Marriage is Murder

Brant breathed out softly then looked to the portrait as he spoke. Brant could do little but chuckled " ah remind me never to get Robert angry." he said and looked back to the bathroom door " its okay Khaat we all know ,um I'm nearly done with that list but could use your eye to look over it” he said softly hoping to make her see even he was not rattled by the noise “ Abbey told us you were here by the way, she's quite the little seer.” he said with a sigh and lent against the bathroom door waiting to see if she would appear.

Khaat heard Brant lean up against the door.  She knew if she opened the door, he'd fall flat on his face.  But she also knew that when her staff checked on her, they didn't go until they knew for themselves she was alright.  She took a moment to get herself together and then decided to not just fling open the door--to keep him from falling flat on the floor.

Instead she decided to merely apparate into the bedroom so she didn't have to open the door.  But when she did, her anger about the whole incident caused a completely unintentional display in her apparating.  Spirals of white smoke swirled up around her, with a flash of bright light, and a wild cloud of glittering sparkles that filled the air around her.

"Showoff," The portrait rolled its eyes at her, disapprovingly.  "You really do have to work on reeling that in, you know, Khaat Karina."

"I didn't mean to," she sighed, even more frustrated.

"What's that fushia business?" the portrait asked. 

"What?" she asked.  The portrait pointed to her injured shoulder where the glittering sparkles around her shoulder were a lovely shade of fushia. "I don't know," she sighed. "I didn't ask for anything like that in the first place." 

"I'd not cast any spells with that hand for awhile," the portrait said. "Who the hell knows what you'll do with it?  You could send yourself sideways to God only knows where. You know, you could have just opened the door.  If he's silly enough to lean against it, its his own problem, really. Now, shut off the light show, please."

She honestly was trying but it wasn't coming under control. That even further frustrated her. Sometimes accidental magic wasn't that easy to reel in.

Brant stood for a moment taken a back by how she had aperated in. Hearing the portraits voice he looked at him. " hey, but its okay I would have been okay" he said and chuckled softly as he saw her shoulder. "hum that's a first." he reached into his potions bag and took out a blue potion in a long pointed bottle. Taking off the lid he wet his fingers then placed them slightly on her shoulder.

Brant  kept them their for a few minuets till the sparkling had ended. " you might want to tell Robert about that could be something significant" he said as he whipped his hand dry of the potion.

"Sometime she works too hard at being polite," the portrait said.  "Nothing against you, but if I'd wanted out of the bathroom, I'd have simply opened the blooming door."

"He would have, too," Khaat said, knowing the Lupins' family tendencies towards teaching by experience.  She let Brant tend to her shoulder.  She was glad when the extra sparks and light and smoke dissipated. "Thanks.  I don't know that I've ever seen that sort of thing either."

"Your magic in that shoulder is all wonky," the portrait said.

"Now that much, I did already figure out.  But I've never seen the smoke and glitter thing either."

"Your father will know for certain, being the infernal bookworm that he is.  But, my guess is that the short circuit starts in your shoulder and spreads from there.  Do ask him to be sure," the portrait said.  "The potion seems to have put it out for now. At least you won't catch the house on fire."

"I presume Brian would like me not to burn down his house," she sighed.

"Your house.  As in, collectively yours now. Unless you really are not Mrs. Quinn."

"I am, and I'm not," she said.  "You know that. I am legally married,  but my legal name is just not Mrs. Quinn."

"Doesn't make the house any less half yours," he said. 

"No, I suppose not," she said.

Brant looked and chuckled " I was expecting it to be honest, and your welcome" he said to her " its something I made and hes right its a sign your healing just not as quick as the rest of your body" he told her glancing back to the portrait as it spoke to her . " hes right, every one has there up and downs, from what I have seen Brian cares for you a lot " he said " your a lucky woman" he said and stepped back feeling he might have over stepped his place a little " sorry if I said anything out of place but he does, his anger is his frustration at not being able to help you, I'm just guessing here but I think he feels he should be the one hurt and not you" he told her as he zipped up his potions bag.

"Thank you," Khaat said  "I know he's frustrated. So am I.  He wants to help, and there just really isn't anything he can do.  I'm just not adjusting to it well."

"Well," the portrait said. "At least you got it under control before you burned the house down."

"I hadn't planned on setting anything on fire," she said.

"No I know. But you do need to have your father straighten out that wonky stuff before something truly goes haywire."

"Oh, well, I'm glad this wasn't haywire enough for you, then," she rolled her eyes.

"I've seen worse," the portrait said.  "Haven't seen this, in particular, but I have seen worse.  Have it tended to."

"Yeah, yeah.  I will."  She looked at Brant. "Bossy artwork."

"You know I heard that," the portrait said.

Brant chuckled and nodded reaching over he placed it face down " that's how you deal with that " he said and smiled at her " you want to go find Robert now or have a cup of French roast, I have been told its your favourite coffee" He asked knowing that there was a fresh pot in the kitchen. He hoped she would as he knew it relaxed him and he could clearly see she needed to relax again. Brant looked at her knowing he could not make her drink “ I could just send up a pot with cookies?” he asked

"French roast would be very nice.  I don't need the cookies, but thank you anyway. If you don't mind having someone just send up a mug?  And yes, I will ask my father about the problems with my magic later and try not to blow anything up in the meantime," she said.  "I did bring other paperwork home from my office. I should just get to it.  It won't get done without me, unfortunately."

Downstairs, Abbey had gone off to play with the others, but now she came looking for her papa, and under one arm with the little kitten.  The kitten was dripping with bright blue paint.

"Papa!" Abbey was upset.  "She made him blooooo!" 

"What on earth?" Robert frowned, trying to see from a distance what she was carrying that was dripping bright blue on the expensive hardwood floors.  "Is that what I think it is?"

Jim looked up and frowned " who did that Abby?" he asked taking the kitten from her gently and wiped the kittens face " I'll clean him or is it a her?" he asked as he sat it on a towel and began to wash it down. soon all the paint was gone and he wrapped it in a warm towel to keep it warm.   
 
Steven and Jack returned from the hospital and Stephen saw the kitten he walked over listen to its mews looking at Abby he smiled to her. "She says thank you for saving her" he said " she says shes tired now and wants to sleep" he looked to Robert and spoke again just saying one word. "Dakota."

"Abbey," Robert said, nodding slightly to Steven. "What happened?"

"She painted him bloooooo!" Abbey said, upset. 

"So I see. Who did?"

"'Kota," Abbey said.

"And where did you find the paints?"

"'Kota found 'em. She said she making your room all pretty, Papa."

"Oh, lovely," Robert said, trying not to reveal how much he dreaded seeing wherever the paint had gotten in his bedroom.  "Where'd she find the paint?"

"She finded a big box of Gam's paints.  Squirty tubes of it.  Lots of 'em.  Your room gonna be purty.  But I no like bloooo kitties."

"Neither do I," Robert said. "But Jim make it all better."  He looked at Jim and Steven.  "Do please take Cassidy with you and go upstairs. I really don't think I want to see so much artwork in one day. Cassidy is good with Dakota when Dakota wants her own way.  She might be very helpful here."