Marriage is Murder

"I'm staying awhile longer, Kate said. "Robert will be fine. He just needs to see for himself that she's alright. And he worries about the kids. He worries that they came here to spend time with their mother and right now they can't see her. He wants them to be alright."

"And besides that, he has the Ministry and the largest hospital in the wizarding world to run. No matter where he is," Michael said. "Its immense pressure. He doesn't take the time for himself because he just can't afford it. He's fine. He's just preoccupied."

When Robert got back to the ship, he went straight to Khaat's stateroom and found it was empty. Empty. He felt utter panic rising up and then it registered. The bed was freshly made. Where the hell was she? He flew out of the room on a run and literally ran head on into Angus.

"What's the matter?" Angus asked.

"Where is she? What's happened?" Robert asked. Angus had never seen him that worked up. "She was barely alive a few hours ago..There's no way..."

"Calm yourself," Angus said softly. "Its perfectly alright. Calm down. Brian enchanted the hot tub on deck to hold cool water, and they are both enjoying just a soak in some cool water to reduce the swelling and pain in her burns. She wanted to do it before Jack got back. She didn't figure that Jack needed to see it."

"No, he doesn't. How long has she been in the water?"

"Maybe 30 minutes," Angus said. "And she's gotten a second protein smoothie in."

"Nice work. I guess I'll go up on deck," Robert said, heading for the deck.


Michael went over to sit with Kate. He opened the basket and found some large cookies. He got out two and handed her one.

"So much for a girlish figure," Kate laughed.

"I'm going to enjoy it," Michael said. "I lost my girlish figure a long time ago."

"By all means," Robert said, as he arrived up on deck. "We all need answers about that. Have Jeffrey send me copies of everything at least when he releases him, whenever that is. Jess, are you and Jack taking responsiblity for their kids while they're both gone?"

The sound of her father talking with Cassidy about Jeffrey only meant one thing to Khaat. Cassidy was going to get Steven. She had no idea whatsoever about how she would deal with Steven if he came back. She felt Brian slide over to the seat in the tub beside her. He healed back and closed his eyes.

"Stop stressing," Brian said very softly to her in her ear. "Is the ice water helping?"

"Yes," she said. She was more comfortable.

"Good. that's all that matters. You had a close call. You need to rest now." He decided he didn't like the sun overlooking the tub. He accio'd a large brightly colored sun umbrella and put it up over the tub to shield her from any more sun. The deck steward asked them if they wanted a soda. Brian was going to order a juice for her, and she stopped him.

"A soda with lots of ice sounds great," she said. He relented. It was still fluids.

"Okay, sure. 2 sodas. I'll have whatever she has."

"The Captain brought some of his own on board. I'm sure he knows what you prefer," the steward smiled going below deck. After he got those two orders out, he'd take the other orders. It didn't look as if he should interrupt the conversation at hand.

"Well, if they need time to deal with their own issues, then, they need to take some time off and do that. They neither one can focus if either one of them aren't well or if their relationship needs work," Robert said. "I can't let them just keep working at about half power."

When Jess left, he went over to Khaat and Brian. He checked Khaat's burns. They appeared to not be getting any worse finally. But they weren't getting any better yet either. He checked her pain levels and energy levels. Her energies were being depleted by pain.

"Enough," Robert said to them gently. "You need to rest, Khaat. A few hours ago, I didn't even know if you were going to live. Don't push it. You need to take her back to her room, Brian."

"Alright," Brian said, standing up. He and Robert managed to get her to her feet and apparated her back to her room. They helped her dry off, rebandage all her wounds and then dress and go back to bed.

"I'll make sure she gets back," Michael said. "Go ahead. We won't be long." After the others left, Kate and Michael took one more swim in the sea and then went back to the ship. Once Angus had a proper head count that everyone was on board, the ship left the dock and went back out to sea.

Kate and Michael went to their quarters and showered and changed. Kate got out set of watercolors and a canvas and and easel and set them up on the deck to paint. Angus sent her out a cold drink while Kate began sketching her design with a sketching pencil onto the canvas before beginning to mix her watercolors and paint. Robert had found a place on the deck with a messenger bag of paperwork from the Ministry and from St. Mungos and began to work. Robert was glad to see Kate painting again.