Marriage is Murder

Cassidy and Jess arrived first ta;king and laughing between them " hey Robert things go ok?" Cassidy asked smiling and with a light brown tan as did Jess " the boys will be along in a sec there just cleaning up James decided he wanted to throw his breakfast of Greek yogurt and berries all over the floor" she said chuckling.

" Jack will be here soon I was told Jeffery had let him leave , did you get the letter Jeffery sent ?" Jess asked " he said he would keep you informed of his progress" she said placing her bag down but cassidy picked it up and took it to Jess's room. Steven walked in dropping off shadow and a rather rounded Ami out on the grass.

" morning Robert " he said walking in " must warn you don't get too close to Ami shes temperamental and in the last stage of pregnancy" he told them smiling " its good to be back " he said smiling as he slipped off his jacket and hung it up as the kids ran in and stopped in front or Robert.

"Good morning sir" they all chorused then to their running headed to their room but Jess's voice came as if from no where."'Walk don't run dears" she said and they stopped running.

Robert had left Angus to apparate in to Diagon Alley to Sparks to pick up a very large order of fresh herbs and some fresh spices and a few other little things in order to be able to cook again. He had sent the grounds workers to settle the animals back in the barn and then see to the other buildings and the grounds. In the meantime, Robert had found a large load of groceries on the back porch outside the kitchen door. He was taking it upon himself to put the case upon case of food stocks away.

To Robert, it felt a bit like a hoard of kids coming home from school and all chattering at him at once. It was a lot of information being tossed at him at one time. He had been busy stocking the walk in refrigerator with wooden crates of fruits and vegetables. It was heavy, hard work, but he enjoyed it. He was in the process of putting a couple of crates of fresh apples into the fridge when he heard lots of voices all at once.

"Slow down, you lot," Robert said. "One at a time. First, Kate and I just got here ourselves, so I haven't even had a chance to check on the mail. That will have to wait a bit, but if Jeffrey said he sent a report, then I'm sure he will. Brian and Khaat won't be back for a few days yet. They've been working really very hard, so I wanted them to have a few days just to be a couple again. Jess and Cassidy, when you get settled, you might give Kate a hand on changing the sheets on all the beds and putting out fresh towels in all the bathrooms. Steven, do please set out some food for Archangel before he eats the cats and then feed the cats. And who the devil is Ami, and why do we have more of anything thats pregnant? Do we not have enough living things around this place as it is?"

Jess smiled and nodded as she heard Robert "or course and I'm right on it. " she said as towels floated from the laundry room to each bathroom and sheets flew to each room past Steven who chuckled as he heard Robert.

" don't worry Robert, Ami is shadows mate, you know the female he hooked up with about four months ago, she will be heading to their den on the north side once the cubs are born and she had shadow tend to spend time up there teaching the cubs what they need to survive and be wild, so they won't be under foot , he understands they can't stay here" he said ducking as a sheet flew over his head flapping like some great white ghost.

" sorry my fault " said Cassidy as she dove after the sheet grasping it she dragged it back to the bedroom where she canceled the spell and made the bed with Jess who chuckled softly at the sight.

Kieran and Fi apparated in, bringing the kids. Abbey flew to her papa and flung her arms around his legs.

"Papa!" she was delighted to see him.

"Abbey," He put down the crate of bell peppers he now had and picked her up. She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him. "I missed you too," he kissed her. "Did you have a good time with Uncle Kieran and Aunt Fi?" She nodded.

"But they not you, Papa," she said.

"You're home now," he smiled.

"We stay? I stay with you?" she asked.

"Yes, my darling. We're staying here."

"Mama? Daddy?" she asked. "I miss Mama and Daddy."

"They're coming. They're shopping for surprises for you," he kissed her nose. She looked at the great load of food he was bringing inside.

"What you doing?" she asked.

"Putting food away," he said.

"I help you, Papa?"

"If you want," he said. "You know where Angus keeps things?" She nodded.

"I help him lots," she smiled confidently.

"I know you do. Okay, come help me, then. Where's Dakota?" he asked. He trusted the triplets to stay out of trouble. Dakota, however, was an entirely different story.

"She want paper. Auntie Fi buyed her new crayons," Abbey sighed.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Last night, she drawed on one of Daddy's big pictures. Uncle Keeyan was mad."

"Which picture?" Robert frowned.

"The big one of the man on the horsey," Abbey said.

"Oh. Thats not good," Robert said. "That one cost your daddy lots of money. I bet we can ask Uncle Michael to fix it. He's good at that. Here. Do you know where this bread goes?" She nodded and scampered off to put the loaf of bread away. She came back a moment later.

