Marriage is Murder

Jess nodded and watched as he managed to get the bone she covered it and handed the bowl to the young healer who took it away. Jess listened and nodded to Khaat " but you'd not have him any other way" she said smiling as she wiped her forehead. Jack waited while Marcus changed on hearing his words as he emerged Jack chuckled .

"I would say not by how hard and long he's working on her I'm afraid, ow its something her uncle made for her years ago, every heard of Remus Lupin, well he was her uncle and he made it to ward of any wears, well evil ones, that would do her harm, seems it doesn't affect the good ones like myself. " he explained glancing back into the room where he saw Jess and Robert still working.

"If I were you I'd settle in for a long night " he said folding his arms " you get use to it she's hard headed and independent , both she got from her parents, as you can see." he said and chuckled hearing Roberts banter with Khaat.

"I noticed," Marcus said, agreeing that she was almost as sarcastic as he himself was.  And she was definitely as stubborn.  "I rather like it.  She might just, then, survive herself. Its a refreshing bit after some of the stuffy spineless I've spent my time protecting. I rather like someone who can take things in stride.

"Alright, so the necklace is a portable intruder alarm.  Fine by me.  Better her than me, I suppose. Its annoying."  He shrank his clothes and wrapped the little handful of tatters in a paper towel and shoved them into his pocket. "I feel like I need to get back."

"Please close, Jess," Robert said. "Extra dressings please. I don't want it jarred for awhile. Go back to immobilizing it until I can get the bone regeneration spell to start taking hold better. We'll have to heal the bone first before the rest of it can knit again or it won't have anything to knit to. I'll chart this and set out some pain potion for her. Once she has that...."

"I am still here and awake," Khaat said impatiently.

"You're a crappy patient some days," He glared at her. "As I was saying, Jess, once she gets he potion, Belby needs to take her straight home. Understood?"

Jack chuckled and nodded " yeap, you could put it that way" he said watching him shrink his old tattered clothes. Jack walked with Marcus and entered the room where Khaat was still being tended to. Jess listened to him and nodded as he told her to close up the wound.

"Of course, I'll fetch it myself once she's all bandaged." she said and began closing the wound and wrapping it she smiled as Khaat spoke to Robert and at the back and forth between them. Jess saw Jack and a much better looking Belby walk back into the room " we're almost done" she told them both.

Stepping back having double bandaged she moved to add a sling " sorry its not your shawl " she said and gently moved her arm into the sling she said and looked at Khaat as she spoke again " Minimal movement will help it heal better." Jess looked towards Jack and Belby." so no more adventures please" she said and smiled to them both knowing that where Khaat was concerned impossible.

"I'll do my best," she told Jess. She hadn't intended to go on an adventure when she left for work anyway. "Where are my clothes?"

"Ruined, I'm afraid," her father said. He tossed her a pair of blue surgical scrubs. "That will do until you get home."

"I was heading here to work," she said.

"Yeah, well, you didn't get here to do that, did you?" he said. "You're going back home. When all those muscles stove up, you're not going to be able to work anyway. Home and off your feet, you and Belby."

"Where are my shoes?" she asked.

"These?" he held up the pair of little dilapidated heels, one of the heels broken off and lost, the other with broken straps. "Give 'em up. They're toast."

"Those were expensive."

"You should have thought of that before you went chasing werewolves in them. Wear your boots next time."

"I'll remember that," she scowled. He signed her discharge.

"I presume you can help her change, Jess?" Robert asked. "If so, I'll leave you to finish up and then Belby can take her home. Belby, I trust you both can relatively behave this time if I leave you alone?"

"I'm not her supervisor, Sir," Belby said. "I'm just her bodyguard, but I'll do my best."

"Fair enough," Robert said.

Jess listened and nodded as Robert spoke to her " he's right " she said softly as she finished up Taking the clip board she checked it and placed it on the bedside table. Jess looked at Robert then the shoes he held " I'll see what I can find for you to wear" she said and smiled " I'm sure there's something that's suitable" she said and looked to a healer who nodded and left quickly. Jack stood with Belby and chuckled at his response.

