Out of the Fire

jess could not help but aww at the desert "sounds wonder ful and Brian don't worry we'll make sure shes afe and nobody we don't know won't get close to her " she said and finished her lunch now looking forward to the desert they had planed . "I know the owner of the store and hes great beside with so many ove us what could happen " she thn stopped rembering tusacany "ow scratch that we'll be care ful " she said with a smile as she saw Jacks look on his face "we'll be fine hun" she said caresing his hand with her own and shaking her head at his stuborness in the matter "we need things for xmas and i intend to get them with Ronata, Khaat and Angus.

Jack sighed and shok his head as she spoke of shopping "honey he could go after her again , i think its a bad idea " he looked at Brian "no ofence Angus I know your more sklilled than I but he did send men after her that came close to killing Khaat" his eyes looked at Angus then back to Brian waiting for his chewing out for being so protective of jess and khaat.

Khaat said nothing. They all made good points. "You both have have good points," Brian said. "I'll talk with Khaat about it and we'll let you know in the morning. If she's feeling confident about her abilities to handle herself while she's away from all of us, well, then I say we give her a chance. The last thing we want is to make her feel that she has to live in a box. I don't want her in danger any more than anybody else, but I don't want her afraid to be on her own either." Then he turned to look at Khaat. "Is that alright with you?"

"I wouldn't have it any other way," she said smiling. She trusted that Brian had mangled Barker enough that if a threat were to come, it most likely was not going to come from him. Even if Barker had gotten away, Brian had certainly bought her some time.

"When did you have Morrocan food, Daddy?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Me?" Robert asked. He paused to think.

"Two years ago," Brian replied. "September."

"Oh, yes," Robert responded. "He's right. That was it. This is every bit as good. What'd you do, get the recipes from that little place?"

"I did," Angus beamed. "You remembered."

"I'm not senile," Robert said laughing.

jess chuckled and smiled as they began to talk relaxed and not all shop or tensed she sat back against jack as he too puled her closer to him . She was loking forward to going shopping as a group , a gruop of woman who were more like sisters now than freinds.

Jack smiled as he held jess he loved how she relaxed against him too he lent down and kissed her cheek "what about taking the twins with you tomorrow too " he asked jesslooked at him some what suprised.

"what, so you get out of babysitting dutys no way " she said and chuckled lightly hiting his chest "you have them all dy thats what you agree to no wangling out of it Mr dark heart" shesmiled at him and then ate her desert loving how the flaovorse seem to come alive in her mouth.

"I presume you'll let me keep the girls?" Brian asked Khaat softly, brushing her cheek with the back of his hand.

"Do you want to take care of them?" she asked.

"Of course. Besides that, you deserve a day out for fun, as a grownup."

"But I'll miss them," she said.

"Well, I guess you'll just have to hurry home, then, won't you?" he smiled.

"Maybe," she shrugged. He laughed.

"Buy yourself something while you're out," he said.

"I intend to. I'm buying a Christmas tree, ornaments, lights, decorations...."

"No, no, no. Something just for you."

"Oh. Well, you might be sorry you said that."

"I doubt that."

jess chuckled at brin and Khaat and smiled "I'll make sure she does Brian" she said and looked at Jack and waiting after amoment she roled her eyes "ok jack i'll pick up the shoping while im out and i think i'll spoil myself too " she said jack looked adown at ehr and grinned.

"of course jess you always do dear " he said and kissed her lightly "make sure its not for the kids this time but you, last time she bought walkers for both twins and forgot about herself" he smiled as she pulled her close "im sure our budget ca spare it "

"I think you should buy yourself maybe something in diamonds, Jess," Khaat teased, knowing that would get Jack's attention. "I know just the place. Maybe we'll go there first since we'll be there the longest."

Brian scowled at her. "Oh, my aching checkbook," he sighed. "Try to leave a few sickles in it when you're done, Babe."

"Enough for groceries," she agreed.

"Ok, that's it. I'm going."

"No, you're not," Angus said. "I'm going to make you let go of some of that bank account good and proper, Brian."

"Now you're ganging up on me," Brian sighed. "Maybe we need to go and spy on them--Jack, Steven, and me. Make sure we they don't sell the house while we're out."

"Christmas espionage," Robert laughed. "Khaat'll find you, you know."

"She can try."

jess laughed as Khaat spoke of dimonds and the expreshion on jacks face made her evening and she could not help but laugh .

"Right Khaat , very funny , maybe a small one" he said and grinned at her and sighed as he smiled at her "besides I owe you one " he said and smiled again "Khaat make sure she does" then he ehard Brian and Angus talking and laughed "yeah an other half hunt " he said grinning as he haeard Robet say Khaat would know they were there.

Jess chuckled "ow and i so would tell your round can't mistake your calogne " she said and swaved her hand infront of ehr face .

"well if you don't like it you buy one that you like" he said tesingly at her seeing he lok on her face.

"your one jack " she said grinning "and you can wear it for a whole week" she added .

"Right, then," Angus said. "Dishes. I'll clear the table and send out the coffee. It is rather strong and spicy, so I will send out some cream for those of you who aren't perhaps into Eastern style coffees." He waved his wand to start the dishes clearing themselves. He went into the kitchen and put the Morrocan coffee in a small elegant silver pot and got out a number of elegant crystal espresso cups and saucers. Khaat had good taste. He'd seen crystal teamugs, but he'd never seen little crystal espresso cups and saucers. He took a bowl of lemon peel slices from the refrigerator, put it all on a tray, with a pitcher of cream and tiny espresso spoons and brought it out. He poured the strong cinnamon orange coffee into the tiny cups, laid a piece of lemon peel on each saucer and gave a cup to each guest.

"This is the proper way to finish a Morroccan meal," he announced.

Khaat took her piece of lemon peel and rubbed it lightly around the rim of her cup and put the peel back on her plate. Then she took a small sip of the aromatic coffee.

"Perfect, Angus," she smiled. "It's lovely. I could get to like this a lot. You will make it often for me, won't you?"

"My pleasure," he smiled.

Jess picked up her cup and blew across the top taking asip she sighed "perfect" she said in a sigh and looked at jack "what?" she said and smiled "its good " he chuckled and drank his own shaking his head a little as she drank.

Jack had to admit it was good and had toget the recipy from Angus to make when he got home with jess as a treat for her in the cold days ahead.

When the evening came to a close, Khaat watched her friends leave and head for home. She was suppressing a bit of anxiety about going out without Brian now for some reason. It bothered her. She went up to the bedroom and changed for bed. Brian came in as she came out of her dressing room and chose a book to read a bit before she tried to unwind to go to sleep.

"What's bothering you?" Brian asked her.

"Tomorrow. Being without you. What's wrong with me, Brian? I used to be so unafraid. I knew there were evils out there, but I never was afraid of it. And now, I don't want to go without you."

"You don't have to, you know. I can go with you."

"I feel like I have something to prove. Like I have to do this."

"Then try it. If it gets to be too much, come home," he said gently.

"I shouldn't try to stay? Stick it out?"

"No. Come back and get me. I'll go with you."

"Thank you," she smiled.