage and rosemary if I were you. Add one of the containers of organic chicken stock from the pantry. Put them in the same roaster together and then put them in the oven on just a slow simmer," Angus said. "By that time, I'll be ready to head off myself."

When Brian finished his check, he returned back to the living room. He figured Jack would return from the half he had decided to double check at any time. Everyone was looking tired tonight. He knew the crew had gotten up early. It had been a very, very full day. He was hoping tomorrow would be a bit slower and more relaxing. If that were the case, he expected there would be a lot of people dozing off and on to let their bodies catch up with their minds.

Jess listened and did as she was asked taking the herbs and onions that he'd told her to and stuffed the chicken placing it in a container then she got the stock poring alittle in to moison the chikens she placed them on teh oven an stepped back holding back a yawn as she did. " ok angus there in" she said and sat down on a stool.

Jack returned from his patrol and yawned before he could say a single word to him " all done and secure captian" he said and yawned yet again. He saw jess sititng loking as tired as he was and walked over to her " you done here?" he asked but before she coul speak he scooped her up in his arms " bed mrs heart " he said and chuckled and yawned himself " good night all " he said and carried her to their room.

When Khaat had gone to bed, she had slept like a dead woman. She and Michael had simply sat together on the sofa in their suite and talked for hours while they enjoyed the night air. When they finally went to sleep, it hadn't taken her a moment to fall into utter collapse. When she woke now, she saw bright, fresh sunlight. The kind that came only in the earliest hours of the morning, when the light was still new. She got up and put on her robe and realized she had forgotten a brush. She had braided her hair with a rubber band, so it wasn't too awful, but still, she had forgotten more than she'd bought. She took out the braid and ran her fingers through her hair. She opened the door of the bedroom and found Michael coming out of the bathroom, freshly cleaned and shaven, a handtowel tossed over his shoulder.

"Good morning!" he was bright and chipper. "I thought perhaps you'd sleep awhile longer, as late as we were up last night."

"No," she said. "I slept well, but the babies woke me up."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yes, I think," she smiled. She took his hand and laid it on her stomach. He looked at her, a stunned look on his face. "Kicking," she smiled. "Lots of it. There are two more feet down there to kick with."

"Amazing," he said softly. "Does it..hurt?"

"No," she said, smiling. "It does play games with my head, though. Makes me realize they're both there, and they're real."

"You didn't know that last night?"

"I know it better now," she said, just as there was a knock on the door. Michael answered. It was room service. He paid them, and the steward left.

"Its just tea. I didn't plan on you being awake yet. Shall we go out for breakfast before we go home?"

"I'd like that," she said as he poured her a cup of tea. He handed it to her.

"Well, I'm done in the bathroom. It's all yours."

"Thank you."


Robert and Kate met Brian in the gym. He had already been there long enough to be soaking wet with sweat. "Lad, you're going to wear yourself out before your first cup of coffee. What's the big push about?"

"I haven't the foggiest idea," he said, out of breath. "I just needed to work something off. Care to join me?"

"Yes, we would," Kate said. "I refuse to let him get old. I passed Angus in the kitchen. Smelled like he's baking scones already. Any word from Venice?"

"Its too early," Robert laughed. "They're probably asleep still."

Jess woke to jack holding her and she smiled as she kissed him gently seeing his eyes flutter open and he smiled at her " morning " she said and he kissed her back.

" morning " he said and held her close to him and then sat up " I need to patrol " he lent down and kissed her deeply " thats for last night " he said grining as he saw her blush " you still have it in you jess" he chuckled as he dressed leaving jess in bed smiling.

jessica blushed as he mentiond there nightly activity, she kissed him back " I forgot how well you can preform" she said and saw him grin as he left out teh door. Slipping from the bed she quickly showerd and headed down stairs seing jack head out the french doors. " everything ok Angus?" she asked " would you like some help?" she hoped so to keep her busy.

"No," Angus said, "Not unless you want to set the table for breakfast. The casserole is done, and the scones just came out of the oven. Tea and coffee are both ready, and I made a citrus punch for breakfast with all sorts of fresh fruit, and...oh, damn. I forgot to go get the girls up and bathed and dressed. Jess? Do you mind? I hate to ask, but..." His words were coming out in a bit of a rush. He hated it when he had missed something, and he dearly loved Abbey and Dakota. "Its going to be hot today, so I laid out some sunsuits for them. The pink one with the butterflies belongs to Abbey, and the one with yellow and orange stripes with the cute little bees is Dakotas. I think there are also some little bitty baby flipflops in their dresser drawer. Have you noticed how long Abbey's hair is getting? She's going to have long full hair like her mother. I'll set the table--unless you've trained Max on how to bathe them and dress them and get them up."

Khaat enjoyed every second of the warm shower and washed her hair before she remembered she still had no comb or brush. She dried herself off and dressed in the beautiful white gauze maxi length sundress with its spaghetti straps and lace trim. She didn't have her wand, so even a simple glamour spell was out of the question. She sighed, frustrated, as she came out of the bathroom, still drying her hair in a hotel towel.

"That was an awfully heavy sigh on such a beautiful morning," Michael frowned. "What was that about?"

"I have a white dress and blue shoes. I have no comb, no brush, no muggle makeup even...." she began her list and he began to laugh. He came over to her, laid his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead.

"But I," he said very deliberately and quietly, "have a wand. What color do you want your shoes?" She went to a muggle magazine and showed him a picture of some delicate little natural colored sandals.

"Can you do this?" she asked.

