Feminine Fire

"Wishful thinking is natural. We all do it," Robert said. "Alright you lot, those of you who aren't on duty, go to bed. I need you fresh in the morning. I don't want to see you down here. None of you. Kieran, I will excuse. He goes on next. Jack, you and Steven hit the rack. We'll wake you when your watch begins."

When Jack and Steven had disappeared, Khaat looked at her father, "Why that order?"

"They're more practiced. They can go without sleep longer. I want them up tomorrow. If I put Kieran or Dean on later, they will be slow and dazed from lack of sleep by mid afternoon. I can't have that. I need my men fresh."

"But Brian would be up by then."

"Yeah. Good. And if I hadn't made sure of that, he might have been up simply because of all the horseshit that's on his mind. Between the three of them, you might have had the equivalent of one. Doing it this way gives you 6 fresh men. They should be far better this way. As for you, I don't want you up much longer either. Those babies and their mother need rest. Dont' make my drug your tea too."

"I'd rather you didn't," she sighed.

"I dont' want to do it either. 30 minutes. Then you're off. Got it?"

"Yes," she replied.

She went up to her room in 30 minutes, but she was concerned about Brian. He had more stress on his face than she had seen in a long time. Something was eating at him--deeply--and he wasn't sharing it with her. She felt distanced from him. It worried her. She didnt' know whether to pull away from him, maybe run? Give him some space? Would that make it better? She seemed to be the cause of everyone she knew coming apart. Her mind began to think truly hideous thoughts now. She curled up beside Brian, wrappiing a protective arm around him, but unable to close her eyes, unable to stop her mind from racing.

Jack was first up he stood at the wondow with a cup of coffee watching for any sigh of any attacks but seeing none he thought about jess and sighed thinking of her alone in jeffersys resort though he did smile at how he rembered how not like a clinic it was and more like a spar. steven stretched and headed down from the room he'd fallen asleep in that night he saw Jack at the window and chuckled " shes fine mate, from what you told me it like a health spar and she will be pampered till she's better don't worry " he said sort of knowing what and how he was feling as he'd had it with ronata. He moved to the kitchen and poured a coffee for himself looking back at the man who seemed broken to him but he would not let his freind go that far.

When the first beams of light started to break through the darkness, Brian's sleep potion let him wake. Khaat was up and was showered and dressed. She didn't tell Brian but her bag was packed. Her plan was that she was going to have breakfast with him and then go. Quietly. Without a scene. She had written a letter to him, and right now, it was tucked inside her jeans. She wanted no mistakes.

Brian got up without even a word to her and showered and shaved and dressed. She could feel how fast his mind was turning. He wasn't intentionally slighting her. His mind was just elsewhere. It made her heart ache. She finally went to him and she kissed him softly.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Fine," he said softly.

"Can I help?"

"No," he said. "I have to work it out for myself. It'll be alright."

"Okay," she said very softly. She had her answer. He didn't need her. She went downstairs and found her father drinking coffee now. He'd been up all night. He looked at Khaat, and he felt something different in her today. He wasn't sure what it was, but he could feel it. And then he saw Brian come down the stairs a moment later, behind her. And he knew what it was. It was Brian.

"Angus," Robert said, "Brian won't be having breakfast this morning. He and I need to talk. Serve Khaat please."

"I'm not hungry," Khaat said.

"You need to eat. Did I ask you if you wanted to eat? Just do it," Robert almost barked at her. "Brian. Come with me. Now!" Brian looked at Robert, suddenly feeling like he was 8 again. He followed silently. When they got to the kitchen door, Robert shoved Brian outside. He looked back into the kitchen. "Take very good care of her until I return. That is an order," Robert said fiercely. He didn't know what she had on her mind, but he didn't want her leaving their sight until he got back.

Jack loked at Robert then at Steven who had already moved clsesr to Khaat , jack sat next to her with a coffee making sure she didn't move " ok breakfast " he said and took his food and started to eat watching steven do the same both knew not to underestamate Robert when he said do womething they did it and no questions asked.

Steven pored another coffee for him and Jack and a juice for Khaat " I hope he won't be long with Brian, he hasn't had breackfast yet and the way jacks going there won't be much left " he said and jack pulled atounge at his comment " ow very grownup Jack " he said and chuckled again as he sat back with his cup.

