Marriage is Murder

Brian was almost relieved when he knew where Khaat was and that she was safe with Michael. What bothered him was that the dark wizard who wanted her was still out on the loose. He had no doubt that Khaat was safe with Michael and he knew exactly why Khaat had gone to such lengths to get Cassidy her wedding gown weeks before the ceremony and then stopped off to see Michael, all without a word. He understood.

At this point, he was simply doing his best to take care of the five kids himself without much help. He could smell the dinner that Angus was making for the evening meal. Roast chicken, with mashed potatoes and gravy, and some sort of a vegetable. He wasn't sure about the vegetable. He thought he smelled some sort of a cake baking too. The girls loved mashed potatoes and chicken, and had no difficulty eating vegetables. They had been fortunate that the girls werent' picky eaters.

He had a blanket on the nursery floor and an assortment of toys for the triplets. They were crawling and playing and having a great time, babbling away at him. He was seated on the floor, midway between the triplets and between the girls, who were playing with a toy kitchen set, trying to copy how Angus served coffee and tea, and they were insisting on serving him imaginary coffee and tea from their toy dishes.

Andrew on returning ran to the nursery and smiled " ALL FINE DADDY!" he shouted and Jack chuckled " thank you , now go play" he said and sat holding Jess in his arms as he sat with her. " hes turning a good little helper" he said to Jess and she nodded to him,

" Just like his father" she said and jack chuckled softly sat her words pulling her closer to him till she rested her head on his shoulder " it still bothers me who that man was though he was bigger than you Jack " she said Jack gave a deep sigh.

" well stop worrying he can't get back here" he said to her " I have a feeling we will see him again but not anytime soon, so relax" he felt Jess do just that against him.

Angus finished fixing dinner and set the table. He put the whole, large roasted chicken on the table, a bowl of homemade chicken and noodles, a huge bowl of mashed potatoes, a large bowl of candied carrots, fresh bread and some chive butter, along with a mammoth salad with a raspberry viniagrette. He added a large pitcher of fresh iced tea and called everyone to the table and asked Robert to carve the chicken that was almost as large as a turkey. Robert consented.

Kate went to help Brian with the girls. He first took Abbey and Dakota to the table and put them in their high chairs. When he returned to the nursery, he picked up Julia and Brian picked up the boys and took them to the table as well. Brian couldn't help feeling the table was emptier tonight without Khaat there with him.

Angus was about ready to sit with the others when he heard a soft, odd noise. He went back to the kitchen. There was a black raven at the windowsill with a parchment. He took the parchment and saw it was sealed with red sealing wax with a symbol of a dagger. Angus didn't like the looks of it. When he turned it over it was addressed to Brian. Dutifully, Angus took the unopened parchment to Brian and handed it to him.

Jess walked with Jack as she felt a cold shiver run down her spine and she watched Angus with the note walk over to Brian she moved and stood close to him Hoping they had not gotten to Khaat.Jack moved with her standing as he held her close he could smell the chicken and wanted to eat but he knew he had to wait. Andrew ran from the nursery and sat at the table climbing up on to a chair and sat waiting he grabbed a blue sippy cup with a race car on and took a drink placing it back where it had been as he watched the adults and there worried faces. It was Steven who spoke first braking the uneasy tension " that's from him , isn't it " he said and looked at Brian.

"Most likely," Brian said. "I expect it is some form of threat."

"That tells me he can't pentrate the grid at this point." Robert said. "A bird could get through with a piece of paper, but not him. This actually could be a good thing, at least for now. Go ahead and open it, Brian." Brian opened it and read it.

"Typical," he sighed, flicking his fingers to send the note across the table to Robert. Robert read it and sighed, almost laughing slightly, shaking his head.

"He says that if we hand over Khaat he'll let all of our children live. He's including all the kids here as well as the kids Khaat is the guardian of, and all our kids that are in Hogwarts. He's got them all listed by name and where they are. He's listed all of Khaats, including Mis and all the rest. That's ten kids, all of Steven's kids, Jack's, Cassidy's...all of them. That's a lot of kids--in exchange for Khaat. I think he was hoping she'd be here. He clearly doesn't know she isn't here. If she had seen this, she'd have definitely exchanged herself for all those children--if I had let her. As it is, she doesn't know, so it becomes a mute point. I might well have to find out where the devil he's hiding and take the fight to him."

