And Marriage is Still Murder

"Thank you," Khaat said, glad to be home. "Porting is a cold business today." She took the cup of tea, glad for something to ward off the chill that had come in the porting.

"We didn't tell anyone," Robert said. "All Brian or Kate knew was that I was going on a bit of a mission and I needed to take Khaat with me. I had to trust that they trusted me."

Kate looked closely at Robert's work on Khaat's face, and as far as she could see on Khaat's neck, she didn't see any scars remaining there either. "Flawless," she said. She looked at Khaat. "Did he work on your arm?"

"Its too soon to tell about that," Khaat replied.

"Its looking very good," Robert said. "But it takes time to regenerate all of that bone and nerve and tissue. We're going to let that all rest a few more days before we try again."

Kate took Khaat's cloak for her as Robert set his bags down on the floor and took off his cloak as well. He took a sip of the tea. "Angus made his own blend, I think," Robert said. "Its very nice."

"He's been working on something that he thought would taste like Christmas pudding," Kate said.

"I'd say he's got it," Robert said, pleased with it. He was about to comment about the lovely tree when he heard barking and saw a familiar labrador puppy racing through the room with a long piece of tree garland in her teeth. "Well, I see things are pretty normal here," he shook his head, amused.

Jess came running out after Abby and smiled seeing Khaat. "looking good Khaat." She said smiling as she noticed Abby dive to the dining room and under the table. "Abby that's to go on the tree, you do want father Christmas to put presents under a nice looking tree?" She said softly " besides if you have that you can't eat the ginger bread men Angus made" she said softly " and I know there's a cat shaped one just for you." she hoped this would make her let go of the tinsel and go in search of the ginger bread cat that sat on a plate in the kitchen waiting for her.

Robert watched Jess trying to persuade the puppy to surrender the garland. He could see Abbey was listening, but he also knew Abbey usually changed into the labrador pup when she got excited. And there were very few things that excited a four year old more than Christmas. The problem was that she never actually intended to change form, and she was far too little to understand how to change back.

He drew his wand and cast the spell to change Abbey back to normal. Now, the garland wasn't as fun in her mouth as before, and she spit it out.

"Aww, Papa. You're not fun," she moaned, disappointed.

"Yes, but Jess did say there are cookies," he said. "And I know she said there was a special one for you."

"Can I keep it?" she asked.

"I'd rather you ate it," he laughed. Abbey dashed off towards the kitchen. "Nice job, Jess," he said. "Cookies are always a good diversion."

Jess smiled and chuckled " looking after this lot its a given they would love them, as does Jack" she glanced over at where he stood with a rather sheepish look on his face and a bauble hanging from one ear, another in his teeth.

Jack saw her look over at him and he smiled " they just remind me of good times dear" he told her seeing her smile back at him . He looked to Khaat and smiled " it is good to see you smile , does Brian know about the.." He motioned to her face and arm. He also noticed Li move to the kitchen and saw him take out a small bowl and something that looked like pastry.

"Abby I have a way you could keep your cookie but eat one as well." He told her as he placed down some paper and two boards, he rolled out the clay in front of him then sat close as he began to draw on his half. "Would you like to join me?" He asked offering her some of the clay.

"No," she said. "not yet. All he knew was that I was going with Daddy for a few days. I wasn't sure I wanted him to know. He'd have just worried."

"I would hope he'd have had more faith in me than that," Robert said. "Even if it was a touchy business." Khaat didn't reply. It wasn't necessary for anyone who wasn't a healer to know how low the odds were of any of it succeeding. It had taken repeated procedures and many long hours of surgery, and a difficult recovery. She was tired. It would take a few days for her to rest up. She figured her father might need a day or so himself. He hadn't gotten much sleep over the last few days.

She saw Abbey eat the cookie as Li got out some clay. Khaat couldn't remember that Abbey had ever worked with clay. Abbey had gotten many chances to play with dough when she'd been in the kitchen with Angus, but clay was another story.

"Are we making cookies?" Abbey asked Li.

Li smiled at Abby and nodded " if you wish, this can make anything you want, then we cook it and you can keep it for as long as you want." he told her showing his with a Chinese dragon on curled around a werewolf. " once they are cooked we can paint them." he smiled " or decorate as much as you want with sparkles and pretty things you like." he continued to slowly draw on his clay. Li looked up at Khaat and Kate " she is very talented" he commented to them both.

Jess chuckled and nodded she agree as well " I think she takes after her mother and grandmother" she said .

"Better than taking after her grandfather," Robert teased them. "I agree she's talented, but I might be a little partial." He looked at Abbey who seemed to be hanging on every word that Li was saying.

"And then we eat them?" Abbey asked, aggressively pounding her fist into the clay and flattening it before she started to roll it into a snake.

Glad that her family was home, Kate came into the kitchen to warm up her tea mug and saw Abbey at the table with Li. All smiles, she stopped behind Abbey's chair and gave Abbey a warm hug and a kiss on her cheek.

"What are you doing, my darling?" she asked looking over the four year old's shoulder.

"Making cookies," Abbey replied.

"Oh. I see," Kate said. "You might not want to eat those cookies, Sweetie."

"Why not? What do they taste like?"

"They taste like dirt," Kate said softly, as if it were a big secret. Abbey looked up at her curiously, and Kate nodded.

"Yuck," Abbey wrinkled up her nose.

"But when these are baked, they get hard like this," Kate said, tapping on the side of her stoneware tea mug. Kate had made many of these colorful, oversized mugs over the years, and they were still the ones used the most at Khaat's place.

"They do?" Abbey was utterly fascinated.

"Yep. They do."

"How do I make a kitty?" she asked.

"I bet Li knows," Kate kissed Abbey's cheek. "Ask him."

"This is all wrong. It's not a kitty," Abbey looked at Li and pointed to her snake shaped piece of clay. "Its not right. How do I fix it?" Kate smiled, knowing Abbey was in good hands and proceeded to the teapot.