Marriage is Murder

Jess chuckled and nodded " I see your point Robert" she said and smiled as Angus asked if he could drop some groceries off to them. Jess was herself looking forward to seeing the villa finally that they had been given. all she knew was it was beautiful inside and she would love it. " Brian we'll leave after you if that's ok, I'd like to make sure the kids are ok and settled before we go" she looked at Jack who smiled moving to hold her from behind as they stood looking at Brian and Khaat " we'd like it if you could come to the villa and share a meal with us , just so Jack can show off his cooking skills" she said and Jack nodded.

" Hay, when do I ever get to cook around here, Angus is too good" he said and looked at him ." no offense mate" he chuckled a little at feeling the anticipation of being alone with Jess for the first time since the twins were born.

"I think we could do that," Brian said with a smile. He looked at Khaat. "You ready to go, Babe?" he asked.

"Um..." she began. Her father looked at her.

"Go," he told her. "Give the kids a kiss and go." She and Brian kissed the kids, making light of the fact that they were going for a couple days and simply promised they'd be home soon. "Now--go," her father insisted.
Brian swept his arm around her waist, just in case, and he ported them to the villa in Tuscany.

The porting made her very dizzy. He steadied her and waited until her head cleared before he led her out to the balcony overlooking the sea and he helped her to a chair in the sun.

"Here," he said. "Sit. I'll check the house and then open things up. Keep your wand in case we aren't as alone as we should be. Just try not to kill anything before I get back."

"Oh darn," she sighed. "And I so wanted to practice my unforgivables." He laughed and went to check on the house.

Jess smiled and nodded soon with Jack she checked on the kids and moved back to Jack " there fine we'll send for them later " she said " I want to check out the house alone with you first" she said seeing the smile on Jacks face.

" I got one patrol I have to do then we can go, you pack " he said and saw the smile on her face " ok you already did" she nodded and lent on his chest he held her close and kissed the top of her head gently . Jess gently sighed against him then moved to a chair.

" go patrol first then we'll go" she said and sat with Cassidy who looked at Steven who grabbed his jacket.

" I'll come with " he said " need something to do" he said and together they left.

Brian checked the house and drew a fresh protection line around it, just in case. Then he returned to her.

"I take it I dont' get to kill anyone?" she asked.

"Not at the moment," he laughed. "We're very safe. How about a short walk on the beach after you've rested up a bit?"

"I really did just get up," she said. "I should be rested."

"Well, in that case, how about you just hold on until I brew some fresh coffee and then we can take some with us?" he asked, merely making a bit of an excuse to justify letting her sit for a bit. She nodded. He was relieved, and he went inside and made some fresh French Roast. He brought out a pair of large stoneware mugs of coffee in a few minutes and handed one to her. "You look a million miles away," he said to her.

"No," she said. "I just forgot what it was like to hear ocean waves right outside our door. I didn't think I missed it until I realized I could hear it again."

"Well, that's a good thing," he said, choosing to sit with her for awhile and just enjoy the morning sun.

Jack and Steven walked back into the main house and gathered their things and the kids together they headed to their houses , Jess was amazed as she appeared in the villa she heard the soft sound of the water close by and the sight of the bed room with its billowy curtain made her smile. the kids for got their sore throats and ran around into their rooms squealing with delight at the toys they found there waiting for them. Jack smiled feeling like a true father. Steven appeared with Cassidy and the kids James and Jaylen ran off to their rooms while Cassidy carried Fallon in her arms to their room finding a rather reserve room in tans and golds just as she liked and she sighed placing Fallon in her crib and lay on the bed.

" wonderful" she said smiling as she saw two villas close buy " Khaat and Jess right" she asked and Steven nodded.

"yea, close but not too close" he said holding her

When Khaat and Brian finished their coffee, Brian thought Khaat looked more rested. He took her by the hand and took her on a walk on the beach. He didn't take her far, since he knew she didn't feel her best. He carefully approached the subject of her feeling pressured to carry on her job and her father's and to rise to the occasion of being the face and the voice of the force that was attempting to stand in the gap between the invisible illness and the wizarding world's desire to survive.

Brian talked to her about needing to let go of the pressure and to allow herself to rest just for a couple of days. He gently told her what he was noticing about the affect that it was having on her--the weight loss, the lost sleep, the fatigue, the lack of appetite, the stress, the overwhelming desire to just work without a break until there was a cure. And in talking to her, he accidently betrayed his deep and growing concern for her health to her.

She stopped and looked at him. "You think I'm going right back to where I was when you came back into my life, don't you?"

"You are," he said honestly. "You're almost there now. You have no idea how far I'm shrinking your clothes. This really does have to stop."

"I didn't notice,' she said. "Honest."

"But now that you do know, we have to fix it. Together," he said. She sighed. He was willing to walk it with her, but it really was hers to fix. Not his.

Jess lead Jack down a small path to the beach the kids following close behind them and laughing as they found the warm sad under their toes funny. Jess took Jack hand and together they walked hand in hand down the beach Jess smiled a she saw Khaat and Brian but she made him stop for a moment knowing they needed time alone. Soon she continued " hay you to enjoying your time together " she said and smiled at them both as Andrew sat down to build a sand castle as James and jaylen hunted for shells in the sand dunes just to their left.

"So far," Brian said. "We have only had time time to have a cup of coffee and a short walk, but the sunshine is nice. Its considerably warmer here than at home. And I like it, honestly."

Khaat's senses were jolted. They weren't alone. She felt herself turning sharply and suddenly, looking back towards the house. Brian glanced over his shoulder.

"Relax," he told her. "Its Angus. Groceries, remember? I just saw him walk past the glass door. but feel free to go attack him if you want to. It'll keep him on his toes."

"He's quick" she said, ignoring his humor about going after Angus.

"He has brothers," he reminded her. "I left him a note last night before I went to bed. My guess is that he sent word when he got up hours ago. They've had plenty of time to shop for us."

Jess smiled and glanced at their house but looked at Brian when he spoke saying it was just Angus that had arrived with groceries . James walked over to Khaat and handed her a colorful shell " for you" he said and smiled then ran off back to the dunes and his sister. " ow crabby" they heard Andre say and Jack moved to find him be fore he was bit. Jess chuckled at Brian and nodded.

"He is quick in his cooking too , he always knows what you need. " She said smiling " Jack's cooking for us tonight, " she lent slightly forward " I'm keeping the tummy medicine on stand by" she said with a smirk.

" I heard that " Jack said chuckling as he held Andrew in his arms " he got pinched by a rather crabby crab" he explained Jess shook her head seeing the boys finger rather red where it had indeed been pinched by the crab. taking his hand she healed it and smiled as she kissed it and then reveled it was better.

"You have to be careful on the beach in the mornings," Brian told Andrew. "Lots of animals with sharp claws or stingers can be on the sand in the mornings. "

"Like this one," Khaat said, watching a jellyfish wash up on shore, still trying to fight for life. She flicked her fingers at it, but her wonky magic picked up the jellyfish and flung it at Brian.

"Oops," he said, intervening to flick his fingers at it and deflect it back into the water. It landed a safe distance off with a splash. "You really do need to remember that just about the only thing that works are your healing spells, Babe. Why don't you let me do the magic for now?" Brian hadn't said it but he didn't feel that, plague or not, there was the slightest hope of her magic getting back on track until she stopped losiing weight because of how badly such sharp weight loss weakened a witch or wizard's body and how that made magic go a bit off kelter. He didn't figure he needed to tell her. As a healer it was information she knew already very well.

"Sorry," she sighed.

"No harm done," he said. "Not to worry."