Marriage is Murder

Khaat hadn't thought much about the something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue buisness yet. The gown certainly fit the something old, and the liner dress beneath the lace fit the something new. She hadn't thought of the other two things. She just shrugged and looked at Jess. She hadn' gotten that far in her plans. Wearing blue would be hard with that green necklace permanantly around her neck. She had gotten used to planning her entire wardrobe around green, even though it was not her favorite color. She figured eventually the rest would just sort of fall into place. And actually, the events of the day had just thrown her. She just felt "off" and not where she wanted to be. And the loss of her voice frustrated her, despite her father saying it was temporary.

As for Brian, he had needed some time with the guys. Time to de-stress. He had had four--or was it five--glasses of firewhiskey. Enough to feel mellow but not enough to be really drunk. He had been looking forward to a decent night's sleep.

And it was just what he didnt' get. Khaat had been too frightened of what her dreams might hold to take her sleeping potion. She did not want to be trapped in her dreams by the potion and unable to wake up and escape them. He had not made her take it. And it felt to him like the very instant she would start to doze off, she would bolt straight upright in bed, shaking, terrified out of her wits, and unable to scream. It had happened so many times that he had not gotten any restful sleep at all. And he felt worse for the trying. When day started to break, he wasn't sure whether he was glad to see morning at last or to be frustrated by the fact that it had come and gone and he hadn't been allowed even a few moment's sleep. He woke now to see her side of the bed was empty. She was up and gone. He wasn't sure whether to panic or to be relieved. Instead, his head fell back to the pillow, and he sighed, frustrated, He groaned and after a moment, he got up and put on a pair of jeans and a shirt and headed, barefoot, out to the kitchen.

Angus was up. He met Brian with coffee. Angus could already read Brian's face. "You look like hell, Mate," he said.

"Where is she?" he asked. Angus pointed outside to the beach where Brian could see the clear figure of Khaat in a flowing white sundress, sitting out on the sand. She was wrapped in her favorite, oversized, pink shawl to ward off the chill of the pre-dawn sea breezes. Brian didn't like the fact that she was there by herself. He started to head outside, and Angus laid his hand on Brian's shoulder.

"Wait," Angus said. "She's not alone. Just wait." It took a moment, but finally, he saw the cutting figure of her father come into view from down the beach a way. Robert sat down on the sand beside Khaat. Angus handed Brian a cup of coffee as Brian watched the scene play out. Robert put his arm around Khaat's shoulder. And then, slowly, she laid her head on his shoulder. Several more moments passed, and then he saw Robert wrap her into his arms as she curled her face into his neck. That was what Brian had been waiting all night to see. Her surrender. Surrendering to all the fear, the pain, the shame and the anger. It bothered him very little that she had chosen to give it to her father instead of him. He was just glad she had chosen to finally give it all up to somebody. And there was no one in the world he respected more than Robert. She was in safe hands. He heard himself sigh, and he didnt' know if it was fatigue or relief.

Andrew ran from his room giggling as he headed for the kitchen and Angus " nom nom's peeees" he said and climbed up on a chair sitting with his chin barely over the table top as he grinned at Angus and Brian. Jess woke and saw the small bed empty she sat up and wrapped her robe around her. Leaving a rather worse for wear Jack asleep she moved to the kitchen where she knew Andrew would have gone. " good morning I hope my husband didn't make you too worse for wear today" she said and looked out the two main doors at the scene beyond and smiled " about time she let it go " she said softly and ruffled Andrews hair lightly " breakfast for you little mister " she said and lifted him into a high chair " for now this is where you sit " she said and sat facing him .


Steven wandered in his hair all messed up and in his PJ bottoms " morning Angus you got any hangover cures in your bag of tricks?" he asked and sat down " never mind just bring a glass of tomato juice and some Wooster sauce " he asked looking at him " its my fathers cure , he always wore by it " he held his head and rubbed his temples " I know I could get Jess to get rid of it but I prefer to go through it , it reminds me why I don't want to drink" he said and chuckled.

"You both need hangover cures, huh?" Angus laughed. He and Brian and Robert had not had an issue with the firewhiskey, but some peple just didn't deal with it like others. Everyone was different. He poured a bit of a potion into two small glasses and set them out for Jack and Steven. "If you want to face the day, you'd both better just take it and get rid of the hangover. Robert wont' care and neither will Brian. He looks far worse than both of you put together, but he doesnt have a hangover. He just looks like he didn't get any freaking sleep. My money's on Khaat not sleeping worth a tick last night. Remember how many nights of screaming we all heard when we got her back from Barker? And after the last time she was taken and, well, hurt? I think that is exactly what she went through last night but she didn't have a voice to wake the rest of us with. I think she probably scared the crap out of him repeatedly all night long. And until they both get a little sleep, its going to feel like that awful day we had yesterday just never ended for either one of them. Maybe Robert will have a solution for that when he comes back in with her.

