Marriage is Murder

Jim looked at Brian and sighed shaking his head he heard Robert count down and held up his want shouting as clear as he could "Finite!" he stood strong as the spell worked around them. Jack watched all of them and felt the spell working around them. Jess looked to Jack and took his hand. Jack smiled and nodded he understood and Jess smiled Cassidy stood watching them mesmerized buy how they could stop a spell in one go in all directions and with such a strong spell.

Brian watched as items resized and tipped over on the floor, now motionless, the animation gone.

"Well done," Robert smiled, lowering his wand. "That seems to have done it. I trust the staff can put things to rights now. I think that one is undone."

"Then I shall get back to my sketch," Kate yawned, putting her wand away.

"And I need to get back to my own work," Michael said, leaving them.

"I'm sorry, Robert," Brian said, "I shouldn't have...."

"Brian," Robert said. "What we did was casting a net to cover the house to undo the animations. We had things running about the entire house. It wasn't particularly difficult, but I don't have that sort of power to catch that many things running about a house this size. It was a simple error of magic, not a crime. She's not doing anything a great many students have done. The difference is that student magic is contained in a classroom. She's still trying to do it by herself, and it takes us by surprise."

"I need to get her to stop that," Brian sighed.

"Yeah, well, good luck with that," Robert said.

Jim chuckled and slipped away his wand moving back to the chess board " ok Cassidy where were we" he said and sat back down as if nothing had happened Cassidy shook her head and chuckled herself as she made her move. Jack sat with Jess and drank his coffee , taking out his vial he downed his dose of wolfbane for the day. Jess smiled and nodded she took that as a sign he knew he was late on his dose.

Jim looked up as Steven walked over to the book case and sighed " okay, I'm going down to the swimming pool for some laps, I need to work of some tension's of my own. " he said and moved down the stairs transferring his clothes as he went.

Brian knew that all of this was creating great stress on everyone. He understood Khaat's stress, and knew that for some reason a good number of her 'first string' staff weren't coping very well. Jack had needed to have a 'readjustment', and now Steven was feeling like he wasn't going to cope well.

"I think we need to talk," Brian said to those who remained. "I'm thinking that we need to allow everyone to take some time off to spend with their families. This is, for some reason, very stressful for everyone."

"I'm not opposed to giving that," Robert said. "What do the rest of you think?"

Jack looked up at Robert and Brian he just nodded then looked at Jess who took his hand and smiled gently at him " we all need it I feel Robert" she said cassidy looked up at them from the chess board and gave a sigh.

"Steven and I could go to Tuscany spend some time in the villa, with the children " she said and smiled at the thought of going back there and doing some redecorating something she had not even though she could do.

" I think Jack and I will stay in the cabin and enjoy being a family with the kids again" she said smiling as Jack nodded " though Robert could you readjust his potion seems not to be as strong now" she said Jack smiled and chuckled.

"Yeah,been feeling it over the last few days its not been doing as it should. " he said handing him the small bottle and sitting back down.

"It's not the bloody potion," Robert said, handing the bottle back. "Its not like wolfsbane comes in different forms. The problem is that you don't manage your anger well. You don't have an issue until you get pissed off. When that happens, you don't deal. If you want my suggestion on how to turn this around, I'd say you need to take your holiday time and spend part of it with Jeffrey learning how to learn how to deal with anger in a more manageable way. We can't have someone here who just periodically needs to have the crap beaten out of him before he gets back under control. When you're not angry, you're fine. This isn't about the potion, its about you."

"I'm giving you all two months," Brian said. "You've got from now until March 1st."

"Are you sure, Brian?" Robert frowned. "That's fairly extensive."

"I'm very sure," Brian said quietly.

"And where will you have them report back to?" Robert asked.

"Probably back in England," Brian said. "If Khaat and I arent' there, I would imagine we would still remember how to send an owl."

"Well," Robert said. "You heard the man. March first, you're due to be back at Brian's estate in England. Any questions?"

