Marriage is Murder

Brian was finding little resistance in the people he offered the veritaserum to. he found, instead, that his staff was as dedicated and loyal as he thought it was. Rather than being elated and pleased, he was frustrated, angry, and getting a severe migraine. Brian rarely got migraines, but even in his travels around the world, he had found the only person who could totally rid him of them was Robert. Other healers could dull the pain, but not take them away when they got this bad. He knew it was simply stress that had brought this on, but he also knew it was going to take getting back to Robert to get rid of it.

He was seeing clearly that his love for Khaat was causing him to feel such fear and anger that he was finding it hard to not want to lash out and strike at whoever hurt her or his kids--with such a deep violence that he was seeing where Robert found himself capable of it from time to time. He understood it now through fresh eyes.

He let the last man go and sat back and groaned softly, frustrated. He was starting to think he was going to have to make some serious plans of his own to assassinate Tom Gelding.

Steven pulled him to his feet, pressing him to the wall " where is your loyalty ? " he asked the man spat at him and spoke.

"My loyalties lay with Gelding " he said strained then lasted out Steven hit him knocking the man out cold and to the floor.

" Get Brain" he said and jack left for the second room he entered and looked at Brian.

"we got him " he said and walked back out " Stevens holding him he was the last man" he said and opened the door to Steven standing over him watching him .

" this... this poor excuse is the mole "Steven said as the man made a dash for Brian.

Brian's aching head was extra sensitive to sound. Typical of severe migraines. He heard the sound of confusion in the hallway. He drew his wand and stepped out in the hallway just as something hit him hard like a speeding freight train. It knocked him flat onto the floor. As Brian's head contacted hard with the stone floor, he saw one speeding black boot running over him and he grabbed the boot hard with both hands, tripping someone who fell flat on his face.

Brian knew how to take a hard hit and how to do what he needed to do at the moment. He leaped up on his feet and saw one of his men with a huge bowie knife in his hand. "Oh, no you dont," Brian said, flicking his fingers. The knife disapparated into nothingness. Brian didn't know where his wand had skittered off to, but he didnt' care. He picked the former auror up by his cloak and slammed him into the floor several times and then began just relentlessly beating him, nonstop. Blood flew, bones were breaking, and the auror was fighting back with all he had. Some of the blood and bones, Brian knew, were his own. Some were the traitor's. But Brian was going to make an end of it. And very few brawled like Brian did. Besides that, no one there had seen him fight like this--in nothing but a blind murderous rage.

Steven saw the rage in Brian's eyes and knew why, he'd seen it in his own after John had been returned to him and he knew exactly what Brian felt . Quickly he moved grasping Brian's arm as he went to hit the now unconscious man " STOP IT BRIAN !!"he said holding him and pulling him away from the man while jack cast the binding spell on him not that he would be going any where after Brian's beating. " think Brian we need him alive if were to send him back to gelding with a message that he can't get to us this is exactly what he wants, think Brian, your kids and Khaat she would not want acting like this" he said his hands against his shoulders holding him , he looked at Jack " done?" he asked and saw him nod " good " he faced Brian releasing his grip a little on him " don't make me summon Robert to sort you" he said " I have been in your situation Brian remember " he said looking at him " you told me that it would accomplish nothing to beat him senseless.

Brian knew Steven was right, and he knew he wasn't himself. He was breathless and bleeding and was starting to realize he had more pain than he'd felt in a long time. He hurt. He had hurt himself,and in more than one place. He accio'd his wand, and it flew to his hand. He flicked his wand at his opponent, rendering him unconscious. He didn't want anyone to see the inside of the safehouse that he didnt' trust.

"Brian," Owens came over to him, bolstering Brian under his shoulder, "You're hurt, Mate. Really hurt. Do you know where Robert is?" Brian nodded slowly. Owens pressed something into his hand and closed Brian's fist around it. Brian didn't even notice.. "Go find him, then. You need his help. Can I apparate with you to be sure you get there?" Brian shook his head, believing he was alright to portkey by himself. He dug the skeleton key out of his pocket and took a step forward, feeling himself starting to fall with the first step, right against Steven. He clutched onto Steven and looked at Jack.

"Bring him," he told Jack, knowing Jack also had a portkey. He used his portkey and ported himself and Steven, using Steven to hold him up and get him home, and returned to the safehouse. The instant he felt them land, he let go of Steven and collapsed on the floor.

Angus flew to him the second he hit the floor, and he knelt beside his bloodied friend. He looked up at Kate who had already gone to call Robert. He brushed the hair from Brian's face. "Looks like you got him, Mate," he said softly. "Well done." Then he noticed Brian's balled up fist. "What have you got there?" He opened Brian's fist and found two of Brian's teeth in his hand. "More teeth? You really are going to make Robert work today, aren't you?" he sighed. Robert came up the stairs and saw Brian on the floor. He went over and knelt beside Brian.

