Marriage is Murder

Jess stood up and snapped her wand at the ready along with Steven who ran back from the nursery but cassidy remembered Kate telling them she had sent door Lee and just sat finishing off her tea. " ow tell me about it he is a poor patient " Jess said "and it was not James " was all she said leaving it to Brian to say how Robert got his injury. Cassidy stood up and moved to the living room.

" Nice meal Angus " she said and sat down opening a wedding magazine to flick threw.

Brian came out with a stack of dishes floating in front of him. His plate was empty, and Khaat was only about a third emptied. Robert motioned to the plate and inspected Khaat's plate.

"Better than I thought," he said. "And actually, Lee, it wasn't James. I escaped unscathed from that one."

"Hi, Lee," Brian said. "Robert was hit by friendly fire. Mine."

"What? What were you firing on him for?"

"You obviously haven't done any duelling for sport with him," Angus said. "He plays for blood and fractures."

"Well, then you did well, Robert. You won some," Lee laughed.

"Go see Khaat before she goes to sleep," Brian said gently to Robert. Robert nodded and started to get up and found it immensely painful. He stopped trying to get up. "I'll help. Jess--get him another dose of pain potion. How about putting it in some of his own tea?"

"There's a pot of almond tea brewed," Angus said. "I figured Khaat might like some if she woke."

"I'll take her some. She would like that, I'm quite sure," Brian said. Lee went over and he and Brian helped Robert up. Robert worked hard at hiding his pain, but it was quite obviously there. "Make it short--for both your sakes," Brian told Robert. Robert didnt' respond but merely headed down the hallway. "Jess, how about getting Khaat some plain almond tea while you get Robert's? Please?" Brian asked. "She doesnt know about her father's injuries. I need to be sure she's okay with it."

Jess nodded and moved to the stove poring some tea into two cups one she added the double strength potion and the pother she left plain carrying both threw to the right rooms. " Brian almond tea with pain potion " she said placing it down next to Robert though she did place her hand on him and draw some off her self . Moving to the other bed room she smiled at Khaat " tea , just plain tea its almond one of Roberts concoctions" she said and placed it down on the night stand for when she wanted it before heading back to the living room and Lee and the others.

"Thank you, Jess," Brian said. Khaat was not so ou of it that she could not recognize very serious injury on her father's face. Brian saw her tensing up, and so did Robert.

"Now before you get all crazy," Robert said to her, "I'm alright. I swear. Brian--give me a hand here." Brian motioned a chair to the bedside and helped Robert into it. Robert reached for Khaat's hand, and she took it. "Check her," he told Brian. "I can't reach her tonight." Brian obeyed.

"Stronger. Definitely," Brian replied. "The danger is over. It might take her a bit, but she's gonna be alright." Robert nodded.

"Now get out of here and let me visit," Robert said.

"You have two minutes. Neither of you are ready for any more than that," Brian ordered. He kissed Khaat. "He really is okay. I'm taking very good care of him. " She nodded slightly as Brian got up and left. As he passed the nursery, he looked in on Steven and Jack. "Help me keep track. Robert's visitng Khaat. No more than two or three minutes, and then they're done. Neither of them are strong enough for longer than that."

Jess nodded and left, both jack and Steven looked at there watches and nodded " three minuets max " they said and returned to changing the triplets,Steven's twins and Fallon who seem to be happy holding her toes and giggling at Jack as he changed her then blew raspberry's at him. once done he placed her into her crib and moved to the next. Andrew sat watching both of them from his room but he slipped out his room and into the living room to sit with Jess.

" hay little man you should be sleeping" she said softly cuddling him close to her.
" no sleep, bad dreams" he said and looked at Kate " is gdaddy Robert and auntie Kat, going to be better?" he asked softly.

"They're fine," Brian said to Andrew. "Auntie Khaat is just very tired. Grandpa robert has a big boo boo. They'll be fine in a day or two. I'm taking good care of them. I promise. Angus, do you have any cookies?"

