Marriage is Murder

John groaned and looked at them both " I haven't " he said and sighed knowing he'd miss out a lot on things buy staying in his room all that time . He stood up straighter and shuffled his feet finding himself gliding a little better but his left foot slipped out and he clung to Brian " I am never going to get this " he said some what annoyed with himself for being unable to skate he could tell Andrew was better than him and frowned a little at his clumsiness. Steven now stood Watching and sighed seeing Johns frustration at his lack of grace on the ice.

"Watch my feet, John," Brian said. "Match my strides. Copy me. You too, Andrew. Stretch your legs a bit longer. Your steps are too short and choppy. Smooth. You're still afraid I'll let you fall. Do something for me. Lets try something. Both of you--kick your feet out from under you." He extended his arms straight out. "Grab hold of my arms like a tree branch and then kick your feet out from underneath yourselves like you were going to hang off the branch. Try it."

Andrew was good at climbing trees. He understood that. He did as Brian said and found that Brian's arms were rock solid muscle. He was a heck of a lot stronger than he looked. The muscles in his upper arm supported Andrew without so much as giving in the slightest. He looked at Brian, completely stunned. Brian didn't look nearly that strong. Didnt look strong enough to support him. Brian gave him a slight smile. "Go on. Just do it, John," Brian looked at John. Andrew understood. This was all about trust. He began to see a glimpse of why Robert trusted him with the organization, and why he trusted his only child to Brian--and why she trusted him with her children as if they were his. Maybe some people were worth the investment.

John paused not quite sure what Brian wanted and so hesitated. He looked at him but than copied Andrew finding a strong arm to hold on to and breathed out in relief but glanced at Steven stood on the sidelines who smiled at him and nodded his approval " now what?" he asked and looked at Brian some what relaxed as he held his arm not tight but securely. Steven moved to skate next to Brian and John taking the same stance and strides in his skates.

"Get your feet back under you," he said. "Feel better? Got some idea that I dont' plan on dropping you? Alright. Now, match my steps. Right foot, slide. Good. Now, left foot slide. Stretch your leg farther, Andrew. Relax your leg. Just an easy slide. John, you'll find that the dining room is large enough to slide in without running into furniture or tripping over rugs. Put a pair of heavy socks on and then go slide the length of the room. I'm sure your dad still remembers how to do that. I dont' think he was that completely good that he never slid across a slick floor. Practice there. And if somebody nags at you, just tell them I told you to do it as part of your training. Tell them its your homework."

Steven chuckled at Brian " ow I did but I did on ice on the frozen streams near our house " he said. John looked at Brian some what perplexed at his request.

" You want me off the ice?" he asked still holding his arm as they moved around. Steven skated parallel to them and dodged several people as he did. Moving to the edge he sat down his knee playing up a little he'd actually forgot about his knee injury.

"Dude," Andrew said, "Its not a put down. Stop that. A good freshly waxed floor can be as slick as ice, if not more. Especially with a pair of those fuzzy slipper socks. You'd ve amazed at how much speed you can generate. I get his point. We can use the floor to practice what he wants us to learn on the ice. Ice is intimidating for most people, isn't that your point, Brian?"

"Exactly," Brian said. He looked up and saw Khaat. She'd made her way out of her room and was clearly looking to see where everyone had gone. It brought a smile to his face and a light in his eyes tha no one else gave him. "You see that, Guys?" he asked softly, not able to take his eyes off her. "That's what you learn to skate for--or anything else she's interested in. That, right there, is worth it all. Everything." He let go of Andrew for a brief moment and drew his wand and flicked it at her shoes to add blades. She felt the transfiguration immediately. He motioned to her to come join him. He watched her step onto the ice and make one smooth glide that she did by only moving her front foot. "Well, that's the other way to do it," Brian said to the boys quietly. "She makes it look so easy."

