Marriage is Murder

ooc: I did work late last night, and i just missed you. its possible i might work late again tonight. i will try to get on at lunch but i can't promise since my new boss started yesterday. its a bit weird at work this week. i'll do my best.


Brian rose and found Khaat had been gone for hours from bed. He figured she just couldn't sleep. He soon discovered she had dressed. He dressed as well and picked up his pack. He met Kate in the hallway who had been up and had helped Kieran and Fiona dress the kids who were all scampering downstairs for breakfast. When Brian's eyes met Kate, he saw she knew.

"Where is she?" Brian asked quietly.

"They've gone already to St. Mungos," Kate said. "Neither of them could sleep, so they decided to go do it and to let us rest before our trip. He'll send us word. Trust me. He won't do this and not send us word."

"But I didn't get to say goodbye," he said.

"She doesn't want to ever say goodbye to you," Kate caressed his cheek. "It'll be alright. Come eat. We have a long day ahead of us." She took him downstairs and they set their packs on the floor. They tried to put smiles on their faces and bid everyone good morning.

Jess, Jack and cassidy all hugged the kids giving them breakfast and loving that they could spend some time with them before they left . Each one happy that they could at least explain they were going away for a few days and would be right back James looked at Kate. " there will be no bad wolf man?" he asked her and Jess chuckled as Jack picked him up.

"No james, not this time, its simply a training exercise." He told him but looked at Kate hoping she could also tell him the same thing. Steven held Jaylen and smiled at Jack in thanks for telling his son everything would be alright .

" yeah we'll be back in a few days I'm not leaving you" he told him cassidy moved and took James holding him in a hug.

" No way " she told James who smiled and looked at Kate.

" Nana Kate, you going too?" he asked his nose screwed up a little.

"There won't be any werewolves where we're going," Kate said. "And yes, I'm going too, but Papa will be here and Auntie Khaat. And so will Uncle Kieran and Auntie Fi. Maybe Papa Edward. You won't be alone. Its only for a couple days at best."

"Its just a camping trip for a couple of days," Brian said. "Its just too cold for you kids to come. Maybe by warm weather we can do some sort of a weekend camping trip when you can come with us for an overnight. But for now, you need to stay here with Papa and everyone else. Now, eat your breakfasts so Uncle Angus doesn't have to throw out all his delicious food."

Jack placed James in his high chair and the others did the same for the rest all eating happily "Thanks Kate and brian " Steven said smiling " hes getting to the clingy phase I think" he said and sat next to him.

" I like papa" Alex shouted " he nice, he fun he blow up bad people." He said eating some food Jack chuckled and ate his own .

" Ow I don't think anyone will have any problems with us going on the training session. " Jess said and chuckled as she ate.

"I just got an owl from Michael," Angus said. "He's not going on the exercise. He didn't say why, but he plans on being here while you're all gone."

"That's not like Michael to be so vague," Brian frowned.

"It is if he's hit a rough patch," Kate said.

"Alette," Angus sighed. "I bet he was helping Alette again. The last I talked to Michael, he knew she'd lost her touch. Arthritis in her back and in her hands making her hands go numb. She's not able to work anymore but she thinks she's still got the touch. I got the impression he's bailed her out repeatedly since we rescued them last."

"Alette is going to get him killed if she doesn't quit," Kate sighed. "Do tell Robert wen he gets back. If there is anyone that can make sense of Michael, its Robert. By the way, thank you for making the apricot scones."

"You're very welcome. I have some packed for us for later in the day."

"I tougt we were doing survival training, not a picnic," Brian said.

"Hey, he said we could take a pack, so believe me, I packed,' Angus laughed.

"Sissy," Brian teased.

Jack , Jim and steven chuckled at Brian and Angus they all had looked at each other as Angus mentioned Alette each knowing what that was like " he'd better just retire and tell her that " Jack said as he blew over his coffee as he watched the kids eating happily Jess handing bits of toast to Caitlin and Alex while cassidy did the same to James and Jaylen Fallon sucked on her bottle.

" we packed emergence provisions in each of the backpacks" stephen said as he finished his toast moving on to his tea that he could smell sat in front of him.

"I think we all did except Brian," Kate said.

"Don't let him kid you. He's got a few things packed too. He always does," Angus laughed.

"Now, that would be cheating," Brian said, sipping his coffee after eating.

"But you're not beyond it, and you know it. You are no saint, Brian Quinn."

" Oh, I know that," Brian said. "I don't think anyone ever believed I was a saint. But you're right. I did bring some firewhiskey and a few things to keep us warm in the autumn night air."

"Now you're thinking like Robert," Kate laughed. She finished breakfast, and she and Brian wiped the faces and hands of the kids and lifted them out of their high chairs to the floor. "I think we ought to go soon. Are you all ready?"

Jim chuckled as he realized he had done the same with the bottle of firewhisky and other things to keep them warm. Jack nodded and chuckled "ah that will keep us warm and tipsy, but its good to clean wounds too" he said Jess shook her head.

" why would you waste good whisky when you have a healer on tap" she said giving Alex his cup that he was about to lose to the floor. Caitlin chuckled and drank her juice placing it down on her highchair. Steven looked at Brian before he spoke.

"Should we leave our wands behind or should we take them with us?" he asked " for emergency's only of course.

"How do you propose you port there without your wand?" Brian asked. "He fully intends for you to have your wands. Even if he were doing one of his toughest survival courses, you would have your wands. You might not have much of anything else, but you would have your wands." Kate went over and stood by Brian as they both shouldered their packs. They were going to say goodbye to the kids but they were so used to them leaving that they had gone to play. So Kate and Brian weren't going to uproot that for them. Angus gave some last minute instructions to Kieran and Fi and then went to stand with them.

"I presume you all know how to get to Colorado," Brian said. "I'll see you there." Kate took Brian's arm, and Angus took Kate's other arm, and they ported out to Colorado.

Jack rolled his eyes and chuckled as Jess smacked his arm at his reaction to Brian's words steven and Cassidy nodded taking theres out as did jim who moved to stand with Angus but stood alone after they left he ported after them then cassidy with steven , jess with Jack all shivering as they reappeared in what was night and a very cold one at that.

" shesh its cold" Jack said as Jess zipped up the warm out door jacket she wore and handed Jack one.

" takes a woman to be prepared " she said to him as he chuckled and slipped on the jacket, Cassidy zipped hers up and looked around.