"Jess, Andrew might have to wait a bit for breakfast," Angus said. "All I've done is gotten the coffee and the tea and start the scones dough. We're all about an hour early this morning for breakfast for some odd reason. And I haven't even thought about eggs yet. There is some fresh fruit salad from yesterday in the fridge if he's too hungry to wait. And there might be some cold cereal in the cabinet and milk in the fridge. But the rest of us are going to have to wait a bit unless I conjure something."

Steven picked up the small glass and downed it feeling his hangover disappear slowly and he smiled " that's fine by me Angus, Cassidys still sleeping " he said watching jack hesitate " its god trust me mines almost gone " he said and watched Jack down it and shiver but a few minuets later nodded his agree meant. Jessica looked at Angus and smiled " the fruit salad will do fine " she said moving to the fridge placing some in a blow she placed it in front of Andrew and smiled watching him eat the fruit then triumphantly show them his empty plate as he then placed it on his head the wrong way chuckling, " nummy nummy" he said.

Steven stood up and grabbed a cup of coffee. "Thanks Angus, that's much better " he smiled seeing Cassidy walk out in her robe carrying Fallon as she walked over to him " burping?" he asked and saw her nod " Fallon here, seems not to want her mother to bring her wind and holds it all for me." He said taking her and moving into the living room. Leaving Jack sat at the table Jess paced down a cup of tea in front of him and smiled as she kissed him gently.

Angus started to make the scones and just as he felt like he was up to his elbows in scone dough, he heard the triplets start in. They were off schedule too, it seemed. And to make matters worse, that woke Abbey and Dakota who started to cry and fuss, angry at being awakened so early. He sighed heavily. What else wasn't going to go right. He flicked his wand to draw out two sippy cups of juice and three bottles of formula.

"Everybody go grab a baby," he sighed. "Please?" He looked to see Kate wrapped herself in her robe and tying the belt as she headed in to soothe Abbey and Dakota. They needed to get used to the sounds of testy babies, and Grandma was going to settle them back to sleep. Or try to. She figured they both needed diaper changes anyway. Probably all five did.

Brian flicked his wand at the juice cups and the bottles and floated them down the hallway. He sent the juice cups into the girls and floated the bottles back to the bedroom. He followed back to the angry triplets. They were hungry and wet both.

"Good morning to you too," he sighed tiredly. "I guess we might as well all be awake. Why can't you guys wake up in a good mood for once? I love you but I'm glad you're only three and not six."

Jack moved with Brian " need some help mate " he said and picked up one baby walking to the changer he quickly changed him and moved to place little Robert in Brian's arms " your on feeding duty mate" he said and chuckled as he picked up Michael to change him . Placing him on the table and changing him before taking a bottle and sitting to feed him just as Steven walked in smiling " all quiet on the baby front?" he said and picked up the last one Julia and he changed her leaning against the door he fed her " so you got your suit for the wedding?" he asked watching as Cassidy walked past and into their room she smiled as she saw him watching her.

" hay Casanova , empty bottles don't make good food for baby's " Jack said and motioned to the empty bottle that Julia was sucking on , Steven chuckled and nodded.

" sorry guys and girl " he said and looked at Julia " I guess I feel like you did when Khaat finally accepted your proposal " he said and smiled at Brian.

"Uh...no," Brian said a little awkwardly. "I really don't know how to coordinate my suit with her dress if I can't see it. And I'm having trouble getting her to sit down with me and actually do any planning. I know she's interested, but we seem to be on different pages on this for some reason. She seems to want whatever I want, and I want whatever she wants, but neither of us are really talking about it. We've either been doing our own thing or nothing at all."

"That will hardly do, you know," Kate said from the doorway, leaving on the doorjam. "I suggest you get some private time with her and a pad of paper and a pen and that great stack of books she bought yesterday and start looking through them with her."

"I don't know if she's up to that today," Brian said abruptly, finishing with the baby in his arms and putting him back in the bassinet. Kate walked up to him with a determined look on her face. She grabbed hold of Brian's chin and made him look at her.

"Now you listen to me," she said fiercely. "You will never be too old or too sophisticated that I can't take you in hand. You get that straight right now. That girl loves you just as much as you love her and you know it. Your lack of sleep is affecting your brain. You're being overprotective of her sensibilities here. If you want her, you go show her you still want her. Stop accepting her pushback. She's not feeling worthy of you right now, and we can tell her all the words in creation, but in the end of it, the only one who is going to set her straight is you. She can cry on her father's shoulder all damned day but its you she wants. I know you hurt, but the only thing that is going to fix that for you is her. Pull yourself up and do something about it--today."

