Marriage is Murder

"I'll wake her," MIchael said. "And yes, she did very, very well today. I think she honestly id want to follow Robert's instructions. I just think she would do anything for Brian, though. Thats what made her do this. She will feel it, but she'll want to get home to Abbey." He woke Khaat gently. He managed to explain to her, without upsetting her, about Abbey's accident. She seemed to just take it like any other medical peson would. Professionally. She did want to return to her. Kieran told her to go ahead and head home. He had made arrangements to have the staff pick up the objects at the airport in Colorado. They would store it there until KHaat wanted them.

Michael ported them home to Robert's bedroom at Brian's house in England. Kate was sitting up working on assembling a mosaic from broken colorful pottery shards. Robert returned just a split second after they apparated in. "Welcome back," Robert said.

"How's Abbey?" Khaat asked.

"Sleeping like a lamb," He reported. "I gave her a little boost on her pain spell and she's been very comfortable. And I cast a spell on her shoe laces so they dont' come untied on her again. At least not these shoes. When she gets new ones we'll have to add them before she wears them. How did the auction go?"

"Very very well," Khaat said, "I think he's going to be pleased."

"Good. I know you want to do some sort of a dinner. How about you let everyone fix a dish and do some sort of a family potluck? So that everybody can share some of their famlly favorite dishes."

"I like that thought," Khaaat said.

Cassidy heard Khaat return and stood up moving over to her as Jess went to shower and change. Cassidy smiled " that's good he'll love those pieces you got for him, I glanced at the catalog " she said smiling " there nice pieces" she said as she moved to get some coffee for Khaat and her self sitting next to Steven who smiled.

"Mother and daughter are doing well she took to the female and thre4 inseparable right now " he told Khaat as he drank his own coffee " ow I get to make my ribs? " he asked smiling and hoping he would after all it had been along time.

"Rest up, my dear," Michael said, kissing Khaat's cheek. Without another word he apparated out home. Khaat was glad for the coffee.

"Thanks," Khaat said to Cassidy. "Daddy, how did you justify our being gone?"

"Told him I had to let you go into St. Mungos on a difficult delivery and that the mother specifically requested a woman and that Jess went along to help you," Robert said. "You look like hell, though. You do know you'll have to give it another day or so now."

"I know. I didn't have any choice over the day of the auction, so I knew I would have to sacrifice another day. I was going to go to a dayspa in London tomorrow but, I won't leave Abbey now."

"Lets just wait and see how she's doing later, shall we?" Robert asked. "Its 2 am. You two ought to get some sleep. Since breakfast comes in another 4 hours, shall I simply have Angus save you both some?"

"I'll be up. I need to see Abbey," Khaat said.

"Brian has her. Let them sleep while they can," Robert said.

"I won't disturb them," she said. "But I have to see for myself." Khaat went to the nursery and saw Abbey curled up on Brian's lap, sleeping with her thumb in her mouth, her tiny head on his chest. It reminded Khaat what an exceptional daddy he had turned out to be. For a guy that had said he would never get attached, he wouldn't leave Abbey now, not for any force on the planet. She merely adjusted Abbey's blanket and covered her further. Abbey snuggled closer to Brian and whimpered slightly. In his sleep, Brian hushed her softly, stroked her hair a bit and slipped back to sleep. Khaat checked on the other kids, recovered them and picked up stuffed animals off the floor and put them back in the cribs where they belonged and went to her room, taking her coffee cup. She picked up the book she'd been trying to finish for 2 years and decided that perhaps she'd read the last chapter or so of it and finally be done with it.

Cassidy nodded and she headed to her room with Steven. Jess followed once she'd had her cup of hot chocolate she smiled sitting and just relaxing " it was nice to get out for a bit " she said as Jack joined her after his work out down below in the gym " I got a beautiful blanket " she said smiling as jack rolled his eyes.

" well you do say your feet get cold at night " he said and smiled at her " Might look good got to see about it first" he said and smiled at her Jess elbowed him in the chest.

" my feet don't get cold" she said but Jack chuckled and nodded.

" ow yes they do I feel them" he said and she laughed

" ok, ok truce" she said and stood up taking Jack's hand she smiled " well night all see you in the morning " she said and lead jack up stairs.

Khaat woke to bright sunshine across the bed. She was still in her clothes. She smelled Brian's shower gel and heard the shower running. She looked up just in time to see the coffee tray arriving like any other day. Her book, still unread, was laying now on her nightstand. She got up and poured herself and Brian coffee as she heard the shower turn off. She went into the bathroom and saw him drying off. She put the cup on the bathroom countertop.

