Tuscany Trip

Brian took Khaat back to her room and closed the door. "Sit," he told her, sitting her at the foot of the bed. He laid his hand on her forehead.

"This is what you wanted?" she frowned. "I'm fine."

"Hush," he said, not paying attention to her. "I have to know for myself." After a moment he said, "She kicked the stuffing out of you. You're going to be bruised from one end to the other. I don't find any broken bones. You were lucky."

"Okay. So you didn't tell me anything I didn't already know. How did you get rid of her, then?"

He sighed heavily. "If I tell you, you have to keep yourself together. "

"As best I can. When do I not keep myself together?"

"I don't exactly know what is going on. All I know is that your father has somehow torn the can right off some volitile can of worms. He's working on something that he wants me to provide you the very best protection I know how to do. He seems to be hiding everyone he loves in order to protect them while he clears this up. He's telling me nothing. I've seen him a couple of times since we've been here, but he hasn't said a word that is helpful--except that we have to stay out of it and let him handle it. "

"That makes no sense."

"I know. But he is crystal clear on that much. And that's about all he's clear on. When you were getting the snot kicked out of you, he appeared, and he let her go."

"Let her go!! Is he crazy!!""

"I know, I know. But she clearly was terrified of him. They've met before. That's obvious. And he did his 'big bad evil guy' act for her. Still fairly impressive, though."

"Oh fine," she sighed. "So what do we do, then?"

"I don't see that we have a choice. I think we have to hang in until we know something more. You sure you're alright?" he brushed her cheek.

"What's with you?" she frowned. "I'm fine."

"I don't know if I know. I..." he began and stopped.

"Tell me."

"Part of me went back to when you were 16. When Remus died and I nearly lost you for good. I wasn't prepared that day, and I wasn't prepared today. I don't ever want to feel like that again."

"Brian," she said very softly. "If it's my turn, then its my turn. Stop. Just enjoy being with me now. "

"Not good enough. Not nearly good enough." He turned and left quickly. She sighed heavily, hearing him go to his room aross the hall and shut the door quietly. She didn't know what had resurrected his past pain, but she didn't like it. It wasn't like him. She needed to reach him somehow.

Ronata looked up as she heard a door slam but steven pulled her back down to him. " hes worked up best to leave him alone. She retched down to the bottle that now lay next to them on the floor "no sense in letting it go to waist " she said pouring her self a third glassstanding up she found her self wavering asshe moved a crash of thunder anounced the storms arrival and she jumped falling back onto Steven who laughed "I have to check the dinner " she said but tehn turned to face Steven " your gorguose , you know that?" she said grinning at him bottle in one adn glass in another.

Brian had to do a lot of soul searching to find himself. That had been a lot of years ago, and it surprised him to find the wounds fresh again. He had truly believed that had healed years ago. He had gotten used to spending his life alone, and now he felt like he had a family. He shared his home now with a beautiful woman and 2 beautiful little girls. It was never something he believed he would ever, ever have. He did not want to lose Khaat and Abbey and Dakota. Not ever. It didn't have to be love. He could never afford love. But Khaat was family. And that had always meant something. She was the closest thing he had to a permanent relationship. Well, Khaat and Robert and Katherine.

Khaat left Brian alone for quite awhile and then walked across the hall and let herself in, without invitation. She found him watching the waves tearing at the shore as the storm raged outside. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist. "You don't have to be alone forever, Brian. I am strong enough to stand with you."

"I know," he said softly. "I think I wasn't sure if I was strong enough to stand with you."

"Look at me," she said, turning him around. He took her face in his hands.

"I would never, ever allow you to be hurt. Not ever. You know that," he said softly.

"I do. Brian, whatever this is, whatever is going on, let's not let my father do this to us. Let's not let him tear us apart. You and I are better than this. We are. I know it. We've faced tougher. Come on. In terms of what you and I have been through, this is nothing. " He nodded. He kissed her forehead softly.

"You're right. Ok. We fight."

"When do we not?" she asked, laughing. That made him laugh. He led her downstairs, his arm around her protectively. The kitchen was empty. He helped her boil the fresh pasta, set the table, and serve up salad in bowls with fresh croutons and shavings of Parmesan cheese. They served the salad and got out the garlic bread that Khaat had toasted and served it on a platter that was covered to keep the bread warm. They would serve the spaghetti bolognese after the salad course. Brian shouted up the stairs that lunch was ready. He somewhat feared their timing might not be all that great, but if they weren't hungry, he trusted they just woudn't see them. Brian chose to make a non alcoholic sparkling drink with club soda and fresh berry juice. It was tasty and clean and fresh and delicious.

Steven walked down to the kitchen he was only in his trousers and nothing else "I don't think Ronatas hungry, well not for food anyway" he said shaking his head ans he sat down "remind me never give that woman firewhisky again" he said grinning as he ran his fingers threw his hair straigtening it out.

