LONDON CALLING

Kate arrived back with Jessie, and she let Jessie pick the spot for the tree in the kitchen.

"Is that the tree for Fudge?" Khaat asked.

"It is. What do you think?"

"I think he's going to be one very happy little bowtruckle," Khaat smiled.

"Do you know where he is?"

"I don't know but I'd ask Abbey. She was in a hurry after breakfast to go play with her new 'friend' in the dollhouse."

"If it isn't a bowtruckle, we're in trouble," Kate frowned. "I'd better go see what she's playing with." Kate left the kitchen quickly.

Upstairs, Robert had gone to look in on Angus, and he found Angus was trying to pull himself out of his sleep. Robert took one of his gloves off and got a cool washcloth from the bathroom. He sat down on the edge of the bed and sponged Angus's face gently. It helped Angus pull himself out from some of the remnants of the sleep potion.

"Good morning," Robert said gently. It took Angus a moment to look around to see where he was. "You're still at the farm. It's almost noon. You've just been sleeping. You seemed like you were dreaming."

"I was..." he began and then stopped.

"Back in the mill, weren't you?" Robert asked.

"Yes," Angus said.

"How do you feel?"

"Stiff. Achy," he replied.

"Understandable," Robert replied. He laid his hand on Angus's forehead and found he had some of his healing energies back again. "Some muscle strain from last night. Completely understandable."

"I...need a shower," Angus said awkwardly.

"Alright. Go shower and we'll change that dressing. Would you like some coffee? I think we should let you start your day at a bit of a quieter pace today."

"You know, then?"

"Of course, i know. You wouldn't honestly want me to not know. Go shower, and we'll find you some clothes--unless you'd rather go naked."

"Um..no," he said. While Angus was in the shower, Robert accio'd a mug of coffee. Downstairs in the kitchen, Michael saw a mug leave the cabinet and start floating out of the kitchen.

"Wait a second. Hold up," Michael sharply addressed the coffee mug. "Where are you going?" The mug apparently had no intention of obeying Michael like his own mugs did at home. "Stupid brainless mugs," Michael muttered. "You're empty, you little idjit! Come back here!" Michael snatched the mug out of the air, but the mug kept pulling against him to comply with the accio command. "Hold still, you moron!" Michael filled the mug with coffee and let go of the mug, and the mug sped out of the kitchen and up the stairs to Robert.

Ruby finished her prep for the meal and saw the mug leave the cupboard and start towards the stairs, "Now thats ether Robert or Angus whose now awake." she said not helping the smirk at the battle Micahel was having with the cup as he filled it. " I'll get a plate of breakfast ready..unless the picnic's ready?" she asked hoping it would be so she could walk him to the spot so he could rest for the day.

Jessie placed the tree by a large window and angled it just right. " there, its perfect, I think the bowtruckle will love it." he said smiling as he wasjed his hands and headed out for his patrol.

"Let's give him a bit," Michael said. "Since he had a sleep potion last night, it might take him a minute to get his eyes open. I'll wager it's Robert who sent for the coffee. Maybe Robert's trying to get Angus's engine started just a wee bit slower this morning.

"If that's the case, he'll be trying to get him into the shower and get a cup of fuel into him, probably going to check him for any medical damages since he was only a day or so out of that little tricky shoulder surgery, and, I think Marcus mentioned that dressing needed changing.

"I'll finish getting the lunch put together while the crew puts the hammock and the blanket and pillows in place. Maybe it'll all be ready by the time he's ready to see other humanoids."

"Was that you insulting my pottery?" Kate came in, looking at Michael.

"Why didn't you put brains in them?" Michael asked her.

"I didn't need them to have brains. I just wanted them to hold my tea and shut up about it," she cast an amused grin at him.

"But they're stupid," he laughed. "Mine at least get the tea before they leave the kitchen."

"Well, that's not the mug's fault. Someone cast a wonky spell, that's all," she laughed. "Probably my husband using his hands before they're healed, and his magic is going a bit tilted. Anyway, Jessie, look who I found." She took Fudge out of her pocket. "Abbey had tucked him in her dollhouse. I think he may like this better." She took him over to the new tree, and the bowtruckle seemed to make happy little chirping sounds.

"I think he likes it," Michael said, watching Kate put her hand up to the tree so the bowtruckle could get to the tree. He seemed to take to it easily.

"I think so too," Kate smiled, watching him climb up to a limb that was well lit by sunlight. And your spot is perfect, Jessie. He likes the sunshine. Well done. Thank you."

Ruby smiled and nodded to Michael " I'll give him some time" she said and smiled seeing Fudge again " oh I missed him" she said and watched as he climbed to the tree " oh I think he absolutly loved this tree." she took a small scarp and held it out to him. She smiled seeing him take it.

Jessie smiled too " yeah thought he would, plants love the sun right." he said and stood with his arms folded over his chest as he watched the bowtruckle move around on th tree. " you think he knows its all for him?" he asked as Fudge hopped from branch to branch.

"I think he knows," Kate smiled. "He certainly likes it a lot better than the little habitat he had in the barn, that's for sure."

