Marriage is Murder

Abbey smiled broadly as Jack handed her back the teddy. She hugged it tightly.

"Does he have a name?" Robert asked. Abbey nodded. "So, what's his name?" Robert asked.

"Daddy," she smiled.

"His name is Daddy?" Robert asked. "Just like your daddy?" She nodded.

"This daddy stay with Abbey," she said, cuddling the bear. Robert sighed. He got the message. Abbey missed her mama and daddy.

"You need Daddy to be home more, don't you?" he asked her softly, brushing her hair.

"Daddy work," she said. "Mama work. Papa work. Gam work."

"And we need to fix that," he said.

"It fixed," she showed him the bear. "Daddy."

"I know,' he said. "But Papa needs to make sure you get more time with Mama and Daddy. I'll fix it, Ab. I promise."

"'Kota miss Mama and Daddy too. Toys broke. She mad. She cry."

"Don't you worry about Dakota," He hugged her. "Papa's here. I'll fix it. Angus, do you or Michael have a little snack for Abbey after her nap?"

"I do," Angus said. "Abbey, want a cookie?" Abbey looked up at him, wide eyed, excited. "Well, come on. Come get it. How about some milk with that cookie." She looked at Robert and handed him the bear.

"Do not lose," she instructed him, looking at him as if he couldn't handle the job.

"Yes, Ma'am," he resisted the urge to laugh. She ran over to Angus who was setting out a cookie and a glass of milk for her.

Jack smiled as Abby took the teddy but looked at Robert as she told him about Daddy the bear. He shook his head at Dakotas actions " Do you think they could go home anytime soon, Brian and Khaat?" he asked Robert " I mean even for a day or two to see the rest of the kids" he asked Jim sighed knowing Jacks father instinct had kicked in. Jim followed Abby and Angus to watch her get her cookie and milk.

" That looks good Angus " he said and pored a glass of milk for himself and drank it slowly.

Robert called Brian in and explained to him his conversation with Abbey. That instantly weighed heavily on his heart. He ached for his kids, and he felt torn. Khaat needed time alone. Desperately. She wasn't well. She wasn't anywhere near ready to go home. But his kids were giving him the message that they just couldnt be without their parents any longer.

"You know," Brian said softly, not wanting Abbey to overhear, "We're not escaping the kids. That was our last thought."

"No," Robert said. "We were protecting them. But gone is gone. Son, you're their father, but we're their grandparents. I suggest you let me work on a couple of ideas. We have a lot of people here. We have more adults righ tnow than we have kids. At least for now. We all have villas here. We can manage this. I think we need to bring the kids here."

"What?" Brian was a bit shell shocked at the idea of bringing all the kids. That meant a dozen kids. And that was as far away from solitude as they could get. "Khaat'll crack up for sure if we do that."

"I think, if we all do this as one huge family, we can manage this without causing her a meltdown." Brian shook his head, not believing it could be done. Robert looked up at the rest of them. "Well? Are we a family or are we not? Can we manage to take care of the kids, even if we have to do it in 3 or 4 different houses?"

"It could certainly be done on ship," Edward said. "Magic does allow us to make rooms bigger, you know. It could easily be done on board. And, yes, I can get more ship staff. It is not impossible--so long as you lot are able to do your parts."

Jim and Jack both chuckled " of course we can , we'd love to have the kids around again and I for one would love to have Jess close "Jack said showing how much he missed her on his face.Jim looked at Robert and nodded .

" we will do our parts as much as were needed day and night " he said smiling as Jack nodded he agreed " we both don't mind helping when and where we can " he smiled at them both " besides they would be fun to have around again, jack can give piggybacks" he chuckled as Jack stood looking flabbergasted at being told he could have six kids on his back.

Brian was incredibly anxious about it. Robert looked at Brian. "Relax, Son. We have all our usual crew. Think. That gives us more than enough adults for us, and that does not include the ship staff," Robert said.

"And I will give you plenty," Edward said. "I can do that, you know."

"Can you provide us extended booking if we decide to bring the kids? If we need it?" Robert asked.

"Certainly," Edward said. "But, since you've been here, I've hired on double crews for Brian's villa for each shift. Its much farther along than you think. It will need refurnished, but that could well be done by a decorator, and you could be back in, I think, in less than a week."

"What? That soon?" Brian frowned.

"Yes. I believe so," Edward said.

"Alright," Brian said, fearing he was going to regret his decision. "We'll bring the kids, but not until we go to the ship."

"And that is a good choice," Robert said. "Thats what we'll prepare for. And you every right to apparate off ship with Khaat any time you see it gets too much for her. I'm perfectly good with that. You do need time alone with her. Its well deserved. It'll be alright. Brian, when she feels better, she'll be more resilient again. This fragileness you're sensing is because she damned near died last night. She by rights should be in St. Mungos. Give her a couple days. It might well be that we can get her back together enough by the time we sail that we don't have to be nearly as careful as we do right now."

