Marriage is Murder

During the afternoon, Robert found Brian had a couple of bad spells where his vitals tried to fade, even with the life support spells. Robert became fierce and relentless.

Jeffrey had been with Robert the first time Brian had started to fade and he watched Robert as he seemed to grab a tight hold of Brian's vitals and rescue him again. Heroic as it was, Jeffrey wasn't feeling that it was worth all of his own life energies to try to fight such a losing battle, when Robert's job as Minister was so critical.

After the second bad spell, Jeffrey tried again to talk Robert out of it. Robert abruptly sent Jeffrey out and suggested he go find Jess and "do whatever it is you do with her."

"I'll do that. You let me know when you're ready to deal with reality," Jeffrey told him quietly, leaving Brian's room.

Up on deck, Robert's sleep spell started to wear off. Marcus saw Khaat start to wake slowly. He sent one of the crew for something cold for her to drink, and they brought her an icy cold fruit tea. The crew member handed it to him and left quietly.

Marcus simply sat on the edge of the chaise where she was and decided to take things very slowly, to see how she was now.

Jess recovered her energy and stood up heading down to the dinning room she paused twice and sighed shaking her head feeling the drop in Brian's energy and how hard Robert fought to realign them. She was impressed but knew he was a master and he cared for him like a son. This was what she had lost a sense of being away she saw Jeffery and stopped in her tracks.

"I lost their trust."She said simply as she looked him her head was hung low as her hands were clasped in front of her. "Jack is the same " she told him " I told the truth and will work to get it back" she looked at him one more time her hands parting as he brushed her hands over her markings that covered her arms now. She could feel the distrust around her and it made her uncomfortable but she accepted it knowing things for her would now change.

"Jess," Jeffrey said, "you didn't honestly think you'd get a different response from the Lupins, did you?  If you did, you make a serious mistake. Remember, they learned when Remus was so persecuted for being a werewolf--before they were accepted at all, something Jack doesn't have to deal with now, largely because of Remus--that the Lupins had to band together and surround themselves only with people that they could trust. Loyal friends.  

"And as Order members, its effectiveness depends completely on the loyalty of its members.  You've worked for Robert and lived in his house long enough to know that loyalty and honesty are the two things he requires from anyone in his inner circle.

"And right now, he feels you betrayed him in the loyalty department and the honesty department both. And if you're going to bodyguard his daughter and his grandkids, he has to know he can put their lives in your hands--and that's impossible for him to do when you simply abandoned him, his daughter and his grandkids without a word for months and didn't feel you could trust him enough to be honest and open with him before you left or while you were gone.  

"For a man like Robert, that is against the very foundation of what he believes in. As he sees it, your choices, in essence, put his daughter and his kids potentially at life threatening risk. He's not liable to give you back that sort of power anytime soon.  And to get back in his good graces, you're going to have to be willing to work for it.

"This isn't a matter that he doesn't know the truth. You told him. He knows, and he is most likely fine that you spent time with your mother. He'd have sincerely supported it. But to not trust the man that keeps the secrets of all of England? That wounded him. It didn't just violate what he needed of you as a bodyguard. But he treated you like blood family, and your actions deeply wounded him."

Jess stood and listened to Jeffery and knew he spoke the truth to her and she nodded. " I understand Jeffery, I accept what he is doing as I said I lost his trust, all of them and accept I have a long way to get back what was ruined, My mother created hell in my life even after death" she said softly "But I will not let them down ever again, I....I need Jack back." she said her face showing the pain that his words had said to. "Constancy and loyalty" she said to herself knowing those two things were the two things she lost.

Steven walked out of the dinning room and saw Jess and Jeffery " Hey Jeffery, Jess" he added and moved down to find Cassidy who was in the lounge at the front of the ship reading a paper and sipping a fire whiskey quietly. Steven moved and sat with her taking the glass he took a sip and she chuckled. " enjoying that?" she asked and he nodded.

"Always do" he told her pulling her against him as they sat listening to the water against the side of the ship.

Up on deck, Khaat woke from the sleep spell. Marcus sent the steward to ask Angus for one of the special fruit smoothies that he loaded up with protein and nutrients for her.

Nicky made it and brought it up himself.  Marcus reached for the glass, and Nicky handed it to him.

"The captain has given us a copy of the recipes he regularly prepares for your household," Nicky said.  "We can prepare anything you need--24 hours a day."

"Thank you," Marcus said.  

"Can I get you anything else?"

"Not right now. Thank you," Marcus said. Nicky left, and Marcus tasted the drink.  

"You'll like this," he told her.  "Pineapple, orange, mango, and peach--I think.  Here. Taste."  He fed her a taste of it. "So you know," he told her, "Brian is still with us. Its been several hours now, and you know as well as I do that with each hour that passes, his odds improve because the spells have more and more time to work. Do you want to see him?"

She sat for a long moment, and then shook her head. She needed to know he was still alive, but she didn't want to see him like this.

"Do you want to go to your cabin, then?" he asked. She shook her head. That felt like it would be rather a closed in space, and it wasn't what she wanted.

Brant finished eating and headed up on deck, he felt the breeze and walked around. Rounding a corner he saw Marcus and Khaat. Khaat now awake " Hey guys, everything okay?" He asked smiling at them both as he walked over. " Hows she doing Marcus?" He asked seeing the look on Khaats face and the answers to his questions. He wished he could help Brian to get Khaat happy and back to her old self again. He stood close but not that close knowing she was still shocked over Brian. " I get the feeling the only thing that will sooth her is seeing Brian up on his feet again" he said his hands delving deep in his pockets as he rocked lightly back and forth on the balls of his feet.