Michael went back to fixing the lunch and packing it in a picnic hamper for Angus and Ruby. He packed a very elegant kind of goat cheese, some parmesan cheese cut into little pieces, and some lovely bits of extra sharp cheddar, a couple hard boiled eggs, a little assortment of thin slices of ham and smoked turkey. He made his little spin on a Tuscan olive salad and packed it in two little tiny containers so they each had a portion of the tangy, zesty salad. He added some oatcakes, some water crackers and some small asiago cheese rolls they could just pull off pieces from. He packed some strawberries and some little champagne grapes, a lovely bottle of white wine. And then, using supplies from Kate's pantry, he made two little raspberry trifles in little glass jars. He packed in some wine glasses and all the cutlery, plates, napkins, all they would need, including a one liter bottle of spring water that he had used a spell on to partly turn it to ice so that it would be icy cold if they wanted it. He packed it all in the hamper and enchanted it so it would stay cold.

Upstairs, Robert had managed to get Angus out of the shower, dressed in just old soft jeans and a pair of simple slip on canvas shoes, and had gotten him through one of Nigel's check ups and a change of his shoulder dressing. Then he helped Angus with just a simple white tee shirt, putting his arm back in the sling as it belonged for now. The coffee had definitely helped. He looked more like himself now.

Robert encouraged him to spend the afternoon with Ruby, and that didn't disappoint him, except Angus did have a little anxiety that he might not be very good company. Robert had talked him through that anxiety and then had walked him downstairs.

"Well, here he is, All. They're not used to you having a lie in, Angus. But, so you all know, he is definitely more rested," Robert told them when he and Angus walked into the kitchen. "And he's a whole lot cleaner. I think we washed off the mill stench. He's had that nasty dressing changed and I gave him some pain potion for that shoulder since he had to exercise it long before it was ready. Nigel and I think he should get a little bit of lunch before long and maybe some sort of a relaxing afternoon."

Jessie and Ruby both saw Angus and Robert come down the stairs. Ruby walked over to Angus and gently kissed his cheek " good morning." she said smiling at him " Michaels got lunch fixed and as for a relaxing afternoon Kate sugested where that could happen, so just relax" she said returning to the kitchen and porred out ar cup of tea for him " here." she looked at Micahel wondering if everything was ready.

Jessie smiled as he looked at Robert and Angus. "Its good to see you on your feet mate." he said patting his good shoulder as he moved to the living room leaving Ruby, Khaat, Robert and Michael in the kitchen.

"Good morning," Angus said, feeling at a little bit lost at finding himself still here this morning. It was a good thing, he knew, but in a fraction of a moment last night, he had remembered the nightmare that had felt so real had ended with him falling to his death in what had looked to him like a pitch black pit with some sort of howling demonic sound rising up to greet him. And then to have it almost actually come to pass, it seemed odd to be here this morning. He was glad to still be here, but it still felt like he wasn't supposed to be here.

Robert had been specific with him in the little bit of conversation they had had. Robert had told him to stop overthinking things. He had told Angus to expect his thoughts to try to return time and time again to the dream and also to what had happened in the mill as he tried to adjust to it all, but he had been specific that he needed to focus in on being present in the moment and to not let his mind wander off. He had said it wasn't good for Angus to let his mind "around unsupervised like a little juvenile delinquent looking for somewhere to get into trouble."

"My memory is a little foggy about last night after we left the mill. I was really knackered, so if I forgot to thank you all, forgive me. But I was really glad you were all there last night," he said to them. He didn't want a prolonged discussion, but thanks certainly were in order.

"It's good to be on my feet at all," he replied to Jessie, "I haven't slept til noon in years." He heard Ruby say Michael had fixed lunch, and Ruby had something planned. He took the cup of tea from her. "Thank you. I might need quite a lot of caffeine today."

"Don't let him overtax himself," Robert told Ruby. "Keep his thoughts in the moment, and he should do alright. And don't be surprised if he's still a bit fatigued. That will pass too. For now, though, I think you should take your tea with you and go to lunch, Angus."

Angus took a sip of his tea and nodded, looking at the closed picnic hamper on the kitchen counter. So they were doing a picnic maybe? He couldn't remember the last time he'd been on a picnic.

"So, I guess you're in charge," Angus told her.

Ruby smiled and nodded " yep for a short while." she said and looked to Michael " Thankyou for the basket" she said to michael as she took it off the counter into her hand. Taking Angus's hand she smiled up at him. " Just let me lead..okay" she said smiling up at Angus then looked to Robert.

"Don't worry the most stressful thing hes got to do will be deciding what he wants to eat." she told him " now follow me" she said leading him out of the back door at a slow lesherly pace.

When they reatched the area Kate had mentioned she smiled seeing everything set up " here we are" she said and placed down the basket " now sit and relax, let me look after you." she told him setting out everything on a nearby cloth.

He didn't have any issue going with her or letting her lead. He was glad to not be making decisions. The place as one of his favorite spots too. It just was a really picture perfect little spot on Robert's property that seemed to be a natural, relaxing sanctuary. It tended to be a favorite spot for a lot of people. And they had added a hammock and a picnic blanket and some pillows.

"You've clearly put a lot of thought into this," he told her. "It's perfect. Thank you." He sat down on the blanket. He motioned her to come sit with him. "Come and just be with me, just for a moment before we eat." He wanted to just wrap himself around her and feel her wrapped around him. Just for a moment, he wanted to connect again and to be able to steady himself that he was here, and more importantly, so was she.

Ruby smiled at him " it was more Kate and Michael but we all know you need to relax" she said looking at him. Hearing his words she walked over to him and laid in the hammok along side him " now , relax" she said softly "we're here, together, and safe" she said as she wrapped her arms around his waist holding him against her.

She rested against him listening to the rustle of the leaves and the sound of the running water not far from them. It was now a butterfly landed on her arm and she chuckled softly. She gently brushed her hand threw his hair gently in a back and forth motion.