"Brian wouldn't have eaten even if Daddy would have allowed him to," Khaat said softly. Looking out the window, she knew the motion of her father's hand, pointing Brian to walk. Out away from the house. They walked out and away--out of shouting distance. She had seen that scene many times, but the last time it had happened was when Brian was still a child. When Robert had felt a need to take him in hand and deal with Brian's anger and rage. Clearly, her father had felt the need to draw him out and force him to let it loose. Robert had taken him so far that even their shouting would, most likely, not be heard at the house.

It didn't take more than a few moments for the shouting to begin. It never did. She could hear the faint sound of angry voices--mostly Brian's--but she couldn't make out the words. Had her father not placed guards to watch her every move, this would have been the perfect time to slip off and away. That wasn't possible now. She simply sat and picked at her plate.

"Dean and Fiona evidently don't get up as early as we do," she said softly, simply pushing her eggs around on her plate.

"Don't worry, Khaat," Angus smiled. "I can cook more. What's with Brian this morning?"

"I have no idea," Khaat said. "I honestly don't know. Daddy seems to be onto it, though."

"Then I'm sure it will be fine. Surely they've had discussions before."

"Like this? Many. But not for decades."

"Leave it alone. Let your father deal with him."

"I don't have a choice," Khaat said.

steven looked at her as she talked to Angus " yeah hes dealing with him " he said " I think Brian is just overly worried about the attack and the impact on you and the babies " he said seeing jack nodded " I can see his point but still your a strong woman who can fight, they do say a mother will fight to the death for her children I know dalileh would " he said and smiled thinking of her. Jack chuckled and nodded " jessica has several times " he said and continued to eat his food then feeling full he sat back siping his coffee " yeah he'll be fine, he just needs to let it out and Robert is the best one for that" he said smiling.

"Daddy is the only one who can unlock this when he gets like this," Khaat said, still watching the arguing outside. Clearly her father was baiting him to get him to let it loose. She'd seen it happen too many times. She had clear memories flashing through her mind of seeing this replay when she and Brian were much smaller--right after his parents' deaths. Her father and Brian had gone out into the yard when Brian had been blatantly defiant and had cursed in her mother's face. Robert had come quietly, but as strong as iron. She remembered her father laying his hand on Brian's little shoulder and commanding him, "Walk." He took him outside and had kept pushing the boy until he had unleashed a fury of pain and anger that ripped at Khaat's young heart. She had wanted to run outside, to rescue him from her father, to make it stop. Remus had come from nowhere and had stood behind her and had wrapped his strong arms around her shoulders, whispering comfort in her ears. She wished he was here now. She tried to remember what exactly he had said that day, but the words seemed long gone.

"I'm sorry, Angus," she said softly. "I just can't."

"Maybe later?" he asked, taking her plate.

"Yeah. Maybe. I really, really want to go into the village. I need some space." She looked at Jack and Steven. "So which one of you will come with me?"

steven looked at jack and spoke " i'll do it today " he said " but if anything hapenes were coming right back here " he said and stood up offering his hand to take her " so what is it you want maybe jack could get it for you rather than you going down for it, just another sujestion" he said and looked at her. Jack shook his head " sure I'll go if its something simple you need I don't think Robert wants you going any where right now Khaat , thought you'd want to stay close to brian " he asked finishing his coffee as he watched steven stand.

"No," she said determinately, "I need space. Brian walked away from me, not the other way around. If you've noticed, I've been here. He hasn't been. I want some air. Either come or not, but I'm going." She rose, accio'd her purse. "I"ll meet you in the village, Jack. I'm not staying here one more moment." She apparated out. Angus sighed heavily.

"Go," he told Jack. "Before Robert has your head. And hope she didn't lie to you."

Khaat hadn't lied. She had been true to her word. She was standing on the main street, just a few steps from the village square. There wasn't much open yet, except a couple restaurants that were serving breakfast. The town was just coming to life for the day. It was still quiet. She saw very few people, but none of them even took the slightest notice of her. It looked safe enough. She knew Jack would not be far behind. But he had learned long ago that if he wanted to keep up with a woman, he had to be fast. She wondered if he could keep her pace or if he had forgotten how with Jess away.

Jack placed his cup down hard na aperated down to the village right next to her " hey,are you trying to get me turned into a bug by your father?" he siad moving to face her " I was ordered by Robert to stay with you and not let you out of my sight " he said " wel were here now so where do you want to go?" he asked taking a deep breath ahd walked beside her.