Rain

"I don't mind, but I'll tell you who would truly enjoy it," Khaat said. "My mother. She has time on her hands, and she would dearly love to have something more to be involved in. Your offer is very kind, but I think it would be just my mother's style."

"That is an excellent choice," Robert smiled. "I think she'd like it too. Good idea. But, Jack, and Steven, you too. That's just who Jen is. The only way that people will stop seeing werewolves and their friends as less than adequate is if we all continue to stand up to be counted. Show them through maturity and sophistication that you aren't the stereotype. My suggestion is that you both continue for awhile in the Aurors and don't leave because Brian did. I'd like to see you stay awhile--for me. Not for Jen. Consider it, at least."

jess thought about it and smiled " your right it would be good to have Kate as a co owner " she said and smiled now thinking of things she could do she knew old MADAM MALKIN's was still not bought yet and she thought about all the possibilitys she could have with such a place.

Jack listened to Robert and sighed along with steven who now stood against the wall behind them " ok I will but only because you asked any more of her snips or comments and im out of there I don't need it right now" jack said Steven looked at Robert " I'll stay coz saome one needs to keep an eye on her " he said and folded his arms across his chest.

"Well, as I hear it, the previous owner has decided to relocate and Madam Malkins has been run, and rather poorly, from a distance," Khaat said.

"You are correct," Robert said. "The deed for it is in my office awaiting someone to make a reasonable offer on it. I think you and Kate could make a good go of it, personally. As for Jen, don't take that all too seriously. Part of it with her, I am quite positive, is that Jen has a total dislike for paperwork too, and law enforcement is at least 50% paperwork. I don't think she is seeing as much street action as she wants. I think she is just genuinely unhappy with the post as a whole. But I am interested in what you meant by your comment, Jack, when you say you don't need it right now. Is there something else going on in your life that you haven't told me about? Too many responsibilities between working for me and working for the Ministry perhaps?"

Brian hadn't even considered that it would be too much. His own decision to leave had not been based at all on a work overload. It had been based entirely on freeing up some of Khaat's workload in anticipation of at least the next several months. He simply watched on in interest to see how Jack would respond.

Jess nodded at Brians comment and felt so much better now in asking them . She loked at jack when he commented and frowned at him.

Jack looked at jess and Brian and shook his head " no , no way , working for you and the ministry I can handel its just how I feel with the way she is and controling the wear inside" he said " I enjoy both I just hope nether cross " he looked at Brian and at Jess " besides I know some one who would kill me if i left you and her long time best freind " he said and smiled seeing her smile at him. " I will be truth ful that if i had a choice i would decide to work for you first , what we have done so far has gone along way to help many children as for the ministry well" he stopped " they haven't called on me once and when they did i was put into just patroling the grounds " he sat down next to Jessica. " but i'll stay just to see what happens, and your right guess jen dosn't know just what real Auror work is all about " he said and heard steven chuckle behind him.

Steven walked in and heard Jack talking " jack just grow a thick skin, its what im gonna do " he said and smiled " hey, barns all set " he said and grabbed a mug of coffee for himself and sat in a large chair " as Robert probably said Jen's just board " he said smirking.

"I can't lose you all out of there," Robert said, "I'll have no one left. Hang in. It will get better. How's the arm now, Khaat? Still hurting?"

"No, I'm fine," she said. She wasn't going to let anyone know it was still pounding inside the new cast. Brian looked at her and scowled.

"Liar," he said. "I can see it on your face."

"Let's immobilize it a bit more and take the pressure off it," Robert said. He drew out a sling from his bag and put her arm in a sling. The throbbing and pounding started to ease up. "Better?" he asked. She nodded. "You can't let it hang down. It has to be at least level or you'll get swelling and pounding. We'll keep an eye on it. I really didn't mean to do so much damage. I just really wanted you to let go of me. Honest."

"I know," she said softly. They had had training accidents before. This wasn't that much different, not really.

"Angus," Brian said, "As the new co-owner of Sparks and the new manager, I'm going to order you to finish that damned cooking class. Heaven knows Lizzie and I could use the help."

"I'm being ordered?" Angus frowned.

"Yes. Immediately. Jess can handle the cooking for us when you're in class, we've told you that. Now I'm making it an order," Brian said.

"I think he means it this time," Khaat looked at Angus.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Angus sighed.

"What's so hard about this last class?" Khaat asked. "Why not just do it?"

