Marriage is Murder

Jim nodded silently and slowly at Michael's words his eyes looking at the board and the pieces on it. He looked up at him when he asked if he had a muggle driving license, he reached for his wallet and took out a small plastic card and slid it in front of Michael. "Its what there passing for a license these days" he said moving his bishop to take one of Michael's pawns. He sat back and slipped the license back in his wallet and the wallet back in his pocket as he watched Michael make his move. " hum I really should send some things back to Margaret for the kids, might do just that when we go on the road trip" he said and sat back his hands clasped in front of his face his eyes fixed on the board as he slipped into quiet thought.

"And there's the difference between us," Michael laughed. "You think of souvenirs, and that's all well and good. My mind thinks either of what people need right now, or it goes to thinking of Christmas shopping. I tend to buy all year long when the items come my way. And then I have to hope that Snidely doesn't bury them so deeply that I can't find them when I need them. I can usually make him come out with it if I threaten to change him into a matchstick. The upside about Snidely is that nobody is going to break into the house and find anything of any value with him around. And if they do happen upon something decent, he'll just steal it back. He makes a handy security system all by himself. And I've taught him how to let the dogs out, so it makes me quite independent again." He studied the board and shifted another piece, then sat back, swirled his port and took another sip of it.

Jim looked at him and chuckled softly " ah not me Margaret, she loves the small things you can pick up, sentimental reasons I guess." he said softly and watched Michael make his next move , he slid his knight over in front of Michael's piece and sat back listening he smiled and nodded. " ah see, I only have the kids taking things and moving them on me." He said watching him. He missed the kids and Margaret but his work for Robert was important and he did write her but he still missed them. " I might head home after this for some time with the family once this mess is all over with." he said still looking at him.

"You certainly could do that, I"m sure," Michael said. "I presume Robert would give you that time as soon as we get back from Italy. At this point, I don't know if any of us know how long we'll be here. I get the feeling that Robert doesn't want them to go back until they have some sense of health and stability about themselves again. Brian rallies pretty quickly. I don't get concerned about him. He recovers usually from most things before Robert expects. He keeps himself healthy, and that does help.

"And he's been pushing Khaat to be healthier. When he moved her into his house, he insisted she eat healthy, exercise daily whether she wanted to or not, and he was responsible for all the rehab she needed after nearly dying from having abbey. He's the reason she's still alive. She was starting to have the same speed of recovery that he did. But...this whole business with Gelding and Grindelwald and James--the emotional impact of that has stalled some of what Brian helped her work for. Not to mention that damned green rash. I don't know of a witch or wizard that doesn't have it to some degree or another.

"The bottom line is that Robert wants to see Khaat's love for live come back. And he wants her at least back on the road to regaining that health again. She doesn't have to be fully recovered. That could take weeks. But he does want to see that she's at least turned around in the right direction again."

Jim nodded " can't see why not but I understand if he can't " he said and listened to Michael nodding every so often . " he made that clear before I came, he also said I was to stay in the background so much for doing that " he said and chuckled moving his piece to the left. He looked up as Michael continued talking. " Well we could do that together your cooking and the outings should make her realize the world isn't all doom and gloom" he said thinking for a moment then smiled " I heard there's a wedding at the Basilica dei Santi Maria e Donato, I know that always throw such an elaborate affair " he said

"Yes indeed they do," Michael laughed. "And as much free flowing food and alcohol as one can inhale." He shited his piece. "Check." He knew there was one move that Jim could make that would put the whole game into a stalemate where nobody would win. He didn't exactly want Jim to lose again. He was truly hoping he would see the move himself and move it into a stalemate. A draw was better than a lose, Michael thought.

Enzo began to nudge at Michael's hand. Michael scowled at him and the dog whimpered. "Really? Now?" Michael frowned. He sighed. "Alright. I'll take the dog out while you study your next move." He accio'd Enzo's leash and clipped it to him. "I know he doesn't need it, but the muggles expect it. Let's go, Boy." He got up and took hold of the leash and looked back at Jim. "We'll be back in a few minutes," he laughed, taking Enzo and leaving.

