Marriage is Murder

Brian brought Khaat into the house and laid her the sofa. he sat with her and wrapped her tightly into his arms. She hung onto him as if she was never ever going to let him go. Tight enough that he could barely breathe. He kissed her and whispered soft reassurances in her ear, as he watched Robert carry Abbey into the house, not saying a word. He took Abbey straight through to the nursery and put her in her crib, lowering the side on it in order to reach her easier. He took her wet clothes from her and helped her wash up and dry off and then put her in a clean dry diaper and in soft summer pajamas. He knew she didn't feel well, She didn't even fell well enough to cry right now.

"Restorative tea for Khaat, please, Jess," Robert said quietly, finally. "Double strength again please." He laid his hand on Abbey's forehead and infused into Abbey some of his own energies. He watched the color return to the child's face, and before long she began to cry, finally feeling enough of his strength to start to feel better. She reached for Robert, calling out to him, calling him "Papa." He picked her up and held her on his shoulder, her head against his neck and draping a lgith summer blanket over her. He kissed her cheek and cast a small calming spell on her and then held her to soothe her.

Cassidy placed Fallon who was now sleeping back in her bassinet, she walked over to Khaat's and Brian's room seeing Robert she stood watching Jess passed by her to make the tea. Jess moved to the kitchen and made the tea the way Kate had showed her double strength placing it in a pot on a tray she placed two cups and carried it through to them . poring two cups she handed Khaat one and one to Brain. " You both need this " she said softly
as she sat down facing them both jack sat with her and held her hand gently.

Cassidy watched Robert " she will be alright?" she asked and walked over to the crib looking at Abby with a small smile.

"She'll be fine," Robert said, walking the nursery floor and carrying Abbey as she cuddled into his neck. The tiny girl wasn't crying anymore. She was cuddling as tight to him as she could get. "Now she's just scared by what happened and by how rotten she feels. I might take her out to see her mama for a moment so that her mama doesn't have a nervous breakdown. And I dont' know how her daddy's doing at all."

"Thank you, Jess," Brian said softly. They took the tea and Brian set his aside for a moment. He could smell that it was restorative tea, and right now his first concern was the mother of his children. He wrapped his hands around hers and made sure she got several sips of the tea in the quiet of the living room. She handed him back the cup, and he said to her softly. "You need to finish it, Khaat."

"I will," she said, curling back into his chest. He sighed heavily and set her cup aside and took his cup and drank some of his own tea. His mind was going a million miles a minute. Then he looked up and saw Robert bringing Abbey out. She was curled tight into his neck and her little fists had big wads of his wet shirt clutched tight in them. Brian did his best to not let his eyes fill up with tears of relief. Robert gently pried her little fingers loose from his shirt and handed her over to Brian. Brian nestled Abbey into his heck, in between him and Khaat, and when Khaat smelled the baby lotion and felt the addition, she looked and saw Abbey wide awake with tiny tears on her little cheeks. Khaat and Brian hugged her tightly, He wrapped Khaat and Abbey tight to him, Khaat's fresh tears and Abbeys old ones falling on his neck and his cheek. This had just been too damned close. Never again, he vowed. Never, ever again. No matter what it took. Never again would he fail them like this.

Cassidy followed them into the living room and smiled as she sat down with Jess as she watched then all. Jess looked at them and smiled too " Brian you know you shouldn't blame yourself , there will be other trying times, we've had a few our selves, I remember when Andrew got intro the loft he was locked in I could hear him but not get to him till jack came back , he's done a lot like he fell down the last three steps in the house , I guess its a child's natural curiosity to get into trouble " she said softly and looked at Jack and smiling as he kissed her cheek.

" I remember when he got his hand stuck in the cookie jar " he said " we buttered him up and it popped right off" he chuckled again " Andrew stood there looking at us and licked his fingers smiling at us completely unaware he'd got us worried" Jack looked at them " you can only keep them safe to a point, but kids always find away to get in trouble mate "

"They're right," Kate said. She sat down on the edge of the coffee table. "It was the first big scare either of you have had as parents. Things are going to happen. Its just life. Brian, you can't stay awake forever, you can't have eyes all over your head--although Robert might have a spell or a potion to arrange it. I wouldn't suggest it because I'm sure it wouldn't be attractive. You can't bodyguard every single person you love every moment of their lives, all at the same time. Thats why you have all of us. All you can ever give is the best you've got. If you think I didn't hear your thoughts, you're wrong. And if you think I didn't raise you not to be able to read the looks on your face, you're wrong again. Brian, listen to me. This was absolutely not your fault. Not at all. stop blaming yourself."

Khaat looked up at Brian, frowning. "Brian? Is that what you thought?" she asked softly.

"Khaat, you have to know I would never have let half the things that have happened...." he began, looking at her. She shook her head and then leaned her forehead against his.

"Not your fault," she said very softly. "You are always, always here for me. Always. And I know you will always, always be here for the kids."

"I will. I swear," he said.

