Marriage is Murder

Steven looked at Khaat and Brian " sorry I'm late had to take some trash to the ministry " he said and rubbed his arm looking at them both " quick break I take it, good she needs it " he said and looked around. He knew her shift didn't end yet but he wished she would take more breaks as to him she looked drained and he hated to see her that way. Steven looked up and down the corridors seeing very one moving and doing their own thing he breathed out , happy in knowing one man would not be back to bo0ther Khaat and Brian yet at the same time he wondered just what Angus was cooking for supper as he was feeling some what hungry.

"Steven," Brian said, noticing his own stomach was starting to growl, "I sent an owl to Angus asking for take out fruit salads for lunch for us. I'm sure he'll have them ready for us any time you want to pick them up. I think if Khaat does another 30 minutes of rounds, she's going to be ready for a break. I'll try to do some rounds for her this afternoon so she can get off her feet and conserve her energy. I'll make sue she stays safe while you're gone. Have you heard from Jack? Any chance he might be working the overnight if she stays?" Brian was hoping Khaat wasnt' going to start staying overnights yet, but he had a feeling that, for awhile, his chances of getting her to go home at night might be limited.

Steven looked at Brian and shook his head " nope nothing yet he might be their when I get back" he said getting the request rather fast . " I'll be right back." he said and aperated out to the main house where he did find Jack just taking off his coat " Brian needs to know if you'll cover the night shift for me with Khaat " he asked picking up a cookie from a jar " ow Angus you got those fruit salads for Brian and Khaat he sent me back to get them for them" he said now eating it.

Jack looked at Steven aperated in and shook his head " of course I am down for night shift " he said also taking a cookie from the jar and eating it.

"Yep," Angus said.

"I've got them," MIchael said, closer to the fridge. He took a break from cutting up the whole chickens he had in front of him, washed his hands, dried them, and then got out two large plastic bags, each with a takeout container with a large beautiful fruit salad and a container of champagne dressing in each one. He picked up a third sack, this one from the countertop and put it with the first two. "Angus made some of those Hawaiian Sweet Bread Crackers Khaat likes so much, and I made a large batch of one of her favorite types of cookies. Be careful how many you lot eat of them. You'll gain a few pounds. They designed to carry extra nutrition and calories in them. You certainly can have them but don't go crazy on them, or Robert will be putting you on a diet. And, yes, I will have dinner ready at 6 for one of you to pick up."

Steven nodded and finished his cookie " ok that was my first and last " he said and chuckled as did Jack as he to finished his cookie.

" I wondered why I felt better after eating these" Jack said and chuckled sitting down. Steven looked at Michael and nodded " I'll tell them to be back here for six " he quickly said and took the bag's from Michael and chuckled as he aperated back to the hospital and Khaat. Entering the room he looked at Brian " Angus says Dinner will be ready at six " he said placing each box in front of Brian and Khaat " Angus made some of those Hawaiian Sweet Bread Crackers and Michael made a large batch of one of khaat's favorite cookies." he placed them all on a table beside her and moved back to the door to wait.

"There are plenty of salads here," Brian told him. "Take one. There is one for Robert here too. I can take it if you stay long enough for me to do that." He got out Khaat's salad and gave it to her and went into their quarters and got out some bottles of Angus's sodas and set them out. He opened a couple of them and gave one to Khaat. "I'll be right back," he told her. "Just taking your father some lunch. Go ahead and eat. I'll be right back."

He picked up a salad and a bottle of soda and took them downstairs. Robert was cleaning a slight burn on the back of his right hand.

"What did you do?" Brian frowned.

"Ah, well, got distracted," Robert said. "Boiled my cauldron over. And apparently this last batch was sticky so when it boiled over, it stuck to my hand. A first year's error."

"By the looks of it, you were fortunate."

"Fortunate, hell," Robert said. "I poured my glass of ice water over it. If I'd been fortunate, it wouldn't have happened." Brian laid his hand over the burn and healed it for him. "Much better. Thank you."

"Good. Angus sent fruit salad for lunch. And Michael is working on dinner, apparently."

"I presumed he would," Robert said. "How is Khaat?"

"Doing rather well, pacing herself as best she can. Is there anything else you need?"

