early morning at sparks

Khaat was at Sparks early. Her temporary chef had called off sick, so Khaat was there doing the cooking duties by herself. She had brewed a full pot of french roast coffee and had gone through about half of it since her arrival at 5 am. She had done the baking, and had put the meats on to braise, and was working on prepping the fruits and vegetables for the other disshes. She knew restaurant work was a lot of responsibility, but she had hoped to find more reliable help than what she clearly had. It wasn't even nine quite, and she was tired already. She took a small break, sat down on the tall metal workstool in the kitchen to take a sip of her now cold cup of french roast.

There was another problem right there. He'd disappeared without a trace and hadn't written in what felt like months. It had at least been a month but he wasn't too sure. The guys were pretty adamant that he wasn't to find out how long he'd been there. Khaat had no reason to take him back and he honestly wondered if she would. Rob knew better than to question what she wanted but it seemed as if he'd lost any reasons for her to trust him.

Rob stopped outside a Bistro and heard his stomach rumble in approval. It seemed his stomach had already made up its mind. He wasn't actually feeling too hungry but it was apparent that he was. Rob shook his head with a chuckle and pushed some of his slightly long and unruly hair out of his eyes. He opened the door of the Bistro and heard the bell above the door jingle. Rob scratched at facial hair that he had successfully grown and smiled to himself. He would have to go home and visit his mother, hopefully exchanging kisses and hugs for a shower and a shave as well as a haircut. He looked like a tramp for goodness sake!

"Erm, Hello?" Rob called out, hoping at least someone would come out. He took his wand out from behind his ear and put it in his mouth between his teeth. He'd taken to chewing on the end of his wand while in Romania, it was something most of the guys did when they were scared out of their wits but Rob wasn't idiotic enough to bite at the end of his wand while an angry dragon was roaming around. He put his wand back behind his ear and put his backpack down on the floor. It was early so there wouldn't be many people about and he understood there were probably only at least two workers in the actually shop. But Rob was hungry, that was what was important. He'd deal with other issues once his stomach stopped complaining.

Khaat heard someone enter the bistro. She rose, took off her apron, and straightened her hair. She stepped out of the kitchen calling, "Hello. Can I help you?" Then she stopped dead in her tracks. It was Rob. Looking a bit like an overgrown shrub. But Rob nonetheless. "Rob? Is that really you?" she asked softly, walking towards him. "Oh good heavens! Where have you been? I was so worried. I thought maybe I scared you off with...with the baby and all."

Rob looked up and saw Khaat's shocked face. He'd be shocked too if he walked in on himself looking more dog-like than he felt. That didn't make too much sense but he would run with it. Tattoos seemed to the main thing he'd gained except he hadn't been attacked by his cousin this time. He'd actually enjoyed getting them done and the few he'd gotten on his hands and back were interesting. The Dragon that trailed down his spine was awesome as far as Rob was concerned and he'd gotten '3' on his hand somewhere as well as the Star of David and a few random Runic Symbols. He wouldn't mention to Khaat that he had been running around Romania as a scruffy Black Labrador most of the time - she didn't need to know that.

"No, love, it’s the pizza delivery guy who got lost on the way." Rob chuckled, reaching up to cup Khaat's face with both hands. "You could never scare me off. Right now I could probably send myself running off into the hills because if I look as rough as I feel then I must look like a tree that has grown out of the ground the wrong way up." his brow furrowed for a few moments as he tried to work out what he had said but shrugged before gently kissing Khaat's lips and trailing his hands down her arms to his hands which he took in his own. "There are some things that a man should not tell his wife. However, you aren't my wife so I can tell you what happened." he grinned roguishly and kissed her once more. "Guess where I have been!"

"I haven't the foggiest clue," she laughed, kissing him slowly and deeply and passionately enough to hopefully make him think twice about leaving her side ever again. "Tell me," she said. "But did I hear you stomach growl? Can I fix you something? How about some breakfast? I have some really great coffee, some fresh scones, and I can make anything you want. Then we can talk." She waved her hand, and a large mug flew over to coffee pot and filled itself and set itself on the counter. "Try that." She had a plate of scones assemble itself for him, and she accioed a huge fruit salad for him from the kitchen. "Eat. And tell me your tale."

He managed to fight the urge to steal both the scones and the coffee and run off but that was instinct. He had to literally hide his food away from the dragons because they seemed to want anything he had. Rob was also pretty sure they thought that the Lab, which one of his buddies had aptly named Scruff, was actually his own dog. It would have explained why they chased him through the forest every bloody morning.

Thankfully, the idiot still had some composure and managed to settle himself into a chair. He drank deeply from the mug of coffee and grinned once more. He broke one of the scones in half and spread jam on each side before sticking the pastry back together. He glanced down at the runic symbols that ran along the side of his thumb and smirked a little before biting the scone. He chewed and swallowed, making sure there was no trace of the scone left lurking in his mouth and finished the pastry off before deciding to speak.

