Marriage is Murder

"Yes," Robert ordered. "We're dealing with whoever has replaced Gelding for now. He had Gelding's family crest on the ring on his finger. Gelding's been using it as the symbol for his organization. we may well have overplayed ourselves by letting someone worse into this than Gelding was. If that proves to be the case, we may want to return Gelding and preoccupy them by letting them battle for who has control of that organization. But they'll be back. This man is powerful. We need to strategize. We'll do that when you get back. Be certain you aren't followed." He trusted what Jack said. Jack had seen it too, so Robert trusted that he might well have made the same choice as it had presented itself.

"Khaat," he ordered. "double check. Do you sense any more?"

"No," Khaat said absolutely.

"I dont' either. The spells are holding again," Robert said. "Let's go inside. Jack, you want help disposing of those two?"

"It'll be fine," Robert said. "Khaat, go back in and ask Brian to go with Jack." Khaat quietly went back in, where she found Abbey huddled tightly to Brian.

"Can you go do some cleanup with Jack?" Khaat asked. "I'm really sorry. I had to take out two."

"No problem. Except Abbey. She wants to hang onto me for all she's got."

"I'll take her," Khaat said. When she moved to take Abbey, Abbey let out a scream and clung tighter to Brian. Kate moved forward very gently. She coaxed Abbey out of Brian's arms, but Abbey would go nowhere near Khaat. Khaat didn't understand. Abbey had always loved her so much.

"Its probably nothing," Brian kissed Khaat. "She's getting to be that age. Don't worry. I'll be right back." He went back outside. Khaat looked at Abbey who had her face huddled in Kate's neck. Abbey tried to look up at Khaat and hid again, seemingly frightened of her.

"I think she may be inheriting some of our powers, Khaat," Kate said. "I think she's sensing the death you brought back into the house with you. She might be an animagus, but I think she may also have some tendencies towards being a seer. We'll brew you some seers' tea, and that may help clear some of that up for you so she isnt' so frightened of you."

"No," Brian said. "It never is. And with Grindlewald in power, at some point, we do have to go back and help wage war to free England. Robert can't just walk away. He never intended to. Well, I'll go back with him. My guess is that he's going to want the women to stay in hiding, but I don't know if Khaat will do that. Remus and Robert raised her to be a warrior. So, I'm not sure what he could say to her to make her stay behind." He watched Jack cover the bodies. "I dont' think it matters, Jack. No one will find them here. I took all their personal items of them and tossed them deep into the ocean before we came. There's nothing to draw anyone here to them now."

He sighed heavily. "You know, the one thing I don't want for Khaat and me is for us to be a repeat of Remus and Tonks. They were just getting started. Just married, with Teddy when he was a baby, and then it was all over for them both. I don't want that for Khaat and me, and I certainly don't want it for my kids. I'd do anything to protect her and them. Somehow, if war comes, I have to try to get her to stay behind. But that sounds really impossible. When we get back, I really do want a freaking beer or a glass of firewhiskey."

Khaat sat quietly with the seers' tea while Kate very quietly consulte with Robert. Khaat knew she was asking Robert about Abbey. Robert simply took Abbey from Kate and took her outside on a walk with him. It wasn't 2 minutes and Khaat heard Abbey let out a frightened shriek. Khaat jumped and started to run to the door when her mother caught her and wrapped a strong arm around her.

"Your father is with her. She's fine," Kate said. "He's checking to see if my suspicions are right. And it seems like they well may be. Look." She took Khaat to where she could see Robert. He had been in the bushes with Abbey where Khaat had killed the two dark wizards. That had been where she had screamed. He was now walking away with her towards the sun and the sand and the water.

"I don't want her to be a seer!" Khaat was angry. "I don't want her to live with what we did! I don't want her to be a freaking dog! I want her to be normal. Why is that so bloody much to ask!" Angus came into the room and poured a healthy shot of firewhiskey into her seers' tea.

"Here, Mom. I think you're allowed," Angus said. "Being an animagus has never been a curse, Khaat. Neither has being a seer. Those seem to be abilities people value. And she has a whole wealth of loviing people around her to teach her how to manage it. And, if you decide not to send her to Hogwarts, I hear wonderful things about Madame Anais Benoit at Beauxbatons."

"So have I," Khaat said softly, devoting herself to her tea, turning away from her father's walking with Abbey.

"I know you're right," Khaat said to Jess. "I..I've just never seen Abbey ever afraid of me before. I don't want to ever see that in her ever again."

"She wasn't afraid of you," Robert corrected, bringing Abbey back in. "Look at me, Khaat." She looked at her father. Abbey was giggling and smiling. He spoke to Abbey very softly in her ear, and Abbey giggled. "Come get her, Khaat." Khaat wasn't sure she wanted to go. What if she was afraid of her again? But she obeyed. Abbey reached for her and Khaat took her, Abbey snuggling into her.

"What did you do?" Khaat asked.

"Showed her the truth. That it wasn't you. That there was someone bad outsie that her mama took care of. I just explained it to her. She's very, very smart. She understood. She's fine now. And I cleaned the residual evil energies away from her. She's fine now. I think you're right on the mark, Kate. She has at least a teeny weeny bit of her mama in her," Robert said. "Firewhiskey this early in the morning? Well, poru some for me, you lot. You're not drinking without me."