Battle Casualties

"Agreed," Brian said. He went over to Khaat and woke her where she had dozed off, her coffee cup still sitting on the table beside the bed largely untouched. She needed rest. He bandaged heavily the badly infected dog bite on her arm. Angus called very gently to Brian.

"Hey, Mate," Angus said, "Best you let one of us bandage up that mess on your chest. I can see its already a sticky mess."

"I am?" Brian asked. Angus moved Brian's bloody shirt away from his shoulder to reveal a deep, hideous clawing--four long, deeply dug wounds from the huge dog's enormous paw going vertically across his left pectoral muscle in his chest. It was bleeding, but it was also already infected. "Oh. Ok. I'll fix it when I get home. He could feel he had a couple other wounds, either claw marks or bite marks, but he wasn't worried about himself. He was concerned about the mother of his children first and foremost and being able to go after Chase and get her home where she belonged with him and Khaat.

"Brian?" Khaat frowned, a bit groggy yet. "Did Barker's dog do that?"

"Don't you start worrying about me," he kissed her. He got the form for her discharge and completed it and signed it and sent it back out with the nurse. "Let's go home. Oh, and Khaat? You need to know that Eli is here. Looks like he broke that leg again. The healers appear to be doing a good job with him, though. And Viktor has a posse of Krums to bodyguard him. But I wanted you to know in case we pass him on the way out."

"Is Barker gone?" Khaat asked.

"For now," he said, pulling his shirt back into place. "I have to get you home in order to get you into safer surroundings and in order to reduce the risk to the patients. Barker is after you. Not anyone here. Come on. I'll help." He very gently helped her to her feet. "Everyone ready to go?" he asked. "Jess, can I ask you to make some French Roast? I'm going to let Khaat have some. That and she needs a decent meal. So would you work with Angus to get us a good home cooked dinner tonight? She didn't get breakfast or lunch with the battle at Hogwarts and neither did I. Besides that, camping rations are sometimes not all that great."

"I think Jess and I can manage something, Don't you, Jess?" Angus grinned. He liked cooking with her.

Jack listened and moved to jess's side as he watched Brian lift Khaat from the bed into his arms as he spoke again. Jess nodded " sure and I would be deligted to help " she said smiling as she held on to Jack to be aperated back to the house when Brian ordered them to leave " she looked at Angus and spoke " maybe a pot roast or a quick stew of some discription, what do you think?" she asked hoping that with a salad would fill every one up who hadn't eaten yet she felt jacks tummy rumble and knew he ahdn't eate much ether.

"The stew sounds better, because I think everyone is hungry. I think we should do something that is quick and easy but filling," he said. "We can do the slow cooking tomorrow."

"I'm not really hungry," Khaat said softly into Brian's chest.

"I know, Babe," he said soothingly. "That's the damned dog bite at work. But we do have to feed the babies. All four of them. For now, let's just go home. I'll get you some decent coffee. That'll help for now. You lot head home. Khaat and I are coming." He left the room with her. They went down the hallway, and Brian found Viktor standing in the doorway of the room where his children were, his wand at the ready. Brian updated Viktor that as far as they knew Barker was gone. So far as they knew, Eli was safe, but advised he keep close eye on Eli simply because of his connections to Khaat. Then he excused themselves and apparated Khaat home.

Jack held jess as angus sugested the stew his tumy growled loudly and he chuckled " sorry im hungry" he said so jess who chuckled. Jess looked at Angus and nodded " I agreee quick and easy for now " she said and clung to Jack as he aperated her back to the main house. Quickly she set about making the stew gathring the meat and vegatables and seasonings they needed and swetting it all out for Angus to put together how he saw fit. Jack quickly checked the perimiter and found it to be safe as steven checked the inside of the house finding nothing himself as he moved down to the main living room.

Angus apparated out and made a stop, at Kate's. he returned, managing all three babies. He had the Eli's newborn daughter Kitty in a baby carrier on his chest. He had Abbey firmly in his left arm and Dakota in his right. It wasn't easy carrying three babies at the same time, but he had managed it long enough to get them home.

"Alright, y'all," he called. "We have an extra baby with us today. Everybody grab a kid."

