Summer Picnic

"Don't push it the first time," Brian looked at Jack through the mirror. "Even with all the training, the first workout I had, I thought it was a piece of cake, and it kicked my ass the next morning. It really is good for not only flexibility but also for calming. I think that's why Robert uses this as his usual workout at the end of the day. I think it helps him wind his mind down. He can be a bit of an insomniac anyway, so I think he's found this helps him. Jess, you're doing really well. You've been practicing. You could learn a lot from her, Jack."

He worked awhile longer before he stopped. "Jess, I think I better swipe Jack away from you for awhile and we'd better go restock his closet or he's liable to not have much to wear to go out with you tonight. Jack, we're going to have to probably go to a couple of specialized shops to get some of the clothes that will fit your measurements, but that's not a problem. We can do that. I know a couple of places that do really good wizard tailoring, so we won't have a problem. Let's go get things for you, and then you can meet Jess later at the Leaky? That'll get me home in time for dinner tonight, and I'll get my suitcase from you later. Unless you'd rather go with us, Jess? You're welcome to come if you like."

Jack looked up at Bran and nodded " I think its doing that now" he said rubbing his shoulders " sounds like a good idea unless Jess wants me walking around in nothing." he teased and saw her stop her work out looking at him with her mouth open.

"Take him, please " Jess said " that's not a sight nobody should see" she teased him right back. They listened to Brian and Jess thought about it and shook her head " I can't I have a shift starting soon here but don't worry Jack I finish at four so will be ready for our date" she said.

"well looks like its just you and me" Jack said "maybe we should go now." he said standing some what stiffly up " I meant once were changed of course. I sent an Owl to the ministry there sending over new ID for me, I..um got them to send it to yours Jess hope that was okay?" he asked and saw her nod.

"of course" she said simply "I'll put it on your bed in your room when it arrives" He saw her smile and he nodded.

"Thanks, now I just need a wallet to put it in and I'll be good to go " he said taking off his tank and looking at the dressing. He gave a sigh as he saw a slight yellow stain that had appeared.

"Looks like you need a dressing change, Mate," Brian said, noticing the stain too. "Let's go upstairs and find either Khaat or Robert to patch you up before we go so you don't leak all over the clothes in all the shops, unless you want to patch him up, Jess? I'm going to the locker room to change. I'll hurry so it doesn't get any worse. I'll meet you in five."

He didn't give them much chance to reply but he hurried to the locker room and did a quick shower and changed to clean clothes--jeans and a white shirt and canvas boat shoes. That would do for now. He decided to leave his things with Khaat in her office. He actually hoped Robert happened to be upstairs and not at the ministry. He wanted Robert to get a fresh look at the bite wound sometime today, and if not, then perhaps Jess could make sure he got to Robert later, perhaps after their dinner tonight, because that was when Robert was most likely to be at St. Mungos, after Ministry hours. He had just taken it for granted that Jess had good instincts about such things and would make the right medical choice for Jack. He ran his fingers quickly through his blonde hair and then came back out to meet them, knowing they'd have made the right decision.

Jack nodded as he looked down at it, a small hand touched his arm "Okay, lets find Robert" Jess said "Just follow me" she told him and lead him up to the main area of St Mungos. Soon she walked down a corridor towards Roberts office and knocked on his door " not sure if he'll be in but he does need to take a look at that bite, my hunch is that its been infected and conventional cures arn't going to work." she told him as she knocked louder on the door hoping he'd answer her.

Jack followed behind her watching as the other healers seem to know her smiling and saying hi when she passed by them, several times she stopped to help some one but always looked back at him. Now stood in front of a large wooden door he sighed "I just hope it dosn't hurt too much." he said and looked at her. "what?"

"You afraid of a little pain?" she asked and saw him shift on his feet.

"Wouldn't anyone be" He asked then nodded " yeah I do" he admited and saw her relax with a smile.

Robert was reviewing test results of some of the more critical patients when there was a knock on his door. He flicked his fingers to magically open the door so that ne could read the last sentence of the report in front of him.

“Come,” he called, not looking up right away. He finished reading the report before he looked up. “Oh. Good morning. I didn’t expect to see you two. I see you survived the night. Bow did it go?” He closed the file and moved it aside onto a stack of files on the edge of the desk. He would use his quick quotes quill and do his notes by dictation later, and he certainly had a lot of it to do

Jack followed Jess as the doors opened to let them in he saw Robert sat behind a large desk " yeah , it was ..quiet" he said moving to stand in front of the desk.

"Robert, could you look at Jacks bite, I think its infected, what ever his brother was he obviously didn't brush his teeth" she asked gently turning Jack so his dressing faced Robert along with the yellow stain that had grown just in the walk from the gym. Jack swiped her hand gently away from his dressing.