"Not that I know of, unless you can find me some more potionsmasters," Robert yawned. "Oh, and maybe mroe coffee."

"I'll bring it," Brian said. He left him, went back upstairs, ordered Robert's coffee for him and returned to Khaat's office to join her for lunch.

Steven looked at Brian and took one of the salads moving back to the door while he ate making sure nobody came in " I am like a rock "he said " unmovable " he stood and ate the salad enjoying the fresh flavors he could taste. He knew one thing his stomach needed the food as he's almost forgot to eat that day now Angus's salad did the trick filling his tummy. Steven finished his food and placed the bowl and fork back in the box he'd brought with him knowing once Brian was back he'd return it all to Lizzie but only once he knew every thing was quiet and Khaat was resting.

Brian had to coach Khaat through lunch, and he knew why. She just wasn't hungry. The illness was taking its toll. It was making her tired. Her face was getting a bit more flushed and he figured he was seeing a bit more fever now. And it was all making her more achy and uncomfortable. He could see it even though she had said nothing. The other thing that was bugging her was how long she had gone without seeing her children because of trying to reduce their getting the unknown killer illness. She was grieving not seeing them for so long. And, if she stood by her father to keep the hospital going in this epidemic, then it might mean untold days and nights of not getting home at all.

He was starting to seriously rethink letting her stay here at night on a regular basis. And keeping the kids away from her. It didn't appear to be healthy for much of anyone except hospital patients and he wasn't sure he was going to put them ahead of his family.

"Alright," he told her, seeing she was just playing with the salad now. "I'll finish rounds. Your fever has gone up. If you take your potions and get off your feet for awhile, you'll be completely bedfast again. I am more than skilled to finish rounds, and Steven will make sure no one disturbs you. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you. You..."

"I have paperwork to do when the rounds are done," she sighed.

"It can wait a bit. Come on. " He set the largely uneaten portion of her salad aside. She was just too sick and tired. He took her to their quarters and made her rest on the bed. He covered her with a blanket and gave her her potions. "Steven," Brian said, "you know your job if I leave her to finish her rounds, I trust?"

Steven looked around at Brian and nodded " nobody in or out I know " he said and looked at Khaat " that means you" he said turning back to look down the corridor his arms folded across his chest cutting an imposing figure at the door that nobody would mess with. He stood waiting for Brian to leave for rounds he could see Khaat's cheeks flushed and knew her fever was heating up again. Steven wished she would go home he knew eventually she would burn out and he didn't want to see that in her, He also knew she missed her kids as he missed his own and wondered how cassidy was doing.

"I'll be back shortly," Brian said. "She was over halfway done, and I can certainly go quicker without her."

"I heard that," Khaats voice came to him, clearly unhappy with him.

"Evesdropper. Behave while I'm gone. I may ask Robert to check in on her before long. She may just be overdoing it, but I'd rather be overprotective than to ignore it."

Brian went down to the potions lab first and found Robert had simply disposed of the styrofoam take out container and had resumed his work. Brian asked him to check on Khaat and told him her fever had gone up.

"Well, she was up quite a bit of the morning, wasn't she?" Robert asked.

"All morning." Brian said.

"Well, there you go, then." He picked up a different bottle of potion. "This tastes like hell itself, but it does help to reduce the more stubborn fevers. If I were you, I'd toss it in a glass of firewhiskey. There isnt' much else that will make this more palatable, I'm afraid. Its even more foul than wolfbane."

"It looks like water," Brian frowned.

"Trust me, its not," Robert said. "Smell." Brian opened the bottle and took a slight smell.

"Ew!" he scowled. "God, how do you expect anyone to take this? It smells like...well, I cant even imagine anything that smells like it. I refuse to ask you whats in it."

"Good," Robert shrugged. "Saves me having to tell you."

"She might need to simply be good and drunk to take this crap," Brian said.

"Feel free if you like," Robert said. "But just remember it does take a lot of firewhiskey to do that." Brian put the bottle in his pocket and finished her rounds for her before returning upstairs.

"Take a break, Steven. You've been on your feet all day except for breakfast and lunch," Brian said. "I'm sure you can fire a wand just as well sitting down as you can standing up."