Brian apparated Khaat back to the house and when he saw that Angus had already arrived with all three children he knew he couldn't keep it from Khaat another moment. Especially when she frowned upon seeing the third baby. She looked at Brian questioningly.

"Khaat," he said very gently, slowly, "That's Kitty. We brought her here for her own safety."

"Kitty?" she frowned. She went to the baby carrier and looked at the child. He was right. It was Kitty.

"Where's Chase?" she demanded now, her voice stern and commanding.

"Khaat...she's missing," he said very gently.

"Missing?" she questioned. "Brian James Quinn, you explain that this very instant or I swear...."

Jess turned to see Angus covered in babies , moving she took the one in the middle and soothed her while jack took dakota to place her in her travel crib. Jess did the same with kitty and smiled at her " your safe here " she said and smiled " angus I got everything together for the stew " she said and accioes a small bear for kitty placing it with her in the play pen " we should make some juice for the girls " she sujested as he loked back at him over her shoulder.

"Wait," Angus said quietly to Jess. He was glad that she had taken the kids and settled them so quickly, but he strongly suspected that the storm had not really yet broken. Brian hadn't told Khaat the full story yet. He was hoping that they could keep her from apparating out to find Felix Barker by herself.

Brian reached out and took a strong hold on Khaat's hand. "That dog didn't come into St. Mungos for kicks and giggles, Khaat," he told her. "He came to deliver a note from Barker. Barker has taken Chase. I sent Angus to Chase's place and he found the place demolished and that Chase had had just enough time to hide Kitty before Barker took her."

"Barker!" She utterly exploded in more rage than Brian even knew one human could contain. "I'll kill that son of a B****. He's mine! IF he so much as touches her....."

"Khaat," Brian stopped her, clutching her other hand now like iron, just in case. "we found blood on the floor at Chase's apartment. Its not Kitty's. So its either Chase's or Barker's. And we dont' know who. But Chase surely didn't go quietly or quickly or easily. We'll find her. I swear."

"Its time this ends once and for all," she said. "Let go."

"Wait," he said gently. "Wait a second. Let's not rush in without a plan. We both know better. Honey, we'll get her back, I swear."

jack stood quiet listening to both of them and he sighed . Jess moved to him nodding as she stood listeninjg she gasped alittle as she head about what kitty had been threw she hoped Chase was all right and the blood had been Barkers. Inside she agreed with Khaat her own anger rising but she took a deep breath all the time she had been working at St. Mongos she ahd learned how to keep her feelings in check and now she did so but with a struggle at the thought of some one being hurt. " Brian's right you need to think this through Barker will be excpecing a rush attack, not a well thought out one " she said stepping forward " think of those babies your carrying , all four need there mother "

"Jess is right," Brian said. "Khaat, I am far more battle ready than you are...."

"I will NOT lose you to Felix Barker!" she said.

"Hey," he frowned, "Honey, I am not going to lose to some little snot like Felix Barker. I saw what coward he was at St. Mungo's. Sent his dog to face us rather than coming himself. That tells me he sucks at dueling. And that means I can take him without a problem. Ask Steven and Jack. They've dueled with me in the field...."

"I don't need your resume! I grew up with you! I am NOT ready to parent 5 babies without you!" she said.

"Stop," he folded her against him. "You can be as angry as you like. You're certainly entitled. But I will not send you to deal with this. I refuse. I want you in my life. I want all my children in my life. We'll get Chase back. I swear. Now--do us all a favor. You're the most experienced healer here. Double check to be sure Kitty is alright. Can you do that? For me? Angus or Jess, please get her that French Roast and start some food now. We're going to do this right."

jack stepped forward and was about to say he would go with him when Khaat broke in he decided the best thing was to keep quiet and let her talk. Jess nodded to Brian " already done, apart from being a little thirsty shes fine " she said and smiled at them both. She turned to Angus and headed to the kitchen and brewed a pot of coffee then taking a mug she pored a mug and walked back to Khaat " Khaat here drink this " she said and handed her the cup of french roast " erm.. Khaat Im not sure if you heard but its four not three so that makes six not five " she said softly.