Marriage is Murder

"Monster," she said firmly, pointing to her room, almost as a demand that Jack find the monsters.

"Abbey," Robert called. "Come on. We'll get 'em." He motioned to her, going into the nursery. "Let's find them. Alright, come out, you monsters!" Abbey tugged his pantleg.

"Shhh!" she put her finger to her lips. He tried his hardest to not laugh.

"Oh. Sorry," he said quietly. "Where are they?" She pointed to her bed, under the bed, in the closet... "So many?" he asked. She nodded. He looked at Jack. "How about you check under the bed, and I'll go battle the evil closet?"

Brian saw them go into the nursery and he followed. "Still monster hunting?" he asked.

"Yes," Robert said. "Get your happy arse in here and help. She's your child."

"Abbey," Brian said, "We did this last night."

"Monsters," She scowled at him in defiance.

"Okay, okay," he sighed, "Let's look again."

Jack placed down Andrew who followed them into the nursery , he looked around as Jack got down on his hands and knees Andrew did the same and crawled under the bed only to pop out the other side " boo" he said and jack chuckled looking under the bed.

"Nothing here Abby, the ran scared seeing all of us I think " he said and moved down the bed Andrew sat looking confused at them all . Jack crawled under the bed then out the other side in front of Abby" nothing but dust bunnies under there and I told them to behave and they promised " he said looking at Robert with a knowing smirk.

Khaat finished showering and dressing, choosing a pair jeans and a red cashmere v necked sweater, her boots, with her wands tucked into them. She headed down the hallway and Abbey scampered out to the hallway and began shoving Khaat away with all the strength she had.

"What is the matter with you?" Khaat frowned.

"Mine!" she shouted at Khaat defiantly. "Mine! Mine!"

"What on earth?" Robert frowned, knowing Abbey was too gentle to get that posessive usually. He turned from the closet and went to the door. He looked at Abbey doing her best to shove Khaat backwards.

"What's gotten into you?" Khaat asked Abbey. Robert walked up to them and picked Abbey up whether she liked it or not.

"Abbey," he had to work a moment to get her attention. "Are you saving Mama from the monsters in your room?" She nodded. He kissed her and held her. "Come with me. Khaat, tell them to call off the hunt for now. I have a hunch and I want to see if I'm right." He took Abbey down the hallway to his own room. Khaat went to the door of the nursery.

"I take it you're all hunting for monsters? Daddy says you can stop the hunt for now," she told them. She went down the hallway to see her father sitting in a chair with Abbey on his lap. They were opening a book. One she knew well. It was an encyclopedia of magical creatures. He showed her three or four sketches and then flipped to the back to the sketches of werewolves. Abbey thrust her finger down on the page.

"Monster! Monster eat Mama!" she insisted.

"That's exactly what I thought," he said softly, closing the book and then kissing Abbey's forehead. "Nobody is ever going to hurt your mama. I promise, Abbey." He looked up at Khaat. Khaat was beginning to wonder if her daughter had inherited the seers gift that Khaat herself had inherited from her mother's lineage.

Jack picked up Andrew and stood up " phew my poor back couldn't take much more " he said and stood up with Andrew holding tight to him against him as he walked into the kitchen and over to Jess. Jess helped Andrew into his high chair and then moved to Khaat and brains door.

" Everything ok?" she asked looking at the pictures Robert had on his knee of werewolves and she sighed deeply hoping Abby wasn't becoming scared of them or at least not of Jack. Jack sat with Andrew playing peekaboo and he laughed out loud at the game he and his father shared.

"Khaat," Robert said. "Get your mother. Tell her I need her pensieve. " Khaat did as she was told and Kate came up and prepared a stone bowl with water and set the enchantments in place.

"What do you need, Robert?" Kate asked.

"James, Jack, and Fenrir," He told her. "One at a time."

"It's ready. Go ahead." He drew forth a thread. The first one was Jack in wolf form. He dropped the thread in the water.

"Abbey," he said, "Its just a picture. Is this the monster you saw?" Kate waved her hand over the water. Abbey watched the picture and drew a little tighter to Robert but she seemed more curious than frightened. Robert didn't believe it was Jack. He drew forth a thread of James in wolf form and dropped it into the water and Kate waved her hand again to bring forth the new thread. This time Abbey gripped hard clawing into Robert's arm.

