Marriage is Murder

Jim shrugged and drank his soda then watched as Michael headed down to the surf, he turned and looked at Alette as she spoke about when she had seen Khaat last " but why bring her here?" he asked " surely any safe house would have done just as good " he asked now taking out his pipe and lighting it feeling the need for it at that moment since they were out side. After a moment he slipped it away feeling he'd had enough of it as he downed the last of his soda. " still its strange that they brought her at such a young age to you" he lay back down.

"You clearly never watched the old muggle film 'Two Men and a Baby," Alette laughed. "They were not equipped to deal with a tiny toddler who was outwitting the daylights out of them. They never left her. Not for a second, not either of them. But they certainly did need someone to teach them about how to deal with a little one who was just learning to walk and talk. Idiots, both of them. They took to apparating all over my house just to try to keep up with as fast as she could go. Neither of them wanted to change a stinky diaper. They were good with feeding but they weren't good with getting up in the middle of the night with you, or a bit of food throwing, or bathing, or anything else. They just wanted to buy her cute little dresses and change her clothes all day to see how much money they could spend on her and how many toys they could buy her, and all the fun things."

"Sounds like they needed baby bootcamp," Khaat smiled.

"Oh, they got it, alright," Alette said. "I think your parents knew better than to just send those two bachelors off with you without someone to give them a bloody clue about what to do with you. One of them,, and I forget who, decided they were going to feed you spaghetti and meatballs. Complete and utter boneheads, both of them. By the time they'd been there about 4 days, they were getting the hang of it. And by the time they left, they were both acting like old pro's."

Jim sat up and listened " I'm sorry to say I haven't " he said softly and chuckled the more he heard " you'd not think he would today" he said then sat quiet as she continued to speak he could not help but laugh " so you were responsible for teaching them baby boot camp, as Khaat put it " he chuckled and sighed " we all are like that to start then some one , like yourself , helps us and we get it eventually " he said smiling " Margaret did it with me, I didn't know one end of a diaper from the other until she showed me and then I could change was and dress out three kids" he and sighed deeply again.

"Well, you're right. We all start that way," Alette said.

"You know, for them to send me off for a few days, there must have been dire times even in those days," Khaat said, thinking.

"Oh there were. Your father's work and your uncle's was quite dangerous even then," Alette said.

"How did you meet them, if I can ask?" she asked.

"I met Michael in the course of our work, years ago, in Paris."

"Work?" Brian asked. His mind was racing.

"Its not that odd, you know. Men aren't the only cat burglars, you know."

"She was quite good," Michael nodded, coming back up the beach. "More lithe and graceful than any ballerina I've ever seen. She was very good at rope work."

"Well, no wonder you got on, then," Khaat said.

"We did," he said. "You lot just going to sit on your arses all day? Or are you going to enjoy the water?"

"Khaat?" Brian asked. "You trust me?"

"Of course."

"Then, lets' go," he said, standing and reaching for her hand. He had to help her up because she was getting stiffer and more sore all the time. He took her to the beach.

"She really is beautiful, Michael," Alette said. "Robert has every reason to be proud. Thank you for letting me see her again." He sat beside her, patted her hand affectionately, and accio'd a bottle of soda, now ready for it.

Jim smiled as Michael walked back up he just wanted to stay sat on the warm sand a bit longer " I am staying right here for a while longer" he said softly and laid back down on the sand as he listened to Brian and Alette talking he didn't interrupt but just enjoyed the sun while he had it. He turned to look at Alette " interesting" was all he said and then turned back one eye on Brian and Khaat as they headed down to the sea. With a sigh he sat up transphigering his clothes to his swim suit he walked slowly down to the waters edge and in up to his knees but no farther. He stood not far from Khaat and Brian but not that close he was in their space.

