Tuscany Trip

Brian knew this town well. He remembered a night where, years ago, he and Robert had nearly been killed here. They had been pinned down in a wizards' duel for hours, wounded, both of them. He knew every nook and cranny of this place. He had not expected ever to return here, much less with Robert's daughter on his arm and much less under happy circumstances. It felt very odd to him. He felt himself on guard even when he knew he didn't have to be on guard here. He missed nothing. Not a movement, not the flick of a leaf on a treebranch in the breeze.

Fortunately, Khaat had not appeared to notice. He let her walk into town, his arm around her waist, and he let her get her bearings about where the shops were laid out. To his surprise, she chose a leather shop first. She saw a long black leather coat in the window that she really liked. It would be a really nice change from wizard cloaks. She went in and filled her lungs with the smell of fresh leather. She loved that smell. It smelled wonderfully masculine.

"I love that smell," she told Brian quietly.

"Me too," he smiled. "Looking for anything in particular?"

"I really loved that coat in the window," she said.

"It would look good on you. The womens' coats are on the far side of the shop. Over here." He led her over into the second room of the shop where there were handmade ready to wear items. He took her over to a rack of womens' coats and jackets and pulled one off the rack that looked just like the one she had seen in the window. It had a detachable hood, and was of supple black leather and was slim cut and went down past her knees. He helped her put it on. It was too big. He drew out a smaller size, one that she objected to because she felt that it was going to be too small. But when she tried it on, it fit like a glove. "It was made for you," he smiled. "It looks terrific. Really."

"Hey," Brian called to Steven, "Come see what you think of this black leather coat as a gift for Robert. He loves leather. Come see what you think of it." Brian led the way over to the mens coats and found a very elegant long, distinguished looking black leather coat. It was clearly meant for a man of position and style. It was well cut, with full shoulders and Brian could see Robert in it looking like a man who was perfectly comfortable with intimidation. He could see Robert choosing to use it on mission work. Although, Brian himself had taken a shine to a man's long leather duster coat, much like the gunslingers wore in the American Old West. "I've always wanted one of these," he grinned, showing him the tan duster. "Ok. What do you think? Do you think the black one looks like Robert, and would I look like too much of like Wyatt Earp if I bought the duster?"

Brian bought the three coats they'd eyed and he bought Khaat a new pair of black leather gloves. They were light and supple and would be good either for mission work or for cold winter weather. Khaat was drawn to a rack of hand tooled wallets near the door of the shop. She was fingering a tan wallet tooled with roses.
She looked over, saw Brian standing at the counter while the clerk packaged the large coats, and he looked
at her and smiled. Brian didn't relax easily but he was having a good time today. She was glad.

"You see something else?" he asked her, going over to her.

"I want it all," she laughed. "I just want to buy Italy and keep it all." He laughed. He reached over her head, picked up a leather Stetson style hat and put it on her head. It was way too big. They laughed.

"Not quite right, is it?" he laughed. As he spoke, she heard a distinct popping sound, and pain tore through her shoulder. Brian tossed the hat aside, and shoved her to the floor, reacting before Khaat even knew what hit her. One moment they were looking at a hat, and the very next instant he was on top of her on the floor, staring out the door.

"Stay down," he told her. He was extremely serious.

"What are you doing?" she frowned, confused and embarressed.

"Guns," he told her softly, his face close enough that his breath caressed her face. "Muggle guns. You're hit."

"I'm what??" she nearly came unglued.

"Easy," he soothed. "I'm right here. That's my job. You're alright."

"Where?" she asked.

"Your shoulder. Its just a flesh wound. It'll be alright. I'm right here. Easy. Take it easy."

"Gelding?" she asked.

"Yep. That's my bet. Maybe him, or one of his men. Damn. I didn't bring a gun here. And I can't use my wand..." he said. He was cut off by Angus entering the shop, brandishing a pistol. Brian looked at him frowning incredulously. "You don't think that's going to scare anybody, do you?" Brian asked him.

"It was worth a try," Angus said, as Brian moved from Khaat. Angus handed Brian his clean handkerchief, wadded up, and Brian shoved it against her shoulder. He reached for Angus's gun, took it, and pulled the trigger. Instead of a gunshot, the end of the barrel merely sparked into a tiny flame.

"Only an idiot comes to a gunfight with a cigarette lighter," Brian shook his head.

Brian sat up and took Khaat under her shoulders and slid her behind the counter. She cried out and the pain from his hand under her wounded shoulder and pulling on it. "Sorry, Babe," he apologized. He knelt next to her and caressed her face. "I'm sorry. You alright?" She nodded. "That's my girl," he smiled reassuringly. "Stay here. Don't move. I'll be back. Steven, go out the back. I'll go out the front," Brian ordered. "Angus, stay here with them. Oh, and don't use the lighter." Khaat watched him leave her and head carefully, every step measured with the utmost caution, out the front door.

Khaat felt like her had almost held her breath for hours, waiting to know if Brian was coming back alive or not. She heard nothing. And from behind the counter, she saw nothing. She noticed she was sweating, feeling sickened. She leaned back against the wall behind the counter, closing her eyes. She knew what was happening. It was traumatic shock from the gunshot wound. She didn't dare use magic here. She soon heard police whistles and saw Italian police officers running into the shop. Evidently gunfire was not very commonplace here. The shop owner easily pointed Khaat out behind the counter, and Ronata who apparently had been elsewhere.

One of the officers came over to Khaat, and was radioing for an ambulance. Khaat was trying, without success, to dissuade him, when Brian returned. The officer saw the gun in Brian's hand and leveled his own revolver at Brian, shouting at him to stop. Brian raised his hands to show he had no intention of firing and began talking to the officer in fluent Italian. The officer nodded, and Brian drew forth the wallet from his pocket. He drew out an ID and showed it to him. The officer looked at it, nodded, and returned the ID to him. Brian began looking for Steven, and did not see him at the moment. He motioned to Ronata to come and join them.

The officer that had come in had summoned an ambulance. Khaat had no desire to have to go to to the local muggle hospital for treatment. She looked at Brian who simply nodded. She sighed heavily, understanding his meaning. They had to do things in a muggle manner since they were not in a wizarding village. She knew full well that Brian was capable of tending her wound, but she also knew that they would not get away with that here due to all the commotion this had caused.

Things became confusing for her. People. Lots of people, all talking in rushed Italian. Some medic she didn't know arrived and tended her rather hastily and, as sick as she was becoming, she was beginning to lose focus. She heard Brian tell her he would be only a couple of steps away. She nodded, her eyes closed.

He stepped over to Steven. "You alright to take Ronata back to the ship? We have no choice. We have to follow this through the muggle way for a few hours. They think I'm an Intelligence officer. I have a muggle ID. Use your muggle ID if you have to. Just tell them you're working with me if you need to. Take Ronata back to the ship and wait for us there. I'll clear this up as soon as I can. Keep your eyes open. I'm going with Khaat. "