Marriage is Murder

Jack had over heard and he sighed he knew just who they were talking about and he also heard Roberts words he was right he would deal with it he had his family around him not some blood lusting wear. He watched them walk back in but said nothing noting the slight frown on Jess's face as she watched him. Steven watched every one noting how little Robert had fallen asleep holding his bottle in his mouth. kneeling down he slid it out and placed a pacifier in keeping the young boy asleep. Cassidy felt her tummy rumble at the smell of the food. " Angus, I am starved is the food ready?" she asked and saw Steven shift slightly.

"They just finished laying it in the dining room. You can all go in. I have plates to take in to our crash victims," Angus said with a slight smile trying to keep the mood light. He laid a tray with two breakfast plates.

"I'll do that," Owens said. "Oh, and so you know, we have the kids well in hand. We have enough people who miss their own kids that they actually argued about who is feeding whom. The kids are already in their high chairs. If you're all lucky, they wont' get fed twice. And, Angus, I've sent the household staff to unpack for the Captain and his family."

"Well done," Angus said. "Jess, the new dining room is straight through here this way," he pointed behind him. "Its quite a lot larger." It was larger. It easily fed anywhere from 50-100 people without a sweat, or it could be comfortably arranged to seat 10 to 20. There was a smaller morning room for groups of 12 or under. Breakfast was a large buffet table set up to feed everyone whatever they wanted, at one of two long tables. The buffet table held enough that no one would go away hungry. And at the highest point in the room was a massive, decorated Christmas tree that seemed to go clear up into heaven. There was garland, bows, evergreens, lights,--more of what was in every single room of the house. Brian had ordered every room decorated down to the smallest bathroom. No room left untouched.

Angus took plates into Khaat and Brian. Brian was starting to regain himself. Angus talked him into not attempting to be up until Robert gave him clearance to do so. Instead, he talked him into just enjoying a quiet relaxing breakfast out of the confusion of everyone else.

Kate met Robert and Michael as they came in. "You boys go and eat. The dining room is lovely

Jess walked with Jack " so whats got you all worked up ?" she asked but he brushed her off and moved to get some food and she sighed walking with him to a seat where she sat down and gathered her food to eat with Andrew she looked at Kate knowing Robert and Michael had been talking about James and annoyed Jack a little. " this room is amazing " she said smiling as she gave Andrew some food witch he ate happily Cassidy sat with Steven both eating quietly just as quiet as Jack sat staring into his cup of coffee though he soon drank it and grabbed some food for himself.

Kate filled a plate for herself and one for Robert. She floated Robert's plate to the head of the table and her plate to his right. She floated a mug of tea over for each of them. As she passed by Jack, she took a firm hold of Jack's shoulder and whispered very firmly into his ear.

"Stop it, Jack," she said. "I know what you did. You heard them. If Robert wants your help, he'll ask you for it. If he wants you to stand in teh gap to keep those you and he both love more than your own lives, then thats where he'll put you. I know him. He isn't going to do one damned thing until after Chirstmas. Besides that, our first priority is in staying safe until we can end this nonsense with Grindelwald back home so we can all bloody well go home where we belong. Do not make me get more motherly with you than I already do." Kate knew better. She was the mother to them all. It was not really possible for her to get more motherly with any of them. Including Jack. She was the mother for Roberts band of misfits who had come together, solidified and become a stronger family than most of them believed they would ever have. And that was something that James, his gang or even Grindelwald had any clue about.

Khaat and Brian discussed the portkey over breakfast, not realizing their guesses were more supportive of Robert's findings than anyone might have guessed. Brian told her he intended to be up today and double checking on Christmas arrangements, while he knew Kate was planning on working with Angus to make sure that, if the wedding still happened, it went off without a hitch--or at least no hitches that had not been placed here by Steven or Cassidy themselves.

Jack felt Kate's hand on his shoulder and he turned to look at her hearing her words he sighed and smiled at her " thanks Kate" he said and felt himself relax his hand touching her as he turned back to smile at Jess " I'm fine Jess " he said and slid his arm around her waist. Jess smiled at Kate and Jack knowing Kate had spoken to him she was happy he'd got out of his thoughts and back to his family Jess took Jacks hand. Cassidy nudged Steven who looked at her puzzled.

" what?" he asked her and she looked at Robert " ow no you ask I'm in his bad books already" he said and continued eating.

" Robert, how are Khaat and Brian doing?" she asked " and what caused them to crash like they did?" she asked as she picked up some toast and buttered it.

"Bewitched portkey," he said simply, taking a scone and breaking it open for some orange marmalade. Michael, sitting on Robert's left, took a sip of his tea. "Thanks to Michael, they're all fine. Michael does have the advantage that most of us don't have in that he incredibly fast."

"I just happened to be in the right place at the right time," MIchael said. "But I know a bewitched item when I see it. Show them, Oz." Robert hesitated then drew both halves of the broken overly large skeleton key out of his pocket. Michael drew his wand and flicked it at the pieces.

"Reveal!" he commanded the key halves. At Michael's command they began to exude a strange, almost pulsing glow of the a shimmering black cloud all around the halves, swirling and looking menacing. It looked like death itself. "That, boys and girls, is a curse," Michael said.

