Marriage is Murder

"Oh, its entirely characteristic of him," Khaat said.

"Indeed," Michael said. "Jeffrey asked him when he was going to stop putting his country and his family first."

"That's the stupidest question anyone could ask him," Khaat scowled.

"Well, no, the next one beat that one. Jeffrey asked was he really ready to die for them without even thinking about it."

"Well, you're right. That's dumber," Kate said. "I'd love to have seen how he answered that."

"He simply looked at Jeffrey and said, 'That's the job," Michael said. "He has no intention of ever changing that."

"Of course not." Khaat said.

"I think you could safely go fishing," Kate said to them. "There's an equipment locker on the starboard side of the ship. You will probably find fishing gear in it someplace."

Steven sat and listened to the conversation then chuckled " ow the rest of us could, not sure about Brant though." He said and saw the look on Brant's face. Brant chuckled and shrugged his shoulders.

"Hey not my fault as a kid I got the hook in my..." he coughed and glanced at Angus " well he knows, you got the hook out." Brant said to Angus and blushed as Cassidy chuckled.

" wow thats a story we don't need to know the ending of" she said and grinend as she finished her food " but I think some fishing would be good " Steven stood up and walked to the closet and took out three rods. He handed one to Jack and paused but handed one to Brant.

"Some on then, Angus which side is best?" he asked or should we do it off the pier?" he asked motioning to the one that jutted out from the village.

"Somehow that explains a lot," Michael said, rolling his eyes.  "TMI, Brant."

"It was NOT my choice to do anything with that hook," Angus said dryly.  "As I recall, I made you promise to never fish again." He considered their request about where the best spot would be, and he looked over the area before answering. "Your best bet is the sandbar over there," he pointed in the opposite direction. "There's an inflatable that you can take over there. I really wouldn't apparated b/c the muggles will see you and you'll never explain how you got out there without a boat. Here..." he handed them a pair of oars. "Its good exercise. Good luck."

A white paper bird flew up and almost smacked Angus in the face.  The thing fluttered around his face but was, for some reason, hyperactive and difficult to catch. He snatched it, accidently crumpling it in the process. He opened it, read it, and scowled.

"Do you want to deal with this before I set it in motion?" he handed the paper to Michael who read it and frowned equally as deeply. "I'd like to keep all my limbs attached, thank you." He was about to speak when Robert came up on board. He was clearly still hurting and a bit rattled from the effects of his emergency measures on Brian.  Michael saw him and hesitated.  He decided a cautious approach was best.

"Um...Ozz..." he began.  Robert turned and saw the paper in Michael's hand.

"What?" Robert frowned. "Is that something I need to see?"

"Well,..." Michael began awkwardly.  Michael held up the paper so Robert could read it. Robert read it and was so angry that the paper burst into flame in his hand. Michael dropped it quickly, and stomped out the flames. "That's just about what I thought you'd do with it," Michael sighed.  

"I will pick what I eat, when I eat, and how much I eat!" Robert said fiercely. "I am 62 years old, and I think I've also earned the right to determine when I go to bed, when I get up, if I exercise, if I don't, when I work, when I won't, and when I have a damned up of tea!" He glared hard at Michael. Michael noticed a wild breeze beginning to spin around them. Michael knew Robert's emotions were raw after what he had just experienced and that he was hurting, but he hadn't seen Robert so angry since the curse had left.

"Now, wait...don't do anything rash...." Michael began, trying to temper his friend gently.

"He's going into a bug jar!" Robert said. "And then I'll feed him to Archangel!"

"Would you like me to talk to him?"Michael asked. Kate poured Robert a cup of tea rather quickly.

"He'll hear you perfectly well inside the jar! I'll make sure to make him a silent bug with big ears!" he said spitefully.  Kate handed him the cup of tea.

