Marriage is Murder

"Meditation is no substitute for sleep," Robert said. "If he didn't teach you that, he's a poor teacher. Meditation helps, but its not a substitute. I know you're not getting on with him, but you and Jack should be old enough by now to know how to be in a room together and to be able to share the same air space without killing each other. If you're going to be of much help, you need to be able to recharge yourself fully."

Michael was glad for the plates that Jack brought up.

"Thank you," he said. "I think we'll manage just fine. Go get your plate, Marcus."

"I think I will," Marcus said. He brushed her cheek slightly. "I'll be right back. Do you need anything?" She shook her head. "Then I'll be right back." He went down to fix his plate.

"I figured you'd be downstairs sitting at the table with everyone else," Michael said to Jack.

Jack looked at Michael and he sighed " I prefer the fresh sea air, besides Jess is down below" he said as he began to eat. " I can smell her all around down there," He added " Do you know we have to share a room, its as if shes not the Jess I knew any more." He spoke softly as he continued to eat. He knew Michael probably was he wrong person to talk to about Jess but he felt he needed to. He also knew he had to keep calm and listen to her if she needed to talk.

Jess looked at Robert then to Jeffery and nodded " he did" she said " I know, I am willing to be grown up about it, I don't know about Jack" she said looking at them both.

Khaat got up, without a word, and simply walked away from them.  Marcus quickly set his plate down and followed her.  She headed below deck.

"Where's my room?" she asked him, once she was out of sight of everyone.  

"This way," he said.  "I apologize, but it appears I will be with you tonight."

"You usually are anyway," she said. "Its not a big deal."  He took her to her cabin and let her inside, shutting the door.

"Now--you want to tell me what's wrong?" he asked once they were alone.

"I have enough of my own issues," she said angrily.  "I do not have any ability to deal with Jess and Jack fighting like junior high school children about wanting to be in separate parts of the ship from each other. At least their partner is alive and well. They need to freaking grow up.  Jack has every right to be pissed. Jess brought this on herself. I'd have divorced her by now if I'd been him, and I'd have taken full custody of the kids.  Plain and simple. But now is not the time for them to act like they're both eleven."

"Can't say as I disagree with you," he said quietly.  Then he smiled slightly. "And that's the most you've said today.  You ought to get ticky more often."

"Git," she mumbled.  He laughed gently.

"I can't offer you any marriage advice," Michael said to Jack after Khaat left. "But what I can tell you is that I know you have every right to be pissed off.  You're entitled, and no one can blame you.  However, you are working, Jack.  This is a job right now for us, not a pleasure cruise anymore. And if you can't summon it up to be professional and put these issues aside while Brian is so critical, then do please take a leave of absence.  This really is a bit much."

Jack looked as Khaat left and he sighed. He listened to Michael and nodded "I didn't mean to upset Khaat, But your right, now is not the time for our problems, there are bigger ones to deal with." He said and stood up. Once he had eaten he took his plate down and placed it on the table. Returning he nodded to Michael. As much as inside he hated to do it he pushed his feelings away, switching to his work side. She was after all just a healer doing a job for Robert and Kate.

Jess sat close to Brian waiting for Robert to get some food in his own time before the buffet closed. "I have no issues with working with Jack, Brian is my main priority" she spoke softly as she pulled the sheet over Brian's chest to keep him warm.

"I suggest you go negotiate some sort of a truce," Michael said. "If you intend to be on the same ship, that is. You're not the only one who is going to have a hard time trusting her. There just is very little that justifies breaking the trust she had here with this family--short of her own death and resurrection. Disloyalty or betrayal? That's the one error that is, for all practical purposes, unforgiveable, and she certainly should have known that by now."

"Its not the working with Jack that's a concern," Robert said. "You'd two have to be willing to share the same air space first. And it really isn't immature on his part to be feeling outraged with you. I really don't know what else you'd expect of him. I do need you both to behave, though. I don't need either of you to make me actually have to ground you."

Kieran was clearly getting angry and annoyed. He looked at Fi.

"Need some fresh air?" Fi asked him.

"Yeah, I think I do," he said icily. "Maybe in Miami or someplace." Fi understood that Kieran was angry with the focus being shifted away from Brian onto something that felt so comparatively trivial, compared with his brother's life. He headed for the door.

