Tuscany Trip

"Yeah. I figured that," Brian said. He picked her up, and Khaat just curled closer to him in her sleep. He said nothing. He carried her over to the bench seat and took the dressing off her shoulder. It barely disturbed her, except to be moved off Brian's shoulder. He decided to let Ronata remove the stitches. "If you need my help, let me know. Right now, she probably isn't going to feel much. All the same..." He laid his hand on her wounded shoulder and temporarily numbed it--just in case it was sore enough that the sensation of the removal of sutures would pull and be painful. "Go ahead," he told Ronata

Rnata smiled then moved forweard with teh sisters cliping each one in turn she gently pulled them from Khaats shoulder once or twice she paused having to tug a little harder than she would liked but seeing Khaat still sleeping she continued she glanced at Steven who gave her a comforting smile. Soon all were out an she looked at Brian "ok do your thing there all out now." he said and tiped the small blowl she ahd been using over teh side of teh ship before cleaning her sholder up and sitting down on the seat nexct to them as she also cleaned the sisers and tweezers placing them back into the kit with a young sailor took away.

Brian cast a healing spell over the wound and watched it close to his touch over a few seconds. "That will definitely feel a lot better," he said. "And it won't scar like those stitches would have done. Maybe I'll just let her rest here a bit. She seems comfortable enough. Nice work, Ronata. She didn't feel a thing. I'm grateful. She was able to rest right through that. Looks like you will work well at the headquarters after all. We sometimes have some children--and fighters--with injuries. Looks like that won't bother you, and that's good. I"m glad to see it."

Ronata smiled " Blood doesn't bother me " she looked at Steven knowing he knew that since she ahd fixed his head "hows your head " she said recthing up to run her fingers threw his hair . She gigled as she saw him close his eyes at her touch " wonderful... erm I mean fine , its fine" he said grinning rather sheepishly at Brian.

Ronata sat down so Steven could hold her and smiled taking a deep breath she looked out over the ocean "its beautiful out there but it also is deadly too, just like life and what you do saving children like you do , its curagiouse but yet you make enemies too" she said softly feeling the days events catching up with hertakig his arm she lay it across her tummy now holding his hand tenderly.

"That's exactly what it is, Ronata," Brian said, going back to his fishing pole, "It is a fine balance all the time. Khaat's family and mine have been sort of walking that fine line for generations. I guess we're used to it. I take it so in stride sometimes that I forget other people don't live that way. I don't mean to." He picked up his pole and reeled up his line to see that something had swiped the bait off his pole. "Oh, shoot." He looked over the side, "You little thieves." One of the crew member took the pole from him and cleaned up the fishimg equipment, seeing that fishing was most likely over for the day.

"Cob," the crew member said, "Angus wants to anchor out in open water tonight. Okay with you? Or do we keep going? We could be docked back at the tower villa by breakfast."

"Go straight through, please," Brian said. "I think perhaps a quiet day at home and then maybe a bit of sightseeing in Venice next."

"Ah, Venice," the crew member smiled fondly. "A very romantic city. The perfect place for love, no?"

"No." Brian said flatly. The crew looked at Brian, knowing him so very well, and laughed loudly at his discomfort with romance. They knew he just saw his life as being far too dangerous to ever be able to risk brining a wife and child into, but they had learned to find a bit of humor in it as well.

Ronata smiled looking at Steven when the crew man metioned venice and love both smiled to each other as if hiding a secret from the rest of the world that they and only they shared . "ok Ro time for bed " he said seeing the sleepy look on her face.

"Promises , promises " she said jokily but could not hide the yawn that came just after she had spoken.

"see what I mean " he said pulling her up with him as he stood up now holding her with one hand "COB were turning in, you know where we are if you need us" he said smiling .

"Just not to quickly" Ronata said winking at him with a chuckle "well a girl does need her beautiy sleep" . for a moment she moved from Steven and checked on Khaat for her own peice of mind, smiling as she saw all was well and she slept soundly. "if you need us " she said one more time before with steven behind her they moved down the steps "hey that better be your wand" Ro's voice came "may be " came stevens palyful voice in return.

Brian bid them goodnight, and sat beside Khaat on the bench seat. He decided to just sit under the stars and listen to the sound of the waves.