Jack looked at Robert then at Jess who just gave him a' well hes right' look and he chuckled " ok two weeks with Jeffery I'll owl him this afternoon" he said and Jess smiled he was about to ask Jess what she would do when cassidy spoke up.

" Jess and the kids are coming to our villa so don't worry she needs a break just as you do, we'll do the old hot water spar in the Roman Baths in Potsdam Germany, then the beach and ow yeah shopping lots of shopping." she said and grinned Jess smiled to Jack and nodded.

" well sounds like I have a full two weeks " she said and Cassidy laughed moving to sit with her.

"Hey time you treated your self too" she said and looked to Robert " we'll be fine , Steven and I will head out tomorrow if that's okay" she said Jess looked at him also.

" yeah we need time to pack" she said softly and looked to Kate" Cassidy's right we all need pampering every so often Kate you too, we'll be back March first" she said smiling.

"Thats fine," Robert said. As they left to go pack, Robert looked at Brian. "And what will you do during that time?"

"We, Robert. We. I expect you do work on escalating the healing of Khaat's head injury."

"That presents high risk, and you know it," Robert said.

"Yes, and I explained that to her. Its a risk she and I are willing to take. You do what you do well, and I will do my part. Its her choice, and I support her. She does not want to live like this anymore, and I understand it. We choose to take the risk."

"Very well, then," Robert said. "Kate, pack for us. We will be going with them. Brian, find someone to take the kids for at least the next two weeks please. After that, the going will be decidedly easier. Oh, and you do need to pack as well."

Jess helped Jack pack the kids things and her own while he packed for himself Cassidy fund Steven who agreed and dried off walking to their room he smiled as he kissed her gently "Time off is good and I love the idea of Tuscany " he said and packed his things then both of them packed for the kids packing summer clothes while Jack and Jess packed winter since they were staying in the cabin not far from the main house but enough they would have privacy for the moment then Jess would leave to be with Cassidy.

The next day Jess after breakfast smiled at Kate saying see you later she picked up the kids ported to the cabin along with Jack who returned to talk to Robert .

" just got the owl back hes going to see me for the two weeks " he said to him " you enjoy your break and we'll see you on the first " he said and left . Steven and cassidy were a little behind as they ahd to time the time zone change for the children.

" ok were ready see you on the first don't get into any scraps I would not help with " he said and smiled picking up shadow and his mate he ported to Tuscany then returned for the rest of the children who were giggling as he ported out . Jim on the other hand just chuckled as he walked in hearing the quiet around the house.

"Right Margaret's making stake and kidney pudding tonight so I'm guessing this vacation applies to me too, Robert you know where I am and your welcome around anytime Margret would love to see you and Kate again" he said smiling as he too ported back to his home and walking in was mobbed by his kids all asking questions as he sat down in his large leather chair.

Kieran and Fi jumped at the chance to spend time with their nieces and nephews and volunteered to take the kids from Brian as long as need be. Brian was grateful. He packed for Khaat and himself, while Kate packed for Robert and herself.

Robert selected a new safehouse for them, away from everything, in complete privacy. It was isolated, and Robert wanted it that way. He worked tirelessly for the first two weeks on Khaat's head injury. It was not painless for her, nor was it easy for him. And they had accepted that he could not give her much pain medication because he needed to know what her symptoms were. And at the end of it, she was physically better but exhausted. It took another five days before she felt like being up. Brian had stepped in and taken care of her while Robert slept.

After that, as her memory and her voice began to return, Brian pushed her hard to regain her strength, beginning to push her back into physical conditioning. Robert pushed her into regaining her knowledge of magic. It was like an endless bootcamp for her. Kate began to feel Khaat was going to need a holiday from her holiday.

At the end of the two months, Robert and Kate went back to Brian's estate to give Khaat and Brian a few days to themselves to try to have a bit of time to reduce their own stress and to have a bit of a vacation. Robert and Kate arrived just in time to help Angus re-open Brian's estate, freshen the bedding and the linens and refresh the food in the refrigerators and pantries. It was time for life to begin again.