A Birth day

Marcus moved more pillows into place and did the heavy moving to slide Angus into a better position and helped to straighten him up. Not saying a syllable, he silently pointed out to Jess and Ruby the massive bruising that Angus had on his back, his shoulder, his arm and his chest. Nearly all of it had happened when the hay bale had fallen, but then there were newer layers caused by having a tree thrown on him, and even newer ones caused by today's reconstruction surgery. Angus had been bruised before, but now, since last night and today, he had two more layers of it, and Jess and Ruby hadn't seen it.

"We need to wrap you in a magic wrap from stem to stern," Marcus sighed, leaning Angus back to the pillows gently and then put a couple of soft pillows under the arm that was in a sling. "You've got quite a few bruises. Not your sexiest look"

"I don't pay attention to bruises," Angus said.

"Now, that I believe," Marcus laughed, drawing the covers back up. He looked at Jess. "Should we give him his sleeping potion and shut him up for a bit?"

"Trying to get rid of me?" Angus asked.

"It's either that or duct tape," Marcus teased as Finn jumped up on the bed, causing Angus to wince from the jarring of the bed. Marcus could tell his pain potion was wearing off anyway.

Ruby and Jess looked at Angus's shoulder Ruby gave a soft gasp and Jess just nodded to Marcus unaffected by the sight. she watched him put Angus back on the bed now she hoped more comfortable. When Marcus spoke she glanced at the clock to see the time "Yes, ita about time for his dose." she said moving to measure out the dose in a small cup for him "Here, you'll feel better, and you will sleep well too" Jess said " plus you have myself and Marcus watching over you." She saw Ruby sit down on the couch watching them.

Jess stepped back and picked up the notes writing that she had given him his sleeping potion and at what time so Robert if he came to check could see. Ruby moved to pick up Caprice and walked over to Angus " I'll ut her down for her sleep, want to say good night?" she asked leaning Caprice closer to him.

Angus gave Caprice a goodnight kiss and then took the potion that Jess gave him. He was tempted to tell Marcus to lock things up, but he decided to let Marcus figure out how to do his own job himself. It wasn't more than a moment before the potion hit him with the force of a freight train, and it swept everything away entirely.

"A lot of that bruising is new since the encounter with James last night. Some of it is from James and some of it from the surgery," Marcus said. He pointed out to them what was from the hay bale, what was from James and what was from the surgery.

"No wonder he hurts, with all of this and the surgery too. No wonder Robert's got him on such a powerful pain potion. Personally, I think Andrew needs to order a bigger magic wrap to cover some of this other bruising too for a few days because he's a right mess," Marcus said. "There's not a snowball's chance in Hades that Robert's going to let him out of bed to do paperwork or let him do it in bed either for a couple more days at least. I think this is exactly why Kate cleanse this house and why Robert went to take some stronger action against Gelding. Robert saw what was there when he operated, knowing there was more bruising to come, and then they found out the real reason that Angus was so shaken, Robert was determined to get Suzanne to stop for awhile, no matter what. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall to hear the discussion between Gelding and Suzanne when he realized that she blew the truce he had negotiated with Angus. That couldn't have been pretty."

Ruby smiled as Caprice yawned as Angus kissed her good night. Stepping back she moved to head up the stairs to put Caprice in her cot to sleep leaving Jess with Marcus. Jess listened to Marcus and nodded " signifigant bruising" she said listening to him talk again about what and why Robert and the other had done what they did to Gelding and Suzzane. " I agree he need rest and not an incompetent witch gunning for him" she said tucking the sheets around Angus before sitting down again. This time she accioed the finachial books and began going threw them . Pausing she loked up at Marcus " hes not going to rest until these are off his mind anI did the book at St Mungos these are no different, besides I owe him for looking after Jack and it will keep me busy till the morning" she said and chuckled " but coffee wouldn't go a miss" she smirked looking at him.

"I'll put some on," Marcus smiled, going to make more coffee. "He strikes me as a bit of a perfectionist, so if that's the case, I would imagine it's either not quite as involved as he thinks it has to be, or its all ship shape anyway, so its only a matter of adding any transactions from the last month and making sure that it all matches up..."

