Marriage is Murder

Jess looked to Jack who stood up and went to get desert for him and Jess Steven did the same for Cassidy saying nothing more but looked at Kate knowing all had been said and it was time to move on.

" Just cheese cake for me "Cassidy told Steven and shrugged " I like it thats all don't even think it " she said and chuckled softly knowing that was what Khaat craved but she certainly was not pregnate

The dessert buffet was fabulous, and for Khaat, it satisfied her sugar cravings temporarily. Feeling full, she was growing very tired. Marcus added a dose of her potion to her tea while Brian left the room for a moment.

"Here. Drink," Marcus said quietly to Khaat.

"I will," she said, setting it aside. He picked it up promptly and handed it back. He rarely put her in a situation where he didn't give her choices. She didn't want it right now, though. She looked at him, and he was still looking at her. "It'll make me sleepy," she said.

"So? I'm not going anywhere," he said. "If you're comfortable enough to sleep, there's no reason why you can't stay here. Its your house, after all. Drink it."

She sighed, sipping at it, wondering how this had all come about. The two of them--the Minister and the Chief Warlock, and it seemed she and her father both needed handlers these days. Her bodyguards cared for her every waking moment, and her father's best friend--her godfather and the man who was a second father to her--was now her father's handler.

How had it gotten to this point? Where had they both lost control? How could anyone expect them to guide their world when they couldn't even take care of themselves.

"Stop it," Marcus said to her softly, seeing her thoughts were going down some negative path. "Drink your tea. Just do it. Don't let your fatigue feed on itself." She drank the tea and got sleepy. He decided to just let her rest, setting the mug aside.

Brian returned with a handful of tools--wrenches, screwdrivers and the lot.

"What the hell are you going to do with those?" Michael frowned. Brian slid several large boxes out of a closet. Michael looked at the boxes. Tricycles. Lots of them. "You aren't serious," Michael frowned. "You're going to put them together by hand? Yet tonight? Why not just use a spell?"

"There are just some things a dad is supposed to do," Brian shrugged. "I want to do this at least once in my life."

Robert got up and picked up one of the wrenches. These were his grandchildren. He was going to help. Michael sighed.

"Damnit," he said, "oh, give one of those here." He picked up a screwdriver. Angus and Edward each picked up a screwdriver. They figured if all the guys didn't pitch in, there would still be boxes and boxes of tricycles left in the morning. Angus could count at least 12 different tricycles.

both steven and Jack grinned and moved to take a tricycle each to put togther Jack held up a wheel " does any one know where this goes I got a spare" he said and smrked he knew just where it went and both steven and Jack worked on the tricyles.

"Ow now thats gonna keep them happy for a long time." Jess said grinning as she watched the men put them togther. She was glad they were so into the buliding the tricycles. Cassidy chuckled to her self .

"They look like small boys again." she said now grinned watching a jack swap a peice with Steven who was missing a peice. " yep little boys with large mecano sets" she said and drank her tea that she had warmed in her hand as she had held it . Both Jess and Cassidy looked at Khaat.

" I'll fetch some more pillows " Jess said and headed up to get more to make Khaat happy.

Marcus wasn't avoiding helping, but he felt that his job was her. Not tricycles.  Kate went upstairs and found several colors of ribbon and brought the spools down, grabbed a pair of sheers and began making a big bow for each tricycle, and gift tags, one for each child. Bows were certainly easier than wrapping each one.

She was sitting by the fireplace when she heard a "klunk" in the fireplace. She frowned. She knew better than to think it was Santa. She saw a package wrapped in brown paper, and she fished it out of the floo.  

"What the devil is that?" Edward asked, looking up.  She read the tag. She looked at Marcus.  "Its for you," she said. "From Jonathan Belby?"

"My father," Marcus said, going over to take the package from Kate.  He opened it, and when he took off the paper and opened the box, he found several small boxes all wrapped in Christmas paper.  As he took the little boxes out of the big cardboard box, the boxes resized themselves.  He read the tag, smiling. The gifts were from his kids and his parents.

"Why not put them under the tree, Marcus?" Kate asked gently. "After all, you're part of our family now too. You can open them in the morning with the rest of your gifts."

"With the what?" he frowned.

"We don't leave any family member out," Brian said, gesturing to the tree. "Just put them under there with the rest of the gifts."

Marcus looked at the sea of gift that seemed to be flowing out from the bottom of the tree.  It seemed like there were hundreds of gifts. He hesitated and then put the gifts from his parents and his kids under the tree.  This would be the first year in longer than he could remember that he wasn't going to be alone on Christmas. It certainly felt very different.

