THE WALKER RANCH

Robert sat down and read the draft of the document. "It looks good. I'll have my solicitor make it official tonight. No worries." He listened to the disconcerting sound of a tree being uprooted out of the ground and thrown. He sighed heavily. "And I liked that tree, too," he laughed. "I guess I'll go wake her up and maybe have Katherine feed her something to eat. She cant' go all day with nothing in her stomach. You wanna go see what happens when you wake up a tempest?" he laughed. "It's a bit anti-climactic, but its always interesting."

Steven smiled " sure " he said now some what feeling calmer strange as it may be with a storm rageing outside . he followed Robert to Khaats room he watched him very closely hoping watching him would help him understand just want was going on with Khaat. But somthing inside said he may know more than he knew himself. A nagging feeling seem to eat at him as he stood watching

Robert led the way to Khaat's room. There was a virtual storm going on inside the room, even with all the windows shut. In his portrait, Remus had left it for the time being to take shelter in Teddy's copy of the same portrait. There were high winds. Ice was forming on the inside of the windows, and icicles were forming on the woodwork and the glass lamps. In her sleep, Khaat was restless, tossing and turning.

"Ah, there's the problem. She's having a nightmare," Robert said. "Enough!" he commanded the magic gone awry. It slowly ceased because of his orders. "Watch the weather outside. When she wakes up, the storm should begin to clear up. It could take a bit, but it will clear up."

Robert sat down on the bed and gently woke Khaat up. She woke up with a jolt and sat bolt upright and wrapped herself around her father, without even giving an instant's thought to her wounds. He held her lovingly, "You're alright now," he soothed, holding her and petting her lovingly. "It was awful," she whispered in his ear. "I know. Rob again, huh?" he asked. She nodded. "Its against everything I believe in. I'm in a trap I can't get out of," she wept in his shoulder. "Khaat," he said tenderly, "My baby. You are never, ever alone. Never. We will always be here for you and for Abbey. You do not have to be trapped. We'll work it out, I promise. For right now, I just want you to rest." She looked over his shoulder and saw Remus gone out of his portrait and panicked.

"Easy," Robert said, "easy. He'll be back. He'd never leave you. Not for good. You made an ice storm in your room again. He probably just went to Teddy's copy so he wasn't in danger of being torn or wasn't cold. He'll come back. You know he'd never leave you. " She noticed Steven there. "Steven, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do any of this. Sometimes it just happens," she said, as her father picked up a tissue and wiped away her tears. He glanced out the window. The wind and thunder and lightning were easing, and it was becoming just a gentle rain now. He figured that would stop soon as well now.

Steven looked at Khaat as she tossed and turned on her bed he also saw the weather lull and intensify the more she moved. He could not help but sigh wishing he could help take the nightmares away from her but he knew only Robert could do that. But yet he felt something inside him as if a forgotten memory. He sighed and pushed it to one side for the moment deciding Khaat was more important for now. He heard her voice and faced her “Hey not your fault and ya can’t help what happens while your asleep, ya have to let it out some how, I do martial art you… you just freeze ya room and cause storms but it works” He moved to stand beside Robert his stance like it had been when he was an Auror. He was filled with authority and a purpose now. Something had returned to inside him and he could feel his old self returning little by little , he knew he would not forget Janet but now he had to put that aside and move on. His duty now was to the other children that had been taken from their families.

He looked at the portrait of Remus that now stood empty as he watched she saw the figure of a man return “see Khaat he’s back , just as Robert said he would” he smiled to the man and nodded to him and was he was acknowledged with the same nod and smile.
Steven looked at the man and saw in his eyes even though just a picture he saw the same look Khaat had in her own eyes. “Yes he did train you well, Khaat” he thought turning back to look at Robert and Khaat, Robert still sitting next to his daughter holding her. He now became aware he felt a little out of place in such a tender moment, but he would not leave ether of their sides for the mean time. He looked out of the window as he saw the clouds dissipating to show a clear bright night stars twinkled in the sky above them “Looks like its gonna be a nice night. “ he said smiling as he turned to face Robert and Khaat. He coughed and stood a little nervous “erm… sir do ya want me to wait out side?” he asked “and are ya gonna tell her, that I’m gonna be working with ya “he looked at Robert not knowing if he wanted her to know right given how she was right now .

"You're fine," Robert said. "You don't need to leave. Khaat, Steven is joining the organization. I'm going to assign him to the rescue team. I think he'd be really good at getting the kids out. And I think its something he wants to do."

Khaat looked at Steven, glad he was on board. She wanted people around her she trusted so she could escape Rob's evil world every so often and go back to who she really wanted to be instead of who Rob was making her become. "I"m glad," she said, not saying she was glad for a multitude of reasons. She trusted Steven, and having friends with her was more welcome right now than anyone said.

