Marriage is Murder

"She has a right to be annoyed," Kate said quietly. "She Is angry at being buried alive. I would be too. I am glad she has Remus's fight still in her blood. No one has been able to kill that. Thank God." She poured herself a cup of tea and a fresh one for Robert and she heard Robert telling Khaat and Brian to go back to the farm. She frowned.

"What?" she asked. "Why send them back? Right into harms way? What possible goodness could there be in that?" She was protective over her family.

"They're going to the farm. Its never been breeched. They'll be safe. They're going because even after all these years, he's sending them there." At the mention of Remus's name, Khaat reached out her hand silently summoning both her wands. Hers and Remus's. They snapped into her hands. For Remus, she would do anything.

"Wait," Brian said to her softly. "Where are we going, Robert?"

"Your camping spot. Remus left something there for her somehow. I think at this point, only you two can find it. Only you two are left who remember and know it like he would have." Khaat's mind began churning, remembering, silently already searching her mind for some hiding place. And there were many there. She wanted to go now.

"You need to eat first," Robert told his daughter. "Its waited decades. It can wait until after breakfast."

Jack moved to sit at the table watching as they spoke and as Jess placed a plate of food in front of him. I don't blame her ether Kate if it was me I would want to rip that man apart with my bear hands " he said and looked at her.

" But you won't, its down to Khaat to let out her anger, I just hope we're there at that moment, or Brian to stop her doing anything that could harm her or Brian" she said placing food down for every one she knew it would take at least three table loads to feed every one. Cassidy moved with Steven into the kitchen pausing she looked at Lee " hay you coming or propping up that wall?" she asked " foods down eat " she said taking Stevens hand in her own she lead Steven who chuckled and looked at Lee with a shrug and sat down at the table beside her.

Lee went to the table, calling his men in to eat with them all. Brian took Khaat to the table to eat. She sat, simply staring into the plate. Robert looked at her.

"I know you're angry," Robert said softly. "I'll train with you. We'll burn it off. Before you go, then?" She looked at him and shook her head. "Very well, when you get back." She nodded. Brian knew how Robert trained.

"Robert,..." Brian began. Robert held up his hand to silence him. His mind was made up. He knew what needed to be done.

"Take her and go find whatever it is. Let her be useful again. Then I'll handle the rest," Robert said.

"Shall I send bodyguards along?" Lee asked.

"That depends on if any of her own will go," Robert replied simply, spreading jam on his toast.

Jack looked up at Robert " I'm going " he said in a low tone, Steven spoke as he sat up finishing his food. " me too, no offense Lee, we're just protective of our own." He said seeing Cassidy nodding next to him as she ate her breakfast and finished. Jess sighed as she ate hers.

"At least Steven could you take Cassidy down for tome training, she's not had any in along while " she said and Steven nodded but chuckled .

" she means regular training, not the one your thinking of dear " she said and smacked his arm and rolled her eyes " and shes right I need to train while we have such good baby sitters we might as well " she saw Steven smile and nod.

" ok, if your ready" he said and stood up Cassidy followed him down to the gym. Jess breathed out

"Good, that gets those two busy for a few hours " she said looking at Jack.

Khaaat barely ate. Barely touched her plate. She got up, unable to eat. Needing to go. Needing to be wherever Remus had intended her to go. She went to her room and changed to go back to the farm.

"I'd better check on her," Brian said, getting up.

"She cannot be separated from Remus," Kate told Brian. "He cannot be removed from the largest part of her heart."

"I know," Brian said quietly, looking at her. "Any more than he could be removed from mine. I know where to look. She doesn't have a clue because she's not thinking. I am. I know where to go. It won't take long." He went to the bedroom and found her, holding her leather jacket in her hands, sobbing. Brian knew why. He didn't know how he knew. He just knew. He went to her and wrapped his arms around her. She simply folded into him. "I know," he said softly. "But he left whatever this is for you. It was a desperate time. He knew. He knew his time was running short, and he wanted you to know how much he loved you. We'll go get it. You and me. I know you have faced death, toe to toe, more than any of us put together. But its not time. Its not time yet to be with Remus. Its time to be with me. To raise our children." He brushed the tears from her face and accio'd his jacket to his hand.

"Let's go see if Jack and Steven are ready to go," he said. He took her hand and led her back out from the bedroom.

Jack stood waiting his coat on Steven walked up with Cassidy several minuets later transforming his clothes into normal clothes and a light tan jacket. Cassidy walked up behind Steven and over to Kate " Steven says I need a bit more work so I'll stay " she said some what sad she couldn't go but she understood if she did she would be a liability if anything was to go wrong . Jess walked over to her and smiled.

"You can help me clean up " She said and chuckled seeing Cassidys face " hay when your children are older, cleaning up becomes natural " she smiled at her " besides we can talk about the dress while there gone " cassidy smiled and nodded.

"We're ready," Brian said to Jack and Steven. "Meet us at the far end of the backyard. We'll have to take a bit of a hike, I'm afraid." He drew out the portkey to the farm. "We'll see you there." He ported himself and Khaat to the farm to the backyard. He took her hand and they walked out to the edge of the yard to meet Jack and Steven.

"Khaat," Brian asked, "Did Remus ever, ever say anything about this to you?" She shook her head. She was as clueless about this as anyone. Brian realized Robert hadn't told her about the journal yet. First, he hadn't had time yet, and second, he wondered if perhaps Robert just didn't want to add to how fresh her feelings were for missing Remus. Brian was silent, realizing he understood the workings of Robert's mind far better than he had ever realized he did. Robert was always planning, always thinking, always working. And Brian was just beginning to see some of the threads Robert seemed to be spinning.

Jack and Steven ported to Roberts far and walked around to the far end of the backyard he saw them waiting and walked over " ok Im fine with a hike not sure about Steven " jack said and chuckled as Steven thumped his arm.

" I'll show you when were back, focus jack " he said then looked at Brian and Khaat " so how far is this place ?" he looked at the forest in front of them and the path that wound out of site in front of them he knew it would be long and he could handle it he'd go on longer hikes as a boy. Jack did up his jacket and placed his hands deep in his pockets.

" we should get going so we get there before dark " he said watching Khaat and Brian.

Khaat knew the walk and began it like she had countless times as a child. The more she hiked, the more she could almost feel Remus's energies here. She hadn't felt him here for a long time, but what her father had said to her made sense. She had recently seen him on the other side of the veil. It made her more accutely aware of where he had been. Energies he'd left behind. She wished she could vacuum each of them up and bottle them and keep them forever, but they were almost fragile wisps now. It had been too long to be strong except to anyone who had been on the other side of the veil at one time or another.

Brian noticed with every step she took she walked faster. Before long she was at a rather easy run. He hadn't let her just run for a long time, but she needed to burn off a lot of negativity and he wasn't going to stop her. He met her step, stride for stride, choosing to take the sling off his arm because he felt bound and dragged down by it. He shoved the sling in his pocket and just kept running beside her. He looked into her face.

"She's onto something," he told Jack and Steven. "I dont' know what, but she's onto something."

Jack and Steven ran along side them keeping pace with them . Steven enjoying the pace and Jack enjoying the freedom to run in the cool open air again both not sure what they would find but jack kept his nose out for any strange smells finding nothing but the faint smell of the cologne from Remus that seem to follow them where ever they went jack wondered if he was following them making sure she found what he had left for her and her alone. Steven saw the look on Jack's face " hay focus on the job not what hasn't even happened yet " he said and kept pace with khaat and Brian.