I May Look Old, But I Can Still Kick Your Arse

Brian wanted to spend time to unlock whatever issue Jack had, but MIs's life hung in the balance. He turned instead and apparated to the surgical suite. He took over, uninvited and did the necessary surgery in order to save her life.

She had lost a great deal of blood. He had to retrieve the multiple bullets and repair the tissue damage, try to replace as much blood as magic would allow, and close the wounds, and seal them from infection. It had all taken time. But she would indeed live.

He instructed that she was to be listed in serious condition and to be placed in the trauma wing under very close watch, to be sure that she recovered well from her surgery. He left instructions with generous pain potions and spells, healing spells, and other things to speed her healing. And then, he added sleeping potions and spells, nerve tonics and calming spells and other things to make her more comfortable. It was standard for anyone who had suffered such massive trauma, and Brian, even though he didnt' know Miseria well, he already loved her. He wanted her cared for with the best that the hospital had to offer.

He left strict instructions that he or Chief of Staff Lupin was to be notified the instant she either woke or changed her condition in any manner whatsoever. Then he decided to return to Jack and see if Jack was feeling any better. It had been hours. The sun was coming up. The night was finally waning. As he walked back down the hallways towards the emergency rooms, he could see the sunshine starting to come in the windows.

"Are you ready to go for a break and some coffee yet?" he asked Jack. "I'd offer you to go home to sleep, but I don't know if you'd' go."

Jack heard Brian's voice and looked up slowly "coffee sounds good and no I would not go " he said looking into Khaats room then back at Brian "she's stable though shes not said anything yet" he fround and growled " something doesn't feel right about her like part of her is missing or lost i can feel it " he said moving from the door way his eyes loking back at her sleeping.

"I'll tell you more when I get an update from Robert. I..haven't had a chance," Brian said honestly. He wanted more than anything to see her. He hadn't had a chance yet. Rob had been there with her. He didn't want to intrude but if he didn't get the chance soon, he was going to walk in an reclaim his lady from her ex. And they were legally separated, so Rob Dent was, in fact, her ex, by her own choice. And she was choosing Brian. Surely she would not be that dmaged that she would forget that all.

"Go get your coffee," Brian told him softly. "I want to be here right now anyway. Stop the anger, Jack. It does no good right now, and Khaat will pick up on it when she sees you. She doesn't need it. Do me a favor. Go home. Tell Jess Khaat's alright. Get your coffee there and a bite of breakfast and some fresh clothes. I...couldn't be anywhere else if I tried. Please...I need to feel like Khaat still has a need for me in her life. I need to do this job for awhile."

He truly needed Jack to let him guard her. To feel like he was welcome in Khaat's life still. Brian's insecurities were raging inside him right now. What if Robert or Khaat now blamed him for all of this now that the crisis was off? What if it was his fault that Khaat had been taken in the first place? It haunted him.

Jack sighed at Brian’s request of returning home he really could use a shower and some fresh clothes and to feel jess’s arms around him again.
“I could use a shower “ he said now feeling calmer in himself “ If it is an order then I’ll go I don’t want Michael thinking I deserted my post “ he knew Brian and Michael and Robert were all above him but this was his job and his life .

With the sting of his shoulder telling him it needed to be cleaned he nodded to him “ok, I will be back as soon as I am washed and clean “ he said with a final glance to Khaat. Steven and Ronata he saw stood not far away Steven nodded that it was ok for him to take a few hours for himself to clean up.

Brian pulled up a chair to right next to Khaat's door and sat down. He was getting another one of those headaches. He hadn't had one for a long, long time. His coffee was cold. He needed a shave. He wanted a shower. He wanted Khaat. And to be truthful, he wanted either a good cry, or a glass of firewhiskey. And he wanted a smoke. He looked up to see Robert coming towards him. Oh, good. He was about to be fired now too.

Robert reached the troubled young leader and looked at Brian. He knew Brian like he would have known his own son. He laid his hand on Brian's shoulder. "Stop it," he said to Brian softly. "These things just happen to our family. That's all there is to it. You know that."

