Marriage is Murder

John had changed and dressed wondering just what was going to happen now he'd been sat for hours or so it felt like it wrapped in a blanket now dressed in his own clothes he was walked with two men ether side of him up to an office where he was told to go inside . Walking in he saw Robert and hung his head as he walked over to him. He staid a little away from him wondering just what was going to happen to him as he wiped his nose on his sleeve as he tried to stop himself crying. He looked at Lee and back not saying anything just yet as he knew now he was in real deep trouble and he just wanted to do what ever it was Robert asked of him.

Lee saw John wiping his nose on his sleeve. That didn't amuse him. He picked up the tissue box and heled it out to the boy.

"Blow your nose on one of these. Not your sleeve," Lee told him firmly. "Now--the portkey you stole will not ever be given back to you. In fact, by our laws, I cannot return it to its rightful owner either. It will have to remain in our evidence lockers here--permanently--in case you screw this up withRobert. You have a chance to make this right, but if you screw it up, don't think for a minute I won't have you. Robert is my friend, and his family members are my friends. Anybody who puts their lives in danger on my watch answers to me. The agreement Robert signed to get you out of here depends on whether or not you screw up. The minute you mess this up, you're mine. And I will bring down the full resources of my post on you, regardless of how old you are, to make sure that the people you're supposed to love aren't put at risk because of your foolishness. If you have one question about that, you'd better be asking me right now."

John took a tissue and blew his nose still looking at the floor he looked at Robert and nodded as he looked back to lee. " yes sir" he said softly as he blew his nose once again. On hearing Lee ask if he had any questions he shook his and stood his shoulders slumped and his head down so his hair fell over his eyes hiding them from Robert and Lee's view. He took a deep breath in and made up his mind he truly was going to not do anything stupid again and work to make Robert proud of him again he now felt he'd let every one down who had helped him when he was younger.

"Take this child home," Lee said. "My family is waiting on me."

"Understood," Robert said. He gripped John by the shoulder and ported the back to the Colorado estate. "Go face your father," Robert told John firmly. "And your stepmother. And if you don't treat them both with the respect they deserve, you'll be back at Hogwarts before nightfall. I think you'll probably find them in the dining room, and if not there, then in the Great Hall."

A staff member took Robert's coat from him, and Robert headed for the kitchen to get a fresh mug of tea. Khaat was sitting at the dining table still, sipping at a mug of French Roast when she felt a surge in angry energy. Her mother looked up momentarily and continued to eat. Khaat recognized the energy. It was her father's. She didnt know how she knew it was him, but she knew. Wherever he had gone, he was back now. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Dakota start to run out of the room towards the Great Hall where all the packages were. She knew she wasn't going to be able to either use magic or to run after her fast enough to go get her. She was hopng someone else was a bit quicker on their feet than she was--before all the paper got torn off all the packages.

Jack saw Dakota running and leap from the table grabbing her and holding her fast in his arms " wow there little lady, not yet got to finish your breakfast first" he said and walked back with her siting her back at the table. Steven looked at Kate and stood up slowly.

"Please excuse me for a moment I believe I have business to tend to" he said and walked to the doors and out into the hall seeing Robert he didn't look at John " get everything sorted?" he asked his voice mono tone and serious as he waited his arms folded across his chest as he finally looked down to John " well don't you ow me something?

John looked up as his father walked out into the hall way first talking to Robert then him "Sorry dad" he said his head dropping lower. " what I did was stupid, very stupid " he blew his nose once again.

"Later, Steven," Robert said. There was time to go over the paperwork later. "I need tea. He has his instructions for now. I want a report on what he does or does not do. I he misses any part of this he's going back to the school before the end of the day." He was hoping John remembered he had to deal not only with Steven but with Cassidy as well--and respectfully. Whether John liked Cassidy or not. He headed for his mug of tea.

