Marriage is Murder

"Brian?" Angus asked. "He seems to be amazingly well. He got an owl last night, and he spent part of the night packing some things and then he disappeared for a bit this morning. He made off with my entire batch of scones this morning, so I'm making a second batch. I asked him about it, but he gave me a bit of a brush off and went outside. When he came back, the pack he had was gone. I am presuming he has some idea, somehow, directly or indirectly, about where Khaat and Michael are. But he's not saying so."

"Perhaps," Robert said, apparating in, "because he's respecting their privacy."

"Are you saying you know where they are?" Angus asked.

"Indirectly, yes," Robert said. "I have people looking out for them, out of their sight, and leaving them the heck alone. But so far as I've heard, they're both living and breathing and in one piece. And thats honestly about all I know. If Brian knows more, then he's been doing some arm twisting or something."

Jack chuckled and nodded as he leant against the counter picking up a scone and eating it. " Hey" Cassidy said taking down the ingredients Angus had showed her and mixed a new batch. " Isn't that a good thing?" she asked and Jack sighed shaking his head back and forth slowly.

" You have been here a good while now Cassidy, surely you know Brian by now, hes inside tearing his heart to pieces to see her again." he told her brushing the crumbs off his tee shirt and finishing his coffee " so we wait until they return by themselves" he said and looked Robert as Jess walked in and took a cup of tea.

"Indeed," Robert said. "Michael has things well in hand, I'm sure. Or I'd have heard." Brian came inside, whistling, and when he saw everyone gathered, he stopped short.

"Did you miss breakfast?" he asked.

"No," Robert said. "We just haven't quite gotten there. You're a bit early, Son. You get your care package delivered?"

"How did you know thats what I was doing?"

"I know you," Robert said. "Did you break the rules and intrude?"

"No, I did not," Brian said. "I gave it to Lee."

"So he can intrude."

"Well,..."

"That was your plan, wasnt' it? And did you make Lee promise you a progress report?"

"No, I did not," Brian said.

"You are getting better at that, then," Robert said, pouring himself a cup of tea.

"So you do know where she is," Kate said, glaring at Robert, as she brought Abbey and Dakota downstairs for breakfast.

"No. Only that Lee does know where they are," Robert said. "Honestly. Its only been three days."

"And they're both wounded," Kate said.

"And no doubt much improved," Robert said. "Is there some reason we can't eat?"

"I'm serving it right now," Angus said, floating plates out to the table. "We should bring the triplets and the other kids downstairs. They are much more manageable when you feed them periodically."

Jess moved up to get the other kids along with Jack who quickly gathered them and walked them down to the breakfast table setting each in their high chairs along with dakota and Abby a she handed each one there bowls and sippy cups. moving Jess sat down next to Jack as Steven walked in.

" ok the horses are find and the pygmy puffs are secure" He told them as he moved to sit at the table Jess gave him a stern look and he looked back at her then sighed as he saw his hands weren't clean and stood back up moving to the kitchen and washed his hands before returning to start his breakfast.

Over breakfast, Robert double checked that his team could still focus and still do their normal duties. He knew it was wearing on everyone that Michael and Khaat had not come back. robert did think it was a wee bit unlike Michael to not come back for Alette's funeral, but then again, few people were ever successful in making Michael do anything he didn't want to do.
He reassured them that he did understand Michael's reasoning. Michael wanted to get his own head straight, and he wanted to help Khaat get her thinking straight too.

"You know," Robert finally told them, "they're just enjoying the quiet. Wherever they are. They're just trying to deal with the trauma that comes from what they've gone through. I'd have surely had to put them on a medical leave anyway even if they'd have stayed. So we might as well give them the time. He's going to want her to get past her shock, and he's no doubt got some nightmares of his own. If he had cause to worry, we'd have surely heard." He turned to Brian. "What exactly did you hear?"

"Just that Lee tracked his movements through his purchases. Room, food, clothes, necessities and such," Brian said. "All Lee would say is that Michael looks like he's taking very, very good care of both of them."

"I didn't expect less," Robert laughed. "Michael does know how to live a five star lifestyle. They're probably living beter than we are."

Jack , Jess and Steven listened to Robert and all smiled nodding " we know they're both ok Robert" Jack told him " we're ok with that and we're doing our duties the farm is safe " he told him " we all do miss them both but this place and the kids need to come first " he said smiling as he sat sipping the coffee until it was finished placing down the sink he walked over and kissed Jess then looked at Robert "That fence won't mend itself " he said and headed out.

Steven looked at Robert his curiosity was peaked. " Any sign of them coming back yet?" he asked taking some food." I'm sure Abby and Dakota miss her. " Steven watched Cassidy pick up the empty plates and head to the kitchen Jess stayed sat looking at Kate. She smiled knowing Khaat and Michael were safe and sound healing nicely.

"No, not yet," Robert said. "Remember, they are most likely without a wizard healer now. And without that, instead their wounds taking several days, it could well take several weeks. They have no pain potions, nothing. They're having to manage with whatever Michael can arrange for them. So their own emotional healing will be a bit compromised by the fact that physically they aren't feeling as well as quickly as they're used to. they'll deal with it. They'll weather it out, and I hope they come home long before their wounds mend, muggle style. But right now, Lee is doing the right thing by not interfering. So we will be patient."

Jack listened and nodded as did Jess who looked at Robert. "Well... could we send a care package to them, you know with medical supplies and potions to help there healing?" she asked " They don't have to know they came from us" she looked worried at him hoping he would agree so they were helping them in there own way and showing they all were thinking of them. Cassidy looked up from playing with Abby and Dakota on the floor and nodded.

"I think the kids will enjoy drawing pictures for them" she said as she saw Alex rol a car towards her she pushed it gently back to him and looked back at Robert and Kate " Jacks nephew is off licking his wounds someplace and its been quiet , which I might add is good " she said smiling as Abby stood up and walked over to Robert picture in hand ans she held it up to him.

"If you want to send pain potions, then fine," Robert said. "I see no harm. There is very little else you can send. The rest of the healing comes from spells. There is no potion to speed healing of a stab wound. But--I'm sure she'd enjoy getting some drawings from the kids and that sort of thing. But they will know they came from you. You know that. Brian, how did you leave things with Lee?"

"I did leave it open ended, in case I needed to bring more things to her," Brian said.

"So you could take another package, then."

"Yes," Brian said. "Are you sure its wise?"

"If Lee gets it to Michael, then we just need to trust Michael to choose a good time to give it to her."

Jess nodded and stood up moving to the potions cabinet and seeing what she could put in the package. Cassidy smiled as all the kids began to draw pictures for Khaat and hand them to Cassidy who looked at Brian. " I think we'll have to sort out ones that we can send " she said as Dakota handed her another. Jack chuckled and walked to the doors again and looked out as shadow walked past his ears up and his tail waving behind him as he moved checking the grounds as he moved.