Marriage is Murder

"Those things happen," Kate said. She started to work at once dressing Abbey, and Robert dressed Dakota. Once the girls were dressed, Robert let them go downstairs.

"I'm thinking that perhaps letting Kieran and Fi visit over the holidays might be a good idea," Robert said. "A couple more hands with the kids while Khaat and Brian are gone might be a good thing. And I know they could use the extra money."

"It might be," Kate said. "We've got enough kids here to start our own wizarding school."

"Well, and we all have additional jobs, so a couple extra hands might be helpful. We're all very busy," Robert said.

Jack walked with Alex and Andrew down stairs he chuckled at the wizard school reference as he sat Alex in his seat then turn to place Andrew. " that sounds a very good idea" he said and helped Fallon into her seat giving her a sippy cup as Cassidy walked over and sit next to Fallon as she turned to Alex giving him his cup. Jim looked up at Kate and Robert s he closed his book.

" why not be a wonderful Christmas with all they have gone through this year" he said as he walked over to Robert his hands hooked by his thumb on his pockets as he stood looking from Robert to Kate. "Be nice seeing them again" he added as he looked to Cassidy and Jack who both nodded they agreed.

" yes invite them " cassidy said smiling as she picked up the cup Fallon had dropped which had rolled to the table in front of her out of her reach.

"I'll send for them after breakfast," Robert said, helping Julia and Robert to the table while Kate helped Michael and made sure that Abbey and Dakota had made it to their chairs.

Michael floated plates out to every place at the table. "I think that does it. I think there is a plate for everyone," Michael called.

"There is," Robert said. "Come join us."

"On my way. I'm just setting another pot of Christmas tea to brew. I'll be in, in a moment."

In Tuscany, after Khaat and Brian had had a very simple but elegant Italian breakfast, Brian packed again for them and said their goodbyes to Edward. He ported them on--to Venice, to the hotel suite they loved so very much. Once they had unpacked, Brian took Khaat in her chair, to the marketplace to get a few staples to keep in their hotel suite. She was stunned by the beauty of Venice, and she started to understand why she and Brian had loved it so. He caught her trying to choose simply the cheapest fruits and breads and cheeses. He stopped her and put back a few sour pears.

"We dont' want those," He laughed. "We are not buying substandard food. Here. Try these." He fed her some lovely tiny wild raspberries. They were as sweet as candy but ridiculously expensive and there werent' many of them. Brian bought the lot.

"They're expensive," she signed to him.

"We can afford it, my love," he whispered softly in her ear. "I won't compromise and buy poor quality. You let me worry about money. If you see something, say so."

Every one smiled but it was Steven walking in that spoke first. "That's good looking forward to seeing Kieran again he owes me a chess game" he said and chuckled as he sat down next to James and Jaylen who both had started to eat James with his fork but Jaylen with her fingers Steven took the fork and wiped her fingers before handing her it she refused and he placed it in her hand showing her gently how to use it .Jaylen soon got the idea and began to try to use it. Jack let Alex and Catlin eat on their own as he waited for his breakfast knowing the kids came first.

Back in the shop Jess finished laying out the bags and shoes one pair she placed in the window along with a bag to show what they had she smiled seeing the Christmas dressing she assumed Kate had done moving a Santa just an inch to the left to accommodate the extra dressing she had placed. Stepping back she smiled and headed to the office to make sure the books were up to date planning to return once they were done.

Robert sent a message to Kieran once breakfast was overwith. Angus helped Michael clean up after breakfast, and Kate took the kids to the playroom. When Robert saw they had things under control, he decided to go in to work. Things were stacking up for him while he was doing his job and Khaats at St. Mungos and at the ministry.

Kate got some odds and ends of all sorts of things and created some simple activities for the kids to get them all working together and doing things. It seemed to make them happy, and that pleased Kate.

Michael started to put together a roast chicken with vegetables for lunch, and Angus sent to his grandfather for some fresh seafood for dinner that night. He got an almost immediate response saying that Angus had just missed Khaat and Brian who had left shortly before, for Venice. Edward promised to send some top notch seafood for dinner that night.

Brian and Khaat were passing a jewelry store window, and he stopped to look in the window. He saw a beautiful bracelet in the window. He pointed it out to her. "That looks like something you should have," he said to her. Before she could return a sign to him, she had a memory flash. She looked at him. "What is it?" he asked.

"Were we married here?" she asked.

"No," he said, and then he smiled. "Well, not legally. But this is where we changed from being friends to being a couple. Why? Did you remember something?" She paused and nodded. It took him just a second. Then he caught on. "That memory is worth keeping," he brushed her cheek. "We went to dinner and did some dancing...."

"Boat?" she signed.