" Hey we all are her bodyguards, I think only Robert is her supervisor, ow and Brian." he said and looked to Jess who rolled her eyes at them both. the healer returned with a nice pair of soft light tan shoes Jess showed them to Khaat " these are all we have" she said slipping them on her feet " just your size too, they will be okay till you get back."

"Stand down, Jack," Robert said. "He wasn't challenging your post, for pity's sake. He was only responding to my instruction."

Belby said nothing. He was clearly getting the impression that some of her guards took things very personally, and Belby didn't need or like the drama. He disliked it immensely. He was going to open his mouth and offer to return to Bulgaria and let her guards be as offended as they like, with or without him. However, then he looked at Khaat and remembered that he was the reason she was still alive. And besides that, despite the close shave, he did like her. He liked her spark, her fight, her spirit. It was so much more alive than the cold stone halls and stonehearted socialite politicians in Bulgaria. He guessed he would try to ignore whatever unnecessary insecurities her guards had. That wasn't his issue.

Khaat glanced up at him. She saw he wasn't in the mood this morning to debate the task he was hired for. He looked like a man who needed either a firewhiskey or a cigarette or both, and then a quiet place to just sit for a moment. And actually, it didn't sound like a bad idea.

"The shoes are great, Jess," she said. "Thank you. Mr. Belby...," she said, struggling to her feet. He moved quickly to put his hand under her good shoulder and helped her to stand. She groaned, stiff and sore already.

"Hurts, huh?" he smiled slightly.

"A little," she said dryly, needing to grip securely onto him for support. "Take me home, please."

"Potion first, and then you can go," her father called.

Jack looked at Robert and nodded before he turned back to Belby as he spoke " sorry, I wasn't challenging you, its just..she's like a sister I.. I guess I get over protective some times." he said and heard Jess chuckle behind him. " okay, all the time." He admitted and rubbed the back of his neck as he watched him walk to Khaat.

" try all the time" Jess said to Belby as she held Khaat to her feet as well.Jess knowing Belby had a good grip of Khaat moved from her " I'll be quick" she said and left the room heading to the potions lab she found the potion that was needed and returned quickly " okay here you are " she showed it to Robert just to double check it was the right one and at the right strength for her.

"It's alright," Marcus said. "I am the new boy in the group. It happens." Robert looked at the dose of potion.

"Add another teaspoon's worth to that--if Belby is certain he has a good grip on her. She'll be asleep before he gets her home, but when my spell wears off, she'll be glad for the additional potion," Robert said.

"I don't drop women," Belby said. Robert glanced up and saw the slight boyish glint in Belby's eyes that he really had tried to hide.

"I'm sure you don't," Robert was amused.

Jess nodded and added the extra spoons and handed the potion to Khaat to take. Jack looked at him and smiled seeing the look and twinkle he saw " hum bet you don't" Jack said and smiled " I'll go with you if you want" he said " not much for me to do here Stevens covering my shift" he said.

Jim waited inside the shop for Tobias and the shawl knowing he needed to get it asap and have it waiting back home for when Khaat returned " hello, any one here?" he called out as he looked around the shop. He saw a lot of nice things and made note to return and get them for Margaret and the kids knowing they would love them.

"As you like," Belby said to Jack. Khaat reached out to take the potions glass, but her good arm was stiffening already. Belby took the glass for her before she dropped it. "Here. I know how that feels," he said gently. "Take your time." She nodded quietly, grateful for his help. She managed the potion and he felt her weight start to shift onto his almost at once, the potion working fast.

"Time to go," he told her quietly. She nodded, leaning against him. He let her lean heavily against him and made sure he had an iron grip on her. When he knew she was safe enough to apparate, he drew his wand. "Do you want those old clothes?" he asked her.

"I'll get them," Robert said. "Just take her home. Jack, make sure Edward is fully informed. He needs to know what the hell to look for. Keep the crew on alert." Belby knew Khaat was going to be asleep in a few seconds. He couldn't wait. He looked at Jack, in case Jack was coming, and then paused a second to let Jack catch up before flicking his wand to go home.