Marriage is Murder

"Yes," Robert said. "Make it gone."

"Is that proper English?" Michael frowned.

"Its a proper order. I do not want it to exist any more. How's that? Better?"

"Most likely," Michael said.

"I'll take the scrap with me," Edward said. "In a separate bag, just to be safe. And, no, Brant, its not the man in Diagon Alley, although his work is good. This man is here in Italy. I've known him longer, so I trust him more. I'll stay here with Jack until I can remove the stones and the ring. I think we've got this, Robert. Does Brian have, honestly, a fair chance?"

Robert glanced up at him, not wanting to admit the truth.

"No," Michael said. "He does not. They're doing all they can, but his odds are slim."

"Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help."

"Keep my kids safe," Robert said, thinking of the little ones.

"With our lives," Edward said. Robert turned and went back upstairs.

"I think I'll go with him," Michael said, believing Robert needed just a moment to try to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. Michael intended to try to slow him down just for one moment.

Jack looked at the ring and Robert and nodded he saw a sledge hammer propped up against a bulkhead and picked it up " hope your ready for this" he said and walked over to it. With his first hit he bent it in two his second he snapped it in three but he continued taking his anger out on it. Brant looked at Michael and nodded.

" ah okay" he said softly then watched as pieces metal splintered and flew of in every direction until it was nothing more than small pieces. Jack gathered them and placed them in a bag. " boy that felt good, I should do that more often" he said and smiled a relaxed smile at them both.

"Robert," Michael stopped Robert at the top of the steps as they stepped back out of the deck. "Wait." Robert paused. Michael produce the cigarette case that he'd simply pickpocketed from Robert. Robert rolled his eyes at him. Michael took a cigarette out and lit it for himself and handed it back to Robert, who took Michael's nonverbal cue and lit one up for himself.

"I don 't really have time for this," Robert said, inhaling, taking a moment and exhaling again, watching the smoke disappear.

"Brian is in good hands with Jess, and Marcus has Khaat. You can afford 2 minutes."

"I haven't had a chance to see if Kate is okay," Robert said.

"This isn't Kate's first scrape. She's gotten used to it as much as anyone can. I'll see to Kate. You just do what you do. Now--what do you need us to do?"

"I'm not sure Khaat really is okay. I don't want Marcus away from her. I don't care how long it takes, or how sleep deprived he gets. He doesn't leave her. I want to know of any changes immediately."

"He knows that."

"Yeah, well, the others need to be ready to help. I don't need people to hover, but they need to be nearby. Perhaps a quiet game of chess? Cards? Suntanning? Something?"

"I think we've got this, 'Dad.' Stop worrying. Anything else?"

"Don't run out of whiskey or cigarettes."

"We'll try to remember that," Michael laughed.

Cassidy walked up to hear Michael and Robert talking " shes fine, last time I saw her." Cassidy said walking up to them both and seeing them both smoking given they were on deck she said nothing. " she was beating me at chess" she said and looked sheepishly at them both. Taking an ice bucket she filled it and headed back down to Kate and Roberts room.

" okay I got the ice" she said dropping two cubes into two glasses of soda " okay where were we ..ow yes " she sat down and moved a knight " there " she said and looked at Kate. "Ow Robert might be coming, Michaels got him up on deck smoking." she said

"Thank you," Robert said to her.

When Cassidy came back, Kate was glad for a cold drink.

"He'd better not be coming down here," Kate scowled. "He'd better keep his head in the game or I'll kick his ass." Kate moved a piece on the board and took one of Cassidy's pawns.

Up on deck, Robert finished his cigarette and went back to Khaat to check on her. She was still sitting, frozen. He looked into her face. It was blank. Her eyes were empty, not even noticing he was there.

"She'll be okay," Marcus said quietly, seeing Robert's stress. "It was...difficult," he said, trying to avoid saying it was gutwrenching. He didn't want to say that in front of her, but he knew that it had been heartbreak and terror like almost none other in life. She was fully entitled to be numb now. Not to mention that the potions and the whiskey had added to that and not in small measure.

He really couldn't stand it, though. He didn't like where he imagined her thoughts were wandering. He wanted it to stop for her, at least for awhile. He certainly didn't want it to get deeper.

He touched her forehead and cast a sleep spell, and Marcus, anticipating it, caught her and simply laid her back on the chaise. Robert considered, for a moment, taking her to her cabin.

"Leave her here for now," Marcus suggested. "She's not been into that cabin. She won't recognize it. It'll be disorienting for her. Robert, you hired me to protect her. Let me do my job. As I see it, your other option is to watch her sleep, and that's what you hire me for. Is it not?"

