Marriage is Murder

The night went slowly for Brian. He chainsmoked through an entire pack of cigarettes during the night. He drank 2 beers and ordered a pizza for delivery. He stationed himself on the balcony outside their bedroom and never moved from there all night. Robert had checked on Khaat twice, even shared a slice of pizza and put the rest of the nearly untouched pizza out for the rest of the night shift to enjoy. One thing Robert had to admit was that pizza in Venice was just insanely good. Brian had the right idea.

When morning came and Robert came down again, showered and shaved, he made coffee and tea and told the ones who were still up from their night duty that there was fresh coffee and tea. Then he took a cup into Brian and put a second mug by the nightstand, thinking he might try to wake her and see how it went.

Jack drank a cup of coffee as he watched the sun rise over Venice taking his wizard camera he took a picture and smiled knowing just what to do with it. Jim came out showered and shaved and took some tea to drink. " all quiet?" he asked and Jack nodded .

" yea Brian smoked a lot but everything quiet " he said and drank his coffee as he then moved back inside to wait for Angus's wonderful breakfast witch he just knew he would make as his tummy rumbled loudly as he passed Jim who just chuckled at him.

Angus came into the kitchen, showered and shaved and ready for the day. He drew out a bowl of dough he'd set out to rise all night and quickly finished making it into a cinnamon coffee cake with a sticky bun glaze and toasted pecans. He had an egg casserole in the fridge that simply needed to be put into the oven and he slid it into the oven with the coffee cake. The casserole had sausage and ham and bacon, with four cheeses, and some veggies. On the bottom of the casserole was a layer of cheesy hashbrowns. It was an all in one sort of a breakfast. While they started to cook, he set out a pitcher of juice and got out a bowl of fresh fruit salad, and cast a spell to cause the table to set itself.

Brian heard the sounds of morning beginning again. His pack of cigarettes were empty. He crushed the empty pack in his fist. He heard Robert beginning to try to rouse Khaat. Aside from the sound of his spell casting, the bedroom sounded quiet.

Michael came in ready for the day, and went out to the balcony first to see Brian. He saw the full ashtray and the empty pack. He drew a pack out of his pocket, resized it, and handed him one.

"Thank you," Brian said.

"Are you going to go see her?" he asked.

"Yeah," Brian said, staring out to the canal.

"Where is your mind at?" he asked.

"You know where its at," Brian said.

"You've let your mind spin around all night about whether she might not be able to tolerate this mentally. I should have slapped you at 1 am when I saw you out here. What were you planning on doing if it doesn't work out the way you want? Leave her?" Brian looked at him sharply. "So, if you're not leaving then what bloody difference does it make! Get up. Go in and see her. Now!" Brian got up and went into the bedroom. Michael emptied the ashtray and poured himself a mug of tea.

"I really should have slapped that boy," Michael sighed.

Both Jim and jack moved to the Kitchen and helped themselves to the fruit and juice to wake themselves up Jack moved out of Brians way as he moved to Khaats room. Jim shook his head at the amount of cigarettes in the ash tray from the balcony. " if continues to smoke that heavy he'll be in hospital for his lungs way before I will " he said and shook his head as he sipped his juice again. Jack sat down and ate some fruit knowing what smelled so good in the oven would obviously be delicious and a little more than fattening , but he wasn't worried he knew Jess would not mind just one of what ever it was.

Brian saw Robert working at undoing the sleep spell slightly for her. She woke slowly, the sleep spell heavy in her system.

Khaat could feel it. She felt little else, but she did feel that. And she knew it has been exceptionally heavy. She was disoriented.

"Do you know where you are?" her father asked quietly. She looked around. It was as if she had never been here before--almost. There was something vaguely familiar. She wasn't sure now.

"Its the sleep spell," Brian said. "Give it a minute." Then, after a moment, it began to come back. Their hotel room. In Venice. She was realizing her head hurt. Something...bad? Had something bad happened? She wasn't sure. "You're safe," Brian said. "You're alright."

Jim and Jack staid with Angus out of Brian and Roberts way they both knew this was something the fewer the people the better it would be . Jack moved to take out the sticky buns while Jim helped with everything else that was needed. " those buns look good Angus, cheesy hash browns, yummy" Jack said and Jim chuckled as he placed down the cinnamon coffee cake he got from the fridge.

" ok any thing else Angus ?" Jim asked smiling at Jack" before he eats it all, hay not yet. " Jim reached over and slapped Jacks hand who looked hurt at him " didn't you learn manners " he said and chuckled again as he looked more like a scolded school boy. Jim shook his head " if its ok with Angus " he said and looked across at him.

Angus was about to speak when the pitter patter of little running feet took his attention. Abbey came running into the suite, and Angus knew she was heading right for her daddy. Angus swept the tiny blonde in her litttle yellow sundress off her feet, into his arms and kissed her.

"Good morning," he smiled, deliberately diverting her. "Are you hungry?" She nodded.

"Enzo eat my crayons," she scowled.

"What?"

"They gone!" she said, showing him her empty hands. Kate came into the room behind her, shaking her head. Kate had taken the crayons to stop Abbey from coloring in the middle of the night.

"Well, I bet Grandma will buy you a new box today," Angus laughed. "Come eat. You all aren't going to let Abbey eat by herself are you? Sit down and eat and I'll take Enzo out for a walk."

Jim saw Abby and smiled realizing what had happened to them " ow can't have that, a young lady never eats alone. "He said and pulled out her high chair so she could eat then produced a pink sippy cup from behind his back. "There you go, all filled and ready to drink. " He said placing it down in front of her. Jack chuckled and dished up some fresh fruit in bowl, he did give her a spoon to use but felt she might use her fingers. Jim sat down with Jack and Angus and took some fruit as well both eating some Jim glanced at Kate. " how is she, any better this morning?" he asked her as he sipped his juice hoping she would be even a little.

"I don't know," Kate said. "I aven't been in there yet. I was busy with the crayon business, so we're a bit late."

Angus put a plate in front of Abbey, who was already picking out the berries out of her fruit.


Khaat was trying to get her bearings. Her head pounded, and she was figuring out that she seemed to hurt everywhere. She decided she needed a shower. She tossed back the covers and bounced up quickly, her legs giving way. Brian and Robert flew to catch her.

"Who said anythiing about getting up?" Robert frowned. "You're not ready for that. Sit a minute. Does your head hurt?" She nodded. Robert hit her hard with a pain relief spell, and she nearly fainted from its strength when it bashed up against her weakness. "You need some food. Here. Let's start with this. Brian, get her robe. we'll see if we can't get her out of bed a bit." He handed her her mug of coffee and wrapped both her hands around it. "Set her a plate. We'll try."

Brian stepped out of the room and looked at Angus. "Set Khaat a plate please?" he asked quietly. "Not sure how it's going to work but we'll try."

Jim nodded at Kate's reply and then watched as Brian walked out asking for a plate for Khaat, He hoped it would be a good thing Jack looked at Jim who nodded " might be a good sign Jack we don't know yet " he said and Jack nodded as he ate his breakfast. Jim watched Angus prepare the plate had he wanted to ask Brian how she was but he held off knowing they would in time let them know how she was. Jim ate his breakfast quietly while Jack tried everything on the table and a cup of coffee.