LONDON CALLING

"I'm sure he misses you too. I'm sure you've never been far away from him in his thoughts," Edward said. He walked her over to the house, and they arrived just a couple minutes after Simone had taken her pizza rolls out of the oven.

"So you did find her. Good," Simone told Edward. "Have a seat, Ruby, and I'll get you a couple pizza rolls. Would you like a soda with that?" She put a couple pizza rolls on a plate and set it on the table for Ruby. Edward helped himself to a couple pizza rolls and put them on a plate and made a plate for Simone too. Then Simone got out three sodas and popped the tops on them.

"I have to tell you, " she said, sitting down with Edward and Ruby, "as much as I like my little house that I've had these last years, I am getting so excited about this little log duplex and making a life with Edward. There's something about a brand new house that no one has lived in that you can put your own stamp on for the very first time. When we get it all sorted out, I think it's going to be amazing."

"Morning," Michael said, getting up. He opened the curtains to let in the morning sunshine. He dressed in jeans and short sleeved summer shirt, and a pair of slip on canvas slip on shoes. "I'll order breakfast for us, shall I? Coffee or tea?" He rang for the porter, and while he waited for the porter to arrive, he shaved and washed his face. He ordered breakfast and a newspaper for them. When the tray arrived, he took it to the small table and began sorting out the tray for the two of them.

"You're edgy, Jessie," Michael said, pouring the drinks for them. "What's going on with you? Don't wish away our nice cushy accommodations while we have them, and don't let the time go to waste.

"Use the time to do your homework. There's a bestiary in the outside pocket of my bag. Get familiar with the creatures Angus told us about last night and the best way to deal with them. Study the maps of the area that Edward laid out for us. He gave us a map of roads, trails, pathways with the larger of the villages marked. And he's also given us a topographical map to overlay on top of it. There's also a climber's guidebook in case you want a refresher for any of the equipment, and a Romanian language guide if you want to learn a few words. I presume you lot will leave the gem identification to me, won't you?"

Ruby smiled as Edward said she was never far from Angus's thoughts and she smiled seeing simone laying the table. Moving to it she sat down " yes please and sorry I got into sorting Angus and i's place I forgot the time." she said and chuckled " same here, I have moved around the place thanks to not realy having a home till i came here, and that was by chance too, Jessie forgot his port key and I used it to bring me to him to give it to him, ended up helping and well staying." she smiled.

Jessie watched as Michael opened the curtains and ordered breakfast for them " tea please and I guess I just want us all to get back safe" he heard him talk of the beatury and nodded. Leaning over he took out eh book and began reading it studying each creature that they might ecounter in the hills. " theres a lot in here." he said turning another page.

"Well, then, maybe the portkey was just a way for you to end up where you were supposed to be," Simone smiled.

"These are really good, Simone," Edward said, taking a bite out of a pepperoni pizza roll. "Let's do make them again. They're a wonderful midnight munchie."

"They are, aren't they?" she smiled. "And they're quicker than calling a pizza parlour to deliver something." Edward took another bite out of his pizza roll, and then he heard some little footsteps. He got up and went to the kitchen doorway, and he saw Abbey there. She was sniffling and trying to wipe away big tears. He picked her up, and she folded herself into him.

"What's the trouble, Little One?" he asked softly.

"Monsters in my room. And I can't find Aggie. Aggie makes them go away," she said, burying her face in his neck.

"Aw," he said, "I'm sorry. Aggie's out of town with Uncle Michael and with your daddy and Jessie, remember?"

"Monsters gonna get me," she said, still crying.

"No, I won't let that happen, Poppet. I'll chase them off for you," he said. "Are you hungry?" She nodded.

"Come with me," he smiled. He brought her to the table and sat down with her on his lap. He picked upon one of his pizza rolls and gave it to her. "Here. Its pizza." He brushed away her tears, Simone handed him a paper napkin and he used it to wipe Abbey's nose. Simone got her a glass of milk and set it on the table.

"She had a bad dream," Edward told them. "I'll take her up to her room in a bit and she and I will get rid of those monsters in her room before she tries to go back to sleep."

Ruby chuckled and nodded " I guess so becuse that was when I saw Angus for the first time" she smiled at the memory " he looekd hansome even covered in flour." she said then turning to see Abby stood at the doorway. she looked to Edward who explained it had been a night mare. " how about after food I take a look and get rid of those nasty monsters?" she said " you know Angus and I are very close so I know how he gets rid of them." she said with a smile " oh simone please tell me how to make these." she took two for herself and tried to pull a funny face to Abby hoping to get her to laugh.

Abbey nodded when Ruby offered to chase off the monsters.

"Abbey," Edward asked. "What do the monsters look like?"

"Dark," she said. "Dark. Big, scary. Big teefs and sharp fingers..."

"Big teeth and claws?" Edward asked. She nodded. "Are they inside or outside?"

"Unner my bed...in my cwoset."