"Wait," she frowned. "Where are you going?"

"I haven't the foggiest," he said, leaving Brian's room.

Jess nodded at Roberts words " It will be sorted." She watched as Keiren left the room, followed by Fiona and she sighed feeling right now she could do no right. She was focused on Brian but his vitals were stable and there was nothing more she could do for him as he rested and hopefully recovered his strength. Jess stayed at his side not moving one inch. Not unless Robert told her to , she wouldn't leave a patient at the hospital this was no different.

Jack headed own to his room passing Khaat and Marcus in Khaats room he could hear them talking and he vowed to talk to Jess and come to some sort of arrangement so they both could get along and she could do her job. He walked to Brian's room and looked at him still on the bed " Hows he doing?" he asked accioing a can of soda walking over he handed it to Jess. " here thought you could use this" he said.

Jess took the offered Soda, "Hes stable" she told Jack she was about to say more when he raised his hand to her and looked down.

"not now Jess, take care of him first, we can wait a little bit longer to talk." he said giving her a small yet unforgiving smile.

"You two need to go work something out before you make everyone on board crazy," Robert told them. "Go. And don't come back--either of you--until you come to some sort of compromise. This is not a request. Understand me?"

Kieran went to the salon and found a bottle of firewhiskey and was about to open it when Fi stopped him.

"Kieran," she said gently. "You've been sober for over four years. You know what happens when you drink. You really want to go back to living in a bottle?"

"Right now, I can't think of a better reason," he said.

"I can give you a reason not to," she said. "Nine of them. If anything happens to him, he leaves a wife and eight kids. Would Brian really want you to be climbing back into a bottle right now?"

"I don't need a lecture, Fi," he said, pouring a large drink and intending to guzzle it. He immediately got a sour look on his face and spit out the drink. "What the hell is that!" he was angry. He picked up the bottle and read the fine print on the label. "Non Alcoholic Firewhiskey?? Shit. What the hell is the point of that?? Who would buy anything so ridiculous!"

Jess and Jack both looked at each other. Jess stood up as Jack looked at Robert both spoke at the same time. "Yes sir." They said together and headed out of the room. Jack letting Jess leave first and head to their room. Steven looked at Michael and shook his head seeing both walk into the bed room.

"Well thats a start, there not fighting anymore." He looked over at Cassidy as he finished " it is good?" he asked her but she just shrugged her shoulders.

"How would I know?" she said and chuckled as she lent against him " I'm just enjoying the view" she looked over at Michael " not you Michael, though any woman would be lucky to catch you, nope I mean the moon on the sea behind you, its beautiful." she said and chuckled again " after all thats happened and st ill happening its nice to just stop and look around for a moment."

"I have been matched," he said. "She actually is a lovely woman. Providing we end up needing to go through with it, she's a brave soul to put up with me. And, we don't hate each other. It certainly isn't love, but she is an honorable woman. And I intend to treat her at least as well as she deserves. Or, rather, I'll try to."

Khaat's stress was starting to mount. She felt closed in, in the cabin. There wasn't much to hold it all back anymore. She sat down on the bed, her entire body starting to shake.

Marcus ached for her, seeing the shock starting to wear off. Now the trauma was starting to set in. He could see the thoughts racing in her head, and he could see that it was all ugly and frightening.

He went over and sat down on the bed, on her left, away from her broken arm. He put his arm around her shoulder and let her curl into him laying her head on his shoulder. He kissed her head.

"Scared?" he asked very softly. She nodded. A moment later, he felt her tears on his shoulder.

One thing he knew--it was going to be a long night.

Cassidy smiled as Michael spoke of his match." She sounds perfect for you Michael." she looked at him then to Steven smiled as she rested against him. " so whens the magic day or are you waiting a bit first?" she asked just as Brant walked up and looked at Michael.

"Did I miss something?" He asked seeing the look on every ones faces and Khaat now not beside Michael or on deck. He took it that she had gone downstairs to rest more and wasn't about to go prying. He moved to stand leaning over the railing looking down into the clear water below, now it looks beautiful yet he knew it was deadly. He wished that he could help Brian recover but he could not think of any spell or incantation that would help, it was all down to Jess and Robert now.