Feminine Fire

"As I said, its up to you," Brian said. "I haven't taken the time to talk to Jack to tell him that Jess can't be around Khaat, but I'm sure he knows that. I'm thinking he wants to be away from her for a bit. If that's the case, you two have 2 choices. Check out the garden cottage, or I'll have Jeffrey take Jess to the cottage and then you and Jack can have the stables. You'd enjoy the game room more anyway. Or, you can move into the manor house. I really don't care. For all I know, Jeffrey may want to take her back to England or Switzerland. We'll know more after he sees her. But you two do need to quit fooling around about where the devil you're going to sleep so you can get on with your other duties." He sighed heavily. "Sorry. I'm just really pissed at her. I think I'm just being a father--and, well, a husband. You know what we went through with Abbey. I will do whatever it takes to keep that from repeating itself. She and I are both nervous about this...Well, look who I'm talking to. I'm sure you were nervous about your twins too, and I know Jack was nervous about his too."

Steven listened to him and smiled when he apologused " hey its ok my dutes come first I'll find where i sleep at the end of the day , most likly will be the stables and jess can have te cottage with it being out of the way " he said and chuckled " well ours were a but of a suprise at there apearance but yes I was just like you" he said smiling .


Jack walked in to the kitchen and sighed poring some coffee for himself " well jeffery and sarah are here " he said and smiled " I caught what you said and yes I was so terrified but everything went well" he said sighing as he drank the coffee and felt the caffine take over " maybe I need a mans night where I get drunk" he looked at Steven " with out the tattoo's " he said and chuckled " hows Khaat I saw her asleep on the couch" he asked concerned.

"Kieran has been taking very good care of her," Brian said. "Thank goodness. Alright. I'm going to go down and have a word with either Jeffrey or Sarah. I want this sorted out. Besides I need the walk."

He took a walk down to the stables and walked in, without invitation. He found Jeffrey in the kitchen. "Where's Jess?" he asked.

"Hello to you too," Jeffrey smiled. "You do look like a man on the edge, my friend. Jess and Sarah have taken a walk over to the cottage. If you don't mind, I plan on moving her over there. I want the house smaller, to force her to be closer to Sarah and me, and I don't want her any closer to you than I have to be."

"You were reading my mind," Brian said.

"What's bugging you, Brian?" Jeffrey asked.

"I"m alright," Brian smiled. "But thanks."

"No, come on. Give."

"Khaat's pregnant. With twins. And at four months she already looks like she did when she was ready to deliver with Abbey. She's huge."

"You're kidding me," he frowned.

"No, I"m serious. Do you think I get this way for nothing?"

"No," Jeffrey said slowly. "You don't. She feeling alright?"

"Yes, but Jess is making her really stressed."

"All the more reason to separate them."

"Thank you, Jeffrey."

"Anytime. Just do me a favor? Stock the kitchen over there, would you?"

"Sure. but I'll make sure we send over the meals from the manor house. That will be the least of your worries."

"Good plan."

"And in the meantime, I'm going to turn over this place to Jack and to Steven."

"Good. They could both use some bachelor time," Jeffrey laughed. "I'll update you when I know more."

"Please," Brian said. "I'll let you get back to your work."

"Brian," Jeffrey said, as Brian went to leave. "Could I stop over and see Khaat?"

"Of course. You dont have to ask. You're a friend. Just come."

"Thanks," He smiled. "Sarah will be tickled."

Brian walked back to the manor house and into the kitchen where he found Angus and Steven. "Alright, Steven. Its settled. Jeffrey is taking Jess to the cottage, and you and Jack get the stables. Enjoy the bachelor life for a few days. Angus, be sure the kitchens are stocked in all 3 houses. Get the crew from Paris to help if you need to, please. Make sure none of the houses are in need of anything. Meals will be prepared here and sent to Jess, Jeffrey and Sarah in the cottage until Jeffrey determines otherwise. Steven, you and Jack can either cook your own in the stable's kitchen or come over and join us. We will plan on you joining us unless you let us know otherwise...."

Khaat came in, feeling a bit sleepy, Kieran following her. She saw quickly the frown on Brian's face. "Brian? What's going on?" He looked at her and sighed heavily.

"You might as well know," he said. "I brought Jeffrey and Sarah here for Jess. They have taken her to the cottage. They're going to be there with her until they can snap her out of this." Khaat sighed.

"We should have not allowed her to come back. You should have listened to me. She just can't deal with the job. She can't deal with being away from her family, and she can't deal with me!" Khaat exploded. "This was exactly what I was trying to prevent!..."

"Khaat," Brian said, "Let it go. Leave it to Jeffrey, alright? Let's wait and see what he says. We don't know that this is about you or the job or her kids. We don't know what its about...."

"Hey, KIddo," Kieran said to her, "Let's get out of here. Let them talk business. I saw a wizard's chess board. Come see if you can beat me, alright?"

"Alright," she sighed, following him out.

"You two help Kieran and me keep an eye on Khaat, without crowding her. This is getting to her. She feels immensely guilty for this. She thinks this is her fault for letting Jess come back at all. I'm going to have to work like hell to keep Jess' job for her. Khaat's going to want me to let her go for Jess's own good. I don't want to do that. I'll try to talk to her, but lets try to not let it overly get to her."

steven chuckled as Brian talked about where he would sleep " thats fine with me I'll make sure jack relaxes, we will " he said chukaling as he picked up his bag and moved out to the stables quickly returning to sit watching them play chess. He sat watching finding it facinating with each move he'd only plaid it once and even then he lost. Now he watched two people who know how to play it playing reall good.



