Marriage is Murder

"I thought I saw a man...sort of merged in her face," Fi said. "I thoght I was crazy."

"Not yet," Kate laughed. She went over and sat on the edge of the sofa. She looked into Khaat's face. "What brought you, Remus?"

"Same as usual," the voice came. "It won't be much longer. As soon as you're clear, I'll go."

"I know," Kate said. "Where is her wand?"

"I have no bloody clue," Remus replied. "Probably lost it in the snow. She had it with her?"

"Yes."

"I never did like that wand."

"She does. Thaor made it for her. She loves it. It just doesn't fit you. It fits her."

"She needs to go back to carrying mine," Remus replied. Kate was still talking to Remus, while Fi just watched, listening to the male voice coming from Khaat, and finally all the men returned. Robert and Michael felt like they were frozen. Robert couldn't feel his fingers anymore. And Michael had a good hard chill from being out.

"Firewhiskey, Ozzy?" Michael asked.

"No, I think I'll pass," Robert said. "You and Brian and Jim are in charge. Goodnight, All." He went upstairs without even taking his coat off. Remus's eyes narrowed at his brother, the skepticism clear on his face.

Jim walked in and up to the fire his hands were cold reaching into his pocket he took out a wand " did some one lose this, found it in the snow " he said and chuckled handing Khaat the wand " thought you might want it " he moved back to the warmth of the fire but soon decided to head up to his room for a hot shower and a change of clothing. Jess moved to send up some hot tea for Robert even if he hadn't asked for it she knew it would help warm him. Cassidy shock her head and looked at Owens.

"Well hello Owens , welcome to the mayhem." she said and chuckled softly but kept one eye on Fiona hoping he'd be ok.

"We're clear," Owens said. "We've laid down an extra protection grid on top of yours, and I"m leaving a detail overnight."

"Brian," Remus said. "I'll go since your clear. On one conditon."

"What's that?"

"Go upstairs." Brian looked at Remus and saw Remus nod. Brian nodded and saw Khaat's eyes close. Remus was leaving for now. Brian went upstairs. The only one upstairs was Robert, so he went to Roberts room and saw Robert just sitting near the cold fireplace, still with his coat on.

"Robert?" he asked, coming in.

"Double check Khaat, Son. Its bitterly cold out there tonight," Robert said,not looking up..

"Okay," Brian said slowly. "Care to tell me what I"m looking for?"

"Frostbite," Robert said quietly and calmly.

"What arent' you saying, Robert?"

"I forgot my gloves. My fingers. They're frostbitten." Brian rushed forwards and looked at Robert's hands.

"They certainly are," Brian said quietly. He took Robert's coat off him and said, "I'll get Jess and we'll see to these. We have to soak them in warm water. You know it will hurt. We'll give you some pain potion when the feeling starts to come back. Sit still." He went downstairs and went to Jess and whispered in her ear that Robert needed to soak his hands in warm water and that he would need the stronger pain potion as the feeling came back in his hands.

Jim watched and sighed he knew something wasn't right when Robert went up stairs it was reinforced when Jess stood up and went to the kitchen as he moved up stairs .he followed her with a bowl of warm water and several potion bottles in her pocket he moved to his own room and went inside. Jess moved to Roberts room and sat in front of him she soaked each cloth in the warm water and wrapped them around his fingers one buy one as she also stopped the cellular brake down forcing them to regenerate. she placed the two bottles of pain potion on the dresser and waited for Brian to come up.

Brian came right back upstairs and insisted Robert get comfortable on the bed. He moved him briefly and then helped set up something more stable so he could rest.

"Honestly," Brian said to Robert, "If you slept once in awhile, you wouldn't do things like this. Sloppy of you, Robert. You're better than this."

"Nag," Robert said. Brian poured him a dose of pain potion. "No thanks," Robert said.

"No choice," Brian said. "As in--I'm not giving you any." He forced Robert to drink the potion, and Robert slipped into a peaceful sleep. "Nice work, Jess. Lets let him sleep, but we'll need to keep very, very close watch for a couple hours that he doesn't accidently let his hands fall out of the water untl the tissue comes back up to normal. We might want someone just to sit with him and let him sleep while the potion holds. As near as I can figure this would have been the fourth night he'd have gone without sleep. He needs some rest."

