Marriage is Murder

Khaat got to the clearing in the woods where they camped and stopped short. In her senses, she could sense him everywhere. Remus was all around them. She had been here so many time after his death looking for anything and found nothing. Now, it was all around her. Her senses were being barraged. When she came, she thought that if she was lucky she might feel just a little something, but here she felt him everywhere. In every tree, every rock, every blade of grass, even in the air itself. She finally looked at Brian, feeling totally confused.

He had been standing looking all around too. "Don't worry," he smiled at her. "I think I have this one. You're not thinking. What would we know that nobody else would?"

That didn't help her a bit. He climbed up a rocky slope alongside a waterfall. It reminded her of their games about hidden treasure. When he slipped into the space behind the waterfall, she knew where he was going. She stood and waited.

Cassidy froze and shivered looking at Lee and Jess worried . Jess looked at her seeing the look she nodded " is it that strong?" she asked and Cassidy nodded.

" lee can you port me to their location " she said " please just don't ask why I need some one to port me " she said and walked over to him blushing she took his hand. Jess watched she felt it too but she knew she had to stay in the house. Steven was puzzled at Khaats actions but more so when Cassidy ported in with Lee. Cassidy moved to Khaat " I feel him too he's here hes put so much of his energy into this spot " she said and followed them but watched Brian disappear behind the waterfall. Her eyes turned to one spot and she smiled.

Khaat kept looking for him. His presence was so strong that she felt like he was right here. Then Cassidy ported in with Lee. She watched Cassidy look around and Khaat followed where her eyes went. She looked and saw Remus standing, leaning up against a tree his right leg crossed over his right. His arms folded, a smile on his face. It was the same expression he gave her and Brian if it had taken them far too long to find them when they played hide and seek. Tears stung her eyes instantly when she saw him. She temporarily forgot everything else and went over to the tree, not even wanting to blink for fear that if she blinked he would be gone when she opened her eyes again. Remus's face held nothing but love for her and sympathy for all her pain.

He looked across her to Cassidy, projecting his thoughts to her. "She's too weak to hear me," he said to her. "Tell my brother to give her the book. It may bring her some comfort. I wrote it hoping to prevent some of all this suffering she feels. I never meant for it to take this long to get to her. She will never know how much I love her and how proud of the gorgeous woman she has become, but I definitely know how much she loves me. Make her and Brian read the book. Promise me."

Khaat saw him speak to Cassidy, but when she could not hear his voice herself, it made the tears slide down her cheek. Lee went over to her, and, standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "What are you looking at? Are you seeing something?" he asked gently. She just slowly nodded. Lee waas about to try to ask her what she was seeing when he saw a bolt of green light fire out from behind the waterfall "Brian! You alright?"

"I...I have it," Brian called back. "Its...unbelievable. No wonder he hid it. Hold on, I'm coming out." Khaat turned to see Brian come out from behind the waterfall, but his hands were empty, and he climbed back down the rocky slope.

Jack watched cassidy some what stunned as she moved facing one spot and nodded. Cassidy turned to Khaat and smiled " I will Remus, he says he never meant for it to take this long for you to get the book and you will never know how much he love you and how proud of the gorgeous woman you have become,but he definitely knows how much you loves him, your to read the book that Robert has with Brian together you have to promise him" she said smiling as she faced her , she glanced back at him then at Brian as he reappeared

Khaat looked at Remus. He gestured a book, and her opening it with Brian. Then he used a sign they had developed when Khaat was a child. It simply was a simple sign that said "I love you." He signed it to her and she felt fresh tears on her cheeks. She returned the sign, regretting that they had no sign to say she loved him more than anything. He merely smiled at her and pointed to Brian. She didn't want to go, in case he left. He gestured to himself and then pointed to the ground. She understood. He wasn't moving.

Brian walked over to her. "Why so many tears, Baby?" he asked. She pointed towards Remus, and Brian looked and didn't see a darned thing. "Um..." he struggled as to how to be gentle now. "Whats wrong with the tree, Sweetheart?" she frowned at him. She motioned to him to show whatever he found.

"Oh. Yeah." He drew out a dirty blue velvet drawstring bag from his jacket pocket and it wasn't small either. And it was at least 3/4 full. He opened the bag and poured a small handfull out of glistening shimmering stones. Some looked like rubies, some looked like emeralds, some looked like sapphires. Gems of every type and color and shape. "The bag is full of them," Brian said.

"Wait a second," Lee said, his interest peeked. "May I?" He picked up one stone, held it in his hand for a moment and then held it up to the light. Then he checked a second and a third. He looked at them. "Do you know what this is?"

