Marriage is Murder

Jess woke some what suprised that Jack had got up realy early and walked the house yet again she dressed and headed down to the kitchen passing Cassidy who was shaking her head " let me guess they slept in the movie room?" she asked and cassidy laughed.

" that wouldn't suprise me " she said and walked doen to the kitchen with Jess following Jack sat with a cup of coffee and a fresh sweet pastry in front of him smiling.

" these are great" he told them both Jess shook her ehad and pore some tea and took a breakfast plate and sat down to eat tapping Jacks hand as he trie to take her bacon.

" get your own " she told him and he just kissed her cheek as she ate. Cassidy took some breakfast and a glass of orange juice and sat facing Jess.

Steven woke and stretched in the seat of the movir room he saw the kids waking and chuckled as he heard Brian and nodded " I agree bath and dress " he said leading four of the kids up to the nursary to wash and dress.

"No one under 5 slept," Michael said. "Not that I'm aware of. The rest of us were watching the films. The kids didn't budge. They were tired. They had a busy day yesterday. Did anyone send a coffee tray upstairs yet?"

"Working on it," Angus said. "I was going to make eggs but everyone fixed their plates with the pastries and the bacon before I could fix eggs. No point in making eggs now. So I'm just sending up pastries and coffee for Khaat and Marcus. They'll be fine with that."

He fixed the coffee tray and put two glasses of juice and a plate of the fresh, warm pastries on the tray and sent the tray upstairs.

Brian and Robert finally finished cleaning up the movie room and came upstairs as Kate and Edward were coming downstairs. Brian helped himself to coffee and Edward, Kate and Robert poured themselves tea.

"Pastries, anyone?" Angus offered them to them.

"No thank you," Edward said. He picked up a large juicy pear and cut it into slices for himself. "Just fruit, I think. The pastries look lovely, though."

"I'm sure they will be," Kate said. She and Robert each took a pastry and a piece of fruit, along with their tea.

Jim walked down and heaced to the kitchen he looekd around and saw the pastries and coffee. Moving to the cooker he fixed himslef some scrabled egg and toast then took a cup of coffee to the table " I don't eant pasty first thing in the morning" he told Angus " hope you don't mind" he said making sure every where was clean and tidy as he sat down with them. He ate his eggs quietly and listend to the bantter that was going on around him about the kids and how they slept but also he saw the children with more evergy than he ahd ever seen. Some bounced and giggled as they ate their food and drank there juice. " seems there full of energy this morning maybe that cowboy movie got them worked up?" he said as he ate the final peice of his scrambled eggs. Jess looked at him and shok her head gently.

"Nope they slept well thats all" she said and he made and ah face and smiled "yeah means alot of chasing and mischif today" she said and saw him chuckle and nod his head.

" I belive its started." he said pointing as James tried to get out of his seat. Jess quickly put him back so he could finish his breakfast.

Angus had gotten largely past the fact that when he was cooking for so many, there was always going to be at least one person that was going to be unhappy with what he did and would want something else.

"Not at all," he said, not entirely telling the truth. But no one else needed to know that, given the changes he was making at least for the moment. "It makes little impact on me because the house elves will be doing the cooking for you for the next few days. They've told me you all can place individual dinner orders, and, if they have sufficient time, they will make your food fresh cooked for you. If they don't have enough notice, they can always conjure your order for you. I think it should work out better than our current system."

"That will be more than sufficient, Angus," Brian said, glad to give Angus some relief from the cooking. "Now that we have the elves, you don't need to try to run the estate and spend all day in the kitchen from before daylight til bedtime anyway. Cook when you want to. Its all good with me."

Jim looked at Angus and fround he could not understand Angus one bit all he did was make his job easier he liked the pastries but not for breakfast it was just his way. He always had a proper breakfast finding it beter to start the day on. "Sorry, if I upset you Angus and I agree with Brian take some time off relax a little, we all emjoy your cooking I for one love the piella you make." he said " I didn't think I would offend you by cooking some eggs?" he said in his soft tone as he sipped his coffee.

