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

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."

"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.

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.

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.