New Day, New Life

"Fine," Robert said. He waited until she went downstairs with Steven, and then he looked at Jess.

"Jessica," he said firmly. "The temperature here this time of year is 75-80 degrees F. If she cannot tolerate this, I need to send her immediately back to St. Mungos to be admitted and put on bedrest until her baby arrives. This is nowhere near normal. The temperatures here are almost average room temperatures. If she cannot deal with this, I need her to be hospitalized immediately, and she may well have to stay there until her baby comes. If you've diagnosed any reason for this, you'd best be telling me right now. Part of the reason I chose this particular safehouse is because it is not sweltering hot here this time of year. So, if you've found a reason, you'd best be telling me--before I have to send her back to England."

Jess looked at him and shook her head " nothing I can find , she was scared at being a mother but I spoke to her about that, leave it with me I'll talk to her again " she said and moved down to the basement where Cassidy and Steven stood. He hand his arms around her as she rested her head on his chest. " cassidy you feeling all right , Robert is right this house is fairly cool if your not well you should say so " she said and walked over to her.

Cassidy looked at Jess with a sigh " ok I am fine , I ...I just wanted some alone time with Steven, is that so wrong?" she asked sighing and looking up at Steven,Jess smiled at them.

" No its not, but you have to learn just to say Robert won't be angry , we all know you like him as he does you, but please just say, in your condition any slight change or feeling of unwell could be significant,Robert was going to send you to St. Mungo's we worry " she said and placed her hand on cassidys shoulder smiling before she walked back upstairs to Robert. " ok she's hormonal and seems a little anemic, she wanted some alone time with Steven and wasn't sure how to ask, I told her just to say so and that we would not judge " she told him and moved to Jack

"She always knew how to ask for what she needed before," Robert frowned. He sighed heavily and then just shook his head. "You'd better keep talking to her, Jess. I don't have time for game playing, and taking her back to St. Mungos, for me right now, would have risked my life in order to try to help her. And if I had risked my life for her and taken her to england and then found out that she had merely been using that 'I-don't-feel-well' business as an excuse to see Steven, I most likely would have been seriously angry with her. And I don't ever want that to be the case. Jess, you and Jack have known me for a long time. When have I ever, ever asked any of you to tell me anything other than the truth? I couldn't care less if she and Steven are seeing each other or not. She doesn't need to sneak around to do that. If I tell her, she is likely not to handle it well. I think it is best that I leave this in your hands to handle with her for right now. Do you feel comfortable in talking to her about this?"

Jess looked at Robert and nodded " I told her as much just now , but yes I will talk to her again " she said as Jack nodded " I think Jack should talk to Steven too letting him know he should tell Cassidy to tell the truth and not lie " she looked down at Jack who nodded.

" Don't worry Robert I don't like any one sneaking around so I will be speaking to him" he said and folded his arms across his chest. " right now secrecy is something we can't have " he stood up and was going to walk down to the basement when Steven and cassidy walked out . Cassidy stood with Steven and looked at them all Jess looked at her as if she was waiting for an apology. Cassidy sighed and looked at Robert " I don't know whats wrong with me, one minuet I feel like I can take on the world and the next, I feel like i want to hide from it " she said " I know going to St mongo's will put you at risk and I don't want to be the one that puts you in that position, Steven and I are an item and he's helping me, and Jess I can't promise I won't slip again but now Steven and I are out in the open, so to speak I won't be so bad , I guess what I'm saying is ...I sorry I lied and it won't happen again" she said , Steven stepped forward.

" I'll make sure she won't do it again" he said wrapping his arm around her waist. He looked at Robert and Kate " she is after all my responsibility being my probie "

"Apology accepted. But personally, you and Steven's being an 'item' isn't a surprise or new news to anyone. Besides that, we're all grownups. I really don't care if you're sleeping with Santa Claus so long as I don't have to see it or hear it. Its your life. You make your own choices. I'm fine with it. I'm not generally in the habit of judging anyone. You certainly don't have to lie to me. I don't think I've done anything to merit you feeling that insecure with me. If there is anyone else who's made you insecure, you need to speak up and get it resolved. If it turns out to be a lengthy stretch here, then you need to get it settled so that its comfortable for everyone here. Steven, you've been a father more than once. If you're going to be her primary support, then start doing more than training her for her job. Start dealing with those insecurities thats going to interfere with not only her job but her health and her relationships with others. You do know how to do that too." He was well aware that Steven had talked to her about not being a drama queen but perhaps he needed to reinforce it so that she started to feel more secure with herself.

