The Forgotten Man (mature content )

"Rich uncle to Abbey, yes. Rich brother for Khaat, yes. And, unlike Steven, I have never had the slightest desire to cross that thin line you talk about. I love Khaat like she is my sister. Nothing more. Ever.

"Good observation, Jack," Brian said, very glad for the change of subject. "I looked for positive energy when I scouted out the plot of land. Actually, Robert and I walked almost every inch of it before I bought it. I wanted someplace to recharge my energies--when I do take a vacation--which isn't that often. My brother lives in my place in Colorado. Its pretty similar to this one, but I don't get back to Colorado much. Not for the last couple of years.

"As far as the organization goes, the main office is in Paris, but Robert has offices all over the world. So I spend most of the year floating from office to office. There's always something to be done. Right now, they're sort of on their own. I've only been at the organization offices for short periods in the last few days, just enough to keep things going. Our big work times are festivals, holidays, and carnivals. In between, we have individual cases we work on. There's always someone manning the offices so they're never closed. But everyone reports to me, and I report to Robert. And Robert does try to be with us at big festival nights. He is quite a formidible fighter. I enjoy working beside him."

Jessica yawed and jack saw it " ok jess time you headed back to the house to relive Mrs Potts the baby sitter"he said standing up to hold her "be right back Brian " he said and aperated away , ariving at their home he kissd jess and told her he woud not be too late but not to stay up fo him.


He kissed her one last time and aperated back to the porch "the babys sitters nice but andrew my oldest won't sleep unless his mother is there , she disapeared when he was born for 6 months , taken by the dark man she mentioned earlier, he cast a forgetting spell and a fear spell on her so he could have control of her but it didn't work she broke it and escaped , I found her in the lecky couldren beaten and whipped half starved and half her memoriy" he said sitting down in the chair he had ocupied .

"There are a lot of dark men in this world," Brian said quietly, from past experience. "She's lucky she escaped with her life. Most people are not so fortunate. That's why this organization of Robert's is so dear to my heart. The children of this world should not have to live in darkness before their time. I would love for every kid to have a happy childhood. but sometimes that does not happen. "

Jack sat back thinking of his own child hood " no its not right" he said , had he been one of theose children he knew his mother gave him up but what of his father who was he nobody seem to know or if they did know they wern't saying anything "sorry lost in my own thoughts " he said "I grew up alone" was all he said and he folded his arms " so do you think steven will be back tomorrow ?" he asked smirking.

"Not right away. I'm thinking he'll be too hungover to come back much before mid or late morning. He drank a lot in a hurry and mixed that ale with the tequila, and that's never a good thing. I probably should have gone after him, but...well, if he's old enough to drink, then he's old enough to accept the consequences of it." Brian sighed heavily. He didn't want Steven hurt. He only wanted him to learn a lesson.

Jack chuckled "!yeah hopfuly get him laid too" he said smiling "he needs it any an who goes as long as him is bound to po sooner or later , god I went 9 months and that was bad enouph" he breathed out a sigh" well what ever happens t him is his own doing not ours" he said softynow poping a top of a second ber "what saves going to waist" he grined downing a swig.

Brian laughed. He didn't see Steven ending up any place but at home by himself sleeping it off. He hoped that he had changed his attitudes about a lot of things when he woke up. If he hadn't, Brian knew he would have no choice but to relieve him of any duties pertaining to Khaat and Abbey. That would leave them a bit short of help. ANd he didn't look forward to that. Fortunately, at this point, his estate was secret enough that no one really knew where it was. And that was a distinct advantage right now. "Maybe you're right," He said to Jack.

jack sighed finishing off the bottle "ow I know he will be ok" he said noticing how late it had become "2sorry to cut and run but i have to go , kids and all" he stood up to face brain and shook his hand again 2ok so I'll come abck tomorrow to relive you I hope shes here by then" he said smiling and he stepped onto the grass and saluted "see you boss " he chuckled as he aperated back home to jessica who was just climbing into bed .

Brian could not stay home any longer. He made sure the house was secure and then apparated back to St. Mungos. Khaat was long settled for the night and was in a deep sleep. Not far from her, Abbey just started to fuss, and Brian picked her up easily. He tended to her and then walked the room with her laying contentedly on his shoulder. She stopped fussing, and was soon lulled back to sleep by the rhythm of his walking.

Seven stirred the warm sensation of the sun warming his back, and his jaw killing him. He groaned feeling that his head felt worse than his jaw. He tried to think what had happened but it was all a mass of colors and sounds in his mind. But where ever it was he was it was not his home the smell of stale cigarette smoke and old beer hung in the air thicker than the blanket he now lay under. Street noises caught his attention and he rolled on to his back his arm hitting something warm next to him immediately he turned to look and sat bolt upright there lay a red haired woman sound a sleep next to him, skin to skin.

Now panic sank in first he checked his fingers and breathed a sigh of relief he had not gone and got married again that was one blessing but for him to be in the bed of another woman, this was so unlike him. He tried to think of how he got in this predicament, and now it dawned on him. The woman groaned as he slipped from the bed gathering his clothes as he did. But on reaching for the last item, he slipped and landed with a thump onto the floor.

As he sat he saw the red haired woman look down at him “what ya doing there?” she asked in a broad cockney accent that made Steven cringe as she spoke. “Getting out of here “he said slipping on his trousers and standing to look at her. “Listen, whatever happened last night” he paused struggling how to tell her” Look I’m an Auror and, well, Aurors don’t do this “he finished slipping on his shirt. The woman stood up to face him “what, you told me last night we’d be together, we got matching tats too “she turned to show him, a red heart with his name in it. He face paled as he looked in the mirror behind him to see one on his own cheek with the name missy inside. Now he really began to panic, finishing dressing he took her by her arms “Look... Missy, it just won’t work out “he said moving her so he had a clear exit at the door. Grabbing his windbreaker and his wand still sat in its holder he backed out the room to the sounds of her shouting abuse towards him for leaving her like he was.

Stepping through a door he saw he was in the leaky cauldron the bar man raised an eyebrow at him and at hearing missy’s obviously angry voice as she followed him down the stairs half dressed. Looking at the faces of the men in the room he headed for the main door and out into the alley and the fresh air but it only made his jaw hurt more.

He headed for St. Mungos but then stopped thinking he didn’t want another roasting he aperated back to his farm. He hung his jacket on the peg and headed for his bath room to shower .