Marriage is Murder

"You and I both know that James is the one responsible for murdering those three women at Rob's old potions lab. Not sure why Khaat was drawn there today, but she'd have been better if she hadn't had to see that.

"She always felt sorry for those women. They barely made minimum wage, and I think she felt responsible partly for that because Rob was getting stinking rich while they did the work and got almost nothing.

"If I know her, she's going to want to make sure they get decent burials and she's going to want to see if they have families that need provided for. But from what Marcus said, I don't know that there's much left of them to bury. If she wants to do a memorial of some sort, though, I'll certainly support her."

Then a new thought hit him. "I just happened to think. I have a four year old seer. I really, really don't want her to pick up on this sort of gruesome stuff. Not at her age. Might have to work on diverting Khaat's focus away from what she saw so that Abbey doesn't pick up on her mother's energies. That might be a very bad thing if we don't."

Jack stood and listened to Brian and nodded his agreement. " His scent was there, though faint like a few days old, but it was there on her when she came back." He told Brian then listened again spoke softly " guess seers have an acute empathy to those who are hurt, more so Khaat since she too is hurt" he sighed and lent back against the tree he had previously been against as Brian spoke again this time about the women murdered.

" I'll see to the arrangements myself, when we get back, I'll rope Brant in to help, he need to leave those dusty books alone once in a while." He told him. " maybe a trip away or a party, barbeque's are always fun?" He suggested with a chuckle as he looked at the still exhausted Brian in front of him.

"Thank you," Brian said. "I'm sure that will help her feel better. I don't know who the potionsmaster is there now, but I can't imagine he treated them any better.

"The barbeque is a good idea. Perhaps Angus will consider doing his steaks. He does grill really good steaks. He has a way of grilling all kinds of things. I know he's been working on doing dessert on the grill too. Might be good for her to get outside instead of hibernating up in her room. And if its not good for her, it would be good for Marcus. He has to get a bit claustrophobic being up in that bedroom for months and months on end. He never acts like it bothers him, but its not healthy for either of them. Maybe a barbeque under the stars, by campfire or candlelight, would be a good change of pace." He got up tiredly. "I've got a long way to go to get back in shape," he sighed.

Jack stood and listened to Brian and smile as he heard his barbecue idea being spoke of "I wonder if he still has that mixed spice one he use to do, I liked that one it gave the meat some spice" he said then nodded " that can't be good, I think it will be good for every one" he looked at Brian as he spoke of having along way to get back in shape and laughed "Na, I don;t think you have that much to get back in shape." he told him and smirked " couple of months maybe, at my training or Roberts maybe." he chuckled as he walked over to him.

"So you want me to port you back old man or we running again?" He asked him teasingly. He was his boss but at the same time, he felt he was his friend and friends did all they could for each other. Now it was Jacks turn to bring Brian out of his depression and back to being the strong man he had been when they first met. After all Brian had Khaat and he had to be strong to help her over come what had happened to her. Though Jack had his own problems they amounted to nothing compared Khaat and Brian.

" I agree he'll turn into a hermit before long or a piece of furniture." He chuckled " hes getting so pale that he'd even scare a ghost."

"Can we just walk?" Brian asked. "I don't think I need carried, but I don't think I'm running either." He started to walk back. "I'll ask Angus about the barbeque when we get back.

"I know I heard him saying something about a grilled dessert pizza. And something about grilled cake of some sort. I don't know. He's willing to try just about anything once."

When they got back to the house, Suki was pouring some sort of an icy cold drink from a pitcher into a pair of tall glasses that were filled with ice. She added a couple of paper thin slices of orange and lime to the rim of each of the two glasses and put them on a tray.

As the tray passed, Brian reached out and snatched one of the glasses and began drinking it. Suki scowled, irritated. She summoned the tray back.

"The estrogen potion in that glass will do you wonders," Robert teased Brian.

"What?" Brian asked blankly, looking into his glass.

"He's teasing you," Kate laughed. "There's nothing in it." Brian scowled at Robert. "Suki, that looks wonderful. Can you pour more of those, please?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Suki said. She poured another to add to the tray and sent two upstairs. She poured more for the others.

"Suki has made a lovely sort of fruit tea. Its made with peach and apricot and orange and lime and a few other things, in with some Darjeeling tea. It looks delicious," Kate said. "So far, Brian is the only one who has had a chance to taste it."

"Yep," Brian said, having been thirsty.

"That's it? That's the review we get of it?" Robert asked.

"For now, I think," Kate laughed.

Jack chuckled and started to walk back with Brian to the house he glanced at the course that spread out behind him now. " okay but I need to work out later" he told him. Walking i Jack dodged the tray and watched as Brian too one of the glasses and drank. He also could not help but snicker when Robert spoke of the drink.

" They sound a refreshingly healthy drink, Suki may I try one of those as well, please?" He asked softly with a smile to her. He was still insure of how to act around house elves but at least he was willing to try and get along with them. He also Knew Jess was thinking of getting a house elf to he;p around their home so he had to learn to get along with them.

"I have a few more--but I'm afraid Brian got the last of the estrogen potion," Suki teased. She poured more tea and passed it around.

"Just think of the beautiful silky hair you'll have, Brian," Robert laughed at him.

"Don't overdo it," Angus said. "I refuse to live with him if he gets moody once a month."

"Now you're pushing it," Brian said. "Oh, and did I tell you? You're in charge of cooking everything for dinner on the barbeque grill tonight."

"What? Tonight? Are you out of your mind?"

"No, I"m moody, remember?" Brian said pointedly. "That gives me full right to be impulsive. Grilling. Tonight."

Angus and Suki laughed. They headed for the kitchen. They both already had ideas.

Jack could not help but laugh at the teasing at Brian's expense he smile taking the glass and thanked Suki for the drink which he found was very refreshing. "Hum, that was wonderful Suki thank you." He said sending the glass to the kitchen he looked to Brian " I have to go do that thing I told you, I shouldn't be long, not going to miss a barbecue." He said and ported out.

Brant walked out and saw the glasses he smiled and took one and started to drink at the mention of a barbeque's he looked up from the book he held. " will there be steaks?" he asked walking into the kitchen and looking at Suki and Angus. " do you want I should start the monster of a grill you have out side?" he asked looking from one to the other.

"That's fine," Angus said. "But you'll find, out in the wood pile, at the north end of it, some of the wood is mesquite that I had sent from Colorado. If you'd put one half of the grill with mesquite and the other half with apple wood, that will give me some flexibility on what I can cook in it."

He was making a list on paper of ingredients he planned to use. Suki was looking over his wrist and with every item he wrote down, she was accio'ing it out of the pantry over his head to the kitchen island for prep, adding some of the basic ingredients that he had yet to mention.

"Brian didn't specify steaks," Angus teased. "I was thinking of tofu, actually."

"Tofu," Robert said slowly and sarcastically. "Great. Looking forward to it."

Brant listened to the type of wood he had to get and nodded. He watched as ingredients came out of the cupboard and floated close by. It was now he heard Angus and chuckled " tofu , yuck " he said and pulled a face " I'd rather sit and drink off milk" he told him as he walked out the door to get the woods.

Soon Jack came back and looked for Brian, he'd known what solicitor to use and what funeral parlors that would do the job discreetly on their behalf. " thats done" he said to him " all, well taken care of" he looked outside and saw Brant struggling "Excuse me seems Brant doesn't know how to light a grill"he said and moved to help him.