LONDON CALLING

"Abbey would love that," Kate said. "She likes those. She's been coming to the barn since she was a baby, but we have a rule. She knows she isn't allowed to make first contact with anything. If we let her interact with something, we have to make first contact, hand the creature to her, if its a small one, and then coach her on how to treat it nicely. But she loves the animals. She would love to have a pygmy puff but I think she really does need to be just a bit older before she actually has one of her own. Still, she is so gentle with the animals, even for her young age, that t makes me wonder if having her metamorph abilities makes her perhaps a bit more sensitive with animals in general."

Edward came in, smelling food.

"What are you doing up?" Angus frowned at him.

"At the moment? Looking to refill my coffee and my belly--not necessarily in that order," Edward said. "I feel fine, so stop fussing, would you?"

"No you don't. You don't feel fine at all," Angus said. Edward laughed out loud

"You are turning into a worry wart worse than your grandmother ever was. Eat your breakfast and then go shovel the poo out of the barn and let me enjoy the morning in peace, would you? I plan on sitting on the porch, drinking Kate's coffee, maybe reading Robert's newspaper, and enjoying the sunshine."

"And listening to Nigel nag," Michael said.

"Yes, that too" Edward said.

"We'll keep an eye on him, Angus," Michael soothed. "We worked too hard to rescue his behind to let him buggar it up."

"Thank you," Angus said, trying to relax a little about it.

"I'll bring you lot over a picnic lunch, if you like," Kate suggested to Ruby and Angus and Abbey.

"Wit 'sammiches?" Abbey asked.

"Yes, with sandwiches," Kate laughed. "What kind of a sandwich do you want for lunch?"

"Jam!" she said, bouncing up and down. "And crisps!"

"What about a bacon butty?"

"Noooo. Jam. Jam, jam, jam." she sang, as Brian came into the room.

"Why are we singing about jam?" Brian asked, going over and kissing Abbey's forehead. "You're all sticky," he told Abbey. "Maybe I should take you outside and rinse you off with the garden hose."

"No, because then we'd have a puppy again," Kate said. "You know how she loves water when she gets outside."

"Oh, well, yes, there is that," Brian said, getting a mug of coffee.

"Where is Khaat this morning?"

"She's up. She says she's feeling significantly better. Evidently Nigel formulated some sort of potion for her that is reducing the last of the bruising she took from Gelding and is having a major effect on soothing her trauma symptoms from that. It really is a night and day difference. She's like her old self again. I think she's dressing to go into St. Mungos for awhile this morning."

"Robert guessed Nigel was onto her nerves yesterday."

"He was indeed," Brian said. "And I'm glad to see her feeling so much better. How are you, Edward?"

"Right as rain," Edward said, helping himself to a plate of pancakes and sitting down at the table.

"Good. Glad to hear it. You look dramatically better. So how is Robert?"

"He's hit a snag with getting rid of the last of the shock. Nigel says it's because Robert was in such 'wretched' health to begin with. He's given Robert a very long lecture last night about letting himself get so run down. He thinks all the repeated injuries Robert had before this, along with the chronic insomnia has really impacted his health in a hugely negative way."

"Well, he's right, you know," Brian said. "Most of that isn't his fault. It's Gelding's fault for attacking him so many times so close together."

"I think Nigel is going to be here until he has Robert in a considerably better state and until he's restored his hands."

"And that's not a bad thing," Brian said. "Are we still on for some target practice today, Ruby? Marcus is looking forward to it. He's talked Khaat into delaying going into work for a bit so he can join us."

Ruby listened to Kate and nodded " of course." she said and watched Edward enter the room she heard his words and make himself a plate of pancakes "here you go" she said refilling his mug with fresh coffee. She listened to him reasure Angus he was not going to be doing anything but resting.

She chukled hearing Abby sing about Jam and looekd to Kate " well we could have some Jam samwiches in or picnic." she said glancing at Kate " if thats all right with Kate. but first you need to take a bath, piggmipuffs don't like sticky little girls," she teased Abby. Now as she continued to make up breackfast she listened to the talk around her and smiled this was how a family should be.

Now with scambled eggs, crispy bacon , hash brown, Beans and sausages in the heating trays in the dinning room and a mountain of toast she felt she was done. " I'll send up plates for Robert, nigel and Khaat." she said to Brian

She heard Brain say her name and turned to look at him nodding as she spoke "of course, Im sure Mia is still on for target practice." she said " but I will have to borrow a gun though." Just as she finished Jack walked in and over to the sink to wash his hands.

