Dinner: Interrupted

"Thank you," Kate said. "We end up fighting a lot, and that leaves us with more werewolf scratches than we'd like, and werewolf wounds are always slow to stop bleeding. Robert, is Abbey alright?"


"Haven't seen her yet," Robert said. "But I presume so. The last I saw, Brian handed her to Marcus.  And Khaat is inside, so if she were hurt, Khaat could handle it, I'm sure. You're sure you weren't bitten, Kate?"


"My head?" she frowned. "No. I wasn't bitten. Little twerp clawed me."


"Did you get at least one good lick in?"


"Several," she said. "You know we won't get them to nap this afternoon, Robert."


"Yes, we will," Robert said. "I'll do the story for naptime today. They'll sleep. It'll be fine. Hopefully, they'll make something special for lunch today that will take the kids' minds off this little business this morning."

Li nodded to Kate glad he could help her. He listened and spoke softly " She was unharmed when she was retrived from the Okami." he told her finishing aplying the salve. " it must stay on untill absorbed to do the best effect." He said as he closed the tin and replaced it back in his bag.

Standing he listened again and looked back to the house "May I ask how many in the house? " He asked in regards the children. He looked at Lee and waitied " I am under orders to remain here and aid in the extra back up?" he asked him " if that is so I will begin the detailed sweep of the grounds , I noticed part of the spell was weakest over by the east fence." He turned to Robert.

"Well, I don't really have the right to order you to stay here," Lee said. "Its not even my country, much less my house. And, you're technically Robert's employee, not mine. All I can honestly ask is that Robert take some additional help right now, especially since yesterday there was an attempt on his life. And, since he hasn't said no, I'd simply start working if I were you.  When it comes to himself, Robert doesn't accept help easily.  Let's not push him to actually need to verbalize that he needs help. That, for him, is a difficult thing because he won't ever put his own safety ahead of his family's. If you think you need to strengthen the security on the east perimeter, then you should probably do that.  And know that if trouble comes again, he will be the first one to try to toss himself in the line of fire if he thinks it will save his family. And, no, he won't give you any warning. He's a brave man, and he's a good father and a good grandfather. To him, family is all. Its everything."

Li listened and nodded at Lee's words. " I see that, Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue." He said softly and took off his jacket to revel his black Hakama. He placed his jacket in his bag then slipepd that over his shoulder as he began to methodicaly walk towards the fence down by the east side behind the assault course.


Jack looked to lee and shook his head as he watched Li take off his jacket. " whats his deal?" he asked Lee as he moved to stand at his side. " hes too calm for my liking even face to face with my brother he didn't flitch, like he'd seen it all before?" he folded his arms acros his chest

"Its just his thing, I think," Lee said. "He's not a superhero, Jack. Stop looking at him like he's Superman. He just views the world differently because his training hasn't been the same as yours. It doesn't mean you're not as skilled as he is because that just wouldn't be true. Your skills are just different.  And for someone like James, the more ideas, the better.  You might gently encourage him to fit in a little. The oriental garb fits in the Asian places he's been, but here in England? Not so much. Sorta like taking Steven into Diagon Alley in that stinking hat of his. It just doesn't blend so very well. Wizards aren't generally so used to the ninja/samurai thing.  Once he settles in, a bit of blending might be a really good thing."

Li moved down the fence he knelt and placed charms along it in intervals to add to the spells. His eyes watching the area for any movement beyond the boundry but he saw nothing that would do any harm , a few jack rabbits and a squrriel but nothing bigger than that.

Jack looked over at Li and sighed " Baby sitter yet again" he said softly and chuckled " okay the time this day ends he'll be in jeans and tee shirt." he said as he watched Li walk back up to them.

" may I enquire if I may change?" he asked " formalitys are complete and I should be in work clothes." he looked at Jack and Lee.

"Theres a spare room you can change into inside " he said and walked Li into the kitchen just as Jess walked in both stopped and looekd at each other. " this is li hes here for the mean time, Li this is Jessica my wife and mother of our children." he chuckled when Li bowed to her.

" nice to meet you, but who cooks?" he asked " the kitchen is imakuate" he asked Jess chuckled and looked to Jack." excuse me Jessica."

