Marriage is Murder

Jess smiled at the interaction between Robert and Khaat she nodded she agreed with his words Cassidy seem to listen intently as well having not met Rob she real didn't like the man. Jess heard her scoff and looked at Cassidy. I hate to say this but sounds like some one should really take a bat to his lower parts " she said frowning " to leave a woman like that and a new born child hes really not a man" she said sitting back Jess chuckled but spoke softly.

" Cassidy that's in the past Khaat and Abby are both safe well and happy" she said " and that's all that matters at this moment" she looked to Robert to confirm she had spoken wisely.

"At the time, you loved him," Robert told Khaat. "And up until about the time you went into labor, you believed he loved you. He turned out to...."

"He was a drug dealer," she signed slowly.

"Yes," Robert said. "How did you know that?"

"I don't know," she signed. "He wasn't anything like what he said he was."

"No. He wasn't. And he left you the night you delivered Abbey. It was a dangerous delivery. You almost died. I needed another healer to help me, and I summoned Brian from Paris to help me. That was the night he walked back into your life, and he's never left you. I do try not to interfere in your love life, but you truly are in better hands now. He's very good for you."

"Why didn't we get together in the first place?" she signed.

"Because both of you were commitment phobic," He laughed. "He went to work in Paris, and you stayed on the farm. You worked a bit in a gift shop in the village, but you really weren't into using your gifts or doing much more than that."

"Then...how did I meet everyone else?"

"Did you and Khaat meet in the Leaky Cauldron?" Robert asked Jess.

Jess shivered and nodded " yes it was after...that dark time , I was taken away , wasn't sure by who Robert dealt with that, I was hurt cold and very unwell I'd been beaten and whipped , I still have the scars but it was Jack who never gave up looking for me, we were married in our last dance in the school, any way when he found me by the fire place I was not this woman I was thin and drawn and had no memory of who or what had happened to me, Khaat came with Jack, he didn't know what had happened to me and I think he was working for you already, well I didn't know him but feelings told me he was some one special. " she said and smiled " when I was well and several months after finding me we discovered I was carrying the twins, of course both are Jacks no dough about that. " she smiled again " but if it hadn't been for you and Jack I would probably have taken up with some one else with no knowledge of who I was"

"I thought you were married on Valentines Day in a double ceremony with Rob and Khaat," Robert frowned. "Or was that merely a vow renewal? I do distinctly remember attending a double ceremony on my own farm three years ago."

Khaat was no help. She didn't remember either one. Brian came up and found them.

"I thought you were watching the game," she signed.

"Nah," he said.

"Your team losing?" Robert asked.

"No. Winning. Its completely one sided. We're ahead 54 to nothing, and its in the fourth quarter. It just looks a bit ridiculous now. Can I borrow my wife?"

"Borrow away," Robert laughed. Brian took Khaat and they went to the front door where Kieran had her coat and Brian's waiting.

"Where are we going?" she signed.

"Just come with me," he smiled. He helped her with her coat. He took her outside where a beautiful antique sleigh waited with two beautiful big geldings waited, harnessed to it, with bells on the reigns. She looked at him. It was picture perfect. "Come on," he smiled. He helped her in, got in beside her and took the reigns from the horseman who held them for him. "We're going to want that big heavy quilt," he told her. He draped it across their laps and slid her close to him. They settled back with his arm around her and he urged the horses forward across the snowy ground.

Robert glanced out the window. "Looks like Brian decided to get the sleigh out instead. If you ladies think you'd like your husbands to take you, I'd tell Kieran. Those belgians love to work. They'd enjoy taking you all in turns for a ride on the grounds. And the views here in the Colorado mountains in the winter are spectacular. Not something to miss."

Jess looked at Robert " remarried it was a renewing of vows because everything was lost to me, Jack thought it would be nice " she said and smiled " just as good as a first wedding" she looked at her wedding ring now holding scratches and a small dint on one side " I was found with nothing, no ring rags for clothes and as I said no memory, I guess Jack felt he wanted to make things right in my mind so remarried me, it was wonderful, no Robert your not losing your mind, we did have a double wedding with Khaat and Brian, but theirs was very special, as it was a joining of spirits that waited long past its time." she smiled as she looked at Robert " Khaat and I are lucky women, we have men who stand at our sides and share that bond of a strong love." she smiled seeing Jack shaking his head at the screen and sat back in her chair and sat quiet.