"I'm sorry I made such a mess out of the weather--inside and out," Khaat said. "The first time it happened, I didn't believe Vincent when he said I was the one who had done it. Myself. "

"You used to stir up the breeze quite a bit when you didn't get your own way when you were a little girl," Robert laughed, "But we all knew it was part of who you were. You've just amped up the scale of the weather you'll stir up if you're angry enough. Its all the same thing. Its just unconciously manifesting your magic very similarly to how you did it when you didn't know how to control it. You're still releasing that energy without direction. I would suggest you try to keep someone with you so they can get me to stop it if it gets to be too big of a storm. We really don't need a tsunami." He laughed

Steven nodded when Robert said he didn’t have to leave he crossed his arms across his chest as he listened to him tell her he was joining the organization. ”It is Robert, I would have just walked away other wise, but this is something that’s close to my heart” He smiled slightly when she said she was glad. He could not help but chuckle as she apologized for messing up the weather “well at lest the plants won’t need watering for a couple of days “he said chuckling as he smiled at her his eyes holding a sparkle now that had not been the since the attack, his smile warm and fatherly even his body seemed more relaxed now as he looked at both of them as Robert spoke to Khaat again “Robert sir I would like to offer my services and body guard... For now… till your better “ he said stepping forward his hands now behind his back as he stood in front of both of them his face now showing a relaxed Steven and not the tense one of the previous day or past months.

"I think that is an excellent idea. She had so many broken bonesin that arm that this might take 3 days to heal," Robert said. :If it had been mended the muggle way, that arm and shoulder would never have been right again. But she's not a muggle, so it will be fine. But looking after her for a bit would be fine. But, Khaat, you need to know that I have to tell Steven what to guard you from if he is to do this. You cannot protect yourself and Abbey right now. We need to safeguard you. You live in a very dangerous circumstance. I will not let harm come to you. And I know it was your torment about that, that drove you to having to be out there today. You just couldn't take in any more."

"No. I couldn't," she said softly, "He is not who I thought he was. Not at all. I have to come to terms with that. I don't know him at all. I have no idea what do to with this. All I know is that it just fills me with a lot of pain and anger and confusion. Steven, I don't want you to harm him. No matter what. If it means you have to, ultimately, give up and let Abbey and me go. Don't hurt him."

"You're not giving the orders here," Robert said sternly, "I am. The last I knew I was still the Captain. Not you. I don't care who he is. You're my daughter. Not him. You don't have choices this time. I'm making them." He looked at Steven, "You take your orders from me. No one else

Steven listened as Khaat spoke he knew from hr words who she meant but said nothing. When Robert spoke he already had told him that he took orders from Robert alone. He looked at her before he spoke “Khaat your father, is and always will be my boss and friend, But if he, and I know you mean Rob, attacks me or you it is my sworn duty to defend the weak and at this moment in time that’s exactly what you are. “He said speaking with a slight stern tone he used only once when John had misbehaved. He was taking no chances, he was going to make it clear to her from the get go where he stood “I have my responsibility to you, john, Andrew and every one in this house, and if you don’t mind me saying I think a wake up call for him is well over due “he faced her like a father telling off his child. He gave a nod to Robert letting him know he would follow his orders.

"Not going to happen until someday, God forbid, he almost loses Khaat or Abbey for good," Robert said, "He has probably the biggest ego on the planet. And its like talking to a damned brick trying to even get him to see common sense. So I am setting my sights on my daughter and my granddaughter. To hell with Robert Andrew Dent, and his equally egotistical sister.

Robert went over to Khaat's fireplace opened the floo and called loudly, "Brian! Step through!"

Brian heard Robert's call, all the way from the headquarters. He had been sitting at Robert's huge oaken desk reading plans and plotting their next moves, when he heard Robert calling him. It was unusual for Robert to call him at this hour. He frowned. He rose, put on a long black leather coat, and used floo powder to step through the enormous fireplace in Robert's office.

He was surprised to see where he ended up. He found himself in Remus's old rooms. He hadn't been here for years. They were Khaat's rooms now. He recognized the little feminine touches over Remus's old academic style. Khaat would not have deleted Remus. She had loved him too much. She would have simply added herself. And that clearly was what she had ultimately done. Typical Khaat. A woman who, when she loved, always loved 110%. "Robert?" Brian called.

"In here," Robert called from the bedroom, "Come in."

Brian went into the bedroom and was greeted warmly by Robert with a warm handshake. He then saw another man there, and Khaat, in bed, her arm looking like every inch had been shattered. Robert had it splinted clear up to her neck and down to her fingertips. That had to be painful, he knew for certain. "Khaat," his eyes sparkled seeing her again. And then he noticed she was more than a little pregnant. His eyebrows raised. "Khaat? When are you due? Why didn't you tell me?"

"August--a girl," she smiled, equally delighted to see him. They had been advventuring buddies often when they were children. A part of her would always love him in some special way. He went over and leaned down and embraced her carefully so he didn't hurt her. It was a wonderful reunion long overdue. "Let me look at you," he said softly, "You just get more beautiful every day. You are a gorgeous woman, Khaat. Truly beautiful. Your child will be unbelievably beautiful." Then he looked at Robert, "So why am I here?"

"I want you to meet a new recruit to the organization," Robert said, "He has a personal interest. Khaat rescued his son from some of our enemies. So I'm putting him with the rescue team. He's a trained auror, and he's good with kids."

"That will definately help," Brian said.

"Steven, this is Brian Quinn, my First Mate," Robert said, "Brian, meet Steven Walker."