He sat back and looked at one of the elves and lent down gently " Would you mind if I could have scrambled eggs tomorrow morning, I would greatly apreciate it?" He asked softly hoping not to scare the house elf or make it think he was demanding but only requesting the morning meal. Jim knew how skittish huse elves could be and kept his tone soft and non threataning towards them. He sat back up and looked to Angus and Brian. "I know it won't beat yours I ams till trying to figure out your recipy as I can never get mine to taste like yours" he added and chuckled.

"Its not offensive," Angus said. "You asked if it bothered me, and I said it didn't. Its a big estate with a lot of people who have individual tastes. I can't possibly cater to all of that. I don't expect to...."

"Oh, for goodness sakes," Brian said. "The last I knew, the house was mine. The last I knew, I was still Angus's supervisor. I hired the house elves so that Angus didn't need to spend 16 hours a day, every day, in the kitchen and still be responsible for the cleaning of the house and the running of the estate. Its just not possible. I need him in other areas besides the kitchen, and we all know he's not happy when he does nothing but cook.

"You all are welcome to whatever food you like in the house. You always have been. You're welcome to either have the elves fix it for you, or to join us for whatever Angus fixes when he cooks, or to cook for yourselves.

"Angus, you are too valuable to me to be unhappy here doing your duties and too talented to be just our cook.

"Do tell me again why we need so much drama before I even get through my first cup of coffee, please," Brian sighed.

Jim listened and shrugged his shoulders "All this over eggs. " he said softly and picked up his now empty plate and half empty cup walking into the kitchen he placed in the washer and chuckled softly as he walked back half empty cup in his hand as he did.

" at least its not over spilt milk" Jack said and saw the glare Jess gave him " what?" he said and Jess shook her head the chuckled as Catline pulled her tounge out at Jim but he returned it much to the little girls amusment.

" you know I can do this all day " he told her and she giggled.

" Im afraid so can she. Jim." Jess said as Catline did it again giggiling as she did. Jim chuckled and moved to his chair.

" they do say an arm marches on its stomach so that would make your Job Angus very valued, even for us" he said tying to give him a compliment and somw what of an apology.

"As I said," Angus said, "I was not offended." He headed for the back door, picking up his jacket and headed to the barn to finish his morning chores outside. He had had to interrupt them to make the pastries.

"I meant what I said," Brian told them. "Angus isn't happy being in the kitchen 16 hours a day, 7 days a week. Nobody can be happy long term under those conditions. He's an auror first, and a damned good one. And one of the best sea captains I've ever known. I can hire cooks. What I can't hire quite so easily are good fighters, as you all should know. Nor can I hire anyone with the skills to manage an estate this sized while he helps to protect my family. It really is fine that he starts being in different areas. Its what I need him to do."

Jim looked at Brian as did the the others "Thats why we wanted the elves to cook, as you said you hired them for that , Angus, he is an Auror and as such should be given the chance to actively be one." he said and sighed " we try and lighten his load but the more we try the more he makes it for us" he said " I know he was upset because I made my breakfast even if he says hes not , I can cook too and do when I'm home so do Jess, Jack and Steven" he looked to Cassidy " sorry not sure if you can or not" Cassidy shrugged.

"Some times I'm not so sure myself."  Steven said and got a hard smack from Cassidy who laughed soon after to show she was not mad at him" but hes right, we can all cook and can try to alternate the meals each day to give him a break but you and I know hes lost if hes not in the kitchen".

"Do you lot realize you're all 30 minutes early today?" Kate asked quietly. "I think everyone started getting their own plates ready before he was finished cooking so he left you to your own devices. And there's nothing wrong with that.

"I don't know that any of you appreciate how difficult it is to cook for everyone here," she continued. "There are at least 30 people in this house to cook for, and that's not counting the men on ground patrol. Between having a dozen toddlers who all have very different and finicky tastes, we also rarely have a meal that we don't have grownups with some different taste preferences too. Its very very hard to please everyone--ever.

"No one is suggesting that you're on your own for cooking your own meals unless you want to be," Brian said. "Our house elves are wonderful cooks. There 4 elves to one of Angus, and they will have the ability to meet your needs, so long as those needs aren't outrageous. But if you prefer to cook for yourselves, we can make that change. If you prefer to do that, perhaps we don't need the elves after all."