Marriage is Murder

"Someone had better," Kate said. "Lest I be forced to do it again myself."

Khaat had seen a memory flash. She had been a tiny girl in her bedroom with was across the hall from her parents' room. She didn't look like she was much bigger than Abbey. It had been nighttime and she had heard voices. Angry voices. It had awakened her, and she had gotten out of bed. She had run to the door of her room and heard her parents and another man arguing. Over her. Over which man had made the right decision about giving her a cookie to stop a temper tantrum. Her father had disagreed, and the other man was laughing at her father and stating a cookie was too little to fight about. She remembered feeling guilty about making them argue.

She looked up at the portrait. The man in the portrait smiled warmly at her. But having the portrait had made her father immensely unhappy. Made him remember painful things. She was feeling someone else was remembering trmendously painful things--because of her. She could not do this to strangers who had been nothing but kind to her.

Perhaps if she destroyed the portrait altogether...Perhaps if she burned it....After all, there was a fire already in the fireplace this time of year to keep the house evenly heated. She took the portrait down from the wall. If this was the source of all the pain for her father, then, she would get rid of it once and for all.

Jess looked up at Khaat's room her face frowned " please, excuse me " she said and apperated up to Khaat room and accioed the portrait from her hands " that is not the way to do things Khaat" she said holding it tight in her hands " I can feel what your feeling and believe me, Steven isn't feeling this way because of anything you did and your father, he was feeling that way years ago, hes over it now" she said placing it back on the fire place. Jess sighed and looked at her before moving her back to the bed to sit down. " its not the pictures fault its just a picture" she said softly to her. " I'll speak to Steven, but like I said his feelings stem from his past which we all thought he'd left behind , well he will after tonight if I have anything to do with it." she smiled to Khaat " you have done nothing Khaat, I'll send Kate up." Moving from her room she headed back down " will you sit with her Kate" she asked as she headed down to Steven in the gym.

Jess fired a bolt at Steven making him jump as it hit his bottom " Steven drop those thoughts or I'll set Jack on you, you made Khaat feel like your problems were her fault " she said as she walked over to him and stood over him " I have a mind to set Kate and Robert on you then you'll stop" she looked down at him.

" but..but" he stumbled " ok ok, I don't want Robert on my back or Kate she's scary" he said looking up at her from the floor as he rubbed the burn on his cheek.

" I'm not going to heal that just yet , not until I'm sure you learned your lesson" she told him and moved back upstairs.

Robert overheard Jess taking Steven in hand. He had wondered how long it woul be before Steven would fall fully into self pity. He'd been bringing up mentions of the dragon for a couple days now. It had angered Robert from the outset that Steven had needed to feel like his losses were greater or more important than someone else's. He stayed off by himself in the other room, doing his tai chi.

Kate went upstairs. She saw Khaat just sitting on the end of the bed. "What happened?" she asked her softly. She didn't know how to communicate with her mother. "What? Do you think you're the only one who can study?" she smiled, stroking her daughter's cheek. "Tell me."

"Please," Khaat signed softly. "Let me go. I'm not worth everything I'm doing to everyone."

"Why did you come back up here?"

"I was going to burn that picture. It made him so sad..."

"And just how did you know that?" her mother looked at her. Khaat thought a moment. She shrugged, not knowing. "You know because you are a seer. Its part of your magic. But unless you know all the details, sometimes what you see doesn't give you the whole picture. Let me make this short for you for now. Your father's being sad is not your issue. Its his own. One he knows is just wrong thinking on his part. And the same goes for the others. Burning your uncle's portrait is not something you would have even considered if you had your memories back."

"I would if I knew how it hurt them."

"It isn't. And you still wouldn't burn it, even if it were true," Kate smiled. She was seriously considering giving Steven a piece of her mind. Someone needed to.

Pausing she looked back at Steven as she spoke again her had raised as if she was about to send another fire bolt towards him. "drop those thoughts now and stop the self pity Steven or next time it will be Jack who talks to you not me" she spoke harshly to him and he nodded his head.

" your right" he said and Jess took two steps back down.

" your damn right I am you got a new wife and kids, the past is the past, drop it , they need you here and now in the present " she told him her finger poking his chest now as he stood close to him.

" But..but" he started to say Jess looked at him and he stopped looking at the floor.

" NO, no but's ...enough, its not good for you or the rest of us around here. " she told him as Jack walked down to see where Jess had gone he gave a shake of his head as he heard them.

" ow come on not this again Steven " he said walking up behind Jess his arms folded " get a grip man" he told him then taking Jess's hand he walked her back up stairs.

Kate felt the arguing and her restlessness and frustration throughout the whole house. She looked at Khaat who was clearly feeling it, although Kate didn't think Khaat realize why she was feeling that way.

"You are feeling everyone's tension," Kate soothed. "They all seem to be spatting. It does happen in a big house. Its nothing to worry about. Especially when they're cooped up together. This lot much prefers to be outdoors and when they're trapped indoors they get on each others nerves. Its part of what's getting to you." Khaat looked at her, not understanding. "Its true," Kate said. "You'd like to run, wouldn't you, but the weather keeps you behind." Khaat nodded. "I have an idea. I'm going to send that wonderful husband of yours upstairs. I'm sure he remembers how to keep you happy for a couple of hours." Khaat frowned, not sure she understood her mother. "I wasn't thinking that. I'll be right back." She went downstairs and looked at Brian. "Go up and find a way to spend some quiet time with your wife. She could use a bit of peace and quiet from all the bickering, and, yes, her seers powers are trying to return."

