No Such Thing as an Old Blessing

Khaat was actually having a very good day. Her father had decided she needed to be home now and not working full time, so the babies could stay "with her" as long as possible. And she could tell it was a huge relief to Brian to not worry about her all day. This morning, she had chosen a pink gauze halter style sundress that had a maxi length and some little bits of ribbon and lace and beads for trim. She had some pretty pink beaded flip flops on the floor, but she was enjoying being barefoot. Brian had encouraged her to stretch out her legs and had brought a pillow for her to elevate her feet so they wouldn't swell so quickly in the summer heat as they day got longer and hotter.

But it was still cool yet, and she was enjoying a mug of cinnamon almond herbal tea. Abbey was playing with a colorful little tea set on the floor, and Dakota was far more interested in toddling around after Max. Some things never changed. It made Khaat laugh. She was envisioning Dakota doing her homework behind the sofa with Max curled up beside her someday.

Brian came in and kissed her forehead and handed her the morning copy of the Daily Prophet. "Just got here," he said. "Angus says his strawberry scones will be ready in a moment. I think he wants you to try this new strawberry honey butter stuff he invented."

"I'm sure it will be wonderful," Khaat smiled as he laid his hand on her stomach. He paused and smiled.

"That one has to be a boy," he said. "I think he's going to play muggle football. He's quite a kicker."

"My children are not playing football. Not seriously, anyway," she frowned. "Besides, I have a fair kick myself. She might be a girl."

"Nah. I don't think so."

"With my luck, I don't have twins. With my luck, I have a whole littler of labradors," she sighed. He laughed out loud.

"As long as they're healthy, I don't care," he said.

Chase was nervous....

She hadn't seen Khaat since.. well since she had come and taken Fauve and Thierry away from her, and well.. she had finally gotten to terms with everything, and had showed up at the household where she had spent a large amount of time during her pregnancy with Katie. It had been with their help that she had even survived her birthing of Katie, for she had very nearly died giving birth, her heart having given out, due to to much stress on her body, but thanks to the training given at Khaat's house, she had woken up, and been alright. So now.. why had she come here? She wasn't quite sure, but she knew she had to make it up with Khaat.. for being so upset, for having run away.. ultimately.. it had been her reaction towards Khaat taking the kids, that had gotten her kidnapped... but it had been the kidnapping that had made her realize just how much she and Calvin did like each other.

So Chase walked up to the house, breathing heavily, and staring at the door for a long, long time. It was early, and she had made sure it was, she knew the family got up early.. she knew their habits well in fact. Angus was probably cooking breakfast, maybe even scones... Khaat and Brian would be in the living room with the girls... and Chase was standing outside.. standing outside, gathering her courage to ring the doorbell, gathering her courage to see the look on Khaat's face when she did find the girl she had helped, and then basically broken, on her doorstep, here to beg for forgiveness and see her old friend again.

So Chase took a huge breath, and rang the bell.

"I'll get it," Brian said.

"Dada!" Abbey shouted, getting up and trying to run towards Brian. He scooped her up.

"And where are you going, Pipsqueak?" he asked.

"Dada!" she said, playing with his shirt.

"Alright," he kissed her forehead. "Come along, then." He went and opened the door. When he saw Chase there, his face brightened into a broad smile. "Chase! Welcome home! Come on in! You're just in time to sample Angus's new recipe for strawberry scones with fresh strawberries." He opened the door for her to come in as Abbey played with the buttons on his denim shirt. "You don't have to knock when you come here. You're home."

"Is that who I think it is?" Angus called from the kitchen.

"It certainly is," Brian said. Angus came over to the door.

"Well, its about time you came around," he grinned, always glad to see her.

Khaat heard Chase's voice at the door, and she was delighted. She knew better than to think she could get up off the sofa. Anymore, it took Brian's hands under her shoulders, lifting her in order for her to get to her feet. So, she had stopped trying without his help awhile ago.

"Enjoy yourselves," Khaat teased from her place stuck on the sofa, "Don't give a thought to people who can't get to the door."

"She's just jealous," Angus said to Chase, just purposely loud enough for Khaat to hear.

"You're pushing it," Khaat teased back.

"Come and get me, then," he baited her.

"I will--someday," she said.

"Forget them," Brian laughed, talking to Chase. "Now that we're officially on BabyWatch, he teases her all day long. Its great to see you. Come make yourself at home."

