LONDON CALLING

Ruby looked at Robert and nodded " yeah yeah, I forgot sorry" she said and took a deep breath in to slow her thoughts down then smiled as she heard the date was five weeks away " awe thats great" she said " the fire flies will just be coming out then, should make wonderful photos" she listened to Simon ask if the others could get together she nodded " sure I know I'd love to, if Im not cooking or trainning that is." she said smiling at them both " this is wonderful" she said "I think Angus has a folder of cake designs I'll find it for you and let you look threw." she said and looked at the shelves " it was here last time I looked, I'll have a look while Im cleaning ." she said friom the kitchen.

Taking over the coffee and tea posts she cleared away any empty dishes and sent them to the dish washer to be cleaned. Jess shook her ead and smiled " congratulation you too" she said holding Jacks hand as they smiled at each other.

"Thank you," Edward said. "I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be getting married or settling down at than right here with all of you."

"Agreed," Simone said. "I took Edward to meet my children. Guy lives in South Africa these days, and Lena and her husband live in Paris. I don't know that either of them are going to be able to get free to come, but they like Edward, and they have both said that, so long as we're happy, they're all for it. I hope they do find they can come, but I'm not optimistic about that."

"I'm not asking my children, or my grandchildren. Angus already knows we're planning on marrying, and his vote is the only one that matters to me anyway," Edward said. "If I invited them, the probably would all come out of some sense of obligation, but they'd have a rotten time, drink too much champagne and cause a lot of unnecessary drama. So no, I'd rather keep it small and avoid the whole affair because I know with you lot, we'll all have a great time."

"Absolutely," Michael said. Michael got out the platter of enormous chocolate chip shortbread cookies that Lizzie had sent and made sure everyone had either their preferred cup of after dinner coffee or herbal tea. And he sent over two huge cookies for Andrew and Angus.

"Cookie!" Abbey's eyes were as big as saucers. "All mine, Papa?"

"I'm going to eat your cookie," Robert teased, leaning over as if he were going to take a big bite out of her cookie. She squealed and giggled with delight.

"No, no, no, mine, mine, mine," she giggled.

"If he eats yours, you get to eat his," Kate told Abbey. That made Abbey giggle that much harder.

"I gets my cookie and your cookie too, Papa," Abbey teased.

"What? Two cookies? No fair," Robert said, tickling her.

"I never get tired of hearing that child laugh," Nigel said. "Her laughter is contagious. Rarely do I see a three year old that is as happy as she is. The three year olds I see are moody little monsters."

"That's because when you see them, they don't feel well," Robert said.

"True, but this one is happy almost all the time," Nigel said. "She thrives on having all of you around her all the time. You're all good for her."

"Watch," Brian said. "The next nine we have will all be little heathens."

"My grandchildren? Heathens? Perish the thought," Robert said.

Ruby smiled and chuckled as Abby laughed " well I hope ours don't become heathens, but follow after their father and grandfather" she said smiling to Edward she walked around placing down cups of coffee or tea for every one to have with their cookie , and a cold sippy cup of milk for Abby. Ruby picked up her cup and spoke again " well all I can say is heres to the happy couple" she said smiling toasting them with coffee and tea. " sorry its not wine or champage, but thought tea nd coffee were apropriate" she chuckled then remebered the room filed with aby things she had to so threw bak at the duplex.

" um simone , Kate could I ask for some help, Angus orderd a tone of baby things to rile up my father and its all in one spare room, would you please help me choise what we should keep an what we could live with out." she asked pleading with her eyes for there help, " oh and Abby could come and help too." she said " you could tell me what the baby likes." she said to her.

"Certainly," Kate said. "Not a problem. If Angus was doing this to anger your father, he probably bought ridiculously expensive and impractical things, so I presume we can send about 90 percent of it back."

"I'd be happy to help," Simone smiled. "I agree with Kate. Function first. I know its tempting to buy a ton of cute things, but they outgrow baby things so fast, it makes more sense to be practical first and then plan the cute things to be decorating things that they can grow into and use for awhile."