Khaat was amazed at the beauty of being in the mountains in the snow. And it didn't hurt that they needed to cuddle to keep warm. She didn't like the cold, but she did like cuddling. The sunlight glistening off the snow made it a sparkling, magical afternoon.

"What are your plans for us?" she signed.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I...have no purpose right now," she said. "I cant work, I cant..."

"You don't need to work unless you want to. We have money. I'm not worried. Take the time you need to heal."

"You sure?" she asked.

"Positive," he replied. "Just enjoy the time off. You don't get it very often."

When he pulled the sleigh back to the front of the drive, a horseman took the reigns from him, and Brian got out and lifted her out of the sleigh back onto the ground. He took her back inside, and Angus met them at the drive with large stoneware mugs with hot cocoa to warm up with.

"Looks like the sleigh is back," Robert told the others. "Anybody want to go while the horses are still hitched up?"

Cassidy looked longingly at Steven who chuckled " ok cassidy get your coat " he said and she dove for her returning with a big grin as Steven took her by the hand and lead her down to the sleigh then together they headed out . Jess stood with Jack and smiled.

" I prefer the warmth " she said and hugged Jack before moving to the fire and sitting next to it rewarming herself beside it Jack handed her a mug as he walked out of the kitchen and over to her Jim chuckled and walked out with a mug of his own.

" They will be quite cold when they come back " he said as he sat facing Jess as Jack sat next to her.

"You clearly haven't been on a sleigh ride before, Jess," Robert laughed. "It can be quite warm and cozy. You have no clue what you're missing, do you? Alright, I do have things to do, Christmas or not. If you'll all excuse me." He left them.

Khaat wanted her sweater. She didn't think twice about going to get it. She set her mug aside and went upstairs. Just as she got to the top of the stairs she saw darkness, hideous violence. bloodshed, death. She wasn't sure what it was. It had happened too fast. But her head spun. The next thing she knew things were going black and she was falling.

Angus was heading to the dining room with a platter of Christmas cookies when he saw Khaat falling down the stairs. She had almost fallen from the top clear to the bottom, when he intervened immediately with an Arresto Momentum. She stopped on one of the bottom stairs and he rushed to her limp form, already shouting for anyone that would hear him.

Jess stood up and ran where Angus was kneeling beside Khaat " ROBERT YOUR NEEDED!! " she called " don't move her until Roberts checked her she could have damaged her neck" she told him her hands placed beside Khaat's head removing the pain she might have. Jack moved over and placed a blanket over Khaat as they waited for Robert to get to them every one hoping she would be alright and have nothing bad as she'd already gone through a lot Jack stepped back as he let Jess check her over Jess was puzzled but said nothing as she focused on keeping any bruising to a minimum.

Brian heard them calling for Robert, and he went quickly and found Khaat at the bottom of the stairs. He knelt beside her and began checking her quickly, not saying a syllable, his heart feeling like it was beating out of his chest. He found blood on the back of her head. He did not want to know that she'd hit her head again.

"Stop the panic," Robert's voice came from behind them all. "Accidents happen. Let me see." He saw the blood on Brian's fingers and merely knelt beside her. He checked her quickly. "There are no broken bones. I don't know how she avoided that, but she did. She's relatively lucky." He slid his hand behind her head and felt the bleeding wound. It closed to his touch. "That will give her even more of a headache to contend with, but it could have been worse too. Wait..." He began checking more carefully. "Ah. There. Two cracked ribs, and she's twisted her ankle and her knee--both on the same leg. But otherwise, she's unharmed. I expect she may have a few bruises, but that could damned well have killed her otherwise. I dont' know how she escaped that."

"May I, then?" Brian asked.

"Yes," Robert said. Brian picked her up and carried her to her room. "Jess, let's get some bandages and sports wraps to stabilize the ribs and the knee and the ankle. We're going to need some ice packs, and I'll simply draw off whatever pain remains when she wakes up."