The Ties That Bind

Steven stood on the balconey his arms resting on the balcony rail as he listened to Brian he could see his point but he hated that fact that rob would see him as Brians lacky and he hated that fact . Jack shook his head but remained silant watching him walk to the kitchen and jess.

" Im going to take jess home tomorrow " he said to steven " you do what you want, but shes coming with me ,I can't stay with that man in this house knowing what he did to Khaat " he said " and Brian wants us to act like ...like survants infront of him, if i wanted to do that i would have joined the restaraunt " he gave a growl and steven turned to face him with a sigh.

"Jack ,i know how you feel but they arin't going to stay long , or so I hope " he said glancing into the kitchen where jess sat quiet " maybe you should take her home if your that certain" Jack nodded as he motioned to the window where they could see two giurls walk in to the kitchen.

Jess looked up as she heard two female voices speack to her brushing her hair from her face she nodded and took down the tea bags and made two fresh cups and placing them in fromt of them along with milk and suger.

" ushualy I don't let it get to me, but todays been a strange day all round and its wore me down ."she said and sat back down with her own cup of coffee now held in her hand as she looked at them.

Abbey recognised him. Again, Rob couldn't believe that to be true. Her babbling sort of made sense. He got the point she was trying to make -- sort of. Well, he tried to get it anyway. Rob continued to smile as she filled him in about her day, one hand gripping his t-shirt, the other resting on his arm. Rob made a face in response to one 'sentence' and Abbey giggled before launching into another monologue of babbles. Honestly, Rob loved it. He listened to every kind-of-word and nodded every once in a while, questioning her gently with universal questions such as "and then what happened?" and "what did you do next?" Abbey replied to all without difficulty -- it was just a shame he didn't understand all of it.

As tempting as it was to try out a language scrambler on her, he chose not to. It was better that way, Rob figured. It added charm.

"They're avoiding me aren't they?" Rob asked Khaat quietly, already knowing the answer. Every time Jack and Jess and their motley crew were around when he was, they slunk off into the shadows and barely interacted with him or anyone else until he left. Rob didn't want to stay long if this was the frosty reception he was going to receive. He'd take Eli and the rest home in a couple of days time perhaps. He knew how much they hated the states -- Rob did too -- and it was probably best to get them back to Bulgaria before someone figured out they were gone.

Harry, roused from his sleep by the baby chatter, threw himself out of the armchair. He wandered into the kitchen, his long legs making short work of the floor, and leaned over his sister so he could snatch away the cup of coffee that Lorelei had reached for. The dark-haired girl gave a cry of indignation and whipped around to glare at him. Harry smirked and lifted the mug to her before bringing the rim to his lips.

"Arsehole." She muttered, reaching for another cup.

"But I'm an attractive arsehole," Harry returned with a smile after swallowing a mouthful of coffee.

"Modest, too." Elisabeth joined in.

Harry pursed his lips and pretended to be offended. "Dear sister, how you wound me so."

"Whatever," she scoffed.

Lorelei rolled her eyes and looked at the woman once more. She held out her hand for the woman to shake and managed one of her more charming smiles.

"I am Lorelei Krum," she introduced herself. "I am Elijah's cousin. My brothers - Georgio and Gustav - are on the floor. Their," she gestured to Elisabeth and Harry, "brothers are on the couch snoring their lives away -- Finn and Euan. Oh and of course, Elisabeth," she gestured to the dark haired girl in question before gesturing to Harry, "And Harry. Well, Henry. Everyone calls him Harry though."

"Don't mention strange," Harry shook his head, smiling. "It's been bizarre for us too. Still, Finn didn't mean anything by it. He hates coffee as a rule and makes sure everyone knows it. It was nothing against you personally."

"Of course they're avoiding you," Khaat said softly but gently. "They have a hard time wrapping their minds around the fact that you and I and Brian can be in the same room and not kill each other. They also know that I'm pregnant again--with our child. You did tell Eli, didn't you? Or did I just rather stun the boy? Its all hard for them to grasp. Oh, and that word she keeps saying? That's her word for cookie. Not that she needs cookies at this time of night. But I'll make an exception this once." She went into the kitchen and saw the the Krums were working at making amends to Jess, so she left it alone. She got bottles for the girls. Much as they used sippy cups during the day, they still liked bottles at night for the security of it. She got them each a bottle of milk and a baby cookie. She brought them back and gave them each a bottle and a cookie.

Abbey began to offer her cookie to Rob, wanting to share it with them. Dakota, on the other hand, took to her bottle and hurled her cookie down to the floor to Max instead. Then she cuddled into Eli's chest, contented with drinking her milk.

"Max does not need your cookie," Robert said, picking up the cookie from the floor. Dakota began doing her best to protest Robert's decision.

"She and Max are quite attached to each other, Eli," Khaat laughed. She went over, broke off a tiny bite of the cookie and gave it to Max. That did seem to appease Dakota who curled back into Eli's chest happily.

