Marriage is Murder

Jess smiled and nodded " I know there are strawberry's in the fruit bowl. She smiled as she held out her hand to Abby and lead her back to the table " Come on, lets get back to the table before Jack eats them. " She sat her back in her chair and dug out the strawberries for Abby. Jack chuckled and shook his head at her comment. 

" I don't eat berries" he said and ate his toast as he took the note from Brant and glanced at it. " ah I know this place, okay I'll pick them up.

Abbey went with Jess to the table, and Abbey was delighted to find berries there. It was, for her, just as good as pink pancakes.

Khaat drank her coffee in the relative silence of the early morning. She could hear the noise of breakfast but she bypassed it to enjoy her first cup of French roast.  When she finished it, she went upstairs and, with a great deal of work, she managed to shower. Brian had helped her before this because her left shoulder and arm just were not healed enough to move, and even when she tried, the pain was too severe. 

This morning, she forced herself to manage by herself. She showered and dressed and managed to comb out her long hair but had to leave it wet.  She had simply chosen khaki drawstring pants and a plain white cotton shirt that she didn't bother tucking into her slacks. It wasn't her usual stylish fashion, but she was, at least, clean.

"Papa," Abbey asked.

"Yes, Darling," he replied, sipping his breakfast tea.

"We go swim today?"

"The weather should be fine for it," he said. "I think you all should have a great day for it."

"I go with you, Papa," she said, making a deliberate request that Robert go swimming with her. 

"Perhaps," he smiled. "We'll see. Okay?" She nodded, taking that answer as a yes.

Brant chuckled as Abbey requested Robert swim with her. He knew it might relax both Brian and Robert after the nights action. Jack smiled "Hey Abby, who do you think would win in a race me or Steven?" he asked looking at Steven.

"Ow don't you dare." he said and shook his head " you know I don't swim that good" he saw Cassidy chuckle.

"Well swimming would be good, haven't done it since we left the villa" she told him and he sighed.

"okay two laps" he said" I have to spend some time with the kids" what about you Brant?" he asked.Brant looked up at the mention of his name.

" um..ow I...don't know." he paused and looked at them all.

"Papa will win," she nodded proudly. 

"Not Daddy?" Brian asked.

"No. Papa win," she said.  They laughed.

"Your daddy is a faster swimmer," Robert whispered to Abbey. "Don't bet on me.  Bet on Daddy. Make them pay you in berries."

"Noooo," Abbey whispered back. "Cookies!"

"She has your sweet tooth, Robert," Kate laughed.

"Actually, its her mother's sweet tooth," Robert said, remembering how Khaat had eaten little more than Rob's cheesecake the entire time she had been pregnant with Abbey. 

"What that, Papa?" Abbey asked.

"A sweet tooth?" Robert asked. Abbey nodded. "It means you like cookies a whole lot."  He kissed her nose.  It made her giggle--a sound that was like music to Robert's ears.

"You lot go ahead," Robert told them.  "Brian and I had quite a work out yesterday.  Just keep an eye on my grandkids if you take them with you."

"But Papa!" Abbey protested.

"Sweetheart, Papa has things he has to do today," Robert said gently.  "Papa has to work today.  I will spend some time with you, I promise."

"Abbey," Kate said, "I'll go with you.  I'm a better swimmer than Papa anyway."  Robert rolled his eyes. 

"And modest too," Robert laughed.  "I would suggest you all wait until its at least daylight or you'll have to cast a warming charm on the pool.  It will be too cold for a few hours yet.  Its barely 5 am.  You're all off your time today, remember? Its too cold for the little ones until the sum warms up the pool--unless you go downstairs."

After breakfast, Khaat watched her father head back to Brian's office to work. He was clearly not intending to go into the hospital today, and Brian was entirely too sore to go.  That concerned her.

She wanted to know what the hell had happened in her potions lab at her hospital.  She went up to her room and worked at making herself a bit more presentable.

Downstairs, Michael had seen the look on her face.  He knew her too well.  She didn't want to be gone long, but she had responsibilities. People counted on her.  He watched Brian head downstairs to try to work out some of his stiffness and soreness.  Now he looked at the others.