"Piece of cake," he said, flicking his wand at the shoes and transfiguring them to duplicate the ones in the designer fashion magazine. "Now, a slight glamour spell for your hair and makeup, then?"

"Please?"

"Hair up or hair down? I suggest up. Its going to be hot today."

"Surprise me. Do as you wish with me. I'm all yours," she smiled. He smiled. He waved his wand and cast a glamour spell. Her hair was dried and styled in a very stylish updo. He took a gold sickle and transfigured it into a gold hair comb for her hair and handed it to her. She put it into her hair to hold the updo together.

"Thank you," she said softly. "Can I keep the comb?"

"Its just a sickle, Khaat."

"No, its a beautiful golden hair comb, and I love it."

"Its yours. Check and see if I did you justice with your makeup." She went to the mirror. The makeup was very subtle, but yet, it was perhaps the best glamour spell she had ever had in her life. She turned and looked at him.

"Is this really how you see me?" she asked.

"No, not entirely," he said honestly.

"Show me?"

"You really want to see?"

"Please?" She asked. He flicked his wand again, looked at her and then slowly nodded. She turned and looked in the mirror. She was stunned. She had never seen a more beautiful face in all her life. And while it looked like her, it was...more. "Really? This is how you see me?"

"Its how I've always seen you, Sweetheart," he said softly. "Shall I change it back?"

"No," she said, wanting him to have his fantasy, even if just for today. "Leave it."

"Sit and enjoy your tea. I'll pack for us, and then we can go to breakfast. If we don't get back soon, that young man of yours will come and turn Venice upside down looking for us."

"I can do it," she offered.

"Sit," he smiled. "Its my pleasure."

"Michael," she said, sitting and picking up her teacup. "Promise me one thing."

"Name it."

"Dont' ever be gone out of my life again. Not ever."

"I haven't been gone, have I?" he frowned at her. He saw a single tear at the corner of her eye. He walked over and caught it on his finger. Then his voice became soft and affectionate. "But I haven't been close enough, have I?" She shook her head, looking into her lap. "Then I shall be so close you get tired of tripping over me. Khaat, you didn't lose me last night. That's in the past. I thought we settled that last night."

"We did," she said, pulling herself together. "Hormones, Michael."

"Ah. Then I shall buy more kleenex," he laughed. She laughed as he turned and began to pack their last few things, shrinking them and putting them into a plastic shopping bag. "I hate plastic," he sighed. 'It's so muggle." He cast a spell to make a canvas shoulder bag. "That's better. Shall we go to breakfast then?" He held out his hand to her. They went downstairs, and the desk clerk stopped and simply stared when he saw Khaat's face. Michael cleared his throat to get the young man's attentions back on their check out. Michael noticed that the clerk had tried to be casual about looking at Khaat's left hand, scouting for a wedding ring. He was disappointed when he saw the cluster of emeralds and diamonds there. Michael took Khaat's hand and led her out of their hotel and down the street a few blocks to a sidewalk cafe. He got an outdoor table for them and ordered them Italian coffee and breakfast.

Jess chuckled and smiled " sure Angus and stop panicing " she said and chuckled walking up to the girls room she found both sitting up in the cribs taking abby she dressed her first then Dakota she accioed the hats she ahd bought and suncream and placed them on the heads , a light white one for Abby and a black and yellow one to match Dakotas suit . finishing she carried both down to the living room placing them in there high chairs " two little girls ready for some food " she said smiling at Angus.

"Good," Angus said, "Because its ready." He called for the others in the gym. He was about to step back into the kitchen when he narrowly missed being smacked in the head by a coffee cup that had filled itself and was on its way up the stairs. Angus rolled his eyes. "Looks like Kieran is awake and trying to see if anything works. We all might have to duck for a few days until he develops his aim a bit." Angus floated two baby bowls with bits of egg and little bites of scone out to Jess. "I'll send sippy cups of juice in a moment," he called to her. He sent the large egg casserole out to the table, a large platter of scones, and the pitcher of juice, along with pots of tea and coffee. Then he sent out the sippy cups.

Brian led the group upstairs, and he saw the beautiful breakfast laid out. He went over and kissed Abbey, and she wrinkled her nose at his sweaty smell. He laughed. "I get it. I'll be right back," he said. "Give me two minutes, All." He dashed up the stairs and showered quickly and put on a pair of denim shorts and a red sleeveless tee shirt. He decided to go barefoot. He combed out his wet hair and came back down and wasn't gone more than about 3 minutes total.

"Lovely breakfast as always, Angus," Brian said. He kissed Dakota this time, and she giggled at him and how his wet hair tickled her. About that time, Kieran came fairly bouncing downstairs in his swim trunks.

"Well, I dont' need to ask you how you feel," Robert said.

"I feel like a new man!" Kieran replied enthusiastically.

"Well, you look like an old one," Brian teased. "Sit down and eat, Old Man."

Jess placed each bowl buy each baby and began letting them eat from the bowls she saw kjeiran and laughed softly at brians comment "good to see you awake kerian and feeling so good too " she said and smiled as she handed Abby her sippy cup then Dakota. She watched them both eat and she smiled catching some food Dakota tried to drop and placed it back in the bowl. She turned and took some of her own food and ate keeping an eye on the girls. She smiled as jack waked over and kissed her as he came back from patrol. " hey honey " she said and smiled.

Jack checked around the perimiter and found nothing a miss and headed abck when he smelt food. walking in he went and kissed jess smiling to her as she called him honey " hey love" he said softly to her and sat down getting his breakfast " great food Angus " he said eating.