"Exactly," Kate agreed. "And since you've got awhile to go before you can determine gender, I would try to be gender neutral. That way, you can use what you have for future babies too, if you have more."

"I go see Aggie?" Abbey asked Ruby.

"She misses Aggie," Kate told Ruby. "She hasn't seen Aggie since she got that teal rash, and she asks about him all the time."

"I think it might be safe to go see Aggie maybe tomorrow if Aggie has time," Robert told Abbey. Abbey nodded. "You're making lots of crumbs with that cookie. Are you sure you want to try to finish all of it?"

"You no get my cookie," Abbey scowled at Robert. "Is my cookie."

"I guess she told you," Kate laughed. Abbey looked at Ruby.

"We do pink bubbles tonight, ROOby?"

"She's hoping she can talk you into helping her with a bath and using the new pink bubble bath that her papa made for her," Kate explained to Ruby.

Ruby listened to Kate and Simone " exactly what I was thinking, theres a certain pram I know that looks pretty but wow expancive , that can go back." she said and smiled nodding " agreed I think Angus wants a whole football team" she said chukaling as she looked at Abby making crumbs with the cookie. " sure we can make pink bubbles " she said and smiled " I don't mind its practice for when our little one comes along and is at this age." she said " Im also glad we got costady of my brothers, so Abby you might meet my brothers in their holidays when they come to stay." she told her.

"okay Abby if your done with your cookie , bubble bath time" she said smiling " pink bubble bath time" she added lifting her out of the high chair and carrying her to the stairs. " I still have more so you if your good and don't splash too much can have another after your bath." Ruby looked at Robert and the others and shrugged as she walked her up the stairs to the bathroom adjoning Abys bedroom.

"They boys?" Abbey looked at Ruby as if to ask her what she would want to have brothers for and not sisters. It made Kate and Robert laugh out loud.

"The nerve of them to not be sisters instead," Robert laughed. "What's the matter with boys, Abbey?"

"They eat. They just eat," she said. as if boys didn't know how to do anything else but eat. Robert and Nigel laughed as if it was just about the funniest thing either of them had heard all day.

"Well, she's right, you know. From the time you lot are about twelve, you're absolutely hollow for the rest of your lives," Kate said. They watched Ruby take Abbey up for her bath.

"She's going to miss spending so much time with Angus and Ruby after their own baby comes,' Robert said.

"Angus, for one, is not going to miss out on having time with Abbey. I best he's going to still be coloring on the walls with her and carrying his own in a baby sling. He knows how to multitask. I'm sure Ruby will not want to miss time with Abbey either. And, Abbey should be starting nursery school sometime soon, so she'll be busy too," Brian said.

"Well, I'm going over to check on Angus's shoulder and see what needs to be done with it. You want to come with me?" Robert asked Nigel.

"Sure. Let's go see what the damage is," Nigel said. The two of them excused themselves and got Robert's bag and went over to the duplex.

"Could I help you with breakfast preparation?" Simone asked Kate.

"It's all done," Michael said. "We've got dough proofing for some orange yeast rolls, and I made two breakfast casseroles. So all we need to do in the morning is to bake the rolls and the casseroles and then ice the rolls when they come out of the oven."

"Well, it will be an easy morning, then," Simone said.

"I'll go next door and get us each a change of clothes and come right back," Edward said, giving Simone a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you, Dear," she smiled. "It looks like we all have an evening off, then."

"Let's go downstairs and raid some of Robert's muggle movies," Brian suggested. They all seemed to think that was a great idea.

Ruby finished washing Abby and loved every minute "yes Abby they are boys , but they do like to play and sam loves books , so he would read to you if you asked him." she said as she dressed her in her kitty pj's. She could see Abby was tired and gave a yawn as she was dressed. Picking her up she placd her on the bed before looking under it pretending to scare away the monsters and then she did the same in the closet making sure the door was tight shut. "there we are no monsters" she said sitting lightly on the edge of Abbys bed " you want me to read to you tonight?" she asked.

