Marriage is Murder

Jim followed Michael down to the fruit shop picking up some blood oranges and grapes , he turned seeing the light from the shop emanating out of the windows. " Hum, seems to be a strong wand from what I see." he said "Perfect for Brian." he said turning to look back at the fruit in front of him his eye caught by some fruit had not seen before " what are those ?" he asked holding one up to show Michael. He then spotted the cheese and glanced at the shop knowing they would not be too long now. He wanted to send some back for Margaret.

"Star fruit," Michael said. "When you slice them, they look like stars. I put some in my basket. Khaat likes them, and they're actually very nice in a fruit salad. You know, I'm glad the boy found a wand. He's been using a secondhand wand since Robert gave it to him when he started Hogwarts. Brian wasn't in the mood to buy a wand that day as I recall, and Robert didn't force him. Brian never has had a wand that truly fitted him. And when he lost that wand yesterday, Robert gave him another secondhand one. It isn't that Robert didn't want him to have one. Brian never wanted to buy one. Not one that fit him. Robert would have bought him any wand Ollivander had that fit him. Hundreds of them if Brian would have taken them. I have no idea what that little glitch was in his thinking, but perhaps its good that Khaat is with him today. Perhaps he'll do it today for her. It will be interesting if the boy finally buys one that chooses him or if he puts it back for the closest thing he can get to a stick."

"Is it pretty?" Khaat asked, laying her hand on his arm.

"Yeah," he said, surprised. "It really is."

"Do you like it?"

"Its way fancier than I deserve, but...yeah. I do."

"We'll take it," Khaat announced.

"Excellent!" the wandmaker said.

"But..." Brian began.

"Shut up and pay for it. It chose you. You didn't pick it out. Just pay for it," she told him firmly. He found himself laying the cash on the counter and the exhange completed. "Can I see it?" she asked. He handed it to her and she felt it. She smiled. "I bet its wonderful," she said.

"It is," The wandmaker said. "There is no other like it. It has been waiting a long time for him. It is good that you came for it at last." She handed it back to Brian and he sheathed it. They walked out of the shop into the sunshine.

"Uh...there's a chocolate shop next door," he said, feeling a bit like he was on his first date, not knowing why. "Should we go?"

"Yum. Chocolate," she smiled. "I can smell it." He took her next door to the chocolate shop.

"I do really need to send that boy on a date with his wife," Michael laughed. "Why does he look to me like he's about 16 right now? He's about as nervous with her as he would have been on his first date."

Jim looked at the fruit and nodded as he placed an order to go to his home. He glanced back at Brian and Khaat walking out of the wand shop and smiled " yea he does need to take her on a date , I don't think he ever did take her on a date " he said then chuckled again at the way Brian looked with Khaat " he'll get over that awkward bit, guess its a little like starting over for them, you know building the confidence in what each one needs and wants"he sipped some water melons into the basket and chuckled " well hes now buying chocolates or I hope he does there the best from what I was told " he said smiling as he watched them.

"They're good chocolatiers," Michael agreed. "She'll like them. The closest I know of that they ever did as a date was a couple of nights out on a weekend they took here. From what I know, thats what started all the fireworks between them. As Robert told me, they were here with Jack and Jess, and they went out for dinner and dancing and it all sort of came together. But the only things they've done since then is work, have kids, work, take care of kids, fight to stay alive...yeah, its been tough. And, honestly, I dont know when I've seen a young man who is deeper in love with his wife than he is with her. You have no idea how often he is called Mr. Lupin, rather than Mr. Quinn, and he never questions it. Never thinks about it. He wears her name like a badge of honor. Not many men would do that." His basket full, he turned to the clerk and paid for them. She bagged up his large bag of produce and handed it to him. "Shall we go to the butcher next? They seem like they're doing well enough."

The clerk at the candy store immediately recognized Enzo and she came around the counter with a piece of peanut butter fudge. The dog sat obediently beside Khaat. The clerk raised her hand to give it to him and then noticed, almost as an after thought, it wasn't his original owner.

"You...own him now?" she asked, trying to remember herself.

"Yes," Brian said.

"May i?" she asked, remembering herself.

"Certainly," Brian said. The woman gave Enzo the little piece of peanut butter fudge, and he ate it happily.

"Popi brought him here every day," she smiled. "It is good to see him again. He looks happy. That is how it should be. Now--how can I help you?"

"Show us your best," Brian said. She took him down the counter to an array of truffles. He bought a large assortment. They left the store, and were crossing an alley in front of the local pub, when a drunken wizard came out and saw Khaat and snatched her, sweeping his arm around her. Frightened at being taken from Brian, she screamed, being thrown to the ground. Enzo took a stand, growling and baring his teeth. Brian's fist reacted like lightening. It slammed into the drunk's jaw.

"Gotta go," Michael said quickly, seeing Brian's utter rage. He headed across the street quickly, seeing Brian grab the man, haul him to his feet and slam him into the stone wall of the pub. "Oh dear. I do think he means to teach him a very strong lesson. We'd better intervene. I should not like him to overdo this and end up in jail. Brian!" Michael called. "You've got him. Stop. You've got him."

Jim nodded and took the bag knowing it was his place to carry them . turning quickly at hearing Khaat scream he dove over to Khaat helping her back to her feet "I got Khaat Michael, It seems Brian's got the man in hand , both hands and Michael's helping him let the man know he was not welcome. " He explained to Khaat as he motioned for Enzo to follow while he lead her back into the shop. He looked at Michael. Jim looked at the lady shop owner " do you have some tea?" he said softly and she nodded leaving and returning several minuets later with a cup of warm sweet tea. He hoped they would not be too long.

