Marriage is Murder

Both grinned and smiled at her "Hey Merry christmas Kate" they said togther " and yeah we figured , we both felt bad you had to leave your new studio so we thought this would help, never mind the tree Cassidy and Jack have it in hand" steven said as Jack realizing dove out the door and back to the house to a chukaling Steven. " we all pitched in its why we have been spending lots of time out here, fresh flowers  or veg to paint and when summer does arrive you can open the windows and see the view" he handed her a remote and showed her only for a moment , two large glass doors that slid all the way back into the wall to let in the sun and show her the view.

"Or I can leave it open and let the snow in," she smiled. "Why not?"

Brian walked in through the wide open doors. "Oh, well done," Brian told Steven and Jack. "Kate, the reason you won't be leaving the doors open is that there are werewolves about. And because, in the cold, every wild animal around will be looking for a place to get out of the cold. Enjoy the view in the warm, please."

"Fine by me," Kate smiled. "All I have to do is be in where its warm, huh?"

"Don't play with me, Kate," Brian looked at her. "I expect everyone in the main house when the storm begins."

"That's not what you said," she teased him.

"Don't make me come out and get you because I will," Brian said.

"Go away," she taunted, going to the paint cabinet. "I have painting to do."

"You both have created a monster," Brian said to Steven and Jack. "We won't see her for months. If the snow starts ahead of time and she doesn't see it, one of you has my permission to go and get her and bring her back to the house before it amps up to storm conditions. You hear me, Kate?"

"You let anyone try to lay hand on me, and you both will be genetically altered," she said, half seriously.

Steven chuckled at Brian " ow thats going to be Jack " he said " as for genticly altered...is that possible?" he asked and chuckled more " he is right though " he said and closedthe window again befre placing the remote down next to Kate. " we need the veg growing below fresh to eat not flash frozen." He chuckled and headed down to check on them smiling as he passed Brian " seems it " he said and patted his shoulder " but she's your mother in law" he said and headed down to the green house part.

Jack walked in and smiled to Cassidy as he helped place an orniment high on the tree. " she loved it" he told her and cassidy grinned like a cheshire cat.

"Told you she would " she said and hande him another orniment " I could tell she was board and needed soemthing to do, I take it Steven showe her the double doors?" she asked and saw Jack nodd and she grinned again" good she'll love sitting up there when the sun comes back."

"I mean it, Kate, " Brian said. "In the house when the snow starts."

"I heard you," Kate said, "I can take care of myself. I've been doing it for a long time. Now, go. Don't you have hay to pitch or something?"

"Robert is pitching more than enough by himself," Brian said. "I'm going to have to go round him up too, or there isn't going to be room in my barn for the horses."

"Think of it this way. They'll be warm, won't they?"

Brian shook his head, left Kate, and made one more trip to check things to be sure that he had done all he could do. He returned to the house.

"I think I need to leave them alone," Brian said, "She's going to get serious about painting, and he's going to work until he gets done being frustrated, I think."

Jack and steven both chuckled and moved back into the house. Cassidy was stretching to put up the last bit of decoration on the  tree when Jack moved to lift her alittle so she could put it up. " thanks Jack" he said and Steven chuckled.

"if I was his hight and had his muscles I would do the same" he said and che rolled her eyes.

" ow sure " she said and rolled his eyes as she walked over to him " Don't worry hun you still got muscles" she said and squeesed his arm.  Jess walked down and chuckled at both of them as she looked around the room" looks good Cassidy and wheres Kate?" seeing her now gone from the room. Steven motioned to the green house and she chuckled " ow ...so I take it she loves the new studio?"

Steven nodded and smiled " ow a whole lot" he said and chuckled as did Jack " don't think we'll see her until spring" he said as he then moved to the kitchen and grabbed a can of soda to drink he could see the sky turning a light grey and he sighed knowing that ment snow. " hey , do you think it will snow for christmas , be nice for the kids to have a white christmas"

"If the forecasters are correct, you might well have snow for Easter too," Edward said, refilling his cup. He looked at Suki, "Suki, the Minister stays off to himself...."

"Because of the curse," she said.

"Yes," he said. "You might want to see if he wants a fresh pot of Earl Grey upstairs."

"I'll do it right now," she said, heading upstairs.

Upstairs, Marcus was helping Khaat make a list of what she wanted for her gifts so that Brian could go and get them when after the snow storm had come and gone. But she got to Brian's gift and motioned Marcus to put the paper and pen away. She sighed heavily.

"What?" he looked at her.

"I can't do this," she said.

"Can't do what?" he asked.

"I cannot simply sit in this house, in this bed, for months and months. Do you know how long its been as it is?"

"Yes. I do," he said. "I've been with you, remember? What are you saying?"

