Marriage is Murder

Jim stood listening not understanding how Brian could just stand there and take his abuse knowing he was the ministers son in law but hs staid stood watching knowing Brian could handel it himself. He looked around him and saw others working on transphormers large ones all around him. He could not help but walk over and look at some plans that lay open on a table young man walked over and folded them in half so he could not see any more then stood in front of them. Jim rolled his eyes and moved back to stand with Fiona.

Jack moved in from the barn with Steven after making double sure the barn roof. Steven washed his hands as they had become dirty with dust and wood chips from the shingles they ahd to replace.

"And here are my terms," Brian countered. "I need it in two days. I have small children."

"Two?" Alistair frowned. "Its a four day job. I'm doing you a favor by doing it in three."

"I need it in two," Brian held his ground.

"I didn't know Robert had grandchildren," Alistair said. "How many?"

"Technically, he has six, but there are almost a dozen toddlers in the house. We're a multiple family household. I need that transformer in two days."

"It will cost you extra," Alistair said.

"Done. Just get the job done," Brian said.

"Will Robert back the extra expense?"

"No. I will," Brian said. "Look, this isn't Robert's house. Its mine. Don't let my age fool you. I can afford it. Two days."

"Fine. Two days," Alistair said. "We'll arrive before midnight tonight, then. Our rooms will be ready?"

"You can use the guest house while you're there."

"Even better," Alistair said. "Now--let me get back to work."

"Done," Brian said. He turned and looked at Jim and Fi.

"And Fiona," Alistair said. "Next time you come, at least say hello."

"My apologies, Alistair," Fi smiled. She took a step forward and gave him a warm hug. He was genuinely glad to see her. "Is the pub still open?"

"Not this time of day," Alistair said. "Not unless you go in the back way. You do still remember, don't you?"

"Of course," she grinned.

"Try the summer ale," Alistair said. "Its got lovely tropical notes to it."

"Will do."

"Is he really your baby brother, then?"

"'Afraid so," Fi smiled. "Will you have time for a hand of poker this time?"

"Is Kieran playing?"

"Maybe. BUt its more likely that Robert will play."

"Robert? He owes me almost a hundred quid the last time we played with muggles."

"Beat you, did he?" she laughed. Alistair shrugged, not willing to admit Robert had defeated him.

"Go try the ale," Alistair said. "Or I'll never get there tonight."

"Alright. We're going," Fi laughed. She looked at Jim and Brian. "You heard him. Lets go get a pint before we go home."

Jim paced back and forth as he watched the other workers in the room, He was not comfortable with them half hid behind such big machinery. He was some what itching to return home. Moving to Brian he spoke softly “ I don't like it here we should get back, Robert said the key would only last so long.” He said taking it out of his pocket and handing it to Brian before moving back to stand with Fiona as he waited for them to leave , but instead Fiona started to talk to Alastair, Jim relaxed a little but not too much as he felt out of place his place was body guarding, this place had places that some one could hide and take a shot at them.


At the mention of a pub he looked around at Fiona then at Brian. “ You think that's wise?” he asked folding his arms across his chest as he waited he hoped Brian would just head back knowing Robert would start to worry if they weren’t back after a set time. Jim looked back at the door they had come threw earlier as far as he was concerned he was doing his job every person was a potential assailant to him be they wizard or werewolf he wanted to be ready for them.

"You're welcome to go back if you like," Brian said. "The time limited key is the portkey that Robert made for Alistair. Not ours. Alistair portkey only lasts 3 days. Our portkey home is as unlimited as its always been."

He motioned them out back into the alley. He would have had to be blind not to notice Jim's fear.

"Relax," Brian said. "We're not under attack here. We're only going to get a new generator."

"Alistair is an old friend," Fi said. "Robert's known him for decades. Before he died, my husband worked part time for Alistair. My husband wasn't always the nicest fellow, and Alistair protected me from him more than once. Alistair sounds gruff but if it came to it, I wouldn't hesitate to trust him with my life."

"Wait,..." Brian frowned. "Isn't he the one that used to be an auror?"

