Marriage is Murder

Jack saw the lights go out " Khaat I got them don't worry " he said and moved up the stairs since he could see better in the dar than the others. He moved to the nursary and calmed the children. Jess and cassidy both headed best they could with out bruising there shins on the furniture as they went. Jess found the candles and lit them walking back she placed them on a table in front of everyone.

" now thats better" she said and cassidy nodded she agreed.

" I'll check the fuse box " he siad and moved down to the celler. Seeing a blown fuse he changed it and flicked the switch nothng happened and he walked back up. " fuse was blown but it looks like the trasformers down too" he said sitting with Cassidy.

"Thank you," she said, relieved that he was heading to reassure the kids so quickly. She heard them all rushing to help. In the kitchen, Marcus and Michael lit their wands.

It took a moment but Michael frowned. You know what I'm not hearing," He said. "Your father. Your mother. They would not have been asleep that fast."

"Marcus," she said. "Please..."

"Going," he replied, heading upstairs, quickly. He got to the upstairs hallway and saw Kate coming out of her bedroom, her hair wrapped in a towel. She was tying the belt on her robe. Clearly she'd been in the shower when the lights had gone off.

Similarly, Robert apparently had been in the shower in one of the guest room. He was coming out of the room wearing a pair of blue silk pajama pants and a beautiful blue and gold silk robe that he hadn't bothered to tie. Marcus was impressed that a man his age was exceptionally well built.

"Are you both alright?" Marcus asked.

"Do you know what a pain in the ass it is to be caught in the shower in the dark?" Robert said.

"I've gotten caught in worse places in the dark," Marcus laughed.

"That doesn't surprise me a bit. If that was the transformer again, we'll have to get through the night with candles. We'll have to wait until daylight and until the rain stops. It will be entirely too dangerous to try to repair in the rain and in the dark.

"Agree," Marcus said.

Edward looked out for Angus's room. "Is everything alright?"

"Brian's transformer isn't all that," Robert said. "We'll need to get serious about upgrading it."

"Belby," Edward said. "Don't be afraid of letting the kids camp out all in one room tonight."

Jack stuck his head out the door of the nursary and smiled " got that covered " he let the door swing open to show them two tents made from blankets and a small flickering light betwen the two. Jack smiled as he spoke again,"Its a fire fly that came in , he seems happy to stay and entertain for the kids." he watched as James clalapped at the shadow images one nursary worker made on the roof.


Jess walked up with several candels floating beside her she left one as she went in startegic places and then smiled to Robert " Marcus take this " she said and gave him a large candle, Robert , Kate here are yours" she smiled " be a good night for meditation even with the sound of the rain" she saw the blanket tent and chuckled " trust Jack to think of that" she said " Jack I'll bring up some cookies and warm milk later, it will keep them calm and help resettle them"

"Good ideas, All," Robert said. "Nice work. Well, I'm off to bed--again. 'Night." He and Kate headed off to bed.

When 5 am came, Marcus was up and dressed again. When he came out into the hallway, he saw Brian going into the cook's room, presumably to check on him. Marcus remembered where Khaat had finally ended up rather late that night, and he headed to the nursery.

He saw she was still where he'd left her. She had gone in when the storm had uprooted the kids again and had sat down on them and was reading them a story. That was when he had ben dismissed to go to bed.

This morning he saw her asleep on the floor, still in her clothes from the day before and the kids piled all around her, snuggled up tight to her, having eventually abandoned their tents to cuddle with her. They were all sound asleep, and looking rather contented with a grown up to be close to.

He started to smell the familiar aroma of fresh French roast and fresh tea from downstairs. It appeared that daylight would be here in a couple of hours and life would begin again. But for now, all ways quiet.

Jack and steven woke early to go fetch breakfast from Lizzy. Both appeared with arms full of pakages and headed to the kitchen seeing marcus they both smiled " Morning Marcus" they said togther " beakfasts up" Steven said and chuckled as they placed the pakages down on the table and began to set it out ready for when the others awoke.

"Smells good" Jack said and Steven shook his head at him and Jack sighed.