"Brian puts up with a lot," she said. "He deserves better. I want to be sure he at least gets a decent Christmas."

"Isn't that what the list is for?" he asked.

"No. I want to get that myself...."

"Wait," he frowned. "You think that you--crushed shoulder, baby, and all--you're going to go out and shop? Just like that? Werewolves and blizzards? Seriously? You think you're going to do this? You haven't been out of bed more than a couple of steps. Are you out of your mind?"

"That's why I have you, isn't it?"

"And just what part of this am I supposed to do? Carry you? Or protect you? The last I looked, there was only one of me. I know you're about as bored as you can get, and I do let you do whatever you want to do--90% of the time. But this is nuts. Sheer insanity."

"Get my clothes, Marcus," she said.

"Oh, yes. That's right," he said sarcastically. "I need to help you dress, too, don't I?"

Brant left his room after he had shaved and and wore clean warm clothes as he passed by Khaats rom he heard the voices and pushed open the door " wow,too loud guys" he said and looked at them to of them "There a problem?" he asked looking from one to the other as he stood holding his cream jumper in his hand as he had not put it on yet. " why don't I come with you, be the bag carrior and gofer, so to speak, not that I haven't done that before, that free's you up to look after Khaat there" he said looking at Marcus. " We both know she'll not last a day if the hour so wheres the harm" he said and looked at Marcus then to Khaat.

He slipped on his jumper and brush back his now ruffled hair off his face as he looked to both of them " yeah I know its not my style , Angus sugested it " he said and tugged at the neck like a child does when hes forced to dress up at special occashions. " so what do you say?" he asked

"I didn't think we were raising our voices," Khaat said.

"No, the door was open, though," Marcus said. "it isn't usually. I don't know whether to think you're helping or not, Brant. I'm trying to talk her out of it. And she's determined to go. But you're right. she isn't going to last even a moment on her feet. She just can't do it." He looked at her. "Alright. Now, you listen to me. IF we go, and that is an if--I am setting rules. First, Brian will know. And if he objects, we don't go. Second, I cant take you by myself this time. I can't take care of you and protect you both. And third--one store. That's it. No more. You aren't going to last anymore than that. You shop where you want, but one store. And we're back within the hour--before the storm hits."

"You're sure? Those are the rules? You're good with that?"

"Yes, I think I am," he said.

"Done," she said.

"Brant, would you go and see if you can keep Brian from exploding while I help her find her clothes, please?" Marcus asked.

Brant chuckled and nodded at Marcus's request and headed down to find Brian. Finding him Brant took a deep breath " marcus and I are going to take Khaat shoping " he said and waitied for his responce as he grabbed his coat and looked at jack and Steven. Jess shook her head disaprovinly to him.

"Bad move, Brian won't like it" she said and lookd at Cassidy who was half way up the stairs waiting for Brian to explode. She was also there to stop him so he didn't wake or upset the kids if he did. Brant moved back up to Khaats hands deep in his jacket.

" I have my wand and I have told Brian " he said " what shop we going to?" he asked " might get some of my own in while Im there" he added.

Brian frowned, pausing. Brant had merely dumped the news on him and had gone again. What the hell was that? No asking? Just lots of telling? He turned and, not saying a word, he went upstairs.

Marcus had had to help her dress in a hell of a hurry. Brant didn't have a clue about what it took for Khaat to dress, and Marcus had had a sense that he wasn't going to know to be respectful enough to give her any time. And, sure enough, he hadn't. He had managed to help her into a pair of jeans and was buttoning her white shirt for her when Brant returned.

"You're rushing it, Mate," Marcus said. "It isn't that easy for a woman with a crushed shoulder to dress. Give us a minute. She needs help to get her clothes on. There. Now, we have to put the splints and braces and the sling back on. And then there are socks and boots...."

"Perhaps," Brian said quietly from the doorway, "if I agreed to this, I'd help you."

"What's to agree on?" Khaat asked.

"Well, there is a slight rub with the fact that you can't stand or walk by yourself. And then there's James. And then there's the small mater of a huge snowstorm that will be her before nightfall...."

"I told her one store," Marcus said.

"I thought I was doing the shopping," he frowned.

"Not for your own gift," she protested.

"The only gift I ever need is you," he said. "I don't want anything else."

"Well, suck it up, because the kids are going to want to see that Santa didn't forget you."

"So I'll buy a few things to put under the tree."

"No. Its one store We'll go and get right back. I swear."

Brian didn't say a word. He turned and walked out, massaging his temple. He went down to his office and closed the door, deciding that he wasn't going to get anywhere.

"Give us a minute, Brant. Then I'm sure she'll tell us where we're going," Marcus said.