Marriage is Murder

Jess backed off and let Robert do his work she moved gathering bandages and things she felt they would need " got them Robert " she said and followed Brian as he walked over to Khaat Ice packs now wrapped in towels as she followed them upstairs and into Khaat's and Brian's room placing everything next to the bed for Robert to use when he was ready Jess moved back and watched she knew that the ribs would heal with help and the damage to her ankle and knee the muscles would and could be healed too with Roberts expert healing ability would be easy to do. " I'm here when you are Robert if you need me " she said and watched still learning from him and developing as a healer.

Robert wrapped her ribs first and then tore her jeans and wrapped her knee and her ankle. Her ribs were brusing already, and her ankle and her knee were swelling. She had a knot on the back of her head. She woke as he was wrapping her knee. She had a miserable headache.

"Jess, we're going to pack the knee and the ankle in ice for a bit," Robert said. "Khaat, do you remember what happened?" She thought for a moment. Then she nodded. "Tell me," he said. "That's not like you."

"I just tripped," she said. "Missed the step."

"Are you sure thats all it was?" he asked. She nodded. He wasn't buying it but he said nothing. He decided he was just going to keep a closer eye on her for awhile. There were a number of possibilities about what might have caused it, but utter clumsiness just wasn't Khaat. Not without a reason. Not usually.

He drew off the pain and saw her visibly relax. "I know that hurts. That should hold for awhile, so long as you behave. Jess, put her cane near her bed, please. She'll need it when she gets up."

"I can keep her company," Brian said. She didn't want Brian to feel like he had to babysit her. She looked at him and shook her head.

"I won't be missing anything," he reassured her. "All I want is here. Well, you and the kids. It'll be alright."

"I think she could be up if she isn't walking on her own," Robert said. "Give her a little bit to rest, and then she could be up for dinner perhaps. I wouldn't simply write off Christmas for her just yet."

Jess did as requested and nodded when he asked for Khaat's stick lacing it beside the bed as she packed the knee and ankle with the ice packs " there " she said and smiled " that should feel better" she listened to Khaat and looked at Robert seeing the look on his face she knew he didn't believe her and nether did Jess she could feel something was not right and it was more than Khaat was not telling them everything. Jess finished her packing of the knee and moved back letting Brian into her place. Jack walked in and moved to Jess breathing out as he too heard she was going to be alright.

Angus came up with a cup of tea for her and set it beside her. "Thought you might need a cup of tea. Seems to help whenever any of us get rattled." She nodded, appreciating it. Robert handed the cup to her and caught a sniff, unintentionally, of the tea. He handed it to her, not revealing anything.

"Alright," he told her. "We're going to go and let you rest. If your pain gets out of hand, do let us know." She nodded. Robert followed Angus out of the room. He walked a few steps from the door and stopped Angus. "Seer's tea? How did you manage to do that without it having much aroma to it?"

"Its mixed with almond tea," Angus said.

"And what told you she needed it?"

"I guessed," he said. "I know her. Didn't she see something?"

"If she did, she didn't say."

"That's not like her," Angus frowned.

"Oh, yes it is. It depends on what she saw. I trust Brian knows her better," Robert said. "I don't trust her right now. Not until I know what she's seen, if thats what it was."

Jess moved out into the hallway with jack as she then walked she over heard Robert and Angus talking " um.. I got that feeling too that she was not telling us everything " she said and looked at Jack then at Robert and Angus before she moved down stairs to wait for them both she said no more about hos or what she had felt knowing Kate or Robert would know eventually what had happened to make her fall down the stairs as she did.

" must have been something big " Jack said as he sat with Jess who nodded.

" she'll say when shes ready , right now I think she doesn't want to burden us with her thoughts" she said

Fi had been with the kids who were playing in the nursery, and she had a handful of papers in her hand and went to Kate.

"Kate," she said. "I dont' want to trouble you, but the kids were coloring, and Abbey's got some odd drawings."