"You all know she's going to have to go in and make sure that the hospital is secure," Michael said.  "But she's definitely afraid.  She's more afraid of leaving here.  She's not afraid of going.  She's reluctant to leave her children. I think she thinks they might try to strike while they believe Robert is vulnerable.  Can I count on one of you to lead a charge against them if they come? I'll go with her. I don't think she'll be gone more than a few minutes."

"I can command," Edward said, "but I'll need a ground crew.  Jack, are you up to taking charge of a thorough grounds check? If there's a hole in our security net that they've gotten through, you'll smell them. Pick someone and take them with you. Don't go alone.  Tremaine, you're not a fighter.  If you go..."

"She's my goddaughter. The hell I wont fight for that," Michael said.  "As I said, she's not going to leave her children for more than a few minutes."

Jack looked at Brian then at Steven who nodded to him he would go with him to check the grounds. Brant sat quiet as he drank his coffee But Jim spoke up.,

" Brant and I will check the house, quietly of course " he said and looked at Robert and Brain as they left the room, Brian to the gym and Robert to his study. every one knew that it would be down to them to make sure every one was protected. Jack stood up and moved to the back door Steven went with him and together they headed out to patrol the grounds. Brant finished clearing the table after giving Abbey some more strawberries this made Jess smile.

Michael went upstairs towards Khaat's room, finding the door very slightly ajar.  Not like her.  He heard a cry of pain from inside. He pushed the door open gently and saw she was struggling to dress.  Merely trying to tuck in her shirt caused massive pain to her shoulder.  Michael didn't give a jot about propriety. He went in and silently tucked her shirt into her khakis. 

"Better?" he asked quietly.  He noticed she was sweating from the pain of trying to dress.  She nodded silently, trying to regain herself.  "Where's the potion?" he asked her. 

"It'll be alright," she said, out of breath.

"That isn't what I asked," he said. "Answer me."  She pointed to the bathroom. He went in and got it and brought it to her and uncorked the bottle and handed it to her. She obediently took a sip.  He replaced the bottle in the bathroom and saw her pick up a trim cut summer vest, decorated in beading and embroidery.  A smart choice. He helped her with it and then insisted she wear the sling to support her shoulder.  He flicked his wand at her, giving her a glamour spell to do her hair and makeup for her. 

"Do I pass?" she asked. 

"Yes," he said. "Let's go."

"I don't need..." she began.

"Oh, shut it, and lets go," he repeated. "Take my hand."  He ported them into St. Mungos.  She led the way to the basement--to the hospital potions lab.  It was a complete loss. Everything was destroyed.

"God," she sighed. Michael didn't say a word.  Robert had merely locked it up and left it. There were still globs of hair on the floor. Puddles of blood. Broken glass, destroyed equipment, broken furniture, and charred stubble and ashes of whatever-the-heck-it-had-been.  Then she saw there were still bodies of dead werewolves on the floor, behind whatever they had tried to use for cover.  This--this had been deadly serious.  A fight to the death.  Her father and her husband had been massively outnumbered. 

"I don't know how they got out," she said softly.

"I do," Michael said, looking around.  He wasn't sure she wanted to really know.  She turned around and looked at him, wanting an answer.

"He didn't intend to get out," Michael said. "He blew the place to hell.  He and Brian evidently were...here,..." he pointed to a small space in a corner behind Robert's large potions desk.  "They were cornered. If I had been your father, I would have not had a choice. I would have figured that my partner and I were going to die."

"Do you think Brian knew what my father was doing?"

"Oh, definitely.  He knows your father's fighting style better than just about any man alive."

"And he just...agreed? To leave us?" she asked.

"No. He agreed...to save you," Michael said.

"Well, that's not good enough anymore!" she was angry. She didn't want to lose her father and her husband because there hadn't been backup to take.  "I'm sick of sacrificing for England! To hell with it! What has it ever done for me but take everyone and everything that I love.  The sooner we can get out of here, the better! I've lost too much. I won't lose them too."

Michael sighed and kissed her forehead. "I know," he said softly. "And we all know its coming.  One step at a time, my darling. Today, we clean this up.  Alright? Lets get any clues and then set the cleaning spells in place and go. I'll secure the lab on the way out.  No one will know how to get in except your father. It will be alright."  She nodded, glad he was here.  They walked the room again, this time gathering up any evidence they could find.  She wanted this done so they could go home--and the sooner the better.