Marriage is Murder

Jess chuckled at Kate and lee but more so at her response at lee saying was she the head of the organization. She knew Kate was stronger. " thank you Lee but I'll just sit here and read I know Jack will want to work out in the gym before showering and going to bed I think he and Steven have some sort of bet going on who can buff up the quickest " she said and chuckled as she moved to sit back down at her seat. Steven walked in and picked up a cookie from the plate one man held and he chuckled as he bit into it.

" Angus makes good gingerbread " he said and ate more of it till it was gone and he made a coffee for himself

Kate stayed up all night, talking and playing cards with Lee.. Long past when she ordered the rest of her crew to bed. Kate started cooking by about 3 in the morning. She decided for a change to make homemade doughnuts. A very rare treat since they were so much work. She made a mammoth layered breakfast casserole that had a layer of potatoes, sausage, tomatoes, bacon crumbles that were mixed with sauteed onion, scrambled eggs, and a cheddar sauce. It was an entire breakfast in one layer. She put Khaat's favorite fruit salad with it, fresh juice and coffee and tea and by the time the sun came up, Lee's men were filtering back inside for fresh Kona coffee and to find out if the food was ready yet. The house smelled incredible.

Brian dragged over a bit later than his usual time, still in his clothes from the night before, but now wrinkled and his face unshaven. He wasn't nearly awake and he said nothing. Kate saw him simply go down the hallway, get a change of clothes and go to Robert's room to shower and shave. Kate poured him coffee and sent the cup down the hallway to the bathroom so it would be there when he got out of the shower.

About ten minutes later, Robert came out, still in his robe, yawning. When he saw Kate in the kitchen, he frowned and looked back down the hallway. "Who the devil is in my shower?" he asked her.

"Your son-in-law, Dear," she said. "How's the pain?"

"Miserable," he confessed, snatching a glazed donut hole off the plate and eating it. She poured him tea. "Nobody up yet?"

"Probably. They just haven't shown up here yet," she said. "How's Khaat?"

"Sound asleep. She didn't move all night. She's still in the same position she went to sleep in almost 12 hours ago."

Jess walked out of the bed room brushing her hair and smiling as she entered the kitchen " morning " she said and moved to Robert instinct made her place her hand on his arm and she sighed as she drew off some of the pain he felt before taking a cup of tea for herself and sitting down " how did you sleep ?" she asked him as she blew over her cup . Andrew cam running out of his room stopping when he saw Robert and he smiled.

" your boo boo better?" he asked looking up at him as he waited arms behind his back and rocking on the balls of his feet in his Bunnie jammies.

"Thank you, Jess," Robert said. "I have a feeling this might be a bit sore today."

"Well, arent' you a bit stoved up too?" Lee asked, coming in to refill his cup.

"Very. I was trying to ignore that. Thank you so much for bringing that back to my attention," Robert said sarcastically. When Andrew came in, Robert smiled.

"I'm fine, Andrew," Robert said. "Thank you."

"Grandpa is going to relax today and maybe read a book or go sit in the sun," Kate told Andrew. "He's not going down to the gym today or into the pool. He's just going to relax."

"Well, that, and I"m going to take care of Auntie Khaat," Robert said.

"Don't overdo," Kate said.

"Do I usually?" he asked, handing Andrew a donut hole.

"Frequently," she replied. "Is Khaat going to eat?"

"Yes," Brian yawned. "She's awake. Or sort of. She'd like some French Roast."

"I made Kona," Kate said.

"If she wants French Roast, then we'll make French Roast too," Robert said.

"How about I do that?" Angus said, coming in, looking fresh and well rested.

"Fine by me," Kate said. Angus proceeded to make a pot of French Roast. About that time Abbey and Dakota came running out of their rooms, screaming, appearing frightened. Robert turned, frowning, as they went over to him, clinging to his robe.

"What's the matter?" he asked them.

"Monster," Abbey said, in a sort of garbled baby vocabulary.

"Where?" he frowned even deeper. "What monster?"

Jess stood up at hearing the girls screaming and running out to them. Jack walked out rubbing his eyes followed buy Steven " ok ok whats with all the noise?" he said on hearing the girls screaming. Opened the bedroom door Steven looked in but saw nothing. Jack walked over to Abby. " ok where is it " he asked seeing her point to the bed room he walked in following Steven and looking behind him at first he saw nothing, then he chuckled seeing it. eight legged black hairy spider scurry into a closet. He accioed a small glass pot and lid. " its in the closet" he told Steven who opened the door at first saw nothing then jumped back crying out.