"Let me see," Kate said. The pieces of paper looked like mere scribbles. But two of them caught her eye. There were brown blobs and scribbles of red on one. On the second there was a yellow blob and a black scribble next to the yellow one and on the other side of the black scribble were more brown scribbles. "Did she tell you about them?" Kate asked.

"She said the brown bits are doggies," Fi said. "Does that makes sense?"

"Yes," Kate said. "What did she tell you about the other one?"

"Nothing."

"Then perhaps we should ask her what the other drawing is."

Jack looked up as Kate was told about Abby's pictures he knew the doggies meant wears and he was not pleased he said nothing Jess moved to look at the pictures too and sighed not knowing what was being said in them but he could tell by the colors it was not good. " could this be part of her infant magic?" he asked Kate hoping and having a feeling it was " you don't think this is what Khaat saw , they are close and have seen each others memories before" he added Jess nodded to him her own thoughts echoing his as she sat and looked at them all.

" has happened before remember" she said taking the drawings from Jack and looking at them trying to see in them what Abby had.

"I on't think Khaat's seers pwers are working much better than Abbey's right at the moment," Kate said. "But Abbey is very bonded to her mother. Always has been. But if Khaat saw something that frightened her, then it might well have been enough that it was a strong enough fear that Abbey picked up on that fear and then perhaps on a glimpse of what her mother saw. I doubt she has much more than whats here in the drawing, but we surely could ask her. She's a bright child."

Kate got up and took the drawings and went to the nursery where Abbey was playing with a doll house. Kate went over and sat with her on the floor and played with her a few minutes before she said, "You did some beautiful drawings, Darling." Abbey nodded, preoccupied with the doll house. "Tell Grandma about them," she said, putting the drawings on the floor.

"Doggies," Abbey said, shrugging.

"Okay," Kate said. "And who are these people?" Kate pointed to the yellow and the black marks.

"Mama and a man."

"Who's the man?"

"I no know," Abbey said.

"You haven't seen him before?"

"No."

"What's he doing? He looks like he's between Mama and the doggies." Abbey nodded.

"Is he with the doggies?" Kate asked.

"No," Abbey said. "He no like doggies."

"Ah. So is he watching out for Mama?"

"I no know," Abbey shrugged. "He just there."

Jess looked at Kate as Abby spoke to Abby about the Jess listened and looked at them " hum so the man's not with them but not helping her ether , a neutral " she looked to Jack and he walked over to them and looked at the pictures.

"Best not push any more and let it run its course " he said " right now the just drawings" he said and Jess nodded moving to stand next to him.

" I agree , Khaat will tell us soon enough it could be just a memory" she said hoping it was just that.

"We don't know he's a neutral," Kate said, "He could well be helping her. Abbey didn't know. There is an old saying that goes 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend.' If he doesn't like doggies, then that might well make him a dfender of her. Look--he's between her and them. Abbey, these are lovely drawings. Can I keep them, please?" Abbey nodded, already back playing with the dollhouse. Kate was glad that Abbey was always relatively untouched by things like this. Kate got up off the floor and motioned the rest of them out of the playroom with her.

"I think I will go see Robert," Kate said.

"Best not," Michael said, finding them in the hallway. "He's in some deep conversation with someone by floo. Anything I can help with?"

"Michael," she stroked his cheek, smiling, "You are a consumate art expert, but I doubt you're a pro at art by two year olds."

"Is Abbey seeing things again?" he frowned.

"I think so," Kate said. He reached for the papers and took them from Kate. He looked at them for a moment.

"Werewolves again," he sighed.

"How did you get that out of that?" Kate frowned.

"Thats what her werewolves always look like," Michael laughed. "Thats not hard. Who's the dude in black with Khaat?"

"How did you get that?"

"Khaat's always the yellow scribble. Abbey remembers her hair. Who's the dude with her?"

"She doesn't know."

"I bet she knows more than she realizes. I'll be right back." With drawings in hand, he went to see Abbey.

"How much you want to bet he comes back with more than I did?" Kate laughed.