Brian didn't speak. He just got up and went upstairs.

Jess looked at Kate as she walked in to the room with Jack " sorry Kate " she said softly as she moved to sit with Jack " but sometimes that man is so... self centered " she spoke harshly but took a deep breath in to calm herself down as Jack held her close to him and massaging her shoulders gently.

"Its ok Jess, just relax." he told her " I'll give you a body massage tonight, that always relaxes you. " He told her and saw her smile up at him. Jess nodded her head and looked to Kate.

"Hows Khaat?" she asked knowing for herself that she would be feeling as stressed as she was from all the bickering that had gone on. Cassidy staid in the kitchen and sighed deeply.

"Seems like my husband is giving off more heat than the cooker right now." She said finishing the preparation of the lamb rack she stood in front of. "Well I'm staying out of that one, he wants to act like a child so be it" she said looking from the rack to Angus and back. "Besides this is more fun and productive." She chuckled placing the last little white paper cap in the rack.

Robert finished his tai chi and simply walked past Steven as he headed upstairs.

"Leave the dead--and the dragons--alone, Steven," he said quietly, knowing Steven most likely had not known Robert had heard every syllable. He went upstairs to his room to shower.

"She's very stressed," Kate told Jess. "Her seer's powers are coming back, and I really wish they would not. Not yet. Not before her memories come back. Without her memory, it leads her to jump to all sorts of wrong conclusions. She would surely have gone if the storm had not stopped her. And if you had not stopped her, she'd have destroyed Remus's portrait, and we both know how she'd have regretted that when her memories come back. I sent Brian up to her. He'll know how to just provide her with a bit of cuddling and reassurance. He's actually very good at that. He'll soothe her jangled nerves."

"No! Mine! Mine, mine, mine!" Abbey's little voice sounded from the playroom, and she seemed to be shouting from the top of her little lungs.

"Maybe I should take that thought back," Kate sighed. "Seems like there's a little battle waging in the playroom. Suppose we ought to take care of it?" It wasn't like Abbey to et that angry and posessive to start shouting. Not like that.

Jess nodded she agreed at Kate's words she too turned to the playroom " hum wonder whats got her all riled up" she said and after a quick kiss to Jack stood up and moved to the nursery and opened the door." Hey hey, whats with the noise?" she asked looking around as she waited for Kate. Cassidy placed the rack next to Angus and moved to lay the table making it look festive for once a spray of holly and Ivy as a center piece, a candle sat in the middle ready to be lit.

"Want me to get that in the oven and on the cook?" she asked " unless we need to add anything to it " she looked at the rack then to Angus " that desert looks wonderful too by the way " she smiled knowing and hoping one day she too would cook like him . She knew from last year when she couldn't even open a tin thanks to Angus she now could cook a basic meal. But she wanted to learn more , how to make sauces like he did and beautiful cakes and deserts so she could make them back home.

By the time Jess and Kate got back to the playroom, Abbey's favorite doll lay on the floor in pieces, and Abbey was upset.

"We can mend it," Kate crouched down beside Abbey.

"Not the same," Abbey said tearfully. "Mama not the same. Papa sad, Everybody mad...I hate snow. I hate them..." she pointed at the other kids. "I hate Kissmass." She hurled the remaining piece of the doll--its right arm--to the floor and dashed out, her anger turning to sobs.

"It seems to be contageous," Kate sighed, looking at Jess.

Robert was coming downstairs after showering when he ran into Abbey. "Hey," he caught her. She fought against him angrily, and he just held onto her until she gave in and huddled tight against him. He wrapped her close. "Whatever it is," he promised her softly. "I'll fix it." He picked her up and took her to the rocking chair and sat with her and rocked slowly to just comfort her.

Jess sighed " yeah it is" she said softly as she moved to the doll picking up the pieces she repaired it and now held the fixed doll as she walked over to Kate. " well I fixed it I'll put it on her bed for when shes ready to sleep" she said and moved to Abby's room laying the doll on the pillow as if it was sleeping. she saw Robert and Abby but just smiled leaving quietly the way she had come back to Kate in the play room. Some of the others were upset but Jess saw the nursery staff had calmed them down.

Catlin walked over and Jess picked her up. " I do hope this will all blow over once the storm does " she said softly as she handed Catlin a stuffed bear that she made dance in the air in front of them both. Cassidy left the kitchen and headed up hearing the shouting from Abby walking in Fallon toddled over to her and she picked her up holding her against her.

" everything ok?" she asked and Jess nodded her head.

" yeah, just things happening thanks to Steven's tension" she said " sorry didn't mean it that way " she said as Cassidy walked over to her.

" Hey its fine, he's the idiot" she said and chuckled as she looked at Kate " I must be too I married him" she said and chuckled then tickled Fallon who also laughed " ow whose being you know who this year?" she asked knowing she meant who was to play Santa " because I think Steven should get that task this year" She chuckled again.