Marriage is Murder

"You finished the nursery. Thank you. And you really did that sitting room?" she asked. "Thank you so much. I have a feeling with this many kids, its going to come in handy for all of us."

"I have no idea how we're going to tell them apart," Brian said. "Maybe we can tattoo their names on their foreheads." Khaat scowled at him. "No, huh? Well, Molly and Arthur Weasley managed just fine with Fred and George. We will too, somehow."

"Are you planning on dressing them alike?" Kate asked.

"Hell, no," Brian laughed. "Not a chance. Not unless the boys decide that's what they want."

"Daddy," Abbey asked. "IF I want sisters, can we take them back?"

"You have, really, three sisters already--Dakota and Julia and your big sister Mis."

"Now we don't gots enough girls though. We only gots three."

"No, no. You're a girl too. We have got four girls and now four boys."

"Same?" she frowned. He nodded.

"Yes. That's right. Its the same." She scowled at him.

"You sure? Do it again," she said. Robert tapped her shoulder. He pointed to the boys.

"Dan," she said, "Ben." Robert pointed upstairs. "Robbie and Mikey," she said. He nodded, counting them off on his fingers. Then he pointed to Mis's picture. "Mis." He pointed upstairs again. "Julia and 'Kota. That's three." He shook his head and pointed tickled Abbey's tummy. Then he showed her 4 fingers. "Oh. Me. That's four?" He nodded. "Are we done, then?" she asked.

The adults laughed out loud.

"That is a very good question," Khaat said, smiling. "We dont' know."

Cassidy chuckled at Abby's questions and nodded as Robert pointed out that she had eight siblings, four boys and four girls. Cassidy thought to her own James, Jaylen and Catlin none of which were both Steven and hers but she thought of them as hers. Steven shook his head and walked over to Cassidy.

"Stop brooding Cassidy, I am happy with what we have." he said and Cassidy relaxed leaning against him as he held her close to him. " one day Cassidy when the time is right " he said softly and she nodded and smiled at him.

" I know and will wait" she said kissed his cheek gently " but there sooo cute" she said smiling then chuckled as Dan burped loudly. " well better out than in, okay whose got diaper duty?" she asked looking at both Brian and Robert as they held the babies. " only fair daddy and Grand daddy get first change" she said looking at Steven.

"No, no," Kate said, just finishing feeding Benjamin. "That's Gam's job. I get to do their first changes." She took Benjamin and took her time changing him, just enjoying him. When she brought him back, she traded him with Robert to get Daniel. She took Daniel off to change him, and Robert seemed to be preoccupied about checking them."

"You don't approve, do you?" Khaat asked her father quietly. He turned and frowned and made a gesture to indicate he didn't know what she was talking about. "You're not happy. You don't approve of what I did to protect them." He waved her concern aside and shook his head. He began to sign to her.

"Your father says he believes you're lucky to be alive--you and the babies. You should have never been in the position to have to deliver twins without any help at all. And, even bleeding, you found a way to hide them and keep James from ever knowing they existed. You did the only thing you could do, and he thinks that's more than a lot of people would have known to do. He's angry with James and his pack. And he's angry with himself that he let you down by not coming up with a cure for the curse so that he could have delivered them and so that he could know for certain, for himself, that you're truly alright."

She looked at him. "Daddy," she said. "You're here now. Thats' enough. That's all I need. I feel fine. Remember, Brian got his training from you. If there's something not right, I'll tell you. I promise. I'm just very tired."

Robert signed to Michael again. "He wants Brian to check your nutrition levels. Your blood sugar. He thinks you need to eat." Robert pointed to the muffin Brant had left and the tea. "He wants you to try something."

"Can I sleep first?" she yawned, but Robert shook his head.

"Food first. Then sleep," Michael said. She managed a few sips of the tea but fell into an exhausted sleep before she got to the muffin.

"She'll eat after she sleeps," Marcus reassured them. "I'll see to it."

"Good," Kate said. "Now, Robert, shall we hoard the babies, or would someone else like to meet them too?"

Cassidy laughed and smiled as Kate went and changed the babies she heard Khaat and sighed " Khaat you did perfectly as a mother should, you protected your young" she said and smiled " I for one am proud of you for it" she said and watched Kate change Daniel and smiled " they will be heart breakers when there older" she said and Jack chuckled.

"Maybe if Brian lets them ever date " He said and noticed Khaat fall asleep and shushed Cassidy as she was about to talk again she nodded and took the throw off the chair placing it over her as she slept. en Steven looked as Brant walked back to the kitchen and began to cook again making beef ravioli with a tomato sauce and salad. He hoped every one would like it. Walking into the living room again he smiled seeing Khaat sleeping.

