Feminine Fire

"It sounds like an excellent plan," Robert said. He went over to the playpen and looked at the girls. "These two look like they haven't suffered a bit, outside of some attention, perhaps. They're healthy. I'll stop by later and spend some time with them. I've missed it actually. And I know Kate is almost nuts without seeing them. Thank you all for stepping back in so quickly. I'm leaving it all to you for now. If there's any issue, you can always send for me. But, as I said, I do expect Brian to be zipping home about as fast as he can get here. Jess, don't forget to take Khaat something easy for her stomach please."

"He's just a worried dad," Robert smiled. "He'll be fine. I have to go." He sent his tea mug out to the kitchen and apparated out.

Upstairs, Khaat wanted to be up, but every time she tried to sit up either babies got in the way, or her head spun. Her father's spell was powerful. He evidently had found exactly how bad her headache was and was battling it straight on. She felt like the rest of her was caught somewhere in the middle between her headache and her father's wrath at it. She kicked off her shoes, finding that they were uncomfortable while she laid on the bed.

She dreaded what would happen when Brian got her father's owl that told him everything--the more precise answers to the questions Brian had asked last night. She hadn't lied to him. She merely hadn't told him everything. She didn't want to be the cause of his coming home early and perhaps risking all those kids. Besides that, she had wanted to prove that she was capable of handling it.

Angus was back in England. And he had a considerable sum to deposit now into his Gringotts account, considering he got his usual pay and also vacation pay as well. Double the salary for a month of no work. His father was better, and for that he was eternally grateful. But he had gotten an angry owl from Brian near sunrise. It had rousted Angus out of bed, and he was packed and back in England before Gringotts opened. He had stopped at Sparks for a good cup of coffee and a scone, and then had progressed down to Gringotts and had tucked his money in his vault.

Angus was angry as well. Khaat had never deceived him before, and he felt deceived. The fact was, she had not told him any lie. Never. She just had neglected to mention the truth, and for that, he was angry. He wanted to talk to her. His business now completed in Diagon Alley, he portkeyed home to Brian's house.

He saw Jack and Jess there beginning the morning routine. "Well," Angus said. "I am glad to see that some common sense has returned to this house. Where is she?" He dropped his bag on the floor and didn't wait for a reply. He knew it was not time for Khaat to go to work yet, so he believed she was still in her bedroom. It was time for a talk. He bounded up the stairs, heading straight for her bedroom.

"Ah, well, I can tell you that, Jack," Angus said. "Khaat didn't lie to us. Nor to Brian, but her definition of truth revolved around what she wanted us to know and nothing more. From what Brian told me in his note, the only he's known of her to do this is when she felt abandoned. He saw her do something very similar for quite a long while after Remus died and after Rob left her. She pulled into herself, to try to tell herself that she didn't need anybody.

"He said that she was a bit that way when he first brought her here from St. Mungos after she was released after having Abbey. She wouldn't let him do a thing in his own house. She wanted to do all the taking care of the house because she'd been taking full care of her own home and her work. He never wanted her to think she had to take care of such a massive place by herself. He brought her here so she actually worked less, had help. But it took him awhile to get it through to her that she wasn't alone. Once he did that, she began to be more herself again.

"His letter said his best guess is that all of us buggering off at the same time made her feel like we abandoned her. Something hurt her feelings, and pulling back to not need anybody felt less painful than having us back. He says she certainly won't ever tell us if her feelings were hurt at all much less by who or by what. He suggests we ignore that part and simply do our jobs. He asked Robert to more or less steamroll over her to let her know we're back and thats just the way it is. Brian says he'll deal with her with the reasons why she did it when he gets home. He's refining the plan in Asia so that it can go forward without him, and then he's coming home. At least that's what the letter said."

Angus moved into the kitchen. "The problem probably was, Jess, that we all buggered off at the same time." He flicked his wand and summoned spices from the pantry. "I left the last significant quantity of rub I made in Colorado," he said. "I really should keep more on hand. I will try to make a large batch in order that we don't ever run out again. I think your dinner plans sound wonderful. Its a good idea.

"As Brian said, lets do what we do best. The rest will resolve itself when he comes home. You know, I am a trifle surprised that he is giving up the Asian mission to come home for this. We're all here. There is very little he can do here, but possibly a great deal in Asia. It does surprise me somewhat." He drew a large bowl out of the cabinet and began mixing spices. "I didn't think he would give that up for anything. Not when hundreds of children might depend on him. But here he is, coming home."