Jim smiled as he saw Jack smile at the thought of having his kids back with him again. " of course Robert " he said softly and moved to pore some tea heating it back up so he had a cup of hot tea as he sat next to the fire place again. Jack looked at Robert and nodded he understood.

" ok so a few days before they meet us on the yacht, right?" he asked clarifying what Robert had said to them all hoping it was just that way , he could feel his happiness growing at the thought of holding Jess again. He knew Jess would be happy to see Khaat alive and well.

"If all goes well," Robert repeated. "I don't have an exact figure on how quick Khaat will be more medically stable. All I can say is that I"m doing my best."

Khaat had awakened from her short snooze, and she heard them struggling about her and her health and the cost of her emotional 'unwellness' on her kids. She heard how they were truly struggling to try to insulate her from everyone else. It was taking every person they had on their immediate staff and Edward's crew, a luxury yacht, 6 crews on their Tuscany vacation home, and untold amounts of money. Not to mention whatever it was she had done to Steven--because surely he had lost his mind. There was no other answer.

She couldn't stand it. She didn't understand why they brought her back. Without her, they could all relax and ove forward and save one hell of a lot of money. She managed to shower and change. She almost couldn't even select what she wanted to wear. She simply picked an old pair of well worn jeans and one of brian's shirts. She didn't care how it looked. Didn't think if her hair was combed. She noticed she was shaking from head to toe and she didnt' know why. She felt chilled even though it was summer and plenty warm. She wrapped up in a blanket and sat down on the floor, curled her knees up to her chest, leaning on the glass balcony doors, staring out at the canals.

Jim sat watching as jack walked back towards the kitchen but as he did he heard aperating and looked at Jim puzzled then turned back around to see Steven marching through the double doors. Jack saw red but followed him as he headed for Robert Jack dove for him but missed and he continued.

"ROBERT!!!" Steven shouted " SEND JEFFERY TO ME WILL YOU, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ALL THE MEN HOW COULD YOU, HOW DARE YOU , YOU WANT MAD , WELL HERE IT IS!!!! " He said and held out his hands as if to cast a spell at Robert. Jack dove for him this time he made contact and pushed him back against a wall.

" No you don't you son of a...bastard" Jack said as he felt the blows Steven tried to rain down on him. Jack felt one that seem to cut into his skin but he ignored it.

Khaat heard Steven coming in. He'd truly lost his mind. She heard Abbey's voice rising immediately in terrified screams and sobs. Enzo was barking and growling like he was going to rip Steven into little pieces. Khaat's heart seemed to break. The sound of her baby so terrified seemed to shatter something inside of her.

She was at fault. Khaat was responsible. She was to blame for the horrified screams of her beloved child. If she hadn't caused James and Gelding to go after her...if she hadn't hired her friends...if she hadn't married Brian...if she hadn't chosen to come back after Barker killed her the first time...and if she hadn't accepted Remus pushing her away yesterday...

Her own tears and hysterics, her guilt, her fear, her need to be gone from them forever, took over. She apparate out blindly, not caring where she went. She ended up barefoot, disheveled, in a filthy back alley in the worst section of town. She tossed the hotel blanket to the stone alleyway and stumbled down the alleyway, her bare feet walking on broken glass and not even feeling it.

The next thing she knew, she was in a dumpster, and she thought she heard Remus's voice frantically trying to get through to her, but she couldnt' hear him. Couldn't understand him. Her mind didnt' seem to work. She was covered in blood but she wasnt' sure where it was coming from or if it was even hers. She didn't think she felt any pain, and if that was the case, she surely must have hurt or killed somebody...but why didn't she remember?

Then she noticed her clothes were torn to shreds and were laying beside her on top of the trash. She wasn't wearing them anymore. There were no more tears to cry. There was just nothing left in her heart. Her body was shaking so hard, on its own, that she couldn't even begin to pick up her shredded clothing. And she couldnt' control the shaking. Her mind didnt work. Couldn't think.

She knew she was alone. And she knew that it was better for everyone if it stayed that way. For good.

Cassidy aperated into Khaat room finding it empty she cursed under her breath then dove out and into the living room she turned to Robert. " Remus sent me to warn you, Khaats in danger shes gone from her room because of him." she said then gave a chuckle. " I see you have it well in hand, Jacks hand" she walked over to Steven, Jack moved to one side but didn't let him go. Taking her fist she balled it tight then with a hard punch she socked him hard enough to leave a red mark on his jaw.

" YOU BASTARD HOW COULD YOU DO THIS , TO YOUR FAMILY, TO KHAAT !!" she said fighting her own anger as she hit him again and again. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DIFFERENT." she said her face inches from Steven but she felt he could not feel her nor hear her in his blind rage. Jim moved and pulled Cassidy back from Steven his eyes filled with rage towards the man.

" and I called you friend" he said softly before he too punched him out cold before returning to cassidy holding her close as she could not help brake down in his arms.