Marriage is Murder

Jim listened to Michael and nodded " I remember that." he said and sighed as bad as he thought things could get he had hoped never to see Robert that thin again. He watched Robert and Michael and he folded his arms at the notion of Robert not being there and he fround to Michael but said nothing even as long as he had known Robert, he still left it to Michael seeing how he had know him just a little longer. "You know they will be devistated there papa isn't there " he said softly and shook his head but accioed the pot of coffee topping up Roberts cup as he saw it become half empty.

Jim knew all to well that if any one was to get threw to Robert it was to be Michael when he saw him glare he raised an eye brow to Michael but said nothing still returning to the kitchen to empty the washer and put the things he had used away in the cupboard again so to leave a tidy house when they left as he asuridly knew Michael would get him to return with them.

Robert ate about half of what was on his plate and then laid his fork down. Michael could tell Robert was full.

"Finish your coffee and then we'll go," Michael said gently. "You know you're not going to disappoint them like that. You know as well as I do that your curse is not a problem to them. Being without you would be a problem for them."

Robert finished half of the cup of coffee and set it aside. It wasn't tea. He preferred tea in the morning. He made a waving motion at the coffee cup, done with it.

Michael handed the winter coat to him. "Put it on. We'll go get tea," he said. Robert didn't fight him. He put the coat on.

Michael motioned to Jim. He figured the less they said now, since Robert was putting his coat on, the quicker they'd get him home.

Jim sent the finished things to the sink and set them to washing and cleaning then nodded to Michael knowing what he meant he moved closer to them both and held tight but not too tight to Robert waiting for michael to port them back to the main house and the kids. He nodded he was ready and held on.

Once they arrived he let go and took off his coat waiting to hang Roberts with his own to leave Michael free to sort every thing out but she saw two eyes poking out behind a door and he smiled seeing Abby watching he smiled she was too bright for her own good he knew she knew something wasn't right. "Papa's back, but give him a moment okay? " he whispered to her.

Robert took his coat off and handed it to Jim. No sooner than he had it off than Abbey had rushed to him and had wrapped herself around his legs.

"Papa, you no here to read with me!" she clung to him. Robert wanted nothing more than to read to her, but his voice was silent. They had learned to look at picture books that Abbey knew word for word, by heart, and she didn't seem to even notice, as she recited the stories in a sing song voice, that Robert's voice was silent. She just enjoyed being with him.

He picked her up and she just automatically curled into him, hugging him.

"I'll send you up some tea," Michael told him. Robert nodded. He carried Abbey upstairs as she chattered to him about the storybook she wanted them to read together.

"She's good for him," Michael smiled slightly, going to the kitchen to get tea to send up to him.

Jim took the coat and moved to the coat room and hung them up he smiled seeing Abby with Robert and nodded to michael " its wonderful just what a childs love can do" he said smiling as he then moved to the kitchen and started the pot of tea soon he had a tray made up " I'll take this up " he said and carried it old style up to Roberts room he had added some cookies and a cup of juice for Abby knowing she would want to have a drink with her papa.

" okay I brought the tray of tea and .. some pink cookies" he said placing it next to Robert as he then pored out a cup and left it next to him he then handed Abby her cup and a cookie. He smiled and walked to the door " I'll be close by " he said and headed to his wn room but left his door open so he could hear all that went on.

"Cookies!" Abbey was delighted. "Papa, Santa like pink?" Robert shrugged, not exactly knowing how to answer that. "Gam says we give Santa cookies."

Oh. Well, that made sense. "I make red ones?" she asked. He shook his head and pointed to the pink on es. They would be fine. She smiled.

Marcus, in the meantime, had cleared away the breakfast dishes, had put them on the tray and set the tray out of the way on the dresser. He was trying to motivate Khaat to consider coming out of her room for Christmas eve and Christmas day. She had no desire to do that. She didn't want to be in the way.

"I have taken care of that for you," Marcus said. "You will not be in the way."

"I am not going to be downstairs on Christmas in my nightgown...." she started to protest.

"And I have that resolved too," he said, having a plan for that already. He just needed the time to put it into place.

Jim passed by Khaat's room and sighed as he knocked and gently pushed open the door "Good morning " he said softly " everything okay?" he asked looking to Khaat "Roberts with Abby having tea" he told her "and did I hear the Im not?" he asked and chuckled as he looked at Marcus " well theres a day bed down stairs all ready and waiting for you, " he told her " Jess went all out on cushions to make it comfortable for you and a reading lamp beside it for when you want to read" he looked to Khaat "but Im sure we can trasfigure it into a recliner if you don't like a day bed?" He turned and saw the tray and picked it up " I'll take this down for you, ow there are fresh flowers down there and a lot of gifts, I think one or two have your name on them" he said and smiled at her " just one or two mind you" he said again then headed down with the tray.

Jess saw the tray and smiled knowing and hoping Khaat would come down to see the pile of gifts with her name on them waiting for her to open on christmas day.

A daybed? She looked at Jim and then at Marcus.

"Was that your plan?" she asked.

"Well, no, not exactly," he said, "But I did figure they'd do something and not leave you hanging out up here by yourself. After all, they did brave a snowstorm to go bring your dad back home this morning."

"That's because you're all crazy," she said.

"Probably," he shrugged. "But when was the last time you all spent Christmas Eve at home in your pajamas together?"

"What?" she frowned.

"Did I stutter?"

"In our what?"

"You heard me. Popcorn, Christmas movie with the kids, just the Christmas lights, the whole bit."

"Never. Not in pajamas."

"And who would want to do this?"

"You're all parents or grandparents. Why wouldn't you?"

"I have a very hard time imagining you in your pajamas," she frowned.

"Me? Not me," he said. "I don't wear pajamas. Not ever."

Cassidy was passing by the room when she chuckled and put her head around the door " ow no PJs thats a sight Im guessing some woman would love to see" she said and smiled to Khaat " were all waiting on you and yes were in our night clothes" she told her " comfort is key tonight" she said wigaling her feet with slippers on with pompoms on. " every ones the same except Jim hes still in his suit sometimes I think he sleeps in it " she said as James ran in past her. " wow hey there. " she called after him as he skidded to a stop in front of Marcus but loked at Khaat.

" why you stay in your room, you been noughty?" he asked and standing with his fingers in his mouth as he looked at both of them one hand in his mouth and the other playing with the belt to his dressing gown.

"She's not been bad," Marcus said to James. "She's just stubborn." He looked at the adults again. "I've never had any complaints," Marcus said to Cassidy with a very slight grin.

"You are so bad," Khaat said, knowing him entirely too well. "He sleeps in his shorts, Cassidy."

"And how would you know?" he frowned.

"You were the one who spent all that time with me when we were living at Eli's this summer, were you not? Or was that some other man who's bedroom adjoined to mine. As I recall, you have a habit of kicking off the sheets."

"I do in August," he shrugged. "And, for the record, Eli's didn't have any air conditioning."

"Lousy excuse. You're a wizard. That's an easy spell. I can't do this. I don't have anything to wear."

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," he rolled his eyes. "I don't know any other woman in creation that has more sleepwear than you do. And no one has a whole wardrobe of nightgowns that any other woman in her right mind would be proud to wear on any red carpet premier in the world. You have plenty. Pick something or go naked."