Marriage is Murder

Cassidy smiled at Marcus as he spoke to her and she nodded " its okay Im not Jess I don't take offence easily" she said looking abck at where Khaat sat " I know shes hurting , inside as well as out " she said and moved back inside to sit in the liing room accioing herself a cup of coffee from the kitchen as she sat with steven by the fire. Steven wrapped his arm around her and smiled holding her close. as they sat drinking the warm coffee.

Steven slips out from under Cassidy and headed out to close up the barn, first he spoke to the hypogriff and he went to his stall the pymy puffs just snuggled down and fell asleep Steven locked up the barn and headed into the farm house.

Michael set out dinner on the sideboard in the dining room for everyone to help themselves. He went back to the bedroom and found Khaat was still outside. He went out to the courtyard.

"Sweetheart," he said softly. "if you want to move forward, lets start to look like it, okay?" She looked up at him. He had reached out his hand to her. "Come eat something. Unless you really don't mean it." She thought a moment and then, sighing, she gave into him. He took her out to the kitchen and helped her to a seat at the table.

He called the others to come and eat and then fixed a plate for her and one for himself He took them to the table. Marcus followed and fixed a plate for himself and joined them.

Steven stood up and helped cassidy up from the chair to walk over to the table where they sat down both smiled seeing Khaat walking over to the table to sit with them." smells wonderful" Steven said " all the animals are bedded down for the night" steven added as he took his plate from Cassidy who had gone and filled it for him. "The hypogriff was annoyed he couldn't stay out longer, but when I explained why, he was okay with it." he said and began to eat.

Cassidy ate her own not looking at Khaat thinking it would make her self consiouse and smothered that was something Cassidy knew she didn't want from them. " you have some color in your cheeks Khaat, that fresh air agreed with you" she said softly and smiled at her as she took abite of the food " wow, yum, Michael this is delishiouse." Cassidy wanted the recipy.

"Just a bit of comfort food," Michael said. "That always seems to soothe the soul. Oh, and Steven, thank you for taking care of the animals. Evidently we must have been a bit shorthanded with the outdoor crew today. Not sure why they didn't tell Robert, but I'm sure he'll get that settled if we tell him."

"He's got his hands full," Khaat said to Michael. Cassidy remarked about the color in her face. "I missed the sun over the last few days. It was Marcus's idea, though. I don't know if I'd have thought of it."

"I've been through my share of rehab too," he smiled at her. "I know how much a change of scenery can make."

"Please tell me you aren't making me run in the morning," she looked at Marcus. He laughed.

"No," he said. Then he teased her. "Perhaps the day after."

"Well, at least you're not rushing it, then," Michael said.

Steven smiled and nodded " its okay I spoke to him hes okay but yeah strange nobody had tended to them, I'll get Jack on it when he comes in the morning " he said as he took another bite of the food " what ever you call it, I call it yummy" he said and smiled. Casidy looked at Khaat as she spoke " well its done you good Khaat,the sun agrees with you" she said and chuckled as she spoke of a run in the morning and Michael spoke of a run the next day.

"That sonds good been a while since we ran " Steven said " might stretch a few muscles that are long over due" he added as Cassidy looked at him side on.

"Speak for your self mister." she said and smirked at Khaat.

Khaat felt like she had eaten a great deal, but Michael noticed it really was very little. He made a mental note to ask Robert if it were perhaps part of the effects of being outside for so long. He decided not to harp tonight.

He got up and served a large platter of pecan shortbread cookies and put mugs of herb tea around. He looked at Khaat.

"You really should go get some rest," Michael said. He had been avoiding asking her to do anything, but he was seeing some clear fatigue.

"Yes," she said easily. "I believe I will. Marcus, did you find a room?"

"If I need one, I'll find one," Marcus said. "How hard can that be?"

"Do you plan on staying up all night?"

"He was up all night last night," Michael said.

"Then you're dismissed for the night," she said.

He laughed. "That was cute, I admit. But really ineffective. I work for your father. Not for you." He looked at Steven and Cassidy. "And I presume if I catnap, you'll make sure all is secure well enough without me, right?"

Steven and Cassidy watched finishing the table once every one was done. Steven smiled and nodded " of course we will, I'll make sure nothing falls apart without your say so " he said and smiled taking a cookie and accioing pot of hot fresh made coffee Cassidy stood up and took hold of it and refreshed Khaats cup.

"Go sleep we'll be fine " she said smiling " we're the night shift so we'll be awake all night." she pored herself a cup. " I belive theres one right next door to yours Khaat." she added knowing having him close would make her feel more comfortable.

"Come on," Marcus said to her. "I know you hurt. Its time to give it up for one night."

"Oh, alright," she said. She watched Archangel glide over to the counter and steal one of Michael's cookies. She frowned.

"Who forgot to feed the bird?" Michael sighed.

"He doesn't like cookies," Khaat frowned. "He eats meat."

"Maybe he's desperate," Marcus tried to stifle a laugh.

"We'll feed him something," Michael said. "If he quits eating cookies."

"Try it the other way round," Marcus said, getting Khaat up from the table. "Feed him, and he'll stop eating the cookies. Good night." He took her to her room. Michael looked and saw the tea mugs left behind.

"Well?" he asked the mugs. "Get going. You're no good cold, are you?" He snapped his fingers at the mugs and sent the mugs behind them to her room.

Marcus didn't have trouble helping her remove her robe, which did surprise Khaat, but Marcus seemed well familiar with the trouble that a sling did provide in dressing. He managed to help her get the sling off and back on without moving her shoulder and knew a couple of additional tricks to helping her get comfortable in bed.

She wasn't ready to sleep yet, and he helped her with pillows to sit up against. She asked for her bag, and he brought it to her. She drew out some paperwork and began working quietly. Marcus checked her room, placed protection spells on the windows and on the courtyard door and sat down on the bedroom sofa, still alert.

He said nothing, but he noticed her work stressed her. She often seemed to almost get stuck in her thinking. He wondered if it was too much for her, but she kept working.

Around 2 am, he glanced up from an outdated magazine and found she'd dozed off. He picked up her pen and her papers, looking at her papers. He frowned deeply. It was not what he had expected, and it made him feel protective. He tucked the papers back in her bag and closed the bag, putting his own spell on it to lock it. Without her magic, she would not be able to open it--until he was with her to let her open it.

He put the bag across the room from her, near end of the sofa where he'd been sitting during the evening. He yawned and stretched, starting to feel like he needed a few hours of sleep.

Steven stood up when Arch took the cookie he moved to the fridge and took out some fresh meat "now wouldn't you prefer this to a cookie" he said softly and took the cookie from him replacing it with some meat. " don't worry Khaat I'll make sure hes well fed from now on" he smiled at her watching belby walk her to her to her room. Steven and Cassidy cleared the table and moved to sit by the fire steven watched out the window.

At about 2am he heard movement in Khaat's room and smiled as he gently pushed open the door. " all okay?" he asked softly so not to wake Khaat " you want some coffee,or you could just grab some sleep your self " he added knowing buy how Belby looked he had to be exausted.

Belby was tired, he had to admit. He checked once more to make sure she was sleeping and then stepped out into the hallway, pulling the door partway closed.

"She's not been asleep long," Marcus said. "She's been working. Steven, I haven't known her long, but I get the feeling she really doesn't like others telling her what to do or interfering with her beliefs of what's right or wrong. I realize I'm the new kid on the block here, but do you think they'd trust me to make sure she doesn't get in over her head?

"I...saw some of her paperwork after she fell asleep. She could, well, misstep if I let her. I don't want to let her know that I know what she's thinking, but I don't want to let her make a huge mistake either."