"alright, fresh coffee and food, oh Brian the targets are up as far back as I could get them away from the barn." he said taking a plate and then his food. Jess picked up Abby and chuckled at how sticky she was.

"and I'll take miss sticky, wash and dress her for the barn." Jess said " we can make bubble animals you can pop if you stay as you are now." Jess left with Abby and Ruby nodded noting her shoes needed changing to boots for the barn. Moving to Angus she kissed his cheek gently. " Abby and I will see you out there soon" she told him.

When breakfast was overwith, Michael said he would man the kitchen while Kate was gone, and Khaat and Marcus came downstairs. Marcus had indeed talked Khaat into going to the estate with him while he did some shooting, and so she had chosen to change. Wearing a skirt and stiletto heels in the barn was not the best choice. So she had a pair of jeans, and she had beige camisole covered with a peasant top made of a sheer fabric. She had a pair of western booties because Brian had promised her she wouldn't need to muck out stalls today. Marcus had suggested she consider perhaps sunbathing out by the pool while they did target practice since it was going to be warm.

"Thank you, Jack," Brian said, appreciating all Jack's assistance. "You're coming shooting with us too, aren't you?"

Kate packed a very generous picnic lunch for them all, and she apparated over to the barn to start checking on the animals while the others went shooting. She put her basket on the workbench and made sure to cast a cooling spell on it to keep the food cold. Then she went to find Ruby and Abbey.

"I can take Abbey for you while you go shooting if you like," Kate told Ruby. "She can go with me to feed the chickens and the rest of the birds. I know Archangel is going to want to fly, and he likes her. She'll enjoy feeding him. He knows she's a baby, so he is remarkably patient and gentle with her."

It was Brian who had gone downstairs at Roberts and had gotten a pistol for Ruby. He had already put his own in a waistband holster, so now he got a pistol for her, and a couple of clips of ammunition. He had asked Khaat if she wanted to shoot, but she declined. Angus had taken the gun that Edward had not liked simply because it was the one pistol that he owned.

Everyone seemed to leave on their own to go to the estate, and Angus seemed to be the last to leave. When they got to the farm, he found Marcus had indeed talked Khaat into sunbathing, and she was in her two piece swimsuit, lying on a beach towel out by the pool. Marcus was satisfied that she was within eyesight and earshot, so he wasn't worried.

Marcus loaded his pistol while Brian was aiming and taking a couple practice shots. He glanced over at Khaat just as Brian got off his first shot, and Marcus saw Khaat jump rather badly, badly startled, even though she had known it was coming. By the time Brian had taken his third shot, Khaat had gotten up and gone in the house.

"Go ahead," Marcus told the others. "I'll be right back." He didn't like that he couldn't see her if she was inside. He found her a pair of ear plugs used at shooting ranges to deafen the sound and he lured her back outside, tucking a couple extra pair of ear plugs in his shirt pocket in case anyone wanted a pair.

"Marcus?" Brian asked.

"She's alright. She's still pretty hypervigilant, though. Nigel thought the shooting would be a good test of his potions. Clearly it needs some tinkering because she's really jumpy. I gave her a pair of earplugs to deafen the sound but that means I will have to pay closer attention because she won't be able to hear danger if it comes at her," Marcus told him.

"I'll help you keep watch too," Brian said.

They hadn't been warming up very long when one of the grounds crew came up to Angus and drew him aside, telling him there was a man and a woman at the main house's front door, demanding to see him. Angus couldn't figure out how anyone could have found the estate, and he certainly couldn't figure out who would want to see him. The groundskeeper showed him their identifications, and Marcus saw that the instant Angus saw their identifications, Angus's face became very serious, and Marcus believed Angus was instantly livid about something. Marcus didn't want to go outside of eyesight of Khaat.

"Jack," Marcus called quietly, sensing there might be trouble. He looked at Jack and then looked at Angus as a silent cue that Jack might want to go along as backup for whatever this sudden disturbance was.

Jacj heard Angus and turned to look at him seeing the anger on his face Jack wlaked over "Problem." he asked looking from the grounds crew to Angus and back. He saw the two i.d's in his hand and sighed " if that who I think it is, ho boy" he said " lets see what the leeches want.

Ruby had been trying to do target peractice when she saw Angus be pulled away. "Hey Jess, hold this please." she said braking the gun and handing it to Jess who stood next to her. " Hey, Angus is everything okay?" she asked as she walked over to him. Seeing the look on his face she looked puzzled.

Angus saw Jack and Ruby come up to join him, and he dismissed the groundskeeper, taking the id's with him.