Khaat would normally have been used to this if she could see, but it had taken her by surprise. She was grateful for Jim's sudden rescue. She felt Enzo pressing himself tight to her, still growling softly, to ward off anyone from coming near her, even as Jim took them tnto the tea shop. Once she was seated, she drew Enzo close to her, and she could hear he was still unsettled, still growling softly. She reassured the dog and petted him, calming him. He stopped growling, but she was positive the dog was ready to go after anyone else who tried. Jim put the tea into her hands.

"Thank you," she said. "Don't let him kill anyone, would you?" she asked Jim.

Michael pulled Brian off the drunk who rattled angrily at them in slurred Italian. Michael proceeded to set him straight with equally strong Italian and a couple of threats, his wand at the man's throat. The man surrendered.

"Go tend to your wife," Michael ordered Brian. "I'll take out the trash." Brian hesitated. "Go!" Michael barked. Brian turned and saw the tea shop. Well, where else would they go? He headed there and was glad that Jim had been there.

"Thank you," Brian said to Jim. He went to Khaat and laid his hand on hers. She took it tightly in hers. He looked down and saw she had a scraped knee. "Let me fix that," he said.

"Its nothing," she said.

"How do you know?" he laughed. "You aren't looking at it." He laid his hand on it and healed it for her. "Better?" She nodded. "You sure?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she said. It wasn't a moment later that Michael came in, brushing his hands on his pants as if he wanted to wipe off the feeling of the dirty drunk off his hands.

"Everyone alright?" Michael asked.

"Fine," Khaat said.

"I'd still like to go to the butchers and the dairy. If you two would just enjoy some tea and stay out of trouble, I can finish."

"Go ahead," Brian said. "Next time, Enzo can eat him."

"Good idea," Michael laughed.

Jim smiled and looked back out " ow I don't think Michael will let him go that far , as for Michael hes a different kettle of fish" he said but seeing Brian walk back in he backed off letting Brian now take over and looking out at where Michael had been now walking back in part of him was relived he'd not killed the man he stood watching Brian healing her scraped knees . He looked at Michael " good Idea, want me to come or stay with Brian and Khaat, might get things done quicker if there's two of us though Robert would kill me if I left them alone too long. " he said smirking" don't think I'll make a good bug" he looked at the waitress and smiled " personal joke dear" he said and she smiled.

Michael tore off the bottom of the list, the items from the dairy, and handed them to Jim. "I'll send you to the dairy, and I'll go to the butcher. I'm rather particular on the cut of the meat. Brian, we wont' be ten minutes."

"I've got this," Brian said. Michael heard the anger in his tone. Good. Brian needed to be angry. His anger would help to power up his confidence.

"Well done. Decide if there is anything you still want to see or do before we start back," he told them. He turned and went to the butcher shop.

"Is there anything you want?" Brian asked her.

"I..don't think so," she said, sipping her tea. He got himself a cup of espresso and sat with her. He laid his hand over hers.

"I'd like to go out for dinner some night when we're here," He said gently.

"Dinner?" she asked.

"Yeah. We do have to eat. And you are so beautiful. You deserve better than what we have time for at home. Candlelight. Dancing. Gondolas...."

"It sounds wonderful," she said. "But I would rather wait until I get my sight back. Please?"

"I do understand," he said. "We'll give it a couple days."

"Are we keeping Enzo after I can see again?"

"I see no reason why not. He's more than a guide dog. He's also one hell of a guard dog. We have so many animals, whats one more?"

"I do like him."

"And he likes you. Khaat,..." he was hesitant. "If I ever did anything to make you want to distance from me...."

"What?" she frowned. "What could you possibly have done?..."

"But, last night...."

"It wasn't you," she said. "It was me. Everyone I love is tired and done with wanting to protect me...."

"Not true. We aren't here alone. Nor have we ever been. We're all tired--even you."

"Yes," she admitted.

"And Steven is just being an ass. But he knows how to do that well sometimes. Forget him. Your father fired him. Its done. All I know is that I don't want to take one breath without you. Not ever." He took a moment and kissed her slowly. Surrendering, she laid her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her, feeling like the distance between them was mending finally.

Jim took the half list and nodded " right " he said placing the bag down next to Khaat he moved with Michael out of the cafe and over to the dairy shop he gathered different cheeses some on the list and others he felt Angus might like to experiment with in dishes, he gathered the creams and milks and butter milk and butters salted and unsalted then after paying he moved back to the cafe with the bags in each hand . " hope I got everything " he said and chuckled as he sat down ordering a late for himself " I found a few things Angus might like some extra cheese local to this area I think he said it was made with goats milk , not sure on that my Italian isn't all there" he said and chuckled.

"Sounds like you did just fine," Michael said, as he came in, rejoining them. He ordered a cup of espresso and joined them at the table. "Khaat, you're starting to look a bit tired. Had enough for a bit?"

"I am?" she asked. Then she thought. "Perhaps. I hadn't thought about it."

"Then let's drink up and head back," Michael said. "We bought some groceries we need to put in the fridge anyway. Brian reached in his pocket and laid a small hotel soap on the table. Michael frowned. He looked at Brian who grinned. "You didn't," Michael laughed.

"I did," he said.

"He made a portkey out of a hotel soap," Michael laughed. "And clearly it goes straight to the rooms."

"It does," Brian laughed.

"You rascal. Now why didn't I think of that?"

"Because you enjoy walking in Venice," Brian said. "I was just...being careful."

"Well done," Michael laughed. "Good idea."