Marriage is Murder

"It's a tux, not a work out shirt. You need to be a bit less rough with them," Tobias said. He had tailored the jacket himself to be sure that Jack had had plenty of room in it because he knew Jack seemed to like to base the fit of his jacket on whether he could flex his muscles in them, and that was not what a suit jacket was based on. This last jacket was one Tobias had even included extra fabric in by putting in a gusset on each shoulder to give him more room. He had watched Jack put on the jacket and then flex his muscles in it and promptly tear it. The problem was not with the jacket but with Jack's behavior in the jacket.

Tobias took the dress and packaged it for Jack and handed it to him. "That should do it," he told Jack.

"How much do I owe you for the dress?" Brian asked. Tobias waved him away.

"I've already just added it to your tab," Tobias said, laughing.

"Good," Brian said, as they simply waited on Jack. He was glad that Khaat didn't have to walk the distance back to the hotel. It wasn't far but she just wasn't up to it.

Jack smiled and blushed a little " well tell that to the bad guys they always find the wrong time to come for us" he said and chuckled " ok let go " he said " will you be taking Khaat or want me to?" he asked knowing full well she would not be parted from Brian. Jack ported back to the hotel room and looked around it looked as if nothing had ever happened in it and Steven sat with a fresh cup of coffee.

" well it was just sitting there " he said and smiled seeing the box under Jacks arm " a gift for Jess?" he asked and Jack nodded placing it down on the table as he waited for Brian and Khaat to return.

" its an anniversary gift " he told him Steven just smiled and looked as Brian and Khaat returned "Good to see you again Khaat " he said " and in such a beautiful dress too"

"Thank you," Khaat signed as she and Brian got back. The rooms were sparking clean. Not a trace of anything out of place, and she appreciated. She looked at Steven, though, directly. She didn't know how she knew but she knew. Death had been in the room.

"Someone died. More than one?" she signed to him. "I want the truth."

"Khaat..." Brian began, anxious about her knowing about negative things. She turned to him.

"You said trouble was a normal part of our lives," she signed, looking at him. He stopped, thinking. The time away seemed to be doing her good. She wasn't so tentative and fearful. She seemed to have a bit of her own inner strength back. "I need to know," she signed. "I don't know how I know, but I know. Someone died in here this morning. Since I was gone. If you don't tell me when I'm right or when I'm wrong, how will I know when to trust myself and when not to?" She looked back at Jack and Steven. "If he won't tell me, I need one of you to be honest with me."

Jack stepped forward " A group of wear wolves came for you both, they attacked Brian, he defended himself and you, he managed to take down three wears on his own. " he said his face never looking away from her to show he spoke the truth Steven looked at Khaat and nodded.

" hes telling the truth" he said glancing at Brian hoping she would not ask how Jack knew they were wears. He did how ever see the necklace Khaat wore start to glow a little and looked to Brian. " that better be because of Jack?" he said to Brian. Jack stepped back and it lessened.

Khaat didn't have much of a reaction. If Brian said, this was part of their lives, she'd have to get used to it. Werewolves? This wasn't the first time those creatures had come up in what little time she could remember.

"Thank you," she signed to them. Then they brought up her necklace. She looked at it. It was glowing again.

"Was it doing that while you were with Tobias?" Brian asked.

"I don't know," she said. "I didn't look at it. Should I worry about it?"

"No," he smiled, kissing her nose. "You don't need to worry about a thing." She managed to go to the balcony and look out. She had seen a person in a trench coat and a hat earlier. She didn't know if he would still be down in the streets. But she didn't see much of anything.

"Do you see anything out there?" Brian called. She shook her head no. "Well," Brian said to Steven and Jack, "I dont' know whether its something to be concerned about or not. I guess I'll keep an eye on it and let you know if I need you again."

Jack breathed out when it stopped and he looked at Steven as he picked up the box for Jess." we'll let you settle and get back to report to Robert" he said Steven motioned he should go and he did leaving Steven with them he glanced down at the man in the hat folding his arms as he glared down at him. "Want me to follow him before I go?" he asked Brian keeping his eye on the man as he walked off down the canal. Steven frowned as he walked back into the living room.

On Brian's words he ported back to the main house and went to find Robert " have you sent any one to spy on Brian and Khaat there's a strange man hanging around under their balcony" he told him " black trench coat and hat " he said describing the man that he had seen.