"It dosn't hurt...much" he said softly as he watched the man, knowing he would have a better idea of why it had become the way it was.Jess pointed to a chair for him to sit down on.

"might as well sit, I'll get the supplies" she said and moved towards the door and out into the corridor to a second room. .

He wasn't surprised to see the drainage stain on the shirt. He really had expected it. He'd seen it before. He remembered it well from when Remus had suffered so. He realized it looked infected, but it was entirely too soon for such a thing. This was different. This was the poison of the curse itself. That was how it often manifested.

"While Jess is gone, so you know, Jack," Robert said, "this isn't infection. Not yet anyway. It could turn into that, but I don't want it to. This is a different thing. A curse like lycanthropy starts with a sort of a toxin that causes the magical systems in the body to cause a mutation, and it changes the body and brain structures when it is changed by the physical environmental changes on the earth at the rise of a full moon. That's how it works. What you're seeing is part of the toxin draining. It isn't necessarily a bad thing. I wanted it to drain as much of this off as possible so it doesn't make you go through a lot of other illness, like I have seen some others do. You might not suffer a great deal of the deeper illness because your large build would tolerate more than, say, someone very small built.

"This is still the seepage that I thought yesterday you might have. I'm going to set more spells in pace to promote healing and to keep the draining going as long as there is toxin there. Now, do I think that it will remove the curse? I wish that were the case. I honestly don't know how to reverse the curse and stop it. However, we might be able to help you get better control of it so that you can have as normal a life as possible. Now, while I'm working, you surely have questions about this. What do you need to know?"

Jack looked at Robert as he spoke listening to his words " you expected this to happen?" he asked when he said he could not cure him he nodded "I know it can't but...I won't be able to keep my job at the ministry, who'd hire a werewolf." He glanced at the door where Jess had gone. " does Jess know about werewolves?" he asked " should I take things further with her or...or stop right now and stay alone." he clasped his hands in front of him resting them on his lap. After a moment he stood up and paced back and forth he knew he should relax and calm down.

"Hey sit" came Jess's voice from the doorway " Jack, you need to stay calm and ..yes I know of werewolves, thanks to Roberts tutelage but not as much as He does.." she placed a tray down on a small table next to Jack and looked to Robert

"Yes," Robert said. "I did. My brother went through the same thing, but he was a child, just a toddler. Oh, how he suffered, and what it did to my parents was unconscionable. Nevertheless, yes. I expected it." He listened to Jack's anxieties, and they were completely normal and understandable for someone in his situation.

"Why would the ministry not keep you? Yes, I realize there used to be a great deal of discrimination against creatures, and there still is a bit, but, frankly, if some wanted to get rid of you, I might have a say about that. If someone gives you trouble, let me know." Jess returned as Jack continued to ask questions, but Robert also believed he understood what Jack was asking.

"Jack," Robert said, "first, we've learned that the curse is only passed on by a bite, not by a scratch, and not by genetics. So that should relieve you of most of your worries. Remus had the same worry, but he found out, almost too late, that he could live a relatively normal life. If you keep on your medication, I see no reason why you need to put off those things you want. And, I do think Jess has at least a bit of a say in what does or does not happen between you and what she is or is not willing to put up with."

He took the tray of supplies that Jess brought, and he used it to tend to his wound, to clean it, and put more ointment on it and bandage it appropriately for him. He added some other layers to hold him at least until bedtime.

"Get some supplies to take with you to hold you for another couple of days, Jess, and, Jack, if you need to return sooner, before the supplies run out--or if your symptoms change, then let me know."

Jack listened to Robert talking his words alleviated some of his fears he glanced at Jess who looked at him with a frown as Robert spoke about her. When he finished Jess nodded her head. " I'm willing to take a chance, don't stop living because of this " she said Jack smiled and nodded "I expect you at the leaky at five" she said now smiling. looking to Robert he nodded

"I'll make sure to get more" he said " and Robert , thanks , I'll keep you informed if anything happens at the ministry but just know if you need me for any reason I will be honored to help. " he said as Jess finished up throwing away the used items. before walking back to face Jack.

"Okay you should join Brian and I need to get to work " she told him before leaning down and gently kissing his cheek " I'll see you later" she smiled as she left leaving Jack with Robert. Jack stood up and headed to the door but he stopped.

"I meant it , I kinda feel like I owe you and your daughter, if she'd not found me I'd have most likely died out there." he said " I had I think given up until Khaat and Jess spoke to me like normal, I now realize there isn't anything wrong with me if I don't let it." he smiled at Robert " Thanks" he turned and headed back the way they had come to find Brian.