Marriage is Murder

Khaat decided not to tell her father that Escobar had been drawn to her. She understood why. Evidently there was enough of a bond left that he had known when she was hurt. She had no doubt that Escobar would do his level best to kill the werewolf who had hurt her. It wasn't a thought that hadn't crossed her own mind. She wanted him dead too. And if Escobar could do it, then it was fine by her so long as the job got done.

When her father finished, he looked up from his work. "I'm sorry. We were off by a couple of galleons and I did need to find them. You okay? You look a bit rattled."

"I'm fine," she said softly. "Can we go?"

"Yes," he smiled. "Then you did alright being away from home."

"Do you think?"

"I do," he smiled. "Lets go home." He took her arm and apparated her home. Khaat was deeply relieved to get home. Brian could see in her eyes that she had not liked being away from the house. He took her cloak but she wanted the veil left in place.

"You want some tea?" he asked her softly.

"No thank you," she said, "I..really want to get back to my book." She headed upstairs. Brian knew it was a thin excuse to be off by herself. Brian looked at Robert.

"Stop putting this off," he told Robert. "Move ahead and do this surgery. I don't like her feeling like she has to hide in her own house."

"I know," Robert said, sitting down with a copy of the Prophet. "Its on the schedule. You know I can't give you a lot of notice about when we do this."

"Then at least tell her!" Brian was short tempered.

"And then she'll tell you," he smiled gently. "You act as if I dont' care. She was mine before she was yours." Brian nearly opened his mouth to be sarcastic at Robert and tell him that Khaat was Remus's first but he held his tongue. Instead he went down to the gym. He needed to work off his anger.

Jack was already down in the gym working out when he saw Brian walk down " some one crossed you?" he said pushing up- on the weights as he worked out spotted by Jess who shook his head he should not have asked. " what hes in a foul mood if he wants a training partner I'll do it" he said and looked across at Brian. steven followed with Shadow who sat on bench watching as they began working out. Jim didn't follow he staid upstairs in the nursary feeling it would be best even though Jess was there as well.

"I love Robert but he can be such a git sometimes," Brian said, infuriated. "I almost opened my mouth but sometime there are thoughts in our heads that should never be said. That would have been cruelty on my part just because I could do it. But yes, I do need to burn off some steam. The things I want to say would be really nothing but my rage unleashed. And nobody deserves that. If you want to spot, how about you spot me on the punching bag?" He went over to the bag and began punching it for all he was worth.

Kate took Robert fresh tea. "You've really angered him," She told Robert.

"Indeed," Robert said. "That boy does have a temper. He always has. He'll get over it."

"Do you think he might have a point?"

"I think he thinks I don't have a point," Robert said. "Just because I'm not all beside myself doesn't mean I don't care. And it certainly doesn't mean I don't have a plan. You of all people should know that, Kate. Would you prefer I go let him take out his steam on me?"

"No," she said. "Let Jack do that for now."

"That was my plan. The workout won't hurt either of them."

Jack chuckled and nodded " Ah done that more than once, put my foot in my mouth for saying something I shouldn't have " he said and stood up to move and hold the punch bag for him knowing his puntches would me harder than normal " go ahead you know I can take it Brian" he said and shouldered the bag to stop it swinging to much. Steven went to the weights Jack had left letting Jess spot for him as he began his set on them. Jess just shook her head gently.

"He drives me crazy," Brian said, letting the punches fly at the bag with all he had. All the anger, all the frustration. He had a lot he was shouldering. It bothered him that he had let the werewolf hurt Khaat in the first place. And it bothered him that he hadn't been effective in stopping him. It bothered him at what he felt he'd let the werewolf do to her. And it bothered him that not only could he not very helpful for her as she felt now, but he also was not able to be there for her when her father did the very complicated delicate surgery. Not because of the training but because Robert did not want Brian there to support her. It outraged Brian.

He didn't love her less because of the disfigurement that had happened to her face, but he hurt for her because he saw what it had done to her. He hated it that she was too withdrawn to even want to come out of her room. She had been better when they'd been off by themselves. There had been no one else around but him, so there was nothing to hide from. And coming back to the real world for her had been too big, too open, too frightening. And so she had withdrawn again.

And all the while, while his anger kept brewing, he just kept slamming the bag again and again and again.

Jack held the bag feeling Brian hit hardert and harder he just took it and held it knowing it was what Brian needed , to let go of all his frustrations and worry " she'll be fine you know, if thats what your worried about" Jack said moving his left fot behind him as he felt himself slip alittle unushual for him to be moved like that but he took it to mean Brian was hitting full force and thats what Jack wanted from him. "Hey, you can do better " he siad and goated him on trying to get him exausted and work off the worry. Jack would stand with him even if it meant he was sent on his ass across the floor.

Brian was hitting the bag for all he was worth, until he had spent not just his emotions but he was so physically tapped that he had no choice. He gave up. He just sat down on the floor. He was out of breath and dripping wet. He just didn't have any more to give.

"I'm not going, Jack," he finally said softly. "I know Angus and Michael are going. They wouldn't miss it. And you'll all be fine. But I'm not going with you guys. Its nothing against any of you. It really isn't. But...I just can't go that far from England if she's going through something that extensive. Robert doesn't have to let me in. I know that. But, Jack, she hasn't trusted--really trusted--anyone but me since this thing began. I have to be closer. I can't go."

Jack walked around to Brian and smiled as he spoke to him. " None of us were expecting you to come with us, just do what your suposed to do and take care of your family. " he siad softly his hand resting on Brians shoulder " now you want to do more or are you all out?" he asked chukaling trying to get Brian refocused back to the family and his home. " you know you'll miss a lot.." Jack said and heard Steven laugh to his left.

" you mean like cassidy and her pison Ivy or you getting stuck , ow Im sure he can live with out seeing that " Steven said trying to make light of the situation he knew Khaat was high on every ones minds but he also knew being that wound up wasn't good for any one.

"I think I'm done," Brian said, feeling worn out. "Robert isn't going to want me here, but not every choice is his. This is my home, and this is my wife. He can't call all the shots here." He accio'd a bottle of water and took a long drink of the cold water. It helped. "I should have gotten him before he'd done that to her. She wouldn't be in this mess if I'd only...." He didn't finish his sentence. He paused and then he said. "I want him dead. I've killed other bastards for less. I'm not going to rest until he is very, very dead.

Khaat, in the meantime, had wanted the werewolf dead too. She had apparated out of her room to the empty records room of records in the ministry and looked him up. He wasnt registered at all. She didnt know how that had happened, but there was no record that he even existed. Not only was there no record of him as a werewolf, but not as a half giant, nor birth certificate....Nothing. It was as if he had not existed at all. Those were all arrest-able offenses, if nothing else. Not to mention his crimes against her. But the fact that he didn't exist by ministry records meant that there was not a Ministry trace on his magic. He would be much harder to find.

She apparated back home to her room as if she hadn't been gone. She got out her crystal and a map of England and began to try to scry to try to find him.

Jack nodded still facing him" Brian, we all know that feeling and its all for Khaat, you and the kids, all of them " He shifted his shirt to show the scar he still had that crossed his chest. " I have my scar from him too, even if he is my blood, no body touches this family." he said and looked at Brian. "You do what you have to, we all wish we could stay but Robert is out supirior officer and we have to do what he says. "

Jess frowned as she felt Khaat's energy leave for a moment then return she shook her head and headed up to Khaat's room " so did you find anything out?" she asked softly as she entered staying by the doorway as she watched her scrying. " You know if he dosn't want to be found you won't find him."