"Was this your monster?" he asked her. She nodded. He drew out the last thread. Fenrir. He dropped the photo in the water. Kate hesitated. Robert nodded. Kate waved her hand over the bowl and when Fenrir came into view in his wolf form, Abbey screamed and hid in Robert's chest, insisting that the monster was going to eat her mama. "Enough, Kate," Robert said softly. Of any of them, Abbey had full right to be afraid of Fenrir. He struck terror into the heart of adults. He held the child and soothed her. He looked at her.

"Abbey," he said, "We know this monster. He isn't ever going to hurt your mama. We made him go away. Uncle Jack made him go away. Its just a picture. He's not coming back. Okay?" She looked at him, questioning. "I promise," Robert said. holding her close and kissing her head as she huddled tightly to him.

Jess watched she felt the curiosity from Abby and relaxed a little but the fear from the other two made her jump a little and she looked at Kate noticing Jack walk up behind them " As do I Abby, he won't hurt you of any one here , I promise you that, " Jack said and knelt in front of her " you believe me, Abby?" he asked Jess smiled knowing what he was doing, she knew he was showing her he was not bad like the others. " That thing you saw in the picture is not going to hurt you, your papa has him locked away in here, " he patted his chest " and your papa holds the only key so he will never come out to scare you. " He looked back at Jess and stood up to move to her hoping she would under stand what he meant.

Abbey looked at Jack, and Khaat sat on the floor beside her father. "Abbey," Khaat said softlly. "Uncle Jack makes sure we're safe. That's his job." Abbey looked at Jack, then at Khaat. She pointed at Jack.

"Doggie," she said.

"Yes," Khaat said. Before Khaat could find the words to clarify, Abbey pointed at the bowl of water.

"Monsters," she said firmly. Khaat nodded and smiled, making the connection. She looked at Jack.

"You're not the monster. Your 'doggy' is a bit spooky for her, but you're not the monster. They are," Khaat said.

"That may well be because their intent and Jack's are entirely different," Kate said. "We may well be seeing some more baby magic. It looks like she had a seers dream last night, and she's trying to figure it out."

"That would explain why she was so much more frightened last night," Brian said. "It makes sense. Shes way too early for this, Robert. By about 7 years."

"Its rare but it does happen," Robert said. "It looks like its sporadic for her, so I'm thinking its still accidental episodes. She might have more or not again for years. There is just no way to know. Well, we know one thing. She knows good from evil, and you, Jack, are not on her list. Good to know."

Jack looked at Robert then at Abby " yeah, well..I guess, yes, I am a doggie to you" he said and embarrassed as Jess chuckled as he nodded to Kate that he understood what she meant for Abby to be able to understand her dream. Jess looked at Robert and sighed.

" you think she will understand it more as she grows?" she asked " coz I don't even now and I'm an adult" she looked at Robert " well I guess she is in the right place to learn about it seeing she has Khaat and Kate to help her" she said and smiled at Abby.

"Look at it this way," Robert laughed. "Her animagus is a dog because Rob is a dog. If she thinks you are a dog, then, perhaps in her way, she feels safe with you. Its not together unhealthy for her to have a bit of a fear of your other form, even as much as you would never ever intentionally hurt her. I don't want her to think that because you're safe every other werewolf is safe. Or if, by accident, you let the werewolf part of you take over entirely. In which case, she'd better not feel entirely safe with that side. You know that. Its why you left your family ever time the full moon came around until you started taking the potion on a regular basis."

"Hey!" Angus shouted from downstairs. "You lot eating breakfast, or am I throwing it out?"

"I think we'd better go eat. Nevver piss off a gourmet chef," Robert laughed. "Abbey, are you hungry?" She nodded. She asked Robert for a cookie. "Maybe after breakfast. Come on. You can eat breakfast in your pajamas this morning." He stood up, picking her up. "I think breakfast came just in time. She could use a little redirection. And so do the rest of us. Lets go eat--before he really does throw it out.

Jack looked at Jess and nodded as he looked back at Robert " yes it is a good thing I don't want her to be too comfortable" he said looking at Abby " but as long as he knows I as I am now won't hurt her " he said then looked back out as Angus spoke about the food " ow no you don't " he said and with a quick kiss to Jess he headed down to the kitchen. Jess chuckled and looked at Robert.

"And yes he and his family are grateful for the potion " she said walking with them down to the kitchen where she found Jack with Andrew tucking in to breakfast " ok don't wait for the rest of us " she said as Steven handed Cassidy and her some food to eat.

" Everything sorted?" he asked them and sat with Cassidy to eat.