" geezz all mighty, its huge " he said and backed away " all yours mate" Jack could not help but laugh.

" ow now I see it, the tough ex Auror is afraid of spiders " he said and laughed, but when he tried to go in he couldn't move inside. " um Steven, you'll have to catch it. " he said and handed the pot to Steven who at the thought winced but took the pot. He was about to ask if Jack was sure he could not do it when he saw him shake his head and point.

" ow boy " he said and moved into the closet he saw it sitting in a corner , getting down on his knees he slowly moved forward but as it twitched he jumped a toy fell on his head and he cursed. " ok I can do this " he said and with a swift movement he trapped it in the jar and slipped on the lid with drawing he placed it in Jacks hands " don't ever as me to do that again" he said breathing hard as he rubbed his head

"Monster!!" Abbey said, clinging to Jack's pantleg, hiding behind him. "Scary!" Brian appeared in the doorway.

"Did you find the monster?" Brian asked, holding a cup of Kona coffee.

"Daddy!" Abbey was truly scared and upset. "Scary monster." Funny as it was, Brian also didn't like his baby girl frightened. He went over to her and knelt. "Abbey," Brian said, setting his coffee aside, picking her up and letting her latch onto his neck with an iron grip, "Look here. Look."

"No. Monster," she insisted. He kissed her tiny cheek. "Look here. Here's Uncle Jack and Uncle Steven. They both have their wands. Show them your wands, guys, please. Uncle Jack and Uncle Steven will always, always keep you safe from monsters. Any monster. Right, guys?"

"I want Mama," Abbey said.

"Mama is sleeping, Sweetheart," Brian said.

"No, she's not," said a very weak, soft voice from behind him. Brian's eyes grew wide as his heart filled with horror at the thought of her being out of bed and not knowing how the hell she'd done it. He instantly handed Abbey to Jack and spun around. Khaat was having to hold onto the doorjamb with both hands, using every little bit of strength she had to hold herself up.

"Dear God," Brian whispered. "Khaat, you can't do this. You just can't." He flew to her and scooped her up into his arms. She fell limp against his chest. "What were you thinking?" he asked, unbelieving.

"My babies..." she began.

"Our babies are just fine," he said. "Believe me, we were right here. You can't do this. I suppose I don't have to tell you I'm taking Mama back to bed, do I?"

"Please," Khaat begged very softly in his chest. "I don't want to be alone anymore. Can I be with you?" He hesitated, not sure about doing anything that would jeopardize her when she had been so critical not even 24 hours before.

"Can I help?" Robert asked gently from behind them. Brian could remember few times when he had been more grateful to see Robert. "What's going on?"

"The girls are fine. Not sure what they found, but Jack and Steven seem to have it under control," Brian replied. "Mama here..."

"Oh, I can tell exactly what happened. The screaming rattled her maternal instincts," Robert said.

"And she would rather be with us," Brian said. Robert laid his hand on Khaat's forehead.

"I'll ask Jess to make a bed for her on the sofa. It will tire her too much to be out of bed all day, but for a couple hours, we might be alright, if she doesnt' do this again. Just bring her." He turned and went out to the living room. "Jess, Khaat somehow made it out of bed, and God only knows how. But she's feeling too isolated. Would you please take charge of seeing to it that she has as much of a bed on the sofa as you can make for her and then make sure she gets the right dose of restorative potion for her system? I am presuming that Brian is going to make sure she eats. But if he doesn't, try to get her to eat at least something close to what she did last night for dinner. Brian and Lee and I do need to tend to some business today, so you'll need to take charge of her for most of the morning. Don't let her tire. And watch her energy levels more closely if she's going to be out of bed please. Any questions?"

"We need to change your dressings," Brian told him. "We kept up on it yesterday, but...

"I did a rough job of it myself before I came out," he said to Brian. "It will hold for a little while. Don't stress. Get her out of here." Brian took her out to the living room, feeling alright with waiting on Jess to prepare a place for Khaat. It didn't bother him a bit to carry her and hold her. "So where's this monster you brave aurors have been hunting?" Robert asked Jack and Steven.

