Marriage is Murder

Robert flicked his fingers at a couple of small bowls that filled themselves for Dakota and Abbey and he floated them to the girls. The girls preferred eating the fruit with their fingers, but they preferred eating fruit as to eating candy.

When Robert put them on the floor, Abbey ran into her room and came back with a pink plastic sand pail and a purple plastic shovel. She held them up to Brian, calling for her daddy. Brian picked her up and kissed her cheek.

"You want to go out and play in the sand?" he asked her. Abbey nodded. He looked at Dakota. "You want to go too?" he asked her. She climbed up onto Angus's lap, shaking her head.

"You don't have to go," Angus told Dakota. "You can stay with me in the kitchen." Dakota nodded.

"I guess Abbey and I are going out to play in the sand. Mom, are you coming?" he looked at Khaat.

"No, you enjoy some father daughter time," Khaat smiled.

Andrew at his fruit and sat back , Jess nodded he could get down and he did so running into the living room to sit and play with some blocks as Jess finished her food taking her plate she placed it in the sink " Thank you Angus that was wonderful as usual " she said and moved to Jack " well jack's taking Andrew , the twins and I in to the town shopping so we'll see you guys about tea time, um if that's all right Robert ?" she asked looking at him as she lend back on the work surface. Jack walked over to her and held her.

" yes I'm treating her and the kids to a shopping day " he said and kissed her. He had hoped everything would be ok for them to go as he knew Jess needed some things and he wanted to spend some time with the kids. He sipped his arm around her and smiled " I'm sure Steven and cassidy will be around " he glanced over at them chuckling at how they just held each other totally lost in love with each other.

" ow..um yeah " said Steven blushing a little " yeah were staying here Cassidy need to work out while I take care of Fallon , besides my step daughter need some father time too " he said grinning as he liked the sound of those words, he kissed Cassidy who chuckled but then groaned at the sound of a work out .

"That's fine," Robert said. "Hopefully things will be..." He stopped short, something sparking inside of him. He never liked when he felt dark energy. "Draw your wands and stay sharp. Everyone stay in the house. I'm going alone. You know your jobs. If I don't come back, Brian and Khaat and kate all know which safehouse is next. Don't wait for me. if it comes to it, go."

Khaat had felt the sudden dark energy too. They'd been intruded upon. Her seer's powers alerted her just as her father had been alterted when his portection spells were breeched. She drew her wand, watching Brian pick up Abbey with one hand and draw his wand with the other. Kate accio'd all the baby beds out from the bedrooms, and the beds came skating out on their own. She stood firmly with them, her wand drawn. Angus picked up Dakota and went over to Kate to stand with her.

Khaat took a firm stand in front of the wall that was open to the beach, but she faced the fireplace, in case they decided to use the floo network. She watched her father give them all just one more look to be sure they were prepared and then he apparated out without another word.

Jess felt it, a cold feeling coming from deep inside her like the tendrils of some dark octopus gnawing at her insides and she drew her wand from its hiding place in her boot. " Jack, put that thought on hold " she said and jack quickly moved to take his position. Andrew like his mother had moved to stand with Kate looking defiant his little toy wand drawn as he stood beside Abby. Jess and jack took positions beside Kate, Jess looking out of the double doors and jack facing the floo. While Steven and Cassidy both faced the front door all were in position watching and waiting. Jess looked at all the sleeping babies and then out to the beach. " I wonder who it could be?" she asked softy still feeling the dark magic around inside her she glanced at Kate " he will be fine." she said " what or who ever it is doesn't stand a chance.

Jack had moved to stand in front of the cribs his eyes and ears listening for any sign of an attack his senses all peeked and fully alert, his eyes scanned the area in front while his ears listened all around them he smiled at Andrew who smiled up at him then at Kate.

Khaat wanted to go out with her father, but Brian gave her a hard glare, trying to silently forbid her. He did not want her to merely be a distraction for Robert. The longer Khaat stood there, the worse her seers sense kept ringing in her head. Something was far from normal. She looked at her mother.

"I cant," she told her mother in apology.

"I know," Kate sighed. "Go. Stay hidden. Don't interfere unless you have to." Khaat apparated out into a hidden postion in some thick dark bushes.

Her father was standing toe to toe with a very dark cloaked figure who looked extremely out of place on this tropical morning on the beach. Khaat could not hear what was being said, but she knew her father's stance. He was standing in a strong fighting position. He was being defensive, but he was perfectly prepared to use offense to protect his family, no matter what it cost himself.