On an extra loud crash of thunder Ronata in her mint chamise ran hell bent into the living room and into steven "thats to close"she said realising Brian and Khaat sat at the table she loked out from where she hide "sorry, caught me of guard" she said and sat next to steven her hair just as messy as his had been. She smelt the food and smiled her face clearly blushing.

Brian and Khaat were beginning to feel like they were interruping a honeymoon instead of a four way vacation. The only graceful thing to do was to ignore it. They diverted the conversation to small talk, the storm, the trip, possible sightseeing options and more. Brian was delighted with the fresh made bolognese sauce and the fresh genuine Italian pasta. He ate more than usual, until he was pleasantly stuffed. He started to relax just a tiny bit.

He and Khaat volunteered to clean up the lunch mess after lunch was over. It would give them a way to pass the time. They definitely didn't have the same schedule for the day that Steven and Ronata apparently had. Their plans were to clean up the lunch dishes and then start planning out some additional sightseeing, something that had enough flexibility so that if Steven and Ronata wanted to continue to be, basically, newlyweds, they could enjoy some private time as well. Khaat and Brian wanted this to be a good trip for everyone.

steven ate his lunch and thought more sight seeing would be a good thing once the storm had blown over , he could see with each crash of lighting Ronata jumped trying her best not to be scared.

"steven remind me not to drink that stuff" she said feeling some what rough ocne she adh finished Steven chukled "no worries I'll remind you if it happens again" he shook his head knowing it won't "hope you don't mind, Ronata and my self , if its geting to much just say and we'll cool it down" he said hoping because they ahd relaxed enouph to finaly let there feelings for each outher truly show they were not spoliling it for the others "besides I think she's wearing me out " he said rexceving a slap on his bare chest for his words.

"Hey, its your vacation too," Brian smiled. He was not about to set any sorts of requests or limits on anyone else. Besides, it had not been that long ago when Steven was so desperate to have a companion again that he believed Steven needed to simply deal with this in whatever way he felt best. "We're all here to enjoy ourselves,"he said. "I plan to break out a backgammon board I saw down in the game room and beat Khaat soundly."

"Oh, you do, do you?" she raised her eyebrows at him. "That's because you're afraid to challenge me at billiards."

"Me? Afraid? No, I just don't want to take advantage of a wounded woman. I'd have to spot you some points to keep from you being disgraced too badly."

"You and what army!" she retorted. "You're on, Buddy! Me and you! After lunch. Looser is a teacup."

"Decide now what color you want to be," he glared at her.

Steven smiled "mind if we watch, I'll play the winner " he said grining "and red for me please Khaat" he said chukaling as again he got a dig from Ronata "yeah with out chips please " she added "so I can put him on display" now it was her turn but Steven tickled her making her laugh so much she fell in to him"ok ,ok I give" she said and he stopped, steven sat still grining at her.

Ronata composed her self and smiled " I don't mind pool my father use to play it on a fryday" she said finishing her spagetti now feeling some what hungry again. Once done she took her plate to teh kitchen and placed it in the sink "I never knew cooking could be so much fun Khaat , I'll have to go threw the cook books they have here and think of somthing to make " she said now smiling as she moved back to sit against steven and drank her non alcaholic drinkh she ahd to admit tasted way better than the firwhisky she had consumbed earlier in teh evening.

Brian led the way downstairs to the game room in the basement. There was a huge beautiful pool table there. Brian waved his hand and the pool balls set themselves in place and two cues came down from the rack. Khaat picked up a cube of cue chalk and twisted it around the tip of her cue. "Oh, look here at the pro," Brian laughed.

"Laugh all you want." she smiled sweetly.

"Ladies first," he motioned for her to go ahead and break.

"Thank you," she smiled back. Clearly the challenge was on between them. She placed the cue ball in place and aimed carefully. She realized she was hurting, and the bending over the pool table made her ribs sear in pain. She straightened, stretched gently, and tried again. She managed to sink a solid colored ball first and managed to sink several others at the same time before she surrendered her turn to Brian.

"Your turn, I believe," she said.

Brian and Khaat fought back and forth for every point. Khaat sank the last solid colored pool ball, with only one striped pool ball remaining on the table. Brian groaned, losing the war.

"Blue, please," he sighed.

"Hm...No, on second thought, I'll spare you this time, " she smiled.

"You still want to play against her?" Brian asked Steven and Ronata.

Steven and Ronata has found a comfortable seat and watched the two play , when brain turned to steven asking if he still wanted to play he chuckled "no way she's too good , I'd like to servive the night as a human " he said grining to her. Ronata lay on him now some what feeling the after effects of the drink but she still had a smile on her face "chicken" she whispered to him.

Steven looked at her "who me, nope I just don't want to face being a red tea cup till moring " he said then Ronata bounced up off his knee "I know if he loses turn him into teddy bear. " she said grinning at both brain and Khaat at teh idea of her taking a teddy Steven to bed for a night.

"well its that or the tea cup" she picked up the pool cue and held it turning she saw the balls all set out . leaning over she aimed and shot sinking the twelve, eleven and six ball , standing abck up she looked at tehm "well I did say my father played, he just taught me a little" she said grining at steven.