Marriage is Murder

Jack chuckled and moved inside with the corked bottle in his hand he set it on the drinks cabinet and sat down to play with Abby and Dakota as Jess kissed him and moved to lay the table with Angus. Jess quickly placed down the plates and cutlery placing glasses as she let the spoons place them selves she smiled at jack hoping things would pick up soon and return back to normal she knew with Khaat so exhausted it could take days to recover. Jack's stomach rumbled as he played with Abby building a tower to knock it down Andrew played with a small truck loading and unloading it.

Robert set very strict rules for Kate and Brian about not hovering over her. He had purposely rendered her unconscious to allow her to recharge with maximum speed. At this point, the only person, he'd decided, who was going to do any hovering was himself. He took advantage of the fact that Angus was fixing lunch. He ordered Kate and Brian to join him and the rest of the table for lunch to preserve a sense of normalcy around the house. Kate didnt' like being ordered. Brian was used to it. He was iron firm, though, this time, and Kate and Brian both knew that had been coming. They'd seen him do this before when it got to this point. No one got in or out but him, most usually. It was rare that they even got in this time, except for Kate's stubbornness. He was not likely to allow it again until the danger was past, though. And that meant he would not close his eyes until that happened, no matter how long it took--just like before. For the three of them, it was like re-living a hideous nightmare.

Robert came out, letting them visit a moment, once he was sure they were going to cope. "Alright," he told the others. "We're all going to have lunch as if its a normal day, and we're all going to have dinner tonight as if its a normal evening. I will take care of anything Khaat needs myself. The rest of you are to assume your duties and pitch in any place else you might be needed. I will be giving Kate and Brian extra responsibilities--namely mine and Khaat's for a few days. I'm doing that on purpose. The three of us have some horrible memories of when things like this have happened before. We all three need to be busy enough that we don't have time to entertain our minds with the ugliness of the past. Does that make sense to you all?"

Jack stood up with Dakota and Abby on each arm " yes sir we know " he said and walked over to the table placing each girl in her high chair then lifted Andrew into his beside them " we all expected it" he said and sat down poring out some tea for himself , Kate Brian and Robert.

" yeah were fine with the extra rounds and stuff " Steven said and sat with cassidy who now wore a light dress and sandals, she smelt the food and smiled.

" smells delicious Angus " she said " ow and I love the new look too, the back coat so you " she smiled at him and took a cup of tea.

"Thank you," Angus said. "Its a bit better in cold or rainy weather, but we are about to come into the rainy season here, so who knows? I might have use for it. Certainly if I portkey home for any reason, I will need it." He sent the filled plates to the table. Robert deliberately went back to the bedroom and forced Kate and Brian to leave. Robert shut the door to keep Abbey and Dakota from simply bursting in, and he followed them to the table. Kate cast daggers at him for leaving her.

"Don't you look at me like that, Katherine," he commanded. "Do you think I'd leave her for one moment if she had any chance of waking while I was gone? No. You know me better than that. She isn't going to wake until I intend for her to, and not one moment before. And in the meantime, while she's healing, there is nothing we can do but wait. So we're going to have a civilized meal together like we always do. Now, you both get that chip off your shoulder and sit down. Trust me, I have this under control." He took his usual place at the table and began to be sure that Abbey and Dakota were getting their food. Then he began with his spinach salad.

Meanwhile, Kate and Brian sat down and began feeding the triplets. Angus had wisely chosen other, pureed fare for them. They were getting a tad better about not making such a mess at the table.

Jack watched Kate, Brian and Robert walk in and sighed at the tension they had between each other. " you know Angus I got a windbreaker just like it back at my ranch" he said and smiled " it is warm in winter and good for keeping out the rain too, hum might fetching later, if that's ok with you Robert only be gone ten minuets tops " he said his face saying he had to do more than just fetch the wind breaker. Cassidy rolled her eyes and continued to eat her food quietly while Jess beside her fed Andrew his food witch he ate with his fingers then held up his plate.

" mo mo please " he asked as he licked the last bit of sauce from his chin.

"There's plenty," Angus said to Jess. "He's welcome to have more of whatever he likes. Its all healthy eating. Brian does not let me serve junk food, I'm afraid."