"Nothing I can't handle," Angus said to her quietly, working hard to keep his anger at bay.

At Kate's farm, Mira and Gabe had joined Robert, Edward and Michael and Nigel for some poker. Mira was actually just holding Robert's cards for him and playing them as he wanted them laid. But so far, Robert was doing pretty well in terms of winnings. And then, she saw a flash of two people at the door at Khaat's house and she didn't like the looks of them

"Do we know any gangsters?" Mira asked.

"Several," Robert said. "Why do you ask?"

"You know gangsters, Robert?" Nigel scowled disapprovingly.

"Well, I think there are some strangers over at the estate,' Mira said. "And they're creepy looking. He's tall, dark haired, dressed in a summer linen three piece suit, with a red tie, and a straw fedora. She's blonde, wearing a midi length summer wrap dress and heels, dressed to the nines, and she's drunk. And at least part of the blonde look comes out of a bottle."

"Let me guess," Edward said. "And her lipstick shade is horrendous."

"How'd you know?" Mira asked. "She looks like her cosmetic drawer threw up on her face."

"Because I know them," Edward said. "Where's Angus?"

"He went over to the estate to go work the barn and go join the others at the target shooting," Michael said.

"Oh, shit," Edward said, dreading the confrontation. He got up, tossed his cards on the table and was going to apparate out, when Nigel stood up too.

"You aren't in any shape..."

"Save it," Edward said.

"I'll go," Michael said.

"Get him to sit. He's not strong enough for any of the sort of difficulties you lot get into," Nigel said strongly. Michael took hold of Edward and apparated into the kitchen. Edward told him who he believed was at the door, and Michael quickly understood.

"Come with me. I have an idea," Michael said. He took Edward to Brian's very elegant home office that was done in dark woods and leather and expensive southwestern art, and he sat Edward behind the desk. "Wait here."

Angus went to the door and opened it and saw his parents. His father smelled of entirely too many cigars, and his mother smelled like too much booze and to much perfume and hairspray. And, as usual his father had a cigar in his hand, and his mother was holding onto a pair of oversize sunglasses and a teeny tiny chihuahua who was dressed in a little pink tutu.

"What do you want?" Angus asked coldly.

"Is that any way to greet your..." his father began.

"Don't start with me," Angus said, feeling nothing but resentment for either of them. "You're not welcome here."

"Oh,come on, Baby," his mother cooed at him and went to take his face in both of her hands, and he stepped back.

"Don't touch me," Angus replied icily. He glanced at Ruby and Jack with a look that asked them to go along with him for the moment. "This is Benjamin and Eileen Donohue--my biological mother and her sperm donor."

"I'm your father!" Benjamin shouted at Angus.

"No, you're not. Not really. I don't have a father," Angus said.

"And who are..." his mother began.

"This is Jack," Angus said. "He's a werewolf, just so you know. Oh, and I think it's the full moon tonight." It wasn't the full moon, but his mother wouldn't have any idea that Angus was full of shit. And this is Ruby--my wife. Now, you have five seconds to tell me what brought you out from whatever rock you were living under, and if I don't get an answer, I'm going to have Jack take care of you both. Understand? And Jack doesn't leave loose ends."

Ruby saw the two people walk over and scrunched her nose " who puts a dog in a tutu" she said disgusted at the thought. As they got closer she took Angus's hand in her own not liking them one bit. When the woman moved to hold Angus's face she wanted to cut off her hands. but she smiled seeing him pull back from him.

Jack chuckled but hearing who they were he stood glaring at them. " oh I think it is" he said letting out fake low growl as a warning. Both frowned at them. Ruby looked at Angus then to them glaring at his mother and sperm donor. She was a litle taken a back when he introduced her as his wife but showed no suprise in front of them.

"Well say what you have to say then get the hell away from both of us." she said still holding his hand. Jack folded his arms across his chest and nodded " loose ends, never..I love loose ends, i eat them for breakfast." he said and chuckled grinning at them both.

"Always had to have someone else fight your battles for you, haven't you?" Benjamin looked at Jack, disgusted that his son would befriend one of 'those' creatures. And no woman of any breeding would dress the way Angus's wife was dressed, Benjamin thought. As far as Benjamin was concerned, he believed Angus was still surrounding himself with "gutter people."

"Where is Edward?" his father demanded.

"If he wanted you to know, he'd have told you," Angus said.

"Evan told us..."

"Evan is an asshole!" Angus shouted.

