Marriage is Murder

Brian smiled slightly but said nothing. He didn't want to wake Khaat. She didn't sleep long, and when she woke she got up silently. He got up with her. "You alright?" he asked quietly.

"Fine," she said calmly. "I think I'll go for a walk."

"Can I go with you?" he asked.

"If you want," she said. She walked out towards the beach. Brian went along. She was headed right for where the girls had gone into the water. She picked up the little flipflop on the sand that had been left behind. Brian flicked his wand to accio the other flipflop. It came flying out of the water to him. He flicked the flipflops to float back into the house. He took her hand and decied to simply walk with her. They needed to make peace about it all. Their friends and family were right. It had just been a frightening accident.

Robert watched Khaat and Brian go outside. "Good for them," he said. "They're going to work it out for themselves. Angus, move ahead with lunch plans, please. we don't want to get too far off schedule because of the kids."

"I'm working on it already," Angus said. "It'll be ready by the time they're back."

"Can I help?" Kate asked.

"Well, I have a salad to make and a table to set, and Dakota has the clay I made her all over the floor in here. And all over her. And all over me. Yeah, a hand would be nice. I havent' even gotten to bake up the cake batter I made up a little while ago. Any help would be appreciated."

Jack just chuckled and left Andrew to his watch " seems Andrews taking to guarding Abby " he said as he sat with Jess " ow lunch sounds good about now " he said and heard his stomach growl loudly. Jess looked at Robert " there working it our right ?" she said and stood up walking over to him " that's a good thing, I hope they realize this was just the first of many to come as she gets older, then comes the teens when she brings back boys to the house" Jess chuckled seeing the look on Cassidys face at the thought of her own daughter bringing boys back to their home.

" well Steven can deal with that one when Fallon starts , but I'm just glad shes here as are the others too including Abby " she said thinking Khaat had been through a mothers worst fear.

"I'll be happy to help you," Kate said, getting up and going to the kitchen. She started by putting the cake batter into the cake pan and put it into the oven. She set the table and made the salad and a beautiful orange sesame dressing.

Robert had seen the way Andrew acted towards Abbey. He went over to Andrew and laid his hand casually on Andrews forehead, handing Andrew a sickle. Just a sickle. Nothing magic, just a single coin. He watched the delight in the boy's face, but Robert had a purpose for it. He walked away quietly, saying nothing.

Kate had seen what Robert had done. She looked up at him and smiled slightly. Robert often did such things, and she enjoyed watching him do it. It made him look secretive, but he didn't usually intend to be. Now Andrew tailed after Robert, babbling about the coin Robert had given him.

"Come with me," Robert said to the boy. He took him into the nursery, lowered the side of the crib and set Andrew up there. "Put your hand on her head again. But do it like this." He laid his own hand very gently on Abbey's forehead. "Softly now. Baby's sleeping."

Jess watched Andrew and followed Robert and him smiling as she saw them , Andrew following his direction as he giggled touching Abby gently and then looked at Robert for reassurance he'd done it right " babby sleep?" he asked holding the sickle in his right hand tight as he tipped his head touching her head two more times then he looked at him " me like daddy" he said and pulled a funny pouted folding his arms with a frown on his face as he sat with her " Babby safe, mummy" he said making Jess smile as she walked over to them.

" yes dear she is safe " she said and looked at Robert " i think hes trying to be like his father and protect every one" she said ruffling his hair but he gave her a groan and brushed it back.

"That is not what I felt from him, Jess," Robert said. "He sees Jack in his role as a protector, but that isn't what drew him to Abbey. He was drawn to her because I think he knew she wasn't feeling well. Jess, I think he's going to inherit your healer energies. It's just a very faint energy I detected remaining on Abbey after he touched her. It felt very much to me like the signature that is common in healer energies. Now whether those will develop any more than they are right now, I don't know. He's far too young for us to know. And then there is always the whole business of whether or not he will want to pursue that. i just think I can feel the very slightest of healer's signatures in that boy. He has about another 10 years before he will need to be thinking about that, but how his childhood goes will decide what he will choose to do with his life. I just wanted to double check what I thought I felt."

Jess smiled at Roberts words " Really, I'm glad he has my ability's " she said smiling at Andrew " well he could not ask for a better teacher" she said and smiled at Robert " like you said if he develops that way he might not " she said but she was proud of Andrew for it " what ever he chooses its will be his choice I will not push him into anything " she said watching Andrew place his hand back on Abby gently.

