Obsession's Death

Jack opend a cage and took out two shildren a girl with blond hair and aboy with dark hair " yoursafe now just hold tight to me " he turned to teh man who ahd spoke nd held his coat but seeing a small baby crawling toward him he grabed hold "ok lets go" he said turning to face Brian and noddeing ash he was aperated away three chi;ldren holding tight to him.

He foiund himself in a large white room filled with teh children of the wear house sevral women comforted children while,others were cleaned up and given fresh clothes "your ok now you can let go" he said softy but none did they just clung to him he sat down on a bed handing the smalest chile to a woman as he held teh other two, he sighed as he thought , where was his three.

It was after a few minets he saw a smal figure mocveing toweards him "daddy" he said and he smiled as Andrew ran toward him wraping his arms around his neck " Andrew , you ok?" he asked smiling at him he wiped a tear from his face " bubby and sis are over there " he poited to a young woman holding two bundles , with andrew in his ars he walked over "wcuse me mis those are my kids" he said an she smiled handing them over checking them he was gad to see they hd slept threww the whole thing and he sat down waiting for brian to return.

Brian, however, was not having an easy time of things. The duel was not going well. He was massively outmatched. He knew he had, repeatedly instructed his men not to return to back him up until every last child was out. They were all that mattered. The only thing that overrode that order was if Brian had been wounded badly enough that he could not continue to fight.

He found himself actually tiring. It was highly unusual. He never tired when it came to these things. He stopped playing around and started a much stronger offensive--firing to kill now. Some of the less courageous opponents apparated out. Some of the others raised the bar on their own counter attack.

And then he finally got a hand signal from one of his men that they had gotten the last child out and had double checked it. He motioned for his men to leave, to apparate out. Once he had gone, he apparated out and to the Paris office, straight to Robert's office. He was strangely out of breath and tired. He was hearing an irritating dripping noise in the silence off Robert's office. He was listening to try to isolate where it was coming from. One of his men accidently opened the door, and his face paled. "Cob! You're hit!" He flew to Brian. He bolstered him and lowered him into one of Robert's chairs. He ran off and brought back a woman who had some basic healing skills. She opened Brian's shirt and started healing some slash wounds to his chest. "You've gotten far too good at taking these hits, Brian. How many times are we going to have to patch you up?" she sighed. "Thanks, Sarah," Brian sighed. "You will have Robert tend to these better than I can, right?" she asked. "Of course, of course," he said, accio'ing a bottle of Robert's good firewhiskey for fortification and reward from his battle. He was very glad Robert stocked the good stuff.

Jack over heard two me say Rian was back and in roberts office, with Andrew holding onto his jacket he moved down a corridor and folowed twe men till he saw Brian being tended , he stood in the office door way, he shook his head at teh apreance of teh whisky " Brian I'd like you to meet Andrew dark heart " he said and walked in with him. Slowly andrew let go of his coat and walked over to stand with his arms behind his back "I kicked one " he said proudly jack smiled at how he saw his son "possible future member you think?" he said "these are nicaulse and catline thsi twins " he said he nodded to him " thank you, I will never dought you again, Cob " he said. Andrew stood loking at Brian " your so much better than those other men, you gave me cookies" he said as he ran back to Jack.

That made Brian laugh. "You can have all the cookies here that you want," Brian said. "Although--they do have some excellent hot dogs and hamburgers upstairs on the next floor in the big room. If you're hungry, you ought to go try one of those. They sometimes even have macaroni and cheese or pizza. Its very nice to meet you, Andrew. I'm a friend of your mom and dad's, and a good friend of Khaat's. You were a very brave young man today. I am very proud of you. I kicked a couple of them too. I don't think they'll bother you again. Not with my friends and me around. We keep kids safe. That's what we do. That's our jobs." He looked up at Jack, "He's more than welcome to go get some real food upstairs. But I presume you would like to get your kids back to jessica so she knows they're alright. Sarah. get me a coin and a medallion, please." She obeyed and handed them to Brian. Brian cast a quick portkey spell on the coin. "It will get you and your children home to your own home." He handed him a medallion and explained to him how it worked, how spinning the skull upside down automatically signalled other members for help. "Well, I guess this means you're part of our motley crew now," Brian laughed. "Welcome aboard."

jack chuckled at the face Andrew pulled " can we daddy?" hs asked " sure once were done here" he said looking back to Brain , he watched as the girl walked from the office and moments later returned smiling at him then he heard brians words and moved forward handing catline to Sarah for amoment he took the madalion and placed it around his neck " Aye,Aye sir" he said smiling as he turned and took catline back " always at your cammand" he added as Andrew waited at the door and n a sing song voice called "daaaad" jack chuckled "ok andrew food it is , then back to mom" andrew grined and jack nodded to Brian. .

