Marriage is Murder

"I'm not entirely sure yet," Robert laughed. "Behaviorally, he seems to have the fighter that both of you have. He's very devoted to those he loves, and he tends to want to be protective of them. That's not a bad thing if he will submit himself to Brian's training. If we start him early like we did Khaat, he could be a remarkable fighter and a terriffic athlete. But magical talents, well, he's just too early until he shows us."

"I leave filled sippy cups for Andrew and the girls in the fridge all the time on the bottom shelf on the door," Angus said. "he's learned how to open the door,, and I've taught him that the only thing he can get is his own sippy cup. But he's welcome to it whenever he wants it. Right now, it just has pink lemonade in it. Its fresh made, so there's nothing in it to hurt him."

At that point, Brian walked in just as easily as if he had just strolled across the yard. In his arms he had a massive bouquet of tropical flowers. He handed them to Khaat and kissed her slowly.

"Flowers? For me?" she asked.

"I didn't hand them to Jack," he quipped.

"What for?" she asked.

"Just because I love you," he said. "And because I'm very, very glad that you listened to every lesson Remus ever taught us. Nice work, Babe. Hey, Jack--pour me one of those."

"Thank you," Khaat said softly. She watched Abbey fingering a delicate Bird of Paradise blossom. She looked at Khaat quizzically. "It's a flower too," Khaat told her. Abbey seemed to be fascinated with all the different shapes and colors and intoxicating smells of the tropical flowers.

Jess nodded to Robert and smiled as Angus explained " well he certainly is clever " she said " must get it from me " she said and grinned as Jack gasped hearing her playfully he tugged her to him making her chuckle " Its fine Angus, I'm just surprised hes so smart to be able to do that " she said and smiled.

" hey he can gt it from me too " Jack said smiling as Brian walked in with a large bunch of flowers for Khaat he chuckled at Brian's remark " awe " he said and chuckled again and poured a glass of whiskey for Brian leaving Jess he walked over and handed it to him " there you go " he said and chuckled " they look beautiful Brian " he said and smiled at Abby as she played with the flowers. Turning he walked back to Jess wrapping his arms again around her .

Robert told Brian about Abbey, and Brian sat down on the arm of Khaat's chair. "Khaat," he smiled. "I could not be happier than to know tha the long line of Lupin seers is going to continue. And think about it, for her to show us her abilities this early shows us she has tremendous potential to be more powerful than you and I will ever be. She'll grow up just accepting this is the way it is. She won't remember ever a time of not having those abilities so it will just be very natural to her. I think it may well be better this way than for her to get them when she is 11. I don't see this as a bad thing. I'm sorry it was upsetting for you, but she loves you." He petted Abbey's hair as she cuddled into Khaat now. "And you also clearly know she is never going to align with the dark arts. That seems to be very very clear to me." He almost didn't notice that Abbey was tugging on his firewhiskey glass until she had her nose in the glass sniffing the firewhiskey. The tiny little girl crinkled up her nose at the smell of the firewhiskey and looked at Brian.

"Doesn't smell good?" he asked her. She shook her head. "That's okay. This drink is only for grownups."

"Mama and Dada," she answered him.

"Right. Like Mama and Dada. Are you thirsty?" he asked. She nodded. Angus got up.

"Andrew? Do you want to help me get juice for Abbey and Dakota?" he asked the little boy. He was going to give Andrew permission to get their juice cups out of the fridge with his help.

Jess smiled as Andrew nodded and put his own cup down. " I get them " he said but waited for Angus to follow as he ran to the fridge and returned with two sippy cups one in each hand , Looking up he handed one to Abby " here yours" he said and moved to Dakota handing her to her then returning to Angus " I did good?" he asked as he picked up his own cup and placed the spout in his mouth to drink.

Jess watched him as he left the room returning to give the girls their drinks she felt proud he was independent now and that he was helping.

