Dinner: Interrupted

"Don't let anyone go crazy, will you?" Robert yawned again, getting sleepier. "I want to do this myself."


"Of course you do," Michael said, watching Robert doze off again.  Once Robert was asleep again, he looked at Jess. "You do realize you won't keep him down one second more than he'll let you, right? If he really wants to go, he'll go. If he does do a disappearing act, just let me know.  There aren't that many places a man can go in his pajamas anyway. Unless he starts wearing muggle pajamas. Then he'll be like them and wear them anywhere he wants.  I've not understood why a muggle can throw on a t shirt with a pair of pajama pants and think its alright going out in them. Shows my age, doesn't it?"

He started to smell baking downstairs. The familiar scents of Angus in the kitchen making breakfast. 


"And another day begins," he sighed. "Maybe I should go shower and shave while its quiet."

Jess watched and chuckled at Michael telling her she'd not keep him down once he was feeling well enough. " yes unfortunately I know that all too well, hes like a five year old you just can't keep them still." she said with a chuckle. " of course, your first on my list, but I feel while Abby is there he won't make a move, not any time too soon anyway." she saw the door open and smelt the cooking.

" I would go if I were you the rest of the children will be awake soon and wanting food." she sat back and sipped her tea "Cassidy will relive me in an hour, I'll up date you if theres any change."

Brant looked at Jack and rolled his eyes " you practical live there, get out and get some fresh air, you could use a work out, how about it?" he asked. Brant thought about it and nodded.

"couldn't hurt, let me charm and lock up the lab and I'll meet you out by the assault course." he looked at Khaat " if you'll excuse me I have to beat the shorts off this guy." He said and thumbed to Jack who just raised an eye brow.

"In his dreams" He said softly.

"I heard that." Brant called back he entered his own room, Jack chuckled and looked at Khaat.

"Smells like Angus has breakfast in hand, shall I send some up?" he asked wondering if she was going to come down for it or stay in room.

"Yes," Khaat said. "Ask Suki to send up a tray for this room and mine, please."


"Don't misbehave while I'm in the shower, now, will you?" Michael kissed her cheek.


"I'm fine, Michael," she said calmly.  "Jess is right, though.  You should get some fresh clothes and food."


"I'm going," he said, heading to his own room.


"I'm glad they're keeping the routine as normal as possible," Khaat said, glad that Angus was cooking and that the boys were going to work out. "I do need to go to St. Mungos today.  It has to look like business as usual, or the press will make more of this than what it is. If they don't see him, they'll be looking for me.  The best way I can keep the heat off this and off him is to go to work--much as I'd rather be here."

Jack nodded and headed back down to the kitchen to let Suki know to send up two trays. Jess sat and watched over Robert and the sleeping Abby while Brant got into his work out clothes and headed down to the assault course.

Jack followed the two trays up to Khaat and Michaels room. " breakfast is served" he said as one set down in front of her. As he smiled he heard the patter of small feet and happy chattering " ah the daddy duty calls, sorry." He said and chuckled loudly as one of them called to him. " coming." he said and headed out the door.

"Thank you, Jack."  She heard Jack's kids heading downstairs, followed by her own.  Good. They were all rather oblivious to the night's developments. She wanted to find out if her father was working on anything particularly delicate.  Marcus reminded her that, no longer in the Wizengamot, she no longer had the privilege of knowing Ministry classified information.  She sighed, frustrated. Neither she nor Brian had jobs there anymore, needing to simplify with so many kids now.  The kids had to come first for now.


Abbey soon woke, smelling food. She was hungry. Really hungry. She didn't move a muscle, though, not wlling to leave her papa.  Before long, her stomach growled so loudly it stirred him from his sleep. Given how upset his own stomach was, he knew it hadn't been his that was making that noise. He looked over at her.


"Was that your tummy?" he frowned. She nodded. "You'd better go get something to eat, then."


"You coming, Papa?"


"Not today," he smiled, kissing her forehead. She frowned.


"You okay?"


"Yes, Sweetheart. Just tired," he smiled. 


"You be here when I come back?"


"Yes," he laughed.  She got off the bed and went to the door. She turned back, looking at Jess, with a very determined look on her face.


"You make him all better!" she pointed at Jess, issuing an order to her, with all the command that seemed so natural to a Lupin.  Then she turned, feeling her duty was done, and ran downstairs.

