Marriage is Murder

"I think its a bloody good idea," Robert said quietly. "If one of you have a portkey to Colorado, you might use it, go and tell them and then get back. Go see Angus. Get Angus to give you a couple more portkeys to the ship and give one to Fi and one to Kieran. They'll want to be here. And Angus'll certainly understand why we have to bring them under the circumstances.

"I am certainly hoping he'll pull through, but in all reality, even if his survives, we won't know what his brain will be like when and if he wakes. If he were a muggle, he would be, in all likelihood, dead. And if, by some miracle he had survived, he'd certainly be a vegetable and would be living on some muggle machinery for the rest of his life. If he were not here with us, Jeffrey would be fully right in his original suggestion that we let him go. And somewhere in her traumatized brain, Khaat still knows exactly how slim his chances are for him to be anything like he was before--if he lives."

Angus had been in the kitchen where Nicky had been very conscientious about the fact that the Minister's daughter could not move either hand, could not feed herself, and was most likely not going to be very interested in food. He had taken Angus's suggestion and had made some of the bite sized Hawaiian Sweet Bread crackers that Angus said she was so fond of. He put some, fresh and crispy, into a wooden bowl just as Angus came back into the kitchen.

"Thank you," Angus said. "I'll take them up to her myself. Belby has a good chance of getting her to eat, if he's left to handle it himself. He's seemed to master getting her to nibble at things, particularly if he gets her to not pay any attention to the fact that he's handing things to her. He's quite successful at it, actually. Let's see how he does with these."

He took the bowl up on deck and just quietly set the bowl on a deck table near Marcus. Marcus was glad to see something that was in small bites that he wasn't going to have to fight her about.

Steven nodded " I still have one" he said and took out a small gold horseshoe and showed him. He stood listening to Robert as he spoke and sighed " I do hope he at least wakes soon" he said and reached out to place his hand on Brian's. " Khaat needs him, as do we all" he said softly then looked back to Robert " I'll get the extra port keys and leave immediately" he said and left them both alone. He headed up to the deck and smiled seeing Marcus feeding Khaat some food " thats a good sight" he said and saw Angus not far from where they stood.

Walking over Steven took out his port key" Robert wants me to fetch Fi and Kieren, he said you had port keys to the ship so I can bring them back under the circumstances." he said to him rolling the small gold horse shoe between his fingers back and forth as he waited for Angus to reply.

"Understood," Angus said. He drew out two more tiny shells from his pocket. "This is what you'll need. I will need just a bit of time, though. I will be one cabin short for tonight otherwise."

"That won't be necessary," Marcus said. "At least tonight. Give them Khaat's cabin. She won't need it tonight--she'll be with me."

"Are you sure about that, Marcus?" Angus frowned.

"Positive," Marcus said. "My orders are not to leave her. She'll be with me. I won't be sleeping tonight anyway. That will allow Kieran and Fi to be close to each other, will it not?"

"It will indeed," Angus said. "And your cabin is a bit easier to protect, if need be."

"Then its settled. If you could just have someone move her things into my cabin? The drawers on the left side of the dresser are empty. She can share the dresser and closet space with me. We've managed to share a room before without any improprieties. I don't see why we can't do it again."

Steven took the shells and nodded He stood listening for a moment then decided it was time to leave " I shouldn't be long " he said and ported out and off the ship to Fiona's house hoping to catch both of them together. Walking up he knocked on the door and waited.

Cassidy was walking past looking for Steven when she heard the others talking and walked over. " hey I take it Stevens gone on some mission?" she asked and smiled to Khaat. " its good to see you eating" she said with a smile to her

ooc: i'm going to just assume that steven went to the main house and went in.

Kieran was the first to see Steven come into the Colorado mansion. He looked at him, and when no one else arrived, Kieran frowned. He went over to Steven.

"Alright," he said. "What's wrong? That's the only time you guys come one at a time. If it weren't bad news, you wouldn't be here? Who is it, and what went wrong?"

Back at the yacht, Marcus took a couple of the crackers and ate them.

"Nah," Marcus said simply. "Its not really eating. Its just tasting. I think the new cook added a bit of garlic and onion to them. They're addicting." Khaat gave Marcus just a very slight look, barely moving. She hadn't caught the garlic and onion. "No?" he asked her. "I rather liked it. Here. Try again." He fed her a sip of her smoothie and then another cracker.

"Where's my wand?" she asked him very softly, her voice rather blank.

"I have it," he said.

"Where's Brian's"

"I honestly don't know," he said. "We can try to accio it if it had sentimental value. Or we can buy another for him."

She didn't respond, not knowing if he'd ever really need it again.

