Marriage is Murder

"Khaat would remember too, if she could," Robert said. He knew it had been her that had walked it out with Steven. All the bitterness, all the anger, all the frustration. The rest of them hadnt come into it until later, but it had taken him months after getting his memory back to stop being such a bastard. So far, Khaat hadn't done that. She'd been just largely confused.

But he heard Michael groan, and Robert looked at the game. Michael played a good game, but without trying, Khaat had cornered him.

"Well, well," Robert said, feeling satisfied. He smiled. "And what will you do with that, Michael?"

"Lose, probably," Michael laughed. Khaat looked up, not understanding.

"You don't even realize it, do you?" Brian laughed. "He doesn't have any other move to make without losing. You've won the game, my dear."

She'd beaten Michael? She had no idea how she'd done that. A fluke, surely. Frustrated, she went to wave the pieces of the game aside. And when she had done that, the pieces flew back into the box on their own. She jumped, startled.

"Not to worry," Brian said, steadying her. "Its a rather simple spell. You probably can do it because it was second nature to you at one point."

"No one knows if she'll go through that or not," Robert said, "But, if she needs it, she'll have someone who's been there."

Angus was working in the kitchen boning a rack of lamb. He heard Cassidy come in. "Ever boned a rack of lamb before?" he asked, without looking up.

"It eliminates a lot of unneccesary fat from the meat and makes a far more elegant presentation. Like this." He showed her. "Its a very classical technique. You're welcome to try if you like. I am making a chocolate hazelnut souffle for dessert. That does take some time and a delicate touch.

"So you're doing the lamb, then?" Michael asked, coming in.

"Yes," Angus said, "In a very classic Tuscan style."

"Excellent choice. Need help with sides?"

"Please?"

"I'll be happy to," Michael said, picking out some root vegetables from the vegetable bin.

"How's your head?" Robert asked Khaat. She gestured so-so. He laid his hand on her head. "Its not so-so. Its miserable. You really can ask for help before it gets like this." He drew her pain off for her. She was visibly relieved. "Drink your soda," he told her. "You need the fluids." She showed him the empty bottle. "You finished it? You didn't give half to Brian?" She shook her head. "Well done! That's the first thing you've finished since you've been back. Well done, indeed. I'd like you to nibble on something though. Some fruit maybe?"

She made a shape of a tiny square with her fingers, not knowing how to describe them.

"Oh," Brian said quickly. "Angus's hawaiian sweetbread crackers. I know that shape." She nodded. "You can have all of those you want. What would you like to drink with that?" She made a sign of an apple. "Hot spiced cider. I think we can manage that. I'm sure there's someone in the kitchen that would be pleased to get that for you."

"Thank you," Robert said to Jess.

"Where is my uncle?" Khaat asked her father again.

"In the basement," he sighed. "In a closet. Would you like me to go get him and put him back?" She nodded. He got up and quietly walked downstairs to go put Remus's portrait back. Kate scowled at him and got up and followed him.

"Robert," Kate said to him once she caught up with him. "Why are you letting this get to you?"

"I'm not," Robert replied calmly.

"Horseshit!" she countered. "It bothers you to no end! I'm not blind. It didn't bother you this much when she was a child! Do you honestly think you can go back and change our decision now just because she's temporarily forgotten? Our chance to be the ideal parents is long gone. It has been for decades. You're the one that's here. The best she can do with him is talk to a hexed portrait. Get over it. She's getting her memory back much faster than even you expected. You can be patient with anything else. Try being a bit patient with your daughter." She glared at him and snatched the portrait. "Give me that! You should have left it where it was in the first place." She took the portrait back to Khaat's room. Robert transfigured his clothes to some workout clothes, started some Asian meditation music and began his favorite tai chi workout to destress.

Kate returned from Khaat's room in a minute "Its back where it was," she smiled at Khaat. "You know, though, if you really want to learn all these things you used to know, your father loves every minute he can get with you. Perhaps after dinner, the two of you should just hae a conversation using your signs. it would give you time to practice." Khaat nodded. "Good. He'll be delighted."

"There is a huge amount of ridiculousness in here this afternoon," Kate scowled. "Steven, you're not going to be battling dragons in the near future. And you can't go back and turn back time either. I don't normally give orders, but if you check the organization's charter, I am as much an owner as Robert is. We're equal partners. Now--this is not a request. Go find something to do that gets you back into the present."

Brian frowned. That wasn't Kate's usual nature to even begin to command the organization. Khaat felt a pain in the side of her head. She began to see a couple of memory flashes fro when she was small. Maybe four or five. She understood, then, what her father's moods were about. It upset her. She wanted to be upstairs in her room. She snatched up the old wooden wand from the coffee table and wished herself to be upstairs in her room. Brian didn't move fast enough before she was gone.

"No!" he panicked, envisioning her going out in the storm.