LONDON CALLING

Angus wasn’t a healer so he presumed he had just not understood but he really didn’t understand why Jess was so insistent that Jack be in bed. Ruby had actually provided Jack some good first aid with an antiseptic and a separate healing potion designed to boost Jack’s natural swift healing abilities because of his werewolf blood. He didn’t say anything though, deciding to just keep his mouth shut.

“I’ll need to talk to Daphne since she has jurisdiction over this situation,” Michael said. “I’ll talk to Robert first before i do anything”.   He excused himself to go finish cooking supper.

Edward and Robert came out, both of them cleaned up and dressed, and Nigel came out with them, carrying 2 pints of stout in glass mugs. He set one down for Edward and the other for Robert. Brian noticed Robert wasn’t wearing the heavily padded dressings on his hands but instead had a pair of blue gloves.  

“What are those about?” Brian asked.

“Those are healing gloves for burn patients. Muggles have something similar but i improved upon their idea. Theirs are merely a substitute for a dressing. These are enchanted and medicated. They provide healing potions and spells, and as the medication wears off, the blue color fades to white to indicate when the gloves need replaced. They’re not nearly as bulky and will allow him to work on very small movements as I allow him to do. I’ve had success with them, so i had Lee Shepherd port some to me.”

“That is amazing,” Brian said. “I might keep an eye on that.”

“By all means,” Nigel replied. “Oh, and I’ve tinkered with Khaat’s calming potion, under the circumstances. Do keep your eyes open and let me know if it is a better formula for her. And I’ve added a sleeping potion for her. She seems resilient, so hopefully she only needs it temporarily  it won’t hurt her if she needs it a bit longer. They may make her a bit groggy at first though. Tell that bodyguard to do the wand work for awhile.”

“I’ll tell him,” Brian said. Nigel excused himself and left. Brian looked at Jess because of her comment about the gift on Ruby’s lap. “ Not very subtle, Jess,” Brian laughed. “I just figured Ruby will choose when she wants to do something with it. No pressure, Ruby. Handle it when and how you feel comfortable.”

Ruby sat listening and smiled seeing Robert up and about holding a glass of stout. She sat and listened to the banter between Brian and Nigel. She ehard Brian talk to Jes who chuckled and nodded then talk to her " thank you, um..Angus could you walk with me for a moment, please" she asked standing with the box under her arm. Taking his hand in her own she waited for him to lead to where they could talk.

Ruby sat down placing the box next to her as she looked at him " Okay we all know the last gift you got went up in smoke..litraly but..I went and got you something with Marcus's help, he found the right one and made sure it was perfect." she pick up the girft and held it out to him. "Here, this is for you from me." she said now slightly nervouse as to if he'd like her buying a gun for him.

“Certainty,” he replied, taking her hand and leading her across the lawn to the farm pond and to a bench on the water bank and motioned for her to sit. He sat with her and listened as she told him about her gift. He opened the box and found an outstanding pistol, with a wonderful inscription on the box.

“I know about these pistols, and they’re exceptional. I haven’t mentioned anything to Edward yet about the old gun, but you can be sure he’ll chew me out good and proper for using it after he expressly warned me about it. This is a wonderful gift, and i won’t hesitate to take it with me. Thank you so much
I love it. “. He kissed her.

“I have something for you too. Its not an expensive thing but maybe we were thinking on the same lines. He gave her a small box. Inside was a pendant that he had had hand carved for her. The center stone was a heart shaped rutilated quartz, the thin black hematite rods running diagonally through the clear quartz. And around the heart were smaller gemstones, set in gold. And it was dangling from a pretty but strong chain.

“Watch this,” he said. He got out a book of matches from his pocket and lit one and moved it closer to the stone. The stone started to glow with a shimmering soft white light, and something around his neck also started to glow.