Brian looked up at him, feeling more questions than answers. He stood up to face him eye to eye. If Robert wanted to fire him, he was man enough to take it. Robert frowned at him. The boy wasn't getting it. He took a step and wrapped Brian in a fatherly embrace. He felt Brian cling to him there for a moment. Brian hadn't done that since he was a child. Robert could even remember the exact moment. "Son," Robert said very softly in his ear, "You have never, and you will never fail me or our family. Get ahold of yourself. Khaat is alive because you were persistent. And you're exhausted. Do me a huge favor. Go home long enough to shower and shave and get fresh clothes. And them come right back. Okay?" Brian nodded.
"That's my boy. I'll be here. You can go for a little bit. I promise." Brian apparated out.

"When he gets back, I want you two go to get food and clean clothes and maybe some sleep. I don't know when you two slept last," Robert said. "We'll cover."

Steven and Ronata nodded feeling a little more than dirty too “yes sir” they said together and Ronata chuckled. “what about you sir, you all right?” Ronata asked moving to face Robert as Steven grabbed there coats from the back of the chair they had been sat on .
Steven slipped his arms around Ronata as he stood behind her as she spoke watching the older mans face “she will be ok, won’t she Robert ?” he asked he then glanced into the room before taking Ronata‘s hand and leading her down the corridor.

Aperating home he made sure he went to the bathroom ran the soon he felt Ronata slid her arms around him “so you ok?” she asked as they stepped into the shower.
Several hours later Ronata and Steven returned to the hospital clean and both smiling and laughing as they walked down to the room where Khaat sat .

Brian had been home and had changed, shaved, tended all the animals, but did it partly to work off his anger and frustration with himself. He had brought Archangel back with him, hoping that Khaat might enjoy seeing him. Archangel always cheered her up.

Brian had fixed a bag for her too, and he knew that if anyone would have looked in his bag, they would have wondered if he had packed for the Queen herself. He had reduced everything and when Rob had stepped out, he had gone in and had, basically, redecorated the room for her, filling it with all her favorite things. Escept one. He had deliberately not brought Remus's portrait. That, he knew, would be far too painful for her right now. While she slept, he had deepened her sleep with a deep sleep spell, and had changed her into her own glamorous silk gown, had changed the sheets to crisp white Egyptian cotton ones trimmed in handmade Irish lace and ribbons and seed pearls. He'd found cashmere blankets for her, and had bought her the best of everything. The plastic water glass had been replaced with a crystal one. He'd filled the room with roses at every turn. He placed delicately scented candles around the room, and put a bowl of her favorite chocolate truffles on the bedside table.

He wanted her to know she was as far from being in hell as she could be. He wanted her to remember she was loved. Much.

Jack walked back and smile as he saw the changed room “nice going Brian” he said “Jess’s coming a bit later to visit she’s kind of busy with the boys “ he said and smiled seeing Steven and Ronata stood holding each other he was glad they were back together and Ronata being stronger in a good way for if they hadn’t Jess could have knocked their heads together.

He moved into the room where Khaat slept and he smiled Glad she was back with Brian again though he was sadden buy the state they had found her in.

"I want Khaat to remember and never forget, ever again, that she's safe with me. I screwed up. I should have been here for her. And I know I'm grateful that Rob was there for her, but, damn. What if she never forgives me? I swear, if we get her back, the old Khaat, she's going to live 5 star for the rest of her life. I swear right now. She'll never want for anything ever again. The physical wounds are one thing. Those will mend. Lupins get used to that. But, what they've done to her heart, her spirit, I swear I'm gonna kill them for that. They've gone too far. Even for them. They wanted my attention, well, by God, they've got it now. They had Robert's a long time ago, but Robert didn't read me in. But believe me, I'm feeling as fully up to speed on things as I think I want to be at the moment. I'm not sure who I want first--Gelding, Burke, or Barber. But I'm gonna get 'em all. And I will do whatever it takes to get Khaat back." He needed to know that Khaat hadn't given up on him. He desperately needed to know if she still loved him. That frightened him more than any dark arts spell or entity he would ever encounter.

Jack looked at him and lightly tapped his shoulder “you did nothing wrong “ he said softly “if anything I will join you with dispatching those three I think of her as a sister “ he admitted “But it was not your fault so quite beating your self up , besides that’s my job “ he said grinning as he rubbed the back of his neck “besides Jess would kill me first if I didn’t do my job “ he couldn’t help sigh ”you are the one she wants and loves I’m sure she’ll tell you that when she wakes now quite worrying”