The next Brian knew it was morning. The sun was shining brightly off the water. The air was crisp and clean. He stretched, finding a kink in his neck for sleeping sitting up all night on deck. He knew Angus should not have let them do that. He knew it was against ship regulations. He looked beside him and saw the bench beside him empty. He bounced up like he was lit on fire.

"Relax," Angus said, seeing him jump. "She went to shower a short while ago. Give the lady some time. She had a tough day yesterday. By the way, you'll b eglad we sailed all night. Severe storms coming this afternoon. High winds and strong rain. You'll be glad to be in the Tower Villa today. I hope you four can find something to occupy your time on a rainy day." Brian quickly recognized Angus's teasing.

"It is just to early for that, Angus," Brian laughed. He went downstairs and found Khaat dressing. She had chosen a pair of white cotton summer slacks, a crochetted royal blue short sleeved summer sweater. She had dressed, except the sweater when Brian went into their cabin. "Let me check that shoulder first," he said.

"It's fine," she said. "Thanks to you. Where'd the stitches go?"

"We took them out last evening. They were seeping anyway. And besides, I don't want that to scar. How's the muscles?"

"A bit sore, but not bad. That might take a couple days."

"Yes. It will. Ok. I'm done prying. You'll live. You can dress."

"Thank you." she laughed. "Where are we?"

"Due to dock back on port near the villa any time now. I smell breakfast. I guess we get one more meal on this beautiful ship before we get kicked off," he smiled.

"I hope the coffee is ready."

"Angus always has coffee ready. I'll get you some and then I'll shower." He retrieved 2 cups of coffee and took a quick shower. He chose olive green khaki slacks, and a cream colored shirt. They were lightweight cotton and comfortable. The two of them went up to deck, with coffee in hand. The coffee tasted fresh and rich and delicious to Khaat this morning. It was refreshing, and she was grateful for it. She had not remembered hearing Steven and Ronata go to bed. She began to wonder how long she'd been out from that muggle medicine.

Ronata woke first she smiled up at steven brushing his cheek with her hand at first he swated it away thinking it was a fly but tehn he cught her ahnd and opened one eye "morning Ro" he saisd softly "sleep well?" he chuckled as she nodded "well once you left me alone yeah" she saids grinning as she streatched out. Quickly she felt Steven rol to over her and she chuckled "we should get up" she said seeing the look on his face.

" you weren't complaning last night " he said looking down at her as he rested on his elbows over her " that was last night Brain and Khaat are awake now time we were too" she said as she felt him slid his arms around her pulling her so as he rolled she now lay on him "humm ok spoi sport " he said grining. With a quick kiss she slid from him and to the shower while steven pondered what might have been and did happen that night with a large grin on his face.

Angus decided to splurge for the final meal on the ship and opened a bottle of the best champagne they had onboard and made a large batch of Mimosas. He served Khaat and Brian each a glass in graceful crystal glasses. She could smell breakfast cooking, and she decided she was hungry.

Brian toasted his glass against Khaat's, "To more joy in your life than you can hold, Babe," he smiled.

"And to having you with me all along the way," she smiled. She sipped her drink. "I so love the taste of champagne and orange juice first thing in the morning. It's so luxurious. How will I ever go back to French Roast in a paper cup?"

"Do you have to?" he asked.

"Ah, well, life does go back to normal eventually," she sighed.

"You have a right to come up in the world, you know," he said. She laughed out loud. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Oh, please. A Lupin? Ever fitting in, in high society in any world? I don't think so. Much as we do like the finer things, we're more suited for paper cups, I think."

"Yes, well. You're living with a Quinn now. And we choose not to settle for less than what we want."

"Then why have you denied yourself love all these years?" She asked. He simply looked over his glass at her and sipped his Mimosa.

"You're right. Champagne in the morning is a good thing," was his only reply.

Ronata left the cabin and Steven to dress "Good morning " she said with a glowing smile on her face "Khaat, how you feeling to day? " she spotted the glass "Humm better I see " she chukled piking up a glass her self and tasting it "Humm not bad I like the orange in it and the bubles tickle ...." she didn't get time to finish as Stevens spoke from behind her "hey, no dirty jokes this early please miss Ronata." he said grinning as he kissed her cheek "i was only going to say nose " she chuckled at his "yeah right" look as he too took a glass "heres to the future, what ever it may hold good bad or indiferant" he said grining at Ronata as he brought there glasses together.