Marriage is Murder

Eileen was amused by Cassidy's obvious discomfort at even walking close to her. When Cassidy got next to her, Elieen jumped at her and exclaimed "Boo!" just to amuse herself if it startled Cassidy. "What's the matter, Darling? Not used to seeing a ghost?"

"Eileen," Robert said sharply to distract her. The woman looked at Robert.

"You are no fun whatsoever, you old coot," Eileen said.

"So I've been told," Robert said, unmoved. "It seems that Brian does not remember being your Brian, and I daresay that will impede the more physical aspects of your relationship. Brian just is not that sort of man."

"I can be very pursuasive," Eileen purred.

"Not nearly enough to win him over," Robert assured her. "However, if you do think you want him to participate in that part of your relationship, then it seems to me, he needs to be helped to remember."

"I do not need to remember anything!" Brian retorted angrily.

"Hush," Eileen snapped at him. She looked back at Robert. "What did you have in mind?"

"Perhaps we need to awaken the spirit of your own dear Brian. Perhaps a seance would indeed be what you need."

"Are you out of your mind!" Brian protested. He knew Robert had something planned, but Brian also knew Robert well enough that he was depending on Brian to do his part.

"No," Eileen told Brian, "Its actually an excellent suggestion. I don't like this side of you very well. Very wel, Old Man. Tonight. Midnight."

"No. On my terms. Tomorrow night. When I say. And not one moment before. You'll have to put up without him in your bed tonight. You can do without him one night. The wait will, I presume, not be an issue for someone who has already waited a hundred years."

"Point taken. Alright. Tomorrow night it is. But no longer," she said to Robert.

"Agreed," Robert assured her.

Cassidy rolled her eyes at Eileen " yeah I have actually just not one so ignorant " she said and continued past back to Steven who held her close to him she was now more annoyed that anything else now " awe poor you " she said and snuggled into Steven while looking at her. Jess shook her head as she lent on Jack " maybe we should all get some rest " she said knowing it was not what Brian wanted to hear but something told her the sooner they got to midnight the better it would be for them all. Jack looked at Robert.

" what do you say?" he asked standing up off the arm of the chair to wait his reply.

"Yes. Agreed," Robert said. "I need to help Kate to bed. You lot go ahead."

"We really should go too, darling," Eileen told Brian.

"Be my guest," he said to her dryly. "I'll be working tonight."

"Very well. Have it your way. I think I shall go get acquainted with our children," she told him. Brian stepped in front of her, between her and the hallway back to the bedrooms.

"They're not yours," he said fiercely. "You'll not touch them." He saw Robert flick his wand over Brian's head. Robert disapparated and reappeared behind Brian. He took Kate to the bedroom and a moment later called to Brian.

"Let her come, Lad. She won't touch them," Robert said. Brian looked behind him. Robert had drawn a brin blue glowing protection line around his bedroom. Brian breathed a sigh of relief. Robert had obviously taken the babies and put them in the bedroom with him and Kate. "Call if you need me, Boy. Goodnight."

Brian was suddenly feeling vulnerable.

"Not to worry, Master Brian," Michael said. "Did you forget I'm always up all night, baking for breakfast?"

"Oh, I guess I did," Brian breathed with relief.

"Perhaps you'd like to join me for some coffee and conversation, Sir," Michael invited.

"I would indeed," Brian said. He turned to Eileen. "Go to bed. You might need your energies for your Brian tomorrow night."

"I'm looking forward to it, my darling," Eileen said, stroking Brian's cheek. She kissed him slowly and passionately. "Goodnight, my love." She headed to the bedroom. Brian said nothing, didnt' move, but looke gratefully at Michael, who merely nodded, getting the message.

Jess sighed and shook her head glad Robert had taken the girls into his room and cast a protection spell she breathed out as Eileen left the room " Brian I'm not tired ether it was an excuse to get her away from you I could tell she was up to something" she said and smiled Jack chuckled.

" Hay mate tea or coffee ?" he said and chuckled handing him a cup and sitting down next to Jess " tomorrow you'll have Khaat back and Eileen should be at rest" he sipped his coffee his arm around Jess. He looked at Michael and chuckled " good to see you again "he raised his cup " you got good timing or was that Robert's doing?" thought he had a good idea of the answer to his question.

"Thanks," Brian said, deeply relieved to be without Eileen. "You know, I swore to myself I never wanted to have a moment of my life without that beautiful face in it. Not ever again. And it feels entirely wrong to be so relieved to have her out of the way now."

"That's not Khaat," Michael said. "She would feel the same way herself, Junior. And yes, my being here was Robert's plan. You do know why I'm here, do you not? No, I am not the butler."

"He wants you to steal that damned necklace. I wish she'd never found that thing," Brian said.

"Exactly," Michael said. "Normally, it would be child's play, but stealling from a ghost who has so much power invested in an object is actually far more difficult than it sounds. She will be highly aware of any move anyone does to come near her, and if anyone tries to touch the necklace, she will go ballistic. This is not a job for your average pickpocket. Not in the least."

"So how do you intend to do it?" Brian asked.

"Very carefully," Michael laughed. "Relax. I'll get it. Brian, I was talking with Kate earlier. She has had a vision of Khaat being imprisoned--wherever she is. And she keeps smelling what she said is a very odd turkish cologne...."

"What?" Brian frowned. He connected the dots easily. "The only one we know who ever...."

"I know. Remus," Michael concluded. "He wore that turkish cologne because it was inexpensive. If Khaat has been sent to the astral plane, Remus might very well be there with her, trying to protect her."

