Candlelight for Four

Khaat was more than satisfied with dinner, and the server offered a tray of various desserts for them to select from. Khaat chose the Pumpkin Creme Brulee. Brian chose a chocolate lava cake with a bourbon caramel sauce. They didn't typically get dessert, but it sounded really good tonight for a change, and they both had a bit of a sweet tooth. They just didn't give into it very much.

The live band started to play and some of the couples went out to the dance floor. "Save room for dancing," Brian told her.

"Dancing?" she asked.

"Do you think I'm going to let you hide that dress at the table? Not a chance. When dessert is over, we need to dance."

Jess looked at jack and shok her head 2don't yuou even..." she didn't finiosh as jack pulled her to her feet her dress moving with ehr as she was swept onto the dance floor and into his arms "you can't dance ...or can you?" she asked seeing the cheeky grin spread across his face as he moved her in to position .

Jess looked across at Khaat "and you though you have problems " she said and chuckled lightly as the music began and jack swept her of her feet and around the dance floor her heart pounding as she smiled loving ly at him as they moved she ahd never had such a day or evening for that matter and she loved it watching Khaat and Brian she coulf eel a blush come to her cheeks at reveling such an intemat feeling to them both , she remebered thay had been at a dance once before "you preposed to me at adance " she said softly.

Jack pulled back and loked at her smiling "yes it was the spring dance " he said and kissed her hapy she ahd remebered that one small detail finally.

Khaat let Brian tak her dancing. It was something they didn't get the chance to do very often nowdays for some reason. She liked curling close to him and liked how safe she felt when she was with him. He had his arms wrapped around her, and she liked the feel of his heartbeat against her cheek.

"Khaat," he said very softly in her ear, "I am so very sorry I wasn't there for you. I should have been I should have been the one to get you out..."

"Stop," she told him,"I Don't care how I got out. I only care that you're still here."

"Me? Why wouldn't I be?" he frowned. "Did you think I wouldn't be?"

"I..wasn't sure I'd be worth coming back to," she said barely loud enough for him to even here.

"I won't leave you. You know I won't."

"I'm glad Remus was there for you."

"Remus?"

"You didn't know?" he asked. "He's been trying to send his presence to you and your father both during this whole thing in order to be there for you. What did you think the Turkish cologne was all about? Did you think you were losing your mind or something?"

"I...I guess I did."

"No. You're not. We'll sort it out. One piece at a time."

"I'm not sure I want to."

"Don't push. It'll come. You've only been back a few days really. Be patient."

"Can you?"

"As long as it takes, Baby. I promise."


"Then we don't have a problem," she said

jess could not help giggle as jack found her one tikalish spot and she almost fell with his fingers tickeling her "stop that " she laughed but he held her tight loving her laugter it was something he had not heard i along time from her , something he ahd mised all those years ago.

"you need to relax more jess2 he said as she smiled up at him.

Jess sighed still smiling up at6 him she fel herself relax once more against him "yeah i realy should do this more often , gess the kids keep me busy " she said and smiled as he lent down and lightly kissed her .

Khaat couldn't believe she was feeling love again. She had couldn't believe that her heart sang again when Brian was there. She had tried to tell herself she was not going to love again. And certainly she wasnt' going to love Brian. Not that way, anyway. He stopped them on the dance floor and kissed her very slowly and deeply. It was so wonderful, she felt her head spinning. She hadn't felt that way for a very long time.

"I don't ever want to be without you again," she said softly. "Not ever."

"You won't be. And I swear. I promise. If something ever happens again, I' wont' stop looking until I find you."

"You didn't stop this time either, did you?" she asked, nuzzling him.

"No," he admitted.

"Thats more than good enough in my book. Really. Just promise me tonight won't ever end?"

"I promise," he smiled. "I am magic, you know."

jess sighed as jack held her but he shoe4s werre new and strted to pintch her Jack felt her tensing and poicked her up in his arms "ok nuf dancing your shose hurt you am I right?" he asked carrying her to the table and sitting her down at it.

"aww yes I fogot how new shoes can hurt your feet " she said sliping them off much to the concerge 's disaproving looks at her she stuck her tounge out at him and laughed as he sat down with her.

"you should stay off your feel and quite working so hard look at brian and Khat there happy" jack said taking her hand in his his thumb brushing over her's as he held it "you know I don't think i told you tonight you look beautiful " he said jess blushed at his words

"well thank you but your looking rather hansome your self " she said and kissed him lightly her hand cressing his cheek "Jack you should take some of your own advice " she said "your working too hard and I don't want you working into a grave" she said voicing her worried for the first time.

jack smiled at her "I won't its just till i have something finished " he held her tight against him.

"something to do with Khaat ?" she asked then became confused as she saw him shake his head.

"no, something to do with you ad

"Is there anything that would make tongiht more perfect? Anythign you want to do yet?" Brian asked her.

She thought a moment and then began to laugh, nuzzling his chest. The sound of her laughter made him laugh. It had been since before she was taken that she had laughed. Really laughed.

"What?" he asked.

"No. You'll think I'm silly."

"What?" he said, now laughing gently at her. Her laughter was contagious. "Tell me. Can we afford it?"

She nodded.

"Then I don't care," he said, "What is it?" She stood on her tiptoes and whispered softly in his ear. As she spoke, his face lit up, and he leaned his head back and laughed heartily. "Suppose Jack and Jess are game?"
She shrugged, uncertain. "Well, lets go find out." He took her hand and led her back towards the table.

jess smiled seing Khaat walk over with a smiling Brian " sorry my fet hurt, and no before you ask he didn't stand on them " she held up her shoes "there new " she said and saw Jack grin "don't you say one word , if sore feet is all I get then the nights been good to me" she said and smiled .

Jack sat next to jess and chuckled at her remark "hey was I about to say anything , nope" he said and reaised his hands in surrender "ok so the night is still young got any plans ?" he asked his arm now draped over jess's shoulder as he waited to see if they did he was not going to head back home yet he would take jess on a beach walk if he ahd to , just to make the night longer for her.

"Well, actually," Brian said, laughing, "Khaat does have an idea. And you're welcome to come. But two questions. First, you have any muggle money on you? If not, I probably have enough to cover us. And second, how adventurous are you two, exactly?"

The server came over to the table and asked them if they wanted anything more, and Brian declined for them. He got the tab from the server, took just a quick glance at it, and took just a moemtn to pay the bill, leaving a very healthy tip. He looked back at Jess and Jack, "My treat," he told them. "You have no idea how very much I appreciate you helping Khaat get her life back. Thank you. It's worth every sickle."

"You know, Khaat, we'll have to pass as muggles," Brian said, his eyes sparkling. Khaat grinned.

"I know. You think you remember how?" she asked.

"I do, but your evening cloak will have to be changed to a coat. That cloak won't work."

"I know. I needed a new muggle winter coat anyway," she said.

jess loked at Brian with a 'what you up' to look she was curiose "ow its ok its what good freinds do for each other, she did it for me when i came back " she said moving to stand with khaat wondering just what they had planned " sure we can do tht easlily " she said a dn trasphigured her cloat to a red short coat "will this do ?2 she asked grining as Jack walked over wearing a black puffed up coat "humm nice " she said not quite sure about it but if he liked it she would go with it for now.

Jack tranphigured his cloak and smiled as he saw jess in hers "very slender " he said trying not to tickle her again as he moved to slid his arm around ehr waist "so we ready and are you two going to let us in as to where we're going ? " not that he was bothered where ever it was he knew it would be allright.