Feminine Fire

"Those are easily removed," Robert said. "Once they're healed well. Its not difficult at all. Yes I know the men, and I know where you were now too. As for Brian, I'll tell him. But I know he sees it as just doing his job. Go clean up. You'll feel better.

"Angus, send another deployment at once. Send them to Gelding's stronghold in the Italian Alps. That's where she was. I want that place cleaned up and then burned to the ground. Leave no survivors of Geldings crew. This is war now. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir. Do you want me to go?" Angus asked.

"No. I want you here. We have enough members to deal with this. Send my orders to Paris. They will summon the others. We'll need a crew here. I am getting sick of dealing with these idiots. Its time we took them down as much as we can. As soon as Brian's back up to par, I'll talk with him about making some multiple strikes. But I'm not doing it without him."

"Yes, Sir," Angus said, heading for the house to send word to Paris.

Jess nodded " I'll live look after him for now " she said and looked at Jack who had not moved from his spot. Loking down at Robert she smiled " ok repair time " she said and walked over to where Jack stood.
She folded her arms across her chest as she looked at him in his eyes but then grabbed his shirt front pulling him down to her " you, me, bedroom, now " she said and dragged him across the coart yard and to the stables.

Inside Jess moved him up the stairs to one of the rooms stopping she faced him and spoke " right, for starters..." she moved to him and kissed him deeply deeper than she had ever before. " I love you jack" she said softly as she felt his arms around her now as he smiled down at her. J



ack had followed her some what confused till she kissed him in the bedroom his hands finding her waist but he was still unsure till she told him she loved him and his heart felt it would burst " I love you to Jessica" he said and returned her kiss deeply " don't do that to me again" he said seeing her now sparkaling eyes loking up at him.

Jess shook her head at him " never , some how a potion got slipped to me back home it made me feel all out of it like some one was controling me Robert knows whitch one" she said and saw him nod " he also told e to get a shower" she said and looked at him with a smirk.


Jack chuckled and lead her to the shower and closed the door. Several hours later Jess walked into the living room of the main house and dressed in a shirt of jacks as a dress. " its not pretty but it will do for now" she said to Khaat as she sat down she was caushuose at resting her back against the back of the chair.

"I understand," Khaat said. "I wear Brian's shirts all the time. My favorite ones are the white shirts he wears with his tuxes. They're longer. He hates it when I use his good white dress shirts for every day," she laughed. "It just makes him so ticked. I think the next time I shop for him, I'll buy some in his size for myself. Then he can't gripe."

"You might be down to just wearing his shirts period by your due date," Kieran laughed.

"Maybe I'll just find a tentmaker," she laughed.

"Those are my grandchildren you're dissing," Robert said, his gaze still fixed out the window, keeping an eye on Brian. He heard paper rustling. He turned and looked to see that one of his more skilled staff people had managed to send a message through the floo with an origami owl. Robert laughed. He hadn't seen that trick in a long time. The paper owl flew to Robert and dropped the parchment scroll into his hand. "Well done, Archimedes," Robert laughed. "You can join the feathered birds outside if you want." Robert opened the window, but the bird was content to hop up to Robert's shoulder. Robert unrolled the scroll and read it. His frown grew deeper. "Archimedes," he said to the paper owl, "Go wake Brian at once." The bird fluttered out the window, landed on Brian's shoulder and screeched with an almost deafening loudness into Brian's ear. Brian jumped straight to his feet, his wand drawn and ready for battle before he even had his eyes open.

"Stand down, Boy!" Robert shouted. "Don't be shooting things before you have your eyes open. Get your ass in the house. I need you. We have a situation." Brian glared with anger at Robert for sending the bird to scare the crap out of him to get him awake. He walked to the house, still feeling a lot of pain.

"Was that truly necessary?" he scowled deeply at Robert. Khaat went over to him and laid her hands on either side of his head. He had a tremendous amount of pain to draw off.

"Careful," Robert cautioned her. She ignored him and drew it all off quickly from him--all in one great massive pull. Brian was staggered by her energy as it pulled against his. He stumbled back a step, his head spnning. Khaat immediately was struck with all of Brian's pain before it had time to pass through and ground itself. Her knees buckled, and she started to fall, but Robert was swift with his wand and cast an Arresto Momentum to keep her from falling. He walked over to her and put a strong arm under her shoulders. "I told you not to do that. He hurts too badly for you to draw it off that fast," Robert reprimanded her. In the meantime, Brian was trying to hold himself up by clutching a decorative oak pillar in the living room doorway. Kieran went over to his brother and put Brian's arm around his shoulder, bolstering him up.

"Take a moment, Brian," Robert said. "It will pass. She knows better than to do that."

"Damn!" Brian cursed, breathless. "I didn't know she had that much power!"

