Marriage is Murder

"No," Edward said. "Robert?" Robert looked at Michael.

"You want me to go hunting?" Michael asked.

"No," Robert said. "I want you to go asking around with some of your underground friends. Nothing more."

"Alright. That's easy enough. I should go now, though. Nighttime is best for these sorts of things."

"Very well," Robert said. "Be careful. Anyone known to be with us is in a dangerou spot right now."

"So what else is new?" Michael waved that concern away. He accio'd his coat. "Don't worry unless I'm not back by daylight." He put his coat on and apparated away.

Khaat was tired. She leaned back against the sofa. She was starting to feel like she might bruise in a few more places than usual.

"Drink your tea," her father told her.

"What tea?" she asked. He pointed to it.

"Was that mine?"

"Sort of," He laughed. She picked up the mug and tasted it, scrunched up her face and set it aside.

"You need the potion in it," he told her.

"Yeah, yeah," she waved the mug back to the kitchen.

Brant sat and watched Khaat not want the tea. Jack listened but chose to head down to the gym for a work out . Steven walked in from the kitchen and stood by the fire listening he could not agree more with Edward and Robert in finding the hideout and destroying it, Jim saw the look on Stevens face and shook his head.

" Steven chill, it will happen when it happens " he said and poked the fire back to life as he looked over at the others . " want me to sweeten that tea up Khaat?" meaning he'd add the potion she needed into the tea.

"The tea was fine but it was cold, and that made the potion bitter," she said to Steven. "And reheating pain potion makes it even more nasty."

"But no less effective and you know that," Robert scowled. "Still, if you prefer fresh, then so be it. You can have a fresh cup--with the potion in it."

"I don't really need it. I'm fine," she said.

"Of course you are. I keep forgetting you're so much more experienced in these matters than I am," he rolled his eyes at her sarcastically.

"Remus always did bring out the worst in you," she said.

"My brother was never the problem. The only problem we had was how he spoiled you."

"Robert," Kate was short with him now. "Now is not the time. Go do something helpful."

"Indeed I shall," he agreed, apparating out.

"Where'd he go?" Khaat asked.

"I don't know," Kate shrugged. "Hopefully just out for a pint or something. I haven't the foggiest."

Brant stood watching when Robert left he looked at Edward " where'd he go? " he asked but stayed by Edward taking the cold tea cup he walked to the kitchen and refreshed it with a hot cup and returning as he placed it next to her. " um..hot tea" he said smiling down at her. Jack walked in and looked around and shook his head knowing the lack of Robert meant he'd gone some place else.

Jess walked down from bedding down the kids and sat down exhausted " seems Jaylen's becoming a night owl and not wanting to sleep" she said and sat back on the couch.

"Thank you," Khaat said. "He just really needs to work on that potion a bit."

"It isn't if he hasn't tried, Dear," Kate laughed. "Some potions just don't taste like pumpkin juice, I'm afraid."

"I wouldn't worry about Robert," Edward laughed. "If I know him, he's either gone to work for a bit, or he's gone into the Leaky for some fish and chips."

"He'd better not have," Kate scowled.

"He does it because they're good," Brian said.

"But mostly because you hate it so much," Khaat grinned at her mother.

"I do hate it! I want him to outlive me. Not to die of a heart attack from greasy pub grub," Kate said.

"Robert wont' die that way," Edward said. "A man like that goes down in battle, in a duel. Not from high cholesterol."

"Oh, and you make losing a duel sound so much more noble," Kate huffed.

"Sorry," Edward shrugged. "It comes to us all sooner or later. But, no, a batch of fish and chips won't hurt him, and you know it."

"You want me to go to the Leaky and look for him?" Brian asked.

"Not yet," Kate said. "You all know the pressure he's under. With more and more rebellion in the streets every day by people who haven't the foggiest idea what they're backing."

