Marriage is Murder

Khaat already knew, from experience, what her father would do. She'd played entirely too much chess not to know. If he felt Gideon was treating this whole thing as a chess game, her father would be creating his own counterstrategy to win the game.

"Not you lot too," Robert frowned, listening to their speculation. "I thought you all knew me well enough to know I wont stand for random killing. Certainly not for sport. I am hoping to make a permanent end to his shenanigans, but at the very least, I can fire his happy little ass. The problem with just firing him is that he's the type that will just keep showing up again and again until he's eliminated permanently. I can't very well let a maniac continue to act like a jerk while holding the keys to the kingdom, now can I?"

"You intend on killing him?" Khaat asked.

"Whatever it takes," Robert answered coldly.

The next morning had not turned out at all like Khaat had expected. She had gone, like everyone else, to the press conference. Never had she dreamed, though, that her father would have to resort to shutting down the ministry to keep them all safe.

She wouldn't have left, but Marcus had simply removed her. One moment she was standing on the platform as the building began to crumble. And the next, she was standing on the street, coughing, sputtering dust.

"Breathe," Marcus coached her. "You're alright."

"My father," she coughed. "I shouldn't have left him. And I don't see any of the rest of us. Not anyone."

"Give it a minute," he said, scanning the faces he saw on the street. "Steven and Jack won't be far, I'm sure. I know I saw Brian and Angus leave. And your mother and Michael are with your father. I don't think for one moment that they'res going to let your father die."

"He was so focused on the spell...."

"Yeah, but Michael was not. They'll all turn up. Give them a minute. It was hard to see because of the dust. It'll be alright."

"Thank you," Marcus said. "Take a couple sips, Khaat. It will help."

It was a very tense couple of moments until Marcus nodded. "There," he said, nodding towards the entrance of the Ministry. "There they are."

Michael was walking out, squinting in the sunlight, coughing. Kate was behind him, and Robert was behind her. Brian and Angus seemed to be right beside Michael, out of nowhere.

"You all alright?" Brian asked Michael, Kate, and Robert.

"Fine," Michael said. He turned and glared at Robert. "I need a new best mate, though." Robert looked away from the ministry building towards Michael.

"Maybe all you need is a pint," Robert said.

"The next time you decide to blow up the whole bloody government before lunch, you really do need to read me in first," Michael scowled.

"It looks like they're fine," Marcus laughed.

"There certainly will be rebuilding," Robert said. "You lot need to go home. It seems I'm back at work, and right now, I can't honestly tell you when I'll be home."

"Answer me one question," Brian said.

"Certainly." Robert said.

"Am I still employed by this Ministry?"

"We lost the building, not the government," Robert said. "The only one who lost his job this morning was Mr. Pierce."

"Then I'll be staying with you," Brian said.

Robert looked at everyone else. "I'm glad you're all alright. Now--if you'll excuse me..."

Michael knew he'd be staying too. As an Unspeakable, he had Ministry duties now to do too. So did Angus.

"Can the rest of you get home?" Michael asked.