Feminine Fire

"Thank you, Jess," Khaat said softly. "I will write the letter and send it right off to him and then go to bed. I'm going to go to Brian's office to get the parchment and quill." She left her shoes laying on the floor and managed, with some difficulty, to get up and go to the office. She penned the letter, telling him that Steven and Jess and Jack were back and that she expected Angus at any time. She did her best to answer the questions but also skirt around his attempt to box her in by telling him that she and her father had been very busy lately, due to not only the work at St. Mungos but due to the state of affairs within the ministry. She promised that she would indeed follow up and answer the rest of his questions, but she was so glad to hear that he was still alive and doing well that she was anxious to get word back to him that all was well. She urged him to complete his mission for the sake of all the lives that were at stake and then to hurry home. She closed her letter by telling him how very much she loved him.

She sent the letter to Paris by an owl. Once she saw the letter leave, winging its way to Brian, she yawned. "I guess there is nothing more for me to do tonight," she said quietly. "I...I guess I'll go to bed if you all don't care. I'll see you all in the morning. Thank you. And goodnight." She went up to her room and shut the door. She had no idea if what she had written would appease Brian, or if the fact that she had really not answered many of his demands would bring him home.

Jess watched her stand and move to the office she shook hr head but continued to make dishes and apricot scones for breackfast. seeing her reapear she smiled " Khaat , we do care about you but yes sleep you look egstausted " she said and watched her leave to her room knowing Khaat would probably sleep well. She looked at steven who smiled and nodded moving out to the barn.

Steven moved out to the barn and fed watered and cleaned out the stalls it was late when he returned but jack sat drinking a coffee in the kitchen and talking to Jess. He smiled and moved to sit next to him. " I wish she'd have called sooner " he said and jack nodded.

" yeah , I don't mind calling her this place is like a second home and Khaat well she's like sister " he said and sighed " well were back now and will lick this place and khaat into good health, jess you take care of the cooking till angus returns , steven you do th barn and heavy lifting i'll take care of the hosue and the girls, I know not ajob for a man but I can handel it " he said and jess nodded.

"he has been looking after our two with no problems" she said and smile at him " but don't be afraid to ask for help hun" she said softly and jack nodded.

Soon jack and jess headed up to bed steven made one last check opf the perim iter and headed up himself after locking up tight he checked the girls and smiled as Abby held tight to a bear , Dakota was sprawled out in her cot. He left ehm and soon fell asleep rembering to set his alarm early so he could get the hourse out into the paddock and exercise archangel before breakfast.

Khaat was up before daylight--again. She had fallen into a rhythm now with her day. She went to the gym and spent nearly an hour in the pool before anyone else in the house was even conscious. She had gone upstairs, had showered and was dressing before she began to smell the first faint whiffs of coffee and tea brewing downstairs in the kitchen. The house was coming to life. At first it rattled her. She had forgotten that there were others in the house again now. She sat down on the bed, thinking. Her schedule was about to shift again. She had gotten accustomed to taking the girls with her. And now, there was no reason to take them. If that was the case, they could sleep awhile longer. They didn't have to face her grueling schedule. Perhaps that was for the best.

She was about to leave the bedroom when she saw a parchment laying in the fireplace hearth. She accio'd it to her. It was her father's handwriting. She opened it.

It read," I received a letter from Brian in the middle of the night. Your answers were not sufficient. Expect me by breakfast so that you may explain yourself. R." She sighed heavily. This would not be pleasant.

Jess woke and quickly headed down to start breackfast coffe was heating and scones were warming as she lay the table. she cooked a full breackfast coffee tea and eggs, bacon, toast beans and such along with a fruit salad and cereal she could think of little else to do she cleaned the kitchen and moved to the living room seeing the letter in the harth gone she sighed and lit it to warm the house knowing Robert would be turning up anytime soon.

she cleaned the living room and the porch brushing away dead leaves she found before sitting down with a coffee of her own to wait for steven who she felt was awake to come down. Sure enough he did his hair all atustle but he soon got it in order and looked like himself." Morning steven, help your self to food " she said and smiled as he took a coffee and a scone quickly eating as he headed out to the barn.

" Morning all " he said as he moved past them Jess just smiled at him and sipped her drink.

Khaat was just coming down the stairs when she heard the all too familiar sounds of her father apparating in.

"Good morning, Everyone," he said. "Have you seen my daughter yet this morning?"

"I'm right here," she said, at the bottom of the stairs.

"You look like hell," he said.