"Of course she does. But only in certain things," Robert said. "And she knows better than to do such a silly stunt. Jess, if you're up to it, go make Khaat a cup of Seer's Tea, please. The recipe for it is in the journal in my bag. Just accio the bag to you. Add some of the potion in the lime green bottle. It is a rejuvenate potion. It will help her feel better." He led Khaat back to her seat and lowered her into it. "Sometimes you do such idiotic things, its hard to imagine you are my child," he sighed. "Kieran, put him in a chair. He'll feel better in a moment."

"I feel fine," Brian said, noticing he had no more pain at all.

"Then walk," Robert shrugged, motioning Kieran to let go of him. Brian tried to take a couple steps, and started to fall flat on his face. Kieran caught him quickly.

"You're a cruel man, Robert," Brian said sharply.

"No, I'm a realist. Did you think I was kidding when I said you'd need a few minutes? You only say I'm a cruel man when you dont' get your own way. Sit down before you fall down. If you give yourself even ten minutes, you'll find you feel like a new man."

"At least Remus would have given me a chocolate bar," Brian mumbled.

"Accio!" Robert flicked his wand towards the kitchen and brought a chocolate bar. "You know, there really are no magical properties in muggle chocolate, except making you believe you feel better. But if you need a treat because you did your job, then so be it. Shall I pay you in chocolate instead of sickles, then?"

"Daddy," Khaat called, to stop his gentle reprimand of Brian.

"Yes, that reminds me. I do need to get back to you, don't I?" Robert said. He sat with her and checked her energies. "Now you've thrown your energies all out of whack. And because of your babies, the best I can do is to drown you in Seer's Tea and relieve you of the migraine you're about to get because I don't dare balance your energies properly. It will take at least until morning to balance them."

Jess nodded and moved quickly making the tea she returned holding a cup she looked at Brian trying not to laugh at him for being unable to walk she moved to try and grab him but saw Angus had it and moved to give Khaat her tea " here drink this " she said holding her hand gently so she could drink. Jack walked in wearing a clean shirt. " ok jess, wheres my shirt...ow ok" he said and looked around " what did I miss?" he asked looking from brian to Khaat " ow don't tell me she tried to take his pain too quick and he tried to walk " he said and shook his head seeing every one doing somthing he chuckled alittle seeing jess in his shirt " ow looks good on you" he said and moved to Khaat " evrything ok?" he asked .

"We need to have an open talk. All of us," Robert said to Jack. "I just got an owl from Paris. We need to look at what Gelding is up to. I have sent written orders to our headquarters and issued a number of simultaneous strikes against Gelding's operation. I have the division leaders wiping out his accounts worldwide, including here in the UK. He will loose countless millions. Once we take from that what we need for the organization, I will divide the profits amongst the organization members like I always do. It looks like it will be considerable.

"Next, our division from Italy has gone up into the Alps where Jess was held. They had my orders to kill any of Gelding's men they found there and to destroy that stronghold altogether. I have sent other divisions to other stronghold across the world with the same orders. You all need to know that Gelding will be in a blind rage when he sees how badly we've crippled him. We've taken down the largest of his strongholds and killed many of his followers and burnt the buildings to the ground or blown them up. In short, he has nothing left but some small safehouses and his own personal mansion."

Brian sighed heavily. "What that means for you all is that the risk of Gelding bringing an attack to us has dramatically increased."

"It has. However, Understand, that unless they really want to work for him for nothing, Gelding can't pay them. I've always left his other accounts worldwide. But this time, I took it all--every account he has--personal and business--in every country I can find. In short, unless they do it out of blind devotion, he can't pay them a red cent. Not many wizards participate in trafficking unless they expect to make a profit. My guess is that even the followers he had will leave him. This is the closest we have ever, ever come to wiping him out altogether. I tell you this so that if you all want to leave, go get your children and go into hiding, then by all means, you should."

"Your other choice is to trust us to hide your children and your loved ones and to wait with us. The battle may very well come here," Brian said. "But every single one of you are welcome to go--right now."

Jess listened as she moved to Jack she looked into his eyes and faced Robert waiting for him to finish talking before she did " I have seen his tirrany and his terror I don't want any one going threw what i whitnessed I know Im not on the organisation any more but im going no where Im staying" she said folding her arms over her chest dep inside she felt she had to stay it was where she belonged " our kids are safe there with his mother" she said and jack nodded behind her. Jack smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder " im with jess Robert Im staying gelding need to know hes dosn't scare any one " he said pulling jess back in to his arms and held her against him " she stays I stay " he said his face seriouse. He looked over at steven and waited for his awnser. Steven loked at them all and nodded " its safer for dalilah if i stay away from her for now shes at my rantch and I know the men there are good and will watch over her, im staying" he said moving to stand with Jack and Jess.

Brian watched as Jack, Jess, and Steven planned on staying. Angus promised he was staying. He knew Kate would not leave. He worried now that his children were here. He listened, to his surprise, to Kieran, Fiona, and Dean pledge to stay as well. Robert had briefed them, and no one was leaving. Brian looked at Khaat.

"Our children, Khaat. We have to think about whether or not we leave them here in this."

