Marriage is Murder

"If its how I want it to go?" Kate looked at them, astounded at their insensitivity. "Are you serious?" Did they seriously think she and Robert wanted Khaat and Brian to leave? How could they, are parents themselves, not understand the pain it caused Kate and Robert to have their children both gone and right at Christmas?

"If I had an easy answer, I would give it to you," Kate said to them trying not to let their remarks wound her. "Personally, I think you're all trying too hard. You're trying too hard to walk on eggshells around her, and she's not got anything for you to walk on eggshells about. She's not stupid. She can clearly see you lot are not being yourselves around her and that trying to be someone you're not isn't working for any of you. This isn' about some terrible trauma she needs protected from. This is about the fact that she was hit by a car and has a horrible head injury. There is nothing for you to be so cautious about. When she sees you acting abnormally for what any normal adult would do, she feels responsible--such as stressing oneself so much that they can't even eat dinner with us because events in this house have been such a dreadful drain? How else should Khaat interpret that?"

"Kate," Robert said quietly. "This won't help. The fact is that Khaat an Brian have gone, and the rest of the crew here needs to take the time to recharge and regear. Its fairly simple."

When the branch broke through the window, Robert saw them respond quickly to it. "Go swim, Kate. Or sketch. Go do something, Dear," he said softly. Kate got up and left, heading upstairs without saying a word.

Jess woke to the sound of the braking glass and sat up wrapping in a robe she walked down stairs " ok that's not normal " she said and chuckled as Catlin ran out the nursery and over to her and she picked her up " big bang" she said and snuggled close to Jess as she walked down to the living room. " yes big bang and mom doesn't know what made it" she said holding her close. Steven saw Jess and smiled as he finished the repair.

"Its ok a tree came down and took out the window " he told her as he finished the repair and slipped his wand away as he smiled and walked over to catline in Jess's arms " so hows Catlin?" he asked and she giggled and hid in Jess's shoulder. Steven moved to look at her and she giggled and shifted.

"Shes fine, she was woken by the noise, but is now about to go back for a sleep" Jess said and heard the giggle as Catlin pulled a tongue at Steven and he did one back in return. Jess chuckled and moved back to the stairs as Jack came in covered in snow.

" looks like a white out out there a snow drifts built up against the barn doors might need to shovel it out in the morning" he said and smiled seeing Jess on the stairs with Catlin holding out her hands for her father.

In Tuscany, Khaat sat alone in front of the fire with a mug filled with warm spiced wine. Edward had gone to take care of Brian. Khaat was frightened at being without him. She didn't move from her place on the sofa where Edward had put her. He finally came back, but it felt like it had been forever.

"He's fine," Edward said. "By morning, he won't even need bandages on it. It may be a bit stiff for a couple days but he's alright. How's the wine?" She nodded, approving. "Are you hungry? Brian said you had just eaten, but if you want something...." She shook her head. "You want to go to your room? He wanted me to make sure you were alright." She shook her head. She didn't want to disturb Brian if he were resting. "You don't have to just sit here, you know," he said. "You're family here. I expect you to make yourself at home. Do you remember your way around?" She shook her head. "Ah. Well, let's remedy that." He drew out a tiny, miniature chair from his pocket and resized it. It was her wheelchair. He helped her to it and then took her on a tour of the compound.

Kate had gone to Abbey and Dakota and Julia's room and had taken her large sketch book and sat in the dim light of the nightlight and sketched her granddaughters as they slept. Kate was dealing with her anger by withdrawin and wanting to be alone.

Robert heard them mentioning needing to shovel snow. "We'll see to it when the storm dies down," he said. "Not now."

Jack looked at Robert and nodded " of course " he said and slipped off his jacket to warm up by the fire. Jess returned once Catlin was asleep again and moved to Jack and rub his arms to warm them he just smiled at her and held her close. " feeling better?" he asked and held her close as she nodded.

"Strangely, yes I am." she said and smiled Steven finished the window making doubly sure that all the pieces were back in place. Jack now warm moved to the kitchen and took a cookie eating it she could tell Angus made them and smiled. "Good cookie Angus" she reheated a plate of food and sat down to eat her dinner. Once finished she placed her plate in the washer and smiled " didn't think I could finish that but I did and it was wonderful" she said smiling as she moved out to see Cassidy and Steven sat at the chess board playing against each other.

Steven chuckled as she made a move. " You really aren't trying are you?" he said smiling warmly at her." You do want that treat, right?" he asked and cassidy nodded.

" ah who says I haven't figured out I'll get it ether way" she said grinning at him and winking as she too his pawn.

By morning, Brian was up and was in the shower before Khaat had even moved. When she woke up alone, she panicked. Startled, she scrambled out of the bed and fell flat on the floor. Brian wrapped himself in a towel and came out.

"What's the matter?" he frowned. "Trying to go someplace?" He went over to her and helped her up and felt her iron tight grip on him. "I reallly didn't leave you. I was just in the shower." She looked at his shoulder. There were no bandages there, no cuts, no scars, not a trace. "What? Did you think I wouldn't be all attached?" he laughed. "You must have been tired. I dont think you moved all night. Come sit and I'll hand you your coffee." He put her back in bed and covered her and brought her a mug of coffee. "Now--give me just two minutes to dress and I'll be back." He kissed her.