"So you're still up," Edward said, coming in. "I was going to go to bed and then I saw the midnight oil was still burning over here." He glanced over and saw that Angus was asleep for the night. "He's starting to look a little better. There's just a little more color back in his face tonight. How do you both think he's doing?"

"I think he's calmer than he was," Marcus said.

"I'm sure it helped to have the anesthesia potion out of his system. That can dull one's thinking, and if he believed he was in danger, then the last thing he would have wanted was muddled thinking."

"Well, I'd have to agree. That's not the time to be dimwitted," Marcus said, "but he knows he's home, and since he and Robert have had a brief word, he seems to let go Reginald's supposed tip that Robert's going to lock him up, and he's been resting since."

"That's the best news I could have heard. Is there anything I can do for either of you before I turn in?"

"Not a thing that I can think of," Marcus yawned.

"Well, goodnight to you both, then," Edward said, going back to his place and turning out the lights. Marcus sat down on the sofa only a step or two from Angus, yawning heavily. The house was quiet, Angus was asleep, and Marcus had been up since 3 am. He was feeling pretty spent himself. It wasn't long before he'd fallen into a light doze, knowing that if Angus so much as moved, he would hear Angus and wake.

Jess chuckled and nodded " obviously, this is Angus was talking about evertthing has to be ship shape," she said and smiled seeing Marcus hed to make some coffee then stop as Edward walked in and spoke to him as she continued to work on the boks adding and balancing them looking up she smiled at Edward " Good night Edward" she said then saw Marcus yawn " why don't you go sleep, hes going to be out for some time and i am here for the night, if I need you I'll wake you" she looked at him " I promise" she added and chuckled.

Ruby put Caprice in her cot then slowly closed the door and headed to ehr own bed , changing into her PJs she lay down feeing the bed was way to big but she still fell into a light sleep.

"You've got a deal," Marcus told Jess. "Thanks. I think I'm just going to stay here on the sofa tonight. I'll feel better about it once he's had another day under his belt." He stretched out on the sofa and soon dozed off, satisfied in Jess's competence to handle whatever came up. Marcus had a lot of acquaintances and colleagues and past clients, but friends? Those were in much shorter supply for him. Spies didn't usually have the luxury of cultivating friends, and when he was given the chance to give it all up and to have some permanent roots, close to his parents and his kids, that allowed him all the action he wanted, great pay, he had taken it. And, he had found some friends.

Angus was falling into a different category. He had a close friend in Khaat. Because he went everywhere with her, they had formed a close, platonic friendship, but she had been a client first. Angus was something he hadn't had in many years--a friend who wasn't a client. Angus was a colleague, and right now he was a colleague in trouble. Angus was also a kindred spirit. They both had a bit of a soldier mentality because of their auror training. Something really important had happened that night that Marcus had saved Angus from dying by falling into that pit. It had bonded them like brothers, so when Angus had gotten into this scrape, Marcus had led him through Suzanne's emotional tortures too because that was just what brothers did. Marcus was here now because he wanted to be. He needed Angus's friendship the same way Angus needed Marcus's. All might not be right with the world, but for awhile, in the silence, it was safe to sleep, and they both needed it.

Robert had gotten some much needed sleep as well, and he had gotten up at four, had gone for two laps around the track, showered, changed, and, because it was Saturday, he had chosen jeans and a sage green workshirt, with sneakers. Zoe had been up and baking by the time he had finished his run, and she had made some mixed berry scones and some unusual chocolate cherry crumpets. She had packaged up a number of each, and when she saw Robert, she asked him if he would deliver them to the duplex.

So he arrived at the stroke of five with the large tin of pastries and used wandless magic to unlock the door and to let himself in quietly. He set the tin on the kitchen table and went to Jess, seeing Angus still sleeping, and Marcus asleep on the sofa not even a foot away from him.

"How'd it go, Jess?" he asked. "Oh, Zoe sent pastries. Mixed berry scones and a chocolate cherry crumpet. I admit I sneaked one of those chocolate cherry things, and even without toasting, it was marvelous. Looks like our boys are finally resting a little. Do you know if Angus has had anything to eat since I brought him home yesterday?"