Jim sighed as he sat back listening to the sounds drifting in through an open window not far from him. It was then Enzo walked over and he chuckled as Michael took him for his walk. He smiled and looked at the board one move came to him that would nether win the game or lose it he moved his piece and looked over at the door to Khaat and Brian's bed room standing slowly he walked over and peeked around it both still sound asleep and he smiled closing it over until he heard the click of the door catch then he walked to the balcony and felt the cool air on his skin.

Robert had been sent. Instructed by Kate. Angus had fixed breakfast. A new recipe for an apricot coffeecake, and a wonderful breakfast casserole. He had been sent to deliver it when it was hot. He knew they weren't considering the time change. He arrived in the hotel room at 3 in the morning. He put the food on the stove and cast a spell on them to keep both dishes at the appropriate temperature. Ever the protective father, he make a check on the hotel room and saw a figure on the balcony--in the bedroom section He went out and found Brian sitting there, in his lounge pants, his arms around his knees. He seemed to just be sitting in the darkness.

"Aren't you cold without a shirt?" Robert asked, going out.

"No, not particularly," Brian said quietly.

"What's bugging you?" Robert sat with him.

"Its still worth it, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"All the fighting. For some sense of common good in our world. Its still worth it."

"You just came to that?" Robert smiled gently.

"No. Not yet. The only thing I know is that she's worth it."

"Ah. Well, you knew that. Is that what has you up?"

"I woke up and she was still sleeping in the same position she went to sleep in. I had to check to be sure she was still breathing. I...didn't want to believe she wasn't breathing."

"She's just tired," Robert soothed him. "I'm sure she's fine. Come on. Come inside. Let's make some coffee and we'll talk. Then if you want me to, I'll check on her." He headed back inside and Brian followed. Robert made coffee and tea to start their morning.

Jim walked out in his dressing gown and saw Robert with Brian " good morning Robert " he said and moved to pore three cups of coffee and he smelt the food " Angus does know how to fix breakfast " he said smiling as he handed a cup to each man them moved to gather his own " if you want me to leave I can do so " he said blowing over the top of his cup as he watched them " has he asked the question yet , the one about is it worth it" he said and looked at Brian and smiled softly " we have all asked our selves that question once in our lives half pint" he said " its a good sign I take it Robert that your here?" He moved to sit in a chair beside the fire as he gave a loud sneeze. "Sorry " he said and took some potion.

"Good morning," Robert said. "Kate insisted I bring breakfast. You know her. She's always going to be a mom. Thank you." He took the cup of coffee and slid one over to Brian. 'You don't need to leave. Yeah, we're just going through that again. And he's right, Brian. We all ask it. Sometimes we ask it a lot. If I had just one galleon for every time I asked, it, we'd own England by now. He's answered the part about Khaat being worth it. And he knows his kids are worth it. What he doesnt' know is if England is worth it. I must confess that I've asked myself that a couple trillion times over the last year myself."

"So why are you back in office? Really?" Brian asked seriously.

"Because," Robert said gently. "Grindelwald signed me back into office. He had the legal form already prepared and abdicated to me. That is why there was no election. Did I consider whether we ought to just stay away and leave England forever? Of course I did. In the end, we all knew we could not leave Gellert Grindelwald to his own devices forever. Brian, that's not your question, I don't think. You're question is about whether fighting psychotic werewolves and child traffickers now that you have your own family to consider is still worth it. For me, I decided it was. We all have to make our own choices. What have you decided?"

"I wont' sacrifice my wife or my kids for Blood or Gelding," Brian said carefully.

"And?" Robert asked, listening carefully.

"And I won't let them have them either."

"First, you aren't sacrificing them for Blood or Gelding. What you're doing is standing between them and your kids."

"And that's always worth it," Brian sighed.

"Yes. It is."