"I be right back, Papa."

"Where are you going?" he asked. "You just got here."

"I go outside."

"Wait. Outside? What for?"

"I be right back. It a secret," she said, motioning him to be quiet. He frowned. He let her go but he watched closely. She picked up a little pink backpack and went outside. He watched her stand on the porch and open the pack to release a black...wait...a black bat. He sighed heavily. The last thing he wanted was for Escobar to infiltrate the protection netting and get into the England estate. But clearly, he'd managed to get to Abbey, and here he was. The question for Robert was how did he get to her. And, his next question was why.

Jess watched and followed Robert as she saw Abby let the bat go " that's..how the devil did he manage that?"she said knowing just who it was that she was letting go. Jess looked at Robert and wondered if he wanted Jack and Steven to go after him. " you want Jack to track him and see where he settles?" she asked folding her arms across her chest as she watched it fly off into the distance. Cassidy finished the beds and putting clean towels into the rooms when she walked back and stood for a moment.

" was that a..." she didn't finish as Jess shushed her where she stood. Cassidy walked over to her and sighed shaking her head " well I never" she said .

Robert picked Abbey up, watching the bat flit off into the woods.

"No," Robert said. "I don't think you'll find him. Stand down. Right now, Khaat isn't here, so all his watching is for nought anyway." He looked at Abbey. "Tell me, Sweetheart. How did the bat get in your bag?"

"He my pet. He nice. He like me," Abbey nodded, smiling.

"How did he get to be your pet?"

"He come to my room at night when I sleep. He chase away the monsters."

"What monsters?"

"Under the bed. He chase them away. He want to be mine. So I bring him," she said, proud of herself. Robert kissed her forehead, knowing Abbey had no clue what she'd done by bringing in a vampire into their almost impregnable location.

"I keep him, Papa."

"Only if you let me meet your new pet," Robert said.

She nodded. "You like him. He nice."

"Okay," Robert said. He wasn't afraid to go toe to toe with a vampire, but he wanted this monster to leave his grandchildren alone. And he wanted answers about how Escobar had gotten into Abbey's bedroom in Colorado as well.

Jess sighed and nodded understanding he had to check his motives out first " of course Robert "she said softly as she moved back to Cassidy and up to unpack her things. Cassidy looked out the window .

" but how did he get in?" Cassidy asked quietly so Abby wouldn't hear " I thought all the windows were magically sealed when we left" she scratched her head and then shook it back and forth in disbelief that Escobar had used a young girl to gain entrance to the unpotable lands of Brian and Khaat.

"Why didn't you ask Uncle Kieran to get the monsters out from under your bed, Abbey?" Robert asked. Abbey hesitated. "You can tell me," he said. She whispered in his ear. He couldn't help it--her answer made him smile. "I'm sorry," he said. "Really. But I'm here now. And I'll go back to checking for them like I always do."

"Or Daddy?"

"Daddy's good at making them go away, isnt he?" Robert laughed. Abbey nodded. "Then how about you let your pet keep the monsters away outside, and we'll keep them away inside?"

"Okay," she agreed. "Papa, I can have cookie?"

"I don't know if there are any yet. I bet Jess can find you a cookie or a piece of chocolate. Okay? I'd better put these groceries away or Angus will be mad."

"Then you get no cookie," she said.

"You're right," he laughed. "If I dont finish, I won't get a cookie either." He put her down, hoping Jess or Cassidy would find her a treat.

Cassidy smiled and chuckled " I'll get it , if Abby wants" she said Cassidy knelt down to speak to her " there is some but there on a high shelf could you give me a hand getting them" she asked smiling knowing they were not that high but she wanted Abby to have fun. Taking Abbys hand she walked her through to the small pantry and lifted her up onto her shoulders " there at the back can you see them?" she said reaching up she steadied the small box and placed it down on the table along with Abby as she handed her a choc chip cookie.

Abbey did enjoy being up high, even if it was for a moment. When Cassidy offered her a cookie, Abbey took it.

""Sanks. My bat gived me cookies," Abbey said. "Giggle cookies."

"Giggle..?" Robert began, hearing her remark and then he remembered. Abbey had never been able to say Snickerdoodles, and Angus had tried to make it easier for her by calling them Giggle cookies. Robert didn't say anything more. He was hoping the staff figured out that it was going to be important to focus on keeping someone with Abbey so that the "bat" didn't get to her again. Not unless Robert had some purpose for it. Robert was trying not to overreact, but he had a feeling that if Brian knew, he wouldn't be quite so calm about it.