"You'd have thought they'd have learned when they backed one of the most evil wizards of all time when he wanted to take over. Morons," Brian sighed. "And why aren't we all living in Tuscany and letting them have it if they want it so much?"

"Be careful what you wish for," Michael said grimly. "You just might get it. Robert won't let any of you stay here if the government falls. But he won't let it fall the same way he did the last time. If they think he won't go down without a fight, then they're even dumber than I think they are."

Jack , Jim, Jess and Cassidy all listened when Michael started to speak of the government they knew things were not good there but chose to stay with Robert as there loyalty was with him. Steven walked in and slipped of his jacket and hung it up on the rack. " did I hear Jaylen isn't settling?"he asked and Jess nodded " I'll go talk to her"

" well she should be sleeping now" Jess said watching him move to the stairs and up to the nursery. Jim looked at Brant and set up the chess board. Seeing it Brant moved and sat facing Jim moving the pawn one place.

"Alright," Khaat said. "No more talk of dismal things. It won't make it any better. The kids--for the most part--are sleeping and life is as it should be for now. Its fine. Lets move on, shall we?"

"One question," Michael said, looking at Khaat. "Do you know what he's planning?"

"My father? No. He doesn't tell me that. He's just putting in a lot of hours there by himself. Thats all I know. He keeps some things very secret from everything. And thats his right as minister. But whatever he does, I'll stand with him."

"As will we all," Brian said simply.

Robert was gone for a couple of hours and then he returned. He was starting to unwind for the day, and starting to feel tired.

"Should I worry about where you went?" Kate asked him.

"I was working," Robert said. "Where did you think I went? A hot date, perhaps?"

"Oh, hell, no," Kate laughed. "No one would have you but me."

"I'm sure that's very true, my dear," he said, yawning as he took his coat off.

Jack looked as Robert came home several hours later Steven sat with a book while Brant was half way into a chess game with Jim and he took a knight.and sat back in his chair. Cassidy lent against Steven and dozed gently as Jess rocked in an old rocker that sat close to the fire as Jack was working out in the gym below.

" well I'm gonna go swim." she said and stood up to walk down to the gym and pool transfiguring her clothes into her swimsuit then she dove into the warm water to swim several laps. Cassidy chuckled and looked up at Steven.

" maybe we should swim too" she said and Steven shook his head" okay I'll go on my own" she stood up and left. Steven chuckled and looked at Robert.

"can tell you had a stressful day" he said " I'll fetch the tea" he headed to the kitchen.

"Did you ever drink that damned tea?" Robert asked Khaat.

Khaat picked up the mug and peered into it. "Mostly," she replied. "I left the last inch or so in the mug."

"Well, you certainly don't have to drink the dregs of it," he said, satisfied. "You don't want to get a few laps in, in the pool before you go to bed, Brian?"

"I can't afford it tonight," Brian said, clearly on guard duty while the others released their battle stress before bed.

"Son," Robert said, gently, "you can't afford not to. Let us help you. there are a lot of us here that can help you at least get time to take a swim."

"I can still fire a wand," Khaat said. "My hands arent' broken. Go. If we need you, we'll let you know."

"Alright," he said, giving in. He went downstairs to swim with the others. Robert looked back at Khaat.

"Go check on your children and then go get soem rest. If we need you, we'll call. You're the one with the broken bones. You've been up all day, despite it. Go rest."

"The beast is still out there," she said.

"And has been for weeks. That changes nothing. Go to bed," he said. I am far from alone. Look around you. It'll be alright."

Steven listened from the kitchen and smiled feeling Khaat heading to bed was best and he flicked the kettle off before walking back out . " glad to see she went " he said softly to Robert . " I'll take first watch, Brant and I need to do some talking anyway" he said and Brant looked over at him.

" Really , but okay" he said and smirked " we'll be fine sir" he said softly brushing his finger over Trick's small head as he sat watching them as he began to understand how the beast was affecting the group especially Khaat and he sighed.