Jess listened to Marcua dn nodded then went back to doing the books . She glanced up and saw Marcus now sound asleep and smiled. threw out the night she ahd checked and adjusted Angus making sure he was comfortable. Soon enough she saw the sun rise and finished the books Angus hadn been so worried about, closing them she placed them to one side and stood up to stretch her legs it was now she saw Robert enter and nodded to him " all quiet and yes he had some bone broth, fell asleep then had a bit more. " she said and handed him the noted from the night. " oh and I finished the books for the fnances as Angus was very axtious about getting them done." she added then glanced at Marcus " same for Marcus, slept the night" she said and chuckled " slight snoring though and can't wait to try those pastries."

Ruby woke and stretched out but finding the space next to her empty she sighed and went to wash and dress, she walked to Caprices room and smiled seeing her playing with her over cot toy. Taking her and changing her she carried her down to th kitchen " morning" she said making Caprice a bottle and sitting down so she could feed her before the girls woke.

"Thank you," Robert said to her. "I was hoping to either take a look at them or pass them onto Brian to contend with. Thank you for taking care of those. I appreciate that more than you know. I knew bloody well that those were going to be on his mind by tomorrow, but he was already stewing about them, was he? Well, he's never faulted on the bookwork, but I don't want him doing that yet.

"I don't think he really realizes how bloody big this surgery really was," he said, taking a moment to put on fresh coffee before going to check Angus's chart. "If I hadn't had Nigel with me, we'd have been at it, easily six hours. He did the larger bits, and I did all the bones, the bone splinters, and all the microsurgeries. Even with the two of us and a full surgery team, we were still at it just about exactly three hours. Wizarding surgeries almost never go longer than two, not if we can help it." With the smell of fresh coffee brewing now, Robert went over and read the chart. Things looked right as rain, so he set the chart aside and went over and checked Angus's vitals. They were exactly where he wanted them to be.

Marcus woke and sat up, and saw Ruby coming downstairs with the baby. "Oh, morning, All,' he said. He glanced over at Angus. "Did he sleep all night?"

"He should have. His potion was supposed to hold him all night. Though, by Jess's chart, the pain meds have worn off and he's sleeping on his own now," Robert said. "Morning, Ruby. Oh. Zoe sent over some mixed berry scones and some chocolate cherry crumpets. Where am I smelling bacon from?" Marcus sniffed. He was starting to smell bacon now too."

"Ah," Marcus pointed towards Edwards's place. "Simone. I bet she's onto breakfast. She'll bring some over. Whoever cooks almost always feeds both households."

"That's a nice tradition," Robert said. "I saw lights on in Andrew's place earlier, so I would expect him shortly too. I think Nigel's going to take the second shift over here today. Brian said he'd take the third if you didn't want it tonight, Jess, or I could come back. It's your choice. You get first dibs."

Robert went over, removed the magic wrap, and took off the dressing. It was saturated with drainage. He got out a cleansing potion and cleaned the incision gently.

"It looks really good for as early as we are into it," he told Jess. "We've gotten a lot of drainage out but some of that is taking down the swelling a bit too. And that makes me happy to see." He put on a clean dressing and put the magic wrap back on. He was just finishing when Angus woke.

"Good morning," Robert said. "I'm finished messing with your shoulder, so let's get you some coffee and let you wake up a little. How did you sleep? Any nightmares?"

"Not that I remember," Angus said sleepily.

"Excellent."

"I'll get his coffee," Marcus said. "I need some myself. Coffee, anyone else?"

"Yes, please," Robert said.

Jess nodded as Robert spoke to her about the books " yep , knew he would and if Brian could take tonights shift that would be great as I have a shift at St Mungos tonight" she said to him " last night just kept me on a even keel for this shift" she said and smiled " oh I'll leave the books so Brian can check them over but I don't see anything wrong , very thing balanced."

Ruby looed to Marcus and smiled then looked to Robert " they sound yummy, let me finish feding Caprice and I'll put the pot on for coffee" she said letting Caprice take the last of her bottle , once burped she lay her on her mat and as about to make the coffee but Marcus got to it first " thank you Marcus that sounds great" she said smiling and looking forward to the first taste of coffee in the morning.