Jess watched and moved with Brian and Robert making sure his hands staid in the warm water " I'll stay with him " she said heating the water a little as she sat next to the bed every so often wetting them " he pushes himself too hard , he takes everyone's pain on his own shoulders" she said looking from Brian to Robert and back " like you I wish he would sleep more I hope this sleep helps him recharge " she said knowing Kate would be up to check on him herself, if not Kate it would be Khaat, she was sure.

It wasnt' long before Kate came upstairs. She saw Robert sleeping and Jess soaking his fingers.

"Again?" Kate frowned. "He did that the winter after Remus died. Khaat went walking out on the farm when she was in a state of shock. Brian and Robert and I all went out looking for her. Took us hours to find her. He forgot his gloves. His fingers were frostbitten when he came back in. You'd thought he'd have learned. Anyway, thank you, Jess. I'll go shower quickly and then I'll take over for him, if you leave me some more pain potion in case he needs that." She showered and changed into pair of winter pajamas. Flannel pants and a thermal top. The pants were lavender flannel with white teacups printed on them and little pink curls of steam coming from the coffee cutps. The top was a thermal henley top with a white teacup appliqued in satin with an embroidered curl of pink steam coming from it. They were warm and comfortable. There were even matching lavender slipper socks. She brushed her shoulder length white and gray hair back out of her face and put on a lavender headband to pull it back out of her face.

"That feels better," she said. "This room feels like its going to get cold tonight." She flicked her wand at the fire to make the flame large enough to take the chill off. "Much better. I think I can watch him from here. Trust me, there is no big thrill in watching him sleep. I think I can manage it.

Jess looked at Robert and smiled " you'd think he would have remembered " she said but kept warming his fingers she was glad when Kate said she would take over once she'd showered and changed. when she came back Jess moved to the door " I'll leave him to you and yea it is I'll have to light the fire in our room too and have jack light the others too, no point in getting too cold" she said then left for her own room she did feel a chill and lit the fire the glow made the room feel warm and she smiled taking time to shower herself and change into red flannel pajamas and matching slippers so she was comfortable as she moved back downstairs to the others.

Kate woke up in the morning feeling cold. BItterly cold. The fire in the bedroom had gone out and Robert had somehow managed in his sleep to short sheet Kate. She flicked her wand at the fireplace, causing it to warm. She took the now cold water and tossed it. His fingers were better. She knew how to dress and bandage his hands and took care of it for him while he slept. Kate wasnt' a healer, but she knew to do that.

She was in the bathroom changing when she heard the bedroom door open. She peeked out just enough to see it was Khaat. Khaat came in and tapped her father's face, not too gently. He groaned and tried to wave her away. She tapped him harder, almost enough to make a light slap. He opened his eyes and scowled at her.

"Who taught you to be rude?" he growled.

"You did," she said. "How dare you?"

"Can we hold this conversation in a couple of hours?" he groaned.

"No!"

"Kate!" Robert groaned.

"You wanted a daughter who would speak her mind. Now you have it," Kate laughed. "You've overslept anyway."

"Who's side are you on?"

"How dare you be so stupid," Kate accused him.

"What?" he asked.

"This!" she flicked his bandaged fingers.

"Ouch!" he flinched.

"A three year old can remember mittens. What happened to you?"

"Werewolf?" he yawned. "Alright. I get your point. Now go away."

"Get up. No excuses."

"Yes, Ma'am," he sighed. Khaat left and Kate laughed heartily.

"See what you created?" Kate asked, still laughing.

"She got that from you," he said.

"Yes, and I'm proud of it. You'd better do as she says, or she'll be back," Kate said.

Brian meanwhile had made his way downstairs sleepily. He'd been rousted out in much the same fashion. He was wearing blue pajama pants and no shirt. His hair was still ruffled and he was more asleep than awake. Angus frowned.

"Why dont' you wake up before you come down?" Angus handed him strong french roast.

"I was rolled out on the floor by my wife," he said, taking the coffee gratefully.

Jim walked in from out side knocking off the snow from his boots he looked at Brian and Angus " any of that coffee going its Baltic outside" he said " is Kieran up yet?"he asked warming himself by the fire as he saw Jack and Steven walk down dressed Jess and cassidy following behind also dressed in thick warm clothes. Jess moved to the kitchen and waked back out with a hot cup of tea for herself and a cup of coffee for Jack.

" well morning to you all , you'd think you'd not felt the cold before " Jim said and chuckled Jess smiled and drank her tea standing close to the fire. Jess noticed Brian and chuckled.

" um did Khaat kick you out of bed this morning?" she asked brushing down a piece of his hair that was sticking up in all directions.