"Evan is twice the man you'll ever be, you little brat!" Benjamin shouted at Angus. "He's at least four times smarter, and ten times wealthier! You were nothing but a disappointment from the moment you were born!..."

Edward had heard every single syllable, and it cut him like a knife, hearing his eldest son belittling his own son in such a heartbreaking fashion.

"I cannot let him say one more thing to Angus," Edward said, trying to get up from the desk chair.

"No, stay there. Trust me," Michael said, heading to the front door. At that moment, Benjamin had thought he was just going to manhandle his little weakling son and push past him to get into the house. The instant he grabbed Angus, Angus reacted in pure rage--thirty two years' worth. He snatched Benjamin by the collar and slammed him into the wall of the house hard enough that Michael's first thought was that Angus had very likely busted some of his father's ribs. Benjamin went limp, but Angus hadn't noticed. He slammed him against the side of the house three more times before Michael was able to get to him.

Michael dove in to pull Angus off of Benjamin before Angus ended up beating him beyond all help.

"Come on," Michael told Angus quietly when they finally got Angus to drop Benjamin. "He's not worth it...."

"I'll see you in Azkaban, you little..." his father began, gasping for air

"Shut it," Michael said to Benjamin. "And come with me. Both of you." Michael motioned to Jack to help escort Benjamin and Eileen inside. He subtly motioned for Ruby to stay with Angus.

"Your father has a right..." Eileen was saying

Ruby listened to Angus's father rage boiling inside her too but he beat her to it. Jack moved to keep Angus back from his father when Micahel moved the so called man away from him. Ruby moved to face Angus stepping inbetwen the two men "Michael's right Angus, listen to him, Hes nothing look at what your part of and help build." she told him gently when Elieen spoke she turned to face her.

"No he dosn't, he lost that right the day you stopped caring and started abusing my husband, yes I know all about it and your dispicable, horrible treatment of my husband and when our first child is born, they will NEVER know about you and you will Never see him, so go back to what ever rock you crawled out of and leave us alone, you were never a mother to him, just an incubator." she turned back to Angus and gave a slight shrug to him hoping she'd at least given him something else to think about.

Jack held up Benjamin and looked to Michael " wow woudn't want to cross her in a dark alley

"The other one that I really don't want to meet in a dark alley is in the next room," Michael said, acknowledging Jack's remark, and as he was speaking, Michael heard a loud, crackling apparating, making the house shake and making the sound of thunder roll through the house. Michael knew who that was, without the slightest shred of doubt. Michael silently looked at Jack as if to say, "This is gonna get really interesting, really quick."

Michael and Jack escorted Benjamin and Eileen into the office, and he wasn't one bit surprised to see Robert standing on Edward's right. Robert was dressed in black from head to toe and was wearing black leather gloves to cover his hands. Robert certainly knew how to look menacing when he wanted to.

"Dad! Where have you been! We were so worried..." Benjamin started.

"Sit down," Edward said in a commanding tone. "Benjamin, I told you and Eileen a long, long time ago that you were never to have contact with Angus..."

"You can't stop me. He's my son..."

"No! He isn't!" Edward said fiercely. "You lost custody of him decades ago. I took custody when you couldn't be bothered! You lost all rights to him when he was still just a little boy! Did you forget the restraining order I took out to keep you away from him?...

"Evan said you..."

"Evan is not my keeper!" Edward said. "I am where I want to be..."

"With..him? What can he possibly offer you..."

"Do you know who I am?" Robert spoke up with a dark tone in his voice.

"No, and I don't care," Benjamin said. Robert flicked his wand and stuck Benjamin and Eileen up on the office wall--upside down--before either of them could figure out what hit them.

"Still don't care who I am?" Robert asked.

Meanwhile, Angus overheard something he had never known--that Edward had sued Benjamin and Eileen for custody and had taken legal custody when Angus was still very small.

"He never told me," he told Ruby softly. "He never said he fought them for custody."

Ruby still held Angus by his arms listening to the loud shouting from the office. " He told me when he woke up, but that was the first time I knew too, He was letting me know how much you ment to him and how hard he fought for you." she looked up and looked into his eyes " I would do the same too, in a heart beat, with evry last beat of my heart, you didn't deserve what they did, you were an innocent child, a..a baby and edward protected you for that He's earned his place in my heart."

Jack let Benjamin go and stood behind the chair he was sat in. He tried hard to look tough and not chuckle when they were both pinned to the office wall but had to hide a smirk with his hand as he watched and waited. He could not help want to drop kick them out the front door and as far a way from Angus, Ruby Edward and all the rest as quickly as possible.