"Under the bed and in the closet. I'm sure Ruby knows how to get rid of those monsters," Edward said. "You'll be safe with her." Abbey nodded. He had been trying to gather from her if they were seers' visions or ordinary toddler monsters. Edward believed that, at least for tonight, they were toddler nightmares.

"These little pizza rolls are such a simple thing they don't even merit a recipe," Simone laughed. "Take ordinary pie crust, add pizza sauce from a jar, some pizza toppings, fold it up like a pasty and bake it. That's all there is to it. I used to do something similar for Maurice for his lunch from time to time, using leftover shepherd's pie, and once I tucked in leftover meatballs from spaghetti and meatballs. He loved them. I've probably tucked in just about anything I could shove in them."

"They'd be great for breakfast sometime with scrambled egg and such."

"That would be just as easy," she said.

"Chocolate," Abbey said. "Marshmallow and chocolate."

"Oooh. And caramel. Those would be wonderful, Abbey," Simone said. "Someday, you're going to be a wonderful chef."

"Like Aggie!" she brightened.

"Yes. Like Aggie," she laughed.

Ruby smiled and nodded then listened to Edward ask about what they looked like she smiled hearing him talk to her as she discribed the monsters as she called them " okay closet and under the bed will be my first stop." she said making a note to light up. then she heard simone talk of the recipy for the pizza rolls and wrote it down " oh these will be great to make when the guys are back, and Abby I love you idea, chocolate and marshmallow with rice crispies." she said softly. She smiled and nodded at Abby and simones banter with Abby.

"I agree with Simone , you come up with some good ideas" she said smiling at her as she finished writing down the recipy. Once she was finished she walked up to Abbys room opening the door she peeked in then moved to the bed and knelt down beside it. Looking under she cast luminos and saw nothing there moving to the closet she did the same moving some toys that lay on the floor to make sure. Agian she cast luminos and saw nothing but clothing shoes and toys. She walked down and smiled at Abby.

"okay, there all gone." she tucked her wand away in her holder.

Abbey was finishing her milk when Ruby came back downstairs and told her the monsters were gone. She eyed her skeptically.

"If they no gone, I seep wich you," Abbey said, giving her half a scowl, as if that was a point on which she would not bend.

"Sounds like she is determined to not have to sleep in he room regardless," Edward laughed. "Abbey, if the monsters come back, you can sleep with any of the grownups, I'm sure."

"Mama no seep when Daddy goes away," Abbey shook her head. "I no seep wich her 'cause she no seep. She gots all the lights on, plays the radio all night, smokes Marcus's cigarettes...can't seep wich her."

"Does Papa know about that?"

"I no know," she shrugged. "Marcus knows. Daddy knows."

"Well, you can come sleep with Papa Edward and me if you like," Simone said.

Ruby chuckled " okay, I don't mind Edward if she sleeps with me" she said sitting down next to Abby . " well you can stay in Angus's room with me, keep me company for the night since its my first night with out him." she said smiling at her. She listened to Abby talk of Khaat smoking and shook her head " guess she misses Brian and Marcus." she said and looked tp Edward " does she do that a lot?" she asked some what worried. She brushed it off as Khaats way of coping like hers was to focuse on jobs she to do keeping her mind busy so she didn't have to think about being alone.

Now finished she sipped on a cool soda and waited for Abby to inish her food " okay you ready Abby?" she asked " I can read you a story before yu sleep." she wondered if she'd want one of the new books she'd bought with Jess or if she'd want one from the libaray Robert had.

"Okay," Abbey readily agreed to sleep with Ruby. When Ruby asked if Khaat did that often, Abbey shook her head.

"Nah. Mama misses Daddy lots and lots. She sees big goggie when she seeps when Daddy goes. She no like it. She no like big bad goggie."

"She dreams about James when your daddy's gone?" Edward asked. Abbey nodded. "Well, I'm glad she feels safe when your daddy's home."

"Me too," she smiled.

"Does she smoke much?" Simone asked. Abbey shrugged. "Nah. Just sometimes--like Papa and Gam. Just sometimes."

"Can't say I ever knew of Robert and Kate to smoke."

"Rarely," Edward said. "For Robert, its only when things feel like they're starting to spin out of his control--which is rare. For Kate, its even more rare than that. James has put Khaat through a lot of shit, so if she wants a cigarette now and then, who am I to condemn her for it?" Abbey curled into him and yawned. "Someone here has a full tummy and she's getting sleepy again."

Ruby smiled when Abby agreed to stay with her that night." alright" she said smiling at her She sat and listened to Edward talk of Khaat smoking them of Robert and Kate she had no vices like that nor did she drink. ngus was her only vice as she saw it and she was happy with that one. She heard Edward talk of how Khaat dreamed of James well morlike had nightmares about him and she shuddered " not something to dream about" she said softly " Im glad hes in Askaban prison right now, well thats where we dropped him off so I hope hes still there"