Marriage is Murder

Jess looked at Robert then at the others and nodded " right, get moving " she said and picked up Andrew who also had been sat listening. Steven looked at Cassidy accioing some snow suits and mittens he picked up Fallon and dressed her while cassidy did the twins.

" I am so going to pelt you with snow " she whispered to him and he looked at her.

" not unless I get you first " he said and saw her smile at him " ow boy" he said and stood up " ok I'll get the bags " he said and headed to his room and cassidys packing everything they had brought till he stood three bags in his arms in the living room. he placed them down and " that's everything" he said to cassidy.

" did you remember the..." she didn't finish as she saw him nod " good." Jess chuckled and moved to Jack holding him close.

" they will learn in time" she said and jack chuckled as he held her back.

" I think they just did" he said holding her " we're all ready Brian " he said " waiting on Robert now"

Brian brought out a pair of tan suede coats. His was a beaded, fringe jacket. Hers was a beautiful beaded and fringed long, heavy warm coat. Brian and Kate put the kids all in heavy, insulated snowsuits, mittens and hats and scarves, They put the triplets in backpack style carriers. Kate decided to carry Dakota and Brian would carry Abbey. Robert would manage, for the short trip to handle wearing Julia on his back since she was the smallest triplet. Kate could manage the bags she and Robert had. Brian was going to try to manage his and Khaat's and the kids' bags, and keep hold of Khaat at the same time. The trouble with porting five babies was that someone always ended up feeling like a pack mule.

Robert came out, feeling a bit more refreshed. He had jeans, a white button down shirt, boots, and a natural colored wool, fisherman cable knit pullover sweater. He had his coat and Kates. Heavy brown leather winter jackets, scarves, and heavy gloves. "You all have your portkeys, I presume?"

"We do," Brian said.

"Then, I suggest you all go. The rest of us will follow as we're ready," Robert said. "We'll be right behind you. I know the kids are all hungry. We do need to get them there so we can eat." He handed Kate's coat to her while Brian helped Khaat with her coat. Then he put on his own, while Robert put his own coat on.

Jack helped Jess with her coat then helped pick up the twins Andrew held tight to his trousers while he held the bags and Jess held the twins. Jack ported to Colorado and immediately regretted not putting on a jumper under his jacket placing down the bags he moved to light a fire while Andrew ran to the tree and giggled as Jess appeared with the twins. Steven and cassidy appeared soon after Steven moved to the bedroom and placed down the bags while Cassidy placed the twins and Fallon in the same cot they marveled at the decorations sparkling above them.

" ok bags on the rooms , I took the liberty of putting yours away Jess and Jack " he said Jess smiled.

" thank you Steven" Jess said feeling the heat from the fire that jack lit.

Kate and Robert gave Brian and Khaat kisses and said they would see them in a moment. Robert took Kate's hand and they ported to Colorado. They struck some sort of a crosswind and found they were covered in ice when they arrived. Robert immediately smelled breakfast, and his stomach growled. He was impressed by the beautiful holiday lights and decorations that were everywhere he looked, with fresh greens and beautiful poinsettias and fresh holly. Then Robert smelled something else. Brandy scented tobacco. Michael. He had made it here for the holidays after all. That pleased Robert to no end. Organization members came from every direction to take the kids and their bags. He glanced out the window and saw Michael was taking a walk outside on the plowed trails in the beginnings of early morning light.

Brian got his family ready and took Khaat's hand, and they took one last look at the safehouse. Then Brian wrapped his hand around the portkey. They ported out of the safehouse, but on the way there, Brian and Khaat knew that there was something drastically wrong. They were going entirely too fast.

"Its bewitched!" Brian shouted at her.

"What are we going to do?" she tried not to panic.

"I'll handle it. Lets land. We're over the estate."

"We can't land at this speed!" she shrieked.

"Wrap your arms around me. Now!" he commanded. She obeyed. And he decided he had no choice. They had to land. He started to land them, knowing that one of them was going to crash into the ground and, at this speed, be surely killed. He apparated the boys in the baby backpack onto Khaat's back and deliberately rolled them so that he could protect them, rolling them on top of him and himself onto his back.

Michael saw the pair rocketting to the earth and let out a powerful shout. Robert flew out to the front deck to see the problem. They raised their wands simultaneously.

"Aresto momentum" They fired at the same time. They did their best to slow down Khaat and Brian's fall, knowing it might not be in enough time or with enough magic to prevent somebody from being hurt.

The next thing Khaat knew, she and Brian were plunged deep into a snowbank that was, as near as she could figure, at least 6 feet deep, and they hit the ground with a crash. Her head struck Brian's hard. It nearly knocked her silly. Then she looked at Brian. He was unconscious.

"All hands! NOW!" Robert bellowed, using a sonorus to make himself heard all over the house. "Outside!"

Steven dove out his wand drawn and looking around the place for any one going to attack them his back to Brian and khaat , Jess did the same cassidy along with Jack both watching around making a circle around the two fallen people. Jess moved to them " you both ok?" she asked placing her hands on them and taking the girls passing them back to Jack who held them close cassidy took two more and she stood with the third Jess checking each one as she passed them.

" all the babies are fine Robert" she said moving so he could tend to Brian and Khaat

Michael and Robert apparated to them as more organization members arrived.