Jack and Steven both took out their wands and smiled " Brian you do know it was just a spider" Jack said and held up the small pot he had. He turned to see Khaat on her feet he was about to go to her when he saw Brian do just that and hand Abby to him he held her in his arms along with the small pot in his other. Jess had seen Khaat and moved to stand with her as Brian had picked her up quickly she moved back to the living room changing the couch into a day bed she fluffed up the pillows on it and waited for Brian to place her down on it. Jack walked in carrying Abby and gave her to Kate while he let the spider go out side the house after Steven had told it not to come back in again as he had scared the two girls.

Brian took Khaat to the living room. "Thank you, Jess," he said quietly, trying hard to reel in his initial panic at finding Khaat up when clearly she didn't have the strength to do it. She had very deliberately risked her life for her children when he was right there. He laid her on the sofa and said to her, "I'll get your coffee. Make her comfortable and take care of her, Jess." He headed back for the bedroom, and Kate handed Abbey to Lee and headed back down the hallway. When she got to him she turned him to face her.

"You stop that right now," she demanded.

"Stop what?" he frowned.

"Oh, do give me a bit of credit. I've been the only mother you've had for a long, long time now. And you're not 9 anymore. Don't even try that 'I'm-not-doing-anything' childish crap. You thoguht she didnt trust you..."

"Would you do me the kindness, please, of not intruding into my head!" he snapped angrily.

"Oh, please! I didn't have to hear it. I'm your mother. I know you. I could see it in your face just as clearly. Khaat was just being Khaat. Nothing more. Stop feeling responsible for Robert yesterday. Its not like it sthe first time one of you has hurt the other in a sparring match, and I am quite sure it wont' be the last."

"Khaat needs her coffee, and I need mine," he said angrily, picking up her cup. He walked out of the bedroom, fetched his cup from the nursery and took them, refille dthem and took hers to her.

Jess smiled " its ok " she sat down on a small stool that was next to the bed now and placed her hand on Khaat refreshing Khaats energy a little so she could sleep or watch every one including the girls who Jess saw now playing with Andrew on the floor with some cars. Jess moved so Brian could sit beside Khaat and sighed as she over heard the stern words Kate gave him she wasn't surprised as even she had noticed his reaction to everything going on. She walked over to Kate and placed her hand on Kate's shoulder.

"He is stubborn" she said and chuckled " Khaats fine I topped up her energy level " she spoke softly " as for Robert I'm guessing he will take your hands to tend to him now"

"Thank you," Kate said. "Brian is taking everything so seriously because this is the first time he's been in love. He's never allowed himself to be in love before, never did much more than date. And when he did date, he only did it until the woman started to try to get a tad serious. That always scared him and he ran. He had a bigger fear of commitment than Michael Tremaine does, and that's saying something.

"But everything shifted for him the night Abbey was born. As a healer and as one of the closest friends she's ever had, when he saw her so close to death that night and in labor, and Rob simply walking away from her and not coming back, Brian was outraged. His love for her that he already had made him commit to her that night that he would give her and Abbey a home for the rest of their lives. He had more wealth than he could ever go through by himself, and she was homeless that night. She had been. She had been living out of her office at St. Mungos and she had refused to come home to the farm with us. Brian was not going to allow her and her premature newborn daughter to be homeless and in danger with no bodyguard when he had that huge beautiful home. That's where it started. He had no clue that it was already lowering his defenses and making him more vulnerable to her and Abbey in the years to come.

"And when he did finally realize he was in love with her, not only was it too late, but it was much too strong for him to dismiss. You know we always hang onto our first loves as being something special and magical. Well, you combine that with the fact that it was Khaat, and he was nnot going to let her struggle to raise Abbey alone, you have a man who is tied to his wife in a hundred ways most men are not. I see their relationship, when they get to be our age, as being something truly special. As it is now, though, he is her all, and he takes that more seriously than he's ever taken anything his entire life."

"Duck!" Angus suddenly said as a sippy cup flew off the counter, straight towards Kate's head. Kate ducked and the sippy cup flew, in a wobbly fashion, towards Abbey. Lee frowned, looking at the tiny tot he still held. He lifted his free hand and silently summoned the cup to his hand so it would not lose all control. Catching the cup he looked at Abbey.

"You're too young to be doing that, Missy," he said. "Khaat? How the hell did she do that?"

"Accidental baby magic," Brian said. "With 11 kids in the house, you never know what's going to happen next."