THE WALKER RANCH

Steven watched Robert call out a name into the fire place. But his eyes remained fixed on Khaat as his arms remained around his chest. It wasn’t till a second man walked in wearing a long black leather coat that he looked away. The man seemed like himself hardened to the world but strangely he seemed to know Khaat intimately by the way he smiled and hugged her. This made him a little uncomfortable as he watched. He saw Khaat was in no danger in fact she too acknowledged him with the same affection and this puzzled him.

When he heard his name he looked once more to the man being introduced to him and studied him closely the wind breaker like his own back at the house but in black. He also recognized some traits he had as a half Indian. As Brian was introduced Steven held out his hand palm up as if greeting a fellow Cherokee just to see what he would do. If he shook it as a westerner he would rethink his own instincts but if he took his whole arm in a link then he would know he could be trusted being of similar blood.

“Steven Cordell Walker, Ex- Texas ranger and Auror “he said introducing himself to Brian as he waited.

Brian was not thrown off by the non-standard handshake offered him, and he returned it easily. "Brian Quinn. First Mate on this ship--which only means I do anything Robert doesn't have time to do," He laughed. "Glad to meet you. Cherokee? I'm an honorary Cherokee myself. I support a lot of Native American families and causes, and so they honored me by making me part of their nation. You obviously are a fellow friend of Khaat's. Any friend of hers is a friend of mine. I've known her since we were both small enough to believe that dandelions were pretty wildflowers. She was my adventure buddy--her and Remus. We made quite a little trio."

"That's been a long, long time ago," Khaat smiled, remembering all those little bouquets of dandelions they had both picked for their mothers when they were small.

"You'll have a lot to get oriented to, a lot to see, and a lot to learn," Brian said to Steven, "You let me know what time frame is good for you, and we can get started. I'll try to take it slowly because it can be overwhelming."

"Brian," Robert said, "We have a complication." That made Brian frown deeply. Robert didn't easily use words like 'complication'. He would say "snag, wrinkle, little bump" or other trivial, minimizing terms. A complication in Robert Lupin's language meant a major problem.

"What kind of complication?" Brian said, deeply serious now.

"Brian," Khaat said, "My new husband and the father of my child, it seems, is one of the organization's biggest enemies. I didn't know. I am so sorry. I just didn't know."

Brian took in a deep breath, absorbing the blow. He loved her too much as a friend to see her caught in such a snare. Brian had always loved her like his very best friend on the face of the earth. She was, in his mind, the finest woman he had ever known, and definately the most outstandingly beautiful creature he'd ever had the pleasure to have in his life. No other woman could ever compare to her in his mind or in his heart, and it was one of the reasons he had never married. He knew she was out of reach for him, but he still thought of her as his best friend. "Oh, Khaat!" he said softly. "We'll work it out. Don't lose hope. Nothing has happened yet, and it may never. I promise. We'll do our best not to leave you and your daughter alone. You have a lot of friends. Don't ever lose hope. No matter what happens with your husband. We'll be here. I swear to you. I promise."

"Khaat will never be alone--ever," Robert said with iron strong firmness. "And I want the organization to make sure that he never ever leaves her destitute or defenseless again. He's already done it once. But I don't want her to ever have to watch her back for danger and also try to struggle for shelter or food at the same time while she's raising Abbey, basically as a single mom, even though she is technically married. I want her well provided for. She's a part of us now. You make sure she wants for nothing, Brian. Nothing at all, money no object."

"You've got it, Robert. But you know you would not have had to ask," Brian said.

"Then I leave it in your hands. Whatever she wants, whatever she needs--you make sure she gets it," Robert ordered. "Her safety and my granddaughter's comes first before anything else we do. She'll be a very vulnerable target now as long as she's married to him. Maybe for the rest of her life. For now, we aren't going to do anything with him. We're going to leave him alone as long as we can--but we will provide for her and Abbey."

"Understood," Brian said.

Steven watched him take his hand “half Cherokee, father was American.” He said he became more relaxed when he took his arm as a native Cherokee would. This relived some of his tension he broke the connection when Khaat spoke about how they knew each other all he did was raise an eye brow and a slight smile.
He looked back to Brian as he spoke about being oriented and that there was a lot to see. He nodded. This was his chance to get back in the field and do something worth while and he was going to make it the best he could. He looked at Robert as he spoke to Brian feeling it was his place to protect Khaat but understood why he had asked Brian. He did feel a little put out by the change, but he never spoke a word against it it was Roberts word and now being part of Roberts world he had to accept it like he had his mayor or the minister of magic who was his boss as an Auror.