Meanwhile, back at home, the storm had subsided. Kate had gotten up and dressed and had gone already into London. Robert was up and dressed and had gone outside. He had enjoyed the quiet of the wee hours of the morning and had shoveled the snow away from the barn doors by hand. He needed the chance to work off his own stress, and spending some time outside, alone, in the dark, with a little manual labor felt like a tremendous relief to him.

Angus had left him alone but had apparated to inside the barn to tend to the animals, and Michael busied himself in the kitchen with preparing breakfast while he had the kitchen to himself.

the sun was up when Jack got up and showered. Moving outside he saw the snow gone from the barn doors and he walked in "Seems everything ok here " he said handing one of the horse's a carrot as he checked all through the barn and opening the main doors s o the Horses could run in the paddock and in the snow. Steven moved out side too check the green house finding only one pain of glass broken. Repairing it he looked out over the barn and sighed shaking his head as he worked.

" Robert they will be ok right?" he asked nervous that he'd done something wrong to upset Khaat and Brian " We're trying our best to just stay normal" he said to him as he began to rack out the stalls and add fresh hay to the horse's feeding nets. Then he checked on the pigmy puffs finding all was fine some were sleeping others eating. Jess took two cups of hot tea and walked down to the barn walking in she looked at Robert and Jack " hot drink?" she asked placing them both on a barrel close to where they both stood.

"I rarely worry about those two," Robert said, out of breath from hard work in the bitter cold. "Brian appears to have a plan in mind, and I think I'm going to let him work that out. I worked out my marriage. Now its time to let him work out his own. Khaat needs someone to relate to, no matter what. He wants to be that person for her. He always has been. He wants to help her get back some sort of trust in him, so that, no matter what else might happen around them, he knows she's sure of him. And I'll support him in that. It will help her feel like this really is her home. She'll start to see him as not just her past but her present and her future. And that will reduce her feeling like such a stranger here. She won't feel like so much of an imposition. She'll start to feel more at home again. He may well have the right idea."

When Jess brought out the tea, Robert was glad for something hot. "Sounds good. Earl Grey. Michael is clearly in the kitchen," he said. "Oh, Kate got an owl in the night from Tobias. Evidently one of you had ordered some handmade Italian leather shoes and handbags. They arrived in the middle of the night, and Kate went in to take care of it. She wanted me to ask you if you would take care of the kids for her this morning. She said the other clerks are due in by noon today, so she figures she'll be home by then."

Jess nodded and handed him his tea " yes he is and yes it is" she said " ow that's wonderful, I'll do that there asleep still right now I checked before I came out " she said and moved from the barn back to the house where she aperated to the shop and walked over to Kate. Cassidy walked down to the kitchen and saw Michael stood in it instead of Angus .

" ow ok you need me to help, I can do bread or anything." She asked taking down an apron " just need something to do while its quiet." she said moving to open a cook book and began looking at the recipes one by one. " how about brownies?" she asked " simple and easily?" she tied her hair back waiting for his ok to make him. Jim walked down soon after picking up his book and sitting out on the porch after brushing the snow from the seat as he sat down and felt the crisp fresh air on his face as he sat reading finding it clarifying in his mind.

When Kate saw Jess come, she immediately thought of the children. Kate had asked Jess to see to the kids while Kate took the time to sort Tobias's order. Kate became instantly concerned that with Cassidy helping in the kitchen, there was no one seeing to nearly a dozen kids.

"I guess I'll have to leave you to sort this out," Kate said. "We can't both be here together. There's nearly a dozen kids at home with no one looking after them. I'll see you later, I guess." She laid down her clipboard, immediately stopping her task to go look after the children and apparated back home.

"Back so soon?" Robert asked her.

"I evidently miscommunicated or something," Kate said, sending her cloak back upstairs. "Jess decided to come into the shop instead, so I didn't have a choice. I had to come back. Someone has to take care of the kids. I'll see you a bit later. I have work to do." She headed for the bedrooms to get the kids up and dressed for the day. Robert set his tea aside and went upstairs to help her.

Michael had seen the momentary confusion over the kids. He said nothing. Instead, he tended to breakfast. When Cassidy asked about helping in the kitchen, he merely nodded.

"Whatever you like, Cassidy," Michael said. "I'm about ready to serve breakfast. I'm plating the kids' servings right now. And then I'll get to the adults."

Jess watched as Kate left the shop not waiting for her to let her know that they were fine and that Jack was going to take care of the once he'd finished at the barn. With a sigh she felt like Kate had avoided her why she had no clue and so started to lay out the shoes and bags for display. Cassidy nodded and began to make the brownies humming as she mixed the ingredients until she was ready to pore into a mold and bake. Cleaning she made sure all was put back in its place but she was quick as she knew Breakfast was almost ready. Jack entered and hung up his jacket on the hanger and headed up to the nursery. As he walked in he saw Kate and stopped.

" ow thought you were at the shop Jess asked me to get them dressed ready for breakfast" he said as he picked up Alex and began to dress him in trousers , a tee shirt and warm jumper with socks and his blue slippers.He then moved to Andrew who struggled with his tee shirt. Jack smiled and helped him with it. " guess Jess didn't let you know, hum not like her"