"Its a course on casino management. I have absolutely no intention on ever managing a casino," Angus sighed.

"If you can manage this house so proficiently, you can handle a management course, no matter what you're actually managing. Go do it," Robert said. Angus groaned.

Jess chuckled at Roberts words and poked Jack " your staying in the Aurors ,your good at that " she said and saw Jack give in and smiled.

" ok, ok, Robert I'll stay guess i'll be using that puntch bag alot after missions for her " he said and chuckled " well guess i'll see you at that meeting jen's called" he said to steven who rolled his eyes at him.

" who said you'd begoing alone we go together" he said and smiled at Robert " not going to lose me there Robert Im sticking nomatter what she dose or says" he said " my hides made of leather and it takes alot to get under it" he grinned at them all.

Khaat watched Abbey crawl over and pull herself up on the denim fabric of Khaat's jeans. She wanted Khaat to pick her up. Brian leaned over and picked her up and began making baby noises at her. She giggled and squealed with delight as Brian gave her so much attention.

"My big girl is going to have her first birthday tomorrow," he smiled, tickling her.

"Is it tomorrow?" Khaat frowned. She had lost all track of time while she was gone

"It certainly is," Brian said.

"I have absolutely nothing done," Khaat sighed.

"You do too. You've been buying gifts for weeks. You have enough for this child to last her until she graduates from Hogwarts."

"The menu is all planned," Angus said. "I really don't see that you have a thing to worry about. And, Jess, weren't you handling the decorations and the cake?"

Jess chuckled " all sorted " she said smiling they should be being delivered this afternoon . No sooner as she had stopped talking she saw several white boxes apear in the kitchen and on the dinning room table and she smiled placing one box to one side in the fridge " that one is her cake I need to finish it but you'll love it, Lizzy backed it " she smiled as she took out streamers and balons and a banner that ready "HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY ABBY" she smiled asshe placed it or tried to on the wall above the fire place jack walked over to her and lifted her so she could place it and smiled at his hands around her waist . Turning to Khaat " do you like it?" she asked Khaat " my gift is in the kitchen too" she said and looked at Abby " I think you will love it".

"It looks wonderful, Jess," Khaat smiled. That made Brian smile seeing her smile again.

"Thank you, Jess," Brian said. "Its perfect. The cake and the banner both. So we're just doing a dinner at home?"

"Thats what I want," Khaat said. "Just close family and friends. Just a come as you are sort of a thing." She looked at her father. "You both are coming, right?"

"Certainly!" her father said. "Your mother has bought enough baby gifts to take care of ten babies."

"Good for her," Angus laughed. "She's a champion shopper."

"So is Khaat," Brian laughed. "I think it comes on the female genetics."

"Well, Jess is a great shopper too, so that could well be," Khaat said. Just then she heard Dakota let out a wail and start to cry and it sounded closeby. She watched Max come in from the kitchen and go straight to the sofa she and Brian were sitting on and duck underneath it, All she could see was his tail sticking out from underneath.

"I'm thinking he's telling us she's under the sofa," Brian said. Angus got down on the floor and looked. Then he started to laugh. "She's tried to crawl under the sofa and now she's stuck."

"Allow me," Robert said. He knelt down on the floor, drawing his wand. He fired at her, and a moment later, he accio'd her out, and he'd shrunken her to get her out. She was half her normal size.

"Daddy!" Khaat panicked.

"Oh, relax, would you?" he said, sitting down with her. "We used to shrink you all the time." He returned Dakota to her normal size.

"So thats whats wrong with her," Brian joked. Khaat elbowed him with her good arm.

Jess smiled at Khaat and stood with jack listening she layghed when Khaat mentioned her in regards her shopping " could be Khaat " she said and laughed as a shrunken Dakota was oulle out from under the sofa " aww I have to rember that for my twins " she said and looked at jack.

" hey, your not shrinking any of our kids " he said smiling " they would love it too much" he said and chuckled as he kissed her cheek " you want ahand putting up teh rest of teh decorations?" he asked her and saw her nod as she said she would. opening box several pink and white baloons floated out long ribbon sat attatched.

" thats why I asked for the long ribbons " jess explained and grabbed three tiying them to a weighted box and placed it on the fire place ether side of the banner more were placed around the room " its just sand in the boxes so if she manages to get it open it just vacumes up" she said smiling " envromentaly freindly too" she said and smiled at jack.