Marriage is Murder

"If I were you, I'd assess them first," Brian said. "If they havne't done any sort of exercise, they won't be up to two hours a day. You'll have to start them with some basic stretching and then some flexibility and strength training. You'll have to work up slowly."

"Brian has written a manual for training. There are copies in Paris and in Colorado," Robert said. "I will allow you access to Paris and to my farm. And for here while Khaat and Brian are here. For now. We will do this on a trial basis to see how it goes. If you pass a new probationary period, then we'll look at more permanent duties. What those will be will depend on you largely. And how well you might be getting along with Khaat by then. I won't promise much of anything more right now. Brian--give him a medallion so he can access Paris and Colorado."

Brian accio'd a medallion from the bedroom and handed it to Steven. "Owens can give you the manual in Paris." He fished out a business card from his pocket and handed it to him. "This will get you in to see Daniella. I need a few days before I can even begin to give you anything more. I just really do have to talk to Khaat when she is more stable. Are we clear for now?"

Steven looked and listened at Robert and nodded then when Brian took the medallion he slipped it around his neck and breathed out . Listening more he nodded " yes I don't expect to be forgiven in one day nor any time soon. " he said and took the card he hung his head as he slipped it into his pocket and looked back at Robert. " Paris then Daniella , I'll issue my report on there fitness with in the hour, um.. I'm truly glad she's ok. " he said and stepped back from them to aperate straight to the Paris headquarters. Jack walked out and stood in the door way.

"So is he back?" he asked as he ate an apple his eyes going from Robert to Brian and back.

Robert was curious. "This has just been killing you. Just out of sheer curiosity, why is your interest so high on whether or not I hire Steven back or not? You dont' normally have such a need to be in on the inner working of someone else's job. I would have presumed that if Steven had wanted you to know, he might have told you himself how our discussion turned out. I try not to violate anyone's privacy by revealing to others what they have not revealed themselves. I doubt you would like me telling others about your business. And I do try not to."

"I will tell you this much," Brian said. "He has not been hired back on a permanent basis, but as he comes and goes, do try not to kill him unless I tell you to. Clear enough for right now? I do think you should ask hi the rest. But none of this gets spoken anywhere in earshot of Khaat until I tell you otherwise. No exceptions."

Jack looked at Robert and listened to him carefully. " Because he acted like a jerk when he walked out. " he said but listening to Robert he sighed deeply. " Not one word from me will she hear. " He said then looked at Brian as he too spoke, Jack nodded then chuckled as he looked at Robert " awe , ok not a scratch. " he said and moved back inside to Jim who shook his head.

"You won't learn will you rookie, " he said " let Robert and Brian take care of those things and hope Steven has learned being out on his own isn't all that much fun, being part of something bigger is where he should be, I know all too well. "He said and saw Enzo want out again. " What again , didn't you go already?" He asked and stood up picking up the lead once more as he left to walk Enzo again. Jack sat down and nodded but said no more.

Kate and Robert and Brian spent most of the morning either taking turns sitting with Khaat or sitting together in the bedroom. The sleep spell had worn off, but she continued to sleep. Robert simply allowed it, only waking her for breakfast and for lunch. She slept for a bit after lunch, and Robert found her vital signs were not so critical. He decided they werre safe to let her rest. He encouraged Kate and Brian to let her rest for a bit by herself.

Kate busied herself with unpacking their things upstairs in their room. Robert sat with the local paper and with the Daily Prophet. There were still loads of articles calling for him and Khaat to resign their posts at the ministry. Robert didnt honestly care, but he didn't want Khaat to see them right now. The people in England were still confused and were believing all of the lies that Robert's former friend Thaor Elldir was spreading. He wasnt' caving to Thaor's scare tactics. He knew them too well.

Brian sat working on budget issues for the estate in England, the one in Tuscany and the one in Colorado. Michael and Angus were busy baking and preparing for dinner that night. What they were cooking were going to need at least 5 hours to cook, so they were beginning early.

Khaat was continuing to have some dreams. They weren't really disturbing her, though. Not like the former ones had. She finally grew restless of being in bed, though, and she got up and put on her robe and cast a quick spell to straighen her hair. She managed to make her way from the bed to the living room by holding onto furniture and onto the doorway. Brian saw her first.

He got up and went to her quickly. "Honey? You okay?" he asked, seeing the emptiness in her face and in her eyes.

"I'm fine," she said softly, still just feeling emotionally numb. "I...can't lay there anymore." Robert got up and went over to her. He checked her vital signs.

"You're not as bad as you were, but you surely aren't as good as you could be," he said. "You don't have to be in the bedroom for now if you dont' want. But you arent' strong enough to be on your feet. "

"Where'd all the flowers come from?" she asked.

"Daniella," he smiled.

"She's always so thoughtful," Khaat said.

"Come. Come sit own. Inside or outside?"

"I dont care," she said.

"Lets try for some fresh air then," he said. He and Brian helped her out to the balcony and made her comfortable there. Michael brought her a cup of tea and a little wooden bowl full of fresh fruit to nibble on.

"Thank you, Michael," Robert said, glad for Michael's thoughtfulness.

