Marriage is Murder

Jack too a drink and smiled feeling the shill leave his body " god that's so good Angus" he smiled and added marshmallow and sat down to continue to drink on the mention of food he looked over and laughed " are you sure about that I can eat my fill " he said and chuckled as Jess joined him with her cup with peppermint sweets in it and she sat next to him smiling as she saw the sleeping Khaat. Jess and Jack sat listening to Michael and then Brian said she was fine .

" Im glad shes doing so well " Jess said smiling as she sipped her drink " but I wonder when her voice will return too" she sighed a little " it so must be frustrating for her"

"There's enough to fill even you up," Michael said to Jack. "And, I'm guessing that even with all the people we have here, there will be leftovers."

"What'd he do, send us a trawler load?" Brian frowned.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Michael said. "Angus is making some sublime crabcakes with a dill aoli for one of the appetizers, some shrimp cocktail, deep fried calamari, some lobster fritters, and thats just some of the appetizers. There is a soup course with cioppino, a seafood stew, and two other soups. A salad course that has 10 different salads. Dinner is a whole buffet of classics--lobster newburg, shrimp scampi with Angus's homemade spinach pasta in a garlic butter, and, well, the list goes on and on. And a huge dessert buffet that will take up one of our big 6 foot long tables--if he can get it all squeezed in on one table. Oh, and I forgot--h'e got one table just for all the different beverages."

"Has he been cooking around the clock since he got here?" Brian frowned.

"No, but he does have an enormous kitchen crew. He's been working on some secret project that he isn't even letting me see. I've been allowed to do whatever I want in the kitchen except see what he's doing.

"Oh...and one more thing...Kieran has commissioned something special for the kids for tonight. He's had a special kid sized table and chair set that will accommodate all the kids in the compound at one table, and he's got plenty of staff to supervise. He and Angus have been working on making this very special for all of the kids."

at the mention of all the food Jack fell back in his chair " wow hold on there, stop your making me hungry already " he said and chuckled as did Jess and Cassidy both shook their heads but on mention of the table Jess smiled broadly.

"awe the children will love that a table of their own to sit at " she said and grinned thinking of them all at there own smaller version of the adults table. Cassidy sat quiet deep in thoughts of Christmas and how until she had come to the organization she had not known what it was to be this happy now she did she was not going to let her children know her hardships.

"You might actually get your fill tonight, Jack," Brian laughed. He was about to speak again when Khaat woke with a hard jolt. She had been sleeping so deeply that at first, she wasn't sure where she was.

"You're alright," Brian reassured her quickly, wrapping himself around her. "You were dreaming. Calm down a second and breathe." Michael went over to her and crouched in front of her, looking at her.

"When you dream like that, it always means something," Michael said softly. "Tell us what you were dreaming about."

"I..don't know," she signed. "It doesn't make sense."

"Try us."

"I saw locks of my hair...taken from me when I was in the dark...where you found me. Parts of my clothes....Blood...They took it on purpose," she signed, confused.

"Don't you worry about that for one moment," Brian reassured her. "You're safe here. That does help us, believe me. But its not something to worry about." He glanced quickly at the rest of them to make sure that he understood it and wanted to be sure the protections were geared up.

Jack chuckled and looked at them " always a first time" he said and looked at Jess who chuckled too but then quickly looked to Robert at Khaat's description she said nothing but would ask him later if they were making charms to allow them to enter the ranch undetected she didn't want to spoil the wonderful night they were having and so just looked to Michael and Robert and looked worried.

Jack seeing this sighed and held her close " let it go Jess, at least for a few hours " he told her and she lent back against . Steven felt Cassidy growing heavy against him as and he looked down seeing her sleepy now.

"We're going to eat in perhaps an hour," Michael said to them. "Bring your appetites. I'd better go make sure they're setting up the buffets the way we want them." he turned back to Khaat. "It'll be okay, Sweetheart. Its only additional information for us about where you've been and maybe what might have happened to you while you were gone. Brian's right. You're safe." He smiled at her and returned to the kitchen.

