Marriage is Murder

Khaat didn't move and let her father deal with Dakota's cantakerous behaviors. When she finished with breakfast, she got up, seeing Brian start to move. She went over and poured him a dose of potion and gave it to him before he had a chance to get sick. He wasn't sure he was nauseated yet before she had given it to him. She waited for a few moments. "Better?" she asked.

"Um..maybe," he said, trying to wake up.

"Alright. Sit up. I'll bring you a plate," she told him. Angus fixed him a plate and had it ready when Khaat came for it. She took it to Brian and he did eat. Khaat went and got him a fresh cup of coffee and set it down for him.

"Can you stop Dakota from that freaking screaming?" Brian sighed irritated.

Jess looked at Brian and then at Dakota who was now eating from her bowl again after Robert had refilled it. "seems she has already " Jess said and refilled Andrews bowl and sippy cup again before moving to get some pain potion. Jack frowned at Brian's sharpness but he knew it had to be the pain talking and his discomfort with the cast even Steven noticed it and spoke up.

" You ok do you need some pain potion?" he asked looking at Brian then at Robert as he finished hoping he had felt the sharpness also.

"I think he might need a touch more since he's awake. Do check, would you, Khaat, since youre right there?"

"I'm fine!" Brian snapped angrily. Khaat ignored him. She touched his forehead and cast a couple of spells on him. She merely layed him back down and he soon slept again.

"I'm finding some muscle damage," Khaat said.

"Well, of course there is," Robert said. "He did it largely to himself by walking the last 5 minutes of the trail. He'll be fine. We just need to keep it under control today for him, but I can see where the kids will irk him today if he gets out of hand."

"I'll watch it," Khaat said. Robert looked at her. He wasn't ready to have her up, but she was rising to the demand made of her in order to take care of the kids and to let him rest.

"Don't overdo today," Robert told her. "We're here to help. You be careful. You're not ready."

"I'm fine," Khaat smiled.

Jess looked at him along with Steven and Jack " yes, we're all here to help Khaat " said Jess as she looked at her hoping she would use them. Steven spoke next.

" I'll check the barn and the animals again this snow is making it difficult for animals to find food " he said and finished his food , standing he looked at Jack " um give us a hand?" he asked and Jack nodded standing up he kissed Jess's cheek and moved with Steven out side to aperate down to the barn both glad to be some distance from Brian and his bad mood they both understood it was because of his injury but they thought it best to stay out of the way for now till he was over it.

Khaat removed Brian's other running shoe and then laid her hand on his shoulder and apparated him upstairs to their room. She settled him into bed, elevatiing his leg on stacks of pillows and simply coveed him. She brought up his mug of coffee. Once out of where he would be disturbed by kids, he slipped into a deep sleep. Khaat was glad to have him resting.

Robert came up and saw she had him in bed. "Have you had a chance to shower today?" he asked.

"No," she said.

"Here. I'll help," he said. He helped her take off the wrappings off her back and filled a hot tub for her with a variety of potions stirred into it. "There. Soak in that. That will help. I put a soap in there that you can use without hurting those burns."

She was glad to have time to soak in the tub and then when she got out, he cleaned and dressed the wounds and then helped her dress. He made sure she was feeling better enough to do her best to do at least her "mom" duties, He made her promise that she would use the rest of them for help. She agreed. They went downstairs, hoping that the others had taken the kids to go burn off a little energy someplace where Brian wouldn't be uprooted.

Jess and cassidy had taken the children to a small room they had made into a down stairs play room filled with toys and coloring books and paints both women sat watching the kids playing and giggling Jaylen made paint hand prints while Andrew played with a red firetruck and a fire station in a corner. Jess smiled seeing Khaat " hope you don't mind we thought it would be best and the walls are sound proofed so not to disturb Brian" she said as cassidy walked over to her.

" so far they love it " she said and smiled as Abby ran past with Andrew following behind her.

"No, actually, I'm really glad," Khaat said. "Thank you. He's frustrated with the pain and I think, if I know him at all, he's frustrated with the fact that he feels he should have protected me yesterday better--which he couldn't--and that he should have seen that wolf today because now he feels like it forces me up when we all know its before my father wants me to be. He feels guilty and edgy. He'd have been better if it was a shoulder or an elbow than a knee. He hates not being able to be up and mobile. He'll be up and around before he's supposed to, if I know him. He'll be fine. Thanks for taking care of the kids. I do appreciate it. More of that you know. I don't ever want our kids to think that we're not there for them. Not ever. I want them to know that they are never alone in this world. Not ever

Jess smiled at her and so did Cassidy both " hay were her to help and yeah he probably would be " Jess said cassidy nodded " guess its going to be along week till that cast comes off" Andrew ran up to Jess and tugged her top.

" mommy it broke" he said and showed her the fire truck with a light that had come off " you fix?" he asked and Jess chuckled placing the broken part on the truck she made it repair and he ran off happy back to Abby. " he sure has taken a shine to Abby." she said cassidy meanwhile had moved to help Jaylen paint on paper since she had started to paint on her self.

Abbey seemed bored. She was just sitting on the floor by herself. Khaat went over to her and sat down on the floor. She picked up Abbey and put her on her lap, and accio'd a rag doll to her and some clothes for her. She showed Abbey how to do change the shoes on the doll and Abbey became utterly fascinated with slipping the doll's shoes on and off.

Dakota was more interested in throwing blocks at the wall and then squealling in delight as they hit and marked up the playroom walls. Khaat looked at her and sighed.

"That child does have a destructive streak," Khaat said

"No," Robert came in, hearing the blocks hitting the wall. "She's two. Thats what they do." He walked over to Dakota and picked her up. "I"m taking this one with me." He took her down to the basement to the baby pool that was beside the big pool and put her in it. She immediately found the joy of splashing in the water. Robert merely sat down at a table near the poolside and took his copy of his newspaper out of his pocket and kept one eye on her and one eye on the newspaper.

Jess smiled as she moved around each child first James then Jaylen then to Andrew who was content to draw in a coloring book even though they were just scribbles he continued. Cassidy watched Robert take Dakota out of the nursery and nodded she had a feeling he was taking her to the small pool . " I know swimming will tire her out " she said and turned back to Catlin who now was sucking on a crayon cassidy took it out and showed her how to draw on the paper witch she giggled and did.