Marriage is Murder

Khaat had been talking with Edward but she clearly heard them talking about Steven in the living room, and when Jim stuck up for him, Khaat became utterly silent.

"Hey," Edward caught it quickly.

"No," she said. "Conversation's over. There is nothing to talk about. I'm going back to my room." She wasn't strong enough to walk back to her room and she knew it. She apparated back to avoid having to walk, shutting the door and magically locking it. She didn't want to be disturbed. Edward could feel her energy still in the suite. He got up.

"You lot are idiots, you know that?" he was angry now himself. "I'm trying to help her cope with this, and you lot are sticking up for him. Nice job! Learn when to shut up, would you? Enzo--come." He picked up his walking stick and went out for a walk, taking Enzo along for company, slamming the suite door as he left.

Robert sighed heavily. He looked at Brian. "This is not going to be easy, is it?"

"Did you expect it would?" Brian asked.

Jim sighed and shook his head as Edward spoke to them all." I was not sticking up for him, I know as you all hes a jack ass , pardon the use of your name Jack," Jim said " but some one has to see both sides and remain neutral in all this." he stood up and picked up his cup " I'll be in my room if I'm needed." he said and accioed a book to his hand to read in his room. Jack sat and looked as Jim walked away, he sat back in his chair and now he shook his head.

"Something tells me it would have been better if Steven had staid away for good" Jack said standing and moving to the kitchen. " got anything I can do Angus?" he asked hoping maybe helping Angus would take his mind off Steven and make him feel a bit less like the back end of a horse.

Robert was sorely tempted to go have it out with Jim. He did nto undertand how Jim saw himself as the only neutral in the room. Had Robert not been capable of seeing some positive in him, he would not have even begun to offer him another chance. He had second thoughts and decided to let him sit in his room and hope that he got over his ego. He'd not known of Jim to get egotistical, but then again, there was a first time for everything.

"Actually, yes," Angus said. "I need a few things from some of the local shops. Ingredients for dinner. I was just making a list. I need some fresh tomatoes, some fresh mozzarella cheese, a large bunch of fresh basil, another large bottle of extra virgin olive oil, some red wine vinegar, and a bottle of top brand chianti. I know that's a bit of a list, and it requires at least 3 shops here, but it would save me a great deal of time. Do you mind?"

Jack took the list and several bags with him " I'll get them " he said and read down the list walking out he room and looked at Robert " just running some errands for Angus, should be back quickly if not send out a search party " he said and chuckled as he left the room and headed to the shops. Jim having no luck in reading moved back out and looked at Robert .

" sorry if I sounded egotistical, it was not my intention, I know your doing all you can in giving him his job back " he said and took a deep breath in before he sat down. "Jack running errands I take it." he asked hoping to change the subject away from Steven and back to some thing a bit more normal.

"Its okay," Robert said. "We're all tense. We're all grateful for his help, but that doesn't make up for his stupidity recently. There is nothing medically wrong with him. But he's made more poor decisions since he's been here in England than his dossier mentions in the entire time he lived in Texas combined."

Michael had stopped listening. He somehow just felt uneasy. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he didn't like it. He laid down the chef knife he'd been cutting vegetables with, took the kitchen towel off his shoulder and laid it on the counter. "You'll have to take over here for a moment," he told Angus quietly. He went over to the bedroom door and when he found it locked, he sighed, annoyed. No lock or locking spell ever kept Michael out of anywhere he wanted to go. He simply transfigured himelf to white smoke and 'oozed' under the door and re-formed again. He found that Khaat had somehow dressed. She was wearing ol soft skinny jeans and a white cotton shirt with the sleeves rolled up, simple gold earrings, and white sneakers. She had use a glamour spell to do her hair in a large full style with loose curls, and to do her makeup. She was picking up a lightweight natural colored linen blazer and her wand.

"Mind if I go with you?" he asked affectionately.

"Please dont," she said softly. He heard so much pain in her voice that it nearly broke his heart. He went over to her.

"Anywhere you want to go. Just the two of us. I swear," he promised.

"I'm not coming back," she said looking at the carpet.

"Its Steven and all the fighting the others are doing, isn't it?" he asked. She nodded. He swept his arm around her waist. "Alright. Come with me. Let's go get some air." She nodded. He drew his wand. Michael magically opened the bedroom door and shouted, "Going out, Ozzy!" He immediately apparated Khaat and himself out before anyone could respond.

Jack walked down the streets to each shop in Angus list gathering each item on the list soon his bag's were full and he decided to return back to the hotel . Walking in he heard Michael and headed for the kitchen " think I got everything on the list " he said to Angus and took each item out one at a time. He noted the tension still in the air and decided to stay in the kitchen " so what is it your making , could help if you don't mind a novice in the kitchen. Jim had heard Michael and just looked at Robert but said nothing he now knew better and he knew to leave it to Robert and Brian to sort out if anything needed it , but for now khaat was safe with Michael.