He laughed as Andrew led Jack away for food. When Sarah finished tending him, he went up to his quarters and refreshed himself and changed into clean clothes. He went to the big dining room and saw lots of happy kids being tended and fed. This was why he did what he did. The adults were busy, as busy as they had been the night of the motor races. He tried to take a head count, but the kids were not interested in holding still. He sighed.

"32," one of the women said quietly in his ear. "Good job, Cob. The captain wil be proud of you. Our best unscheduled raid ever. We'll get them home. You go get the statistics to the captain and get yourself patched up a little better than we can do. I know you never come home without a few battlescars."

He went over to Jack where the women were filling plates in the food line for them. "I trust you can get home from here? I want to get back to Khaat and Robert, and you need to get your family home. I'm glad they're all alright."

Jack felt Brian behind him and turned handing a small plate to andrew who finding a spot sat down he held a smal pram that some one had given him for the twins " yes I should , brian , again thank you , its as if you gave me my life back " he turned to face him "thank you, i am in your debt " he said smiling but as nicalus wimpered he bent down finding he needed a change "ok this one needs a change before we go back " he said lifting him out the pram "well be fine, see you back at the house" he said waking with nicalus on his shoulder to sit next to Andrew a woman passed him a nappy and smiled "nice to see a father doing it for once " she said as she walked of Jack chuckled as he chauged him at the feeling of bear legs nicalus chuckled and babbled .

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The sight of healthy happy rescued kids always warmed Brian's heart. Made him feel that what he did was worthwhile. That the battlescars and being able to stand up to whatever anyone threw at him made it all worth it. He knew that every time he could buy time for his team to do just what they were best at, he was saving the life of a child. And there was no feeling in the world for him like knowing he'd done something that had made a difference. It was everything. It was why he pushed himself so hard, why he purposely made Robert wound him more and more and forced himself to stand up to it. And why he took it so hard when he failed. He did not ever want to have to return the body of a deceased child to a parent. He demanded perfection of himself. Not so much of his team, but if they failed, he took the responsibility for it. If the team won, he gave them all the credit. He knew his men grieved with him whenever they missed the opportunity to save a child, but he knew that the men would celebrate tonight once the last child went home.

As he passed Owens, Owens caught Brian by the arm, "Nice work, Cob. You staying a bit?"

"Nah, Owens," Brian smiled, "Can't tonight. I actually have to go home for a change."

"You're working, arent' you? What is it this time? Bodyguarding someone again?"

"How'd you know?"

"We just know you. If you're not here, you're working elsewhere. You gonna take some time for yourself sometime, ever, Cob?"

"Probably not," Brian said, shrugging.

"We'll toast you tonight."

"No, not tonight. Wait until I finally get Tobias. Then we'll all drink one together. The Captain will even show up for that one."

"It would be nice to have him back."

"I'll tell him," Brian smiled, drawing his portkey from his pocket. "Have a good night, Owens. HOME!" The portkey apparated him home. He found not a lot changed there--except Robert was sitting in the living room.

"Where did you go?" Robert asked.

"Tobias made off with all three Black Heart kids. I went after them."

"How'd we do?"

"32 back safe and sound and unharmed. But I missed Tobias again," he sighed.

"Oh well. There's always next time. 32, eh? Good work, Brian. Really good work."

"Jack went along. He did well for no preparation. I gave him a portkey and a medallion."

"That's fine. He'll work out alright. His kids okay?"

"Not a scratch."

"Well done, then. Well done indeed. But you're still bleeding, Lad. Did Tobias get any of the other fighters?"

"Uh..."

"What did you do?" Robert frowned.

"I let the men go after the kids."

"What? Do you honestly think you can be a one man fighter team?"

"Well,.."

"You do! You idiot! You're lucky you didn't get yourself killed. How bad was it?"

"Not so much," Brian said as Robert came over and opened Brian's shirt.

"That one is going to keep bleeding til we treat it properly. Sit down and lets do this right. Honestly! What am I going to do with you?" he asked as Brian sank into a chair tiredly. Robert accio'd a bottle of firewhiskey and a glass and poured Brian a drink. "Here. Did you at least get one before you came back?"

"One."

"Well, you're allowed a second while I work."

"Thanks," Brian picked up the glass and fell silent as Robert began to work.

Jack dressed Caitlin and Nicolas, then turning to Andrew fixing his jacket "ok let go find mom, but remember don’t let go " he said smiling down at him both babies held in his arms he aperated to Brains home and up the stairs to Khaat room where Jessica sat, on seeing him with them she jumped up and to Caitlin from him then held him tight " told you, Brian saved them “ he said and she looked up at him smiling “remind me at the barbeque to say thank you” she said resting her head on his chest as she cradled Caitlin. And he held Nicolas.

Andre seeing the mushy stuff starting rolled his eyes and thought it would be better to look around the large house, “Dad just looking around. “ he said and moved into the hallway “Don’t get lost” he said looking at Him knowing now he could take care of himself “Yes dad” he said and ran off leaving a smiling Jack behind.