THE WALKER RANCH

Katherine smiled, "That was my intention for dinner tonight. I think we'll grill it. It tastes better when its done more simply. I think I'll make it into fish sandwiches with the fresh bread, a salad, and maybe a strawberry shortcake. I might do some sort of a soup for lunch since it is cold and rainy. I have a loaf of whole wheat I made yesterday that we can have with the soup. I'll make some grilled cheese sandwiches or something. Thanks for cleaning the fish. Sometimes Robert gets so involved in his work that it is hard to get him to come do anything else. I'm glad Khaat hired him on at St. Mungo's, though. Its been far better for him than having him lazing around this big house. "

steven felt his tummy rumble at the thought of all that food she mentioned "ow stop your making me hungry" he said with a litght chuckle " and your welcome I kinda liked it , it reminded me of when i was a kid, my dad use to let me do it coz he ahd a soft tummy" he said grinning. he looked at her when she said robert had been hired by Khaat "so he disin't work there when he helped me then , wow , well he sure is a heck of a healer and he will be respected by every one there , I know I do" He said rinsing his hands under the faucet to take away the fish smell.

Khaat had apparated to her "spot" she had had with Remus. A place even deeper in the forest than she had ever shared with anyone but him. The skies opened and became dark as night and the rain poured. She sat there, her heart aching for Remus. She hadn't wanted to be with him so badly since he had been killled. She sat down on a rock and just let the rain fall on her, drench her, soak her, like a drowned rat. She didn't care.

She heard her own voice rise up in a cry of anquish, of grief that she thought was long gone, masked by thunder and lightning. Grief that was resurfacing. Her own tears melted into the torential rains and mixed into her soaked clothes.

Lightning and thunder filled the skies with an evil vengence, and she heard a sudden tree limb crack. An instant later it fell on her and pinned her. She was deeply stunned. She thought she saw Remus in the rainy mist. She thought she heard him telling her it wasnt her time, it wasnt' time to surrenderto her grief of his death and give up. She sobbed and begged him to take her home with him. Then everything went black.

steven loked out eh window of the kitchen , he saw ligtning hit the trees he shook his head happy to be inside rather than out in this terable weather "I pity anyone out in this tonight " he said turning to look at Kathrine his arms folded across his chest once he had dried them "Im glad every ones inside " he said but a shiver ran down his back and he fround "they are all inside ?" he asked looking toward Robert.

A horrendous cold feeling went through Robert, one he hadn't felt in years. Katherine felt it too. She cut her hand, cutting cold butter for her bread. She didn't even feel it. Her eyes were glued on Robert's, her heart filled with horror. Robert walked over to her, laid his hand on hers silently. "Don't panic, Kate. There's only one place she'd go. I'll find her." His loving touch on her hand healed her cut. "Find her," she told Robert.

Robert looked at Steven. "Khaat's on the grounds. But I can't feel her anymore--or Abbey. She's either dead or unconscious. I have to find her. You want to help me look?'"

Steven needed no second request he grabbed his wind breaker coat and hat and slipped it on " ready " he said his face now seriouse he knew what the chill he had felt was about. With his wind breaker on he felt warm as he stepped into the torential rain "I'll follow you sir as you know this land , lead on and lets hope she's just out cold " he said praying deep inside him that she ws just that for he would not help himself if anything did.

"There's only one place she would go, "Robert said putting on a rain slicker, "She'll go out to where she and Remus hung out. Out by the waterfalls. If she was really upset, she'll have gone up the hill, on top of the falls, back in the woods. Try there. I'll meet you there." Robert picked up his leather bag, just in case she was hurt, and apparated out to the woods, knowing Steven knew his way already.

steven nodded and quickly made his way to where Robert had said climbingf slippery rocks as he went his foot slipping twice but his fingers some how kept grip the rain driving against his face as he climbed reatching the top at first he saw nothing but then he saw a branch that looked somthing like a bush hre under it he saw somthinf colored brightly , diving over he tried to lift it and from know whe he did tossing it to one side "Khaat !!" he said over the boom of thunder "closing his eyes he thought of robert sending teh image in his thought of Khaat he ahd found.

Robert apparated beside Steven. He saw the huge fallen tree that had a fragment of Khaat's shirt tangled in the branches. "Khaat," he flew to her, kneeling in the mud beside her. He laid his hand on her forehead, "She and Abbey are still alive, but she's really hurt. I have to get her home. She's got some broken bones and some internal injuries. She's got a concussion, too. We have to get her home." He used his wand to elevate her off the ground. "Take hold of her and transport her back to her room, please."

Steven saw the look of concern on his face as he dove over to where he sat holding Khaats head out of teh mud , he watched s Robert checked her over then asked him to take her back to her room, He gave a nod and held her tight as he aperated to her room quickly laying her on the bed , slipping off her muddy shoes but leaving the rest for kathrine "Kathrine!!" he shouted "come quickly its Khaat !!" he shouted at the bed room door.