Dangerous Dining

"Well--you aren't very bloody subtle, are you? Why don't you just hang up a big sign that says 'Khaat's in here'? Honestly, Steven, you're so obviously an auror on the prowl, that it hangs out like advertising. I don't disagree that there are times you want to ward off trouble, but honestly! I preume the idea was for her to slip in quietly, do whatever she wanted to do, and slip out again and not have anyone really know she was here--at least until she has her own magic back. And especially since she has Abbey with her today. What if someone had slipped in the back while she and Abbey had been in the office? You'd have been no help whatsoever. Brian would have been completely on his own to protect her, Abbey, Lizzie and himself. If you're going to be a bodyguard, then you need to know what's going on with your client, not at the other end of the building or outside where you can't hear anything at all."

Steven looked at Robert "right and whats Cara then? " he said "she can pick up a sound quicker than you or I as soon as she made a move i would have " he looked down at her then to everyone in the room as he sat in a chair watching both Robert and the window his hat pulled down over his eyes just enouph so he could not see them but could watch the room with ease.

Cara looked at Robert then at Steven "he is right" she said softly "I could pick up things quickly, like I know Lizz just cut her self I can smell the blood " she said sitting beside Robert "although he shouldn't be such a moody person"

"I didn't hire Cara! I hired you! I appreciate her help, but I didn't hire her so she could do your job for you while you sat outside sulking. I'm not stupid, Steven. I saw full well where your mind was at while you were sitting out there pretending to work. If you're not up to it because you can't get your emotions under control, you just say so right now, and I'll hire someone else. The last thing I need is some someone who is too moody to be sharp. You know, there is a big difference between grieving a loss and just feeling sorry for yourself. When you stop missing Janet for who she was in your life, and you start thinking about how crappy life for you because she's gone, now you've gone from missing her to feeling sorry for yourself. You don't miss her right now as much as you miss what having a woman--any woman--brought to your life. That's not grief. That's pure self pity. I'll support you in your right to miss Janet. But I won't support you in your right to sink up over your head in self pity. That's not something I will ever do. So--can you pull yourself out of this, or do I send you home right here and now?"

Jack apersted in to sparks adn looekd around "whoops , did i walk in to it or what" he said with a grin "Jessica sent me for some of those wonderful cookies , she said there a house special for Andrew "he sid looking from Steven to Robert and back "but i can see you two are busy" he said and backed away to stand behind brian "he in his mood again?" he asked softly as he waitied.


Steven looked as Jack aperated onto the cafe "Robert i have had no problems guarding people before magical or not, babys or adults I do things my way , I am sorry if its not your way" he said moving to the back of teh cafe and into teh kitchen to stand by he back door.

Robert followed him to the door. "No. That won't do. If you work fo rme, you do things my way. When you work for someone else, when they're paying you, they're paying you to do a job in the way that is acceptable to them. Go home, Steven. When you're ready to do the job right, feel free to come back."

Brian sighed heavily. He knew Robert too well, "If Steven isn't careful, he's going to get himself sacked for being unwilling to follow his boss's instructions," he said to Jack. "You might have to fill in for a short bit until Khaat's abile to leave. I hope you're up to that. We can apparate your cookies home, if you can stay, I'm sure."

Jeck chuckled "he needs a seriose kick in the ego" he siad "and sure jess will understand , though Andrew will just be happy to get those cookies" he chuckled he looked up at Robert and Steven and shaking his head and Steven left. "so boss hows it been so far any trouble?" he asked Robert hoping to lighten the mood a little after Stevens departure "apart from the ovious".

"Well, actually, so far so good today," Robert said, "Steven's problems are his own issue. We haven't seen any trouble today that I'm aware of. Khaat?"

"Aside from possibly losing my coffee supplier, its all good," Khaat said.

"Why? Can't you find the problem?"

"No. I can't. My books say we're on track with him."

"You want me to have a look? Sometimes a second pair of eyes can help." Just then Lizzie brought out Robert's order of fish and chips and brought his cola for him. "Thank you, Lizzie. You're a gem. Would you get the file on the coffee supplier for me please?" She nodded and rushed back to the kitchen. "Jack, we're just havving lunch. Would you like to join us?"

Lizzie hurried back with the cofffee supplier file and handed it to Robert.

Jack chuckled "yeah , but i stil say a good ego kick will do him good " he said grinning "ow Lizz could you send some cookies back to jess a with a note to say Im staying for awhile ,pleaeeesse, thank you." he said giving his best puppy dog eyes to her.

He sat down next to Brian "sure, a nice tossed salad for me please , jesica says i need to eat better nad excersie more " he tapped his abs and grinned "not sure why im in perfect health" he grinned at them "well your father should know"

"Yes, if you weren't, I would know," Robert said, opening the file. "Although if you want to eat healthy, you'll have some protein on that salad. There is absolutely not one single vitamin in iceberg lettuce. Consider it, basically, crunchy water," Robert said, beginning to read the account from its beginning when Sparks opened.

Lizzie agreed to send a dozen cookies to Jess, and she seemed to know the family's favorite. "Crab, Chicken, or Steak on that salad, Jack?" she asked.

"Still, I hope Steven works out whatever his problem is and comes back," Khaat said.

"He's not going to work out anything as long as he thinks a piece of tail will cure him," Robert sniped, taking a sip of his cola.

"That's pretty cynical, even for you," Khaat frowned.

"I'm not the one seeing the world through a narrow minded view. He is. He's drowning himself in self pity," Robert said. "And as long as he's going to do that, he's useless to me."

jack chuckled at her sugestion on the salad "oow got to be checken , health dn good to eat too" he said chucklaling again he retched down and rubbed Cara who steven had left behind "ow don't worry Khaat hes left Cara behind he'll be back " he said smiling s he smelt the cooking from the kitchen "by that smells wonderful, I hope you gave her a pay rise for all this wonderful food" he said turning to look at the window as he saw a shadow cross it "humm, must have been nothing " but he was frowning as he spoke