Marriage is Murder

Robert, Kate, Michael, and Edward all came downstairs showered and ready for the day. They saw Jim and Jack with the babies. Robert went over and touched the foreheads of both babies to check them and was pleased to find they were doing well.

"They're alright?" Kate asked. He nodded to her. "And Khaat is still sleeping?" He nodded again. "I don't know what that was, but it woke me up too."

"Me too," Edward said. "I just remember being jolted awake. What about you?"

"Same here," she said. "It was almost like someone coming up behind me to purposely scare the daylights out of me. Took me a bit to settle again. When Brian came over, Robert and I were already awake."

"I see-d him," Abbey piped up from her seat at the breakfast table.

"Saw who?" Kate frowned. "Was there someone in the house last night?"

"Nah. He like Unca Ree Ree. He say he my other uncle."

"Your other uncle? Did he come to talk to you?" There hadn't been another Lupin, so Kate wasn't sure who this had been that Abbey had seen.

"Nah. I just see-d him."

"Do you know his name?"

"Nope," she said.

"Do you know what he looks like?"

"Yup," she said. Robert signed to Michael.

"Robert thinks its worth getting out some of the old photo albums after breakfast," Michael said. "Maybe she can pick him out."

Every one stood and listened to Abby both Jim and Steven looked at each other confused about who she was talking about as far as they knew there was only Remus as her uncle. Each sat and thought about what they could do about it but hearing Robert talking about the photo albums to see who it was and Brant looked up.

" ow do you mean the leather bound ones on the shelf in the lab?" he asked having seen some there several days ago " I'll fetch them after breakfast" he said tucking in to the food that lay in the table in front of him. Cassidy fed Catlin and looked at Robert worried for Khaat.

"you don't think its some one on the other side of the Vail thats trying to upset her do you?" she asked softly as Catlin ate her pancakes happily.

"Yes," Kate said. "Those are the ones. Abbey, eat your breakfast. You know you like berries. Breakfast first."

Robert listened to Cassidy's question about someone from the veil trying to upset her. He set his fork down and signed.

"He says he believes it is someone from beyond," Michael said. "After all, it was someone like Remus. But he's not sure they were there to upset her. It wouldn't be like one of our friends to try to get her a message and do it to deliberately upset one of our children. That's never been their purpose. The only thing any of them were ever dedicated to was in helping the ones they cared about and in doing the right thing. If anything, they'd be about protecting us and our children. In fact, if you think about it, protecting children was what most of them gave their lives for. Let's not jump to conclusions."

After breakfast, Robert spread the books out on the living room floor for Abbey and let her look through them. It took her quite awhile because the books were quite thick. Finally, though, she put her finger on an image in one of the old photos.

"There!" she said. Robert got up and went over to her and looked. He frowned at her, uncertain, wanting her to be sure.

It was an image of Albus Dumbledore.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Michael asked. She nodded. "Then I would say he's here to send a message," Michael said. "Certainly not to harm."

Michael and Robert knew that in the Second war, after his death, the only time Dumbledore attempted any contact was in those moments when he thought that some critical choices needed to be made. Things involving wisdom, things not always easy. And until Khaat woke up, neither of them had any idea what their old headmaster wanted.

Cassidy sat not far away as she watched Abby with Robert go through the photo albums finally stopping on one she looked at Robert but still said nothing recognizing who it was all that Michael said had been right. "Seems he might be protecting her like you said Michael possible hes trying to get her to move on maybe and enjoy the twins?" she said not quiet sure her self as to his intentions she quickly sat back and sighed she had never been able to work out Dumbledore even when he was alive he confused her.

Jack lay Ben in his Bassinet and covered the now sleeping baby as he then sat down. Brant finished cleaning off the table and walked back in wiping his hands on a tea towel. "Hum interesting" he said simply.

"Anything is possible where he's concerned," Kate said. "Abbey, did he say anything to you?"

"He give you a fishy bowl with wet yarn," she said.

"He did indeed," Kate laughed, understanding the pensieve with its many thought threads still in it. "That's him."

"He like jelly beans."

Michael laughed out loud. "And any other kind of candy he can get. That's him. It seems all is well for now. I suggest we simply wait until Khaat wakes up. In the meantime, I'll go upstairs and update Marcus. Sometimes a wee bit of information can make any of our jobs a bit easier. And this might help him too. For now, I'd say we shouldn't worry unless we find we need to.

"In the Second war," Kate said. "After his death, he only showed up when more wisdom in some sort was required. Perhaps there's just something more we need to know. Let's not read more into it than what there is."

"Agreed," Michael said.

Jim sat quiet and listened to Abby he was happy Albus was trying to communicate but what information was he trying to get threw. When Kate said not to worry about it he sat back in his chair. Jack walked to the double doors and walked out into the garden.

"Be back in a bit, got to take my run." he said and headed out to check the perimeter and take his run again. Jim just looked up and nodded.

