Marriage is Murder

"And when have they had that?" Robert asked. "When have they ever had a time, except their honeymoon, when they could be alone? Khaat and Brian are both paying for it. So you all know, I have been in touch with Edward and I've hired three more crews. I have 2 crews on each shift, and three shifts a day, all working on redoing Khaat and Brian's villa. I've hired Eli to paint murals on the walls in the kids' rooms and in the playroom. And I've hired decorators and landscapers. I want them to be able to use that place this summer.

"Bottom line for me in this is that I've leaned that Khaat and Brian cannot survive as a couple without a bit of breathing space. An--here is my priorities. And, I think, in this order: time alone for them as a couple and as a family. Not excessive, but enough that it doesn't drive them to this place; us stepping up to help them with the kids. Those kids need to know they have a massive family that are so wrapped around them that they are never without love. Not ever. I want you all to be very active in their lives. I don't want them to ever feel neglected. Third--Khaat's health. Brian knows what needs to be done there. Angus knows. We all know. Food that is jam packed with nutrition, rest, fun, exercise. And I'm not letting her go back to work without all this being put into place for her.

"Things at the Ministry are ridiculously stressful right now. I dont' want her in that. Theyre just as ridiculous at the hospital. I am not going to let her go back into that."

"We do appreciate it," Robert said, and I know they do too. I got the feeling from him that he just wanted to isolate her for awhile. And himself. I dont' know if the boy even packed things that remotely made some sort of coordinated outfits He just flicked his wand at the clothes and put them in a bag. I don't know if he even had any clue about what he was packing at all. He absolutely wasn't thinking. And I think he packed about 12 packs of Michael's cigarettes. I'm betting he's forgotten something rather unimportant like underwear."

After their night out dining and dancing, Brian took Khaat in a hired limosine for a drive to the seashore to look out at the harbor lights. He opened a bottle of champagne and poured it for them into crystal champagne flutes. He toasted her. He promised her to never ever hurt her again, to be with her for the rest of her life, no matter what came. He nuzzled her and kissed her softly. It was then, finally, that he got tears. He was more relieved than he could ever say when he felt her tears on his neck as she hid there, her face buried in his neck. It brought tears to his own eyes, but he never moved to do anything but comfort her.

They decided it was too soon to go back to the hotel quite yet, so Brian ported them back to where they'd stayed overnight. He had a lot to make up for.

Angus made whole wheat Pizza Margheritas. He made enough for everyone to get more than their share and then some. He made the dough, hand tossed it, shaped it, put the homemade sauce on, the fresh mozzarella and the basil and baked them in personal sizes. He took several wire coat hangers and made three tall stacking racks with wire shelves to set the pizzas on as they finished, and he put out plates, cutlery, and bottles of soda.

"Its simple but it should be good," he said. "I hope you're all hungry. Come get them while they're hot."

"That smells insanely good," Robert said, unusually hungry.

"Pie!" Abbey said, smelling it.

"It certainly is," Robert said. "Are you hungry?" She nodded. "Well, come on, then." She shook her head no. "Why not? he frowned.

"Enzo," she pointed at the dog.

"What about him?" Robert asked.

"He need doggie cookie," she said, not knowing any other way to say the words.

"Oh," Angus said, "I'll get one and you can give it to him." He got out a very large bone shaped biscuit and gave it to her. He got great joy out of the pitter patter of her little feet as she ran over to the dog and extended her hand with the bone. Enzo never moved.

"You can take it," Robert told Enzo. The dog very, very carefully took the biscuit in just the very edge of his teeth, careful not to get close to her fingers in any way. "Good dog. Now can we eat, Abbey?" She nodded.
"What kind of soda do you want?"

"Pink!" she said. He frowned.

"Angus doesn't have pink soda," he said.

"Oh yes, Angus does," Angus said, getting out a bottle of bright pink colored soda and opening it.

"What the devil flavor is that?" Robert frowned.

"Berries," Angus laughed. Robert and Kate laughed, knowing Angus was spoling her.

"Yes, but this is Angus's own brew," Robert laughed. "I recognize the bottles. Excellent pizza, Angus. Feel free to do this again anytime."

"Well, then sometime I will do a loaded pizza," Angus said. "They really are great at late night."

"As i said, any time," Angus said.

It was after dinner, when Robert was tucking Abbey into bed upstairs in his and Kate's room, with a bedtime story, when Khaat and Brian came back, dressed in street clothes again. . He'd taken her for a long gondola ride and allowed her to simply curl into him, his arm around her, her head resting on his shoulder. He had hated to see it end, so he had the gondolier take them around again. She had finally relaxed enough that she had almost fallen asleep in the safety of his arms. It was a sensation he did not know if he would ever feel again--the confidence that he got from her to know that this soon after all the threats to her life, she could trust him to be unarmed and alone with him, and to totally put her life in his hands. It said volumes without a syllable. He didn't care, really, if her voice ever came back or not. That wasn't even an issue in his mind.

He decided she was tired. Really tired. He had the gonolier dock at the hotel. He woke her softly, very gently, without even the slightest jostle to her spirit. He got out, with their bag over his shoulder, and helped her out. It was painful to her injuries. He made a slight movement to look like he was brushing her hair off her forehead and used it to reinforce her pain relief spell. He paid the gondolier and escorted her simply up the dock, into the hotel and then, slowly at a pace to not cause her more pain, they went upstairs, and he simply opened the door and they went in quietly.

"Sorry we're late," he said to them all.

"Not a problem, Mate," Angus said. "Have you eaten? Can I fix you something?"

"No thank you. We're good," Brian said. "Abbey's in bed?"

"By about 20 minutes," Angus said.

"That's alright. We'll see her in the morning," he said. She went to reach for their bag, and he simply said. "I'll get it." He sent it into the bedroom. "You still want that espresso?" he asked her. She nodded very slightly.

"I'll get that right away. 2 espressos coming right up Anyone else want a cup? I have a limoncello pound cake made and a fresh mascapone gelato. Would anyone like dessert too?"

"Please," Brian said.

ooc: um, there was no limoncello served unless jack poured some for himself. the cake is limoncello pound cake.

"You can if you want," Angus said, "But I'm finding most of this lot just prefers to take their dessert to wherever the spirit moves them. But I'm glad you like it." He made a couple of espressos for Khaat and Brian and served them while he served the slices of pound cake flavored with the traditional Italian lemon vodka.

Brian watched Khaat drift out to the balcony by herself. Kate looked at Brian, trying not to be concerned. "She knows," Brian said. "She doesn't remember, but she knows. She really is alright, all things considering. She needs a bit of time, but I really was braced for far, far worse. And actually, not knowing is a blessing for her. I hope she never remembers."

"Well, not for a long time, if then," Kate agreed.