Marriage is Murder

Jack and steven both followed Michael down the corridors to the room where they heard heard Robert of who they took to be Robert and both looked at each other worried seeing him did little for there composhure , Jack stratened his back readying in case his strength was needed at any point to restrain Robert he could smell he was different but how that puzzled him enough to step between Khaat and Marcus. Steven placed his hand on Jacks shoulder. " just ne on guard thats what Brian said " he spoke softly to him glanced back at Khaat. " sorry but..he dosn't look himself and we have to be careful." he added then looked to Michael.

" I know, Micahel what do you want us to do and and where do you need me?" he asked looking at Robert his eyes never leaving the mans face for a second he was protecting his family and he would even if that ment stoping Robert to his death even Jess knew thats what he would do.

Brian accio'd Robert's cloak from upstairs. Khaat hurried and signed Robert's discharge papers. Michael looked at Robert.

"Do you trust me to take you home?" he asked Robert. Robert nodded. "You'll be alright to port?" Robert nodded, believing he would. "I don't know what this spell is going to do. Do you?" Robert shook his head. He didn't have enough information. "Who did this to you?"

Robert's rage was instantaneous. Immediate. He spun around, went to the nightstand and threw the glass pitcher into the wall.

"Robert," Michael called gently. "Easy. We'll get to it. I promise. You have every right to be angry. Let's set that aside for now. You don't need to be here. Brian and I will take you home...."

Robert was adamant. Not Brian. Michael saw Robert's strong protests. Not Brian. That much was clear.

"Alright. Not Brian. I get it. Who, then? We just don't know what the spell will do. Who will you let help you?" Michael asked. Robert looked at the bunch of them. He seemed to be sizing them up. He pointed at Jim first.

"Jim?" Michael asked. "You'll let Jim go with us?" Robert nodded.

"The rest of you keep everyone back away from him," Brian said. We'll go back up to Khaat's office and port out from there. I dont' want us to try to leave from the main doors. There's just too much press out there. We'll port home. Is everyone clear?" Brian took the cloak into the room, and Robert immediately extended his hand, warning Brian to stay back.

"Its just your cloak," he said quietly to Robert. Robert was irritated. He motioned for Brian to give it to Michael and get out. Brian complied. Brian didn't understand what Robert's reasoning was, but he hoped it was a good one.

Jim watched from the back seeing Robert point to him he stepped forward and took the cloak from Brian. " don't take it personal" he said softly and slowly walked over to him " here" he said and placed it over Roberts shoulders gently " you'll be okay"hesaid and looked at Michael as the other two stood watching.

Jack and Steven stayed beside Khaat and Brian not moving but knowing Robert had to have his reasons for chosing Jim over them. Jim looked at Micahel " shall we go?" he asked " and right to his bedroom or do you have some other place in mind?" he moved to Roberts side loking at him and smiling.

Robert never moved while Jim fastened his cloak around him. He looked at Brian, not sure he should be going to the estate at all.

"We're family," Brian said. "What would be the chance you would ever, ever leave one of us?" Robert looked at the floor, knowing they had no idea what was probably to come. "We're going home," Brian said softly. "We'll figure it out."

Robert nodded very slowly. Michael wrapped an arm under his friend for support. "I've got you, Mate," Michael said. "Its alright." With his other hand, he pulled up the hood. He was sensing Robert was highly on edge, ready to react to the slightest disturbance. He needed them to take this all very smooth and easy. He looked at the others to try to silently take cues from him.

"The port key goes to the living room," Michael said. "Hopefully they've gotten our notes and have everyone else out of his way to avoid any stress. To your room from there, Robert?" Robert nodded, still looking at the floor.

They started out of the room with him. Robert was extremely edgy, Michael could feel it. And that edginess escalated the instant Robert was out of the confines of the room.

Khaat hadn't moved. Robert had to pass her as he went down the hallway. It had merely been her intent to follow him. Brian had moved to stand on the other side of the hallway, to stand between the healer and Robert.

Khaat moved her hand just very slightly, causing her keys to jangle. Robert reacted with lightning swiftness, backhanding her across her face with his arm for what looked like no reason whatsoever. Marcus snatched hold of her and spun her around him so that she was now behind him and out of Robert's reach. She was totally taken aback, and her face now bore an angry mark from where the sleeve of his filthy suitcoat had struck her with more force than anyone had anticipated.

"No!" Michael took hold of Robert's arm. "No. Its just Khaat. It was just her keys. You're alright. Marcus, get her out of here. Go now!"

