The Splintered Dreams

"Well." Robert said, smiling, "Come in. We had several places to go, so we just sort of went from place to place until we got done. Khaat is still sleeping. Oh, by the way, the trunk there is yours, from your mother. And yes, your father's wand is inside. She says she thinks you will find everything you need or want in there. She said she also packed a letter in there for you. She knows to send future notes or letters here. She's a remarkable woman.

"But you need to know that was just one place we went. We did not go just for that purpose. However, the trail is not as cold as we thought it was. We started in Romania and talked to our contact there with the dragon and got some very useful information. That led us to your place in Texas. However, we stopped at your mother's first to give her your note. She went with us to your place and packed for you while we looked for clues to see if there was much of anything remaining there that would be helpful.

"We ran into, apparently, some old adversaries of yours who didn't like us being there. So, we had to 'pursuede' them to leave. Got into a bit of a scuffle. Seems they are keeping an eye on your place. My sense of it is that there may be something connected to either you or your land that keeps them interested in you after all this time and may be the reason your family was targetted. But I intend to find out. And before you even ask it, no. You are not going back there to solve it on your own. You are welcome to work with us, but you're on medical leave, and neither Khaat nor myself will clear you for duty at this point. So forget that. You either work with us, or you stay here. And if I need to bind you to the farm to keep you in line, I won't hesitate to do so."

Cordell walked in imidatly recognising the trunk that sat close to him he smiled as Robert said his mother was a remarkable woman "yea she is " he said moving to sit in a chair close to it . He listened as he opened he lid to look inside there on top was along velvet black bag , He loked up as he spoke of his advesarys "yeah i had that thought too" he said slowly sliding off the cover to his fathers wand and he smiled " I would rather work with ya than against ya , I know how powerful ya are, sir and don't worry till ya give me the all clear I do as ya both say, yes even if i don't agree with it " he stood up and wlked over to Robert holding out his fathers wand hilt first to show him the inlayed ranger badge both in the handle and top "ya see this is why it was important for me to know where it was" he placed it in Roberts hands "my father had that badge placed there for my graduation , its his badge".

With it back in his hands he placed it back in the bag and in the trunk, as he looked his hand fell on two photos that made his heart sink and his eyes glaze over, one was of his son the other of him and his wife happy together "sorry mom shouldn't have put those in there" he said closing the lid to the chest oviously up set at seeing those pictures

"Well, you feel that way now, but you won't feel that way forever," Robert said. "Someday you're going to want them...." He was interrupted by the sound from the bedroom of Khaat trying to get up. "Hold on. She was supposed to sleep longer than that. I was afraid of that. I'll be right back."

He disappeared into Khaat's bedroom for a long moment, and then he came back out. "We ran into trouble, as I said. We ended up sort of having to fight our way out. Khaat was hit with a spell, in the process of trying to dodge it. Some big rock was hurled at her and landed on her ankle. Her ankle is broken. Give her 2 days and she'll be as right as rain. It takes about 48 hours to heal something broken that badly. But she'll be fine. Its set now, and she's comfortable. I put it in a cast, even though it annoys her, because it speeds healing that way. 2 days from now, she won't even notice it was ever broken. Not a big deal for her. She's used to it. I'm just hanging around to be sure she stays comfortable for the first couple hours. She's awake. You're welcome to see her if you like."

Cordell looked up at him , he was so wrong , he could send them back to his mother for sending them in his fathers trunk "no i don't think so,sir" he said softly watching as he stood up and left to go tend Khaat. Standing he slowly moved to the door his fathers wand held tight in his hand. Then Robert returned and explained she ahd broke her ankle "gezz thats not good" he said his own sadness pushed back deep inside him once more.

When Robert asked if he wanted to see her he smiled "yea, if thats ok with you, sir" he asked now kind of smiling "guess she gets her bed rest after all sir" he said thinking back to what her father had told her to do in st mongos

"She's been burning the candle at both ends trying to keep from thinking of Rob," Robert sighed. "It is the sole cause of her exhaustion and her being underweight both. She is right on the edge of being in danger of losing this child. I have to get her to eat and sleep and stop waiting for Rob to decide if he can 'man up' or not. That's the real danger here. I want her to have my granddaughter, and I want Khaat to survive her own pregnancy. She knows exactly how delicate this is, and hasn't said a syllable to Rob. Not one. And its not my place to. He needs to come back because he wants to be in her life for her. Not out of obligation.

"But here I am prattling on. Go on. Go see Khaat."

Cordell listened as he spoke somthing inside him noticed it sounde like himself the moping lack of apitite and unable to talk about it but he could not get them back his family were gone from him. Walking to her bedroom door he knocked "Khaat ?" he said softly "may I come in?" his right ahd still clutched his fathers wand in its protectve velvet bag .slowly pushing open the door he stepped inside "Humm i guess texus rockes are harder than ya thought hey " he said smirking as he looked at her on the bed."ya father told me "

"Um.. well, or they're faster," Khaat laughed, "One or the other. I'm usually pretty good at dodging things like that or blowing them up or something. It can't be the baby getting in the way yet. Maybe I'm just losing my edge, Walker. Suppose? Suppose I'm a has been before I really ever get started good? I mean, my dad is three times the wizard I will ever be. In every way. I just excell at being stubborn. Rob thinks I just excell at getting into trouble. Maybe we're both right. " She smiled. "It really isn't that bad. If I were a muggle, I'd be in this cast for 8 weeks. 2 days i can handle. But you might have to play some cards with me or checkers or something." She laughed.

Cordell chuckled when she sid the were faster "yeah may be" he took a step into the room "nice room" he said looking around , when she said she was loosing her edge he looked straight at her "Hay none of that " he said speacking sharp "your off because your physically not right , your a stick Khaat, get some meat on ya bones you and that child " he listed againas she said she wsa stuborn "yeah and so am I " he said folding his hands cross his chest "ma mother mor that likly told ya about that streak i have, im like a dog with a bone once i have it i never let go" he said smirking "hes not right , you don't find trouble it finds you, erm i know all about that Khaat , in my line of work Trouble follows you where ever you go" he moved to sit next to her on the bed s he looekd at her "if ya don't mind me saying Khaat your a might fine woman, don;'t let one man stuborness at not seeing what he has, bring ya down, its his loss" Cordel sighed as she mentined cards "sure" he said produing a set from his back pocket "they were mind as a kid" he sad smirking "mom put them in the trunk guess she figured i'd be board"

"Maybe she just knew a Texan is never far from a deck of cards. That's probably more the truth of it. Cordell, someone in the wizarding world is a very serious enemy of yours. You need to give some thought as to who you made angry enough to want to hurt you in a way you'd never get over. From what I could see, it was designed to do exactly what it did. Leave you alive and your wife and son gone. It was murder. Flat out. There's no easy way to sugar coat that for you. But someone you ran into has a serious grudge against you. You could still well be in danger. I don't know. But I had to let you know there might be really good reason to watch your back."

Cordell looked at her "true " he said about her quip at a texan never being far from a deck of cards "Khaat I could have told ya that and don't ya think I haven;t been racking my brains , i have every day since i woke, trying to think of every posible wizard and villan i put away who woud have the means to do such thing but I just can't think straight at the moment" he placed he cards down in front of her "it hasn't helped my mom sendin those pictures ether" he said his voice thougt ounding harsh wasn't , but was pain and sorrow filed.