"Yes," Fi said. "And a damned good one. But he was held captive by Voldemort back in the day and repeatedly tortured with unforgiveables by Bellatrix Lestrange. He never was the same after that. After the war, he tried to return to duty but he just wasn't up to it. So, he fell back to his second love--alchemy."

"Why up here in Ireland?"

"Its about as far from London as he could get, I suppose," Fi said. "That, and he owns the pub and the inn above the pub. He makes a nice living for himself. He wants us to go try the summer ale because he honestly wants our opinion--although he hasn't come out to say that. You're welcome to come, Jim, or you can go back if you want. Your choice. But we really are probably safer here than you are in that back yard with those damned werewolves breeching your protection spells."

Jim looked At Brian and shook his head “Sorry, this is my own personal hang up that I need to deal with, I will never leave my post,” he told him he looked to Fiona as she spoke and listened he nodded as she spoke of her ex husband. “ I heard about him , forgive me Fiona for saying this but that's some one I would have loved to get my hands on” He looked to Alastair and gains a new respect for him. He looked at both of them when Brian asked if  Alastair had been an Auror.  He listened more when Fiona explained what had been done to him and why he'd moved to Ireland. Jim now smiled and crossed his arms as she explained  what he had said to them and he nodded with a sigh. “ again your right, beside what harm could it bring after all to stay a night.” he said and smiled again hoping Brian would relax and stop worrying about Khaat.

“You know I think I remember being told about that Ale and its supposed to be very smooth and forgiving on the palette” he said now hoping he would actually get to try some of the ale. “ is it as smooth as I was told?” he asked and looked down to Alastair, “ ow and my poker face is as bad as my hands usually are” he said and chuckled “ where's Jack when you need him or Steven there just as bad could have got a good penny from both of them.” he added.

"Try it and see for yourself," Alistair said. "They're always open by lunch time to accommodate the working wizards. I think the special today is a very nice ploughman's lunch."

"We might just have time to do that before we need to get backt," Brian said. "Do you remember how to find the back way into the pub, Fi?"

"In my sleep," she said. She waved goodbye to Alistair and led them two streets over and one block down, into an alley. She picked up a rock off the brick alleyway and drew a rune on the brick wall. The rune started to glow and then re-arrange itself into a shape of a key and a keyhole. The drawing of the key slid into the lock and unlocked the drawing of the keyhole. The wall opened an invisible door into the back way into the pub.

"This way," Fi told them. She motioned Brian and Jim into the pub behind her. They went through a dimly lit hallway into the main dining room of the pub.

"Fiona Gallagher! Is that you?" the pub keeper was delighted to see her.

"Connick!" Fi was surprised and pleased. "You're still here?" He came around the bar and wrapped her into a strong hug, lifting her up off the floor and swinging her around in the air. She laughed, delighted to see her old friend. "Connick, I'd like you to meet my friend, Jim, and my baby brother, Brian."

"Good morning, Gentlemen," the happy pubkeeper greeted them. "What brings you all back here to Cork?"

"Alistair," Fi said.

"'Tis a long way to come to meet a curmudgeon," he laughed.

"It is indeed," Fi agreed. "He says you're serving a ploughman's lunch this noon."

"And a fine one it is," he agreed. "Three? And three pints?"

"Alistair suggested the summer ale," Fi said.

"It is a nice brew. Alistair's got a new brewmaster. A young man who is a fifth generation brewer. I like this ale. You should try it."

"I will," Fi said. "And the lunch, please."She looked at Brian and Jim. Brian nodded. He would try it and the lunch.

Jim nodded and followed close behind Fiona out back the way they had come. They had not gone far when she stopped and drew on the wall. Jim chuckled and stepped back as the door opened in front of him.“ I will never get use to that “ he said and walked into the bustling inn behind Fiona, He moved his hand to his hip, as she was swept off his feet but he relaxed as she seem to know who he was. He shook the man's hand strongly so he would know he meant business. Jim glanced at Brian and moved further inside the inn. He heard the man suggest the ploughman’s lunch and smiled. “sounds good and should be a good batch then.” he said looking at Brian hoping he would let them stay for lunch. “ We did miss lunch.” he said and moved to Brian and waiting knowing and able to relax a little but he could smell the food and his stomach rumbled loudly as he stood “ sorry missed breakfast” he said softly to Brian.