"It certainly is," Robert said. "It's a death curse. It is designed to kill the user. But, broken, it is useless. It wont harm anyone anymore. But it will be useful to me, so I will keep it for now. Alright. No more morbid talk. Lets eat and have pleasant talk around the table please."

"Here, here," Kate said. "Who is going to show us through the new half of the house?"

"Kieran? You've been the onsite supervisor," Robert said. "Would you and Fi do the honors, please?"

"My pleasure, Robert," Kieran said. "And perhaps later today, you'd all like to see the new outbuildings."

"Outbuildings?" Kate asked, not remembering any talk of out buildings.

"Oh, thats right," Robert said. "No one has seen them. Perhaps they should put their walking shoes on now. Its a long way from some of the bedrooms to the kitchen now. The house is much, much bigger than it was the last we were here."

"ts easy to get lost," Fi said quietly. "It does take awhile."

"We generally do a head count at meals. If someone isn't there, we divide up and search a zone until we turn them up," Kieran said.

Jack chuckled as he ate his food Jess along with him till they saw the port key and Jess gave a shiver at the bad energy it gave off she was glad when he put it away. " you know I'd just give them a map and leave them to it " Cassidy said and chuckled.

" if that was the case you'd have got lost as soon as we got here " Steven said and chuckled Cassidy chuckled and poked him.

" true, ok may be a sat nav" she said and Steven laughed softly smiling at her as she did to him.

" hum, that's something some one can get you for Christmas " he said and it was Jacks turn to laugh.

" maybe we should all pitch in and get you both a pair of boxing gloves " he said and chuckled making Cassidy and Steven look at each other and laugh.

" yeah maybe" cassidy said and lent against Steven who put his arm around her and pulled her closer to him.

"We tried red sparks, but those got just annoying as hell because we were still under construction and they were coming from all directions at once," Owens laughed.

"That was a pain in the ass," Kieran said.

" Attention," Robert called. "In light of our massive expansion here and how much more we have availabe to us now than we did when we were in Paris, I am moving our official headquarters here instead of Paris. We will retain the Paris office, but we will no longer consider that our home office. But--to be very clear, this will always remain Brian and Khaat's home first. Before all else."

"The headquarters, no matter where they are," Angus said, "are homes first. Whether they're homes for a few of us or whether they are homes for the lost that we find. There is nothing different in that, Robert. But we understand your message. This is a family home--for men, women, and children. A safe haven."

"Yes," Robert said. "And I want this to be a wonderful, joyous holiday for us. I know we aren't in the position we were last Christmas, but that can't stop us from having a good holiday unless we stop it ourselves."

"So you know," Kieran said, "we have a traditional Yule log that we've cut and its burning in the great fireplace in the new Great Hall."

"Oh, how lovely," Kate smiled. "I haven't seen a real Yule log since i was a girl. I look forward to seeing that."

"We've done things a bit differently than you ordered," Fi said, "but the house...well, it seemed to dictate its own ideas to us as we worked, so we took some independent license in it."

"As welll you should," Robert said. "What I've seen looks marvelous."

Khaat smiled " yes, it looks beautiful " she said and Andrew giggled banging his spoon on the high chair as he shouted.

"Missmus mismuss " he said and Jess nodded placing a bowl of pudding in front of him to eat witch he did happily , Jess glanced at Abby and Dakota and the other children and smiled as she felt Jack pull her close to him.

" and what would you like for Christmas?" he whispered in to her ear.

" a nice quiet day " she replied softly to him " and I wish those two would just get married they need each other I an feel it, even if Steven is stubborn some times. " she said looking at the two of them talking across the table.

Robert finished his breakfast, and a couple of attendants sprang to service, collecting it from him.

"Kieran, the Captain's quarters please," Robert said quietly.

"I'll take you, Sir," Owens said. He turned to one of the other men. "Have a pot of Earl Grey sent up to the Captain's quarters at once." The attendant nodded and scurried off.

Robert looked at those he'd come with and said, "You are temporarily relieved of duty. You are, officially, on holiday until after the new year. I think you'll find more than enough to do. Enjoy yourselves. You all deserve it. I would love to stay and de-stress with you but I'm afraid duty calls. If you'll all excuse me. I will see you at dinner tonight."

"No lunch, Sir?" Owens asked.

"No thank you," Robert said. He rose to his feet to leave and was immediately clocked in the back of the head by two coffee mugs coming into the dining room. He sighed, annoyed, while Michael kept the mugs from falling and breaking, as he stifled his laughter.

"Are these enchanted or are they my goddaughter's work?" Michael asked.

"My son in law," Robert said. "That's Brian-speak for 'More coffee'."

"Oh. Just getting that straight. At my house one never knows," MIchael said. He looked at the mugs and addressed them directly. "Well? What are you waiting on. Go refill yourselves and be off." He flicked his fingers at the mugs and they floated away towards the sideboard.

"If you have questions, feel free to ask Brian as usual, or if hes sleeping, you may certainly entrust yoruselves to Michael," Robert said. He picked up his tea mug, refilled it, and left, motioning Khaat and Brian's mugs to come along with him.