Steven looked at Jack and shook his head " does she know you want her to go home?" he asked glaning threw the window at jess inside. Jack shook his head and folded his arms aonce more.

Jess looked at the girl and nodded " Jessica dark heart, I...I'm kinda the cook " she said " But i do ther things too around here" she took hr hand and shook it " pleasure to meet you Lorelei " she said and pored her a fresh cup of coffee " that out side is steven walker a fellow asosiate and looking rather annoyed is jack black heart my husband " she said and rolled her eyes and sighed. Moving to the fridge she took out an airtight container and offered them a cookie each " fresh baked this morning" she said smiling " ow and I didn't take it personaly but he should watch his langage around abby and dakota ther at that impreshnable stage and might reapeat any words said more than once " she said placing teh tim down on the table.

" she will when i tell her later " jack said to steven who walked to face him his hands resting on jack's shoulders as he spoke calmly to him.

" Jack calm down go for a run on the obsticel coruse do something to calm down before Robert sees you and sends you home " he said and pointed down to the course below. Jack aperated away down to teh course not sure how it sould help. Steven breathed out and walked into teh kitchen smiling " wow cookies , evening " he said and took one to eat as he moved into the living room. He didn't sit but stood looking at brian and Robert and nodded with a slight up turned smile on his face as he took a bite of his cookie.

Lorelei cast her eyes around the kitchen. She didn't go in kitchens often. She didn't see the need to. The fact that this woman was a cook baffled Lorelei. She stared quizzically at the woman, nearly losing grip of her mug as she lost touch for a few moments. Harry wound his hand around the cup and blew on her face, bringing Lorelei back to planet earth. He smiled at her and dropped a kiss to her forehead before releasing the mug into her more than capable hands.

Lorelei smiled at Harry - a rarity - and her cheeks reddened a little. She looked over at the men 'Jess' was talking about and she sat up a little straighter in her chair so she could observe them. She watched as they came inside and one was sent down to the obstacle course outside. Lorelei slipped off of her stool and walked over to the window to watch the man below.

"He's rather strong," she commented, glancing over her shoulder at Jessica.

Harry waltzed over, throwing his arm around her waist. His hand came to rest on her stomach and he smirked, leaning forward to brush her jaw with his lips. "Not as strong as I am, love." he breathed in her ear. Lorelei shivered against him and that did not go unnoticed by Elisabeth or Elijah who had just walked into the kitchen.

A spike of jealousy bit at Elijah but he said nothing because amusement overtook that feeling moments later. "Watch her Harry. She'll cut your balls off." He rubbed Dakota's back and picked up one of the cookies. He bit it and held it out for Elisabeth to take so he could get a better grip on the sleepy child. "Is she asleep yet?" He asked Lis.

"Yeah." Elisabeth smiled and took a bite out of the cookie. "Aren't you just a cuddly little father figure? Maybe I should let you hold me once in a while."

"Don't joke about that, Lis. Your mother would kill me." Elijah smirked. "Khaat? Do you think Dakota should be put to bed?" he asked, turning around to look at his guardian through the doorway.

"Yes, please," Khaat said. "This way. Rob, do you want to put Abbey to bed?" She knew he had never had that experience, and she wanted that for him. "Abbey and Dakota are sharing the same nursery," she told Rob. She led the way upstairs to the second door on the left--the room that they had made into a nursery for the girls. Max and Mo followed. The two cats were used to not letting the girls out of their sight, and they knew the nighttime ritual well. The trip to the States had been a bit last minute, but Khaat had been at work conjuring a proper nursery for them. The walls were a beautiful shade of dark creamy beige. There were kittens and puppies on the walls, in a sort of a mural-ed border that went all the way around the room. There were two cribs, two changing tables, two dressers, two comfortable rockers, dim lighting for night time, enough toys to open a toy shop, and enough clothes for ten baby girls. She flicked her fingers at the lamps when she entered and the pink shades cast a warm soothing glow in the room.

She flicked her wand at Dakota to transfigure her clothes into a pastel teal colored french terry onezie for her to sleep in, so she didn't wake her by changing her. "Either crib works, " she said softly to Eli. She drew out a white onezie that had bunnies printed on it for Abbey and laid it out for Rob. She smiled seeing how Abbey was still apparently obsessed with chattering at her father. "Would you like to change her and rock her to sleep?" she asked. Bedtime was one of Khaat's favorite times of day with the girls, when the day wound down and the girls cuddled in and snuggled. And snuggling was one of Abbey's greatest strengths. She was already a professional cuddler. Dakota didnt usually give up the fight easily. Abbey on the other hand, loved cuddling more than just about anything. Khaat truly wanted Rob to have some of the magical moments with Abbey that he had been deprived of. She wanted him to know his daughter and what a gorgeous, wonderful little girl she was. Khaat knew she was a bit biased, but she honestly could not remember seeing a more beautiful baby anywhere than their Abbey.