"Now, both of you drink your tea. And then you need to get into some dry clothes. You too, Robert. We can watch Abbey that long. And Angus has made Dakota some sort of homemade play clay in the kitchen, and she's safe with him. All is well," Kate said.

Cassidy took in what they were talking about and smiled knowing one day she too would be in there position with Fallon but listening to Kate she would know it was all part of growing up. " I know I'm as new as you guys but if she wants to be down at the water so much teach her to swim and teach her water safety too that way she will know what she can and cannot do, well that's what I would do" she said and looked at Kate and Jess who nodded to her.

Jess smiled " yes teach her water can be fun but also has dangers too " Jess said "we did with Andrew he can swim and he knows now not to touch the cookie jar unless were with him , its a learning process" she sat back as Andrew wandered in blanket in hand and his thumb in his mouth " unfortunately that's one habit we can't break him of" Jack said shaking his head.

"He gets that love of sugar from his father, Jack," Robert said. "You figure out how to break your love of dessert and you'll know how to break his."

"I have been teaching her to swim. I thought that maybe...." Brian began.

"Stop it," Kate said abruptly and very firmly. "She was NOT attracted to the water because you were teaching her to swim. Did you both forget what her animagus is?"

"Ani...oh God," Khaat said softly.

"She's a Labrador," Brian sighed very softly, shaking his head. He had forgotten.

"You found that out the moment Rob touched her. Most of the time we don't find that out before kids are puberty age. her animagus bond was strong to Rob's. That was why we knew. Labradors love water. Its in their genetic makeup. As a labrador she'll swim endlessly. As a human, she's going to love water and eventually be a proficient swimmer, no doubt. But at her age, she needs to be taught the rights and wrongs of it, and I am quite sure she doesn't have any strength built up to tred water for any period of time."

"No. She doesn't," Brian said. "And I've never left her for a single moment in the pool or when we were at the beach."

"I am not concerned about your ability to be a good father," Robert said. "You are a wonderful, protective, loviing father. Those children are very fortunate. It was an accident. Do you think Khaat never slipped off from the farmhouse when she was that age? For heaven's sakes, Lad, its in the blood of every Gryffindor. When khaat wandered off, I found her in the barn. She almost got trampled to death by the hippogryff we had back then. As it was, it kicked her, and Khaat broke her leg. She wasn't quite two when that happened. And yes, Kate and I had the same feelings. And as I recall, you never questioned our abilities to be good parents in all the years you lived with us. You questioned that we were not your parents, but you didn't ever say we were bad parents. Not one time."

"I get your point," Brian said.

"Drink your tea, both of you, before it gets cold. You wont' like it cold, but you will still drink it," Robert ordered.

Jess smiled as Kate reminded them of Abby's ability and she nodded " of course " she said softly leaning on jack knowing now things would settle back down again Andrew moved to Brian, Khaat and Abby he looked at Abby.

" Mabby bo bo?" he asked looking up at them then at Robert and Kate still holding his blanket then he moved to Jess holding up his arms to be lifted Jess lifted him up and sat him on her knee he rested against her chest. Jack rubbed the boys hair and chuckled.

" I guess so Robert" he said smiling at Andrew he had a thought he would wait to see if he grew out of his cookie obsession but he realized if he hadn't Andrew would not ether "ok Robert, I'm going to have to if his adult teeth are to survive" he said and saw the look on Andrews face.

"May I take her to rest now?" Robert asked Khaat and Brian quietly.

"I can do it," Brian said.

"No, you two have had a completely draining experience. Rest. I'll do it. She's sleepy. She's going to nap now. She'll be fine. I promise," Robert said. Brian kissed Abbey and gently coaxed Khaat to let her go. He handed Abbey to Robert to return her to her room and Brian turned his attentions back to Khaat. She had clung to Abbey with a reluctance to ever let her go, even to Robert. When Brian coaxed her into surrender, she simply tucked her face in his neck. He knew how she was feeling. This had traumatized her. He picked up her tea mug and coaxed her into finishing it. By then, she was laying with her head on his shoulder, worn out, half asleep. He soothed her off into a light doze, wrapping his arm around her. It was best to let her rest now.

He picked up his own tea mug once she was asleep and sipped at it in the quiet until the tea was gone. He knew it was laced with potions, but he drank it anyway, allowing it, and realized it was calming and restoring. And it wasn't unwelcome. It had been a tough morning. It had made Khaat a bit sleepy, but he was fully awake but just feeling more like he wanted to feel.

Jess held Andrew and jack knowing how they felt but Andrew wriggled from them and moved to Abby's cot and looked at Robert " babby bo bo?" he asked again peeking over the side of the cot at her " he touched her head lightly then took it away. " babby better soon?" he asked him and sat down on the floor to watch him Jack walked him a few minuets later.

" sorry Robert he slipped away from us " he said " come on Abby needs her sleep " he said and picked Andrew up holding him in his arms as he wriggled.

" no no daddy, down , me like daddy " he said and jack placed him down and he sat watching again.