Marriage is Murder

Jess smiled and returned to her work , returning several minuets later. " Everything ok Kate" she asked looking around the room again. Jess chuckled at the cat watching the birds " do you think it knows it can't get to them or is it just teasing the birds?" she asked smiling as she watched it jump on the bed and settle down. " my shift at St Mongo's doesn't start yet and I feel I should try and work some, can't catch what I have already cough and with Roberts potions I feel well enough that and I can watch Khaat as well " she said " since I will be giving her reports on the patients" she hoped Kate would agree.

"You're just doing some harmless stalking, arent' you, Irena?" Kate smiled, stroking the beautiful tortoiseshell colored cat under her chin. The cat purred loudly, getting comfortable. "That's right. Make yourself at home, and be good to Khaat, won't you?" The cat nuzzled Kate as if in reply.

"Do as you like," Kate told Jess. "So long as it does not either wear your energies too thin or that it conflicts with your duties." She was going to say something else when she heard the door on Khaat's office begin to open. It was Brian, bringing in a mammoth stack of files, so tall he could barely carry them. He frowned, seeing Kate and Jess in Khaat's office.

"What brings you here?" he frowned. He set the files on the desk. "And what were you doing in the closet?"

"Its not a closet anymore." Kate said. "Come see." Brian went in and inspected the quarters. He checked it out thoroughly.

"Its perfect," he smiled. "Almost too perfect. You know, she might never come home again."

"Yes she will. Her home is with you," Kate said.

Jess smiled and shook her head and smiled at the cat " don't worry it won't " she said and saw Brian moving she headed to take some files placing them down on the big desk. " its a wonderful room" she said and looked at Kate as she spoke to Brian " your children are there as well so she will be home I'll make sure " she said smiling as she noticed the time on the clock. " oops got to run I'll check on Khaat at my lunch" she said and left just as Steven walked in.

" thought I'd check all was fine seeing I'm part of the security for St. Mungos" he looked at Brian " jacks minding the kids with Cassidy, Jim and Angus, Jim insisted we keep a show up to show nothing is wrong." he reassured him.

"Good," Brian said. "You know, I hate bringing all this into her. She is just not feeling well. And the last I left her, she was in the intensive care unit caring for three patients she expects to all pass within the hour from this crap. She is trying to do her best to be strong and to show people that she is well. She knows the importance of them not losing hope--especially when they look at her. They see her as the director, as the Chief Warlock, as the Minister's daughter. They expect more from her. I'm going back up to see if I can get her to take a bit of a break when this is overwith downstairs. Losing three all at once is just too hard for any healer, no matter how much experience they have. But for a healer who is the director of the hospital that is responsible for 'fixing' this, its a huge blow. Especially when she has the same thing."

"Then we need to give you a bit of space with her to relax and de-stress," Kate said. "I'll bring her some of her father's tea and then we'll all leave you alone. You are bringing her home for dinner, aren't you?"

"I don't know. Hopefully. I want to talk to Robert and update him. Then I'll know for certain," he said.

"Then we'd better get that tea for you two now," Kate said.

Steven felt bad at losing the three people he knew it was hard on a healer he'd seen it on many in his time and looked at Kate. " yes I have to report to the main office then patrol the intensive care department" he said and smiled a little knowing he was actually also keeping an eye on Khaat. " I hope she does come home Abby will be disappointed at not seeing her when she goes to bed, Angus can only do so much " Steven said as he turned to walk down the corridor back to the intensive care section.

Kate went to get tea for Khaat and Brian. Brian went back down to the intensive care wing. Khaat had lost one patient in the short time he was gone, and she was busy at the beside of the second. This one was passing with great anxiety and fear and doing their best to fight, to rally, begging Khaat for help, clutching tightly to her. All she could do was to sit at the patient's bedside and continue to soothe them and to try to make them comfortable. It was long and ugly. The patient's last words were to try to curse Khaat and her children. Khaat didn't know if the patient had any magical energies left to make the curse effective, but she still had one patient who was passing that she had to comfort. And Khaat was wearing out.

Brian covered the second patient with the sheet while Khaat sat in silence for a moment. He went over to her and stroked her cheek. "I know you're tired," he told her softly.

"That doesn't matter. There is just nothing I can do. I'm useless," she said.

"No," he said. "Without what you do provide for them, they'd suffer hideously up til their last moment." She stood up and he provided a strong arm around her waist.

"Come with me," she said.