"Brian's unconscious," Khaat said, shaken rather badly. She managed to hear that the kids were fine.

"Are you alright?" Robert asked her.

"I...I think so," she said. "Brian..."

"Shhh," he said soothingly. He laid his hand on her forehead. "You're fine. You lot take the kids to the house and get them warm and fed. Distract them with some cocoa or something. Go. Michael, take Khaat to the house and let Jess find a place for her to be comfortable." he laid his hand on Brian's forehead. "Brian is going to be fine. He just has a mild concussion. He's going to have a headache and some bruises, but a fall like that should have killed you all." He heard Brian start to groan slightly. "Welcome back, Son," Robert said gently. "You did a good job landing that. I'm proud of you. You managed to keep everyone alive and well, except for that headache you have. Let's get you all out of this snowbank and into the warm, shall we?" Brian managed a slight nod,a n Robert drew off some of his headache pain. "Give yourself a moment. It'll come back when your brain stops rattling. Jack, can you take Brian inside and find him a soft sofa? We'll double check everyone and get them warm and fed and sorted out. Brian, give me that damned portkey." Brian groped where his hands had been and couldn't find it. Michael went to help Khaat up, and she felt a sharp pain in her knee. She reached down and found the broken portkey digging into her knee. She handed it to her father, who put the pieces into his pocket. Michael simply picked Khaat up.

"Two things," he said to her. "One--nice coat. And two? You've lost weight. You're getting too skinny." He simply carried her into the house. Robert stood up and looked around and saw nothing.

"Owens, double the perimeter guards--just in case," Robert ordered. "Until I say otherwise."

"Yes, Sir," Owens responded, apparating back to the house.

Jack passed his twins to Steven who with Jess and cassidy ported back to the house placing them down in the cot and stood next to it now leaving them while Cassidy ported back out side. Inside Jess took of the coats and hats of the babies and saw only a few cuts healing them they had nothing but rosy cheeks and smiles as she gave each a bottle of warm formula and sat back Steven did not move from beside the play pen. Cassidy came back. " Robert needs you to make a bed for Khaat " she said Jess transfigured the couch into two big comfortable ones one for Khaat and one for Brian.

Jack moved forward and picked Brian up like he weighed nothing and looked at Robert before porting back and placing him down on the couch closest to the fire to warm him through. then waited for Khaat and Michael and Robert to come in.

Michael brought Khaat in, and Angus came in with two extra large mugs of Kate's cocoa, with marshmallows to warm them up.

"Only you two would find a way to crash with a portkey," he said, trying to make light of it.

"I guess that means Khaat and I need to do an around the world tour next time we take a vacation so we can practice our porting."

"I don't think so," Michael said, taking off their boots and their coats from them. "No portkey behaves like that. That was bewitched."

"It certainly was," Brian groaned. "Thank you, Angus."

"You were both lucky you weren't killed."

"It wasnt' luck," Brian said. "I remember. Someone slowed us down."

"That was your father and me," Michael said, accio'ing two blankets and covering both of them.

"Thank you," Brian was more grateful than he could ever express.

"It was nothing, Junior," Michael said. "Angus, feed my family."

"Coming right up," Angus said. "You two get warm. I'll send you a couple of plates. Drink that cocoa while its hot."

"You're sure the kids are alright?" Khaat asked.

Jess walked over and smiled " yes khaat, their eating warm bottles as we speak, just rest " she said and tucked the blanket around her while Jack poked the fire higher the room now nice and warm , Jess saw the cut on Khaat knee and rested her hand on it slowly healing it till it was little more than a light silver scar " Robert some tendons were damaged I'll leave them for you to heal as they take a light touch." she said and moved from Khaat back to the babies. Jack kept Andrew busy with a car and some crayons to color in a book though he saw Abby eying them he accioed another and gave her them so she too could color in it.

Michael left them to rest and found Robert sitting outside on the snow covered front deck, having used a spell to try off a wooden bench.

"Its warmer in the house Oz," he said sitting with Robert.

"Yes," Robert said, barely hearing him, preoccupied with the study of the broken portkey.

"Finding anything?"

"Yes," he said automatically.

"Care to share?"

"No."

"Oz..."

"Mikey, I know who did it, what he intended and why. I just don't know how he got that into my son-in-law's pocket," Robert said.

"Oh, Robert, don't be silly. You know how easy that is to do? I could show you in about five seconds or less."

"I'm gonna kill him, Mike."

"Yes. You will," Michael sighed, staring out into the morning light. "And his mother and his sisters. And then how will Jack be?"

"He'll deal with it. He's more Lupin anymore than he is anything like them."

"You're counting on that, arent' you?"

"Yes."

"You in practice with your killing curse, then?"

"Always."

"Well," Michael sighed, "We might as well die of something other than old age. If you're going hunting, I'm going with you."

"There will be no hunting until after Christmas," Robert said, putting the pieces in his pocket.

"Then I suggest you go inside and make it look normal, or like some little accident."

"They wont' buy that,"

"No, but they do know when to not pester you. Get some bullocks about it and they'll leave you alone."

"Thats the best plan I've heard. Shall we go get some food?"

"I like that plan better," Michael smiled. The two men came inside and headed for the dining room.