"Its not my man. It could be Gelding, or It could well be Daniella. Who knows? That could be anybody," Robert said. "And unless they have access to be able to monitor what's going on inside the hotel room, then I doubt they will see very little. The rest of us are in hiding, so I would guess that all Gelding has left is to send someone to keep Khaat and Brian under surveilance. If I were in his place, its what I would do. They surely are the most vulnerable being by themselves. I'll send word to Daniella. I presume that Brian will do his best to protect both of them since he surely must be aware of it. Especially now.

"I've alerted my grandfather as well," Angus said, bringing Robert a fresh tea tray while he worked. "He's on his way to Venice within the hour. He wont' be staying in Brian's hotel. He'll be in the room directly across the canal."

"That is a stinky lousy hotel," Michael scowled. "I've been to that one."

"He knows," Angus said. "He is a wizard though. He won't intend to let his own room stay that way. But he will have a direct view straight across the canal to their room. And he wont' be intruding on them. And, as a seer, he may have an advantage to knowing when the rest of us might be needed to help protect them. He says you should have your fighters keep a bag packed, though, Robert. Just in case. And he's reserved rooms around his."

"Lovely. Just where I want to stay," MIchael sighed, bored with the prospect of a hotel he did not like.

"It really isn't that bad, but it is substandard for you, Michael," Angus laughed. "Its clean. Its just old."

"That's alright," Robert said. "So is Michael. It ought to work out just fine." Michael scowled.

Jack chuckled as did Steven "we'll have bags ready in case " Jack said to Robert as Steven nodded as well both knowing that they could be called into battle for Khaat and Brian. Jack stood with the box with the dress in and smiled " ok I got something I need to do " he said and left to find Jess who he found in the nursery . Taking her hand he lead her out into the garden and held out the box. " for you, Tobias said you'll love it" he said as Jess opened the box. Her eyes lit up a she saw the dress.

"ow Jack its beautiful " she said and hugged him " I wish I had something to give to you" she said and Jack held her as she looked down at her.

" You do, your heart " he said and she smiled kissing him gently.

" You had that years ago Jack" she said her hand on his heart " I lost my heart that day in the dance when you asked me to marry you and again in the barn when I found you all over again" she said softly as she held the dress.

Steven looked at Robert as Jack had left " you don't think they would be stupid to attack again...do you?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you? If you were being paid to kill someone and you couldn't find part of your targets but two of them were living unguarded, right out in the open, would that not be a powerful lure? Gelding is paying them exhorbitantly for our heads. Money is a powerful motivator for someone who has no conscience. Of course I think they'll try again," Robert said. "They'll be stupid if they dont'. They'll know that Khaat and Brian will almost surely come to wherever we're hiding to join us for Christmas. So they're working against time. I think Brian will be thinking ahead. If he wasn't before, then he'll surely be thinking about that now. It sounds like, for some odd reason, he wasn't entirely focused. I think he will be now.

"Speaking of focusing," Kate came in, took Robert's quill and set it aside. "Did you do that shopping I asked you to do?"

"Shopping?" he frowned at her. "When did you ask me to shop?"

"I knew you weren't paying attention," she scowled. She snapped her fingers and his paperwork swirled back into his bag, along with the quill, and the bag snapped shut and flew to her hands.

"Katherine," he frowned.

"Not til you take care of your Christmas obligations to your family. Go. Michael is waiting for you downstairs. Get your coat and get going."

"Downstairs?"

"You're going into the village. You cant apparate into a muggle village at their busiest time of year. You'll get caught no matter where you go. You'll have to take a car. Go."

"I thought you were in charge of shopping," he said.

"I am. And I'm delegating some of it to you. Now, go before you run out of time. You will not give people a handful of galleons for Christmas. Get," she said. He got up and looked at Steven and Angus. "If you need to go, you go. Don't wait for orders from me." He picked up his coat and headed downstairs.

Steven looked at Angus and then back at Kate " ok ok I'm out " he said and headed down to the garage for a care he chuckled passing Michael " he'll be down in a bit Kate's giving the orders now " he said grabbing key and heading out to the village for his shopping. Jack walked back in and saw Kate he knew what was going on as he spoke.

" done all mine last week " he said smiling Jess nodded.

" yeah he did " she said " its all wrapped and waiting to go under the tree" she said softly so the children would not hear her words.