Turning back to face Fiona he watched them together this was her territory and he was glad to see her strong and not as he had been told the beaten down wife, nope he saw a strong independent woman who knew her business and was not scared to let others know she knew. Jim watched her then looked for a table they could sit at while they ate and tried the ale.

The server brought the ale and the lunch. Brian tied the ale, and he did like it. The lunch was pretty much just a standard lunch as far as Brian was concerned. Simple, but good. Traditional.

"Brian," Fi asked, sipping her ale, "you really are Irish. Why would you deny what you are?"

"Ireland never did a damned thing for me, Fi," he said coldly. "My life is in England now--or anywhere else my wife and kids need me to be."

"You still blame Kieran and me," she sighed.

"Drop it, Fi," Brian said. "One of you would have had to drop out of school. I was well taken care of."

"By a stranger," she said.

"They're who I remember as my parents," he said. "I don't have boatloads of memories of my birth family. I do remember Robert and Kate and Remus. I don't need what I didn't have. I do need what I do have. And right now, that's lunch, a beer, and some power for my house." He looked and saw a display of cigarettes behind the bar. He got up and walked over to the bar and plunked down a few galleons and motioned to one of the packs of cigarettes.

Fi sighed. "Kieran and I get along well with him--until Ireland comes up. And then he gets like that. All ice," she said to Jim. "I'm not sure what I expect from him. Maybe just forgiveness."

Jim was glad of the food and ale it was just as he had been told he sat listening to Fiona and Brian noticing the change as she asked about Ireland. He also saw Brian walk to the cigarettes he gave a deep sigh knowing Brian would smoke. “ Fiona," he has already forgiven you, if he didn't he wouldn't have come looking for you both” he said taking a sip of the ale.” Forgive me for saying this but your looking for forgiveness from him, maybe he's looking for the same from you, for him not being there when he feels you needed him most” he said softly he buttered some bread and ate it as he watched Brian from the table.

Once done eating he stood up and faced Fiona. “ Will you forgive an old man his vices.” he said and showed her the pipe as he walked over to Brian lighting it as he did and puffed twice. “ so...” was all he said softly as he stood beside him not saying much more than he did waiting for him to talk and decide what he wanted to say. Jim was going no where and could wait for Brian to talk to him. Jim stood puffing away on his pipe the smoke drifting out the open door he stood at like soft white clouds drifting up into the sky. Jim moved to lean against the door frame “ yeah I slipped back” he said softly and smiled as the pipe sat in the corner of his mouth as he waited. “ you know its getting damn cold here.”

Fi sighed quietly. "Perhaps. Kieran just never brings it up to him. But they've had their own problems over the years."

Brian opened the pack of cigarettes and lit one. He heard Jim come up beside him and light his pipe. "I can't say anything about smoking," Brian said, exhaling a curl of smoke into the air. "You know, I found a pack of this brand in my dresser drawer this morning. Forgot they were there. Stale as hell. I was in a cigarette shop in Paris the night Abbey was born, buying a pack of cigarettes when Robert sent for me. I still had that pack in my drawer this morning. Threw them out. They weren't worth a shit anymore. I haven't smoked this brand since that night. Michael's gotten me spoiled on his expensive handmade Italian ones.

"I don't have much of anything good to say about my childhood until I was at least 8. And not one thing good about Ireland. She needs to quit bringing it up," he said. "I'm not angry. I just don't have any use for it. My life began when I met Khaat and when they took me in. And my home isn't here in this country. My life is with my wife and kids, and I don't care what country they're in as long as I'm with them."

He glanced out the pub window and saw a women's clothing shop across the street. In the window was a beautiful dress on display, and there was a breathtaking shawl around the shoulders of the mannequin. He immediately could see Khaat wearing it, and it made him smile. In fact, just that fast, he couldn't imagine anyone wearing it but her.

"I gotta go across the street," he said. "I gotta have that for her. I'll be right back. Give me five minutes." He tossed the cigarette to the floor and ground it out with his foot. Then he bounded out the door and across the street and into the women's shop.