Marriage is Murder

Khaat hadn't even thought about a coat, but Steven had brought one, and she was grateful for it. She walked for awhile. And a short while later, Brian came out looking for her. He simply came up and took her hand. He didn't say anything. He decided to just meet her frustration, at first, with quietness and just by letting her know he was there. The talking could come in a bit.

Once Michael got to the spa at St. Mungos, he found one of Khaat's assistants, Hannah, there. Abbey recognized her easily. Hannah took Abbey to change her into her bathing suit while Michael went for his massage. Hannah brought Abbey back out in her little pink suit with the berries and handed her to Jack.

"I won't be far," Hannah said. "When you're done in the pool, I'll be happy to dry her off and change her back before you take her back out in the cold."

Steven smiled as he saw Brian walk out and stand with Khaat he didn't leave just yet as he looked around the area, Shadow walked off and into the woods to patrol his territory around the grounds and around Khaat and Brian his eyes watched from the tree line. Steven saw a second smaller wolf appear beside Shadow and smiled as shadow nuzzled her gently.

Jack smiled as he stood waiting for Abby , he saw her in her suit and took her from Hana " don't sorry I'm sure she will tire long before me " he said and walked to the pool slipping in the shallow end and holding her tight buy her hands as he moved to let the water reached his waist then he started to swim with Abby. He noted just how well she swum even in human form.

Brian walked with Khaat for a bit and then talked wit her about their difference of opinion. they were able to resolve their differences. Brian decided that Khaat had largely been right. Khaat understood he wanted Abbey to learn to accept Brian's choices, in case the danger to them someday escalated to the point where he neede her to follow him without question. But Khaat believed their kids would learn, just in the same way that she and Brian had both learned.

Meanwhile, while Michael was getting some benefit out of the massage, and getting his muscles to unwind and stop giving him so much pain, Abbey was utterly taken with the huge pool. She hadn't been in the pool long when she changed, without intending to, into the little yellow lab puppy form and swam out of the pink berry swimsuit. Soome of the other swimmers were not pleased to see a dog in the pool. Some of the others wo had seen her transform were amused that the tiny girl had changed into her animagus form simply out of her love for the water.

Jack chuckled seeing Abby change to her lab form and grabbed the swim suit as it floated close beside him. He then quickly took off swimming after her, seeing no harm in letting her swim for a while since the others there didn't seem to mind. " she just loves the water my niece " he said and chuckled as he swum after her catching up easily with her he stuck close to her as thy swum laps hoping Michael would just relax and let the massus would do her job on his muscles so he could feel better. Jack thought to Khaat and Brian hoping they too would work things out.

When Abbey tired of the pool, she leaped out of the pool and began running in puppy form, around the spa. The witches and wizards were, largely not amused, except for those who had seen her transform to begin with.

Michael heard the confusion and he leaped off the massage table, wrapping a towel around himself and went to the door. He opened it and saw the little tan puppy running as hard as she could go around the spa.

"Abigail!" he called her firmly. She ran excitedly over to him, stopped at his feet, wagging her tail, and barked at him and then, before he could grab her, she ran off again. That did seem to bring a great deal of laughter from even those who had not been amused before.

Jack watched and followed her as she ran off he managed to pick her up " ok fun's over now Abby" he said and wrapped her in a warm fluffy towel. Jack walked over to Michael "feeling any better?" he asked as he held Abby and tried to dry her off but he found her wriggly in his arms " Abby stay still " he said to her then gave up just standing holding her wrapped in the towel and shaking his head " I hope Robert can change her back before Khaat see's her" he said transfiguring his suit into his regular clothes ready to head back if Micheal was done in the spar.

"I think Hannah ought to be able to manage it," Michael said. "I'll have the staff get her. I presume you're done swimming?" He took Abey from Jack and asked his masseuse to go get Hannah.

It didnt take Hannah more than about 3 minutes to turn up once they sent for her.

"Miss Abbey," Hannah sighed. "I should have known. Your mama would really prefer you not be a puppy." She wrapped her a bit more securely in her towel and then Hannah flicked her wand at Abbey to change her back. Abbey was giggling and was completely delighted. She wanted to wiggle away from Michael to go running about the spa--without her suit.

"Not happening," Michael said firmly.

"Let me," Hannah laughed. "I think she still has a bit of lingering puppy energy. That should wear off in a few minutes." She took Abbey from Michael and disappeared to help her dry off and change back.

"I think we ought to change while Hannah still has her under control," Michael said.

Jack chuckled and nodded " I'm done" he said " she even tired me out this time" he looked to Michale as he suggested they dress and nodded " yes we should " he said walking towards the changing rooms. Returning fully dressed he sat waiting for Hanna with Abby along with Michael " so did you like the massage Hanna is really good with her hands " he said remembering when Steven had come when he first woke. " Steven cam here too you know after he woke from his coma" he told Michael " its what helped him recover" Jack sat back on his seat and watched the others swimming.

"I didn't realize I was quite so stiff and sore," Michael said. "I don't normally get that way. I try to keep in shape enough that it isn't an issue for me. Robert keeps telling me I'm very fortunate that I don't get more stiffness than I do but I just don't get much of it. I was far more concerned about Khaat because when we were in that cave, I knew they were hurting her and yet I never heard a peep from her. I heard them getting angry and being very determine to make her scream, and it just never happened. And every time it didn't happen, they became more and more determined. I just knew I couldn't wait anymore to get her out. If I had, they'd have killed her." He hadn't counted on talking about it, but he had--a bit.

Abbey came dashing back out at that moment and reached up to Michael to pick her up. She wanted cake. Chocolate cake. Michael was going to pick her up when the masseuse called Michael back.

"Jack? Do you mind?" Michael asked, gesturing to Abbey. "It seems I must have forgotten something."

Jack stood and listened quietly " its because of your skill and training and we're all glad you were there for her Michael " he said and smiled glad he had chose to talk to him about it even just a little. He chuckled seeing the now dressed Abby run over to them he lent in front of Michael and picked her up " ah Uncle Michael has something to do for now you have me" he said and smiled at her as he held her in his arms " want me to wait for you?" he asked as he stood holding Abby on his right arm and trying not to drop her a she wriggled still having some that Labrador energy in her still.