"A hoard of treasure?" Brian asked.

"No," Lee said very seriously. "Much, much more than that. These are enchanted stones. I don't know what they do, but believe me when I tell you every single one of these are the handwork of Nicolas Flamel. Probably some of the last stones he ever made. Khaat--these are beyond all price. One would be priceless, but this many? Khaat, only someone who loved you more than anything else in creation could manage this." She looked back at Remus, who blew her a kiss. He pointed to her and then hugged himself to gesture sending her his own warm loving embrace.

Jack still stood watching with Steven. Cassidy watched him with Khaat she felt what he did and knew how Khaat felt around him the warmth and security he gave. " I wish I had a mentor like you when I was growing up, Khaats lucky to have had you when she did," she heard Lee's voice and smiled at Remus " sneaky, honorable and a fighter, but truly loyal " she said softly " I will protect her with my life , I now see all what we were told about you was wrong, your a man of honer and integrity, I will not let you down " she told him then spoke again " if you see that loser of a father of mine on the astral plain tell him... for all his wants, I didn't turn out like him " she looked at Remus and smiled " I can say thanks to your teachings through Khaat" in side her something changed she felt stronger in her self and confident.

"I can tell you one thing, Cassidy," Remus said to her. "We all learn our life lessons. If we choose to learn them while we are alive, it is definitely easier than how we learn the important ones over here." He smiled. "He has a lot to learn. And learn, he will. You're all going to learn all the important things while you're young so you can savor your later years and enjoy all the blessings we have over here. None of you have a thing to fear. Truly. Cassidy, what's affecting Khaat is that she has a most unusual situation. She's homesick. For life beyond the veil. Very, precious few wizards ever have to deal with that. Most of us never see beyond the veil at all, or if we do, we don't see enough to be homesick for it. But she has been so close to death so many times that she grieves for it. Its not her time. I told her that when she was here. But I have to leave it to you all to help her recapture the joy of living. And from what she tells me, you''re in a perfect place to do it. You all need to remember the joy of love and laughter. That's worth more than anything. don't get so lost in trying to protect yourselves that you forget to enjoy life."

"Lee," Brian said. "Do you know what these stones do?"

"Nope. Not yet. But I'll wager we can find out. Maybe its in that journal he left her. Or maybe we'll find some other great book," Lee said. "But maybe Robert will be gracious enough to let me find out what they are for you. If you sold those, you'd be clearly the richest man alive."

Brian looked at Khaat--the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life, and he thought of her and of his kids. "I already am the richest man alive, Lee," Brian said, never taking his eyes off Khaat.

Cassidy smiled at Remus " Don't worry we are going to the kids back home reminds me every day that I'm lucky " she looked at Steven " Steven was there to catch me for every down fall but I didn't see it, now I do , love is in my life strong as ever and look its in his heart more so" she said and pointed to Brian " there love is eternal " she looked at Remus " we'll remind her that life does hold a joy, whether the birth of a child or the marriage of two people who forgot so many years ago that they loved each other or even just being with loved friends in front of a fire holding a child who says their first word , ow boy I must sound like I'm waffling to you " she said and looked at him and nodded " I'll make sure they know and will enjoy themselves while they can" she said " you know jack is like you were " she said softly

"Oh, he is, is he?" Remus smiled. "He looks like he has the advantage that time has brought. In my time, that was a curse and it terrified people and made me a loner. Jack does not learn like he has had to learn how to be a loner and how to hide in the wilderness for fear of killing those you love." Remus walked out of the woods and stood behind Khaat. He stood behind her, wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.

She closed her eyes. She hadn't seen him but she still could feel his touch when he wrapped himself around her. She could smell his cologne and feel the tremendous love and his warmth. When she felt him kiss her cheek, it made her remember how much she had treasured every single one he'd ever given her. Her mind started to drift off to the last kiss she'd ever given him.

"Don't go there," he said softly in Khaat's ear, hoping she would hear him. "I have never left you. Not ever. Don't remember that kiss. Remember mine."

Cassidy smiled and nodded " it has and he hasn't he controls it and fights with us" she said watching him move to Khaat. Cassidy moved to Steven holding him she smiled as Remus held Khaat hoping she had heard him " Khaat I don't know if you heard him so I'm going to tell you what he said he says , Don't go there, I have never left you. Not ever. Don't remember that kiss. Remember mine." she repeated word for word and rested her head against Steven wrapping her own arms around his waist as he looked down at her.

" I don't know whats going on but you have never held me like this before" he smiled at her " I like it " he said making cassidy chuckle as she moved to kiss him gently.

" Well we do have a wedding to plan when we get back" she said softly she looked back at Remus.