Jack stood at the window watching the cottage but he soon turned to sit down in his he had a cup of coffee. he watched the game and sighed forcing himself not to think about jess in any way but to think of khaat and the babies she carried inside her.

Several hours later after talking to jeffery he walked back up to the main house his hands in his pocket he didn't like what hewas about to do but he decided he had to for the sake of his childern. he was going to ask a lot from Khaat and brain but he knew it would be better for her . He walked in followed by jeffery and he looked at them all " I have asked jeffery to take Jess back with him " he said and loked at them " I think its for the best she's clearly not right still , I would also ask Khaat if you could do me a favor with a few things" he said softly.

Khaat and Brian both knew by the looks on Jeffrey's and Jack's face that this was not the best news possible. Jeffrey came over and kissed Khaat on the cheek.

"You look marvelous," he smiled.

"Thank you," Khaat replied. "Jess isn't good, is she?" Jeffrey shook his head.

"What's your diagnosis, Jeffrey?" Brian asked.

"I'm just going to cut to the end game here," Jeffrey said. "Her thoughts are very illogical and unpredictable. That makes her emotions and her behaviors just as unpredictable. We could continue with her here, but it would make little difference. The bottom line is that I have to get her back to Switzerland. This isn't going to change overnight. I can't give you any predictions on how long this will take. In the meantime, she is not capable of making her own decisions."

"Jeffrey," Khaat asked. "Did I do this to her?"

"Is that what you thought?" Jeffrey frowned. "No. You didnt' do this. This is all her own doing. Thought errors, overly emotional reactions to illogical thoughts, poor behaviors to all of the illogical thoughts and to being overly emotional....No. This is not you."

"So what do you need from me?" she asked.

Now it was jack who spoke as he sat down " I kneed you to take her off active duty with the organisation , sign over her half of the shop so I have control till shes better,also im not letting her see the kids till she can prove to me with out a shadow of a dought she is ok " he said with a deep sigh and looked at them " I have no choice she is too erratic Khaat you saw her today she had ago at me just for asking what was wrong and she couldn't give me an awnser" he looked at jeffery it pained his heart to do this but he had to think of his kids first " my mother will look after them for me while im here " he said now needing a drink more than ever at this point. He was not even sure he would still have a marrage if she continued as she was.

"What do you need me to get for you, Khaat?" Brian asked, handing her a scratch pad and a pen. She made him a list of documents and handed them to him. It meant sending him to her office in the Ministry. "Alright. I'll be back," He kissed her. He rose and apparated out.

He returned about 30 minutes later. "I saw your father," Brian told Khaat. "He completed the forms for you so he could file copies at the ministry. You might want to read it." He handed her the documents. Khaat read, sighing heavily.

"He's right," she said softly. "He's made the right choices. Jack, there are five documents here. One makes you the half owner of Madam Malkin's. One gives you sole custody of all the children indefinitely. One gives you sole control over all her assets. One gives you guardianship over Jess indefinitely. And the last one ends her job with Daddy's organization completely. He has no choice. There is a note. He says he will reconsider when Jess is better. All of these things can be reversed or nullified when she is recovered, but until then, he's remaining firm on it. Jack, I'm really sorry."

"I presume you are going to want to go to Switzerland with her?" Brian asked. "Do you need a leave of absence?"

jack took the forms and with each signiture he sighed. He looked up as steven placed a glass beside him the golden liquid told him it was firewhisky and he downed it one glad of its warmth inside him as he looked up at steven and smiled " thanks" he said. steven smiled back " just thought you could use it " he said and moved back to sit in his chair. Jack finished signing and handed them all to Khaat. " I will go to check her in then be right back " he said " I have a job here to complete " he said and looked at Jeffery then at Khaat again " jefferys right she's come back too soon I think" he said and moved to the door to wait for jeffery in the cool night air " ow steven I hope you have more of that for tonight ?" he asked and saw him nod. " if brian says its allright " Steven said loking at brian " poor guy needs it " he said softly.

Brian didn't answer. He didn't approve of anyone drowning their sorrows in a supply of firewhiskey. In fact, he was adamantly opposed to it. Khaat felt him bristle beside her.

"Take the night off," Khaat told Steven. "You and Jack both. But we'll expect you back on duty at your regular time in the morning, so think twice before you end up with hangovers. Firewhiskey isn't going to solve this, Steven, so don't encourage it."

"Khaat,..." Brian began.

"Don't worry," Kieran said. "We won't let anything happen. Between the two of us, we've got this covered."

"Three of us," Khaat corrected. "I can still fire a wand myself, you know."

"You're right. My apologies," Kieran said.

"Are we clear, then?" Khaat looked at Steven.

jack nodded and turned back into the house " Khaat don't wory I don't intend to it just took the edge off nothing more " he said " Im not thinking of getting drunk " he sighed " I like my job too much but a night off would be helpful " he said and smiled " thank you " steven loked at Khaat and nodded " I learnd that the hard way " he said rembering the tattoo and the woman he's slept with hw hoped after al this time he sisn't have any ilagitamat kids out there. He placed hte bottle he ahd found down on the table " I'll ask them to remove the botles from the stables so were not tempted " he said smiling " tea and coffee for us" he said " ow and pool of course."