early morning at sparks

"You know," she said very softly, nuzzling as close as she could get, "Daddy is a Master Healer, after all. If you don't want to keep that badge of courage on your face..." she touched the scar on his jaw, "...I have an in with him. I'm sure he'd remove that little annoyance for you. Me, I'll take you either way. However I can get you. Oh, and I think when I eventually grow out of my wardrobe, you'll like what I bought. None of that wearing-Rob's-t shirts-stuff for me. I have a whole new wardrobe from Sevile Row already in the closet. I refuse to have you ever see me looking frumpy. And I have the nursery ready--except for a certain crib that I believe you were in the middle of making. That's the one I want. You'll have to finish it or your daughter will be sleeping in a dresser drawer."

Khaat went over to the large fireplace and tossed a pinch of Floo powder in it and called "Daddy!" and a moment later, Robert stepped through the flames, dressed in his St. Mungo lab coat, a white shirt, a black and gold brocade tie, black pants and shiny work shoes. "Hi, Daddy," Khaat kissed his cheek, "look what the cat dragged home finally."

"Well, well," Robert laughed, "The prodigal son-in-law finds his way home, does he? Welcome back, Lad." He looked over the scruffy young face in front of him. Khaat pointed out the scar on Rob's face under the whiskers. Robert ran his finger over the burn mark. "Well," he laughed, "how are the dragons these days, Boy? Got a bit too close, did you? Well, we can fix that. Whoever tended this was no healer, that's for certain. Are you sure you don't want to keep the pirate look? Maybe it would fend off some of the beasties that keep trying to kill your wife while you're away."

He couldn't help but grin when Robert Lupin walked out of the fireplace. The man was a genius and could probably save anyone which was a hell of a lot more than Rob could do. He could run through the forests of Romania as a dog while trying to outrun some Dragons who loved him a lot more than he would have liked. He couldn't even protect his own fiancée which seemed to be a growing problem seeing as Khaat didn't even have to try and get herself into trouble because it usually came to find her. Rob knew that one day his daughter would probably be the same way because he got himself lost easily and was a thorn in the side of most Death Eaters due to just being a smart arse. Khaat was too curious for her own good and molding those two horrible traits together meant that they would end up with the most mischievous little girl the Wizarding world has ever seen. His daughter would probably give the Potters a run for their money.

"I don't mind looking like a pirate." Rob chuckled. "Makes me look experienced, no? Perhaps I could get a job as some kind of Auror and add a few to the collection." His eyebrows furrowed and he looked over to Khaat quizzically before looking back at Robert. "What do you mean by that?"

"Oh! I see she hadn't gotten around to that part yet, did she? Well, she's kept me running after her while you were gone, saving her hide again. Twice now since she blew herself up. Two nasty run in's with vampires in blood frenzies. Neither were her fault, but they sure seemed to find her. Believe it or not, Mr. Majere saved her life the first time, and I patched her up them. The second time. if it hadn't been for Jack Black Heart, she'd have died. Damned monster tried to rip out her throat with his bare hands. Khaat killed him in self defense but didn't have enough strength to get home. Jack saved her by finding her and bringing her home. Why else do you think I left a very comfortable retirement to go to work at St. Mungo's?" He pointed out the lab coat. "Somebody has to body guard my daughter and my granddaughter."

"I'm fine, Daddy, and you know it. Stop trying to scare him. He just got home," Khaat said, scowling at her father. She watched as Robert laid his hand on the young man's jaw for a long moment. "There. Gone,"Robert said, "My daughter does not need to marry Blackbeard or Jack Sparrow either one. " "Daddy," Khaat admonished Robert again. She turned and looked at Rob. "I am perfectly fine. No scars. See? Fine! Perfectly healthy. Don't believe all those overdramatic tales of his," she told Rob firmly.

"Wait, how are you fine?" Rob asked, glaring at Robert for a few seconds for ridding his skin of his scar but it was put to the back of his thoughts for a while. Khaat had been hurt. "It's not overdramatic, Khaat because these things do happen to you. You were attacked by two vampires and no one even thought to come and look for me? I'm in the Yellow Pages for goodness sake and you could have gone and asked Jenifer because oddly enough she knows about everything I do. I hate to say it but I owe Majere one don't I? Jack I'll take out for a pint anytime because he's a nice bloke but Majere!?" Rob felt physically sick. He didn't know what to do or what to say. He just felt... numb almost.

