Marriage is Murder

jack breathed out when he saw Brian back to normal Jess walked out and over to them smiling " Khaat we all have done it in the past , I for one made a fellow student turn bright pink for several days , cassidy well she's still learning even now , jack he...hum I don't know what he's done" she said seeing him walk out to stand with her.

" I turned a girl into a kitten in transfiguration class and blew up the green house's, its normal" he said as Jess nodded to her " don't feel bad , hey you turned me into a yellow duck and then threatened to turn me into a bug to go in one of Roberts bug jars once" he said Jess chuckled .

"Well you were being an ass, Jack " she said and he pulled a little boy lost look and .

" Well yeah that too" he chuckled " but there all fond memories that we'd never want changed, we're use to it Khaat." he smiled at her hoping to reassure her she'd done nothing wrong.

"What you turn me into?" Brian looked at Khaat.

She didn't know the sign for statue. "A rock," she signed.

"A rock?" He frowned. "Well if you're going to do it, at least you could get a bit more imaginative about it." She looked at him blankly. "Dont' I deserve better than a rock?"
She was completely confused.

"I'm sure we can convince her to be a bit more creative next time," Michael said. "Would you rather be a teacup or a really cheeky looking hat?"

"Oh, a hat. Definitely," Brian said. "Preferably a Stetson."

"Work on that, would you, Khaat?" Michael looked at her.

"You lot do realize she's clueless, don't you?" Kate asked.

Jack and Jess smiled nodding " yep, but its ok " Jack said with a smile as he took Jess's hand leading her back inside to warm back up with Steven who had heard the last part of the conversation.

"Ow good choice, but wouldn't you prefer a fedora?" he said as he walked over to them all" they go on adventures and stuff" he chuckled " now me I would prefer to be a comfortable pair of slippers nice and warm and fluffy" he looked at them all " yes I did say fluffy"

"A fedora? Nah, that's Michael's style," Brian said. "I wanna be a Stetson."

"The problem for you," Michael teased Brian, "is that I make fedoras look good."

"And that will last until I put mine on. Khaat did buy me one," Brian said. "I just don't wear it a lot."

"When did I buy you a hat?" she signed to him.

"My dear, you've bought me closets full of clothes," Brian said.

"Thats true," Robert said. "You got sick of him having about four pairs of jeans and four shirts. He'd have never had those walk in closets if you hadn't decided he needed some clothes. Anyway, he seems to be no more damaged than he was before you hexed him. He looks normal to me. Feel free to practice on him all you want. He's used to it." She shook her head quickly. It had rattled her.

"You take things too seriously," Brian said. "You okay now?" She shrugged. She was still trying to figure that out.

"

Cassidy watched and smiled as Brian was returned to normal she walked out and stood with them hearing them talk about hats her arms folded across her chest. " why are you talking about hats?" she asked looking at them all " ah she didn't turn you into a hat did she?" cassidy chuckled " bet it was a flowery one with pink ribbon" she looked at Jack.

" no just to stone " he said casually cassidy chuckled and looked at Brian then back to Jack.

" really? wow, sorry I missed that, not seen that hex in a long time" she said " well not since my father..." she trailed off but pulled herself back and smiled to Khaat " nice work, got to teach me that one some day" Jack chuckled.

" why so you can turn Steven into a stone statue ?" he said cassidy laughed out loud.

" maybe" she said and glanced back at the house where Jim and Steven both stood

Brian was glad that the others were responding with humor as well, but he saw she was still a bit rattled.

"There are things in the magic world to take seriously, but this is not one of them," he said to her. "Its alright to relax about this. You'll get more comfortable with this just by using it--a step at a time. You don't need to know it all at once." She scowled at him. That had been just exactly what they had been arguing about. Brian looked at Robert. "Did you or did you not toss her into the deep end of the proverbial pool without any swimming lessons?"

"What?" Robert frowned. "Are we talking about her training?"

"She does know how to swim. What did you think I was talking about?"

"Did I toss her in without a lifeline? Certainly not," Robert said. "I merely said it was time to start to attempt to get in the water--if I'm following your analogy. One does not learn without doing. It is time you actually started learning again, Khaat. That's all. What did you think I meant?"

"I know what you meant," she signed to him. He frowned, sensing her anger.

"I see," he replied.

Steven and Jack both looked at each other moving back indoors leaving Khaat to Robert and Brain Jess saw James at the door and sighed " seems one of the kids has escaped " she said and chuckled as she moved to the door and picked him up walking up to the nursery . Cassidy sighed and moved back indoors to continue her game of chess with Jim who now stood watching from inside before he too returned to his game leaving Robert and the others with Khaat knowing if he was needed they could just ask for his help. Cassidy went and cut her bread returning with several slices for every one to try.

"Calm," Brian told Khaat softly. "Its not as bad as it feels. You were out there practicing by yourself?"

"No," Michael said, "She wasn't. She was working with Escobar. He was training her. Clearly." Brian bristled.

"You dont' need to go to our enemy for skill training. Or did you not remember that training is what I do?" She socked him hard in the arm.

"And you don't remember this is ME! The woman that is dumber than a box of rocks about this!" she signed.

"And thats what you were supposed to come to us for," Brian said quietly. "Do me a favor and leave the vampires alone."

Michael, Angus, Kate and Robert picked up slices of Cassidy's bread. "Very nice," Angus said. "You're learning. Well done."

Cassidy smiled " thanks to Angus he taught me" she said and smiled as she placed the plate down for any one else who wanted some before she moved to sit with Steven and Jess , Jack stood watching and sighed.

"when is she going to realize were not her enemies but her friends she can ask for help" he said standing with his arms folded across his chest as she watched and listened to Khaat and Brian talking close by.

Kate patted Robert on the shoulder.

"Lovely diplomacy, there, Robert," she said sarcastically. "Do try to make amends before she elopes with Escobar, won't you?"

"Elope?" Khaat signed, confused.

"Vampires can bewitch whomever they wish," Brian said. "And he would very much like to bewitch you again."

"He didn't bewitch me. He's a nice man," she said.

"Sure he is," Michael said sarcastically.

"At any rate," Kate said, going over towards Jack. "This isn't about anything you lot have done or haven't done. Clearly her father set some goals out for her that felt beyond her and somehow made her feel that she was responsible for figuring out how to do this herself. And, not knowing even where to begin, she probably turned to Escobar simply because she ran into him by accident. She would not have known to seek him out. He either was looking for her, or she found him by accident."