Marriage is Murder

Robert devoted himself to working to cover his job and Khaat's. It wasn't easy, but he was rather used to it. Just as he knew she was used to covering for him. He let them assemble their package while he headed off to work.

In their hideaway, Michael had brought Khaat back to their suite. They both still hurt. He finally convinced her to try some of the muggle pain meds, and once she had them, she went to her room and slept. But the time they were spending together was starting to unravel the distance she wanted to put between her and the ugliness she remembered about Alettes death.

And between the closeness he was forcing her to have with him, and the muggle pain meds, it interfered with her seer's powers. She woke screaming for him. He hadn't expected it, but he didn't get jarred by it either. He merely went to her and wrapped her into his chest and held her to chase away the horrors. If, when he soothed her, she still had her voice, then perhaps it was worth it, he figured.

Jess and cassidy finally got everything together and both had liked what was in it , some potions and ointments for aching muscles along with pictures the kids had painted and drawn for Khaat and Michael alike. Jack let Shadow in to sit by the door again as he watched once or twice he would stop one of the kids walking out the door . Jim sat reading his paper as Steven finished his food and moved into the living room. " well we'd better fix that fence Jack" he said and picked up his coat walking over to Jack who was waiting.

" yeah not going to mend itself " Jack said and they both walked out shadow was about to leave with him but jack told him to stay with the girl and kids and he sat back down by the door and watched them.

When they had the package put together, Brian took it to Lee.

"Twice in one day?" Lee stifled a grin.

"They just wanted to let them know they care," Brian said.

"And there's noting in either of those packages from you, I presume?"

"The last one was from me," Brian said.

"No, I mean personal. Nothing personal?"

"No," Brian said. "Will you take it or not?"

"Yes. I'll take it," Lee said. "Brian, are you and Khaat alright?"

"We're fine," Brian said. "She knows that. And so do I. What should I do? Give her a diamond or something? That won't make the hideous memories any easier. The best I can do is wait. She knows where I am, and she knows I love her. Right now, I don't know what else to do. Just take her the package. Please."

"I will," Lee said. "She's alright, you know. I've been watching her."

"I know. And I trust you. Thank you," Brian said. Brian gave the package to Lee and ported home.

Jack and steven worked all afternoon on the fence once the last post was in and the fence was fixed they both walked back to the house. Jack headed up to shower and change while Steven went to grab some water. "That fence seems to not want to stay up thats the second time I fixed it" Jack said walking down as Steven walked out with his glass.

"Yeah it like something pulls it down " he said drinking it then placing the glass into the sink before he too feeling the dirt against his skin headed to shower and change his clothes.

Michael found that Khaat could indeed talk again but she didn't want to. He accepted it. He got a deck of cards and a chess board. He continued to order the five star cuisine for the two of them. He was glad when Lee brought the second package that had the pain potion in it, and he made sure she was comfortable.

He wanted to get her thinking now about other things. He started to play poker with her. Chess. Taking her for walks. Taking her rock hunting in the desert. And stealing away the silence from her by filling her, in the evenings, full of fine wine or champagne that, when blended with her pain potions, released the emotions she kept away during the day. He was relieved to spend quiet nights in front of the fireplace in their suite, his arm around her shoulder, and her head curled into his neck, as he accepted whatever she released--tears, anger, any of it. And seein her heal was the healing he needed for himself.

Jess busied herself with her duties at St mungo's things for her seem quiet , st mungo's during the day and the kids and Jack during the night . Steven and Cassidy spent days on patrol together when cassidy wasn't with Angus learning new recipes and Jim helped out with the kids everyone tried to leave Brian, robert and Kate alone for they didn't want to make things worse by pestering them over Khaat and Michael but Jess could see that the kids were missing Khaat loads and wished she would come home. Jack headed out to diagon alley to pick up some supplies and to see to the rebuild of Sparks if he could.

The days were warm and gentle, and Khaat was starting to feel a bit more human again in the silence that Michael had surrounded her with. She was just starting to recover when things blurred one night after she went to bed.

She woke in a cold stone cell. A cell carved out of a cave. Iron bars to portion of her space. Rock on the other three sides. She heard nothing but dripping water. She felt heavily drugged. She wondered where Michael was, but she heard nothing. She faded. She felt herself numbing. She caught glimpses of..wait..dogs? Wolves? Men? The stone resting on her chest provided her with a green light and a neverending hum. And in the numbness, someone was exposing her to pain, blood, violations, trying to break her spirit. She thought she heard a man's screaming from time to time, but over the time she was there, it faded and grew less and less until she heard nothing.

Five days had gone by, and Robert awoke in the wee hours of the morning to find Edward and Lee standing at the foot of his bed.

"God, can't you knock?" Robert jumped.

"Get your crew. Now," Edward commanded sternly, tossing Robert's mission wear onto the bed.

"Its 2 in the morning," Robert scowled.

"Your daughter and Michael will not live if you do not come now," Edward said firmly. Robert didn't need to hear anymore.

"Go get Brian. Across the hall," Robert told Lee.

"I know where his room is," Lee said, turning to start knocking on doors.

Jess jumped out of bed and dress quickly as she shook Jack awake " get dressed somethings not right " she told him and he too knowing to trust Jess's word quickly dressed . as they left their room they saw Steven and Cassidy heading down to the living room Steven pulling on his jacket as Jim already waited sipping a hot cup of coffee to keep himself awake.

"So what's the emergency? " Jack asked taking a sip of coffee as well as he stood watching as Robert and Brian appeared.

"We're going werewolf killing," Edward said in a quiet but deadly serious tone. "If we do not, Khaat and Michael may not survive much longer."

"I thought they were safe," robert said, putting on his black leather coat.

"So did we," Lee said. "But it seems we lost them about five days ago. What we were seeing was some sort of memory thread of pieces of their first days there playing out over and over, designed to fool us."

"I...didn't know a memory thread could do that," Robert scowled.

"We didn't either," Lee said. "but it looks like that aggressive werewolf you had trouble with has them."

"Oh, god," Kate said.

"I know where they are," Lee said. "At least I think I do. But you lot have the experience with werewolves--more than my first string does. Are you in?"

"Its my daughter. I"m in," Robert said.

"Let's go," Brian said, no hesitation whatsoever.

"You will ALL follow my lead this time," Edward said. "If we're going into a lair where they've dug in and they have some sort of sophisticated seer, you'll follow my lead or stay home. I don't care who you are. Is that clear?"

"Agreed," Robert said.

Jack Jess and Cassidy al nodded along with Jim who placed his cup in the sink and take out his wand " you know we are all with you and will follow you Robert." Jim said " we want her and Michael back safe" he said Jack growled deeply.

" I hope I get to tear someone apart " he said softly and Jess sighed and shook her head knowing if Jack got the chance he would tear the lot to bits. Jess slipped on her long black jacket and walked over with her wand at the read as did cassidy she also had a gun lashed to the thigh.