"You know Lizzy said we had to wait for the others, " he told him with a small smirk. "That means no nibbling Jack." he said and smaked Jacks hand lightly away from one box.

" ouch you sound like Jess" he said just as she walked up behind Jack and chuckled.

"Good Morning Marcus and good means hes learning." she said smiling at Steven "Thank you." Jess proceded to lay the table still smirking.

"Good morning," Marcus said, "The kids are all still sleeping. By the looks of them, they're pretty worn out from the storm. Will any of that food hold for them for awhile until they wake up? I can't imagine many things worse than a dozen sleep deprived toddlers."

"There isn't," Robert said, coming downstairs with Kate. Robert was dressed for work, and Kate was wearing white jeans and a gauze button down shirt in an unusually flattering seamist green color, with a pair of freshwater pearl earrings that had a tropical design to them. She had bought the pearls in Hawaii but saved them for summer.

"Lovely as always, Kate," Michael said to her as he came in from the walk in refrigerator with a bowl of berries for the kids.

"Thank you, Michael," Kate said, pouring tea for herself and for Robert.

Brian came downstairs for a moment. "Robert," he said. "Your assistance, please. Angus is trying to come around."

Jess heard michael and stood up " do you want I should check on him?" she asked walking over to him. Cassidy set a pot of coffee down and sat with Steven and Jack waitng for Jim to come down the stairs instead he came in from the garden wiping his dirty hands as he walked in on a cloth he held.

" One of the storm shutters came loose last night on the barn I heard it in my room so went out and fixed it " he explained as he sat down taking some fruit. Jack looked at him and nodded." you look lovely Kate" he said and smiled at her.

"I wondered what that noise was " he said taking and poping a berry into his mouth.

"You can, but I need to talk to him. I need his facts," Robert said. "I'd like to know what the heck he was into, if he remembers. He might well not. Not until he's had time to sleep some of the remaining side effects. Muggles have some very toxic street things." He looked at the rest of them. "Go ahead with breakfast. Don't wait on me."

He motioned to Jess and went upstairs. Edward was helping Angus to get a sip of water. Robert could see immediately that Angus was still very groggy and was going to need sleep now that he was finally conscious. Robert did not immediately move to check him. He was going to let Jess do that. Instead, Robert intended to concentrate on seeing if he could get any information.

"Where am I?" Angus managed sleepily.

"Home," Robert said. "In your own room." Angus tried to get his eyes to focus.

"I am?" He frowned. "How'd I get here?"

"Good question. Take a moment and then see if you can remember anything yet. It might not come for a few hours yet. But anything would be helpful right now."

Jess nodded and moved up stairs to Angus's room she smiled seing him semi awake and walke dover to him " its good to see you awake, even if it is sort of" she said and placed her hand on his forhead. She felt disoriantated and felt the impurities in his system and looked to Robert. "It...its strange like waiding threw thick malassas." she said softly " his vitals are fine but I couldn't get any detail becuse of that sensastion I don't know what they gave him but its got weird side effects" she told him. " I think your right rest and sleep is all I can recomend" she said " what ever they gave him it is like what ever they gave him is reacting to my abilitys" she said to Robert knowing with him being experianced he would know what it was.

"I don't know if we'll ever know what the mix was," Robert said. "But that is exactly what it should feel like. It should clear up significantly within the next 24 hours or so. But depending on what he was given, it could take up to 30 days before we don't feel that anymore in his system."

"He's right here," Angus said, annoyed.

"My apologies," Robert said. "Were you with muggles?"

"Muggles?" He frowned. "Why would I be with muggles?"

"I don't know. I was going to ask you that," Robert said. "You were given quite a mix of different muggle recreational drugs and dropped off here later. Quite literally. What do you remember?"

"Not a bloody thing," He sighed. "But it sure feels like one hell of a hangover."

"Jess is right. You definitely need sleep," Robert said.

"Am I missing my shift?" He asked.

"Yes," Robert said. "And you'll continue to miss it until I say otherwise. That's an order."

"Can he have something to eat?" Edward asked.

"Ewww," Angus wrinkled his nose, not interested.