"Here," she said. "Tea first, bug jar later."  She looked at Michael, giving him a cue that someone needed to tell Jeffrey to not push so hard. She had always been Robert's calm in the midst of the storm. She nuzzled her cheek against his, whispering softly in his ear. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered soothingly. She kissed his cheek, brushed his hair back off his forehead to rid him of the slightly ruffled look, and then kissed him slowly and lovingly. "I'll talk to him," she said softly. "I won't fail you--I promise."

"No, I know you won't," he said quietly, trying to reel in his rage.

"I am hungry, though," she confessed. Then she looked at him mischievously. "Lets go find some of Angus's cinnamon rolls on the sideboard and see if we can eat more than one apiece." He managed a smile. He looked at her, as if he were afraid he would lose her. He kissed her forehead softly, and whispered something into her hear so that no one else could hear.

"We settled that years ago," she said steadily. "It's still good." She took him by the hand, and they headed down to the dining room.

Khaat was quiet, understanding too much of what she'd seen. "He saw too much," she told Marcus softly. "I didn't know anyone would ever see that or know about it."

"You think he saw Brian's last moments," Marcus said.

"Yes," she said.

"Do you remember it?" he asked.

"Yes," she said, staring out to the rising morning sun. "I was hoping Brian would never remember, but he evidently does. And now there's someone else who saw it too," She said, considering her father.

"Khaat," Marcus said very softly. "I was there. I saw it too. I remember. Its not something you need to shoulder by yourself. Let's go talk to Brian so he knows he's not alone. What do you say?" She wasn't sure she wanted to open up her own emotions about it." Then she finally nodded. "Angus? Can you hold a plate for us for a few minutes, please?"

"Gladly," Angus said.

"I'll send Jess up to eat so I can have a bit with Brian alone," Khaat said. "You might set a place for her." Marcus took Khaat downstairs to Brian's room.

"Jess," Marcus said. "Can you give her a bit to talk to him? Its time. Go get breakfast. I'll send for one of you if they need it. I promise."

Brant chuckled and nodded " okay yeah I did promise not to back then" he said and handed his rod over to Jack who passed it to Steven who placed some bait on the hook and chukled as he walked down to the small boat mored along side the ship " come on hen guys" he said as Jack and Brant walked to the boat too.

" I'll stay if thats all right " cassidy said chuckling and shanking her head " I have no dough they will come back sun burnt but with out any fishes" she said. Down below Jess looked at Khaat as she spoke then to Marcus she knew Khaat was a brilliant healer but in her condition she could do little.

" I can only give you a moment then I have to hold him again" she said standing " I will be out side the door, no more than five minuets, he is exhausted" she lifted the sleep spell a little so he would wake but remain calm.

"I don't intend to stay," Khaat said quietly to Jess. She felt very distant from most everyone--especially Brian. She just honestly didn't have any words for Brian. She had come to see him simply because Marcus had thought that it was a good idea.

She went over to him. The jolt of pain and memories had almost been more than he could bear, and if it hadn't been for her father taking it as immediately as he had, Brian might not have survived, she knew. He was tired.

"Khaat," he said softly, not knowing what to say. She could hear his fumbling for words. He remembered now that his very last act was to break her arm to save her life. "You have to know..." he seemed to want to plead some sort of defense with her.

"I don't blame you," she said. "It was an accident. You just have been through a tough time. You need some time to recover."

"But I don't want you to think..."

"I don't think anything," she said. "Except that yesterday this time, we thought you were dead. I'm not ready to be without you. I can do a lot of things, face a lot of things. Just not that. Be patient with me?"

"Well, you might have to be patient with me too," he said.

"You still paranoid about Marcus?" she asked.

"Nah," he gave her a very slight smile. "All I could think about when I saw you was that you were the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. I couldn't imagine any guy not wanting you."

"Well, if you've gotten your memory back, you'll remember that, aside from you, the only other male that looks at me is a nut." He laughed.

"Not quite true, but I'll accept it for now. But..so you know, I'm sorry. Really sorry."

"Oh, shut it," she sighed. "Get some rest."

"Check on Robert?"

"Jeffrey already has. It's fine."

"Good," He sighed, yawning.