"Ive never even met Jenifer. And besides, if I had been in that much danger, your ring would have told you. That's what its for. And as far as I'm concerned, I owe Majere nothing. Not as long as he asks more than I am willing to give. I am not paying one ounce of attention to that. Its not your debt. He sees it as mine. He sees that I owe him twice. And I'll pay it whenever I see fit, and not one moment before. I don't want you messing with Vincent. I have him at arms' length for now, and he is happy enough being there. So let's not wake up that sleeping dog, shall we? I haven't met anyone in your family, as a matter of fact. I figured if your ring changed color and showed I was in trouble and you didn't come, it was because either you were really ticked at me, or it was because you couldn't come. I did the best I could at the time, Rob," she said quietly. "I didn't ask for either of those things. My father didn't tell you the night Matt attacked, I was right outside St. Mungos heading for a good cup of coffee. He also didn't tell you I was heavily armed when I went to Diyanne West's house and was attacked by her brother. I also had vials of blood and a vial of curing potion. Both. None of it did any good. " .

"Robert you have met Jenifer! The four-foot pixie knows about everything I do so why didn't you think to ask her? You saw her when we first found out Khaat was pregnant. I didn't breathe a word and she knew. I wouldn't touch Majere with a ten foot pole, Khaat. He's more devious than Malfoy and his sister-in-law put together. Look, I didn't want you to meet anyone from my family because most of them I can't stand and the ones I love to pieces just want to mother me. They're all female and they all live in the same manor which means they all go stir-crazy. My grandmother is at least 80 yet she still runs around throwing water-balloons at my cousins. It has never been a place I've felt part of. They're not a group of people I love too much. Jenifer is about the only one I can stand because she is my sister and she'd still find a way into my life if crunch came to crunch anyway. The ring is..." Missing, no, technically it was in the stomach of a young dragon and he had reprimanded the reptile when it had eaten it but there was nothing much he could do.

"I didn't see it change colour but that still doesn't mean you were safe, Khaat! I know you want to protect every damn creature that gets thrown into Azkaban or is bullied by the Wizarding world but I don't give a toss about them! They can rot away for all I care because all that matters in my eyes is my family and that means you in short. You and whoever we have inside of you is all that matters to me. I don't care whether the bloody vampires were under the Imperious Curse it was their faults. They can't be defended forever and you're rubbish at defending yourself. You need to stop getting yourself into trouble. Be selfish for once, Khaat! I don't care whether your uncle was Remus Lupin or your great-great grandfather is now Albus Dumbledore! You are going to be my wife damnit and I don't care whether I have to have you tied to me for the rest of my life because I am never going to let these things happen to you again!"

She smiled, never happier to have him back and angry at her in all her life. She kissed him very slowly and so deeply she wanted it to take his breath away. "Is that a promise, Robert Andrew Dent? " she asked softly. "Will you marry me and never ever leave me again? Will you quit putting it off and finally marry me so I can be with you forever? Whatever I am, I am much, much better when I'm with you. Look--do you see a single bandage or a single scar? I'm fine. And your daughter is fine. We're just waiting for you. I love you, Rob. And if you want me to work here as a waitress for the rest of my life, I'll do it. Just say the word. " She wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled in his chest, "I don't care about your crazy family. that doesn't bother me. Just don't make me live one more day without you. Let's elope today or get married with Jack and Jess tomorrow."

"You bet your sorry little ass it’s a promise." Rob growled, pulling her to him. He wanted nothing more to ravish her but considering she was pregnant and definitely more delicate than usual he didn't want to hurt her. Plus, he looked like a hobo and that isn't someone even the most desperate of people want to have sex with. "Besides, I haven't been putting it off. I was abducted by a fireplace - that doesn't happen to people every day y'know."

He looked Khaat over and shrugged. She did look fine but she was still a porcelain doll compared to him. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close to him. He didn't care whether she was a waitress for the rest of her life or not, he wasn't going to let her out of his sight. He would become his wife-to-be's own personal stalker if it came down to it but he didn't fancy searching their bins so he could leave that one out.

"You're going to get hurt, everyone does but you hurt yourself more drastically than a blind, deaf midget could, Khaat. I am never going to disappear again, okay? I'm marrying you tomorrow; no doubt about it and then I'll find some way to prevent my sister from hugging you until you end up like a lamppost, alright? I want you to be my wife. I want to marry you and I want you to want to marry me. You don't have to live another day without me. Not now. I'm always going to be here."