Marriage is Murder

"I'll go talk to Robert before we put anything in motion," Brian said. "He was the one who moved us. He should make the call about moving us home."

He laid hand on her stomach and checked her and the babies. "You're not going to have them today, but I honestly don't think you're going to carry them another two weeks. I think they're going to be here any time now.

"I'm more concerned about you. You're in the same position you've been in for Abbey and the triplets. It looks rather small for twins because you're small. You're not carrying enough weight to support them much longer. And they're taking all your nutrition now in order to develop. You're not getting enough food. The fluid isn't bad, but you're underweight for where you should be right now. You've also not had the opportunity, because of your injuries, to keep physically fit for this."

"We knew that," she said tiredly. "Its a bit late to worry about that now."

"No, but it could make the delivery even more high risk," he said. He looked at Marcus. "Its time for her to be very close to home and to not be alone."

"When do I leave her?" Marcus asked.

"I mean that for all of us," Brian looked at the rest of them. "This might well be dangerous, and I don't plan on losing any of them. And I do not want James anywhere around her or my children. Certainly not right now. Is that clear?"

Steven, Jim and Brant looked up along with Cassidy and nodded " of course were always close by " Cassidy said but looked back where Jack and Jess had gone " well some of us with in ear shot " she said raising her voice a little so they would hear her and chuckled . "No but I'm sure they will be close by " she said and heard Brant chuckle close by.

Jess walked out brushing down her hair and looked to Cassidy " of course I and Jack will be there don't worry" she said as Jack joined them all looking at Khaat " though I do agree being in a place thats ready for th birth would be better and Robert has a plentiful potions lab back at the estate" she said.

"Do you mind if we don't bring England to a screeching halt for all this?" Khaat asked, irritated with all the fuss. Marcus laughed, noticing her increased irritability from her normal self.

"Patience," he said soothingly to her. "Look, how about, after dinner, I'll get out the backgammon board and defeat you again?"

"Defeat me? You can try," she said. He laughed, amused now.

"And I will win," he challenged her, trying to shift her attentions.

"You willing to wager on that?"

"Certainly. What will I win?"

"I will win a back rub," she said.

"Gladly," he smiled. "And when I win, I will take a rain check until you can do the job properly."

"Dream on, Belby," she said.

Seeing that Marcus was well able to divert her attentions, Brian went downstairs to talk to Robert about the concerns for the babies and the need to return home.

Every on chuckled as Jack moved and found a checkers board " ow look what I found , game on" he said and placed it down on a small table that cassidy moved in between them both and smiled.

" so your that good Marcus?" she asked and saw Brant chuckle

" ow hes that good Cassidy, I watched him play chess with Kate she won but he had good moves" he added " I wouldn't challenge him I know better" he said and smirked as Cassidy smiled a tell tale smile that she would try him one day.

"Well, big men fall harder" she said and sat back in her seat waiting for the game to begin.

Marcus took the checkers board and flipped it over, finding a backgammon game board printed on the back of the board.

"Much better," he said. "I don't know that I'm that good, but I can surely beat her," Marcus said, only intending to tease her, not meaning it seriously. He set up the board easily. "Red or black?" he asked her.

"Either," she said.

"I'll be black, then," he said, turning the board to face it the proper direction. He handed her the dice. "Ladies first," he said.

The game started as a rather passive, nonaggressive game, until she deliberately sent two of his men to the bar.

"Oh, so that's how it goes, does it?" he grinned. "Well, finally. Some competition. Now that you're done fiddling around and being nice about it, let's really play."

Brian and Robert came upstairs together.

"Alright," Brian said. "The plan is that we will start to check the house as soon as possible. We need to know that the grounds are safe and so is the house. Once we know that, we'll return home. Take chances with security anywhere. Lock it down. We're not moving unless we know its safe. We also will need to check the medical supplies because I'm not sure we can afford to chance taking her to St. Mungos when she delivers. We need to make sure we're covered for whatever might come our direction. Any questions?"