"Yeah," Angus smiled at Andrew. "You did fine. Thank you. He's turning out to be quite a help in the kitchen. He knows how to put the dishtowels and other kitchen linens away. He throws things in the trash for me, puts fresh fruit in the bowl for me when I set him up on one of the breakfast bar stools. He likes to help me in the kitchen. He's my little shadow. He especially likes it when I bake sugar cookies. I always give him one to decorate for himself."

"I help," Andrew looked up at Angus. Angus had noticed that just about every place he went, Andrew followed. Angus often gave him a pot and a wooden spoon so that he could preten he was cooking like Angus did, and Andrew seemed to enjoy it. "If you're lucky, Jess, he'll at least be able to cook for himself when he gets older," Angus laughed.

Abbey climbed down off Khaat's lap and took her juice cup and headed off to play, with Dakota on her heels and Max and Mo following behind.

Jess smiled at Andrew " that's a good thing to know " she said and heard the twins start to cry Jess pulled away from Jack and moved to the ribs taking one in her arms she saw Catlin looking around " this ones a walker but into everything " she said and placed her down she walked towards the cats Max inpitculer " I think she likes Max " she said watching her as James slept " hes just a sleeper " she said smiling as she pulled the blanket over him and moved to find Catlin who was sat in front of Robert looking at him her head tipped to one side.

"Well," Kate said, "I plan to get sort of a group activity for them today. I'm hoping we can take them and Andrew and Khaat's girls outside to the sand. I'll turn a blanket into terry cloth so its an oversized beach blanket. I want to teach them how to play in the sand. That leaves 4 newborns inside. Maybe I an get Cassidy to help me outside with the kids and Angus can watch the newborns. Cassidy, does that interest you?"

"What do you want me to do today?" Khaat asked.

"You killed 2 evil wizards before lunch," Robert asked. "What else would you like to do today?"

"Tan? Swim? I don't know. Spar? Train?"

"I was with you on the first two. But do you really need to do the second two?" he asked her.

"Yes," she said definitively.

"Alright. I'll spar with you. And then you're going to have some fun. Agreed?" Robert asked.

"Alright, but no cutting corners. Got it? You don't play games with me."

"Khaat Karina. When have i ever played games with you? You want to play for keeps, then you be sure you bring your A game, or you'll end up flattened," he warned her.

"Robert,..." Brian began, knowing how Robert trained when he wasn't being gentle.

"I've got it," Robert told Brian firmly.

Cassidy looked at them and smiled " sure I don't mind , I have found I like spending time with the kids" she said and smiled at Steven kissing him gently as he sat with her and Kate.

" I'll stay with them too " he said smiling " I don't mind its bee awhile since I played with young children in the sand " he said and chuckled remembering Andrew and how he was as a small boy and now at school and growing up fast he knew sooner or later he would join them as a young man in the battles ahead. He looked at Robert hoping he knew that he needed to talk to him about this, and what would happen when the time came.

Cassidy touched his cheek and smiled " hey no daydreaming " she said and poked him hard he chuckled and smiled at her.

" what would I do with out you Cassidy " he said grinning at her .

" um be board maybe" she said and chuckled .

"Alright," Kate got up and retrieved the blanket and summoned a number of beach toys to follow her. As she came back to the living room, she glared hard at Robert.

"What?" he frowned.

"You leave my daughter in one piece, Robert Lupin," she ordered.

"Hm. Well, my daughter challenged me. Tell yours to be careful."

"You sure you want to do this?" she asked Khaat.

"Oh, very," Khaat glared. She wasnt' stepping away from her father anymore than he was backing down from her. Brian sighed.

"I think I'll just wander downstairs and watch," he said, fully expecting to be picking her up in a few moments.

Cassidy to hold of Dakota's hand leading her out side to the warm soft sand as she waited for Kate to bring Abby Andrew followed looking around as if checking out the area as he moved " Andrew its all clear now" she said and smiled at him offering him her hand to walk him down . Andrew shook his head just as Catlin and James r5an out behind him and knocked him into the sand looking up his face was covered with sand but instead of crying he shook his head and looked at them then brushed of the sand.