"Once she ahd read she couldn't help but yawn he self as she headed back down to the living room. "Okay Im headed to Angus for the night, see you tomorrow" she said smiling as she waved night to them all as they watched a muggle movie quite comfortable. Ruby ported back and yawned again " andrew Im not sure if Angus is the only one whose exsausted himself today, I feel beat" she said as she moved slowly up the stairs to their room to change .

"Sleep well, then, Ruby," Andrew said. "Angus is out on the balcony in your room, but I can't guarantee he's awake. He said something about wanting to look at the stars for a bit, but he really is worn clear through. I'll come up in a few minutes and try to get him to go to bed."

Robert and Nigel had tended Angus's shoulder, had taken stitches in it, and had bandaged it. They hadn't used a sling, as long as Angus agreed to behave himself. Angus then had had his shower, and he had indeed wanted to go out onto the balcony. He had started out stargazing, thinking again of shooting Ruby's father. It had not been how he had wanted it to go. He wondered if Suzanne was missing him tonight. Somehow he doubted it. In Angus's own way, he felt sorry for Reginald, getting to the end of his life and not having anyone even in his own household that missed him. That was a sad commentary for a man that had seemed to have only wanted power and money and control. He had died in debt and apparently hated. His eyes were growing heavy, and he yawned. Off in the distance, he could hear the wolf pack howling. They were restless tonight. That was rare. He rarely heard that sound except if one of James's pack members had slipped onto the grounds. If they were, in fact, scouting out the grounds again, they seemed to be just gathering information and not making any moves to attack. Angus made a mental note to bring it up to Jack in the morning, as his eyes fluttered shut.

Ruby smiled and nodded " thank you Andrew" she said and headed to their room , opening the door she indeed see him on the balcony. changing into her PJ's she walked over to him pulling a blancket over his. "  Angus you want to go to bed?" she asked softly but seeing his eyes closed she sent word down stairs to Andrew that Angus had indeed fallen asleep on the balcony and could he help get him into bed. Ruby pulled back the blankets and sheets ready for Angus to be layed in it  while she sat and brushed her hair then did her nightly rutine.

Returning she saw Angus in bed and covered up , " thank you so much Andrew." she said smiling at him " you sleep well, night" she said watching him leae she slipped in next to Angus and turned out the lights . Laying ther she looked up threw the sky light and smiled as the milkyway twinkled down on them. She thanked the goddess that Angus wasn't hurt seriusly when her father attacked, nor that any men were hurt ether. Then rolling to her side she curled against him letting slep wash over her now she was home and in her own bed with the man she loved right next to her again.

Angus woke early, seeing Ruby still asleep beside him. He barely remembered going to bed the night before. He knew he had been completely worn out. Robert and Nigel had both urged him to not push himself so hard now that Tyler was dead. He had asked Andrew to leave the balcony doors open so they could enjoy the night air, so now, he could smell the morning air, and he could hear a predawn shower, the rain hitting the roof and the balcony floor outside. It wasn't raining in, not that Angus could see, so he just laid there, listening to the rain. It wasn't long before he heard an owl call. He saw a large horned owl on the railing.

Angus motioned to the bird, and the bird flew in and dropped a message on the bed. He stroked the bird's head and saw the little doubloon amulet around the bird's neck.

"Oh, so you're one of us, are you?" he asked. The bird tilted it's head to one side, listening. "Sorry, I don't have any treats for you up here. I probably should ask Kate to get us some jars of treats. Some for here and some for Edward." He opened the note and read it. This was not good news. Robert was going to want to know this at once. This was important.

"Ru," he woke her. "Ru, wake up. I'm sorry, but we need to get a message over to Robert straight away. It can't wait." When she woke, he said. "I'm sorry, but this bird is one of ours. He's brought us news from Paris. Thomas Gelding has escaped the prison there. He's lose. It's going to start all over again. We have to get word to Robert over at the main house at once."