THE WALKER RANCH

"Khaat knows more than you think she does about Rob. She knows he's probably the biggest ass on the earth right now. She loves that bastard, though, and as long as she does, she wants to try to stay. Personally, I'd like to transfigure him into a bug and store him in a jar in my potions lab. Would serve him bloody well right. So, I don't change him into anything, for her sake, and let him be--for now. He's a big enough ass that he has no idea who he's messing with and how much I can summon up if I really want to. Someday he'll push me just a bit too far and I'll probably end up killing him," Robert said quietly and seriously, pouring himself a good, dry scotch. "You want one?"

steven sighed as Robert spoke the truth about Rob and Khaat when he offered the dry scotch steven hesitated and shook his head "no thank you I am trying to stay away from that " he said accioing a can of cola instead "I had a problem with drink several years ago Janet helped dry me out and i have been dry since , just becise shes gone doesn't mean i will fall back off the waggon" he said drinking his cola.

"i can respect that, " Robert said. "Sometimes I just enjoy it for the taste of it. I know Rob has done a lot of crappy things. but she still loves him. Personally, I don't think he deserves her, but I don't have a right to determine that. I have asked her to move home here several times, but she won't come. She wants to keep her house in Hogsmeade and still hopes that Rob will eventually move in with her. I ddon't want her holding out for him forever. " He took a sip of his scotch.

steven listened and could agrree with every word he sighed he liked Khat very much he was torn between sister or a but more than sister , but the more he thought about it teh more it turned to just like a sister he could not see himself with ehr though he knew she would find some on willing to take her and abby on easily "I agree being here is the best thing constant care and god foods if I may say " he said taking a drink of his cola.

"Oh, I couldn't agree more. She still doesn't weigh quite what she should at 6 months, but I am watching very closely. She works far too hard. She has a bit of a workaholic in her, and it isn't easy to talk to her about changing her habits. I do try to make sure she eats breakfast and lunch at least, and at times, we can talk her into joining her mother and I for dinner.

"I hate to say this, but it would be easier for her to cope with Rob being gone if he were dead. But since he isn't, he still just strings her along so that she never quite knows why he doesn't seem to want her. He does and he doesn't. It really hurts her. That and she really needs to rest. She needs to rest her mind. Her first child should be a joy to her, and half the time she dreads it. I think she is terrified for what Abbey's life will end up being. She wants her, and she loves that child before she is even born. But she is utterly terrified of what life holds for both of them, especially if Rob can't 'man up.' She deserves to be happier than this. She breaks my heart right now."

steven sighed "If I could help you out I would but I swore an oath not to harm " he said chuckaling "were much the same you and I your hipocratic oath says do no harm , but my oath says Never Desert a Friend. I nevr have nor ever will " he said meaning Khaat and all her family in his words the storm boombed out side and john ran in hugging Steven around his waist "he hates storms , guess its anew thing" he placed his cola on the fire place.

"That will pass," Robert said, understandingly. "John, tell me, Son, what are the memories that go through your mind when you hear thunder like that? If we can go back and get those memories, like finding a pair of shoes under your bed, then we can release the fear that you have hooked up to those memories, and the storms won't be so frightening anymore."

John shook his head and as a nother boom accured hid in stevens chest shaking like a leaf against him . Slowly he tuned to face Robert " Doors large doors slambing closed , me all alone" he said tears now running down his face "I .. I can hear other children crying around me but they tell me Im the only one there, But I hear them , i HEAR THEM" he cuddled into steven who held him tight "this is definaly a new one"

"John," Robert said softly, "Look at me." When he had the boy's attention, he said, "I got all those kids out. They're all safe. You don't ever have to worry about those kids being trapped again. And there are enough protection enchantments around your dad's farm and mine that no one will ever take you or trap you again. If your dad wants, I can wrap some more powerful spells around your farm in order to amke you feel safer. You wanna know something? Nobody EVER gets onto this property that I don't know that they're here. I know they're here, I know their intentions, and I know where they are. And trust me, I would never, ever let anyone harm you. Your dad and I can talk about wrapping more spells around your farm so that you're protected. But there is pretty much no place safer in the world than here. And that is no lie, John. Its the truth. "

John shook his head “no, the others, the others before you came “he said looking right at him “the day after I was left there I heard men talking that they had to deliver the kids to a dock , I though I was going too but they never came for me , but it when quiet all I heard was the sound of large doors closing over and over “ he said Steven held him and looked at Robert he hope Robert had the same thought in his mind “More children.” Stevens face now showed a slight anger “if there are more children out there that have been abducted from there families some one should find them” he said softly his own blue eyes flashing deep inside his anger