The Forgotten Man (mature content )

"Any time, my friend. Any time. And, by the way, I might have liked to have seen Janet trying to box your ears. I'm not sure she'd have gotten away with it unless you let her. But think of it this way, any time we go through some sort of difficulty in life, it better prepares us to help someone else not have to travel down the same path we've been down ourselves. Perhaps someday what you have learned will be a real lifeline to someone else, even if you don't realize it. Sometimes we don't ever know how much we have touched the life of another. But I don't believe we go through these things for no purpose. I think it makes us better experienced to help make someone else's life journey a bit easier. And, ultimately, is that not why you became a ranger and an auror? To make someone else's life a bit easier?

"Now, I need a favor from you today. It might seem menial to you, but it would mean a lot to me. I have not been home since Khaat delivered Abbey, and my farm looks it. Katherine has done a fine job keeping up with the animal care, but she cannot do the things I do. I need your help. When you feel able, can you please go catch up on my sorely neglected farm? It would mean more to us than you know. And, if you can, keep up on the yardwork and gardening at Khaat's place in Hogsmeade. I'm sure you know by now, we've closed it for now so we can hide her. But we don't want it to get overgrown and to actually looked abandoned.

"My plans for today are to go see Khaat and see if she is strong enough to sit up. I need to assess how much strength she has regained so I know if we can move her yet or not. I don't want to wait until Cy Skeeter invades her room again to get her out of St. Mungos. Nothing would amuse me more than for him to come invade her room and find it completely empty. Abbey really could go home, but Khaat would go crazy if Abbey weren't with her. So, I will not move Abbey until I move her mother."

Steven nodded as he spoke “Ow she would she was an Auror her self for a while, its how I met her, she was a hell cat” he smiled remembering how she had knocked him down that first meeting. ” sure Robert I was planning on finishing the fence and your unicorn pen needs the lock fixing its come a little loose.” he under stood the reason behind Robert asking him to do the jobs and accepted it, he needed time more than just a single day.

“When’s she’s settled could I call and see her?” he asked “Ow not right away I know that “ he asked taking anther drink of his coffee and looking at the sun streaming into the house , he smirked at the ironicy of it, He looked around the room seeing how the light was filtered buy the closed curtains, standing he moved to each window and opened each curtain and window and looked out into his ranch “ That’s better” He said as he moved back to the chair he was previously sat In “Is Kate expecting me?” he asked finishing the now cold coffee.

"I mentioned at breakfast that I was going to see if you were up to it," Robert said. "but you will have to go easy at it today or you'll hurt your ribs before they're healed. I'm sure its not the first you've had to work around that, but just don't overdo it. And yes, you certainly can see Khaat whenever you like. I have no problem with that, and I"m sure she'd appreciate it. You might want to go tomorrow when you're a bit more mended, though. She'll pick up on that in a hurry."

steven nodded and smiled "sure, that brain ca sur pack a puntch , nobodys done that to me before, then again i haven't been that drunk in along time." he said grinning showing he held no malace towords him "ok no fence bulding but i can fix that lock and water ad feed the animals and anything else Kate has for me to do" he smiled when he said Khaat woud pick up on his injeries "ow yes she's like a halk in that respect" he said "althought i don't need to tell you that" walking over hs picked up the coffee pot but then paced it down taking out of his fridge a carton of juice and pouring a glass for him self "coffee is all right, but juice is healthier" he said walking back over "and don't worry , I have learned my lesson and learned it well"

"Excellent. Well, it seems you don't need me here anymore, and I do have to get to the hospital to check on my family--amongst other things. You know where to find me if you need me. " He rose and went to the door. "If you don't mind, I'll let Brian know you're in one piece. I'm quite sure he's with Khaat. And don't worry. I won't say anything you wouldn't want me to say. That's up to you. Thanks for helping out Kate with the farm. We appreciate it. I'm sure I'll see you later." He left and apparated out to St. Mungos.

steven smiled and waved bye " ok Robert " he said as he disa peard and then standing he headed back to his room and dressed he paused at the picture of Janet smiling at him , then he watched as she nodded "thanks " he said the picture laughed and he chuckled too as he left for the kitchen and his breakfast.

Once done he aperated to the Lupin farm, feeling some what like a weight had been lifted but this time for good. "Kate you here ?" he said knocking on the kitchen door and waited for her to awnser.

Katherine had felt Steven's presence the moment he stepped onto the property. She had set the breakfast dishes to clean themselves, and she had headed down to the barn. She stepped out of the barn and shouted at Steven, "I'm down here. Come join me. "

She had taken the bandages off of the wolf's leg, and it was better. It was getting up and walking in its stall. Katherine had had to leave it for a moment to go call to Steven, but she had promised to return to her.

Seeing Kate down at the barn he turned and headed down "hey, I see some ones feeling better " he said looking at the wolf "yeah and I smell you got whooped " she replied Steven chuckled and nodded "Robert said you could use a hand around the farm today "he said hoping that ether she would already know why so he wouldn't have to tell her or that she wouldn't ask too many questions.

"Yes, I could. Poor Robert hasn't even gotten home to eat or sleep, until breakfast this morning. I've been taking him clean clothes every day and food. The poor man is almost dead on his feet. He's taken up drinking Khaat's french roast to stay awake and dozing a few minutes at a time in his office at his desk. Don't misunderstand me, I'm glad he hasn't left Khaat, but every time something like this happens to her, it takes so much of him to bring her back. I'd rather her be single for the rest of her life than to see her and Robert being dragged through it one more time. Her because of her gentle heart, and Robert because, well, he's just being a father. He will protect her no matter what. But in the meantime, everything else just has to sit. And this farm is going to blazes because he can't be here. Its a bit frustrating, really."

Steven nodded and glanced at the wolf behind her "Its why he sent me , you have any jobs just tell me and I'll do them" he said watching as the wolf sniffed the ground then sat down "I see our guest is better " he said walking over to her stall he felt the door and how it wobbled on its hindge taking a screw driver from a nearby tool box he tightend it "that should hold it for a while" he lent on the stall wall and looked down at her " so you lanning on eaving us soon " he asked the wolf she stopped and looked at him "what and leave all this no way, I want to see you get your butt kicked, wa-ya a-ya-s-ti-gi (wolf worrior) " she chuckled