Kate and Robert came into the Great Hall with the others. "Sorry we were late," Robert said. "We set a small gift out for each child to open after dinner. We put them under the big tree in the dining room. Its not a big thing. But it should make it a bit easier to get the kids to sleep when they go to bed tonight."

"Thank you," Brian smiled. "Every little bit helps."

"Indeed," Robert laughed.

Jess smiled and nodded " yes very I believe they have been making the nursery staff work for their money " she said and Jack chuckled. Steven nudged Cassidy who woke up and looked at him.
" sorry guess the fresh air got to me" she said and he held her close to him.

" that's okay but we wouldn't want you to miss dinner now would we" he said and cassidy looked over at Jack .

" what hes not eaten it all?" she said and this made Jess laugh out loud and Jack pout.

" no, no I haven't but I will if we don't eat soon|" he said and smiled knowing this was all in and they could know he could take a ribbing even if it was at his own expence.

It wasn't long before Michael called them all to the dining room. Robert and Kate went together, and Brian took Khaat to the dining room. There were buffet tables that went down one full wall of the long dining room. It started with appetizers, went to salads, then soups, then main courses, side dishes, beverages, and a separate table with desserts.

Khaat didnt remember seeing a bigger spread in her entire life. It was stunning. "Do you want me to fix you a plate?" Brian asked her quietly.

She shook her head no. She wanted to see this for herself. He picked up a plate for her and walked beside her and filled it for her with the items she wanted and in the portion sizes she wanted. He ended up with a plate with tastes of the appetizers and salads, and a plate of tastes of all the main dishes and side dishes that she wanted. He helped her to the table and got her some soup cups with just a few spoonfuls of each type of soup so she could try them. She didn't have more than a taste of everything but it ended up giving her a nice sized salad plate and a nice sized dinner plate.

He got her drink--one of Angus's sodas--and after settling her at the table, he went back and got his own plates, deciding to just levitate them in the air. He ended up with a large salad plate, two different cups of soup, and a dinner plate with a large assortment of the dishes offered, along with a glass of iced tea. He levitated the to the table and put them at his plate.

He glanced over to the children's table. It had been made to fit in with the decor of the log cabin, and had been enchanted for Christmas to look like the table and chairs were made of frosted and decorated gingerbread. The kids were delighted and were already happily munching on fish sticks, popcorn shrimp, and french fries. They were all jabbering to each other, and for Brian it was nice to see them so happy.

He sat down beside Khaat. "It looks amazing, doesn't it?" he smiled. She nodded.

jack smiled seeing thedinning room and the table " ok that is alot and yeah I'd strugle " he said and Jess chuckled as she walked down the row of food taking what she liked an wanted to try soon she had half filled her plate and moved to sit down Jack on the other hand filled his plate and sat next to her. " what Im hungry" he said and began to eat.

" Jack your alwys hungry " Steven said with his modist sized plate of food as di Cassidy all smiled listening and watching as the children ate and jabbered to each other at their table. Jess looked over at Khaat and smiled happy to see the two of them togther and so much in love.

"You outdid yourselves," Robert said, delighted at finding fresh scallops on the buffet.

"Indeed," Kate said, enjoying lobster thermadore. "This surely is not how you spent Christmas Eve in Tuscany, Angus. It would have taken you a week to cook it."

"Not as extensive a menu, but yes, there is always a lot of fresh seafood," Angus laughed. Robert saw Archangel fly in and start to scan the room. He was followed by Max and Mo who wandered in, sniffing the air.

"Guess who else smelled the seafood," Robert laughed.

"I've got them covered," Angus said. He called for staff who brought a whole trout for Archangel and dishes of fresh salmon for Max and Mo.

"You aren't spoiling them, are you?" Robert asked.

"No, its Christmas," Angus said. "We all deserve a bit of spoiling. Don't forget that big dessert buffet, Everyone."

"And are we having leftovers tomorrow?" Robert asked.

"No, no. I have different plans for Christmas day," Angus said.