Jess smiled and walked over to him " as part of this family you have perks like presants from all of us" she told him and pointed to a pile allready under the tree " see every one thought of you too" Cassidy lifted one and walked over to him.

"This is ours to you but not untill tomorrow theres a lot more down there too, just for you" she smiled and placed it back under the tree. " The kids call you uncle Marcus too " she chuckled and sat back with Steven who wrapped his arms around her waist and held her handing her her cup to finish her tea.

" there right, once acepted your part of this rather perculier yet fully functonal family" Jack said softly.

Marcus paused for a moment and then smiled. "Thank you," he said. He didn't really know what else to say. Christmas was usually spent by himself, sitting in a Bulgarian flat by himself, usually with a bottle of whiskey, a bit of cheese, some fresh bread, perhaps some fruit from some fruit basket that was usually sent by the Bulgarian minister as Christmas gifts to all his staff and usually with no thought whatsoever.

His family always sent gifts, and he always provided lavish Christmases for them, sent in plenty of time so they could enjoy the sight of them under their tree. He just never got to see them. He was always working.

"If I can make a request, though," he said. "I'll take the night shift tonight so that you can wrestle those little ones tomorrow. They're going to be wired, and, as their parents, better you deal with that."

"Are you saying you lost your touch with little kids?" Brian teased.

"No," he said with a slight smile. "I have not."

"Alright. No more teasing," Brian said. "You've got a deal. You take the night shift. That's fine. I'm sure our vampire has to be around here someplace." He looked at the tricycle he was putting together. "There. Done. This cannot be Abbey's. Its a red one. There'd better be a pink one in one of those boxes or we'll be in trouble."

Jess and Casidy chuckled and nodded " of course and Jack and Steven will run interferance in the morning rush " she said and chuckled at the look of suprise on both Jack and stevens faces " well you aleays did want to play football" she said and Steven laughed .

" Hey football yes, not run down a stampeed" Steven finaly said " I'll dig out my lasso " he said chukaling as Cassidy poked him.

"Hey no lassoing the kids, It takes too long to undo the knots" she said and giggled as he picked her up throwing her over his shoulder " Hey"

" okay Im taking this one to bed " he said and laughed as she rested her elbow on his back and shook her head " night all" he said and walked out with her still shakking her head.

" Well that was fun. " Jess said and lent back on Jack " you know Jack will be around some place, he hardly sleeps " she told Marcus

*skipping time*

When the house quieted down, Marcus saw Khaat was in a deep sleep. He and Brian decided to just leave her sleep on the daybed. It was, after all, as comfortable as a bed. She was resting, and for her, it was hard for her to sleep deeply because her shoulder pain often uprooted her. Neither of them had the heart to jostle her to move her someplace else to sleep. Marcus simply added a blanket and let her sleep. He kept watch during the night, with only the light from the fireplace and the Christmas tree in the living room.

He felt that it might help her to not get confused about where she was if she woke and saw the tree still lit. Brian had agreed and had gone, like everyone else, up to bed, taking it for granted that Marcus would call him if he needed something.

Somewhere during the night, she woke, jolted by a dream she couldn't remember. He had sat down beside her on the daybed, put his arm around her and let her rest her head on his shoulder. He had simply talked very softly with her, easing her rattled nerves.

It was the last he remembered. He didn't remember falling asleep on the daybed beside her, her head still on his shoulder.

Jack woke and dressed it ws his ushual walk time and he walked quietly down to the living room smiling seeing Khaat and Marcus sleeping he moved to the back door and wrapping up warm went for his run even snow could not stop him as he used it as weight to help him run faster. As he ran he kept an eye out for Escobar hoping he would run into him but not literaly.

As he ran he felt the bite of the cold air on his cheeks but he again used it to spurr him on, he could see his breath and pumped harder. Soon he was done and headed back walking back in his foot steps so he would know where he had come from. He saw a figure off in the distance and stopped looking at it for a moment "that you Escobar?. " he called out and staid stood his hand perched at his side.

"It is too cold even for you to be out, Werewolf," he said. "The cold can scarcely bother the undead, though. You should finish your exercise and go inside. You aren't going to find the rogue pack out tonight. There are too many humans to pick from in London and too much of a statement he can make by making a mess out of the holidays in the city. You're safe tonight--even from him. Besides, the wind is colder. There's a cold snap coming through that will make it too difficult for him to get here tomorrow. I would guess you'll be safe then too."

Escobar had made a check of the grounds, strengthened the defenses and then had checked them to be sure they held. There were very few living creatures that could stay out and cope with the extreme bitter cold that would be here for the next day or two.

"You'll all be best if you leave outside defenses to me unless I need you," he said.