Escape to Brian Quinn's

"I refuse to let it happen every time she goes to sleep," Robert said. He waved his hand, commanding, "Stop. Enough!" The weather started to die down, and he went over to her. He sat down on the bed and woke her gently. She woke fairly easily, but shivered now in the cold of the room.

"You did that, my dear," he said to her gently.

"Again?" she sighed.

"You must learn not to take your anger to bed with you, Dear," he said.

"Where's Abbey?"

"I took her to her crib in the nursery. She can't be expose to this weather," Brian explained.

"Thank you," Robert said.

"Khaat," Robert said, "let me give you a potion to help relax you so you can rest. You can't do this like this and get your strength back. " He reached in his ever present leather bag and poured her a dose of a red potion. "Here. You've had this before. Take it." She obeyed, and he resettled her for sleep.

Once she had dozed off, he said, "I'll stay for awhile before I go home. Then I am going to go home and leave her in your very capable hands." He looked at Steven and Brian. "This should keep her the rest of the night."

Steven nodded "I have nothing fo the rest of the night so I don't have to rush off " he said glad Khaat was settled again . He knew all to well the night mares , he had them himself on and off about the attack and seeing the fading image of janet falling after the dragons strike.

He moved back down stairs and back onto the porch to keep watch again his eyes catching fire flies again as they danced around the candles on the ground lighting the steps to Brians.

But he knew that if that reporter was a stuborn as they had told him he would not give up easily , nor would Rob at seeing Abby again. He folded his arms and stood as if on guard once more.

Robert checked the health of his sleeping daughter and then moved across the hall for a moment to check on Abbey. Both seemed to be doing very well, all things considered. He knew he had to get her to release her anger, her pain, the unfulfilled dreams of her heart. Every time he saw her suffer, he wanted to strike out and hurt Rob. So far, he had done what he needed to do by the letter of the law, but He really hated to see her suffer. He wished he could wipe away her pain.

He sat in the quiet of the night, debating on whether or not to wipe Rob Dent out of Khaat's memory. He finally got up, his mind still turning, and went downstairs. If she woke, he would know it.

He found the tea in the kitchen and poured a cup for himself

Steven heard movment inside but staid on gaurd he didn't mind the night , he had spent a lot of time out in it on stake outs in texas as a ranger so this was no differant. he lent on the balcony rail and watched two foxes dash past across the lawn playing and he smirked as on called the other a damp sqib and ran off back into the woods, an owl hotted that it was near by if any mail was to be sent and steven nodded to itnt know ing just why he'd done it but he felt it was the right thing to do at that moment.

He still held his cup with the tea in and took a sip, "Brain was right its good " he thought to himself as he warmed it for a second time that night. He knew it was robert tht was inside but he knew better than to disterb him he could feel the frustration coming from him even all the way out on the porch. Steven sighed he knew how he felt to some point , even thought the man who had ordered the detah of his wife had been told to tsay away he could not help want the man who had actually sent the dragon onto his farm.

Robert took his tea and walked out to where Steven was. "So much negativity here tonight," Robert sighed. "I know its a part of healing, but Khaat's suffering seems to be bringing up memories of everyone else's sufferings. Everyone is getting negative. All of us. And it isn't healthy for any of us. So--what did she bring up for you? Janet? "

Steven heard robert walk out on to the porch, and heard him ask what she ahd brought up for him "no, not negative just reflective" he said "she just made me remember the night mares I use to have , not had one for days now, I was thinking about the man who you said lead the raid on my farm , why? is the question that keeps poping up , was it because of john , was that why they did it or was it something else , something more sinister , did they want me out of the way so a plan could take place" he said sitting down finally but still looking out over the grounds.

A lady bug landed on his arm "hey your not a flower, ow well " and she flew away steven chuckled and rubed where he had been as it tickled . He looked at Robert "don't worry im just reflecitng nothing more" he sighed "but its an awnser thats been around for me for a while"

"No," Robert said. "Khaat investigated that while you were in St. Mungos. Janet had uncovered an illegal potions ring and was about to expose it. That's why they killed her. They were afraid she had told you, so they thought it was just easier to eliminate all of you. However, when John survived they took him and tried to groom him for the human trafficking trade. We got him back before he was traded, though. And, if its any comfort, Khaat tracked down who was the head of the illegal potions ring in the U.S., and eliminated the whole ring. They're all...gone. And they won't be coming back. Ever."

Steven smiled "thats a weight off my mine " he said "but she never said she'd done that why?" he asked Robert, He wonderd why she would not say any thing Janet had mentiond the human traffacking but not that she'd found out about a potions ring "guess she didn't want me to pull her from the job" he said with a sigh but with a smile as wll "thats janet all round , suttborn and pig headed, thats what i loved about her she could take you down with just a look" steven chuckled "ow. ok she did it , she got me thinking of janet " he said chucklaling at his final revalation.

"Because Khaat works, at times, for me. And I've trained her to not let things like that undone. She was doing what she was trained to do. Rob never once believed she was a fighter and a warrior because she took some hits. But all good fighters know how to take a hit. ROb, it seems never learned that. It's too bad. It made him afraid that she was always going to be in some situation where she was clinging to life. He just felt a need to overprotect and when he couldnt' do that, he avoided altogether. I still believe that on some level he does love her, and she knows it. I think she's struggling with the fact that sometimes love just is not enough I think that's what the nightmares are about. Her anger with him."

He sat and listened to Robert again and nodded "I agree she need to let it go and relax more, I know it sounds hard but .." he smiled "she needs to move on" he found it ironical he was goiving the same advice she had given him months perviosly "Listen to me, I couldn't let go till today, am I the hipacrit or what" he could not help watched as a bat flew over thee head stoping on the lintel above the door "stuck , stuck" it said shaking its leg , standing steven moved to it "I'll help you" he said and the bat dropped into his hand , he saw thin wire wrapped around his leg , untangaling it the bat thanked him and flew away happy. "sees im becoming a reguler doctor dolittle " he said thumbing the wire "pochers again " he said sitting down in the chair and showing Rober the wire "I 'll get on it tomorrow, maybe give them a scared they won't forget" he chuckled at the thought.