" mabby sleepy" he said looking at Robert and moving his hand to touch her head " see " taking Abby's hand Andrew opened it and placed the sickle into it. " keep Mabby safe" he said and turned to Robert.

"Thats yours," Robert said to Andrew gently. He took the coin and handed it back to him. "I will keep Abbey safe. I promise. Iam like your daddy. I keep people safe. I taught your daddy how to keep people safe. Watch this. Look here." He pointed out a scrap on Abbey's knee. "See? A boo boo. Now watch." He laid his hand on the scraped knee. When he removed his hand the scrape was gone. "See? No more boo boo. Its gone. All better. I make people safe, and I make them better. Thats what I do. You keep your sickle. Do you have a piggybank? You could put it there to keep it safe."

Brian brought Khaat back from the beach. His arm was around her waist, and she had both arms around him.

"I told Khaat I want us to move ahead with wedding preparations," he said. "I don't want to put this off. I told her whatever she wants is fine by me. I gave her some definite things i want in it. But I want her to plan it. the sooner the better."

"Good," Kate smiled. "We'll be happy to get right on that this afternoon, Brian."

"After lunch," Angus said. "Its ready. Come and eat." He had prepared Fettucini Alfredo with beautiful homemade, fresh whole wheat pasta, a lovely fresh salad, and fresh homemade poundcake with a Oney Orange sauce and fresh whipped cream with flavoring from a fresh vanilla bean. It was garnished with little shavings of fresh orange zest.

"It looks unbelievable, Angus," Brian smiled, bringing Khaat to the table. "Should I get the girls?"

"I'll bring Dakota after I wash her up," Angus said.

"Robert wants Abbey to sleep. We'll make sure she gets fed soon. Let it go for now, Lad," Kate said.

Jess smiled as she watched Andrew's face as he concentrated on watching Robert he held the sickle again and slipped it into his pocket but then watched as Robert made Abby's scrape disappear, " ah " he said and giggled clapping his hands at it " mum do dat" he said looking at Jess then back to Robert as he listened again " you make bo bo gone every one?" he asked but he smelt food and smiled " nom noms" he said holding up his arms but he turned to Abby and gently placed a kiss on her cheek " Mabby safe now " he said and then held on to Jess as she lifted him into her arms.

Jess looked at Robert and smiled " hes a quick learner " she said " um he hasn't got a piggy bank but may be Andrew when we go shopping daddy and I and you too could go get one " she said and Andrew laughed and clapped his hands.

" piggy piggy" he said smiling

Robert went into the kitchen and got out a coffee mug. He brought it and set it in front of Andrew. He thought about it for a moment and then flicked his wand. It transfigured the mug into a ceramic piggy bank. "What color would you like it, Andrew?" Robert said.

"Nice touch, Daddy," Khaat smiled. "You know None of the kids have them. Could you make some more?"

"If somebody goes and buys more coffee mugs," he laughed. "Of course." He sat down and they all ate lunch. Khaat and Brian particularly liked the nuttiness of the taste of the fresh wheat pasta. It was more filling and Angus always cooked it perfectly. She knew it was the potions that made it possible for her to eat after what happened.

"Thank you, Angus," Khaat said. "Its wonderful. Brian, you know what I told you, though."

"Alright," he sighed. "But not alone. Khaat wants to buy some bridal books and magazines but she wants me to remain behind with the kids. Can someone go along with her down to the bookstore, please?"

Jess sat Andrew at the table and Andrew watched he took out his coin and placed it down when it changed to a piggy bank " um ..." he thought for a moment then pointed to Robert " Pirate " he said giggling seeing Roberts medallion he sat looking up at him then dropped the coin in he giggle hearing the clink as it fell in side it .

Cassidy heard the sound of talking and moved to sit and eat " I'll go with you Khaat, might give me some thoughts for if I marry again. " she said smiling at her " couldn't harm to see whats available, Steven hasn't stopped hinting for days, " she said " I just don't feel like I want to right now. " Jess looked at her and smiled at her before she spoke.

" Cassidy, I'll talk to him to back off on the wedding thing for you " she said and cassidy relaxed eating the last of her food. Jess looked at Andrew who watched Robert as he ate and drank both jack and Jess chuckled as they saw him copy Roberts movements.