Jack couldn't rest and paced in his room finally he gave in and headed up for some fresh air glad he had not met Jess as he did. He saw Brant and moved to some seats. " sorry if I'm interrupting I needed some air" he said and looked back down " it got stuffy" he added Brant rolled his eyes as he looked to Marcus.

"Things didn't go well with him and Jess" he said with a sigh, " I think Roberts not the only one she needs to work to gain his trust back" he looked at Jack " I can give you something to help you sleep? He asked but saw Jack shake his head at the offer.

Marcus heard Brant's question. He hadn't actually pushed Khaat to see how much she was able to think. He looked at her.

"Hey," he said gently. "You in there?" She didn't respond right away. She finally just nodded slightly. He looked at Brant. "I just think she feels like she has no words right now. And I do think you're right, Brant." Marcus had seen the last moment Khaat and Brian had thought they'd had together. They had been willing to give up their own life for the other, but, in that moment, it seemed to make little difference. That, and watching someone drown was hideous business. But watching the one you loved drown? Marcus believed that was more than anyone should ever have had to bear.

"I am not the one to give anyone any marital advice," Marcus said, thinking of the 'harpy' he was still technically married to. "I won't be any help, Jack, so I'm not even going to try to go there."

Jack looked at Marcus and nodded to him " its fine Marcus I'm not asking for any, we talked and thats enough" he said looking to Brant." I know you meant well but...butt out" he told him and headed back down passing Steven as he had left Cassidy now sleeping on the Sofa.

"Don't take it to heart Brant, hes just ....upset right now and not at you." He said placing his hand on Brant's shoulder seeing the hurt on the young mans face. " You okay there Marcus, need anything?" he asked accioing a bottle of cold water " got to keep hydrated, here." He said and placed the bottle down on the seat next to him.

Brant nodded to Steven as he spoke. " its fine Steven, I know its not his fault, everything seems all turned upsides down right now" he saw Steven brush the nape of his neck and chuckle.

"yeah it does" He said. Jess had had something to eat and headed back to Brian's room and Robert.She entered and moved to check on Brian finding he had grown stronger since she had left. Picking up a clip board she made a note as if she was at the hospital " his vitals are up slightly his blood pressure is stable and his red cell count is normal." She touched his forehead and looked at Robert before moving to sit in a chair close by but she didn't leave the room.

"Thank you," Marcus said, sitting just a couple of steps away from Khaat. He had been in a rather one track mindset--taking care of his client. The look in her face when she had thought Brian was doomed was a look that largely haunted Marcus, although he had a very composed exterior.

The fact was that he cared very much for her. He had had decades of taking care of middle aged or elderly potbellied Bulgarian politicians who always reeked of stale cigarette smoke and cheap cherry rakia. He had grown to hate what he thought was overly fruity Bulgarian wine. The smell of it, now, repulsed him almost as much as the muggle cigarettes the Bulgarian men smoked so freely.

This was so different here. His client was so different now. She was sensitive, smart, and she didn't fight him at every turn or try to elude him. In fact, she had developed an instinctive habit of simply grabbing hold of him when things got dangerous. He was growing to prefer it. As small as she was, he was finding it was a very easy way to keep track of her and to leave a situation quickly. He never had to look for her.

And she was a bloody good companion. They had gotten to be quite close friends. He did care about her, and it impressed him that she cared deeply and genuinely about him enough that she never saw him as just part of the furniture. He was never invisible to her. She was good at cards, challenging at backgammon, and one of the finest chess players he'd seen. She smelled of lilies and flowers. It impressed him that she was a true lady--not someone who merely knew the theatrics of appearing to be a lady. And it certainly didn't hurt that she was amongst one of the most beautiful he had ever seen.

He opened the bottle of water and took a sip. It was nice and cold, and he hadn't realized he was thirsty until he had a chance to get something to drink.

"Marcus?" Khaat's voice called him, sounding soft, timid and frightened. She seemed to be startled. And then he realized. He was out of her eyesight. She had been afraid he'd left her.

"I'm here," he reassured her in a quiet, steady tone, touching her fingertips of her broken right arm. He saw her want to move her fingers to clutch his hand but her fingers didn't move. "They aren't going to move," he said to her. "Not for a few days. Here. I'll do it." He closed his hand around her fingertips--the closest she was going to get to anyone holding her hand for a few days. "Sorry. I was out of your sight. I'm sorry," he said. He felt her fingernail press just slightly into his hand. "I won't do it again. I promise. I'll be right here."

"Fi," she said, just barely above a whisper.

"Sorry. What?" he asked.

"I have to tell Fi. And Kieran...." her voice trailed off.

"Oh!" he said. No one had told Brian's brother or sister. He looked at Steven. He didn't think they usually sent for Kieran or Fi when Brian was injured. But this was a bit different. Marcus didn't know if Robert would want them sent for or not. Not wanting to rattle Khaat any further, he looked at Steven, nodding towards the stairs that went below deck as a silent request to ask Robert about sending word to Kieran and Fi.

Steven stood listening and sighed nodding that he understood his request. Moving down below decks he headed to find Robert. He found him in Brians room and glanced at Jess who sat in a corner. " Marcus sent me, Khaat asked if we should send for Fiona and Kieran, what with things being as they are" he said looking at Brian on the bed. "I hoping we won't have to?" He asked as he slowly moved closer to the bed side. " he is going to pull through isn't he?" he asked his voice wavering as he spoke, Brian had been there for him in his darkest hour and was like a brother to him and now he could not help him.

Jess sat and watched as the door opened to the room Steven walked in and barely acknowledged her but she understood why. She moved her eyes back to Brian watching his chest rise and fall feeling the unsteady beat of his heart as he lay in the bed.