"Alright. For now." Robert hesitated, simply looking at her.

"It's not helplessness," Marcus reminded him. "Its just waiting, and right now, its an excellent strategy."

"Indeed," Robert said, finding Marcus's words helpful. He headed downstairs, seeing one of the crew bringing Marcus a cold iced tea.

Cassidy chuckled and nodded " I think he knows that all too well Kate." She told her and watched as Kate take her pawn. She looked at the board and moved her knight. She heard footsteps outside in the hall way and sighed shaking her head knowing it was Robert headed to see Khaat.

Jess still sat next to Brian she was so focused on him she didn't hear Jack enter and stand facing her again. " so you going to explain?" he asked and she looked up at him.

"Now is not the time Jack." she told him " I did miss you and the kids though " she added softly. Jack walked over to her and lent down in front of her as he spoke softy.

"We did too, but I kneed to know why you did what you did and then didn't contact any one" he asked her. Jess looked at him and sighed.

" I will explain once Brian is out of danger and I have spoken to Robert." She told him refocusing on Brian but not before she kissed him gently and smiled.

Robert went downstairs to see Kate. She was finishing up a chess game with Cassidy.

"You don't have to isolate yourself here," Robert said. "Nobody's died--yet."

She narrowed her eyes at him, scowling. "Robert Thomas Lupin," her voice was firm, strong. "You are, without a doubt, the finest healer I know, and we've got Jess and Jeffrey. You damned well better not have come here to tell me someone died."

"I didn't. I came to see if you're alright."

"Do you see me bleeding anywhere?" Then she softened. "I am just fine. Don't you think for one minute that it doesn't bother me, but this is not the first time that I've had to hold my breath waiting to see if you or Khaat or Brian were going to live. And I know it isn't going to be my last. So, best bear up under it, shouldn't we?"

"Put an extra layer of armor on, did you?" Robert said, seeing she had resolved, somehow to not be moved.

"I did that the day I married you," she said, without a waiver in her voice. "Now--you tell me how they are."

"He's critical," Robert said. "Its just going to take time now. Time and life support yet for awhile. Jess is with him, and she'll notify me if there is any change at all. Khaat's in shock and she's emotionally exhausted. She's sleeping up on deck. Marcus is with her."

"And that damned trap?"

"Gone," he said. "We destroyed it, and Edward removed the pieces."

"What the hell was Brian thinking by taking her diving? She can't swim with one hand."

"You know exactly what he was thinking. He was hoping to show her that she hasn't lost everything she loves."

"Well, that was a rather epic fail, wasn't it?" she scowled.

"You're angry because you love them. But..." he kissed her forehead. "I will suggest he take her to dinner next time rather than diving. Better?"

"Much," she said. "What about the kids?"

"Edward will keep them as long as we need. We do not need to expose them to this."

"Agreed," Kate said.

Cassidy sat and listened quietly as she tried to think of her next move on the board. She sat and listened to Robert and Kate. Cassidy breathed out when he said Brian wasn't dead and was still being looked after. She reached out and picked up her bishop moving it diagonally to the other side of the board. She looked at Robert at the mention of Jess.

" I wonder how long shes staying for this time" she said softly as she waited. " I know she came back but the way she left...still" She added as she saw Steven walk passed and wondered what he was up to.

"She hasn't said she is yet," Robert said.

"What will you do about her post with us?" Kate asked.

"What would any reasonable employer do with any other employee that left without a word or notice and was gone for months--especially one entrusted with the lives of other people?" Robert asked. "I am certainly not going to discuss that now, though. I am grateful for the help right at the moment. Brian's life depends on it. And I am in no mood to discuss personnel matters. This just isn't the time for it."

"What can I do to help?" Kate asked him gently.

"Someone needs to double check on lunch. This cruise needs to move forward. We've had a busy morning, and I need to be sure that this bunch is all well fed and rested in case things continue to be rocky for the next 24 hours or so. I am just going to presume that Angus has it under control, but lets be certain, shall we?"

Cassidy stood up and nodded to Robert " I'll go check" she said and headed out the door finding Steven with Jack in their room. " hey hows it going" she said kissing Steven gently.

" ow good so far" he said and kissed her back " were just talking" he added and Cassidy chuckled.

" good Im just about to check on dinner you want to come with?" she asked and saw Jack nod " you too Jack" she added and smiled. Together the three of them headed to the galley.

" Hey Angus, Robert sent me to find out how dinners doing or if you need a hand with anything?" she asked Steven shook his head as Jack went and grabbed a soda from the fridge. Popping one open he handed it to Steven who downed it.