"Twit," he said gently. "I know I told you not to do that. Alright. It looks like you're going to give us a bit of patching practice again." Angus handed the teeth to Robert. "Oh, isn't that lovely?" Robert sighed sarcastically. Jess, bring some water. Lets try to clean him up." Robert laid his hand on Brian's forehead to get a scan to see just where all the damage was. Then he looked up at Angus. "Help Jack and Steven go secure him. There is a holding cell off the armory behind my office. Bind his magic from him, Lads, and lock him up tight. We want him secured until I can get to him."

Steven had been so focused on Brian's face he had not seen the rest of him. Now that Owens called to Brian he looked at the rest of him feeling him fall against him he wrapped his arm around him supporting his weight, he looked at Owens when he mentioned coming with them. "No stay here, I got him" he said and felt Brian aperate them away.

Jack pulled the man over his shoulder and looked at Owens " He'll be all right, Robert will patch him up, don't worry." He said and he to ported away, appearing just as Robert knelt beside the now collapsed Brian. He watched as Jess walked back with a bowl of warm water and cloths to clean Brian up. He shifted the dead weight on his shoulder then nodded to Robert as he told him to place the man in a holding cell and bind his magic. He immediately headed down to the basement with Steven following close behind him. As he dropped the man on a cot that sat against a wall Steven bound the mans magic, then as the door swung closed he made double sure with a key and a locking spell.

Turning Steven looked at Jack.who placed his hand on his friends shoulder. "He's tough he'll be ok with Robert" he said and they walked back up stairs to Robert.

"Hes locked up tight " Steven said looking at Brian " Hows he doing?" he asked his eyes looking at Brian.

"Pretty typical for him," Robert said. "Got a couple of teeth knocked out again, I swear, I've put back more of this boy's teeth than he ever was designed to have in the first place. Looks like he slammed the back of his head into a blooming rock or something. He's split the back of his head open. He's lost quite a bit of blood. It looks like he's damaged his the tissue in his neck and his back, and looks like he's cracked a couple of rib and sprained his knee. That's not counting all the cuts and bruises. For him, its a pretty typical brawl."

"I've seen him come out of training worse than this," Angus laughed.

"That's because he insisted on being trained to know how to take a hit. He wanted to know how to do it and how to train his staff to do it. So he trains hard. He'll be alright." Robert said. "Jess, close up the wound on the back of his head, please. I'm going to set those ribs and then put back his teeth. Then we'll tend to his knee. Jess, I'll trust you to take care of the other cut he has. We'll not worry about the bruises for now. He's used to those. One of you go tell Khaat that Brian is home and that he's just done some brawling. She'll understand what we're lookin at. She'll be alright with it."

Steven listened as he knelt beside Robert ash he watched Jess cradle Brian's head he saw the cut slowly close till it was nothing but a thin line. Moving her hand she did the same to the other cut and it too closed over to a thin silver scar , she looked at Robert " sorry about the scar I can't seem to master how to remove it completely" she said " I'm sure he won't mind " she said feeling his forehead and siting back as she watched Jack head for the bed room to tell Khaat they were back and about Brian .

Steven lent forward slightly" Shouldn't we move him to his bed ?" he asked " or will that hurt him more?" he wasn't a healer so didn't know but he felt it would be more comfortable than the floor. He looked at Angus and chuckled " we all should do that, hes one hell of a scrapper " he said looking down at Brian.

"I'll move him when I'm done with him," Robert said. "I'd rather just make a mess in one place." He soon finished patching him up and sat back. "That should do it. He'll come around in a bit. I'm sure it was whatever he hit his head on. Now I'll get him to bed." He stood up and simply picked Brian up like he was no weight at all. He had picked Brian up and carried him so many times he was used to it.

He took him back into the bedroom. Khaat simply had moved to sit up in the bed. She sighed and shook her head when her father brought Brian in. "Looks about normal for him," she sighed.

"It is," her father said, laying Brian on the bed. He took Brian's boots and put them on the floor and laid his wand on the nightstand. "He'll come around in a bit. Looks like he hit his head."

"I think I can manage it from here," she smiled.

"Be careful you don't drain your own energies too much for another day or so," Robert told her.

"I'll be careful," she said.

"I need to go deal with a small matter in the basement," he said. "Jess, make sure the girls don't follow me down there." He turned and left to go downstairs to deal with their hostage.

Steven watched as Robert finished patching Brian up and moved him through to Khaat and laid him on the bed. He stood with his arms folded as he watched Jess move to watch the girls who played with cassidy in the other room. Son Cassidy walked in and chuckled at the sight of Brian.

" wow, normal day then" she said unsurprised at Brian's condition she heard Robert mention not letting the girls go to the basement. " I'll stand guard " She said pulling a chair next to the door and sitting down with a magazine. Steven followed him down into the basement with Jack following behind.Steven wanted to see Robert's interrogation he'd seen muggle interrogation's but not a magic one for years and not by Robert.