"Enough," she said.

"Later?" he asked. She nodded and left the bedroom.

Jess nodded to Khaat but stayed out side the door once she saw her leave she headed back in and sat beside Brian who she noted was sleeping again. After a moment she placed her hand on his forehead and smiled feeling him improving. She could not help but wonder if Robert would check on him or if he was still recovering. Jack moved on th pontoon and threw his line out.

" okay first one to catch a fish gets the beers in" he said and Steven laughed out loud

" ow we know who that will be" He said and looked at him " but if its edible they have to gut and fillet it." he added Jack nodded and chuckled.

"Hey sure why not" he said as he felt a small tug on his line.

Robert and Kate finished breakfast in the dining room, taking time to linger over a second cup of tea.

"Will they catch fish?" Kate asked him.

"Probably," he said. "Whether they'll be big enough to eat is another story. I don't know about that."

"So, what was on the bird that Jeffrey sent up?"

"Rigid diet, strict routine, multiple suppliments, and a very rigid workout routine. I didn't need that sort of instruction when I was 6. I certainly don't need it now at 60."

"Is it possible he was just making a point?"

"Maybe I'll make a point on the top of his head," Robert said dryly.

"Now, now," she said. "Were you anywhere close to what he wanted at breakfast just now?"

"With three big cinnamon rolls and 4 cups of tea? Not even remotely," he said proudly.

"Was that deliberate?"

"Completely," he said defiantly.

"And what did he want you to do this morning?"

"30 minutes on the treadmill."

"And what are you planning on doing, then?"

"I think I might port over to Tobias's, smoke cigars with him, and play several hands of poker."

"Jeffrey's going to be thoroughly pissed."

"Yeah," Robert grinned at her.

Cassidy walked down and over heard Robert and Kate she chuckled as she walked past knowing thats how he worked. " sorry for interrupting but its good to see you some what back to your old self. " she said smiling at them both as she moved to take a cup of tea then with a smile she headed back up on deck to watch the men fish.

Jack was the first to call out but when he lifted it out the water he could see it was a small fish and so took it off the hook and through it back in. " HEY ROBERT WHY DON'T YOU JOIN US!!" he called out hoping he would hear him.

"Fishing?" Robert frowned.

"Go see Tobias," Kate said mischievously to him. "I do believe Jeffrey likes to fish in those pristine Alpine lakes. Let me toss him a challenge he can't resist. He won't even notice you're gone. Cassidy, you can't say a word to him."

Robert grinned. "I knew there was a reason I married you," he said to her.

"Because I'm smarter than you are?" she asked.

"No," he frowned. "Because you're always ready to dive right into trouble with me."

"Well, there is that. Got your portkey?" she asked.

"Right here," he said. "I'll be back by lunch." He kissed her and ported out.

"No you won't," she laughed, after he left. She went up on deck. "You know, Jeffrey, Steven and Jack both love a good challenge. Looks like all Jack is catching is bait. Aside from Angus, they've been the fishing champs of these trips." She didn't bother to tell Jeffrey she was stretching the truth. "I'm glad you're not going with them. They're really sore losers."

"Really?" Jeffrey asked, tempted. "How sore?"

"Sore enough to keep upping a good bet," Kate grinned.

"Can Jess and Robert manage to make sure Brian stays comfortable for an hour or so?" he asked.

"Oh, probably so," Kate shrugged. He nodded and took a second rowboat over to the sandbar.

Cassidy chuckled and nodded " tell who what?" she said and chuckled watching as Kate turn to Robert and spoke to him again. She watched her after Robert left and tried to hide the smirk she had at Kate's plan. " Ow I can back that up" she said glancing at Kate as she watched Jeffery row out to the men on the sand bar.

"okay this is frustrating ll we get are tiddlers, bait fish nothing worth keeping "Jack said as he sat down again. Steven chuckled and cast out again his float bobbing in the water as they both waited for a bite " ow hey Jeffery" he said " Jacks complaining about the size of the fish out here" he said and chuckled.