Marriage is Murder

Jack looked when Robert say the old mans name a cold shiver ran up his spine he glanced at Angus not saying anything. He knew better than to say anything to draw his attention to the fact that he was a werewolf. Jess sighed and shook her head at Jack but staid quiet and looked at Robert her question clear on her face for him to see, her mind saying he was retired there for too old to hunt any more but her thoughts were still there. Steven smiled at the man, " Pleasure to meet you, you have quite the reputation" he said as he then stepped back.

"Nice to meet you too. Now stop being so squeemish," Edward said to Jack. "I never killed anyone with the curse unless they were killing things they shouldn't have been. I can still recognize a werewolf when I see one, Boy. You arent the problem. It appears that...you know this werewolf, don't you?"

"By biology only," Robert said. "Not by relationship."

"Its just as well," Edward said. "None of you really have any clue how to deal with this other werewolf, do you?"

"My brother..." Robert began.

"I know who your brother was," Edward cut him off. "Your key is right here." He motioned to Khaat. "She's the reason he's come, and she is the hope for you to be rid of him." Robert didn't speak. Edward spoke in riddles and that didn't help him. Robert just figured in Edward's own time he would clear that up. At Edward's age he just wasn't going to be rushed. He watched Edward very slowly make his way up the steps into the house.

Jack smiled at him then looked at Robert " my misfortune I might add " he said rubbing the back of his neck " and I would never hurt any one who I wasn't ordered to by Robert " he said Jess smiled and walked over to Jack holding him close to her.

" I am Jess his wife and I would not allow him to ether " she looked at Khaat as he spoke of her being the key to ending James. Steven folded his arms across his chest listening intrigued at the mans words to them all glad he had spoken to him .

" I'll vouch for Jack " he said and heard Edwards words about Khaat himself and shook his head knowing they would not know the answer till he was ready to give it.

Angus walked over to them. "He's a bit cantakerous at times."

"He's entitled to be," Robet said. "Just wait til I get that age. I am planning on being far worse."

"Oh, heaven help us all," Kate laughed.

When Edward came out, he brought out a dusty glass bottle with a potion in it. He had a gauze pad in his hand. He poured some of the potion onto the gauze pad and sponged Khaat's cheek with the gauze. He held it there for a moment. When he took the pad away he studied her face and then the pad.

"Nothing," He pronounced. "He was not able to pass the curse to her. Whether he tried or not, I cannot tell. But at any rate, it did not happen."

"But the stone..." Angus began.

"Does not keep her from getting the curse," Edward says. "It merely keeps her from transforming. She is as capable of getting it as any of us." Then he looked at Khaat. "He comes because he fears you. He needs you eliminated. You are untouchable to him, and so you are a threat to him like none other he has ever experienced. But, it is that which he fears that is your greatest weapon."

"The stone?" she asked.

"No, Child," Edward said. "Not entirely. You are protected beyond the stone, and you know it."

Jess watched closely as Edward placed the gauze on her cheek and them spoke " something in her blood or DNA maybe?" she asked as she moved closer to him to study the dusty glass bottle a little more. Cassidy stood with Steven and shivered.

" Thank goodness, all I know is that guy is one bad ass wear " she said and looked at Steven " well he is " she added and folded her arms across her chest as she looked at him. Jack shifted on his spot as the man had spoken about Khaat he was glad she had not become like him.

"Dinner shold be ready in about 30 minutes," Edward said. "Lupin--come talk to me. We need to figure out how to eal with this before he kills someone you love." Robert simply looked at the rest of them and followed Edward obediently.

Angus looked at the rest of them. "He hasn't been interested in the business since the Second War. I'm glad you came today. He needed something to think about that gives him some reason to be alive yet. Thank you for that. Its good to see. It makes it easier not just for him but for all of us to see his mind on something else."

"You didn't tell me your grandfather was Edward Donohue," Brian said to Angus.

"I just dont think of him as a famous wizard. He's just my grandfather," Angus shrugged. "It never entered my mind. Sorry, Mate."

Jess and cassidy were admiring the flowers in the court yard and talking to Angus auntie who told them all about each one and who planted them and who they were for. Jack and Steven stood not far from Robert the knew he'd be safe but instinct being strong made them stay close to him. Jack more so because he was still a little uncomfortable being in a were hunters home. He kept thinking back to the children but a glance at Jess told him everything would be all right and he relaxed just a little though. Steven studied the house and court yard.

" nicely built house Angus did your relatives build it seems to have old sections " he said looking over at Angus.

"It's all old, Steven," Angus said. "All except for the portico with the grapevines growing over it. Grandfather built that, oh, maybe 50 years ago. The rest of it goes back to the 15th century. All four houses have belonged to us for perhaps the last 100 years or better. Our family bought the first house as a secondary place in the late 1800's. From what I know, it was my great grandfather who moved us from England as our primary house. We still have a place in England, but its really small and its out in the middle of freaking nowhere. We haven't used it for awhile. I think Grandfather sublets it. But I'm not sure."

When dinner was served, it was a very simple seafood fettucini. The fettucini was in a beautiful white wine sauce and had lovely pieces of the freshest assortment of seafood that Khaat and Brian had ever seen in their lives. There was a simple salad of mixed greens with a dressing of olive oil and basalmic vinegar. There was a platter of lemon profitteroles for dessert. They were fresh and light and delicious, and they were followed by cups of the finest quality espresso that Khaat had ever tasted in her entire life.

Jack, Jess, Cassidy and Steven all enjoyed the meal Steven more so because of the architecture and history around them as they ate " This is good " Jack said as she ate , subtle but yet full of flavor " he said finishing his first plate. Cassidy ate her meal enjoying how it tasted and enjoyed it.

" yeah its good might try this at home some time " she said to Steven and smiled as she saw him enjoying the meal too. She took a drink and watched Robert and Kate with Brain and Khaat.

Khaat watched her father in heavy conversation with Edward. They did seem to finally reach some sort of accord as night fell and as the family lit candles to make the courtyard seem to be almost magical just because of its beauty. When the evening drew to a close, Robert came over to them all.

"We seem to have done all we need to do here," Robert said. "Its time we went home. We have children who will soon miss us if we don not get home." Brian and Khaat agreed and they expressed their farewells to the Donohue family. Edward merely smiled and said he was sure he would be seeing them soon.

Robert and Brian had everyone hold hands and they apparated them back to the house. The aurors met them at once, and Robert was glad to see security so tight. The aurors stood down and the nannies said they had simply put the kids all to bed in the nurseries. Brian looked at Jack and Jess and steven and Cassidy and said that they were welcome to leave the kids there for the night if they chose. Kate made a pot of cinnamon tea. When it was ready, she poured several mugs and gave them out.

Khaat and Brian sat down with their tea and Brian looked at Robert, "What did you cook up with Edward?"

"Help," Robert replied simply. "I cooked up some help for us with the best hunter in the business. That's what I did."