Marriage is Murder

Steven looked down at the elephant and then at Robert but then followed Michael with his eyes into the kitchen " I guess to me its new, but for him its old news." he said and sat back in his chair he sat listening to Brian say he was going to check on Khaat. " and I don't understand ..do I take things personal I thought I handled that quite well " he asked some what puzzled at Michael's reaction but with a shrug of his shoulders he continued to sip his drink , accioing a magazine he opened it and began to read slowly any articles in it. Jess returned moments later but Cassidy stayed down in the pool wanting to do several more laps.

"You were sounding a bit like you thought it was your spell that he was remarking about," Kate said gently. "But you must remember that creatures like Otto and Faline and Snidely have their own personalities that have nothing to do with the spell. Its just them. When one animates something, one never knows precisely how those things will react. Michael is just used to it, and he doesn't let them have a wide berth to take over his house. So he's not about to let them have a wide berth here either, especially where children are concerned. There was nothing wrong with your spell but the elephant as a bit of an overbearing temperment. Michael intended to show him straight off who was boss. Its nothing more than that, really."

Brian went upstairs, and he found Khaat awake, staring out the window. He went over and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. She was like ice, shivering, despite the fact that it was quite cozy warm in the room. He accio'd her shawl and wrapped it around her.

"Would you like some breakfast?" he asked softly.

"No," she said quietly. "We must prepare."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

"The beast. He's out there. I saw him through the trees. He's not ready to move, but I'm sure I saw him."

"Where?" he asked. She pointed at a large hulking dark mass moving through the trees.

"You're right. Its him. Get dressed. Stay inside...."

"But Escobar..."

"Escobar already knows, no doubt, and is far safer up in the trees than if you go outside and draw him out of hiding. Leave it alone. It gives us time to gear up."

Steven chuckled as Kate explained but it was then Jack appeared with James huddled against him "okay he's here " he said softly as Jess took James from his arms and placed him in the nursery " we were camping by the old stream when we saw him pass us close by I came back as quickly as I could with out frighting James. " he said as he moved to the window and watched " whats he waiting on?" he asked softly his eyes never leaving the window. Steven looked at Kate and Robert .

" whats he talking about , that beast is he back?" he asked and stood up discarding his paper on the chair behind him as she to moved to the window.

"Yes," Edward said, coming in from the kitchen with a cup of tea. "He is. Saw him there before daylight. He came in during the night."

"And when were you going to tell me?" Robert asked.

"Oh, shortly, I figured," Edward said. "But as you know now, I don't seem to need to. So far, its not an emergency. He's not ready yet."

"Well then, that makes two of us," Robert scowled. "We're not ready either."

"Oh, balderdash," Edward said. "How much more ready do you expect to be? All he is, is big and smelly. He certainly isn't smarter."

Robert said quietly, sipping on his own cup of tea. He set it aside and got up. "Then I shall go get dressed, I suppose." He went upstairs. Kate sighed heavily and followed him to dress.

Upstairs, Khaat turned and went into her closet. She took a moment to think before she chose a pair of black leggings, her black boots and a silver lame tunic.

"Why that?" Brian asked from the doorway, leaning on the doorjamb.

"Shine your wand on the stone," she said. "Test it." He obeyed. The silver made the stone look like it had burst into brilliant green flame when he fired wandlight against it.

"Damn!" he said, turning away from the light and putting out the wand.

"Exactly," she said quietly. "That was the idea."

"Bloody brilliant," he said softly.

"Every little bit, if it helps," she said.

"I can't ask you to offer yourself again," he said.

"And you have no other choice," she said. "You need the stone."

"I don't need you in it!" he was not happy.

"Would you prefer to take it off me?" she scowled. He sighed and pounded his fist against the doorway, cussing at Remus out loud.

"Cursing at me does no good, you know," the portrait replied.

"Oh, shut it," Brian sighed.

"I've got this one, Remus," Khaat said to the portrait, coming out of her closet, dressed and ready.

"Ah, and now you're starting to use your head," he smiled.

Jack looked back at Robert seeing he was not bothered by the beast he moved and sat down beside Jess who also sat reading the magazine Jim had discarded on a chair close by " okay so if hes not ready and we are I guess we sit and wait for him to make the first move right?" he said and looked to Kate as he saw Brian leave following him as he left to go upstairs. " he's worried about Khaat isn't he? " he asked knowing if was Jess in her place he would be worried for her safety and so wanting to rip the beasts neck out to gain her safety. Steven looked at Jack and shook his head as he moved back to his seat.

" That's what he wants , for us to make a move based on emotion and mess up, where as if we do it with thought and clarity it will succeed because it will be planed and well thought out" he sat down accioing a cup to his hand " and not slap dash"

"You're still trying to figure out why the beast does what it does. It is an animal. Whatever humanity it had, thats gone. All those thoughts you have that it thinks like a man does? Well, stop it. It doesn't. It is only primal animal motivation. If we kill it, we kill an animal gone insane. The man he was at some point in his life has long been dead," Edward said. "You wouldn't have to really think twice about a rabid animal that was foaming at the mouth. I know you wouldn't. Its not a choice. Its not fun, but its not a choice either. Its a sick animal that isn't going to get any better. The only difference here is the fact that it is far more dangerous in exterminating it. And yes, Brian is concerned about protecting Khaat. That stone is one of our best weapons, but it does appear that the range is limited. He'll need to let her get far closer than any of us are comfortable with in order for it to work."

Jack looked at Edward and frowned " what ever it is it is something that once was human and the others with it are not like it they think like humans , the beast might not but they do" he said softly his voice not threatening as he wanted to keep his temper in check and not give off that he didn't respect Edward not in the least. Steven watched and nodded he agreed with Edward.

"Think about it Jack, hes acted more like an animal each time he attacks, than human and the others are just as bad for creating such a creature, their humanity was lost the day they embraced the wear they became" he added seeing Jacks anger subside on his face.

Edward glared at Jack. Jack was finding sympathy for the beast. That was extremely dangerous.

"You are not ready for this mission," Edward told him boldly. "You will put everyone in danger if you cannot make a decision about who you are. You are either human or beast, but if you find you think you are both, then do us all a favor and stay in the bloody house. You must decide that you are human and nothing more, nothing less. If you can't do that, then this is not a fight you are ready for. We all find one that we cannot do. This one sounds like it is yours. You are not ready for this. And if you cannot get ready, I will not take you.

Jack looked at Edward and stood up " I am who I am, a human nothing more, I gave up my wear the day I met Robert and the day I gave back to my wife, showing sympathy is part of being human Edward" he said and moved out of the room down to the gym. Steven looked at Edward but quickly raised the cup to his lips sipping the tea inside. Cassidy walked down and saw Steven drinking tea she rolled her eyes knowing that Jack had been at it again.

" shesh that boy needs to chill a little, won't hurt if he does. " she said and sat down next to Steven.

Robert came downstairs and saw immediately that Edward was not happy.

"Problem?" he asked.

"The werewolf does not come with us tonight," Edward said.

"Thats not like him," Robert frowned.

"No, I mean I won't take him," Edward said.

"What did he do now?" Robert sighed.

"When he feels sorry for the beast and his reasoning is that sympathy is human, then he is not ready," Edward said. "I cannot trust him to make the right choice if push comes to shove. When someone cautions him on his thinking before a battle and he meets it with utter arrogance and conceit rather than considering it, I don't need him."

"And if I don't take him, it leaves me at least one man short," Robert said.

"Maybe, maybe not," Edward said, considering the owl he had received earlier.