"Thats Angus's domain, he loves to cook as do all of us." Jack said following Li as he had already headed up the stairs moving to Khaats room.

"Mrs Quinn, How is the little one?" he asked with a bow. Jack followed close behind.

"Sorry Khaat this is Li , Lee brought him over to bolster the numbers while Brants away." he looked at Li then to Khaat " Im also to try and get him into some westrn styled clothing, lees words." he said and chuckled.

Lee motioned to Robert and took him inside and downstairs to have just a quiet moment over a glass of firewhiskey to be able to decompress after the stress of the last couple of days.  He figured Robert needed it.


Kate and Brian went inside, feeling that the grounds were safe again for now.  They went to check on the other kids to make sure they were alright and not overly frightened by James. 


Upstairs, Khaat had settled into a rocking chair with Abbey. Marcus had wrapped her paralyzed arm around Abbey so Abbey could feel her mother's arms around her.  Abbey was settled in, and she sucking her thumb, curled tight into Khaat, hiding under the veil Khaat used to hide her face. The bedroom was silent. Marcus draped Abbey's baby blanket over her and put Abbey's favorite and well worn stuffed kitty near her.  Abbey managed to curl her arm around it and still suck her thumb.


"Abbey," Marcus called very softly. He had warmed up a little milk, added some honey to it and, with Suki's help, a wee bit of a calming potion to it, and he brought it in a tea mug. He also thought to bring Khaat some tea in an identical mug to not make Abbey feel so odd. "Brought you and your mom some tea. Try it. You'll feel better." 


He was slowly helping Abbey with the mug of warm milk when Jack and Li came in.


"Oh," Khaat said, as Jack introduced him. "Hello. Call me Khaat. Abbey's fine, but she's no fan of 'doggies.'"


"And that's okay," Marcus said, petting Abbey's hair. "She doesn't have to like those creatures."


"Thank you both for getting her back," Khaat said quietly.

Li stood and watched the little girl now rapped safe in her mothers arms he nodded as she spoke. "Ido not blame her, Ōkami, as we call them, are not liked even where I come from," he looked to Jack as he spoke again. "But some Ōkami are...unique in their outlook and behaviour." He then looked back to Khaat as she thanked then both for returning her.

" It was my honor" He said and bowed slightly " I see where she gets her determination and strong will, she honors you even at this age."  He reatched into his pocket and took out a bracelet " if it is all right with you I would like to give her this, It has a protection spell around it that will ensure she will be protected at all times, if anything should happen to her I will know straight away." He held out the small charm bracelet for her to see.

"I'm sure she'll like it," Khaat nodded. "She likes jewelry." Khaat took the bracelet, showed it to Abbey and put it on her wrist.


Robert knocked lightly on the doorjamb and invited himself in.  "How's my girl?" he asked.  


"Rattled," Marcus answered.  Robert came in and stroked Abbey's cheek softly.


"Abbey," he called.  She looked up at him, and he picked her up.  She flung her arms around his neck and hid her face in his neck. Khaat smiled.  Any other mother might have taken it personally that Abbey was so tightly bonded to her grandfather, but Khaat understood it.  


"Thats what she was waiting for," Khaat said, glad he was there.


"May I?" he asked, wanting to take her for a bit. 


"Of course," she said.  Her father flicked his finger to summon Abbey's mug to follow. 


"Let's go read a storybook, huh?" he said softly to Abbey, taking her out of the room with him.


"We've got a long history with that werewolf," Marcus said to the newcomer. "I'm sure Brian has a thick dossier on him with more information than the Ministry's dossier. If you're going to be here, it might do you well to read it. He's our biggest security threat right now."

Li stood bolt upright as Robert walked in he stepped back from Abby and watched as he picked her up in his arms and spoke to her softly. He watched and dodged the small cup as it moved from behind him and floated along side them as they left.

He heard Marcus speak and looked towards him and nodded. It was now Jack spoke up " I'll fetch it for you after I have cleared it with Robert." He said but Li shook his head.

" I will ask when he is not busy with family." He said " It is not your place to ask for me I have a tounge and it works fine, you check your family." He added as he looked to Khaat and bowed.