"We're making an herb and lemon pepper encrusted rack of lamb, a potato torte, fresh grilled asparagus, a caprese salad, and i am going to make a tiramisu," Angus said.

"Tiramisu?" Robert asked. "Are you doing that deliberately because its Khaat's favorite?"

"Would I do that?" Angus grinned. He got out a cleaver and quickly chopped the herbs until they were very finely chopped. He mixed that with crushed garlic and with salt and a generous ammount of lemon pepper, stirred together in a bowl. He got out the rack of lamb. He took a good knife and looked at Jack. "See this? This here,..." he lifted up a tough white layer on the rack of lamb. "This is silverskin. It isn't very edible. Very tough and just not pleasant. How about taking this knife and pulling off all the silverskin you find anywhere on this cut of lamb?"

Brian jumped and raced to the bedroom door when Michael 'blew' it open and announced he was going out. He saw Khaat gone and Robert saw all the color drain from Brian's face, as if he was in a pure panic. Robert got up, feeling for the closest thing he'd ever had to a son. He laid his hand on Brian's shoulder.

"Easy," Robert said. "She's safe with him. I think I have a good idea about why he took her out. He knows how medically fragile she is. He will take very, very good care of her. I promise. He loves her like she was his own."

"Was she going to run again?" Brian asked.

"Not like you think, I don't think," Robert said. "I just dont' think she feels able to tolerate all the squabbling we've been doing about Steven. I think it was getting to her. If I know Michael, he's taken her out for jusst some fresh air. to a park or a beach, or someplace. He's just giving her a bit of space. Do try not to panic. You haven't made any mistakes. Its not about you. They'll be back before long. He won't keep her out beyond her strength."

Jack looked at the meat and saw the white stuff Angus had said was not good to eat, he washed his hands and opened a draw, he took a knife and slowly cut it away from the red meat, preparing it as Angus instructed him to do. Jim looked at Robert and Brian then back at his book knowing Robert had it in hand. Jack heard them talking and looked at Angus he was a little worried but he knew Michael would not let Khaat come to harm." Do you think a pot of tea or coffee might help too?" he asked finishing the last of the prep on the lamb and washing his hands again as he finished up. Moving he made a fresh pot and took a tray out to those in the living area." ok tea and coffee any one fresh made just now by my own fair hands" he heard Jim chuckle " hay I just cleaned a rack of lamb too," he said proudly then looked at his hands " I did wash my hands before I made the tea " he said and chuckled as Jim smiled at him.

"Well done, but you're not done yet," Angus laughed, inspecting the lamb. "You got all the silverskin. Come and put this crust on the lamb." He explained to Jack how to take the mix of herb and spices and how to coat the lamb with it and put it on the baking rack. Angus finished preparing the asparagus to grill. He oiled them with olive oil and sprinkled them with salt and pepper and put them on a grill pan and set them aside to put in the oven.

He took a mandollin and began shaving some potatoes and onions so thin they were translucent. He had a baking dish prepared as well as freshly grated cheese and chopped herbs. "When you're done with that, you could slice some tomatoes and slice the mozzarella you just bought and then I'll teach you how to assemble the caprese salad."

Meanwhile, Michael had taken Khaat to a coffee shop, bought them both cappuchinos, and then took her back to her own Tuscan home. There was no sight, on the outside, that there had ever been a fire. She stared, deeply moved. The house was still there. She heard hammering and sawing on the inside. It was being rebuilt. Brian had solid plans. Plans for life to go on. She and Michael sat down on the beach. He wrapped his arm around her and she curled tight to him, under his shoulder, laying her head on his chest.

"It really is okay to let it go," he told her softly. "It was scary as hell. Its okay to admit it, and its okay to let it go. James is gone. Its alright to be angry and to not like how he interrupted your life, threatened you, your children,..." He felt her tears on his shirt as his deliberate 'button pushing' impacted her. He was relieved to know she was giving in. He kissed the top of her head and simply sat with her, with nothing more than the sounds of the beach around them.

Jack looked at Angus and nodded as he moved back into the kitchen " might make this for Jess some time to show her I can cook too " he said as placed the now coated lamb on the rack. Washing his hands again he started to cut up the tomatoes and mozzarella placing each on a separate plate " um Angus do you want these mixed or left separated ?" he asked watching him with the asparagus on the grill. Jim pored some coffee and tea he pored a cup for himself and sat back down watching Robert and Brian but he said nothing and just turned the page in his book.