Brian had missed Dakota's escape attempt but was glad when Jack caught her. "Nice work, Jack," Brian laughed. "Temptation is getting the better of her. She always has been our impetuous child." Khaat looked at the kids and saw the boys eating their pancakes with their fingers and smearing frosting all over their hands and faces. Abbey had finished her pancake and was eating all the berries out of her fruit salad. Angus went over to the small table and looked at the kids.

"Anybody want something else?" he asked.

"More berries!" Abbey said, excited.

"You're going to turn into a berry," he laughed. She frowned, not sure whether he was serious or not. He kissed the top of her head as he picked up her bowl. "Alright. More berries. Just for you. Anybody else?"

"More red!" Julia said, her face smeared with red icing. "See? Its nakie!" She pointed to her "naked" pancake.

"Where did it go?" Angus teased. Julia shrugged her shoulders.

"I no know," she replied.

"Did you eat it?" he asked.

"Noooo," she shook her head.

"Are you telling me the truth?" he asked. She shook her head again. He laughed and headed to get the berries and more icing.

Steven looked at John and walked him in to sit between Cassidy and himself his head was still hung and cassidy shook her head. " Pancakes john?" she asked and he looked at her then at Steven who nodded.

" might as well, Angus made a lot and there delicious" he said John looked back to Cassidy.

" thank you maam" he said cassidy chuckled a she placed several pancakes on the plate infront of him.

" call me cassidy I think your old enough" she told him and smiled. John began to eat his food.

" thank you Cassidy and...Im sorry how I acted I shouldn't have taken your port key" he said cassidy pulled him to her and gave him a hug.

" as long as you have learned something and you promise not to do it again" she said and he nodded.

" I promise I won't ever do that again" he said and moved his arms to hug her back " I'm sorry " he said cassidy smiled as she held him tight feeling him relax and break down.

" its ok John, its ok" she said softly.

Brian had not discussed w/ Khaat much what had happened with John, so Khaat left it alone. She could tell that John had gotten himself into some significant trouble, and Brian and her father were not entirely happy with him. Portkey? John had stolen Cassidy's portkey? She didn't have time to really spend much time on the subject because her twin boys took off out of the room for the Great Hall, unable to wait any longer. She tugged on Brian's sleeve and pointed them out to him.

"Don't worry," he said, "We've got them. We did realize that a dozen toddlers would need extra supervision today." He laughed as Kieran picked up both boys, one under each arm like potato sacks and brought them back in

"Must I make an age line across the door?" Michael laughed.

"Oh that ruins half the fun," Robert said. "And all it will do is piss them off in the end of it. We're almost done eating. We should be able to turn them lose on their packages in a moment, I think."

Steven smiled and ruffled Johns hair as he watched him eat all that was given to him and he sat back to look at Robert hoping he had done right this time and not gone wrong again he saw Catlin head for the door and moved to pick her up " come in sis I'll play with ya until its time" he said taking her to her chair and playing find the coin this made her laugh and made Steven and Cassidy smile hoping this meant he had accepted them all. Jack smiled and felt James grasp his hand retching for the berry he held but he took it with his mouth biting Jack in the process.

"Ouch hes got sharp teeth" he said and Steven shrugged his shoulders.

" I don't usually put my fingers in his mouth " Steven said chuckling.

When everyone was done eating, Robert gave them all the invitation to go to the Great Hall to open gifts. Khaat and Brian knew their responsibilities were on the kids and on helping them open their gifts first. Their five took off like a shot for the Great Hall and the sea of gifts. Staff were there to quickly round them up and take them to the stacks of gifts that were the right ones for each child. Abbey and Dakota knew what to do. They immediately began ripping off paper from boxes. The triplets seemed to need just a bit of help to get started and then they caught on.

Brian found Khaat a place to sit on the rug near the kids so that they could be close to them as they opened gifts. Brian sat down beside her. Neither of the were worried out their own gifts at the moment. The enormous room echoed with the sounds of utterly delighted children ripping into stacks of packages.