"If he knew she was in trouble and he had any means of reaching her, there's no question in my mind. He' find her."

"Undoubtedly. I'm telling you this so you know she's most likely in good hands."

"She's not in good hands until she's back in MY hands again," Brian said firmly. "I swear, if I get her back we're never going snorkeling again."

"Stop that," Michael said. "You grew up in the Lupin household. You know its just part of being a Lupin. You cant keep her in a box. Stop it. Here. Have a cookie." He put out a plate of Halloween sugar cookies with sparkling sugar on the table. "Help yourselves. They're fresh."

Jess smiled at Michael and nodded she knew he was right. Cassidy walked back in " that's where I can help , I can go to the ethereal plain and guide Khaat back , I have to be honest I will be honored if Remus shows himself to me but I know he might not " she said and walked over and sat down beside Jack and Jess " ok so we're the distraction while you do the work, right" she said and chuckled a little as she saw the cookies " ow nice " she said took one eating it as she looked at Jess and jack " what I like cookies" she said and they both chuckled as she ate it.

Steven looked at Michael and spoke softly " so do you have any Idea how your going to get that necklace off her ?" he asked wanting to know his plan " you not going to be able to just walk over and take it as Brian said "he said

"Of course I know," Michael said, as if Steven had been absurd. "I am counting on distraction and hopefully incredible timing. I've already studied the clasp on it. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to get it off. I'm hoping Khaat will be doing her best to block Eileen from using her magic to put a charm on that thing to prevent me from taking it. Or from turning on me. And if she decides to turn and attack me, I'm counting on one of you lot to stun her. If Khaat is trying to get her body back, she'll be also providing a distraction. And if the seance is a distraction and if you lot end up also having to distract her, then she won't be able to focus in multiple directions at once. It does take energy from her to stay in a body that is not hers." He poured himself a glass of brandy. It was his preference after dinner to have a good brandy and usually a good pipe. Tonight he decided he would not have his pipe in case it offended someone. Perhaps later, he'd just sit out by the pool under the stars and enjoy his pipe.

"If we have to hurt her," Brian said. "I'll do it. Myself."

"Nobody wants that, Junior," Michael said. "Nobody wants her coming back to a body that hurts. That would just truly suck. If it were me and I had a choice between being beyond the veil and being painfree or coming back to a lot of pain? You lot might have to just do without me."

"That's why I said I'd do it. Khaat might handle it better if it comes from me."

"Sounds like wishful thinking to me, any way you cut it," Michael said. "Lad, do yourself a favor. Get some rest at some point."

"While Khaat isn't here? When she's...wherever she is? You cannot possibly be serious. I will not close my eyes until she's home where she belongs."

"Suit yourself," Michael shrugged. He picked up a cookie and shoved it at Brian. "Here. You need some sweetening up. This is giving you qite a sour disposition."

Steven rolled his eyes he had never been seen more than a boy to Michael and he hated it folding his arms he looked down as he felt a hand on his arm he found Cassidy smiling at him " let it go" she said softly and he relaxed smiling as he held her against him and looked back at Michael. Cassidy chuckled at Michael as he pushed a cookie toward Brian.

Jessica sat and watched she understood this was just what he was like he'd taken a dislike to her when he met her for the first time but she knew it was just what he was like.

"Lets look at the facts, shall we?" Michael said. "The necklace is obviously a trigger object. A trigger object is something that the spirit focuses on, that draws them to use their energy. Seems to me that Eileen's grief was so deep that she emotionally felt like she had lost her Brian twice when she lost both him and the necklace. Losing it was like losing him as well. We will not easily remove it from her. However, if we do not remove it, Eileen will continue to overpower Khaat and keep control of her. I have Eileen's dossier from the American Department of Magic. Her family was a family of dark arts followers. They were very powerful at divination and other such spells--on both sides of her family. So was her husband, and so was both sides of his family. Let us not overlook the likelihood that they both had exceptional powers when it came to matters of communicating with the dead, etc. There is some suggestion that they were meddling with demonology at the time of their deaths. If so, we don't know if we are merely dealing with ghosts or if we are also dealing with demons as well. And as spirits, they would be powerful spirits because of the knowledge they had about all of that while they lived. Khaat may be able to tell us when she returns, or perhaps Kate can tell us in the morning when she's feeling better.

"I believe they blindsided Khaat or they would not have been able to overpower her so quickly. I think she just saw it was a pretty necklace and saw a tragic romance story attached to it and didn't see the danger. I don't know if Eileen alone is keeping her out of her body or whether her husband has some ability to be contributing to this. But Khaat loves Brian and her children and the rest of us to stay away. Even if Remus is there with her. I don't think we'll put Eileen or her husband to rest without removing the necklace from Khaat. Robert knows he has to destroy it, and he is prepared to do that. Brian, I'm counting on you being bait for Eileen if we need it."

"Whatever it takes to get Khaat back," Brian said. "And I do mean whatever it takes." Michael got his message.

"We are going to try to help you keep from having to get too intimate with her, Son," MIchael reassured him. "I promise, even though Eileen is a very stubborn ghost. She does have her flaws and her weak points. We're going to use them."

Jess stood up " Good because Khaat can't remain where she is for ever she has to come back her energy's won't last for ever" she said and moved to pore her self a cup of coffee as her tea had gone cold . She wished they could just take it while she slept but she also knew it was not that easy and this frustrated her she wanted her friend back in a big way. She had been concentrating hard on her own thoughts that she over filled the cup then knocked it flying " ow damn it " she said and sat back down " can't we just take that damned necklace when shes asleep" she said frustrated in her self being unable to help any more than she was.