“You’re not going to need it forever but it functions as an alarm that goes to me. The small stones all have some ability to try to protect some part of you, but they basically boost the big stone. The thing about rutilated quartz us is that not only does it protect, but it spins back any negative energy right back to the sender. And, you’re going to want to periodically give it to Kate or Khaat or Gabe overnight so they can clean and recharge it. So, i guess we were thinking of the same things.” He smiled at her

Ruby smiled widly as he spoke that he loved her gift and would use it she smiled as he kissed her. When he said he hadn a gift for her she accepted " you know I didnt get you one to get one in return right, I got you it becuse I love you and you need it." she said softly to him. seeing the pendant she grinned and held it in her hand " its beautiful" she said then watched as he showed her what it could do she noticed the glow around his neck and moved his shirt " I will never take it off" she said moving her hair so he could place it around her neck. When he said that they were both thinking the same thing she chuckled. " I guess thats why we were brought together, to protect and love each other." she said returning his kiss with one of her own.

Jessie looked at Kaden and chuckled " I would not be surised if there ws a wedding soon with those two" he said Kaden chuckled and kissed Jessies cheek.

"would not suprise me one bit." he said " but its nice to have things semi back to normal" he chukled as he saw Jack and Jess sat now in the living room talking.

"you sure your okay?" Jes asked Jack who noded his hed

"check if you don't belive me" he said placing ehr hand on his cheek. Jess smiled and nodded "see"

"all right I was just being caushious, who knows what that woman gave you." she said

"she said it ws special to our kind, werewolves so it would help and it did, and don't worry you know your my only healer." he said in a sappy tone making her chuckle softly as she lent against him.

“You might be right,” he smiled.

“I hope you’re all hungry,” Michael called to everyone. “For better or worse, it’s ready.”

“Michael, you have never served a bad meal,” Robert said. “ What’s on the menu?”

“Chateaubriand,” Michael replied.

“Good heavens. What’s the occasion?”

“That’s what you had the fixings for in your larder,” Michael laughed.

“I say we go eat,” Edward said. “I’m starving.”

“I’ll give you a hand to get set up in the dining room,” Brian said.

“You will do no such thing,” Robert said. “Take care of your wife. I will manage.”

“Ruby,” Angus said, “if you can manage to get Abbey set up, i’ll try to help him and…” He was going to say he would help Robert and Edward, but Nigel returned.

“Edward,…” Nigel began, and Edward waved Nigel away. Angus motioned to Nigel that he would help Edward if Nigel could help Robert. Nigel went automatically to Robert then to help him. Brian went upstairs to call Khaat and Marcus.

Ruby smiled and nodded her fingers touching the pendant she now wore. " of course, now where is that pup" she said with a slight chuckle knowing if she wasn't in water she'd be napping someplace. searching she found her curled up with Henry under a bush. " Abby, it tea time Michaels cooked and it smells delishious, let leave Henry to nap." she scooped up the tiny pup and " if you turn back I'll make sure there berrys for desert" she said in a soft mothery tone. She smiled seeing the pup return to a small but dirty little girl. " lets get you washed for tea."

Jess and Jack looked up at the sound of the mention of food " oh that sounds devine" Jess said as Jack stood up then pulled her gently to her feet " how'd you make that?" she asked " that will keep Jack happy for a week" she chuckled as Jessie and Kaden walked in from the library.

Well alls secure in the lab, I restocked your healing potions since I noticed some were running low and Jessie helped make more kits." Kaden said to Brian.

Ruby smiled as she spoke "Its a lusciously tender beef seasoned very simply, roasted to perfection, and then sliced on the diagonal in a shallot and wine sauce served with chateau potatoes." she said.

"I can teach you any time you want to learn," Michael told Jess when she asked how to make it.

"Thank you, Kaden," Brian said. "We've been hitting our potions and bandage supplies harder than normal, so thanks for replenishing them."

When Ruby brought Abbey to the table, Abbey looked at dinner and simply said. "Yum!"

"Do you know what that is, Abbey?" Robert asked her.

"Cow!" Abbey said, nodding, pleased with herself. They laughed.

"Oh, well done, Abbey. It is indeed cow," Kate said. "And potatoes. You like potatoes." Abbey nodded. Kate sat beside Robert to help him with anything he needed.

"Do you remember the last time we had Chateaubriand?" Robert asked Kate.

"It was what you brought in for us the day Khaat was born. She was born in the morning, and you brought that in for us that night with a split of champagne. You were so proud, and you had scrimped and saved for months to bring that dinner in for the two of us."

"Is that why I was an only child?" Khaat teased.