"Our children stay with us," she said fiercely as she drank her tea. "We don't even know that war will come here. We're not sending them anywhere. That's the end of that nonsense. They stay."

"Alright," he sighed. His stomach growled loudly.

"I heard that," Angus said. "Our seafood boil for dinner is ready. Let's go out and eat. I'll go out and get it ready. Can someone bring the two large pitchers of iced tea to go with the dinner, please?" Angus went outside and took the enormous pot that the seafood boil was in and he poured out onto the ground the liquid that everything had been boiling in. Then he took the pot and poured the seafood with all its lovely vegetables out on the tables from one end to the other. There was going to be more than enough for everyone. And it looked and smelled incredible. Shrimp, clams, scallops, crab, lobster, whitefish, mussels, sausage, ears of sweet corn, whole baby redskin potatoes, onions, heads of garlic, and all sorts of other delectable treasures awaited them, hot and steaming from the boiling brine.

Robert went over to Khaat and helped her to her feet, while Kieran helped Brian outside. Kate and Fiona got the babies, and Dean summoned the high chairs to follow him. Brian and Khaat took places at the picnic table while Dean and Kate and Fiona helped the babies get situated. Angus brought baby bowls and put in pieces of things they would eat in their bowls to cool and summoned out sippy cups of milk for them.

"It looks incredible," Brian said, more than a little hungry.

Jack and jess smiled at each other when every one said they would stay she thought bnothing less would happen they all thought of them as family and none of them let family down, jack took jess out to the table "you do know I will have to get some clothes to change into " she siad and looked at the shirt she wore " comfortable as it is " she said and felt jack chuckle. " well, I think its very fetching " he said and earned an elbow to his ribs as he chuckled but held her tight against him smiling " ok jess we'll send for some for you from home " he said giving an audible sigh in having her back with him.

Khaat didn't realize that she was hungry until she started to break into a leg of crab with her fingers and began to fish out the tender little juicy bits of meat inside the shell. It was wonderful. Brian was selecting clams at first and enjoying the tender, flavorful little tidbits he found inside the opened shells. He fed the girls little tiny bites of cooled whitefish and some soft bites of potato. He loved feeding them. It was a pure joy to him to be able to do that. Abbey wanted to try everything she saw him eat. Brian cut a shrimp into tiny pieces to let her try it, and Khaat gave her some tiny pieces of crabmeat. Kate and Robert were busy introducing Dakota into seafood and the girls were having a great time. The only thing they weren't happy with was that they weren't getting food fast enough.

Khaat abandoned her own eating for a bit in order to devote her attention to feeding the babies quicker. She was busy preparing little bites for the girls as quickly as she could manage. She was passing them to her father and to Brian, and the girls were eating like they were starved, like they couldn't get enough.

"When I'm done feeding them, I'll feed you," Brian leaned over and stole a quick kiss from Khaat.

"I think I can manage," she laughed. "I just am happy to see them so hungry."

"And I do have dessert," Angus said. "They'll like it."

"Good," Khaat said.

"I made several different types of sorbets and layered them into a sorbet pie with a graham cracker crust and a whipped cream topping. I thought something that was cold like ice cream, but sweet like fruit would be a good refresher after dinner. Oh, and I made some tuile cookies dusted with sparkling sugar for a bit of extra sweet crunch."

"Angus, you are a wonder," Khaat smiled.

"Do I need to order you again to finish that course?" Robert asked Angus.

"Uh...no. Remember those days off you gave me?"

"As I recall, you get one day off a week," Brian said. "Mondays."

"Correct," Angus said. "I've arranged to finish that one last course through independent study with the Chief Culinary instructor. That's where I've been on Mondays for the last couple of months. I finished last week, and I graduated at the top of my class, with a Grande Diplome--meaning I finished with a mastery of both pastry and culinary skills. I've had it for a couple of weeks now. I just...was sort of...saving it, I guess. I wasn't sure when the right time to tell you all was."

"Maybe when you got it??" Khaat asked. "Angus! You had it and didn't tell us? I ought to turn you into a sautee pan for that!" She got up and went around and put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "I am so proud of you."

"Thank you," he laughed. "I suppose I should send an owl to my family at some point or another, shouldn't I?"

"If you dont, I will," Khaat threatened, returning to her seat. "You do realize this means we need to host a party, Brian."

"This, right here, with all of you, just enjoying a meal together? That's enough for me," Angus said.

jess looked at Angus and smiled as she ate some lobster enjoying the flavor since she ahd not eaten proper food for two days " this is yummy " she said and lent on Jack his arm going around her waist as she did. She soon was full and sat back her arms wrapped around jack " desert sounds good " she said and as Angus said he qualified she grined and clapped " well done Angus a chef in our midst nice one" she said chukaling as khaat hugged him and told him to write to his family, jack said the same and held her tighter to him. " yeah wonderful news Angus about time you did it your a wonderful chef , I know I like your food " he siad and chuckled taking some crawfish from the pot and eating it.