"You've seen me everyday. This should not be a newsflash to you," she glared at him. She looked at the others and spoke calmly to them. "Good morning. My apologies for all the drama first thing in the morning."

"You might not have told Brian the truth on this," he said, drawing Brian's letter from his suitcoat pocket. "But you will tell me."

"Not until I have a cup of tea at least," she said firmly. "Would you care for some?" she headed for the ktichen.

"I would care for some answers!" he commanded. "I would care to not risk my chief officer because you won't tell him the truth!"

"Stop shouting," she fairly flew back into the living room. "My children are asleep. Give me one bloody moment, and then you can curse at me all you like!' She returned to the kitchen and poured two mugs of tea.

Jess turned to see Robert aperate in "good morning" she stood up and smiled to him she was about to say she had not seen Khaat yet when she heard Khaats voice and turned to look deeming it time to just stay quiet she moved up to check on the girls both stirred slightly at the sound of Roberts voice but the quickly settled again Jess sighed hoping this would blow over quickly.

Steven looked from Robert to Khaat " morning Robert " he said taking archangel he moved outside and down to the barn hearing his voice he sighed as he walked to let the horses out and let Acrchangel fly for awhile " don';t go too far might need you" he said and chuckled watching the eagle fly around.

Khaat handed her father a mug of tea, and he led her off down the hallway to Brian's office. They were gone a good 30 minutes. Then Robert came out alone and went back to the living room, with a parchment in his hand. He looked out the living room door and saw Archangel flying high over the estate. He gave a loud whistle and the eagle dove to respond instantly to his command.

"Take this to Brian," he told the eagle quietly, giving the bird the parchment. The bird flew off with the parchment in its claws, eager for something to do. then he turned to the others. "It would appear that we've all been kept in the dark," Robert said to them. "I had no idea you were off work for so long. Brian did know, but he believed she was dealing with it. And he also believed I was in the loop on what was going on. Neither of which was true, quite obviously. But what you also do not know is that she hasn't had one day off from her work since Brian left. Its not a new pattern for her. She did the same thing when Rob left her. My guess was that it was far easier to work than it was to be alone.

"So, I have given her the next two or three days off. I do not want to put her or these babies at risk. Besides, Abbey and Dakota need some time with their mother. I expect you all back on the job, and if there are any changes in the schedule, it will come from me or from Brian. I am quite sure that when he gets my owl, he will be on his way back home. If I were you, I would expect him in the next day or two. Oh, and by the way, I sent word to Angus. It appears that she put him on the same leave, telling him to take some time to be with his family once the crisis had passed. He may well return today if I know him.

"If you're tempted to be angry with her, try to lay it aside. I am angry enough for all of you, but I do know all too well why she did what she did. If anything, I am angry at myself. I should have foreseen that she might do this old nonsense. And if I know her mother, she will be coming at some point, once I update her."

Jess sighed and looked at Robert as steven walked back at seeing archangel fly off. She looked at him then at Robert " theres no change on my part " she said to him " I had no idea Robert if we had we'd have come back ealier" she said feeling jack wrap his arms around her as he ahd come down the stairs behind her .

" yes we would have , our family is importaner but so are those babies she's carrying " he said kissing jess good morning. He loked at Robert and steven " we have no plans on going anywhere till everything is set and your happy Robert " he said jess nodded her agreement.

"Alright then," Robert said. "All appears to be well here, then. I trust you'll send for me if there is any change. I took her back to her room. It seems she has a massive migraine, and small wonder. I used a powerful pain relief spell. It should hold her for hours. She's just resting now. The spell was powerful enough that it made her quite dizzy. Jess, if you would take her at least a scone or two and some fresh tea, please? Her headache has made her stomach a bit sour. It will clear up in a couple hours, I think. If it does not, send me word straight away. She does not need to be in bed, but I would rather she not try to put in another 16 hour day to day doing anything. I would much prefer she rest a bit. Enjoy herself. Remember how to laugh. All of those things. And if I can get Brian home to her sooner, I will. I will wager that is at the root of what is causing all this."

steven looked at him " well barns sorted , jess is cooking till angus comes back and jack is taking care of the house" he said Jess stepped foreward head ing to the stairs and up . in the nursary she found abby and dakota awake , quickly she changed them and brought both down.

"look who I found wake " she said and smiled placing them in their playpen.she lookd at Robert "I could arrange a barbaque for dinner Angus left some of his rub and some chops so it would not take too long to put to gether with a salad " she said loking up at him " and don't worry she will relax were all in agreement on that, we had a talk before you came " Jack and steven nodded bot stood side by side with there arms crossed on their chests.