"Yes," he nodded. "We took a ride in the gondola at night. It was a lovely evening. It changed everything." She nodded, understanding.

Jack, cassidy and Steven all finished where Jim took his time eating his food . Jack cleaned up the table and headed back to the barn where Steven headed out to do his rounds. Cassidy moved to the nursery and smiled seeing the kids now engaged in playing happily " how do you do that so quickly" she asked Kate smiling as she handed Alex a toy car to play with. She moved to sit with him and rolled it away he ran after it.

Jack moved into the barn patting one of the horses on its neck as he checked him over " ok boy" he said and ran his hands down the horses leg finding nothing he moved to the next repeating it on the next two, pausing on the last one he found a small cut and sighed wrapping a bandage around it he fed the horse a treat and made a note to let Kate or some one know so they could heal it. Waling out he saw a stag off in the distance and frowned as it was so close to the farm house.

"I don't know," Kate shrugged. "Just looking for something to keep them busy that helps them learn."

Kieran and Fi arrived midmorning, both with two large shoulder bags that were clearly stuffed to the brims. Angus welcomed them and told them to make themselves at home. Kieran motioned one bag to unpack. It was loaded with a whole sea of brightly wrapped packages that he motioned under the tree.

Fi took the other bag and went upstairs and ordered their things to unpack in their usual rooms. She intended to go see the kids and the others once she unpacked.

"Do you always let werewolves camp on your estate?" Kieran asked Angus as he went to pour himself a mug of tea.

"What?" Angus asked.

"There's a whole ruddy camp of them on the northwest corner," Kieran said. "I saw the camp as we flew in."

"Damn," Angus said. "I'll let Robert know. He'll need to know about it before we do anything with them."

"They've got some little shacks built. They've been there for some time. I would guess they've got you all blocked from seeing them and their little village."

"Village?" Angus scowled.

"Well, for all practical purposes, thats what it is," Kieran said. "As I said, maybe you're all blocked from sensing it. Looks like its been there right under your noses for months. They've dug themselves in for a long stay."

"Shit," Angus sighed.

Jack sniffed the air and frowned , he could not help growl as he ran back to the house and head to Robert " good to see you Kieran" he said as he quickly moved up to the nursery losing the windows and looked out " there here" he said and looked to Kate " why in hell I didn't pick them up sooner I don't know" he said watching. Cassidy looked to Kate and looked confused at her.

"Whats he talking about?" she asked as James ran back with his car for her to make roll away from him. Steven looked at Kieran and sighed hoping they would not attack them. " whats stopped them attacking us, why hid themselves?" he asked his hand rubbing his chin as he paced.

"That's not good if there dug in already, good job Brian and Khaat aren't here" he said and stood up " I'll warn the guards to keep an eye on them

"I'll send for my grandfather," Angus said, not wasting time. He opened the floo and sent an emergency message. In less than 5 minutes, Edward came in, dressed for hunting in bitter cold weather. He tossed a red mesh net bag full of fresh seafood to Angus. "I'll put this in the kitchen and get ready to go with you."

"No," Edward said. "I am going to ask you to do something a bit unconventional. I want you to take the kids. Take everyone here. I'm going to enchant the house so that it looks like the house is still active and that you lot are totally unaware. Then, gather everyone into one room. Dont use any more magic than usual so they don't pick up an escalation in the magical signatures from this house. Bring the kids in here and bring some toys or something to keep them occupied. Or one of you tell those bloody cats to keep the kids busy. Or that ruddy big bird. Lets not let anyone get cornered with the kids in a room you cant' get out of if you need to.

"Jack, don't ruminate on how you missed them. You were supposed to. Go find Robert. Apparate into London. Go alone. Don't be alarmed or upset. Robert has enough to stress about without panicking him. Lets not let them see that we're onto them. They think they're going to surprise us. Well, that gives us time and the element of surprise for ourselves if we use it well. The rest of you concentrate on securing this room and protecting the kids. Kieran, you take me out to see this settlement. I want to see it for myself. I have a charm to keep us from being smelled. Unfortunately, I don't think its going to be effective on Jack. But it might work on the rest of us."

Jack turned seeing Edward appear in the house he nodded as Cassidy moved all the kids down to the living room making a game of it as they moved like a conger line down. Steven nodded and told the cats to play with the children finding them quite cooperative. Jack ported to London and walked down the corridors to Roberts office knocking he walked in.

" Robert , wears have camped on the north west side of the grounds, Kieran saw them a whole god damn village" he said his voice was low as he spoke to him he moved back to wait on his word " Edwards at the house gathering every one in one room hes going to enchant the house so that it looks like the house is still active but we'll be in one room" he told him " he sent me to tell you"