Chase looked nervous as she was greeted so warmly, and she felt like the biggest jerk on the planet. How could she have thought bad about this family? She knew them better then she had known her own family, and Chase had lived with them for a lot longer, now though.. she felt like a jerk, stepping into their house, and taking off her shoes gingerly, hearing the happy household laughing. Chase glanced around at them all, and found herself smiling. They kept saying home.. they knew she had felt completely safe here, what she didn't know was that Khaat was pregnant at all... and what they didn't know was that she not only wasn't with Elijah, but had a new... love also. She had never actually thought of Calvin as a boyfriend.. ever.. it was more just, they were there for each other, and they loved each other, it was simple, and real.

Chase looked at Brian and Angus and found herself grinning at them. "I'd love to try your new strawberry scones!" She said grinning at him, when they said Khaat couldn't make it to the door, she felt her heart beat a bit faster, and looked around at them all, her smile suddenly forced. "What's.. what's wrong with her?" She asked, her eyes wide. When Khaat had come to take the kids, Chase hadn't noticed anything weird about her.. of course her mind had been on other things at the time, soo.. it was almost understandable that she hadn't noticed anything weird, and the first thing Chase could think of, was Barker... seeing as he had gone after her to get at Khaat... and the scars proved it, she wondered if anyone had really looked at her yet, and seen the scars that Calvin had healed for her, it wasn't like they weren't hard to see, and her hair was so short.. but now down to her chin.. she felt as though they were thinking about it, but not commenting on it, and she could feel her cheeks go pink.

"Where is she?" She asked softly, glancing around at them all, afraid that Khaat was hurt, or worse..

"She's here in the living room, on the sofa, putting her feet up," Brian smiled. "The summer heat makes her feet well these days. She's fine. Robert just wanted her to stop working so that...oh wait...you don't know, do you? I'm sorry. Well, there's good news and then there's good news. Khaat's pregnant. With twins. Due any day now. Although, they're going to be awfully big twins, if you ask me. She's good, Chase. Really good. Robert is taking very, very good care of her. And can you believe? This is Abbey--that tiny baby you took care of. She and Dakota are walking now. And talking, and feeding themselves--well, sorta. Sorta talking, sorta feeding themselves. They're really good at throwing food, that's for sure." He motioned for her to follow him inside.

Angus disappeared for a moment, and Brian knew where he'd gone. He knew Angus had remembered how Chase had liked the hot tea they made in the mornings, and he knew Angus had gone to get her some and to refresh Khaat's mug. Just about that time, there was some loud indistinquishable jabbering from behind the sofa.

"I didn't forget you," Angus called back, apparently to the jabbering. He came back with two sippy cups of juice, a teapot, and a mug of tea. They were all following him, floating in the air. He plucked a sippy cup out of the air and floated it to Dakota behind the sofa. The jabbering became happy little sucking noises. Brian set Abbey on the floor and she toddled over to Angus who plucked the second cup out of the air and handed it to her. She stood, clinging onto the leg of his jeans while Angus warmed up Khaat's mug and then floated a teamug to Chase. He sent the teapot back to the kitchen.

Chase stared in bewilderment at Abbey, amazed at how quickly she had grown, not to mention the fact that Khaat was pregnant.. and she hadn't even known! With twins!! Chase couldn't believe her ears, and looked around at them all, before smiling and following them into the front room. She looked around, and the first thing she saw was Khaat, her eyes seemed to jump out of her skull at Khaat, and she took a step back before moving forward, getting momentarily distracted by the jabbering noises behind the couch. "Dakota." She said giggling slightly, "Still behind the sofa.. as always." She grinned and then looked at Khaat, going to the couch, and sitting on the floor next to her. "Hey Khaat.. sorry it took so long to get over here... it took a bit to... get better." She smiled at Khaat and looked at her stomach. "You sure you only got two in there? Damn Khaat..." She laughed and ran her hand through her short hair, and looked around the room.

Standing up and going to the other couch, she sat down and caught the cup that came flying at her. "Wow.. it's been to long. "She said smiling around at them all. "So much has happened! I was totally not expecting this, to be honest I swear something had happened to you, and I was about to flip out.. I was so confused on why you couldn't get up to get to the door.. well now I see." She giggled slightly and looked around at them all. Her hair looked pretty recently cut, as though, but it only went to her chin, but she had only cut it so that it wasn't all choppy on the ends, and looked more like a cut she had meant to do, instead of having it roughly chopped off with a knife. She could still see in her mind's eye, her hair falling like blood to the ground after he let it go right in front of her, letting it drift to the ground, ruined. "So.. besides growing up, and growing.. bigger... what have I missed?! Tell me everything." She said sipping her tea, and smiling, realizing just how much she had missed her morning tea.