" we'll take care of the babies Kate don't worry" he told her as Cassidy checked them and sat down between the bassinets.

Marcus wasn't the least surprised when Khaat woke well ahead of time of when the potion was supposed to allow her to wake. That was just very typical for her--especially if she was rattled.

"You can't do anything according to Hoyle, can you?" he asked her. "Shall I send for coffee?"

"Please," she said.

"Before I do, do you mind telling me what you were dreaming last night that got you all bent out of shape?"

"How'd you know?"

"Now, how would you think I'd know?" he looked at her. "It would be part of the things I might need to know to do my job, would it not?"

"No," she said curtly.

"Now, don't be sarcastic because you're not getting your own way. I'm better at sarcasm than you are. I'll win. Just talk to me," he said, sitting on her bed. "Who did you see? Remus?"

"No," she sighed. "Albus Dumbledore."

"What?" he frowned. "Why him?"

"Excellent question," she said. "He suggested that I decide how much I'm willing to give to stop James."

"What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"He gave me a reminder of what Gryffindor stands for--the greater good and all that."

"Is he trying to tell you that more of James is coming?"

"Well, if he were, that's not news, is it? That's just James. I don't know exactly what he's telling me, but I did think that he was asking me to gear up in some form or another."

"Then, if that's the case, so will I. We will not do a repeat of that."

"But I might be the only thing that he is willing to step out of the shadows for, Marcus. Perhaps that's the idea. Perhaps, I need to deliberately offer myself to him as bait, but done well enough to finally catch him or kill him."

"No," Marcus said. "Not right now you won't. We don't know where he's gone. We ran him out of his lair and we've shut it down. He's running again. this isn't the time. Since your father is still Minister, let's leave this to him, shall we?"

"On one condition."

"What's that?"

"That you quit stalling and get me some damned coffee." He grinned at her, scribbled a note to request a coffee tray, and sent it down to the kitchen.

Brant was sat in the kitchen when a small paper bird fluttered into the kitchen and he let it land on his hand " French roast, Khaat must be awake " he said and made a fresh pot getting a tray together he moved upstairs to her room with it and knocked gently. " um..coffee call" he said and opened the door to walk in smiling. " you asked for Coffee?" he moved to beside her bed and smiled " I put some fresh made toast, made with home made bread." he said softly as he pored out a cup of coffee for her then placed it in her hand.

He looked over at Marcus and nodded " theres plenty for you too if you want any" he said " dinner will be at the usual time I'm having difficulty in finding something to make"He said and rubbed the back of his head as he looked at them both. " okay I'll..I'll leave you alone now, enjoy." he said and moved to the door.

"Thank you," Marcus said. "I'm sure you'll do fine finding something to fix. If you get into a bind, you might ask Suki and Dottie."

It wasn't more than perhaps ten minutes when Robert knocked and then entered without waiting for permission. She looked at his face and knew that he wanted answers this morning. She also knew him well enough that he would not be shut out forever.

"Daddy," she sighed. "There's not much to tell. It was too vague."

"He knows who it was," Marcus said. "Abbey saw him too--briefly. You might as well just tell him the rest."

"Well, then, that's even shorter. You know how cryptic Dumbledore is. Always talks in riddles. But if I'm reading it right, James is coming again. Dumbledore was reminding me of the Gryffindor philosophy of the greater good."

Robert shook his head no. He understood what Dumbledore thought made a Gryffindor stand apart. Self sacrifice. And Robert wasn't about to allow any of more of that at he moment. As far as he was concerned, his family had given enough.

"This might not be about you, Daddy. It might be about me," she said gently. He shook his head no. He showed her his Ministry ring. He was determined to make the choices. Then he showed her his ID badge from St. Mungos.

"He's saying you're not ready," Marcus said.

"Yeah, I know what he's saying," she sighed. Robert pointed to himself, irritated. He didn't care what Dumbledore had said in her dreams. He was calling the shots, not the ghost of a dead wizard. He pointed at Marcus and then pointed at Khaat.

"Yes, Sir," Marcus said, interpreting it to mean that he was to not screw up watching over her. Robert turned abruptly and left the bedroom.

Brant chuckled and nodded " my thoughts exactly " he said smiling but he stopped when he saw Robert enter the room and Khaat talk to him Brant looked at Marcus and headed to the door down to the kitchen where he found Suki and Dottie clearing up and he smiled " so any ideas for dinner?" he asked picking up several dishes and placing them in the sink. Cassidy looked into the bassinet to see the two babies still sleeping and she smiled.

" so what you reading?" she asked Jim who showed her the paper. " ah " was all she said and noted the doors open as Jack returned.

" okay the fence by the west wing is looking worse for wear set two men on it but will go and give them a hand , tell Brian " he said to Jim who nodded as he only glanced up from his paper.