"You left her alone?" Khaat asked softly.

"No," he said gently, reaching to her. She wrapped around him. "You know I would never ever do that. Your father is with her. He came in when he heard her wake up. He removed her pain and he and your mother are changing them and taking them to breakfast. They sent me to shower and change. If it werent' for the bruise on her forehead, you'd never know anything happened to her."

"I didn't see a bruise when I checked on you two."

"She was sleeping on that side, I think," he said, kissing her. "She's okay. If we keep her pain reduced for her she'll be fine. Honey, our kids are going to get bumps and bruises. We all did. Its our job to help her learn to deal with it. Now--get your shower and your coffee. You weren't ready for big complicated deliveries at work. You want me to get your clothes for you?"

"No, I'll get them" she said.

"Any more emergency calls today and you let someone else handle them, okay?"

"Fine by me," she agreed.

Jim walked down to the kitchen and pored some coffee for himself as he then moved to the living room picking up a muggle news paper he saw laid on the counter. Sitting he started to read as he sipped his coffee Jess walked down soon after smiling as she made a cup of tea or herself " how long till breakfast or do you need some help" she asked Angus with a smile as she lent back on the counter waiting to find out she saw Steven and cassidy walk down both talking about the unicorn baby.

" shes growing up" he said " she waned to know when she could go out in the pasture I told her it was up to you Robert and you too Kate" Steven said with a smile as he smelt the coffee.

"No thanks," Angus said to Jess. "I'm good. I'm just ready to serve plates now." He began floating plates out to the table and a pitcher of juice and pots of tea and coffee. Robert and Kate came downstairs bringing Khaat's 5 kids to breakfast. A few minutes later, Khaat and Brian finally made it downstairs, their coffee tray obediently following Brian and then returning to the kitchen.

Robert and Kate arrived in time to hear Steven talk about the unicorn foal wanting to go out into the pasture.

"She seems healthy enough," Kate said. "And she's used to being outside anyway. I see no obvious harm in it so long as our adult unicorns are going to be with her. I'll ask Archangel to help patrol and to let us know if there is any harm that comes, but I'm certainly not looking for any." They put the kids in their high chairs as Angus delivered breakfast bowls to the kids.

Jim chuckled and drank his coffee he looked at Steven who nodded and smiled knowing the baby would appreciate it being out in the open, he moved to the table and took his food to eat for breakfast. Jess and Jack did the same Andrew came running in and up to jack who lifted him and placed him in the high chair Jess took Catlin as Jack took Alex and fed him both. Steven took James while Cassidy had Jaylen next to her Fallon rested on her knee as she fed happily from cassidy. Cassidy gave Jaylen some toast and she ate it sucking off the butter then chewing the toast till soft.

"So, Khaat," her father said, playing along with the 'work' story about the overnight absence. "How'd the delivery go. You were gone for hours. Complications?"

"First time mom," Khaat said, making it up as she went along. "You know how nervous and needy they can be. I ended up staying all through the labor and delivery and awhile afterwards because she was afraid if i wasn't right there."

"Been there, done that," he said, taking a sip of his tea. "Better you than me. I"m too old for that stuff now."

"No youre not. I was counting on deferring all the maternity cases to you. You're the experienced healer in those things, not me."

"Ah yes," he smiled, seeing humor in her words, "but we learn by doing, my dear. How will you learn if you don't do it? Its good practice for you."

"Now that's just mean," she said. He laughed.

"Why do you spar with me when you know I"ll win?" he asked, unable to take the snicker off his face.

"You won't win forever, Robert," Kate said. "I'm teaching her."

"Oh, lord, help us all," Brian sighed. "And now it begins."

Jess , jack and Steven laughed out loud but continued to eat breakfast Jess smiling knowing Brian had a surprise come his birthday that only Khaat and her knew of. Jess finished her food and moved to the kitchen before returning to help the kids eat more it was then Catlin cried out as she bit down on her toast Jess moved to her and looked " ow boy her first tooth's coming threw, you have anything for her gums, its being difficult?" she asked Kate and Robert. Jack chuckled " well had to happen sooner or later" he said but regretted his words as James bit down " ouch!!" he said and pulled his finger away from the giggling boy " seems some one got his already" he said rubbing his finger.