He simply looked blankly at her, a bit stunned.

Steven and jack both placed there respective babies in there bassinets and listened knowing she was right , both chuckled and stood with Kate " erm... she's right " both said and looked at him " we both can see it mate" said Jack and he crossed his arms across his chest " I see it with Andrew, no matter how many times he comes to me with little things, he always goes to his mother with the big ones, Khaats kinda in the same frame of mind and if you don't marry her, I will march you at the end of my wand down that isle, you both deserve happiness" he said and Steven nodded beside him.

Cassidy and Jess both dressed and headed for the living room again to sit and admire the sunrise " its beautiful " Cassidy said smiling " I hope it looks like that on Brian and Khaats wedding day " she said and sat down.

" and what of yours and Stevens?" Jess asked smiling at her .

" Not for a long time yet " she said " I said yes but Steven knows I won't be married till Khaat and Brian are first in my eyes its not done" she shook her head lightly and looked back at the sunrise.

When there were no more tears to shed, Khaat watched her father stand to his feet. He lovingly reached out his hand to her. "I'll help you up," he said softly. "Come on. I won't let you walk away from your life. Its been ugly, but I'm not letting you walk away. I think we both could use some coffee. Come with me." She let him help her to her feet. He put his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. He hated it when she hurt. He had reassured her in every way he knew how. Now he had to take care of her. He led her into the house.

"You're all up entirely too early," Robert said. "Except Angus. I expect it from him. What's got you all off schedule?"

Angus poured two cups of coffee and took them to them. He handed one to Robert and the other to Khaat. "'Morning, Princess," he kissed her temple softly. "I'm making some scones with pineapple, coconut and macadamias, dusted with raw sugar. I think you'll like them." They did sound good. She managed a smile. He reached out to her and he folded her into his arms into a warm hug. She didn't begin to understand how he could still stand by her, how any of them could. "Stop thinking," he told her. "Just stop it. Give your mind a rest today. Yesterday was the worst day we've had for a long time. Lets start moving forward. You know I'm not leaving. You know better." She looked up at him, truly wanting to know why. Why wasn't he leaving to just ditch them and go back to Tuscany where life was so much quieter. He looked into her face and seemed to see her question. Instead, it brought laughter, sparkle, and life to his face. "You're being silly," he laughed. "You know I would never leave you. You know none of us would. You were hurt. Its an injury. Nothing more. None of us would ever, ever leave you for that. Now--do me a favor. Come dust the scones with that sugar. i could use a hand in the kitchen, and you need to be busy."

For some reason, she didn't think. She just followed. He pointed to the scone dough. She washed the sand off her hands and flowered the board and put the dough on the board. She dusted the roller and rolled the dough, cut it the proper way into triangles and put them on the large baking sheet, brushed them with egg for a shine and then sprinkled the raw sugar crystals over them. She looked at him. He had put together, in that short times span, two Quiche Lorraines. He took the baking sheet and put it in the oven, followed by a second with the two quiches.

"Ham or bacon this morning?" he asked her. She held up two fingers. "Bacon it is," he smiled. He got out a third sheet pan and put it on the sheet pan and laid out a full pound of bacon and put it in the other oven. "There. Now, go say good morning to Brian. He's just coming out from feeding the babies." She turned around to see him standing in the living room just watching her. He had stopped short. She looked at him. She saw the fatigue in his face, and she felt bad about it. She looked at the floor. He went over to her.

"You know, it just gives us an excuse to slip off this afternoon for a nap," he said softly in her ear. That had not been what she had expected him to say. "Actually, I thought we'd talk flowers, invitations, perhaps my suit? Your colors? Care to share?" She glared at him. She wanted him to be sure. "Stop it. I haven't changed my mind. You know how I feel. How I've always felt. If you want roses, i'll buy you every rose in the world. Just tell me. You want candles? I'll give you a million. You want..." She cut him off by poking him in the chest. Him. She only wanted him. "Finally," he said softly. "An agreement on something. That's a start."

Jess looked over the top of her magazine at the two of them and smiled seeing how they were with each other happy they were finally on the same page again. Jack sat down as Andrew sat playing with a toy in front of them as the twins lay in their bassinets beside Jack , Jess looked over at Jack " maybe you had Brian should go suit shopping?" she said and jack chuckled and shook his head lightly.

"After he and Khaat have sorted the other things out. " he said leaning over and kissing her gently " don't push Jess let it go naturally" he said standing he moved to the kitchen to grab some coffee " hey that smells good, Bacon Quiche?" he asked " love it " he said " then again I love all food " he chuckled taking a deep breath of the aroma of the cooking Quiche.