"Come on, Khaat," Marcus said very softly. "Let's go. They've got this under control. We need to go." He gently forced her to leave them.

"Is there anyone here that you can't have around you now?" Michael asked Robert, reluctant to let go of Robert's wrist. Robert made an almost angry pointing gesture straight at Brian. Is that all?" Michael asked. Robert nodded. "Go," Michael said. "Go with Marcus and Khaat."

"I need to know you've got this," Brian said with iron firmness.

"You heard me swore to your father that I had this, with my life, didn't you?" Michael was irked. "We've got this. Go!" He didn't want anything else provoking Robert.

Jim moved with Michael and Robert he was taken aback by Roberts out burst but kept moving with Michael feeling it was not down to Robert but what ever Robert was under. Jack and Steven watched Jack was going to intervene but Steven stopped him shaking his head to say not to.

"He didn't mean it Jack" Steven said and looked at Robert hoping his words rang true. " theres just something not quite right about all this" he added but stayed by Brian and Khaat and letting them pass by. " I'll go ahead and make sure everythings ready" he said and ported back to the house seeing Casidy and Jess in the living room he motioned up stairs " go up and stay with the kids don't come out utill I say its okay" he told them and they looked at each other but did as he asked.

They brought her father upstairs into her office, apparently without further incident. Brian had asked her once, very briefly, asking her if she was sure about this. He already knew the answer, though, and he was prepared to walk it with her.

She stood back behind the desk, giving him plenty of room. Michael had one hand still under her father's shoulder. To her, her father looked weak, sick, beaten, but the burst of violence had her concerned. She was concerned about letting the kids anywhere near him.

"Go home, Khaat," Michael told her. "Brian, Belby, take her straight home." She had questions but she knew she didn't dare ask them right now. Brian and Marcus went to her, one on either side of her, and ported out. Robert seemed to visibly relax with her and Brian gone.

"Better?" Michael asked. Robert nodded. "Look," Michael said. "Just give me a cue if someone is too close. Can you do that?" Robert looked at him and shrugged. He hoped he could do that, but he wasn't entirely sure. He intended to try. "Just a simple stop sign with your hand is enough. We'll all get it. Try." Robert nodded. "Jim needs to join us to port home." Robert nodded.

Michael noticed it didn't bother Robert when Jim touched him to port home. It didn't cause the same response as Khaat and Brian's presence had.

They ported home to the living room. Robert stood unmoving for a moment, looking around, as if he was insecure, as if he hadn't been here before.

"Let us take your cloak for you," Michael said gently. He nodded to Jim to take the cloak and put it away. Michael accio'd a family picture on the mantel. One that had everyone in it. "Is there anyone else you can't be around? Can you point them out to me?"

Robert looked at the picture carefully. He pointed immediately to Jess. Michael saw how sure Robert was with that.

"Jess. Got it. Any one else?" Robert hesitated. He was frustrated, feeling torn. He ran his hand through his hair. "Gently, Mate. Its temporary," Michael said. "Just tell me." Robert slowly pointed out Cassidy, Edward, and then the one that caused him the most pain of all--Kate. He could not touch Kate. His own beloved wife.

He shook his head. He didn't want to be here. Didn't want to live. They didn't deserve this. He was too dangerous to be allowed to live. He extended his hand and accio'd a large potions bottle from his lab. The bottle was clearly labeled Basilisk Venom. It was a deadly poison.

Michael looked into the face of his tortured friend and realized what Robert was thinking.

"Nope, nope, nope," Michael said, wrestling the bottle from him. "Absolutely not. You're better than this. This isn't the way. We'll find the answer. You're not going to leave us. We need you. Jim, get this out of here. Get Edward to secure the potions lab from Robert for now.

Robert became frantic at that, protesting.

"I can't let you do that again," Michael reasoned. Robert shook his head. Michael didn't get it. He pointed to a book on the coffee table. Pointed at it several times. IF he were to be shut out from his lab, he would be shut out from his books, and he needed to be able to research for his own cure. There were so few who knew how to do it.

"Its a book. I know. What about it?" Michael asked. Robert became highly frustrated, pointing repeatedly and urgently to the book. Michael picked up the book, a mere children's story book, and handed it to him. That wasn't what he wanted. Robert hurled the book away. Michael still wasn't getting it.

Jim watched and moved to Roberts side as they ported to the main house he slid off the cloak and sent it to the hanger to hang its self up. Walking back he spotted Michael and the bottle he wrote a note " I know just who to send this to." He said and sent it to Brant with a note to say to keep it under lock and key untill he was notified otherwise. He moved to Robert and sighed "I think its the books Michael, I think hes mentioning something about his books, not the book spasificly, " he turned to face Robert" is that it?" he asked keeping his voice soft.

