Marriage is Murder

Brian gathered up the books and said to Khaat, "If we're going to go, we'd better go change and get going." He excused both of them and they went to change. She chose a cocktail dress and beautiful stilettos. He chose a suit. "Take an evening wrap so the night air doesn't make you chill," he said to her. She got a black wrap and chose a beaded evening bag. When she finished, with a quick glamour spell, she looked at him, questioning if she looked alright. "You are gorgeous," he smiled.

Spoiler:

He went out and got keys to one of the sportscars and then went back and got her, giving her a few more extra minutes to add some final touches. He led her out to the living room. her father looked at her. "Beautiful," he smiled. "That's my girl. Go have a wonderful evening. Have a good time."

Jess smiled seeing Brian and Khaat " you both look very swank " she said and chuckled as she looked at Jack who was struggling to open a jar standing she chuckled as with two light taps she opened it easily. " show off " he said and kissed her before making a sandwich and sitting down.

Cassidy for the first time felt relaxed her mind was on nothing , no worries as she had shared them all with Steven. she sent an image into Steven and he chuckled " Now stop that, that e can try later " he said and chuckled pulling her close to him as he held her close.

Brian took Khaat to a very elegant 5 star restaurant and they enjoyed one of the finest seafood dinners they had ever had in their lives. He ordered a bottle of champagne after dinner and some lovely creme brulees. Once they were served, Brian said, "I...don't know if this goes with your wedding gown or not, but I have something to give to you. Its one of the few things I have left of my mother's. Its been passed down from more generations than I know, but Fi an Kieran neither one claimed it. So, its time to pass it on--to my family." He took a tiny box from his pocket, put it under the table for a moment to restore it to size and then handed her the larger wooden box. She frowned and took it and slowly opened it. The tiara inside took her breath away.

"Brian!" her voice found its way back to her. "For me? Are...are you sure?"

"To bring back your beautiful voice, I'd have given you the world," he said softly. "Yes. For you. Will it..work with your dress?"

"Will it work?" she echoed stunned. "Its perfect. Are you sure? I mean, I"m not much of a princess."

"Far more than you know," he kissed her hand. He closed the box, put it back under the table to shrink it again and slip it into his pocket. "Now--come dance with me. I've missed dancing with you." He stood up and reached for her hand. She took it and let him lead her to the dance floor. there was something indescribably safe about being in his arms as he wrapped her next to him and led her in a slow dance. She curled into him, and he kissed her forehead, never tiring of being blissfully happy with her.

Steven held her close to him still as he spoke again " Cassidy why won't you set a date for us?" he asked her looking down at her feeling her shrug against him. " I mean its not like we don't have all the time in the world and if its the job, well you know all about that. " he said chuckling as he held her Cassidy rested on his chest and sighed deeply.

"Summer, July" she said softly " it will be warm and dry by then and Khaat will be married too " she said softly Steven looked down at her smiling.

" July , I could do that how about 21st of July?" he asked and saw her think for a moment and nod smiling at him.

" I like that , twenty first of July it is, but if anything comes up before hand we move it ok?" she said holding him before Fallon started to cry from inside. But it was then Jess poked out her head.

" I got her " she said and moved back in leaving Cassidy and Steven chuckling in each others embrace, Steven nodded.

" its a deal " he said and went back to watching the stars as she did watching him smiling up at him.

Brian and Khaat just lost all track of time. They lingered over champagne and dancing until the restaurant closed. It was 2 am. Then they drove and found a stretch of beach where they could stop and just sit out under the stars. Brian conjured a blanket and they sat out on the sand, just talking. They hadn't bothered to look at a watch one time--until they began to see a light in the sky.

"What's that?" she frowned.

"Uh..I think that's daylight," he laughed.

"No, really?" she asked. "They're going to be frantic, looking for us."

"Well, we're not that hard to find, and your parents would know if we were in trouble, but yeah, we ought to head home." He got up, picked up the blanket and helped her up. He took her home. She wasn't tired, but as she went in and smelled the start of the French Roast brewing, it smelled heavenly.