Steven saw and heard Kieran and sighed " I came to take you to Brian, theres....been an accident, a bad one, you both have to come with me, Roberts " he took out the shell port keys and handed one to Keiran and one to Fiona. Then stood looking at them hoping they would not ask too many questions " can you both use a port key, I can help if you don't want to " He said his voice now sounding the urgency to get back quickly more for Khaat than Brian this time.

Cassidy nodded and smile "At least its something, even small tastes is good" she said she heard Khaat ask for Brian's wand and looked worried at Marcus "Your not going to give her it ?" she asked worried in her state of mind she could do something silly like hurting her self or worse try and kill herself.

Kieran sent one of the young new trainees to Fi's room and his for their gear bags. Kieran and Fi had both learned to keep a bag at the ready, and it had often proved useful. The trainee brought their bags. Neither Kieran or Fi asked for details. They weren't sure they really wanted to know.

"We can both port," Kieran said. "Its not an issue." They took the portkeys, and Fi pocketed hers, taking Kieran's arm. "Just so we know, where the devil are we going, anyway?"

Marcus and Khaat both heard the fear in Cassidy's voice. Khaat didn't say a syllable and looked straight out at the sea, not looking at anyone.

"I can't give anybody what I don't have," Marcus said to Cassidy. "For all I know, we might not be able to get it back. Accio'ing a wand from the bottom of the sea is not easy business. And if its not in one piece, I won't be accio'ing anything." He looked back at Khaat. "Hey," he asked gently. "Answer me. Did it have any sentimental value to him?" She shook her head slightly. To Brian, it was merely a wand. Nothing more.

Kate had watched the scene from a distance on the deck. She turned and went down to Brian's room.

"Any change?" she asked.

"No," Robert said. "Not really. Its too soon. How's Khaat? Any change there?"

"She needs her father," Kate said pointedly. He sighed.

"I'll get to her as soon as I can," he said. "But if I don't do this first, I don't know if I'll have the heart to look her in the eye, if I can't tell her honestly that I'm doing every single thing I know to do."

Steven looked at both of them and nodded as the bags were brought he spoke when Kieran asked where they were going " Angus's family boat in Italy, its actually rather big to be called a boat its more a luxury yacht " he said watching Fiona take Keiran's arm, "Their expecting you already." he added taking his own port key out." we'll meet there" he said and ported back at the same time as they arrived.

Cassidy breathed out and nodded "Sorry Marcus I got worried " she said she glanced over at Kate glad Brian's wand was lost. She made a plan to replace it when he was up and about...if he ever about got up and about again. It made Cassidy feel cold to think of that ever happening.

"We'll see you there," Kieran said. He made sure he had a good grip on Fi and ported them to the ship. They landed on the deck, and Angus greeted them straight away. They saw Khaat sitting on the deck with Belby. She looked stunned, and she was clearly hurt.

"Glad you could come so quickly," Angus told them quietly.

"What's happened to my brother?" Kieran asked.

"There was a diving accident," Angus said. "Brian was...under...for a lot longer than he should have been...." Kieran stiffened, and Fi became fearful at once.

"Is he alive?" Kieran asked.

"Yes," Angus said. Fi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Not so fast," Kieran said. He studied Angus. "You don't know if he's going to survive or if he'll be able to even think if he does survive."

"Um...I'm sorry," Angus said gently.

"Where is he?" Fi demanded, wanting to see him.

"I'll take you to him. He's unconscious, but you can certainly see him. This way," Angus said, leading them downstairs.

Michael came up on deck and saw everyone was tense or stressed.

"Marcus," Michael said, checking his watch, "the sun is going to be going down in a couple hours. Its going to start to get chilly out here on deck."

"We were going to look at the stars," Marcus said, not honestly giving a jot about the stars, but fully knowing he wasn't going to easily get her to go below deck.

"And that's certainly a fine plan. But, did you bring a wrap for her?"

"I did."

"Why don't you go get it? That gives me a moment to sit with her. I promise I won't let anything happen in the thirty seconds you're gone from her," Michael said.

"My orders were to not leave her," Marcus said.

"Oh, come on. You were also charged with taking care of her."

"I won't be more than 60 seconds, tops," Marcus said, deciding to go for her wrap to give Michael a moment.

"You wont' be that long, and we know it," Michael said. Marcus went to the cabin to make sure she didn't chill in the night air that would soon be arriving.

Cassidy smiled seeing Fiona and Kieran arrive she knew they would get things moving for Khaat. Cassidy Moved to Steven and held him close, he held her back feeling her tension in her body as he did. They were both glad when Michael suggested Marcus fetch a wrap from her room. Cassidy could not help but chuckle as Michael said Marcus would not be any longer than 60 seconds. " I'm betting he'll be 30 tops" she said softly this made him chuckle as well.

Jess sat by the bed and looked at Robert. "There here " she said softly " do you want me to leave?" she asked thinking they would need privacy when they entered. She stood up and waited for him to speak.