Jess chuckled at Roberts words but smiled " yea we all have seen it coming " she said standing and walking to face them .

Steven nodded " I know, though I could use a refresher " he said looking at Cassidy," and don't worry about her training I have some gentle routines she can do , things like mediation and tie chi which she can do with me in the new gym " he said seeing the look on her face " no , no more faces Cassidy time to start doing and not sitting" he said looking at her.

Jack walked over to them " all I can say is about time maybe not you two can get on and be happy " he said moving past them to the kitchen. Jess chuckled where she sat facing them she smiled as she saw Cassidy openly move and hold Steven as he did her best he could " see Cassidy nobodies worried about you and Steven, he's a good man " she said sitting back in the chair and smiling feeling things might just become calm till she heard a bang from behind the sofa " let me guess Dakota" she said and looked over it " well whats got you all riled up?" she asked watching her toddle over to Robert.

"What's the matter, Pee Wee? Did you lose Max?" Robert asked. He picked her up, and Dakota seemed to get irked. She began to babble angrily at Robert and waving her hands. All of a sudden Robert saw a stuffed ducky flying through the air, right towards Jack's head.

"Jack! Duck!" he called. He knew the stuffed toy would not hurt, but it still was an annoyance. Then he looked at Dakota. "A little accidental baby magic? I wondered when you might have your first episode of that."

"I didn't think it would be much longer," Khaat said. "I figured that one of her temper tantrums might bring that out. Just be glad it wasn't her food she threw."

"Believe me, I am," Robert said. "A stuffed toy is something we can cope with."

Jess stifled a laugh as the duck bounced off jacks head and continued to Dakota jack on the other hand burst out laughing as he rubbed the bump it had given him . " its ok Robert luckily it was soft and not too hard" he said then saw Jess laughing " whats wrong with you? " he asked

" ow that duck seem to bear a striking resemblance to you when you were a duck " she said that sent cassidy chuckling as she stood with Steven. Jack moved to hold her close as he tickled her he heard Robert and looked at him " wow so soon?" he asked " hope I'm not going to be the only target " he said and looked at Jess and Steven smirking.

" I don;t think you will be the last Jack " said Jess calming down from his tickling " if I know her she'll target all who she thinks get in her way " she looked at Jack again " ow then you will be the only target " she said and laughed seeing the look on his face.

Robert snatched the flying toy out of the air and was about to hand it to Dakota when Khaat flicked her fingers at it and snatched it from her father and started it floating slowly towards her instead. Dakota became outraged with the little duck. She started babbling that sounded a lot like baby cussing, and began waving her arms at the toy. It floated back to her and she began jabbering angrily at the toy. It struck Brian and Khaat as being hilarious, and they began laughing uncontrollably.

"Did she just use her first cuss words?" Brian asked.

"Certainly sounded like it," Robert laughed. "Now who do you suppose she gets that from?"

"I honestly don't know," Khaat said. "We don't cuss that often."

"Yes, but who's the hothead in the family."

"You," Kate told him.

"Me?" Robert frowned. "I think not."

Jess , Steven and Jack all laughed at the sound of the baby cussing, " she certainly doesn't get it from any of us " Jess said looking at the other shaking their heads " though I'm not sure about Angus" Jess said and chuckled as she glanced at the kitchen.

" no he doesn't curse not what I think she said " said Cassidy who chuckled at Kate saying it sounded like Robert. She moved to sit down next to Khaat closing her eyes for a moment as she felt sleepy in herself and looked at Robert " do you think Angus has any iron tablets ?" she asked

" for your anemia?" Jess asked " I'm sure he has something, eating liver is good for that too since its high in iron, though I'm not sure if its safe?" she looked at Robert for confirmation one way of the other.