Marriage is Murder

Jess smiled at Kate and nodded " its fine Kate I know she needs it Robert would not have suggested it if it didn't have something useful in it for her and she was in some pain , not now though" she added as she sat back down with Jack she heard Angus and looked puzzled at him " hungry, why?" she asked " won't he let you in the kitchen?" she asked shaking her head . That won't please Jack his stomach rumbles even if dinners five minuets late " she said and Jack gasped then chuckled as Jess grinned at him.

"Well I love my food " he said and chuckled as did Steven and Jim softly at the banter between Jess and Jack.

"Its only got some calming herbs," Angus said. "In a flavor that we all find comforting. He's just put it here to let us try it. It has a fairly strong chamomile base to it. Its very nice, actually. Tried it the other night when I couldn't sleep, and found it to be very helpful. And, yes, Michael is letting me into the kitchen, but I am sworn to secrecy. I had to promise I wouldn't tell or he had it in for me to do all the cleanup by hand. And I swear, he's dirtying every dish we own."

"Then, he's doing several courses, I take it?" Kate asked.

"I am not telling you," Angus said. "I'm only allowed to tell you to come hungry. He's even cast some odd quirky spell on the kitchen to stop the smell of the food from getting out,and don't ask me how he's done that. I didn't even think that was possible."

"If it is, Michael would know about it," Brian laughed.

Jack looked hurt " awe I love the smell of food cooking " he said and looked at Angus " wow that must be a spell he created I've never heard of it " he said and smiled " and Im always hungry so no worries there " he said Jess rolled her eyes and chuckled. Cassidy looked at Steven who moved to sit next to her.

" well if his past cooking is anything to go by it will be Delicious" he said and Cassidy nodded " not to say yours isn't ether, but his is always interesting to say the least" he said and cassidy sighed chuckling as well as Jess.

"You're both wonderful in the kitchen," Kate told Angus. "You just specialize in different things. I wouldn't trade either of you."

"You're very diplomatic, Kate," Angus laughed.

Khaat was upstairs reading the book Michael had left in her room by mistake when a message fluttered through her floo. She picked it up. It merely said, "It will be back." There was a signature flourish on the bottom of the page that suggested to her that it must be from Escobar, but it did not specifically say that. So the beast still lived, and so, apparently, did Escobar. She didn't like the thought that the monster would return. She tucked the message in her nightstand, said nothing, and went back to her book. There didn't seem to be anything to do at this point. The beast wasnt here now, so there was no point in putting everyone on alert again. The guards knew their jobs and they knew now what they were up against. They had to carry on as normal.

Jack looked at Kate and gulped " ow right that's what I meant, no disrespect to you or Michael Angus " he said trying to redeem himself but Jess placed her hand on his and smiled.

"Its okay Jack they know what you meant" she said softly as she then turned to Angus " kate's right your both good chefs in your ow right " she said smiling as she sat with Jack. Cassidy nodded her head.

" I personally love your apricot scones" she said " but I also like the savory's that Michael makes too" she said feeling her tummy rumbling a she spoke " ow boy I know I'm hungry and ready to eat" she said as Steven wrapped his arm around her waist. Jess frowned and looked up to Khaats room she glanced at Kate but said nothing.

"I haven't made those in a long time," Angus said. "I don't know why. I should think about that."

"That would be nice," Kate said.

"We'll eat in a couple of hours," Angus said. "I think. But I'd better get back to the kitchen. Excuse me." He went back to the kitchen and back to work. Kate had felt a definite shift in Khaat's mood but didn't quite know what it was. she could still feel her energies in the house, though, so she decided not to hover. She was hoping that Khaat would talk to Brian later.

It wasn't more than a few minutes later when she noticed the cats stalking something. She looked closer. It was a bug. Or, more acurately, bugs. Lots of bugs. All sorts of bugs. "Brian, where are all those bugs coming from?" she asked. Brian frowned and looked closer.

"Uh oh," he said quietly. "That looks like we have some little person or little people playing in Robert's potions lab."

"And that could be exceptionally dangerous," Kate said, thinking of the countless lethal potions and ingredients there, getting up and running down the hallway towards Robert's lab.

Cassidy felt some thing run over her foot and looked down taking an empty glass and a card she caught the culprit " um Robert , Kate do ether of you recognize this" she asked walking over to the bug in the glass to show them " my feeling is two little people have some how managed to get pasted the age line to..." ow boy, Robert your potions lab, they must have got in some how" she said and placed the glass down as Jack picked it up slipping it into a jar with holed lid as Jess looked at Kate puzzled. Steven walked back on with three more in a large Jar.

"hey we having an invasion of bugs, or is it a bug hunt?" he asked chuckling as Jim chuckled along with slipping a fourth bug in a jar.

"Get those bloody bugs before the cats eat something that will make them sick--or somebody we'd like to eventually turn back," Brian ordered. "Robert!" He shouted for Robert himself now. Brian raced after Kate.

Khaat was reading Michaels first edition book when the portrait over the fireplace called to her.

"Go!" it said sharply.

"Where?" she asked.

"The potions lab. You know the small copy of this portrait he keeps there. Well, your daughters are fiddling in the potions. Hurry--before its too late," the portrait said.

"Oh, God," Khaat paled. She went racing down the stairs. Robert heard the shout and he ran from seemingly nowhere and saw Kate and Khaat and Brian heading for the potions lab. He followed on the run.

Dakota had a big fistful of herbs that she was going to put in her mouth. Abbey was takaing all sorts of potions and pouring them together to make "pretty colors."

Jack followed Brian and pushed open the door wider Jess moved quick and took the herbs off Dakota " No you can't eat those " she said placing them in a stone mortar making sure she had no more she brushed the crumbs off Dakotas clothes " okay how did you two get in here?" she asked and moved with Dakota out into the hallway leaving Robert or Kate to deal with Abby with the potions. Jack , Jim and Steven all hunted through the house for the bugs trapping them back in jars and soon the had all of them.

" okay, I think we got them all. maybe one or two missing I don't think its any one important. " he said and showed the try with several jars piled on top.

Abbey watched Jess take the herbs from Dakota, not seeing Papa come up beside her. He crouched beside her so he was eye level with her.

"Whattcha doin'?" he asked her. She looked at him.

"Pretties!" she pointed out her concoction. Robert could feel the rising heat from the potions that just didn't interact well together. He was going to try not to overreact. He looked at her beeker that held the potions mixture.

"It is pretty, but dont touch," he said gently. "Its very, very hot."

"Bubbles!" she was delighted to see it bubble and steam now, starting to spark.

"Yes. Bubbles, and they are pretty bubbles, but if you want pretties and bubbles, I know Jess and Cassidy can make you all sorts of pretties that won't hurt you. This one will burn you."

"No it not," she scowled. "It pretty!" she reached out to touch it, but Khaat's maternal instincts took over and before she thought, she picked up the scalding hot beaker and apparated out with it. Robert sighed, knowing that was going to hurt, but he understood her need to save her children.

Khaat took the beaker and took it downstairs to the basement to the infirmary and set the beaker on the cool marble countertop, hoping it would cool and not explode or catch fire. Her father was right. It had been damned hot.

Upstairs, Abbey stuck out her bottom lip in a pout, not understanding what she did had been dangerous. "Mama bad. She take my pretties," she said sadly.