"Brian," Robert continued, "I'm leaving Steven with Khaat while her arm mends, but don't hesitate to add forces to him as back up if you need to. I think the spells here should hold, but don't either of you let anything get past you. "

"Never," Brian swore. "Not on my own life." He walked over to the bed where he saw Khaat's pain spell was wearing off. He touched her forehead and relieved her pain. "That's a bad break. I can feel it. You need to stay in bed a few days and rest." He laid his hand on her stomach. "Little baby with a big empty tummy. You'd better eat soon, Khaat. She's hungry."

"I'll get her mother to fix her something. Thanks, Brian," Robert said.

"I'll be back in a couple days to check things and collect my new recruit," Brian said to Robert.

"Fine," Robert said. "You'll be alright keeping an eye on Khaat for a couple more days, Steven, before we put you officially to work?"

Steven looked at Robert as he spoke his name and he shook his head “ No sir “ he said “On the life of my sons.” he said looking at Brian then Robert then back as Brian moved to Khaat he too took a step closer but staid back t allow Brian his personal moment when Brian heard himself being called a new recruit he cringed “I haven’t been called that in a long time” he said “ yes sir , and don’t worry there’s plenty around here to keep me busy and the boys” he stepped back to look out the window. He wasn’t having dough in fact the opposite he knew this was right as to him it felt it.

Steven now feeling kina lost spoke up. “Robert, I’ll go and ask her “ he said moving out the room to the kitchen where he found Katharine “Roberts asking if you could make something for Khaat to eat, Abbeys hungry “ he said picking up a sliver tray that hung close by him and laying out the tray ready for the food . He looked at her “ sorry habit, Guess I’m so use to doing things for myself I forget “ he said with a little boy lost look on his face.

"I saved her one of those fine fish fillets that Andrew caught and we all had for dinner," Katherine said. "I'll have it ready for her in a moment. " Katherine prepared her the fish and put with it some potatos and vegetables. She put with it some American southern style sweet tea, and put everything on the tray.

"Did you get enough to eat tonight, you and the boys?" Katherine asked.


OOC: I am presuming this is later in the evening, after dinner.

Steven smied as she asked if he and the boys got enouph to eat and just as if cued John strode in to the kitchen "maam whos he strange man with robert and Khaat?" he asked glancing at Steven and back "ow maam could we have some drinks , its thirsty work playing pool ya know" he said steven who grinned and chuckled as he nodded it was ok for them to have the drinks.

"Sure," she said. "There are some muggle sodas in there. Help yourselves. Not more than one can apiece. The man with your dad and Robert is Brian. He's been Khaat's best friend since just about your and Andrew's age. He just came to visit with Khaat a bit. I have Khaat's dinner fixed now, so I'll take it into her. There's fresh coffee, Steven. I'll be right back."

Seven poured a cup of coffee for himself as Katharine took the tray back to Khaat and Robert he sighed as he took a sip of coffee once more alone in a room. With his coffee in his hand he moved back to Khaat room watching from the doorway and once more feeling like the spare part, he knew they had been friends along time and he had only known her a few months since he woke, but why did a slight tinge of jealousy find its way in to him. He took a drink of his coffee, was it jealousy or loneliness he felt. He moved back to the living room finding the book he had started to read he continued the coffee on the table beside him .

Robert was glad Katherine had saved Khaat one of the nicer fillets of fish. He watched her make sure she could eat, with Katherine's help, while he discusssed Steven with Brian and how he wanted Steven initiated into the organization and how much he knew already--and how much he did not know.

Brian said to Robert,"You know Steven is in love with Khaat, right?"

"I know he's rebounding from the recent loss of his wife, and he's very lonely,' Robert said. "He'll be better whenhe has some purpose in his life again. Get him moving. " He handed Brian the draft of Steven's new will. "Get them to complete that for his signature by morning."

"Will do. Anything else?"

"Spend whatever time you can with him. Show him the main headquarters and the basics of what he's signed himself up for. I can watch Khaat and the boys that long. I might just put the boys to work"

"Certainly," Brian said.