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."

Jess, Jack and Steven chuckled " well done Khaat " Jess said " even I can't beat Michael " she smiled Jack and Steven both smiled and nodded they agreed with her. Steven sat down and looked at Robert knowing what Khaat had to come " I do hope she doesn't go through what I went through" he said " her situations different, but a blow is still a blow weather from a dragon or something else right"

Cassidy sighed and moved to sit facing them knowing and hoping Khaat would get her memory back soon. not content to stay sat she moved to the kitchen to see if Angus needed help.

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.

Steven was relived and he nodded " yes she will " He chuckled as the piece flew back to the box. Jess smiled and turned back to her game with Steven who had already packed it away and she chuckled.

" ah gave up?" she asked and he nodded and bowed.

" I bow to a better game player Jess" he said and together they chuckled as Steven sat back in his chair again. Cassidy looked at Angus thinking for a moment if she had.

" I think you showed me once in Tuscany" she said " not sure though" she looked at the piece of meat laid out in front of her." willing to relearn though." she said and chuckled as she washed her hands.

"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."

Cassidy watched Angus and copied when he let her have her turn finding it easy she smiled seeing Michael walk in and offer to help Angus too as she continued to bone the rack of lamb. Once done she stepped back and looked at it " hows that Angus" she asked washing her hands as she then cleaned up the things she used to cut up the lamb.

Jess watched Khaat and smiled " I'll fetch them " she said standing and moving to the kitchen returning with a plate of Angus's Hawaiian sweetbread crackers. Placing them down she also placed down a fresh can of soda.

"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."

Jess sat and listened to Kate nodding as she agreed " hes the best one for that Khaat " she added " a portrait can only tell you so much" she said softly as she sipped her own soda watching as Steven accioed a book to read from off the shelf next to him. Steven opened the book and began to read in detail about dragons and where they come from and how if possible to kill them. Jess shook her head " back on that kick again Steven , I thought you let it go years ago" she said and Steven looked up at her.

" I did doesn't harm to brush up." Steven said opening the first page and began to read hearing Jess sigh heavily not far from him. Cassidy moved to Angus and watched him work.

"Looks tasty " she said softly as she stood watching to his left " so anything else you need me to do Lambs all prepped and ready for cooking. " she told him.

"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.

Jess watched and looked to Brian " Calm Brian, she's just up stairs. " She said looking to Steven who closed the book and looked to Kate as he placed it back on the shelf. Jess sighed and shook her head.

" Yes ma'am " he said and moved down to the gym to work out his body and calm his mind once again.

"Can't blame him, its brought up a lot of bad memories for him too" Jess said looking at Kate. " but I do wish he would let them rest" she said with a deep sigh. She had felt for a while he had been restless ever since Khaat had started to regain her memory " I'll talk to him Kate" she said smiling .