Dinner: Interrupted

"Alright, then. Its settled. Will they need accommodations?" Brian asked.


"Shouldn't," Lee said. "Ideally, anyway. I'd hope you'd let them in out of the rain every so often, but other than that..."


"We'll try to remember that," Brian laughed.  


"I'll have them scheduled in pairs.  The first pair should arrive within an hour or so from when I get back to them.  I'll have to get them their portkeys, after all."  He saw Abbey bounce up from her seat, tired of breakfast now. "Done?" he asked her.


"I'll go see Papa," she nodded.  


"Abbey," he looked at her.  "Don't tell Papa any of our secrets, okay?"


"Shhh," she made a hushing symbol with her finger and then ran off. 


"This should be interesting to find out what exactly it is she thinks she shouldn't tell him," Brian laughed. "You know it will come back to us all sideways eventually."


Abbey ran back up to Robert's room and climbed up on the bed.


"You miss me?" she asked him. 


"Of course," he laughed.  She looked at him and then looked at Jess. 


"You make him better," she repeated her order, scowling at her now.  


"I am better," Robert laughed, amused by Abbey's determination.  "Don't pester Jess unless she says you can."

Jack laughed at Brian's comment and looked at Jim " yeah wouldn't want them shrinking poor fellows" he said and this made Steven and Jim laugh as well. Cassidy watched Abby as she seem to be unable to sit still in her high chair. Cassidy lifted her down and smiled hearing her talk to Lee then run off up the stairs.

" shes just voicing how we all feel, I know I'm worried for Robert." she said to lee and Brian.

Jess sat quietly knitting as she saw the door open slowly and Abby's head pop around it. She smiled as she spoke to her once she was on the bed.

"Its okay Robert, and of course, as well as I can right now Abby, it takes time." she told her watching her with Robert.

"I'll send the first crew when I get back," Lee said. "They'll need to wait until I finish my breakfast. I don't get to eat this way very often."


"Who are you kidding? You don't normally eat breakfast," Brian said. "Was Abbey right? Do you normally keep berries in your fridge?'


"No," Lee laughed. "Who's home to cook, anyway? I only have them when she's at my place."


"When are you going to settle down and get married?" Kate asked.


"Married? Me?" Lee frowned. "You've got to be kidding. Who would put up with all the lifethreatening nonsense?"

"Someone like our wives," Brian said.


"I don't think there are any more like yours. They're a rare breed," Lee smiled.

Brant for the most part had sat quietly listening to the conversation while eating , when it steered to them asking why lee hadn't married and when would he stood up and looked at them all "Excuse me, I...I have things in the lab I need to check on." he said and moved away from the table. Cassidy shook her head as he left the room.

"Some one need to get that guys head out his books." she said "All hes done since he returned is work out and read." Jack looked up and watched Brant leave he gave a low growl.

"leave it with me" he said " hes not going to mope after that woman again, bad enough we had to get him drunk to admit to us she'd left him." Jack said and looked to Brian " oops you weren't meant to know about that." Jim groaned and rolled his eyes as did Steven. " sorry"

"Who am I to judge?" Brian asked. Lee didn't say anything but just looked at Brian.  If Brant were going to get this torqued out of shape over a woman, then clearly either they didn't know about Michael's situation or didn't care. One or the other. Brian merely looked back at him. 

"I think I really should go," Lee said, taking a cue. He set his napkin on the table and standing up, leaving the rest of his plate unfinished.  


"Lee," Brian began. 


"No, its fine," Lee said. "I really need to get back to work anyway. I'll go get the first two guards and then stop back and see Robert on my return trip. Thanks for breakfast."  He drew his wand and apparated out.

"What was that about?" Kate frowned.


"I haven't the foggiest," Brian said, not actually intending to lie, but wanting to redirect the subject. He poured himself another cup of coffee.

Brant headed to the lab and sat down at th desk he'd done all he could to forget her but it was like she was stuck in his mind. Now he had an idea and stood back up walking to Khaats room he knocked gently.

"Um..khaat?" He said as he stepped inside " can I ask you to do something, its kinda personal" he asked as he stood looking down at his hands as he waited. Jack left the table and walked to find Brant to ask him what was wrong with him as he seemed okay when they were on the assault course.

Marcus was helping Khaat put the veil over her head and her face. When she heard Brant, she started to turn to look.


"Hold on," Marcus said quietly, finishing with the veil. "There. Better. All done."

"Thank you." She turned and looked at Brant. "I'll help if I can. What do you need?"


"I'll get your bag," Marcus said to her, going into her closet. She had a tan leather shoulder bag that she carried her business paperwork in, and with her arm not useful, Marcus carried it these days on his shoulder.  He was getting used to being more than a bodyguard. His job with her now often meant he had to act as a personal assistant. If it had been anyone else but her, he'd have told them to carry their own bag. But, somehow, because of his friendship with her, he didn't mind it.

Brant stood nervously in front of her now he opened his mouth but words failed him. " I...I, could you remove the memories of Amelia Cooper?" he asked " I can't sleep or eat right , I can't function , I constantly think and I hurt, I..I think all the time that I DROVE HER AWAY." He paused realizing his voice was raising he held his head and sat down.

"It hurts, every time some one mentions marriage or having children its like a dagger in my heart. " He said softly as he fought not to breakdown in front of her. " I can't take the doughting and wondering any longer, I want to be me again I want to be a useful member of the team and I can't like this." He looked at the floor still with his head in his hands " I...I have made arrangements if you can't, a healer I know said they could do it."

"I can," she said, "and I'm not saying I won't. but I'm not going to get rid of them because this just isn't the best way to deal with this. Hiding from your own reality, no matter how difficult it is, just doesn't work over the long haul. At some point, your own need to be whole and complete again, no matter how painful it is, will drive you to want all your memories back. Its the way we're designed biologically.  I'll remove them temporarily, but learning how to deal with it is always far better. And, believe it or not, I do understand pain."  

"You want a vial for a thought thread?" Marcus asked her.


"If he's determined, then, yes," she said.

Brant sat and listened to her but before he could speak Jack walked in and looked at him " ow no you don't blubber baby, sorry Khaat but this baby is not getting out of this easy." He said and hauled Brant to his feet.

"This is not what any one is this mans army does, easy way out... no thank you." He said seeing the look on his face he looked back to Khaat. " I might not know how it feels to have some one walk out but I do know how it feels to lose some one and your right he has to get over it..." he looked at Brant dead in the eyes as he spoke the last part of his sentence . " I did when Jess disappeared and so will you even if I have to sit on you." After that he placed him over his shoulder carrying him out the door.