"Khaat's grieving," Robert said. "She didn't want to leave Remus behind. I'll talk to her later. Brian hasn't obviously even thought of himself yet. If he had he would know he's hiding her in that broken collarbone of his. He's not able to think about anything but how relieved he is to have her back and how close he thought he was to losing her forever." He watched Michael coax Khaat through the mug of tea, still helping Brian soothe her. When Robert saw Michael set the empty mug aside, he went over to them.
"Khaat," Robert said. "You need to sleep now. You're entirely too weak. Let me take you to bed. We can talk later. I promise."
"I'll take her," Michael said, getting up. He picked her up easily and took her to bed. Robert and Brian followed. It wasn't five minutes before Robert and Michael returned.
"She's asleep. Brian isn't ready to sleep yet, but he isn't ready to leave her yet either," Robert laughed. "I gave him ten minutes. Then I told him I wanted him resting too. He's gone too long without a good nights sleep."
"So have you, Mate," Michael said. "I'll watch tonight. You get some rest yourself."
"Thank you," Robert said. "One firewhiskey and I'll go."
"I think I'll join you for that whiskey," Michael said, following Robert to the kitchen.
When morning came, Khaat found herself actually waking. It still felt odd to be back in a physical body. Beside her, Brian was sleeping. Now she could see, as they lay skin to skin, all the horrible bruises on his shoulder and his back. She reached over, barely touching him and drew off the terrible pain she felt there for him that, in his exhaustion, he was sleeping through. She looked at the clock. It was nearly 8. Breakfast was usuall overwith by now. She got up and found the magically altered dress draped over the chair. She hated it. She disapparated it. She wanted it gone. She showered, shampooed and chose for the day a simple pair of worn, soft jeans, a light blue t shirt of Brian's, with one of his blue plaid shirts over top, the sleeves rolled up to not be too long. She conjured her hair to be full and with big soft curls and then tied it back with the leather lace shed taken from him a long time ago. His clothes smelled like him. She loved it. She wore very simple diamond studs and went barefoot. She put her own very favorite perfume on--so far from what Eileen had worn. She was about as far away from Eileen's look as she could be. And she made certain that her large diamond and emerald wedding and engagement rings simply shimmered today.
She left him a note on her pillow telling him she was fine and just letting him sleep so he didn't panic. Then she accio'd a beautiful red rose from the vase on the dresser and left it on her pillow with the note. They'd woken in the night, and he had made sure that in every way, she knew she was his queen. She was his. Forever. Then they had talked. Just talked--before going back to sleep.
As she left the bedroom, she heard the babies all up. Her babies. Her children. When they heard the door open, Abbey and Dakota scrambled down from their breakfast chairs and ran to her, shouting "Mama! Mama!" It brought tears to her eyes. She hadn't been sure she'd ever see them again. She knelt and wrapped them tight to her.
"Mama cry?" Abbey asked, brushing one of Khaat's tears away with her tiny hand.
"Its just because I love you so very, very much," Khaat said, kissing her and Dakota.
"'Don't like Eileen," Abbey scowled.
"I didn't like her much either. She's gone," Khaat reassured her.
"Good," Abbey said firmly. "Bad ghost."
"You," Khaat said, "are way too smart."
"Good morning, Sweetheart," she heard a new voice. She looked up to see Michael there. She stood up and he wrapped her in a tight hug. "Feeling better?" he asked. Khaat knew what he meant.
"I miss him," she said. "He made me go."
"Its because he loves you, and he's so proud of you. Did you tell him about the kids?"
She nodded. "He..." she choked up on he words. "He..sent me back to raise them...because he couldn't raise Teddy. He wanted me to do what he could not. He...said I was too important to him to stay behind with him."
"You are," Michael said, kissing her forehead. "Don't you know? He never planned on Tonks and Teddy. They were wonderful for him, and he loved them with his entire heart. But you--oh, my dear....he loved you like no one else on the face of the earth. In his mind, you will always, always be his child. And someday you will see him again, but right now, your place is here, with these kids, and with Brian and with us...and with this...." He acciod a large mug of French Roast for her. It took her two hands to manage it today, but she managed it. He put his arm around her and called to the girls to follow and walked them all to the breakfast table.
"Look who beat Brian out of bed," Michael grinned. "Did we leave her any breakfast?"
"Those cannot possibly be your clothes," Robert frowned.
"They...sortof mine," she said.
"They're sort of Brians," her father laughed, teasingly.
"Let her alone. i wore your clothes at that age," Kate said. "Come eat, Dear. Theres plenty."
"Any fruit?" she asked.
"Would I ever not fix fruit?" Angus asked. "What else would you like?"
"Just a large fruit salad and a scone," she said.
"Coming right up. Just sit down and enjoy your coffee."
by 