Jess looked up on hearing a rather loud tummy rumble and saw Abby stir on the bed beside Robert. She would have moved her but she heard Robert talking and smiled as she placed down her knitting. Watching Abby climb down off the bed she smiled.

" Yes Abby." She said and looked back at Robert with a smile, "It seems I have my orders." She said softly. Standing she walked over to him and checked him. " I have some water here if you want a drink?" she asked holding up a cool glass with a single straw for him to drink out of.

Placing the glass back down she sat next to the bed. "How do you feel?" she asked wanting to know if his mind was clear enough for him to process his thoughts again.

"Hm," he said thoughtfully. "I'm feeling like I shall have to do something about that child. It seems she's inherited her grandmother's cheek."


"My cheek!" Kate said indignantly from the doorway. "Oh, and she got none of that from you, I suppose? Starve him, then, Jess."


"Oh, please do starve me," Robert sighed, his stomach not wanting anything.  Kate went over and kissed him.


"Are you finally going to listen to me and stop going there eating that horrible food?"


"Oh, yes, Dear, definitely," he sighed, not meaning a syllable. He didn't see himself losing a taste for good fish and chips anytime soon. Just not today.


"I came to see how he was, but clearly, he's fine," she said. "Abbey did seem a bit distressed..."


"She's four," Robert said. "Give her a bit. She'll get used to it the way the rest of us had to."


"And so how soon are you arresting Ms. Swan?"


"I presume when I catch her," he said.


"You're insufferable," she sighed, knowing he was going to try to be up as soon as he had it in him. She got clothes and headed for the shower to clean up for the day.


"I think she's miffed," Robert said dryly.

Jess looked up from her knitting and chuckled at Roberts words then turned as Kate entered the room. She staid quiet as they spoke to each other. " I can fetch something to settle his stomach own but would have to check with Michael that it wouldn't interfere with the potion first." She said softly.

" we'll try some rejuvenating broth if your up to it but nothing heavy."she told him knowing his stomach would be rebellious to the thought of food at this early a stage in his recovery. if you want later if your up to it we could move down stairs.

"Michael?" Robert frowned, stepping back into a mentoring role, as he so often did for healers of all sorts of ranks. "Michael doesn't know a cough drop from a chocolate. Don't rely on him for that, if you please. The potion you're looking for, if D'Eath sent it, is just the Standard Herbal Elixir.  Should be light green and in a clear bottle--generally, anyway. If D'Eath didn't include it, then I know its in the lab downstairs.  Brant can get it for you.  Not much else works for this at this stage, I'm afraid. Its just a matter of weathering it out. Spells for nausea mask it too well, and if there were to be lingering issues, you'd never know."


"It is a bit like drinking your lawn, though," Robert said.  "Very grassy tasting. Most people find it offputting and prefer it in a couple sips of peppermint tea to mask the taste a bit. There are worse things, though. Ask me about the broth in a couple hours. Right now, it doesn't sound a bit good. Thank you, though."


In her room, Khaat was finished with breakfast and was finishing the final touches on her clothes for the work day.  She picked up a pink veil, looking in the mirror and sighing. She hated her face. She hated that her arm was still unmoving.


"Ask him," Marcus said quietly, knowing how much it still bothered her. "Tonight. Its time. He has no reason to not start setting that to rights now."


"I was just reminded by all this that I nearly lost the only one we know capable of that level of magic. The only one who could make it right. And we almost lost him in an instant.  I need to send an owl thanking Lorcan D'Eath."


"I wouldn't be so hasty about that," Marcus frowned. "D'Eath isn't the sort of man that does this sort of gesture out of the goodness of his heart. Why don't you wait and find out what he really wants? Then you'll know if you want to pay that price or not."


"I should have checked the security for him before..."


"And why don't you let Jack and Steven see to that? They've been taking care of the estate a long time. I'm sure they've thought of that. If they didn't, you can keelhaul them before dinner tonight."

Brant walked back up or rather hobbled up the stairs " keelhaul who?" he asked leaning on the door frame some what out of breath. " I...slipped " he said as jack rounded the corner.

"like...mushrooms you did, you went tumbling on the last obstacle on the course , almost had me too." he slapped Brant hard on the back." could do with toning up those other muscles though." he poked Brant's upper arm, several times. " still needs work."

Brant sighed and looked at Khaat " your looking beautiful today Khaat " he smiled as he hobbled down to his room to wash and change out of his muddy clothes.