Everyone sat watching the game Jack lent forward as Marcus stepped up the game but turned when he heard Robert and Brian return and begin to speak each one nodded and Jack stood up " I can go ahead and start fires make the lace warm and read the house elves for our return." He said "Time difference makes no difference to me."

Jess nodded and looked at them when they mentioned St Mungos " I'll do that as soon as we get back." she said and Cassidy nodded as Jim looked up and nodded.

" best one to send back any trouble he has more chance of warning us and getting back alive" he spoke softly as he accioed some tea in a pot placing two cups beside Khaat and Marcus then making one for himself. "Mango and apricot" he told them.

"After dinner," Michael called from the kitchen. "We do things as a group, including meals. We're not about to shift that now. Someone set the table, please and then get the kids ready. They missed their snack this afternoon because of the fingerpainting, and they're probably hungry."

"They didn't miss anything," Kate said. "They ate the paint."

"They what?" Michael frowned. "I know I couldn't have heard that right."

"It was edible paint, Michael," she said. "They're loaded up on fruits and veggies now and they never knew it. But, yes, I'm sure they're hungry again. When shall we pack?"

"Since we didn't bring anything, I doubt it will take long to pack," Brian said. "Let's wait til the estate is secure before we pack."

Marcus had to redirect her a couple of times in their game. She was losing focus, but when she was focused, the game seemed to get caught in a fairly evenly matched effort at sending each other's men to the bar over and over to make them go around the board all over again.

"We might still be playing this game after the babies are born at this rate," he laughed.

"Good, because I'll probably need a good massage by then," she said.

Jack and jess both stood up and moved to the nursery while Brant and Cassidy moved to the table and began to lay it for dinner. " good coz I'm starved " Brant said and Cassidy chuckled as she placed down a plate.

" your always starved " she said and he shook his head.

" not when I'm sleeping I'm not" he told ehr and stuck out his tongue at her this made Jim chuckled.

" you sound like brother and sister more than friends" he said and they both pulled a face at Jim's words then both laughed as they continued laying the table. Jack and jess returned with the children as they ran to the table and sat down each chattering to each other.

Dinner had its usual chaos that always revolved around a dozen children at the table. But the kids had largely been raised to like well prepared fish and fresh fruits and vegetables. There was rarely any problem with finicky kids, and that was a blessing.

Khaat's thoughts were elsewhere tonight. Marcus had seen the distant look in her eyes. He figured she was wondering how life would change with two more children. He wasn't sure if it was, perhaps, a bit of cold feet about the whole business now. He noticed food seemed to be work for her tonight. She had to work to be interested.

He figured he would just let it alone and perhaps he'd talk her into a snack later. He was getting, generally, fairly good with that. He had an idea.

"How about a soak in a tub to unwind some of those sore muscles after dinner?" he asked her. "I think there is some lavender bath oil in your bathroom. Take as long as you like, and we can pick up the game later if you're still in the mood."

"You're weaseling out on my back rub," she said.

"No, I'm not. But you haven't won yet," he laughed. "As a matter of fact, you have one man on the bar and I only have my five point open. Your odds of rolling a five to get him back around again aren't impressive."

"Yes, but all the rest of my men are home, and you're still trying," she said. He grinned at her.

"I do love a challenge," he said.

Jess smiled and looked at Khaat " The lavender oil is in the cabinet next to the bath." she said softly to her as she handed Jaylen some fish that she ate with out question. " I'm glad our children aren't fussy eaters" she said smiling as James ate more fish almost stuffing it into his mouth as he grinned at them.

Jack finished his food as did the others and helped clear the table while Jess and Cassidy dealt with the children washing there hands and faces clean of food to make them clean again and read for their play time before they headed back home. Jack looked at Robert and Brian waiting for them to say if he could and should head back to make good and ready the estate though he remembered them saying they wanted to do it as a team.