"No," Brian said. "Rarely. I want you all in peak shape, rather than tanking up on junk food." Robert didnt' say anything. He repressed an urge to smile. Brian had learned a great deal since his youth, and Robert had learned to depend on Brian's judgement in a great many things. Physical conditioning was one of them.

"Brian," he said. "I need you to pick up functioning as the liason with St. Mungos until I can do it again. Make sure that the accounts and the personnel issues are all running smoothly there. Make sure that Hannah doesn't have something she needs that we haven't addressed. Kate, I need you to pick up Sparks for Khaat. Make sure her winter menu and Christmas specials are running and that all the accounts are current. Jack and Steven, you're in charge of the security for this safehouse for awhile. Make sure its airtight. If either of you two go, make sure Angus is on duty to replace you. Split up all your shifts, and Steven, arrange with either Lee in Washington or Owens in Paris to come and cover us during the night. We can't carry this right now without help. Now--what have I missed?"

"We got an owl from Michael," Angus said. "There is an order meeting in Knockturn Alley. He suggests one of us go, but obviously not you."

"Well, obvious, then, I will be the one going," Robert said. He looked around the table and got up, walked over to Angus and plucked out several hairs from his head. "I'll be going as you, I think. I'll need to borrow your clothes for that meeting."

"Well, alright," Angus laughed. "You're welcome to them. Glad to be of service."

Jess smiled and moved his bowl for more food then gave him it back " ow I know Angus all healthy here I would not let him eat anything else from you" she said and smiled , Steven nodded " I''ll talk to him as soon as I'm finished eating " he said jack nodded as well as he ate his food. Jess chuckled as she ate too.

"looks like the wind breaker will have to wait " she said cassidy nodded she agreed.

" yeah to bad it will still be there on the peg " she said and smiled seeing the look on hr face.

" hay no going to my home there's somethings I got to clean up first " he said to her looking some what embarrassed.

" don't worry theres nothing I haven't seen before " she said and held his hand tight.

"Get used to it, Cassidy," Kaet said. "Robert was the same way. He's protecting you from seeing all his bad habits until after the ceremony. Then you'll get to see not only the good but the bad and the ugly then too."

"Hey," Robert frowned.

"Don't start deluding yourself that you're perfect, Robert Lupin," Kate said. "I've been living with you for too many years to buy that."

"If I had been that bad, you'd have left me long ago," Robert said.

"Maybe," Kate shrugged.

"You would have?" he frowned.

"I guess we'll never know, will we?" she said, taking a bite of her salad.

"Don't let her bait you like that," Brian said to Robert. "Khaat does that to me all the time. Now I know where she learned it."

"No you don't," Kate said. "I learned it from her."

"then where did she get it?" Brian frowned.

"Ah, well, that's a girl's secret, now, isn't it?" Kate said confidantly.

Jack chuckled and looked at Jess " ow to true Jess is like that too must be a female thing " he said and was hit on the arm by Jess cassidy shook her head too and chuckled. Steven just continued to eat his food.

"Good food Angus " he said trying to change the subject away from the subject of things to be hid by the males. Cassidy lent against Steven.

" ow no worries here, I got him wrapped around my finger " she said but chuckled as if to say she wished.

Brian left a good portion of his meal, just having no appetite. He disappeared downstairs to Robert's office. Kate looked at Robert questioningly.

"Let him go, Kate," Robert said. "He's dealing with his emotions in his own way. He wants to work. He's gone into obeying orders. I knew he would. He's gone to take over my fight for the ministry and also to dive back into the organization. He's trying to redirect his thinking."

"You don't think it would help to have Kieran or Fi here?" she asked.

"No I do not," he said definitively. "They left him when he needed them most. He doesn't rely on them. he relies on us. All of us. He has all the people he needs right here. I'm going to check on Khaat and then try to work on that high potency restorative potion I've been experimenting with."

"Shall we stay with her, then?"

"You can check on her, but don't hover," he said. "Jess, you're the only other healer besides Brian and myself. Just maintain her where I have her. If her energy levels start to slip, tell me immediately. Any other questions before I go down to my lab?"