Khaat and Brian did love to swim. Khaat forgot she had her glasses on. Brian took them and sent them back to shore so they didn't lose them. Khaat had to squint a bit a the sudden increase in light. Brian was actually pleased that she was sensitive to it now. He took her hand and took her swimming. It was frightening for her to be underwater with no sight to speak of. But once they got into a pattern where they could swim within reach of each other, it seemed to work. He let her go where she wanted, and he made it his job to stay with her and make sure she didn't get into trouble. When they needed to surface for air, he made sure she had his help.

Her powers began to kick in, and she began to have some vague senses about James. She touched Brian, and he helped her to the surface.

"How far out are we?"

"A fair bit," he laughed. "the people back there look like little bugs. Why?"

"Nothing specific. I just...feel a bit restless."

"Your abilities again?"

"A bit," she said. "There's not enough to go on."

"You sure you're not just tired?"

"Positive," she said.

"Let's go back," he said. "Sounds like we need to talk, and besides, you just can't push it today." He helped her back towards shore, but she was so tired, that as soon as they reached neck high water, he helped her stand and just walk at her own pace back up the beach. Brian motioned to Jim to come back in, as he and Khaat began to walk back up the sand to their towels. Once he had helped her to sit, he got them a couple of sodas to drink. "It seems we must need to talk a bit," Brian said to them all.

Jim saw Brian wave him over and moved as quick as he could to help him walk Khaat back to her towel. " had a good swim?" he asked not making anything of her lack of strength coming out of the water. He handed her a second towel to wrap around her shoulders and moved the picnic hamper. " do you want your drinks now? " he asked pausing to wait on there reply. He felt something had made Khaat uneasy in the water and that was why they had left so soon. " you were both enjoying your selves what brought you out?" he asked.

"Thank you," Khaat told Jim.

'Yes, please, Jim," Brian said, ready for a cold drink. "I think we're ready for those now."

"James," she said softly. "He's looking for me. He's angry because he can't find me. He's really, very angry."

"Sweetheart," Michael said. "That might actually be a good thing. If he's that frustrated, that means your father's idea is working."

"He's...hungry. He's hunting for me."

"That part might not be so good," Michael said. "Your uncle described that as one of the things he hated the most about Fenrir's ideas. A werewolf in an uncontrolled state might develop some bloodlust, but when its tinkered with, the bloodlust can become something the werewolf uses to target and focus on someone. That increases the danger the deeper the bloodlust is allowed to become. Do you know anything more?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive. That's all. I swear."

"Okay. I believe you."

"Then we'll have to be on our toes," Brian said. "But as long as he can't find us, that's a very good thing."

Jim handed them both their drinks and listened " we could use Jack about now " he said softly even though he didn't like werewolves he still like Jack in the sense he had chose to be human not give into his curse. He sat down and listened more to Khaat " I agree with Michael" he said and sat down wrapped in a towel to keep warm not that it was cold, in fact he felt it pleasantly warm on his bear sandy legs. " he now watched every one who went past " well he won't get near you while I'm here Khaat" he said softly" and I'm dead sure Michael and Brian would get to him before he got five feet closer to you" he dug his feet into the soft sand as he spoke looking at her.

"Should we notify Robert?" Michael asked.

"We'll tell him the next time we see him," Brian said. "For now, it seems safe enough. I say we should just keep our eyes open and enjoy our day."

"I agree," Khaat said. "We are not defenseless."

But back at Brian and Khaat's estate, things were not quiet anymore. Angus had just tucked the kids in bed for their afternoon naps when a bloodchilling choir of werewolf howling erupted in the backyard.

"Oh, God," Angus said softly, apparating over to the window. There was James--and with a small platoon of werewolves with him. Angus could see they were half crazed with hunger and a desire for murder. Angus didn't wait. He spun the amulet around his neck.

"Give me the wee ones now, and we might let the rest of you live!" James bellowed viciously, using a powerful sonorus so that it echoed from every corner of Brian's estate.

On the beach, Brian heard his amulet sound.

"Oh, God!" Khaat said, hearing it. "Abbey! The kids!"