"Robert," Edward said. "Might I talk with her a moment?" Khaat looked at her father and nodded. Robert and Brian left the balcony, leaving her with Edward.

Jack saw Khaat at the bedroom door and moved to make two cups of coffee. walking out he saw Brian and Khaat on the balcony " sorry to interrupt thought you could use this." he said and placed the coffee cups one next to Brian and one next to Khaat before he stood up and left them alone. Jim returned with Enzo and sat back in the comfortable chair beside the fire.

" that dog could out run a cheetah" he said, as he Khaat and Edward out on the balcony he looked at Robert and Brian. " how is she today, any better?" he was worried as were they others but she was the only one who would actually say it

"Physically, she's healing," Robert said. "And I think she probably is healing emotionally too. She just is feeling a bit quiet, and I'm not going to disrupt that. When this has happened before, we have had difficulties with her having horrendous nightmares that kept jolting all of us up every time she tried to close her eyes. I don't know if that will happen this time or not, but the fact that it hasn't happened yet is probably a good sign overall. I'm just going to let her take this at her own pace."

Outside, Edward sat down with her. "Are you ready to talk about this?" Edward asked her gently.

"There's nothing to say," she said, staring out at the boats on the canal.

"Oh, there isnt, huh?" he asked. "Really? Don't lie to a seer. It won't work well for you. What did you see last night?"

"Not much of anything," she said truthfully. "The stone was too loud and bright. I saw Fenrir. That's about all."

"Thats not all. You're a seer. What else did you see?"

"I saw Remus," she said. '

"Did you cross?"

"Sort of," she said. "He said he heard Daddy, and he said Daddy wasn't going to give up. Remus said I had to go back before Daddy used up all his own energies for me, and he sent me back. That's about all."

"And that was the part that you didnt see before hand. The part where you came back."

"I didn't want to come back," she sighed.

"Oh, that's as clear as day to me," Edward said. "Life is not a sentence, Khaat. It's not something you're punished with. Its a wonderful gift. I know there have been a lot of people who made you feel punished, but don't confuse what they did with the gift that life really is."

"Someone's been here," she said quietly. "I can feel their energies."

"I figured you'd know that," he said gently. "They didn't want to upset you."

"Who was it?"

"Steven," Edward said.

"How'd he find me?" she said in soft anger.

"He saved your life from Fenrir," Edward said. "He's apologized."

"He wants his old job back, doesn't he? Of course he does. He does stupid crap over and over and Daddy takes him back over and over," she said, still angry.

"I didn't get the feeling it was that scot free this time," Edward said. "I'd leave him to your father and Brian for right now. I don't think you need to trouble yourself this time."

"I'm not troubling myself. I dont' trust him. Its pretty simple."

Jack stood and listened as they spoke of Steven he had his own opinions of him and if he saw him. He wanted to tell her he hadn't but on orders of Robert he kept quiet looking from one to the other then he sighed and moved back inside. Jack looked at Brian and Robert " she knows Steven was here I didn't say anything she felt his presence" he said then moved to face Jim moving a chess piece. Jim looked up at him and smiled moving another soon Jack and Jim were studying the board more than talking. Jack looked up at Brian " hes still a jerk " he said

"Its alright if she knows, I suppose," Robert said. "Its hard to hide much from her or her mother, really. I've sort of gotten used to that."

"She never did talk about how she felt about what he said and did," Brian said.

"Except for the night she ran off and you and I had to find her," Michael said. "She had every right to be upset that night. She was blinded that day, partially deaf, and then that ass says that helping to keep her safe is, basically, beneath his dignity. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for that girl. Including keeping him away from her. She has every right to not trust him."

"He's going to have to get past me first in order to have any contact with her," Brian said.

"Aren't you being just a wee bit harsh?" Robert asked Brian.

"No," Brian said with finality. "Not only did he deserve firing, he didn't deserve being hired back yet one more time. How many times do we have to fire his arse before we stop taking him back? How the hell did he begin to keep a job in Texas?"

"His dossier was clean and it showed a track record of excellence," Robert shrugged.

"Well, then Texas must just hire children, because that's about all the maturity he's shown since he's been here," Brian said.

"Go for a run or a swim, Brian," Robert said. "She's safe here with us. And you need to burn off some steam. He's bringing out the worst in you right now."

"I don't know," MIchael said, "I think he has every right to be angry. We've all stuffed our anger at him for a long time. Perhaps its time we didn't expect for us to just take one more screw up from him in stride."

Jack listened and nodded " that beating I gave him was not enough " he said " maybe we should give him that one last chance if he blows it I vote for him to be out for good" he moved to sit back with Jim and moved another chess piece, Jim looked at his move and shook his head gently.

" bad move Jack" he said softly as he took his bishop. " I have to say something he might be an ass but he did do his job even if he was against all that the organization stood for , I don't agree with his methods nor the jack ass way he has behaved but every one deserves another chance, Brian, maybe that time in the coma changed him some what from the Texas Ranger he use to be?" he said " I'm thinking this might force him to rethink his actions, having to menial tasks and being treated like the lower rank as he would in and organization might just been the kick in the ass he needs." he said and waited for Jack's move.