"I believe I was walking home when I decided to floo back. Obviously that was a mistake because I said the destination wrong which meant I landed in a fireplace somewhere completely different. I was hauled out and dressed in some clothing that made me look a bit like Indiana Jones minus the hat. Then they chucked me out to deal with the dragons. It was only after I was beaten up by the overgrown lizards that they explained to me exactly where I was. Turns out I had ended up on the Romanian Dragon Reserve and they weren't in any hurry to let me go seeing as I could hold my own against Hilda and Rachel who are the biggest women I have ever seen I swear. Even for dragons they are MASSIVE! But after that they let me look after the little ones. The boys are a bit bitey but the girls are angels and beautiful lil dears at that. I think it was only after I completed whatever 'mission' I was on that they let me go. I don't know what they wanted to achieve but I know we have to get a dragon!"

Rob grinned and spread jam across a few more scones. He handed one to Khaat and popped another into his mouth, savouring the taste. "Sound authentic enough?" he asked, barking out a laugh as he made up another scone.

"Yes," Khaat smiled, kissing his scruffy cheek. "So--tell me, do you like the place? It's all ours," she said. "Every inch of it. I'm still looking for a chef/manager. My chef so far is not reliable. Mis and Gar are going to be the servers, so that's covered, but I can't do St. Mungo's and be the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot and do this and be pregnant too. I need to be just an investor at this point. And, do you want the really good news?" She kissed him ver slowly, "It's a girl. My father did his own scan, and my mother has seen her with her seer's abilities. She is going to be the most beautiful little girl in the world. You have a daughter, Rob."

"I do like it." Rob nodded, looking around the restaurant. "I like it a lot actually." Rob popped half of a scone in his mouth and enjoyed the feeling of the jam spreading across the roof of his mouth. He could see himself in the Bistro quite a bit - probably not actually doing a lot but he could picture it. "Well darlin', I know my cooking is fabulous so why don't I take over from you. Seriously, you do need to relax. If Gar or Mis give me any problems I'll string 'em up by their toes and hang them from the ceiling."

Rob listened and he visibly blanched when Khaat told him. A little girl - his little girl. The most beautiful little girl in the world... He was floored. He was definitely going to be a father then. There was his little girl in there waiting to see the world. It scared the hell out of Rob but he knew that he was ready to deal with whatever the little monster wanted to throw at him. He was secretly pleased it was a girl but a boy wouldn't have been bad either way. "I'm going to have a daughter." he murmured in disbelief. Rob pulled Khaat to him and kissed her long and hard, throwing everything he felt for the woman into that one kiss. All that mattered was his girls which probably included Khaat, his daughter and Mis but he had yet to see her.
"I love you." he whispered with a small, content smile on his lips.

"I love you, too. So very much. And I can't tell you how glad I am that you're back," she nuzzled into him. "No more Floo powder for you. I'll give you one of the portkey necklaces I made the kids. At least then you'll get home to me." She reached in her pocket and pulled out a silver chain and on it hung the Lupin coat of arms. "The chain is a portkey that gets you to my father's farm. The pendant gets you home to Hogsmeade. All you have to do is grab the part you want and say 'Home.'" She handed it to him. "I've been saving this for you. I don't ever want you away from me again. And, yes, if you want the job here, the place is as good as yours. Just promise me you'll at least shave before you cook." She laughed gently. "Let's not scare the customers off, right? I think you and Jinx need to move in right away and we need to be one really big happy family." She kissed him and said, "Oh, and I almost forgot. Jack and Jessica are getting married tomorrow--on Valentine's Day, up at Daddy's farm. I hope you'll come."

"Kitty Khaat I was wasted, goodness only knows what I could have said in there. I'd have feared for my life more if I ended up in my mother's house. She means well but is just often more drunk than I get. I promise, though, that I won't touch Floo powder for a while. Think of it this way, though, if I end up in Romania again then I'll be alright." He took the necklace from Khaat and tied it up around his neck. It was definitely prettier than anything his mother could get from the Whitlock family vault. But it also meant more to Rob than any average pieces of jewellery did. "I wouldn't dare scare off customers but I like my beard." Rob frowned slightly before grinning. "I'll grow another one, it'll be fine. 'Cept it won’t be as scraggily and it won't be half-burned." He touched the badly healed burn that had scarred on his face across his jaw line and smiled to himself. Dragons, even as babies, had a lot of fire power. "I'll try and find little miss Jinx again and we'll move in. Charlie can sleep in Gar's room." Rob said, remembering the Labrador that was probably chewing his couch back at home. "I'll come up at some point because Jessica did invite me but It'll probably only be for the cake." he chuckled. "I might visit my mother at some point too, she'd love to come and meet you."