Tuscany Trip

Khaat was glad to be back safely with Steven and Brian again. "Thank you," she said softly. "I'm glad you're not who I thought you were. I think I finally got her enough that she had no choice but to pull back or die from bloodloss. I don't think I'm hurt. I think I"m just tired."

"I will determine that for myself," Brian said quietly, still angry with her, and in fact, he was allowing him to be angry now more than before at seeing she was still alive and breathing and able to talk coherently to them. He knelt and laid his hand on her forehead and paused there for a very long moment. "Nothing more than a couple minor grazes. You were far, far more lucky than you know. Do you have even the slightest idea what Remus would be doing right now if he would have been here, Khaat?"

"He'd have hugged me and told me how very glad he was to see me," she said.

"Oh, you really think so, do you?" his eyes flashed at her. "Did yo hit your head in this, did you? I really, really think you give him far too much credit. He did not have that much patience for foolishness. I know bloody well what you were thinking, but I'm still going to kill you when we get back."

"Can I have a glass of water first before you kill me?" she asked. "Dueling is hot, thirsty work."

He opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again quickly. He was not willing to say the angry words that were going through his mind. Instead he picked her up. "Steven, did you see any sort of evidence or anything we need to clean up before we leave? We don't need any muggles to see something they shouldn't--if they didn't already."

Steven looked around the area he spotted something laid close to where he had found Khaat and picked it up it was a wand not Khaat's , but he could not leave it laying around on the ground. holding it he moved back to where they were "only this , everything else is ok to be left it will look like a party's been here" he said holding it out to Brian "do you want to take care of this COB or shall i dispose of it?" he looked at both of them knowing and seeing Brian wasn't best pleased.

He sighed "I think we should get back before the sun comes up " he said pointing to a faint glow on the horizon just causing a thin red glow.

"I'll check it, but then if anybody wants it, they can have it," Brian said. "Wands are very common dueling spoils. Personally, I have enough of them to choke a horse. I only want my own."

"I'm not interested in it," Khaat said. She hadn't fought to gain a wand, and she knew no one thought she had. She was merely making a statement.

"Home sounds wonderful," Brian said. "We'll meet you there, Steven." He apparated back into the living room with Khaat in his arms. "You want to sit first?" he asked her, trying to soften his anger towards her.

"Please?" Khaat asked. Brian placed her on the living room sofa.

"She's fine, Ronata," Brian told her. "Just really, really tired. She's simply worn herself out. I think she would really like something cold to drink. She's thirsty. What would you like, Khaat? Muggle soda?"

"No," Khaat shook her head. "No thanks. Just ice water, please?"

steven looked at the wand and slipped it into his pocket now in the semi light he glanced around birds had moved into the divets left buy the shots and he smiled seeing the sea gull right in the middle , with a bow to him it waddles into a large divet and sat down. Steven smiled and then aperated back to the villa.

Ronata jumped a little when she saw Brian apperated right in front of her with Khaat in his arms but breathed out when he said she was fine. Quickly she pored a glass of Ice water and walked over to her "here " she said holding it out, she looked behind her when she heard Steven appeared behind her. "I have to get use to you just popping off. " she said and moved to hold Steven " but please no more , this is a holiday , or it was" she said she would have spoke again if not for Steven kissing her .

"now you can stop that right now " he said to her and smiled as she nodded " we're fine and were in no danger , if you are to work for the organisation you have to accept we will be doing that a lot" He saw Ronata nod again.

"Khaat there are fresh sheets on your bed when your ready to rest a bit" she said facing her " and plenty of ice water too"

"Oh, thank you," Khaat said, grateful for both the water and her kindness at thinking of fresh sheets. Actually, crisp fresh sheets were sounding very good. The ice water was a blessing, and she could feel its relief instantly.

"I don't think she'll be back for awhile," Khaat said quietly. "I think I slowed her down for at least a few days. She believed more in her shields than in practical cover. I like shields too, but I also think sometimes a big boulder can be a marvelous shield just as well."

"Well, it looked like she blew several of those practical shields of yours apart," Brian sayd dryly.

"She did, but think about it this way, she could not maintina a shield forever. She took far more damage than I did. And--all that blood you found? That was NOT mine. You will notice I might have a few little nicks, but nothing like that."

"So you're saying you won, then?"

"I do have her wand, Brian," she looked at him. "And she left full of holes. Yes. I won. Flat out."

