Marriage is Murder

"I think I'm going to breakfast," Robert said. "Coming, Kate?"

"Yes, I think I will," she said, following him below deck. Marcus looked at Khaat.

"We need to eat too," he said. "I'm starving. Shall we take Brian with us?"

"Brian can manage," Brian said, getting up rather slowly.

"I hope that boy has remembered to fix some cinnamon rolls," Edward said, heading downstairs behind Michael.

"The question will be whether we get there before Jack does," Brian said.

"You really think one more trip will do it?" Khaat asked Michael.

"I'm betting on it," he said.

"How do we know whether we want whatever it is?" Brian asked.

"That's what the whole attraction to seers is about, I think," Edward said. "I think we'll know before we actually reach it whether we should open it or not. Or at least I hope so. Brant!" he shouted. "Quit brooding and come eat with the rest of us. Be sociable."

Brant heard Edward and looked up from his book he walked out still holding a book its old leather cover holding several runes on it along with several stones that had been embedded into the leather. "Ow, okay, sure Edward, sorry." He said and moved to the table and sat down. "Sorry, trying to figure out who it could have been" he said turning another page but he closed it and sighed placing it down on the table beside him.

He picked up some fruit and cereal and began to eat "This is good " he said and continued to eat. Brant glanced over at the book but chose to ignore it while he ate. Jess returned from her room and sat with Jack as together they ate.

"Can you get me a fresh tank, Angus?" Khaat asked.

"Not until at least tonight, I can't," he said. "Gonna take awhile to refill them. And its not healthy for anyone to go back this soon anyway. Why don't you work on your tan or something today?"

"You did bring your new bikini," Marcus said.

"No I didn...." she began. She looked at him. "You brought it. No, no. I am not putting this 'just-had-twins' figure into a bikini. That's just not happening. You just wasted suitcase space."

"Handkerchief space," Brian teased. "There's not much to it."

"All the more reason for me not to wear it right now," she said.

"Your pink one piece is in our room," Brian said. "Or we could go get you a new one."

"No thanks," she said, really wanting Brian to just recover. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure I can find something to do."

Brant looked up as they began to talk and he smiled. Jess looked up and then to Jack realizing she had only what she wore though she had transfigured her clothes. " you could transfigure the bikini to a one piece?" she said softly and looked at Khaat.

"Thats not a bad idea." Cassidy said smiling to her " Hey Jess, you want to come swimming later." she asked Jess nodded.

"Sure, if its all right with Robert." She said and looked at him. She knew he was her boss and she was still working for him as in making sure Brian was safe and healing well she didn't want to leave his side unless Robert said it was fine.

"Its fine," Robert said. "I don't think he's in any danger right now."

"So what are you doing today, Robert?" Brian asked.

"Me?" Robert frowned.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I think I'd like a bit of dueling practice."

"And I think I'd like your head examined. You have lost your mind if you think I'd let you do that yet...."

"But I really think...."

"I really think I still run things," Robert said. "I know what you're doing, and I appreciate it. But I really do need you well more than I need to vent. That was yesterday. At the moment, I'm fine. Besides, I told Kate I'd take her ashore to so she can go sketching for awhile. That is, if I can trust the rest of you lot to behave for a couple of hours. I really shouldn't need to parent any of you that much anymore, should I?"

"Most of us can handle ourselves," Michael said.

"Well, now, you are one of the ones I worry about," Robert said, looking at him. Michael scowled.

Jess nodded to Robert then looked back at Cassidy and smiled " I will join you for that swim" she said and Cassidy smiled more.

"Great we'll eat first sunbathe then swim" she said and Jess chuckled nodding. Brant sat back and  flipped open the book he had now in front of him.

"Bathsheba Babbling, hum possible she was a runes teacher at Hogwarts" He said softly then flicked another page " Sybill Trelawney, hum..maybe" he said again softly now even Jack grew tired of the books reaching out he slammed it shut.

"you and me, gym, you need to train more read less" he told him " books only teach so much actually doing will safe your life." he told him and slid the book over to Edward " look after this please" he said and stood up, " be down in ten minuets, I'm assuming this ship has a gym?" he asked Angus.

"In the forward hold," Edward said. He waited until Brant was gone before he added. "If he thinks one of those old divinations teachers created all that, I'm going to take away every book he ever owned from him. He really does need to get out of the books and into the real world. If he thinks one of those professors did that, then he's not even in the right century."

"He hasn't seen the runes, so those might be fairly normal things to think until he learns the difference. He doesn't know how many hundreds of years those runes predate what an average divination professor might know," Robert said. "But its good for Brant to get into the gym."

"As well we all should be doing some things that are good for us today," Kate said. "Robert's going to take me sketching, and the rest of you should do something to enjoy the day. If we do wrap this up soon, then we'll have to dock and end our cruise We have a lot of little ones that miss us."

Jack nodded as Brant stood and walked behind him to the gym. Jim sat silent and listened to them both talking. He sat eating a bagel with cream cheese on and a cup of fruit tea. " yes, he needs to experience the real world and not one in books" he said " I hope he realizes that sparing with Jack theres quiet the size difference" he said and chuckled looking at Jess. " might need your medical services after that" he saw Jess chuckle and smiled again.

" I'll be prepared " she told him and looked at Cassidy and Kate. " I'm sure Jack won't hurt him too much." she said and saw Cassidy holding back a laugh she could not help smirk herself.

When breakfast was done, Kate got her sketching things and she and Robert went ashore for the morning.

Angus saw how restless Brian was and encouraged him to do just a few exercises up on deck. It didn't take more than just a few for Brian to know he couldn't do any more. Angus knew that it wasn't going to take any more than that, but Brian needed to have a sense of his own limits.

Marcus talked Khaat into a game of backgammon on deck, and Michael and Edward seemed to be sitting together, making some sort of a map, presumably of what they had both seen on the dive. They wanted to remember what they had seen and were speculating on what they felt they might need yet to do to get to whatever was hidden in the deep.

Jack stood waiting or Brant to make his move but all he did was stand Jack moved closer Brant stayed looking at him " do something?" he asked But Brant just looked at him " okay weights, do some weights" he said and pointed to them in a corner.

"Sure" Brant said and walked over to them , taking one down he began to work out as did Jack. Cassidy lay on the sun lounger feeling the warmth from the sun Jess lay next to her on another lounger. Jess sighed feeling relaxed.

" this is nice" she said and Cassidy chuckled.

" what you never just relaxed?" she asked and Jess shook her head.

" nope, been looking after the kids and working since I left Hogwarts." She told her as she rolled to her back.

" well welcome to the world of relaxation"