Marriage is Murder

Jim moved with Michael he felt his hear stop as he saw Khaat and the condition she was in. his eyes moved to Robert and Michael seeing them work silently together. He stood at the doorway watching for any muggles that might inadvertently stumble in on them. He saw Michale take out the camera and watched now for guards. but he saw doctors moving in their direction. " Muggles coming. " he said then lent back on the wall his arms folded across his chest as if guarding her witch he was doing. He heard her voice and relaxed again knowing what ever Robert was doing was working.

"Yep," Robert said. "They were going for a suture kit to patch up that cut on her forehead, and we're not going there. Not my child." Brian said nothing, stunned at first. Then he seemed to get himself together as he watched Robert work. He went over to her and sat beside her on the edge of the bed, sliding his hand under her fingertips. The skin seemed to largely be gone on the back of her hand. Brian could see potential for scarring unless Robert stepped in. Khaat's fingers tightened around his hand.

"I really don't remember," she told him softly. "I'm sorry...It's...just not there."

"You didn't even know who you were til a moment ago," her father said. "You took a good knock to the head. Knocked yourself senseless for a bit." The muggle doctor came in with the suture kit, and involuntarily, Brian tightened up his grip on her hand. Robert simply glanced at him to remind him that it was he who had this under control now, not any muggle. He allowed the doctor to go ahead and open the suture kit, put on his gloves, etc., and then when he finally uncovered the dressing on her forehead, he was dumbfounded. He stopped, stared at it, and triple checked it. Robert knew it was because he had closed most of it. Not all of it, but most of it.

"Boy, for a little cut, it sure bleeds, " Robert said, pretending to be ignorant.

"It...does not appear to be what I thought it was," the muggle doctor said, confused. He cleaned up the cut and put a series of little butterfly bandages on the cut rather than sutures. Robert simply allowed him to bandage her leg from her foot up to the bottom of her short shorts. He bandaged her arm from her fingertips up to her shoulder. Robert had healed enough of her face to keep them from needing to put bandages there.

The doctor mentioned wanting to keep her for observation, due to the degree of severity of the blow to her head, but Robert promised he would return her at once to their own family doctor for further treatment. The doctor was not willing to even consider it at first, but Robert talked him into it. He excused himself to cancel the admission paperwork he had started and to prepare discharge papers, releasing her into Robert's custody as her father, upon the agreement to return her to their family doctor. Robert watched the doctor leave and broke into a bit of a smile.

"We were lucky," Robert said.

"I want to know what happened," Brian said.

"I know what happened," Robert said. "At least from the muggles. Later. Not now. Not til we get out of here. Fortunately for her, she was completely dressed except for shoes, and she was blind. That protected her from needing to explain herself to the police. Once she woke and they discovered she had no memory and was blind, she was useless to them and they decided it was an accident. So, they've gone already. Khaat, is there anything you need, Sweetheart?"

"An explanation that makes sense...and a cup of coffee," She said.

"Give me a few minutes and I'll get you both. I promise," he told her. "And maybe a bit of breakfast. Brian, go sign those damned papers. You're her husband. You can legally sign them. Lets get the hell out of here." Brian found Khaat wasn't quick to let go of him. Her father took her other hand so Brian could step out. Robert looked at Michael and Jim. "We're going back to your hotel when we leave here, Gentlemen."

Jim saw the doctor walking towards the room they were in he was prepared to stop him but on glancing back he just stepped to one side letting him past he tried not to laugh when the doctor pulled back the bandage and found the cut not as bad as he had first thought he was glad how ever when everything was sorted so she could go back to the hotel. " I'll get on to the coffee once were back , there was a fresh pot made before we left but I'll refresh that " he said smiling a little at seeing Brian holding Khaats hand again. He watched Brian move to sign the papers and looked around nobody seem interested which was a good thing, he hoped it would not be too long and she would be back at the hotel wrapped in a warm blanket and drinking a hot coffee.

"That would be good," Robert said. "It looks like I might have a great deal of work to do when we get back. "

"Is it that bad? Really?" she asked.

"Its really that messy," he said. "Temporarily. We'll fix it. Don't worry. So far it doesn't look serious. You were damned lucky that you weren't killed. One moment til Brian comes back." Brian returned a couple of moments later, folding up discharge papers and putting them into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Do I look okay?" she asked.

"Why are you worried about that?" her father asked. "You didn't come here to impress muggles, you're not naked, and we've already seen you banged up worse than this. And its a short trip home anyway. Brian, your help please. Until I can tend to this properly, this is gonna really hurt." Brian got on one side of her and Robert on the other. "You let us do the work. We'll lift and then give you a chance to see if you can stand." They lifted her to her feet, and she found he was right. It hurt like hell. "I know," her father reassured her. "I know. Give it a second. We're not going to let you fall." They gave her a moment to get her bearing and then slowly allowed her to try to stand on her own feet. It was painful enough that he had to add to the pain spell he'd already cast. With his additional help, she could stand. "Let's go," Robert said.

"Back downstairs?" Michael asked.

"Hell, no," Robert said. "You disabled the cameras. Let's just go. They can just wonder how we got out." He got the portkey out of his pocket, and when the rest of them had joined, Robert ported them back to the hotel suite in Venice. Brian and Robert took Khaat to the bedroom and let her simply lay down and rest. Robert decided not to mess with her for a short bit until she could just rest. They made sure she was comfortable and then returned to the living room. Robert and Brian and Khaat were all feeling like they just wanted a cup of decent coffee.

