Marriage is Murder

Jack and steven nodded " let him work it off he'll feel better for it" Jack said as Steven got a cup of tea and sat back Cassidy moved to Jim who laid out the chess board and now was teaching Cassidy some chess moves by the warm fire. Jack sat with Jess who looked at Kate.

" I do hope everything will be..." she paused and frowned " do you feel that Kate? " she asked taking Jacks hand as she hoped Kate had picked up on the extra energy that had appeared on the grounds " could that be him?" she asked.

"Yes," Kate said. "Its not one of ours. He's been here all day, but evidently he's using magic. Archangel,..." she summoned the bird. "Go to Khaat. Don't interfere, but if she's in trouble, come get us." He flew off.

"And why didn't you send us?" Angus asked.

"Because someone here has either said something or done something today thats made her uncomfortable with us," Kate said. "And she's clearly not going to talk about it, if she's not even telling Michael. I think perhaps giving her a bit of space unless she's in trouble would be best."

Jess nodded and looked at Jack " yeah that splintered door was a huge sign" she said and Jack nodded too as did Steven who was watching cassidy playing chess with Jim he moved to stand behind her.

"hows it going " he asked Cassidy looked up at him and smiled.

" ow I think I'm..." she paused as Jim made a move " well I thought I was ding well" she said and chuckled as she made her move taking his knight.

Khaat had been out quite a long time practicing with the man called Escobar. It was now well past dark, and she was very, very cold. She was shivering badly. She noticed her vampire friend had not noticed the cold whatsoever. But she wasn't good enough. She knew just a few basics now, but that wasn't what her father expected of her. Not to mention he expected her to be in perfect physical shape, and she didn't know how to get there. She was getting tired. She had been relentless in her efforts to do whatever magic this man was willing to teach her.

Robert had noticed Khaat had not come back in the house for dinner. Hell, everyone had noticed. He was debating on going outside to look for her. Archangel had come back, not because she was in danger but because he was getting entirely too cold. Brian was getting edgy. He put the kids to bed by himself and when he found she had still not come back, he got his coat.

"Kate, is Archangel up to going out again?" Brian asked.

"I should think so. He's been back long enough to warm up. He should be fine. You're going out then?" Kate asked.

"She's not come back. I have no choice," Brian said.

"Take someone with you," Robert said. "Its dark and cold."

Jack moved to Brian his coat in his hand and that of Khaats. " I'm coming" he said Steven shrugged his shoulders and stayed sat with Cassidy. Jess nodded she knew once he'd made up his mind there was no changing it . " she'll be cold and you might need a strong arm if Ecsobar tries anything" he said " vamps and wears have a...lets say history" he told him knowing he knew all to well about it . Jess chuckled as Jack spoke of the history.

" if you can call it that " she said and looked at Jack " just bring her back in one piece" she said and cassidy nodded her head before she took Jim's bishop much to his disbelief.

"Let's go, then," Brian said quietly. He wanted to try to talk to her about whatever it was that was bothering her. He was hoping he could convince her that he and she had no issue and that she could tell him anything. The walk was longer than he though tit was. "God, how far out did she go?" he asked, drawing his coat closer around him. "I don't see a fire. She could be frozen to death by now."

Escobar heard them coming long before they came over the rise. Without a syllable to her, he simply vanished without a trace, leaving her in the pitch dark in the cold. She froze. Now she did feel utterly defenseless. She was starting to feel she wasn't alone, and she was seeing the eyes of some of the animals that now were feeling freer to stalk her in the starless winter night.

Jack nodded and gave a low growl " just over there I can smell her perfume" he said and moved towards where he could smell her the coat held in his hand tight so he would not lose it as he knew Khaat would be cold with out it moving until, he could see her he stopped " I brought you your coat " he said and held it out knowing she would be scared of him after the explosion back in the room " look I'm not going to hurt you, but you need this coat your shivering and really cold if you don't get warm your going to get ill again real fast" he said and stepped forward to give her the coat.

Khaat heard footsteps crunching through the snow. They weren't working on being quiet, that was for certain. In the pitch blackness, she couldn't see who it was. But then she heard soft voices and there was a familiar ring to them. They weren't trying to be sneaky. It was just dark.

Then she smelled Brian's aftershave. She didn't run. After all, her father wanted her to be stronger, more independent. Whatever it was, it would have to meet her headon. And then she heard Jack's voice. Brian lit his wand, and she saw it was just them. Just Jack and Brian, and Jack had her coat. Her cloak wasn't warm enough. She put the coat on and then put the cloak back on, on top of the coat.

"You've been out here for hours," Brian hugged her. "Come get warm. Its too cold and dark and dangerous for anyone to be out alone here. Come inside." He wrapped her into a strong hug quietly, just to reassure her. He kissed her forehead. "You're as cold as ice. Now listen to me. Whatever it was that has you thinking you have to do whatever-it-is by yourself, you definitely don't have to do it all in one day. And you don't ever have to do anything without me. No one has the right to ask you that." She looked at him. She wasn't sure what to think. Everyone always deferred to her father, no matter what. "Come on," he smled. "How about some hot cocoa or tea and a hot bath to warm up with?" It sounded wonderful, but she didn't need catered to. She merely started to walk back towards the house.

Brian merely looked at Jack. Brian felt it was going to take hours of talking with her to get her to tell him what had her so turned around so quickly. He had the feeling it was going to be a long night.

Jack let Khaat take her coat glad she had as he saw her shivering where she stood stepping back he watched Brian walk over to her and wrap his arms around her " I'll get back and get some warm tea ready " he said and paused in case Brian had anything to say to him, any orders he had to do first. Steve stood on the balcony watching the woods in the direction they had gone.

" its been a while I hope they found her" he said and glanced back at Cassidy who didn't seemed bothered as she looked down at her chess board as she took a pawn from Jim who rubbed his chin and became deep in thought.

"That's fine. Thank you, Jack," Brian said quietly. Khaat was glad he didn't question her about anything on the way back. He didn't pressure her. She knew it was coming but she was glad it hadn't happened yet.

"I'll have to have a word, I suppose," Robert said softly to Kate and sighed.

"Don't you dare," Kate said. "She's not a child anymore. If anyone has first right, its Brian. You and Michael had your chance and clearly you made it worse. Leave it alone now."

"Made it worse? Wait a minute," Robert frowned. "What on earth did I do?"

"You never do anything, do you? Nothing is ever your fault...."

"What exactly is it you think I've done?"

"I have no clue, but she was fine last night, and she wasn't this morning. And the only one up when this happened was you...."

"And that is entirely not true," Robert said. "BUt if I did do something, I'll make it right with her."

"You'd better because clearly, in the last few hours, she's been more comfortable with a dark vampire than with us. So somebody had better unravel this."