To Hell and Back

Jack pulled a small table to the bed and set it up watching as she moved to get a fresh cup of coffee. He looked at Robert puzzled as to why she hadn't spoken but he just sighed and continued to wait for her to return so they could put the puzzel togther he just sat wondering why she had not spoke with one last though he let it drop putting ti down to stress as he moved the pices on the bard in front of him.

Robert saw Jack wondering. "Something happened while she was gone that she just cannot talk about. There's nothing medically wrong with her voice. It's some sort of psychological reaction from something she went through while she was away from us," Robert said. "I don't know for certain if she had, for some reason, to force herself not to speak and she's really locked herself up tight about it in order to survive. Or, if whatever happened was too ugly for her to face. Either way, it's because fo some sort of ugliness."

His words were directed to Jack but he was watching her go refill her pumpkin spiced tea. Somehow he needed to find the key to helping her let loose of whatever hell she was keeping inside herself. He sighed heavily. "Watch that you don't let her get too far into her own thinking. She could spend too much time reliving all that and drive herself back into the state of shock Rob found her in. Keep her in the present if you can. That will help."

he listened to Robert and nodded he under stood that he'd sen sevral aurors go threw something similer when he worked fgor them "yes sir i'll try " he said looking at her he was thinking jess could help "sir do you think jess coming might help?" he asked thinking her enthusiasum might help keep her ocupied and in the hear and now.

"Maybe," Robert said. "It depends on whether Jess can cope with being close to Khaat right now while she's so different. Or whether it will remind her of her own missing time. If Jess isn't healed enough, it could do far more harm than good to both of them. Jess has to know right up front what she'd be dealing with before she comes. She needs to know if she can cope with it or not. Its totally up to her. If you think she can handle it, then by all means, go home and talk to her. Khaat might enjoy it. I think right now she's feeling very alone. I think we might all be tempted to feel the same way if we were in her shoes. I think she knows we care, but we haven't been in her shoes. So we don't really get it like she'd like us to. It's worth a thought, Jack."

Jack nodded "I'll talk to her later " hes aid and nodded "yes I understand and will leave it up to jess to decide though " he siad an fit another peice into the puzzel "ah thats a corner i knew it" he looked at Robert "sorry " he said and became a little embaressd he was acting so relaxed on duty. He looked back down at the board and pushed a few around till he found several that could fit.

Khaat went over, with her teamug and sat down at the table. Robert went over to her and whispered in her ear softly to make her laugh, "Don't you cheat, or I'll make the pieces come apart and you'll have to start all over again." She looked up at him, surprised.

"Don't think for one moment I don't know that you cheat," he laughed. She smiled at him innocently. "You are not that innocent, Khaat Karina Lupin." She crossed her heart with her finger to show she was going to be honest this time.

"You'd better be," he said. He picked up a piece and hooked it onto Jack's corner piece. "Get working. You have 4,998 pieces to go." She began scanning the pieces and sorting through them. She found the three other corner pieces and began sorting out border pieces.

jackchuckled seeing the interaction b3tween robert and Khaat it was good to see her smile again he just wish she was her self for Brian's sake he knew inside Brian was blaming himself as he knew he would if it was jess. He picked up a pice and lay it dopwn realiding it didn't fit he moved it lesving Khaat to sortr it outr to him she realy was good at it. He sat back seeing one pice he picked it up and placed it it it kined two halves of the top boarder and he grined triufantily.

Khaat was pleased. The top border was complete. She began just fiddling with some of the other border pieces. Part of her was really enjoying it. The other part of her felt like she was just killing time, but she didn't know what she was waiting for. It felt like she was waiting on 'the other shoe to drop' about something.

"Khaat," Brian called softly, "Baby, we really do need to get you some food. You have not had any food in...well, we don't know how long. You really do need to get something to eat." She shook her head.

"Don't worry," her mother smiled. "I know just the thing. Leave it to me. Robert, make yourself useful. I can use you in the kitchen. Stop hovering and come help me." She took hold of him and dragged him into the kitchen with her.

Khaat barely noticed them leave, and Brian did pick up on that. He didn't say a syllable, but he fully intended on hovering. He saw her working with a piee that wasn't remotely related to the other. Her mind was andering again. "Babe," he said, picking up a different piece. "try that one. " She looked at the pieces and tossed the misfit piece aside for the proper one that he had given her.

Jack sighed and placed a peice in the puzzel he looked up at Robert and Katherin leaving and wondered if he should he decided to stay put and continue the puzzel he could see the distant look on her face and sigfhed looking at Brian as he wondered again if he would be best to stand and leave he choise again to stay put , he would till orderd other wise it wa then he ahd an idea .

"listen if its ok with you Brian, i want to fetch Jess " he said standing and moving to the the door he waited to see what Brian would say "I have a feeling she could help even a little"

"That's fine," Brian said. "I think Khaat would like to see Jess. They seem to always be very good for each other. Might be a good idea. Just make sure you catch her up before you bring her. I don't think surprises are a good thing right now for either of them"

Khaat didn't look up. She felt like she was unnecessarily stressing her friends and that perhaps no one would really understand. She was feeling like she was under a microsope and that the more she tried to become invisible, the more uncomfortable those around her became. She tried to force herself, even harder, to concentrate on the puzzle and connected the pieces of the bottom border together. Brian sat down in Jack's chair to keep her company while Jack was gone. He began working with her to try to assemble the side borders.