Marriage is Murder

Jack chuckled at Steven playing with the kittens and the ribbon. Steven stopped and stood up on hearing the dinner was ready he moved to Cassidy and offered his arm to her witch she gratefully took. Jack did the same with Jess the kittens lined up behind Steven and he chuckled " seems we're on parade " he said to Angus and chuckled as thy followed him Sofie staid beside Abby her tail and head up as if escorting her in to the dinning room. Steven and jack pulled out chairs for cassidy and Jess before sitting down them selves they already could smell the food and smiled at each other. " I am so gonna have to work off this meal this after noon " Jack said and grinned at Jess who just chuckled and nodded her agreement.

It was the largest turkey Khaat had ever seen in her life. Everyone applauded at seeing the huge, delicious looking bird. Robert cut it while servers brought out platters of turkey that had already been cut. It was a perfect feast. Turkey, potatoes,, gravy, dressing, vegetables of all sorts, numerous salads, fruit, soups, pastas, just about every sort of food imaginable.

As they were finishing, countless desserts floated in, forming a dessert buffet table that seemed endless. At one end were large pots of tea, coffee, cider, and hot cocoa. A table of plates and cups formed between the beverages and the desserts.

Brian groaned, seeing the desserts. "I had enough turkey that I'm not sure I can do dessert right now," he said.

"I'm heading for the treacle pudding myself," Robert said.

"You would," Kate said

Jack ate and finished his main course as the deserts floated in Jack watched them on hearing Robert smiled " ow something hot and sticky to finish the meal " he said and grinned when he heard a groan from next to him and looked at Steven.

"Ow no more for me I'm stuffed like a turnkey. " he said and chuckled patting his tummy cassidy rolled her eyes while Jess could not help but chuckle at the pair of them.

" ell I like the look of that lemon torte with whipped cream" she said and took a slice biting into it she found it to be heaven " wow Angus this is delishiose, so light and lemony, well done"

"What would you like, Sweetheart?" Brian asked Khaat.

"Surprise me," She told him. Brian found a slice of pumpkin cheesecake for himself. For Khaat he zeroed in on something he knew Angus had developed just for her. It was a tiramisu trifle. He took a generous serving for her and brought Abbey and Dakota large expertly frosted gingerbread Santa cookies. Their eyes grew wide and they bit into them eagerly.

"Tiramisu trifle? Who in the world does that?" Khaat said.

"Angus does," Brian said. "I think he did it just for you."

"How's your cheesecake?" she asked. She noticed he'd broken off little bites of it while he was getting everyone else's desserts. "Or should I ask how it was, instead?"

"Delicious" Brian smiled finishing the last few bites.

"I'm glad you all liked it," Angus said, serving Kate and himself each a generous slice of raspberry cream pie. "It was my pleasure."

Cassidy managed to get some trifle or her self and smiled as she ate it loving the flavor she'd not had tiramisu before and now loved the flavor " yeah this wonderful , though I'm glad I didn't get a lot though its very sweet " she smiled as she finished her desert . Jess finished her own and pushed the plate away unable to eat any more, but gave Andrew a sugared ginger bread cookie he smiled and ate it happily.

" I think i speak for Jack and I when I say that was one delishiose meal" she said letting out a deep breath.

"It certainly was. Angus," Brian said. "We've gone together for your gift because you've taken such good care of us. Robert, if you would please?" Robert stood and flicked his wand at the landscape once more. They had all gone together to give Angus a suite of rooms in every home he shared with them all. His own aparttments, enchanted into the bedroom space of every home he shared with Khaat and Brian.

"I know you sold your home in Tuscany," Robert said to Angus, "And we all know how hard that had to be for you. But we wanted you to know you still had a home there. And in England, and two in this country...and every other place Khaat and Brian will ever call home."

Angus simply stood and stared at the lovely apartments. They were perfectly decorated to fit his own tastes. And to think that they all had done that for him meant everything.

"Well," he finally laughed "thank you. It does seem that my short term bodyguard assignment has become very long term."

"Very," Khaat said. "You're part of our family now."

"I felt like I was part of this family a long time ago," he said. "Thank you."

"You're very welcome." Then Robert announced that there would be a Christmas story time for the kids in the Great Hall, where they had prepared floor mattresses and blankets for all the children so they could just have a holiday nap all together after the story. Staff people gathered up kids and asked Steven and Jack if they could include their little ones in the fun.

Jack chuckled and nodded " of course " Jack said and Andrew jumped down running to the great hall to sit on the mattress close to Abby. Jess moved and headed to the nursery for the twins, Cassidy headed to get Fallon , James and jaylen. Both walking back in arms full with their babies , Steven took James while Jack took one of the twins moving to sit close to Andrew in the great hall with Jack who was already there and sitting with Andrew. Jack chuckled as Steven held James who wanted down , he placed him on the floor and watched him try to crawl and looked at Cassidy who sat Jaylen down she held her self upright and giggled.

A pair of the staff members had dressed as Santa and Mrs Claus and sat and read Christmas stories to the children as the children dropped off to sleep one by one on the floor in front of the warm fire. The room got steadily quieter as the children settled, and, with full tummies, got sleepy and fell asleep one by one. Kate stood watch over her grandkids and watched all 5 of them slowly curl up on their little mattresses and fall asleep. She walked over and covered them with the brand new Christmas print blankets that she and Robert had bought for each child.

Once the kids were asleep, the 'Clauses' left and the usual child care team came in to take charge of all the children so that their parents could get a bit of a break. Angus stepped in with his staff to clean up the dining room. This was one of the parts of the day he liked--the kids' naptime. He found Jack, jess, Khaat, Steven and cassidy and took them downstairs. In one of the back halls in the basement was a home theater.

"We are not going to tell anyone we have a muggle movie system that's been adapted by magic," Brian said. "But...I think watching a Christmas movie might be acceptable in any wizard community. I think we need to enjoy the quiet while we have the chance."

"I havent' seen a movie since you and I ran off to London that summer while we were in Hogwarts," Khaat said. "Thank you for thinking of it."

Jack smiled as he sat with Jess his arm around her shoulders " um your going to watch the movie Jack " Jess said and chuckled " we're not quite in the back row here " she said and herd Cassidy and Steven chuckle from behind them " hey behave you two or I'll complain to the management " she said and laughed lightly 2 so whats the movie ? " she asked Angus as she tried to see if she could guess it but she gave up preferring it to be a secret.

" Ow Angus got any pop corn? "Jack asked and a groan came from Jess " sweet not salted , its not good for me " he said and Jess chuckled.

" with all that food you put away I'm surprised you have room for more" she said patting his tummy lightly but he just took her hand and kissed it gently.

"Certainly," Brian said. Angus brought in bowls of hot cheddar cheese popcorn and bowls of sweet kettle corn, along with bottles of muggle cola. If they were going muggle, they were going to do it. Brian had secured a copy of one of the hallmark muggle Christmas movies, an old one, called "White Christmas."

He settled in with Khaat and what she shivered, he levitated over a Christmas blanket from a shelf and gave it to her. He wrapped it around her and put his arm around her, letting her lay her head on his shoulder.

"Do you see what I see?" Robert's voice came from the back of the room. Brian froze for a brief moment.

"I dont' see a thing," Kate said, walking in and sitting down. "Don't forget the popcorn, as long as we're looking at nothing for the next couple of hours. And the sodas." He complied and brought cheese popcorn and sodas for them and sat with her.