Steven chuckled at the threat " well he'd have a fight with John from what I believe " he said and looked at Cassidy " as for the others, he'd have to get threw me first" he said Jack moved beside Steven " me too Roberts right though its an empty thread since she's not here , I'm guessing your not going to tell her about this?" he said and heard Jess chuckle beside him " what do you think Jack course hes not it would send her off again and we all don't want that but hes right we should search for his base of operations and take it out" she said looking at Robert.

"I'll alert Michael, just to be on the safe side," Robert said. "After dinner. He'll be extra protective. But no, I'm not going to give her an option with this. That's not happening. I won't entirely keep it from her, but I will have to be careful how I tell her so she doesn't just get a bit of her mother's stubbornness and take off without telling us."

"Now, Robert Thomas Lupin, you be careful who you call stubborn," Kate frowned. "I suggest you just carve that chicken."

"I believe I shall," Robert said, setting the note aside. He made quick work of carving the chicken and helping the girls fix their plates. Angus had meals alreay for the other kids who needed special foods. "Alright, start passing the food before it gets cold," Robert said.

"Sounds like a plan. I'm starved," Brian said. "wanna make any wagers on what Michael fixed his goddaughter for dinner?"

"I have no idea, but with the time change, its soon going to be breakfast time there. So he's probably already up again and cooking for her again. He will treat her like a queen," Robert laughed.

Jess smiled and nodded "ok a certain little boy is hungry too " she said seeing Andrew looking at them all wondering what was going on.

"Food?" he asked and jack laughed as he sat down smiling.

"Yes Andrew looks like he could eat the whole chicken by himself " Jack said and pored some tea for Jess and himself then Steven and Cassidy. Steven let Cassidy sit then he did taking her hand in his gently giving it a light kiss and smiling at her. He could feel her tension returning and leaned over to her.

"Massage, down stairs, after dinner, should help get rid of that tension you have" he said to her and she smiled before she spoke.

" you doing it my dear?" she asked and raised an eyebrow when he nodded .

" do you think I'm going to let some other man lay his hands on my wife , no thank you" he said and Cassidy chuckled.

Brian said little as the conversation was generally light and easy during dinner. He devoted himself to feeding the kids first. Robert urged him, quietly, to eat a couple of times but didnt' push. When all the kids were fed, Brian just very quietly got up, levitated all 5 kids, and took them back into the master bathroom off Brian's own bedroom. Abbey and Dakota giggled, completely delighted at "flying." Brian bathed the kids and put them in their pajamas and soon had them quietly listening to an enchanted teddy telling them a story.

Kate got up, finished with her meal by then, and went back to the bedroom, taking a plate for him.

"She's not left you, you know," she told Brian quietly, handing him the plate.

"Oh, I know," he smiled at Kate. "I want our kids to know their parents. I need to start being a dad."

"What?" she frowned. "You're a wonderful father. This isn't about the kids. Its about you're being bugged that Khaat isn't here."

"I know why she's not," he said. "I just wish..." he didn't finish.

"Say it," she said softly, going into the nursery and closing the door.

"Khaat went to get the dresses because Cassidy was so distrusting of Fi and obsessed that the dresses would go wrong that Khaat went to get them to get Cassidy's mind moving to something else. I think Khaat was starting to feel like it was driving not only Cassidy crazy but it was getting to her too," Brian said very quietly. "And I should have figured it out for myself that she might stop and see Michael. It would be a free weekend in Hogwarts after all. It just...didn't occur to me. Fi did. Michael did not."

"Think of it this way," she kissed Brian's cheek in a motherly fashion, "If you didn't think of it, then whoever that is who has taken over for Gelding certainly won't think of it. Now, you eat and give me my grandchildren, Brian James."

"Yes, Ma'am," he said with a slight smile, obeying her.

Andrew chuckled as he moved threw the air " Whee!!" he said and opened out his arms as if he was superman , climbing into bed and falling asleep first . Jess moved from the table and listened to Robert at the door she knew he was right including Cassidys out of character stressing, though she felt Steven would take care of that. Steven once finished cleared the table and once she was finished he took Cassidys hand leading her down to the gym where he had set up an area where he could start his massage. Jack smiled at Angus " wonderful meal Angus" he said helping to clear the rest of the table then he walked out side and around the house again as if walking off the good meal that Angus had given them all