Marriage is Murder

Khaat was deeply relieved. Brian was safe. She sighed deeply. She wasnt sure what it all meant. Why did they want him? She had the same question. And what did it mean for the two of them? They had gone to be away, to reduce everyone's stress. And it seemed like every time they tried to do that, someone tried to harm one of them. She didn't understand it.

She started to smell the preparation of fresh tea and coffee, and food. She glanced in to the kitchen in the suite. Michael was at work. Cooking. Preparing a noon meal for them all. It smelled good. She hadn't thought she was hungry, but it truly did smell good.

Several minutes went by, and Brian and Robert came out of the bathroom. Robert had healed the gash in the back of his head and all the other minor wounds but the bruises. They would take a bit. Brian was showered and changed. Robert got him a cup of coffee and gave it to Brian.

"That smells incredible," Brian said. "Thank you, All of you. All I could think of was her being in that shop alone and not able to communicate with us." He went over to her and kissed her slowly. She was so glad to see him that she hugged him a long moment. "All I could think of was you," He said softly. "I'm so sorry. I should have been more careful." She didn't care about anything but that he was home and safe.

Jess moved to let Brian take her place and she smiled moving to the kitchen " do you need some help" she asked Michael stepping inside as Jack moved to stand by the main doors hearing the muggles on the other side had no clue what had happened.

" do you think he'll come after Brian again?" he asked Robert as he stood with his arms folded across his chest . Steven glanced over and chuckled.

" if he knows whats good for him he'll stay away " he said this made Jack nod and chuckle softly as he stood his head shaking " well if he does we'll be ready for him this time right Robert?" he asked.

"I'm just making some grilled paninis. Brian packed this fridge like he was staying for a month. If you assemble some more sandwiches, I'll grill them. There is a bowl of fresh fruit there on the counter. We could simply put that out with some of the cheeses that Brian has. Oh, and there are a number of sodas and a large tin of fresh baked cookies behind you on the counter. That should be sufficient."

"Come inside," Brian said softly to Khaat. He pressed the cane into her hand and lifted her to her feet. He helped her very slowly inside and put her in a chair in the sunshine.

"What happens to us now?" Khaat signed to him.

"I trust your father can more than sufficiently find a way to send a message to Mr Gelding. I presume that once they're sure we're alright and that we're going to be safe, we can continue our break," he smiled. "There are several people here that would love to make a dent in Gelding's operation."

Jess nodded and moved to start the sandwiches and lay out the dinner table for them all with the cheese and fruit and then the sodas one for each of the people there then the went back to making the sandwiches to grill. "that enough?" she asked showing him a plateful of sandwiches ready for grilling. Steven staid on watch as Jack heard Brian talking to Khaat and nodded he was ready to tear his head off for hurting both Khaat and Brian. Jess rolled her eyes at the anger she felt coming from him. " Jack calm down hes back and safe" she said softly.

"That's fine," Michael said. He grilled the sandwiches and set them on the table. Robert went over to Khaat and sat beside her.

"Are you stewing already?" Robert asked.

"A bit," Brian smiled.

"Don't," Robert told her. "I'm working on a plan. Mr. Gelding will know to leave you untouched. Trust me." He stroked her cheek. "Now--you and Brian get something to eat. Since lunch is on you, we'll eat first and then we'll go." Brian laughed.

"And so what's so unusual about that?" Brian laughed, knowing they always ate at his place.

"Nothing except the fact that we'll be leaving afterwards," Robert laughed. "the rest of you--we'll be going to the Paris headquarters to plan an appropriate response. If any of you are in."

"Definitely," Michael said. "Khaat, are you up to coming to the table?"

"She'll manage with help," Brian said. Robert wanted to help her himself. He wanted to see how she was doing this. He helped her to the table himself, not saying a word. Once she was seated, he took his place at the table himself.

Jack and Steven moved to the table " we're in Robert" he told him as he sat down between Jess and Steven who smiled smelling the panini's in the kitchen and he realized he was hungry . Jess watched as Khaat walked with Brian to the table and smiled seeing both of them together again. Jack looked at Robert and nodded.

"I know just what response I'd like to give gelding" he said and Jess scowled at him " with in reason of course " he added and Steven smiled as did Jess.

"I trust, then," Robert said, looking at Brian, "That you can manage without us."

"Oh, I'm sure we can," Brian smiled. "I think we'll stay in this afternoon. Khaat's had enough drama for one day."

"Excellent idea. Try again tomorrow--unless I let you know otherwise," Robert said. "Is there anything you need?"

"No. I'll just call room service for dinner tonight."

"The hell you will," Michael scowled. "I'll put something together and put it in a slow oven so its ready by dinnertime. Room service, my eye."

"Thank you," Brian smiled appreciative.

"Alright. So after lunch is finished, you lot clean up the kitchen while Michael prepares their dinner for them, please. Jess, you can help Michael if he needs it. Otherwise, please double check that Khaat and Brian have everything they need. Let me know if they're missing something. And then when the kitchen is clean, do make a security check to be sure they're safe. I'll go talk to Daniella briefly and speak to the aurors on the door. Once we're all done here, we'll meet at the headquarters in Paris. Any questions?" Robert asked.

Jess nodded and smiled " of course Robert " she said and smiled as Jack and Steven started to eat both nodding that they would help clean up " many hands make light work" Jess said as she too ate the panini she held as she saw Jack nod.

" Steven and I will check around and strengthen the charm on the door " he said " Micheal if you need anything from the markets one of us can go fetch anything you need" Jack said finishing his third panini while Steven took his second. Jess just chuckled.

" looks like the pannini's are a success" she said softly.

As they were getting close to finishing, Michael got up and went into the kitchen and came back a moment later with a little piece of a different sort of panini and gave it to Khaat.

"Taste and tell me what you think," he told her. She tasted it. It was wonderful. It was sweet--like a fine dessert. She nodded. "You like it?" he asked. She nodded. "Good," He went back in the kitchen and brought out a platter of paninis cut into smaller slices. "Khaat says they're good," he told them.

Robert took one and tasted it. "Michael, those are outstanding," he said. "Chocolate, strawberries, raspberries, and...marshmallow?"

"Yes," Michael said. "And toasted hazelnut. With just a bit of Chambord mixed into the chocolate spread."

"Make sure you keep this recipe. We'll want more of these at some point over the winter."

"They're not hard," Michael said as Brian took a piece for himself and another piece for Khaat. "Assembly mainly. It starts with excellent fruit. You chose your fruit well, Brian."

"That's because I didn't let Khaat pick it," he laughed, teasing her gently.

"She knows good fruit," Robert frowned.

"I know, but she didn't want to spend the money on the good stuff when we went shopping. She thought we should save money by buying cheaper fruit," Brian laughed.

"Never skimp on good fruit," Robert told her. "If you're going to buy it, buy something worthwhile, Khaat."

Jess smiled as Jacks eyes lit up he took a pieces " ow strawberry wonderful " he said Jess had chocolate as she found it to be Steven got a Marshmallow one and he smiled remembering the last time he had marshmallow as he ate it siting back he smiled " that was wonderful Michael " he said and Jack chuckled as he took a second this one raspberry and he loved it just as much. Jess started to clear the table of the empty plates taking them through to the kitchen and into the small but efficient washer they had. Steven finished his desert panini and did the same before he moved to the balcony to check on the security Jack staid inside.