"Good, she needed it, the restoration potion will help as well " he said and looked to Robert " just one drop no more" he told him " her energy was low and she needed the boost" he collected the empty cup but left the muffin that sat next to her.
"

"The boys won't have as much to worry about as the girls," Kate said. "Fathers are almost always more protective over girls than they are over boys. Not that its fair, but it just works out that way."

Brian put Abbey down and she went over to the bassinets and peeked inside, wanting to be able to look at them herself. Then, satisfied, she went over to Robert and yanked on his pantleg. He looked at her and picked her up. She whispered in his ear. He simply smiled. He walked her into the kitchen and got her a small plastic bowl of berries. He took her into the living room and got out her favorite story book. He sat with her and let her eat berries while he put a charm on the book to read the story to her. It wasn't the same as him reading to her, but she seemed to understand and was willing to accept time with her papa any way she could get it.

Jack chuckled and nodded "Never thought about it that way " he said and then turned to head for his run. " okay will be back in a bout an hour I run the boundary of the estate " he said and headed out Cassidy watched Abby with Robert glad they were together and getting along then she headed up to the nursery while Jim sat in the living room with a book reading and a fresh cup of tea.

Jim looked up at Robert and just nodded that he had seen and heard everything that had happened and said nothing about it as everything that could be said had been. He turned the page and chuckled listening to the story book tell its story to Abby.

When dinner time came around, and it was time for Brant's dinner to be served, Marcus knew Khaat had to try to eat something. It had been entirely too long.

"She's not going to feel like eating when she's this tired," Brian said to Marcus.

"Yes. I know.  Been through that with her before. I don't normally have a whole lot of a problem," Marcus said. "Leave it to me."

"Do you know a trick I don't?" Brian frowned.

"Probably," Marcus laughed.  "Its also different because I'm not married to her...." He was cut off by a very angry cry from Benjamin. It made Khaat jump and wake quickly.  She was trying to launch herself off the sofa before her eyes were even open.  

"I no like him," Abbey said angrily to Robert.  "He noisy and mean."

"He's not mean. He just needs something," Marcus said, helping to keep Khaat from trying to jump up and go to her babies before she was able.

"I no can do that. I get in trouble," Abbey scowled.

"That's because you know better," Marcus laughed. "He's too little. He needs to learn not to do that." As he spoke, Daniel decided to start screaming too. Abbey covered her ears.

Cassidy came down th stairs and heard the babies crying she accioed a bottle and diapers. " Steven a had here " she said and he appeared behind hr taking Daniel. Cassidy took Ben and together they changed them and fed them with in minuets " Abby unlike you or I they can't talk yet all they know is to cry because some one will come to them" she said holding Ben over her shoulder a she gently patted his back and swayed to comfort him Steven walked around with Daniel.

" been a while since I saw you like that Cassy" he said and Cassidy chuckled nodding.

"Yes about two years I think" she told him just as Ben burped loudly " There we go" she said and chuckled " well I do hope daddy doesn't burp that loud" she couldn't help glance at Brian and then Robert. Placing Ben back in the bassinet she set the mobile playing a soft tune to sooth him. Steven was having trouble with Daniel he would not bring up his wind and Cassidy walked over and took him with two pats of his back he belched too and cooed softly as he too was placed down and his mobile set going "There all fed and dry" she said then looked at Khaat " there fine" she told her "You rest."

"Thank you," Khaat said, glad for Cassidy and Steven and how quickly they had stepped in.

"Are you dreaming about James?" Marcus asked her.

"No," she lied. "He's not worth my time."

"Oh. Okay, then," he said, knowing she had indeed lied to him. "So, as long as you're not dreaming about them, you won't have any adjustment issues with leaving them in their new nursery, will you?"

"By themselves?" she frowned, uncertain.

"I didn't intend to leave them in the house by themselves, you know. Not until they'd at least had a couple days to get the floorplan straight," he said, teasing her.

"We can't leave them by themselves all night," she frowned. "They might..."

"They might get perfectly good care from whoever is on the night shift tonight," he said calmly. He noticed the house elves setting the table for the evening meal. "Brant's dinner must be close to being ready. "

Cassidy heard Khaat and smiled " that would be me and Steven tonight , Jim and Brant tomorrow" she said and looked at the table and smiled as Brant stuk his head around the door.

"it is ready Beef and Sweet potato & goat's cheese ravioli with Roasted chestnut & herb pesto pasta with mushrooms and a fresh green salad for afters if you want it is Blackberry zabaglione or Italian cookies and fresh made ice cream" he said walking in with the dishes following behind him he motioned to the table and it all laid out. He looked at Khaat and waved as a tray floated beside her.

" its okay to be left if shes not up to it" he said " theres fresh exotic fruit drink with vitamins" he added looking to Robert "It might help her" he added. Steven moved to the table while Cassidy went to fetch the other kids who happily ran down then walked to the table each peeking in at the two new babies as they passed.