Marriage is Murder

"She looks comfortable enough for now," Robert smiled. "I think all is well for now." It had been longer than Brian remembered since he honestly had felt like all was well, even for a few minutes. He knew he had things to do but he couldnt' begin to tear himself away. He finally picked up the newspaper and sat down at the end of the sofa, next to her feet.

A few minutes later, Robert passed him to go refill his tea mug. He snatched the newspaper from Brian and turned it the other way around. "It is much easier to read if you put it right sie up," he told him. "You do realize that's yesterday's paper, right?"

"Huh? Oh, I knew that," Brian said.

"Sure you did. What are you thinking about?" Robert asked him.

"I honestly dont know. Not thinking, I suppose," Brian said.

"You're allowed--for today," Robert said. "You do know you're hovering, right?"

"I am not hovering."

"Right," Robert laughed.

Jess and Jack chuckled " um I think you are Brian, shes fine go do something " Jack said " we'll keep an eye on her for you" Jess nodded and so did Jess , Steven just stayed quiet as Cassidy watched Khaat sleeping. Jim walked in from the garden and held a big bunch of flowers.

" that green house is in full bloom I think it likes having Khaat back " he said and placed the flowers in a vase placing them on the fire place so she could see them when she woke " the renovations to sparks is going well by the way Robert I took the liberty in stopping and checking on them before coming here " he told him taking a flower and handing it to Kate smiling" for you."

"Thank you," Kate said. "The flowers are beautiful. They're very nice. Brian, they're right. Go to the gym. Go for a run. I have yet to spend any time with my daughter. I promise I won't leave her. Its okay for you to go downstairs."

"Come on," Robert said. "I havent' worked out since you have. I'll go with you. Let's go. You're not reading that damned upside down outdated newspaper anyway."

"Oh, alright," Brian said laying it aside. He wanted to check just to be sure she didn't need anything.

"Let it be," Robert said. "Come. With me--now." He forced Brian to go downstairs and leave Khaat to the others.

"He wouldn't have lasted an hour without her," Kate laughed. "Mr. Big Plans. Cant even go to the basement, let alone anything else."

"Yeah but doesn't every couple go through some sort of trouble?" Angus asked.

"Definitely," Kate said. "They're just sort of getting a lot in the first couple years. But they'll be alright."

Jess and Jack chuckled " yeah, even we did to start " he said and smiled holding Jess close. " Even Steven and cassidy have had their troubles, Guess its a snap that every married couple in the first few years have troubles" Jim chuckled and sat down .

"Guess Margaret and I are the exception then we never had any problems though we did work together first " he said and accioed some tea from the kitchen and sipped it.

Robert and Brian spent the better part of an hour in the pool. They both realized they needed to tone up again. They'd been working so hard, so many hours, and working to find Khaat and to help her that they had both neglected their own health and fitness. And they both were starting to realize it. They agreed to go back to trying to keep some balance again.

Khaat woke from her sleep because she was uprooted by a sharp headache. She hadn't remembered feeling this. Not like this. She sat up, hoping that adifferent position would help, but it didn't. She couldn't stand it. She laid back down.

"Angus, bring an ice pack, please," Kate said. Angus brought it at once and Kate put it along the side of her head. In almost no time it started to take away the sharpness of the pain.

"Should I get Robert?" Angus asked.

"No," Kate said. "I don't think so. Not yet. It wouldn't be the first time someone in my house hit their head. It's probably either tension or a muscle spasm. Either way, ice will cut the pain in a hurry. The bigger issue is how badly Brian will spaz when he sees she's hurting. I'd worry more about him if I were you."

Jess stood up and moved to Khaat first looking to Kate " I can draw off some of the pain for her but not all of it " she said placing her hands on Khaats temples, slowly she drew off the pain feeling she had drawn enough she moved back nodding to Kate with the ice packs. "That should hold her until Robert comes back " she said moving to sit back with Jack again she smiled to Khaat. " I'm what they call a healer, some of us are good at healing wounds and other things" she tried to explain to Khaat.

Khaat was grateful for her help. She did understand the term healer. Her father had explained it to her. She didn't understand how it worked, not with magic anyway, but she understood that some people were capable of it.

When Robert and Brian came upstairs, Brian could see, the instant he look at her, that she had had a hard time while he was gone. He went to her quickly.

"What happened?" he asked, sitting with her.

"Calm yourself," Kate said. "Its just a headache. Its not unheard of for people with head injuries. We've got it under control." Brian wanted to determine that for himself.

"Move out of the way, Son," Robert said. He pushed himself between Brian and Khaat and sat on the edge of the couch and laid his hands on her head. "You're alright. Thank you, Jess, for relieving her pain. Its being caused by pressure building up on the inside of her head. Part of that is just the healing process. Part of it is just that she's becoming more active now." He drew the pressure off, and it was so much relief for her that it brought tears to her eyes. He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry that hurt," he said gently. He brushed the tears away. "Better?" he asked. She nodded. "That's my girl," he said. "Feels defeating, does it?" he asked. She nodded. "Don't pay attention to that. The fact that you can be up at all is a good thing. We'll deal with it one thing at a time. Now, I want you to get something to drink." He turned to Jess. "Could we have, please, some of the special fruit drink Michael made for her last night? It should be cold now. I'd like her to sip at it."

Jess smiled at Robert as he thanked her " part of my job and being her friend Robert " she said then stood up " of course " she moved to the kitchen and found it easily poring out a glass she returned and handed it to Khaat " slowly " she said softly and moved out of Roberts way to sit back with Jack out of his way knowing he was the master and she merely the student even after all these years he had been teaching her. Cassidy stood watching and lent on the door frame watching.

Robert put several pillows behind her, enough for her to be abel to drink some sips of the fruit juice. the very instant he saw that her stomach was going to try to rebel, he intervened and stopped it. He could not afford for her to have any trouble with that. Not at all.

She looked at her father, frustrated. He accio'd paper and a pen. "Slowly. Take your time."
She tossed the paper and pen aside and gestured to her throat. "Ah," he smiled gently. "No words, huh?" She nodded. "That, my dear, will take time. Your injury was most severe right over the part of the brain that allows you to process speech. It will recover, but you will need time. I have a couple of ideas, though. Paper..." he began his suggestions. She wanted no part of having to write every thought. "I know. That's slow and frustrating. There is a magical quill for those who have been mute from birth. It links to what we call thought threads and you can simply think what you want to write and the quill will do the work. Or--we could teach you, without much difficulty, a sign language you can do with your hands. Well, with one hand until your arm heals. But that would mean that someone other than me will need to lean it as well. Otherwise the only person you could talk to is me. What do you think?" She was open to anything but having to write it all out by hand.

He turned to the rest of them. "Any of you up for learning sign language?" he asked.

"Absolutely," Brian said immediately. "The sooner the better. Shall I order a quill?"

"One moment. Lets see how many sign language books we need," Robert said.

Jack Jess and cassidy looked at each other and nodded " that's fine with us " she said and smiled to Khaat " if it get us communicating batter then we'll all do it " she said smiling. Jack and Cassidy agreed Jim chuckled and nodded.

"Sure could come in handy even when she does get her voice back" he said " if you know what I mean" he tapped his nose once and pointed to the kitchen smelling fresh coffee brewing.