"I like the hair cut," Khaat said, trying to make light of it. Khaat had known about Felix taking her, but hard as she had hunted for her, she had not been able to her. "I have no idea. I really have been planning on twins, but then it struck me...since they came from one of Rob's stupid illegal potions--and thats another story--for all I know, I could be carrying a whole litter of labradors. After all, Abbey is an animagus and she's a labrador. Brian is awesome. He and I decided right from the outset we didn't want to know if they were both boys or girls or what, so long as they were healthy. He's the best. Just the best.

"Rob and I were at a Ministry dinner this winter, and our drinks were spiked with this experimental potion that seems to be able to get darned near anything pregnant, and, well, the end result of it was...this," she laid her hand on her stomach. That was the last I ever saw Rob, and, well, Brian never so much as flinched when I told him. As far as he is concerned, they're his kids. It's funny watching him go through the first time dad jitters. Sometimes he's just this side of nuts. He's been working on a second nursery. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around having 4 babies in diapers all at the same time. But I am looking forward to seeing my feet again. I sorta miss them.

"So, tell me about you. How are you feeling?" Khaat did want to know. There were few women who had ever been tortured by Barker who had lived to tell the tale of it. And it was something that she and Chase had in common. "And then tell me about what's going on with you now. Catch me up."

Chase listened as she spoke about the babies, and smiled and nodded in all the right places. She was HUGE though... much bigger then Chase had gotten close to, at the END of her pregnancy... she must be having some giant children... maybe she was. Chase's eyes got larger, and then she sighed and looked around at them all, smiling at the kids, the kids she had been helping sit up not to long ago.. and now, here she was, with one of her own, and a completely different person herself. Sighing, she smiled at her, and shook her head, feeling her hair hit her cheeks oddly, she wasn't used to it yet, but now that it had finally started growing, she wouldn't have to be for long. Chase laughed when Khaat said she missed seeing her feet. "Well from what I see, they are looking fine, probably a bit tired from having to lug around two more beings then they are used to." She said giggling, and pointing out that she could see Khaat's feet and Khaat couldn't.

Chase sighed when Khaat asked her how she was doing. She didn't want it to get serious, so she said simply. "Fine, I'm doing fine Khaat." She took another sip of tea, and let a small silence settle after her last question. "I'm sure you heard about how I was found." She said, trying to make it sound light. "And I was taken to Calvin.. there was no way I could even get to St. Mungos.. so Calvin took care of me." She said looking down at her own feet, and wiggling her toes uncomfortably. "He saved my life.. and very nearly killed himself in the process.." She said softly. "He never finished working at St. Mungos, so he didn't know everything there was to get me to be safe, and let himself rest and keep some energy as well... we both could have died that night.." She said taking a long deep breath, before looking up at them all, and smiling, a small forced smile.

Chase stared off into the distance, an almost dreamy look on her face, as she took another sip of her tea, unsure of where to go from there. "He already had Katie when I got there... so I don't know what happened with all that.. I had heard you had her.. by.. " Chase had to cough for a moment before glancing at Khaat. "Him..." Knowings he would understand that she meant Barker. "And... and... well... me and Calvin are dating.. sorta now.. and... it's... to be honest Khaat it's amazing." She set down her tea and looked at Khaat, happiness sparkling in her eyes.

"It was like something broke down between us after he saved me... I mean... one minute.. I was so embarrassed cause I really needed a shower, but I couldn't even stand up on my own... and you know how it is.. he would have had to undress me and help me in to take a bath.. but.. I just got so embarrassed, and then.. and then.. well... I.. kissed him.. and would you believe it he fainted.." She giggled in an almost school girlish way, and looked around. "And then... we realized just why we had been so drawn to each other in the first place.. he's just... he's everything Khaat... well, he's everything Elijah wasn't, and more.. he.. makes me smile when I want to frown.. and cheers me up when I'm sad.. lets me be alone when I want to be alone, but hugs me and holds me when I need it... I never have to look at him and wonder if he was off somewhere else doing someone else.. no.. I just look at him.. and see... love.." She said looking at Khaat and smiling. "I feel like it was the first time I've ever felt this way! If you were to ask me a few months ago what love felt like.. I would have told you a completely different thing.. but.. but... it's just.." She shook her head and stared at Khaat, her eyes sparkling.