"I do," Angus said. "When do I not?" He went to the kitchen and brought out a large platter of gingerbread men that were beautifully decorated. "Andrew? Cookie before bed?" Angus offered him one.

"I'm not proud. I'll have one," Brian said.

"So will I," Lee said, reaching for one as Brian did. "You do realize I'm going to hire him away from you, right? Good auror, first rate chef? I want him for my house."

"Sorry, Mate," Angus laughed. "the lady hired me first. I work strictly for her. Its a very long term arrangement."

"I told you that you were welcome to try," Brian laughed.

"And you also told me none of them would go," Lee said, "No matter who I asked or what I offered them."

Jess chuckled and nodded to Andrew as he took it " Awe boo boo bad but yay for ninja bread men, cool" he said and Jess chuckled at his reaction. She turned to look at Lee and spoke.

"He's right none of us will leave them " she said smiling at him " at any price " she finished as Andrew sat happily chewing on his gingerbread man. Finishing he yawned and jumped down from her knee. "Nightee night" he said and ran to his bed. Jess stood up brushing off crumbs from her clothes as she walked over to Brian and lee.

" we don't just work for Kate , Brian, Khaat and Robert, their our family and that comes at a much greater price one of which no one can match Lee. " she said smiling making her point

"Well, you can't blame me for trying. There aren't many small teams of just a handful of people that could make the stands you have and make it work. You all have a vvery impressive track record against some tough odds."

"We've had a good teacher," Brian said. He looked at his watch. "Babysitting duty calls," he said. He went down the hall to the bedroom, opened the door and found Robert laying on Brian's side of the bed, on top of the covers, sound asleep, and Khaat in a deep exhausted sleep, clutching tight to her father's hand. Brian sighed, not willing to disturb either of them. He got a blanket out of the closet and covered Robert. He turned down the lights as Mo and Max jumped up on the foot of the bed near Khaat's feet and curled up there. He checked them both and found they were good and then he left them there. He returned to the living room.

"Visiting hours for our patients have been extended til morning," he told Jess. "They're both dead to the world. I don't see either of them waking for hours."

"But isn't that what they need?" Angus asked.

"They do indeed," Kate said. "Let them be."

Jess chuckled at Lee's words " yes we have in Robert, Kate and Khaat , you too Brian " she said and nodded. Steven was about to get Brian when he saw him pass and chuckled.

" I was about to get you " he said and smiled as he watched him go inside the room he watched from the doorway and smiled glad to see Robert finally resting. Jess was glad when Brian told her they were both sleeping.

"Good, about time they both rested " she said and saw Jack emerge from the bed room " all down for the night dear?" she asked and he nodded .

" fed and diapered" he said moving behind her " mum you smell like gingerbread" he said and kissed her neck.
" that would be our son he had a gingerbread man or as he called it ninja bread" she said and chuckled.

Lee let the plate of cookies go around to his men, and his aurors took some cookies and went out on patrol. "Okay," Lee said to them. "You all have the night off. I have this."

"Thank you, Lee," Kate said. "They all need some rest." She turned to them all. "You heard the man. You have the night off. Take advantage of it."

"I'm heading to bed so I can get up to fix breakfast," Angus said.

"I have that under control. Take the morning off from breakfast duty," Kate said. "You cook for us all the time. You deserve to sleep in at least one morning." Angus kissed her cheek.

"Thank you, Kate. But you're not cooking all day. I'll give you breakfast, but that's all."

"That's fine," she said.

"I'm going to go downstairs to the hot tub, in that case," he grinned. "See you all later." He disappeared downstairs.

"Brian, go find one of the spare rooms and get some sleep," Kate said. "That's not a request. That's an order."

"Wait..." he began.

"Dont argue with me, Son," she said, as if he were 8 again. He just sighed, shaking his head, and headed over to one of the other buildings to a guest room.

"Are you sure you're not the head of this organization?" Lee laughed.

"Let's not tell Robert, shall we?" Kate smiled. "He likes to think he runs it." Lee laughed out loud.

"I bet you were a great mom," he said.

"You'll have to ask Khaat and Brian," she said.