"Is he trying to teach you?" Khaat asked. Brian noticed a very slight smudge in her foundation, and he took his thumb and smoothed it for her with a gentle caress to her cheek. She thought he was just being affectionate. He rolled his eyes at her just slightly to let her know that there had been a reason, even if she didnt know it. She forced Brian to take the other side of Andrew and she put the two boys together in the middle with her on one end and Brian on the other. "Your ankles take a lot of the weight," Khaat told them. Stay straight. Strong ankles. Use that height you're both getting. Stand tall. Make those girls notice how tall you are. Look there." She pointed out her parents gliding smoothly, almost dancing together on the ice. It was a beautiful sight. "Watch his position. He stands straight but he uses the full length of his legs to do the work. Study that for a second. Then copy what Brian and I do. Would it be easier if Brian and I demonstrated for you just basic skating and then some speed skating?"

John listened to Andrew and groaned a little but he staid on the ice and watched Brian all doe eyed over Khaat he wobbled slightly but now as much as he first had straitening himself he was determined hew would get it even if he had to fall on his butt several times. He glanced over at Robert and made himself stand as Robert was with Kate finding his movements now fluid and a little easier. John continued to move even when Khaat moved next to Andrew.

"Much better," Khaat said. "That's it. Nice. That's exactly what you do. Now, look again. You're standing straighter and moving smoother. Do more of that."

"Think of it like dancing," Brian said. "Here. Watch and then copy the stance, not the moves." He dropped the boys of on the sidelines, letting them cling to the wall. He drew his wand and flicked it at the ceiling, causing an enchantment for music to play. And he had selected a Christmas waltz--"Silver Bells." He reached for Khaat, and she simply smiled at him. Her parents were already stepping into a waltz step on the ice, as were several other couples. They shifted almost automatically into dancing positions and she let him lead for a bit of a waltz on the ice. She loved catching glimpses of his reflection in the glass around the room. She felt that he would posess her father's grace in the years to come. They only danced through the first verse and the chorus and then returned to the boys.

"Did you learn anything by watching how all these guys stand while they skate?" Khaat asked.

"Yeah," Andrew. "But I don't know if I can do it. They make it look like they've been doing it all their lives. I'm never gonna get it."

"Oh, come on. Take my waist. You can do this."

"What?" he looked blank faced. She guided him into proper dancing stance and soon had him stepping right into the natural rhythm of the waltz. She gave him a broad smile. "That is exactly right."

"Well, it makes sense when you put it to music," he said. She brought him back to the sidelines. "You think you can do that, John?"

John watched them and sighed he had a feeling he could never be that good Andrew was way better than he was and when Khaat asked if he could do it he shook his head " I don't think so ma'am" he said softly as he looked at his feet " I'm beginning to think I have two left feet " he sighed and looked up at her " but I'm going to try" he said feeling he should at least give it a try even if he did fail at it and end up on his butt on the ice.

"Jess," Khaat called. "Come help me show these boys how to get in the rhythm of this. You're a good skater. Once the whole idea of it clicks in their heads, they'll get it in no tiime. See if you can get John skating with you. I'll take Andrew around a bit more."

"Watch your energy levels, Khaat," Brian said to her. "Not much more right now. You need to soon leave the coaching to us."

"I really did want to see her about that anyway," Robert said, as he and Kate joined them. "Khaat, meet me upstairs in my office in about 2 minutes. We have to figure that out. Its gone on too long."

"I really think..." she began. He shook his head.

"Don't give me justifications," he said. "No excuses. We're going to look into it. 2 minutes." He apparated out. Khaat looked at Brian.

"You want me to come with you?" he asked.

"No," she said. "Its fine."

"Then you'd better go. You know how he gets," he kissed her cheek.

"Sorry, Guys," Khaat told Andrew and John. "Its just not worth ticking him off over. I'll see you later." She apparated out but when she apparated into her father's office, he sat and looked at her with a frown, one eyebrow raised. She realized that she was transparent.

"You're splinching," he told her. "Pull yourself together. Concentrate." It took her about 3 seconds but she managed.

"I've never done that before," she frowned.

"I know. And I think there's a reason for it. Sit. Lets' find out exactly what's going on, shall we?"