Jim moved closer to them and placed his hand on Michael's shoulder as they ported back to the hotel quickly he moved and made a fresh pot of french roast now done he made a tray with cups float beside him in to the living room and the others . Handing out the cups to every one and himself he left Khaats cup on the tray for when she woke. He moved to sit next to the fire again " do you need me to set the table for dinner Michael ?" he asked " maybe some good food might help settle every one back down" he stood up and waited for Michael's answer knowing he'd got everything read before they left .

"I'll address lunch in a moment," Michael said, seriously considering just a light Italian soup with fresh ingredients and a loaf of Angus's fresh bread. Simple, light, and comforting. "But before I even start to cook, I want some answers." He glared pointedly at Robert.

"I suppose I should start at the beginning, then, shouldn't I?" Robert said, picking up his coffee cup. "Thank you, Jim. Khaat has had that accidental becoming one with her dreams since she was a child. Its a hereditary thing she earned from her mother and Kate's mother and back up the line. However, she hasn't done it very often since she learned to control her magic. It is exceptionally rare for her nowdays. I did not expect this. However, nor did it entirely surprise me.

"When you contacted us, Kate used what abilities she had to try to track her through her dreams. All she saw was a clear view of the Eiffel Tower. So, from the description Kate gave me, I had a rather narrow search area. I went to Paris, found the right street pretty clearly because it was all cordoned off by police cars. They told me a woman had just seemed to appear out of nowhere and walk right into the street into oncoming traffic as if she was totally unaware. They'd taken her to the hospital. So...I went there, determined it was Khaat and contacted you lot. Its about that simple.

"I will work on healing the scrapes and the cuts and reducing the soreness for her. Some of that will just have to wear off as you all well know. Just like the bruising has to wear off in its time. I can hasten it but I cannot erase it. She's got a mild concussion and a large knot on her head that I can reduce for her. Along with several bruised bones on the left side."

"The way they drive in Paris, she was lucky she wasn't killed instantly," Brian sighed. "Do I need to bind her powers at night?"

"I truly dont' know yet," Robert said. "I'm still hoping all this slows down. Remember we're only a day or two away from the fire and all that nonsense. It may ease up if we just are a bit more patient."

"And her eyesight?"

"I haven't even had a chance to evaluate that yet. The knock to her head wont' affect the flashburns, but surely could have problems of its own. I will check that before I leave. I'm not going anywhere for right now. I should let her mother know shes alright or I shall be sleeping in my office, I think. Does that answer your questions?"

"For now," MIchael said, going into the kitchen to start work on the soup.

Jim stood and nodded to Michael as he then stood listening to Robert as he explained " so its kinda like a muggle when they sleep walk " he said and listened longer to him now understanding." ouch" was all he said at the point Robert said she was hit buy a car. He moved to look at Robert and nodded himself " guess we should just be grateful she is back and safe again" he said blowing across the top of his cup of coffee as he looked at them all . He then moved to sit where he could see the bedroom door and Khaat sleeping on the bed beyond.

'Exactly," Robert said to Jim. "Kate's parents used to call it wishcraft, not witchcraft. But I think it was their slang for it. I dont think it has a real name. When she was a kid, she'd dream about being with Remus and he'd wake up to find her curled on beside him on his bed. She ended up at Honeydukes once."

"Well, hell, that dream makes sense," Michael said. "IF I was a kid again, thats where I'd go."

"Don't lie. That's where you'd go now," Robert said. "We really did think we were done with this, but I guess it can come up at any time. Kate's mother zapped herself out in her sleep on her wedding night, or so Kate says. I never had the nerve to ask her face to face. I figured it was none of my business."

"And where did she end up?" Michael laughed.

"Back at the church, I guess," Robert laughed. "Kate's never done it, so far as I know. Not since I've known her."

"So what d we do now?" Brian said, restless.

"I'm putting a lot of hopes on this time off for her," Robert said. "She needs to stop losing weight at least, she needs to get some sleep, she needs some good sound nutrition, and now she needs her sight back and needs to heal from all the other accident stuff. "

"And if it doesn't work?" Brian asked.

"Dont borrow trouble," Robert said curtly, not willing to discuss it.

Jim nodded and listened chuckling at the thought of aperating while sleeping but then his eyes went wide as he realized something " ow that's how he does it " he said under his breath " sorry Stuart my oldest does that he was found only last week in our barn , hes been in our bed and in the hay loft , now I know why" he said softly and smiled " I'll send a message to Margaret explaining" he moved to start writing and then sent it by floo to his home. He could not help but chuckle as he returned " all this time we thought he was escaping some how, but every morning he would say he never left his room" Jim puffed on his pipe smiling softly now knowing one of his children had magic in them. He nodded and sighed " if you don't wish for it it can't find you" he said softly refiling Roberts cup with hot coffee.

"I have to ask," Michael said. "You never smoked as heavily before as you're doing now, Jim. You smoked occasionally, but the last few days, its rare to see that pipe ever unlit. I've never known you to be this constant with it. What's going on with you?"

"Something going on we dont' know about?" Robert asked. Brian was not disinterested in the conversation, but he heard a fluttering in the bedroom. So soft, it was almost undetectable. He got up and went into the bedroom and found a messenger bird. One of Kates--on pink paper. She was demanding an answer about Khaat. Brian drew out a pen and made a new messenger bird and worded a careful response while the others talked and while Michael made soup.

Then he checked on Khaat. She looked like hell. Brian wanted to remove the ridiculous muggle bandages that covered almost her entire body and heal the long deep scrapes so she could be without them. But he understood Robert's thinking. She just plain needed to rest awhile before anyone fussed any more with her.