Brian cast a sideways glance over at Steven and shook his head. "Shall I kill her now or later? Better that I do it than Robert. That could really be a lot uglier than if I give her what for. "

"Look, I know you're angry, but...."

"You don't have a clue!" he burst at her. "That was stupid thing to do to go off and fight her alone when there were 3 other people here to back you up!..."

"And you don't have one single clue as to why I did it," she cut him off sharply, her voice quiet, calm and iron firm.

Steven felt Ronata want to go to her but held her "he's doing it because he has a point" he said softly to her , "its not good to fight some one with that strength, when your weakened , even if she did win" he continued watching as Brian continued at Khaat "may be she should rest and regain her strength then you can rip her to shreds before her father does" he said as Brian asked him his opinion.

Ronata wanted to walk over to Khaat and comfort her but Steven's arms held her , as he spoke she knew he was right to a point but she was clearly exhausted and needed rest " I agree let her rest first then scold her" she said moving to make a jug of ice water to stand at the side of the bed should Khaat need it in the night.

"Khaat," Brian sighed, "I know why you did it. I've done the same sort of thing myself. We've both been just plain lucky that we weren't offed by racing away from our backup in order to...."

"I get it," she said, covering her mouth to hide a yawn. She began to realize she ached everywhere and she was more tired than she could ever remember of in her life. She laid her head against the back of the sofa. She sighed heavily.

"Enough," Brian said. "You really, really do need to get some sleep, Babe. Nobody fights in hand to hand combat for that many hours without needing some serious shuteye. You know that."

"I guess I do," she said, her eyes getting heavy already.

"Up to bed," Brian said, coming back over to her. "Now." He picked her up again. "I'll be back, Guys," he said to Steven and Ronata. He took Khaat upstairs. He felt her lay her head on his shoulder when he started up the stairs. By the time he got her to her room and was ready to lay her in the bed, she was in an exhausted sleep, curled into his neck. He sighed heavily. He laid her in the bed, took her shoes off her and set the shoes on the floor. He simply covered her, clothes and all, and turned off the light. He left the door ajar so that he could keep an eye on her, and returned downstairs. "She never even made it for her head to hit the pillow," he said. "I don't know what you cooked, Ronata, but I think I do need to get something to eat before I try to go to sleep, now that I'm sure Khaat's alright. It smells delicious."

Steven sighed seeing Khaat exhaustedly lay her head on the chair . he still held onto Ronata again but let her go when she said she had to check the meal she had prepared moving to sit on a stool facing her "smells wonderful " he said she smiled up at him.

Ronata opened the over and smelt the wonderful fragrance coming from the oven. looking back up as Brian spoke she nodded "I gathered as much , let her sleep now" Lifting the dish from the oven she placed it in front of both men and smiled "its a sausage casserole with plenta" she said proudly I made it from what I found in the freezer and cupboards, I hope its ok " she said dishing it up and handing a plate to each man.

"Thank you, 'Brian said, "I'm sure its great. It smells good, anyway. I wish Khaat had stayed awake long enoug h to eat, but I don't think she'd have stayed awake any more if she'd still bee dueling. I think she' d have gone to sleep on her feet. " He picked up his fork and took a bite. "Its good. I suggest we all get some sleep when we're done eating. It's been a very long night waiting. I'm not sure who had it worse--Khaat, or us for having to wait on her and not know if she was alright or not. That is as tiring as dueling."

He stifled a yawn. "I suggest we all sleep in. I want you two to get a good night's sleep so that if I need someone to give me a bit of a break later. You both realize, don't you, that Robert has made this very clear thiat this is a bodyguarding assignment, right? He's deliberately hiding Khaat for some reason and he does not want us to know what his reason is. I am going to own the responsibility for this. But I might need the two of you to give me a bit of a break if I need to sleep. I am not going to let anything like the last 48 hours happen again. Not on my watch. "

Ronata smiled at Brain when he said her cooking was good "I'll keep some for tomorrow " she said sliding the dish into the oven covered. She looked at Steven as Brian said it was now a bodyguarding assignment than a holiday her eyes looking right at Steven .

Steven smiled tasting Ronata sausage and plenta casserole , he smiled at her then looked at Brian nodding "yes its quite clear COB" he said we can take the first shift now if you want so you can sleep I can help tidy up out here with Ronata" he suggested "then at midnight we can change" he looked at Ro. noticing the look on her face witch changed to a nod and smile.