"When I was with Elijah.. I was worried.. jealous all of the time... uneasy... upset.. on the edge, when he was with me.. it was never, lets hold hands and snuggle, it was something else... sure every now and then it was lets hold hands and snuggle.. but rarely.. and you know how much I enjoy sleeping with something.. like an animal.. or something warm... And... it's always like that now.. Khaat... I must be insane.. but I'm almost.. happy Barker took me... because.. if he hadn't, I wouldn't feel so happy right now." She was grinning at them, and the smile made it that much more obvious that she had scars all over her face, and her eye wasn't quite looking at Khaat, the scar crossing it made it look extremely painful, but she didn't really mind anymore, she couldn't quite see out of it like she had used to be able to, but she liked it that way, she had gotten used to it. "Am I insane to think that? Happy that a madman kidnapped and tortured me." She couldn't help but smile while saying that. "He nearly killed me so many times.. and yet... if he hadn't.. Calvin and I.. Katie... Reid.. I have a family, and for the first time, I feel as though I truly am safe... I felt safe here.. and happy here.. but... with Calvin it's so different, it's our house.. our family.. and I'm safe there.." She smiled at Khaat and ran her hand through her hair again. She had just cut down all the barriers they had put into place just seconds ago, with saying outright what had happened to her, and was still smiling as she said it, Chase must really be insane.

"It doesn't sound crazy at all," Khaat said. "It sounds like you've made peace with your past. And not only is that maturity, but its a sign that your relationship with Calvin really works for you. I"m glad. I'm happy for you. I remember how Eli and you had a lot of issues. I understand that. I don't remember very many times Rob and i didn't get along. I only remember a few times when we actually did get along. I know that insecure feeling. But I"M glad you've moved past it and found something better. And I know its not the same thing, but if I hadn't had that bad experience with Rob, Brian wouldn't have come back into my life, and, well, I don't know where Abbey and I would be right now. I really don't have a clue." It wasn't often that Khaat saw women who had suffered such trauma who had gotten past it so fast. She was glad that for Chase it seemed to work out, even though perhaps Chase was a bit too secure with her new life. And to the best of Khaat's knowledge, Chase wasn't the strongest fighter. Khaat wanted, someday, for Chase to train under Brian enough to defend herself if it ever came up again.

Angus brought in a tray--with a plate of scones, a jar of strawberry honey butter, and a spreader for it, along with plates and napkins and the essentials. "Try these," Angus said, setting the tray down for them and leaving again. The smell of fresh baked scones brought Dakota and Abbey both. Khaat laughed and picked up a warm scone and broke off little pieces and fed it to each girl. Khaat took a bite where the dough had been turned pink form the strawberry juice. "Oh, these are soooo good. Help yourself, Chase."

"I miss you around here," Khaat said gently. "I'm glad you have a place of your own. That's the way it should be. But we sure enjoyed having you here. You do know you'll have to come once the twins are here. You can bring Calvin and Kitty if you like. We'll just have a babyfest, and you know Angus will make something amazing for us to feast on. I know I'd like to get to know Calvin a little better. You're welcome to bring him anytime you want."

Chase smiled at Khaat and looked down at her hands. "I am happy.. I'm very happy.. happier then I've ever been in my entire life.. I.. have friends.. I have family... I have a job, and... my life has finally turned around Khaat.. it really has! I just... Calvin is an auror... and Reid is around too... and it's me and Katie there now... pancakes in the morning... picnics at night.." Chase sighed happily. "I feel.. like I should be... upset... hurt, angry... but I'm just so.. happy." She said laughing and looking around at them again, smiling at Khaat and picking up her drink again, sipping the drink that had started to get cold by now. "I even work at the Ministry Khaat.. and I love my job.. so much.. I heal animals.. animals! Who knew you could even do that!" She laughed and shook her head.

"I guess though.. I just.. I wanted to come and say sorry..." She said suddenly, her eyes finally looking straight at Khaat and smiling slightly. "I was childish.. not coming to see you... I was.. worried... afraid you would hate me.. or.. or... not want to see me again... I mean..." Chase took a deep breath, and let it out shakily. "It wasn't exactly easy." She said running her hand through her hair again. "Imagine.. every time you felt pain... you were told something over, and over... something you had been thinking anyway.. but.. this man..." Chase shivered, and glanced at Khaat. "He tells you every time he hurts you.. that it could have been prevented.. that the one person who could have prevented it.. caused it.. and... I was terrified Khaat.. and hurt, and it wasn't until recently that I was even able to look at JACK.. let alone you." She sighed and shook her head. "And for that I'm sorry.. sorry I let him get to me. "Chase clutched her cup and sighed, staring into the depths of her tea, watching the dregs float along the bottom. She drained the last of it, then swirled it three times, and placed it upside down on the saucer, letting the rest drain out, before picking it up and looking at the leaves in the bottom, watching the shapes, though not understanding what she was seeing.