Khaat heard a couple of very soft noises, a couple of soft sticks snapping under soft soled boots. She looked to see dark cloaked wizards behind her and behind her father both. Her father was outnumbered badly. 4 to 1. And three were behind him. She spun around, her wand drawn.

"Come no closer!" Khaat shouted with deadly fierceness, deliberately give them all warning, especially her father. "Four against one? I don't thinnk so."

"No," the largest one, who stood clearly another 7 or 8 inches taller than Jack and had a very deep sinister voice. "Four against one and a half, Half Pint."

"Good things come in small packages," Khaat said. She cast a quick glance back at her father. He hae gotten her warning.

"Jack," Brian said. "He's probably half giant. Do you think you'd stand a chance against him?" If Jack didn't think he could, Brian was going to go back Khaat up himself.

Jess looked at Jack and nodded " with ease " he said and ran out at full speed he pounced on the man and let fly a punch that sent the man flying across the ground as he stood over him . though the man got back up pouncing at Jack who just turned using the mans momentum against him as the man hit a tree but it stunned him and he turned to face jack now angry . Jack felt his own anger rising as the man swiped he caught him across his chest jack winced but used it to rush him kicking him once more against the tree and snapping the mans back as he hit hard. Moving to Khaat Jack stood with her and let out a growl his face pink and sweaty but he was protecting his family. Jess moved to the door but no further she felt Jacks pain and wanted to go help him but she knew the innocent children inside needed her first and so stayed close.

Khaat saw Jack there to back her up and was glad to see him. She heard wand fire coming from where her father was. he was in a duel and Khaat sensed it was against a very experienced wizard. Two of the wizards who had avoided Jack came at Khaat when the giant moved against Jack.

Khaat tried evasive spells but found her opponents were quite skille. In her mind, it flashed back to some of the intense duels she had done with Remus. How he had sparred with her, how he had told her that someday she might need to know how to fight hard and fast.

She ended up killing one and ended up continuing to duel with the other. The first had died rather easily. This one was tougher, and Khaat wasn't giving up. She heard a rather explosive sound on the beach but couldn't turn her back to see what had happened. Then she saw her father apparate in behind her attacker and saw him sharply jab his wand into the dark wizard's neck.

"Not my child, you don't," Robert hissed with as evil a tone as Khaat had ever heard. Her father was fully prepared to kill if necessary. "Your master is gone. Go with him, or die where you stand."

Jack moved to stand with Khaat his eyes flashing yellow as inside he had his own battle to keep the wear side contained he saw Robert and grinned knowing the battle was over but his chest stung from the sweet that ran down him and into the three cuts that sat there. He growled again " leave now or I will rip your head off " he said in a deep gravely voice. Jess felt the dark magic seem to fade and she looked at Kate " i think its over " she said but knew better than to let down her guard so quick and staid on alert she could feel Jacks pain but knew it was superficial and that his anger was what was causing some trouble he'd contained it but the fight brought it back out. She looked out and breathed out seeing them all together on the beach one man she knew was dead.

Khaat looked at the man who was debating on whether to fire or not. Khaat kept close watch on his eyes. She had been in this position too many times not to be able to read them. She was hoping he wouldn't be stupid and would simply leave. She watched him, frozen in his tracks debating to force someone to kill him or whether to simply leave.

And then, suddenly his eyes glazed over hard. All the life seemed to leave them. She saw the wand in his had just barely move. She fired a killing curse, and he fell dead at her feet.

"Why'd you fire! I had him!" Robert demanded.

"No," she said softly. "You didn't. I saw his eyes. He was going to fire."

"That makes no sense," Robert frowned.

"I think he was willing to be a martyr if he cold take me along in the process of it. He thought he'd kill me and then you would kill him," Khaat said.

"You're sure about what you saw?" Robert asked carefully.

Jack twitched as he watched the man seeing the same look he twitched as Khaat fired at the man he growled once more as the lifeless body fell the the soft sand in front of them." she's right, I saw the look in his eyes" he said to Robert " I've seen it before right before men have killed them selves " he sighed and kicked some sand on the man as he looked down at him . " you want me to dispose of them " he asked knowing he would want to do it to make sure no trace of where they had been was left on them to be traced back " who the hell sent them and why ?" Jack asked feeling his anger sub side finally, He felt himself again and not the wear side that had killed the man earlier.