Jim looked back to Michael "Do you think giving him his books would be okay?" he asked " he is a master magcian after all " he added. "Maybe we should regulate what books hes aloud?" hoping not to sound like a jailer but some one who cared about the others in the house.

Robert nodded to Jim when he asked if it was the books, but when Jim wanted to censor the books he got, Robert rolled his eyes in irritation. They were his bloody books, after all.

He looked at Michael and raised both hands, intending on showing them exactly what he could do if he really wanted to. Michael gently rested his hands on Robert's shoulders.

"That won't be necessary, Robert," Michael said gently. "We'll take your word for it. If you wanted to, we'd all be dead already and there wouldn't be anything standing on this estate. We know that. So, am I right that all you want is to undo this curse?"

Robert showed him one finger.

"Ok. That's one thing. There's a second?" he asked. Robert nodded. "Okay. Second thing. We need to know that, don't we? Give me a hint. I'll get better at Charades as we go, I promise."

Robert took the picture from Michael and hugged it close to his own chest.

"Ah," Michael said. "I should have known. Your family. You want to protect them. From whom?"

Robert looked at him as if he'd asked the dumbest question he'd heard yet. Then he pointed to himself.

"Oh. Sorry. Should have known that too. Now--you have had some serious bleeding wounds. I really do need Brian or Khaat or Jess to tend them for you..."

He instantly became angry, violent. Hurled a flower vase to the floor, shattering it. And this time, he was angry enough that it evoked more of the horrid guttural sounds of Robert's suffering, the only sounds he could make.

"Stop," Michael said, quickly taking his hands in his. "Stop. Stop--Okay. You really, really don't want tto use them, do you?" Robert shook his head vehemently. "You're going to need medical care. How do we do this? You can't do it for yourself. Will you let one of us do it, and will you let them be close enough to coach us?" Robert didn't reply. He was unmoving. "Not close enough to touch you, I promise. Robert, I need their help. I'll do anything you need me to do, but I'm not a healer. I need their help. Please."

It took a moment, but Robert finally nodded slowly, tentatively agreeing. Michael looked at Jim.

"Go brief the others, please, and can you get rid of the broken glass?" Michael asked. "Robert, are you ready to go to your room? You were nearly killed. You need rest. How about we go up, and I'll help you with a shower and some better clothes. Maybe a cup of tea. Tea makes everything better. Maybe some Earl Grey?" He knew it was Robert's favorite. He saw Robert struggling to de-stress. When Robert nodded, Michael merely put his arm around Robert's shoulder to show him he wasn't afraid of him, looked at Jim and nodded, and then walked Robert slowly up to his room. He trusted someone would make a pot of Earl Grey and then just float a mug up to him.

Jim chuckled as Robert rolled his eyes at them "Okay I should have known you could harm us anyway" he said smiling he stood listening to Michael and Roberts actions when asked what the second thing was he needed. Jim nodded and moved carefully from Robert and headed down to the kitchen making a pot of earl grey and sent it up on a tray to Robert before he walked back up following the tray as he opened the door and followed it inside. "Teas up." he said and pored it sending the cup floating over to Robert as he stayed close but not too close to both of them.

Steven watched Jim as he made the tea saying very little to him but he could tel by the look on his face was in a better position being out of the room and out of the way. Jack walked in and looked at both but said nothing only watched and ducked as the tray floated past him and Steven folowed by Jim walking behind it.

Michael helped Robert with a shower and had gotten him to agree to just a bit of a calming potion in his tea and had gotten him to agree to simply rest because of his wounds more than anything else. Michael had taken quite awhile with him to talk him out of having to immediately go on a relentless pursuit to try to resolve the curse that had so changed him and everything about his life. He had managed to talk him into just trying to rest for awhile. Robert had reluctantly agreed. Michael, in turn, agreed to not take any more limits or powers from him unless he had no choice. It had been, a promise between, for all practical purposes, brothers. The only thing either of them had now as a brother.

He left Robert sipping on his tea, with a crossword puzzle book at his bedside and a pen. He didn't want Robert seeing how the Ministry had gone all to hell literally overnight since the assassination attempt. As much of an newspaper reader as Robert was, Michael knew he was only buying a bit of time.

He returned downstairs and found them all in the farther reaches of the house.

"You can come out now," he told them. "He's resting. I think we should talk, don't you? We're going to have to work as a group to deal with this. I think he knows that. Come into the living room, and lets discuss this."