"I intend to." They went to the third patient who seemed, in the lasst seconds, to rally enough to clutch tight to her hair and yank her down to their level and grip her hard around her throat and attempt to use all his strength to try to strangle her. Brian wanted to intervene and Khaat thrust a strong arm into his chest, holding him at bay. She was perfectly willing to let her patient take out his rage at death out on her. And then, just before she might have gone unconscious from the lack of air, the hand fell limply to the bed and he was gone. Khaat's knees buckled under her, her vision going black. Brian caught her and lowered her quickly into the chair.

"That was asinine," he said quietly to her, angry with her. He leaned her back and began immediately examining the deep black bruises that were already forming around her throat. He looked up and saw Hannah in the doorway. "Go to the potions lab. Force Robert out. Have him meet us at her office at once." Hannah disappeared as Brian simply picked her up.

"I can walk," she said hoarsely.

"Shut up," he replied, still angry with her, taking her back to her own office.

Jess had entered as she saw the third man grip Khaat she also saw her tell Brian not to intervene and sighed as she walked over nodding to Brian. she placed the sheet over the man and shook her head. Quickly she moved to Khaat's office passing Hannah as she did " did you tell Robert?" she asked and Hannah nodded handing her some potions and told her he was on his way. Jess sighed again and moved inside. "How is she?" Jess asked Brian " I saw she shouldn't have let him do that its not her to blame for this, nobody knows what started it " she pored a glass of water for Khaat.

"I know," Brian said. He took her to the sofa since it was closest and he laid her there. He noticed she had blacked out somewhere on the way upstairs. Robert strode in a moment later, with a strong commanding stide, like a man on a mission.

"Move," he ordered them all. Brian stepped gladly out of Robert's way. Robert sat on the edge of the sofa and began checking her carefully. He laid his hand on her throat and cast a spell there and then laid his hand on her chest, casting another spell. It forced her to take a deep breath. She woke suddenly, coughing and gasping for air. He accio'd pillows from the supply closet across the hallway from her office. Brian moved to help Robert sit her up in order to help put the pillows behind her so she could breathe easier. Then they laid her back. "Get some ice packs," Robert ordered--to whoever would respond to him. "That might stop some of the swelling and bruising before it gets severe. And put some ice in that glass of water." He paused and waited for Khaat to stop coughing and to catch her breath. "You're an idiot," he said to her softly, lovingly, kissing her forehead. "You are not obligated to let them take you along with them, Sweetheat."

"They were so angry," she said, detemined not to cry. "They put a cuse on me and on my children...."

"Shhh. Listen to me," he said. "There is no curse on you that I can detect. I will check the kids myself. I seriously doubt they had any magic left. Don't panic unless you need to. What you saw was their last attempt at trying to beat death back away from them for awhile longer. It happens. Do not let them do that to you again. You are alowed to move their hands. Letting them get a chokehold on you won't help them and it might damned well hurt you." He was detecting that her fever had gone up considerably. "I think you need to let Brian take you home when you feel up to it. I don't want you doing any more today. We need to watch your energies. Rest a bit and then we'll see if Brian can take you home."

Jess sent Hannah for the ice packs while she placed several cubs of ice in the glass of water Hannah ran back with an ice pack wrapped in a towel handing it to Jess then stepped back. Jess placed it on Khaats neck gently. " every one else is settled " she told Khaat " I'll let you know if there are any developments, Khaat please go home we'll be fine " she said as Steven walked in again.

" I just heard " he said and walked to Khaats feet " she ok?" He asked and looked at Brian " got Adams and Jacobs walking the floors " he said and sighed shaking his head at Khaat.

"She'll be fine," Robert said. "She's going to bruise but she's going to be alright." He fed Khaat some of the ice water. "Are any of you lot going to be here tonight to check on Irena every so often until she gets settled in?"

"She knows she is to stay on this floor and that she is to not eat the owls," Kate said.

"Some of those birds would try to eat her, I'm afraid," Robert said. "She's not a very big cat."

"Ah, but she's a good hunter. She's the one that cleaned the mice out of your grain bins."

"You took my mouser?" Robert frowned.

"It was for a good cause," Kate said. "I can get you another mouser. Besides, Irena is happier being indoors for a change."

"Irena?" Khaat coughed. The little cat came over to the sofa, leaped up on the back of it and crouched down on all fours and peered deeply into Khaat's face. Khaat was delighted to see that her mother had provided her a companion here. Robert reached over and petted her, and Irena seemed pleased, as if she felt like royalty now.

"Maybe we need to bring Henry in to keep her company," Kate said thoughtfully.

"My Siamese? I like him," Robert sighed. "One of this bunch is likely to be here tonight."