"That's the longest dinner date I think I've seen," Angus laughed. "Coffee or are you going to get some sleep."

"Coffee," Brian said. "Definitely."

"I'll get it, then," he smiled, going to the kitchen.

Steven rolled over in bed his arm pulling Cassidy to him and he smiled in his sleep as he held her but he woke slowly knowing he had to get up. opening his eyes he looked at her seeing she too was awake and smiling at him " morning did you sleep well?" he asked and saw her nod.

" Yeah for the first time, yes, I wonder what time Brian and Khaat got back in last night " she asked turning to face him as she snuggled closer to his chest.

" I don't think they came back " he said at first then he heard voices and he chuckled " I stand corrected there back now. " He kissed her and chuckled" Must have been a good night for them, I can hear Khaat talking again." he moved closer to her, feeling comfortable as he had with Janet all those years ago, a warmth washed over him and he smiled knowing this was exactly where he wanted to be. " ok time I got up you rest" he said and kissed her again as he slipped from her and headed for a shower checking Fallon as he went finding her playing with her toes in her bassinet and he smiled.

After showering he moved to the living room trousers and a towel laid across his shoulders " good morning " he said as he moved to the kitchen " I'm guessing the date went well ?" he smiled at them both as he poured a cup of coffee and sat in the living room.

OCC: Khaat hasn't said anything since returning to the house yet.

"Went fine," Brian said. "We just had much too good a time with dining and dancing that we decided to just enjoy it. She sat down and kicked off her heels. Her feet hurt a bit from wearing those shoes so many hours and dancing until almost dawn. She hadnt even had a chance to speak yet when she heard the triplets fussing. She accio'd bottles of formula and got up. Brian sighed and got up to follow her. "We've only got 18 more years of this," he sighed. "After you. If you'll excuse us. We have babies to feed and bathe and diaper. They're getting up earlier and earlier all the time. We really do need to get them on a better schedule." He followed her to the bedroom.

Steven chuckled and nodded " Its about time you two did" he said making a cup of tea float to the bedroom for Cassidy and he chuckled " ow I know that feeling mate , still going threw it myself " he said meaning Andrew and the twins along with Fallon, now that he and Cassidy were engaged to be wed. He moved into the bed room following the cup passing Jack as he headed to the kitchen fully dressed and ready to take any challenge that would some that day.

" good morning " he said passing Brian and Khaat as he walked into the kitchen taking a cup of coffee he sat at the table smiling as he blew and drank it slowly.

Khaat and Brian fed, bathed and changed the triplets and moved ahead to bathe and dress the girls.

"Can we wait until these five are out of diapers before we have more?" Brian sighed, setting Dakota on the floor after dressing her.

"That's fine with me," she said, putting Abbey on the floor. The girls headed out to find Angus. "But I would like to shower and change," she added.

"Me too," he agreed. They went into their room, and showered and changed. They both chose jeans. Khaat chose an off the shoulder tank top, and Brian just chose a plain shirt. they headed back out to the kitchen and found Robert and Kate coming in from the beach. Clearly they had gone running.

"Well," Robert laughed. "I wondered if you two forgot your way home."

"No," Brian said. "We just had a good time."

"Good. Good for you. And you're just in time for breakfast."

"Good because we're both hungry," Brian said, taking the coffee cups for refills. Kate went out and refilled her teacup and Roberts.

"I'm glad because breakfast is ready," Angus said. "Come eat."

" ME TOO I'M STARVED!!" shouted Steven from the bed room as he finished dressing and returned to them and sitting at the table with them Cassidy joined them five minuets later having put some makeup on and done up her hair in a tight bun to keep it out of her way.

"Morning , Steven can we continue our training I think I've almost got the hang of it, with out becoming weakened " she said grabbing a slice of toast and eating it as she smiled at them all " what ?" she asked and it was jack who spoke.

" not seen you with make up on before, looks good " he said and got a dig in his side for his trouble from Jess.

" you look great and so does Khaat" she said smiling at them as she too took some toast.