"That's right," Robert said, not missing a beat. "Couldn't afford the dinner twice."

"Michael Tremaine, why do you not have a restaurant of your own?" Nigel asked, after taking a bite of the beef. "This is the best chateaubriand I have ever had. It's magnificent. What a treat."

"Catburglar, remember?" Michael teased. "Not restauranteur."

"And what is the occasion that caused you to do this?" Kate asked.

"Because that's what your supplies in your larder led me to do," he laughed.

"So, the moral of the story is that we let the larder go nigh onto empty, and we get chateaubriand," Robert teased.

"That's what it sounded like to me too," Edward laughed.

Ruby chuckled at Abbys discription of the meal " ncly simplified Abby" she said eating her own food " and Abby, it is yummy" she said listening to Brian and Khaat talk she glanced at Angus. " now for me it would be a Caesar's Special Country Ribs, The Ribs are extra-special 'cause country-style ribs are meatier than traditional spareribs. That means that there's more to sink your teeth into." she said looking at evry one then to Angus " I like simple foods." she said with a smile to him.

Jes looked at Michael and nodded " oh yes please." she said seeing Jacks eyes light up, but was it a cheap wine you used or can we sub for that?" she asked tucking into the potatoe. She heard his reasoning and laughed .

"Gezz brian, you should leave your cupbaords bare more often if this is what we get." Jack said taking another bite of his beef and humming as he ate. " its delishious, I agree."

"We like all kinds of cow and pig, don't we, Abbey?" Robert asked. Abbey nodded enthusiastically, putting a forkful of meat in her mouth.

"And chicky!' she added.

"Well, yes, we like chicky too," Robert said. "No fish?" Abbey shook her head. She preferred just about any other sort of meat to fish, but that was a child's palate, Robert knew.

"Cake!" Abbey said.

"Well, maybe. If you eat all your cow, then maybe cake," Robert told her.

"Aggie? Pink cake?" Abbey asked Angus.

"Not tonight, Pet," Angus said. "I didn't make cake today. I'm sorry. Maybe I'll make one tomorrow."

"We'll find you a berry tart like the ones I made at lunch," Kate said to console her.

"That really is a good question, Jess," Michael said. "The classic calls for a good dry red wine if you're making a red wine sauce to go with it. I personally like a good merlot for that. If, on the other hand, you're making a béarnaise sauce, you need a good dry white wine for that, and i generally use a really nice Sauvignon Blanc. But, my rule of thumb when cooking with wine is not to think you need the top shelf wine, or the bottom shelf either. I go for wine priced in a mid range, a wine that I like for drinking. And then I serve that same wine with the meal."

"Good to know," Kate said. "I'll remember that."

"I made a grocery and supply list," Angus said. "I'll go over and raid the pantry and the big walk in fridge and freezer at your place, Brian, and bring those things over here. If anyone has anything they need from Brian's place, let me know, and I'll bring it tomorrow."

"I'll go with you," Kate said. "Someone has lost BooBoo Kitty again, and it really is a must. I told her I'd go hunt for BooBoo Kitty in the morning."

"Maybe we should get her two BooBoo Kittys," Brian said.

"Now, you really don't understand a well loved stuffed animal," Khaat said. "Substitutes will not do. It has to be the original or nothing at all."

"That makes no sense."

"Yes it does," Kate said. "That BooBoo Kitty chases away all her bad dreams. An imposter would never be the same."

"She'd never know the difference," Brian said.

"This child?" Nigel asked. "She'd know in a fraction of a second. She's sharp as a tack, this one."

Ruby listened and chuckled " every child knows there own toy, its uniqu to them." she said softly then smiled " I had a teddy it had a leather fying helmet and I called it dosher becuse every where I went it would hit things so, he got the name dosher." she said and chuckled " my brother tried to say it ws his but his had a stripped shirt and an eye missing so I knew it wasn't mine, we feel safe with them and no other will do, right Abby." she said smiling " I'll go with them too and help look for Kitty, do you remember where you had him last?" she asked finishing her plate with a smile.

Jess and Jack sat listening and ate dinner. " oh agree, and yes might be good for me to learn this one" Jess said as Jack nodded furiusly next to her making her laugh out loud. " alright Jack settle down." she said half laughing.