The Forgotten Man (mature content )

Brian wanted Steven to feel his first punch even when he sobered up. He plowed a left hook right into Steven's jaw, sending Steven sailiing backwards, laying him flat out on the patio. Steven would be lucky if Brian hadn't broken his jaw as hard as he hit him. Brian wondered if he'd end up having to fix him, but he knew at the very least the side of Steven's face would be swollen and bruised--if there weren't broken bones. "Come on, if you're not all talk. Get up and say that again," Brian said. He didn't know if Jack wanted to get in a punch, but at this point, Brian was all business. He knew it wouldn't take much to take Steven now.

Steven felt his puntch and was thrown to the ground he tasted the coppery blood on his mouth from the puntch. He knew he'd cut the inside of his cheek and spat the blood at brians feet. Quickly he got back up and charged at him aiming puntches at his stomach as he kocked him to the ground. His fist connected with stevens eye twice.

Jack now felt his own anger riseing but he felt jessica hold him , lookinmg at her she smiled and shook her head "this is between those two, don't get involved" she said soflty to him. Kissing her he nodded and held her back "but i will if it gets too bad " he said knowing with his wear wolf side his streangth was no match for Steven or brian but he was glad jessica as there to hold him back or he'd be at stevens throat..

Brian was barely phased by being punched in the face. He had expected it and had prepared for it. If there was one thing he knew, Brian knew well how to take a hit to minimize damage. Brian bounced up and hit Steven square in the chest. He knew it would bruise ribs and no doubt wind him. He watched Steven fall, and knew he wouldn't get up so easily this time. Brian was not in the mood for a long fight. He wanted it overwith quickly. "Go cool off," he ordered him. "Get out of here and go dunk your face in a lake or something. You aren't useful here when you're this angry and negative. And don't come back until you get the chip off your shoulder. I refuse to let you around Khaat when you're like this. Your negativity will be like a toxin to her. It will poison her, and I refuse to let you do that. When you're able to work, then you're welcome to come back. But not til then." His voice had been fierce, and he'd meant every syllable.

jessica let jack go and nodded "make sure he leaves " she said . Jack moved and held back steven as he tried to threw more puntches at Brian, Jack shook his head as he escorted him to the main doors and watched him leave or rather stumble away. Heading back Jack walked over to the ice bucket and gathered ice in a cloth "here " he said holding out to Brian "you may need this for any swelling"

"Thanks," Brian smiled, a bit of a boyish smile. "You know, though," he became serious, "I really didn't want to do that. I just really had no choice. I meant it when I said his anger and negativity would be a toxin for Khaat. She would feel it instantly. I refuse to let him harm her. If he can't work, then I don't want him anywhere around her. Well, hopefully, its only a black eye. Robert will remove that before I see Khaat again. Hopefully. Unless he decides to be a prat and think I deserve to wear it awhile," Brian laughed. "He's made me wear some of these things before as, I don't know, merit badges or something. The man sometimes has a strange sense of humor. Jessica, I think I'm hungry. I'm going to grab one of your sandwiches." He settled into a chair and grabbed a sandwich.

Jack chuckled "yeah I know what you mean, jessicas done that to me before " he said smiling to her as he held her hand in his own "go ahead that's what there, there for" she and picked up the tray to offer him one."and yes I have , several times before but it made you think " jack slipped his arm around her waist and kissed her neck before turning to Brian "sorry just can't help it around her , I almost lost her a few months ago "

"Yeah. I do understand that to a point. I just don't have room for a woman in my life right now--not romatically anyway. Khaat is as close as I have, and I sort of feel the same way about her as you do about Jessica. I saw her almost die from her own grief when Remus was murdered. And now I see her doing it again over such an evil man. I probably will always feel like I have a score to settle with him for toying with her heart and then abandoning her. God help him if I find him alone," Brian sighed. He fell quiet and ate his sandwich. His thoughts were going back to Khaat now and how much he felt drawn to be there for her, to never let her out of his sight again if that was what it took. "Sorry," he apologized. "My thoughts sometimes get away from me when I'm working. I'm a pretty serious workaholic."

Jack nodded ands smiled " don't apologys i know the feeling " he looked at Jessica "as for work mind went from Auror to bar man in a matter of months, government issues " he sighed and looked at Jessica who lent down and kiss him again " Jessica can you plese get me a cold soda from the kitchen " he said wanting to talk to brian alone .
He watched as she walked away "I left because I needed to be close to her when she was carrying the twins she didn't have a good time " he gave a sigh "although now i wish i was back doing it again"

"I understand. If you're interested in supplementing your income, Robert and I might have something for you, Jack. I'm not sure Steven is going to work out. He can't seem to follow orders. It's not steady work, but it does pay exceptionally well for the short time you would be away from home. It all depends on what things you're dedicated to in your heart and how well you can work under me. Steven, well, let's just say he has a lot to remember about what its like to have a boss again. And it depends on how well you can keep a secret. Lives of everyone you and I love depends on it." He could easily see Jack as part of Robert's "pirate" crew, and his instincts told him that Jack would work out far better than Steven at the moment.