LONDON CALLING

Ruby paused in her steps as he began to talk to her. She turned and listened to him talk and smiled as he spoke of how he'd slept unmoving and hadn't done that since he was a child. " I think that a home for warward wizard children sounds a good idea, some of them were realy scared when we brought them back, one even told me his perents sold him, he was one of the older boys, I know why you do this now, its not right seeing their little faces looking at me from those dirty cages." she listened to him acept her oplology and nodded " I agree, so Im going to ask Kate about meditaion sessions and maybe do some yoga too, couldn't help to try something, I have no idea where it came from ether and for that Im sorry and I'm going to make sure it never happens again ever."

"Any of the kids that you see in the Paris headquarters three weeks or longer after the raid that brought them in? That's the very situation they're in. They were sold by their caretakers. We don't return them. Robert fights for custody of them in whatever way that works. He and Kate probably have legal custody right now of, I'm guessing a dozen children. Maybe a couple more, but that's just my rough guess. We had four turn legal age last year that he had custody of. Since the program began, if I'm remembering correctly, he and Kate had been the legal guardians of nigh onto seventy or eighty kids, but that's just an estimate off the top of my head.

"When I lived in the Paris headquarters, I cooked for them, I played with them, I taught them. I took them outside. We baked, we did crafts, I took care of them when they were sick. We celebrated holidays and birthdays. I gave them a life. The workers did the laundry, cleaned, took care of the gardens, mowed the grass, and helped with bathing, getting supplies, and that sort of thing. They did some child care, of course, but I'm the one the kids came to. That was as much of my job as the missions work. I was the one that was up with them when the night terrors woke them or kept them from sleeping. That's why, even now, when I go, they recognize me. And every year at Christmas I get a ton of Christmas cards and a lot of gifts from kids that I used to take care of that are either with permanent families or who have grown up or in some other situation. Some of the workers at Colorado are some of those kids I raised--some of the real young workers-the ones that are around 18. Some of the kids have asked to come back to the headquarters to have a Christmas party where we could get together--like a reunion. We've never done it, but they keep asking me." He listened to her talk about meditation.

"I think that's a good idea," he replied. "There's a number of different meditation classes offered all the time on an ongoing basis at St Mungo's in the gym. You could certainly join. Robert furnishes a paid gym membership for any team member that wants one. You could take their classes for free. I'm not a counselor of course by any means, but I think you'd have a lot more control and self confidence if you knew what caused it. I can only guess that it had something to do with either your father's bizarre behaviors or Jessie's out of control behaviors. But it also might have something to do with some situation in your past that somehow looked or sounded similar to some of the conversation about whether you were going out in the field last night or not. From what I saw, that was when things went off the rails for you. By the time you got to the point of hurling that knife, you weren't even hearing what I actually was saying. You were reacting to your own belief that I didn't want you to go, when, actually, I did want you to go. if I were a betting man, I'd say it had something to do with something in your past when you wanted something that you couldn't make happen, or not wanting something to happen that you couldn't stop. I don't know. I think you do need to know what it was, though, or you're always going to doubt yourself."

Ruby smiled as he spoke of what he did at the paris branch and nodded " I can see why you did what you did." she said softly then smiled " our familys way bigger than just us three" she said looking up at him as she sat on the stairs close to him. She listened again as he spoke and nodded she was happy had agreed with her using meditaion to help sort out her confidence and self control. She sat longer as she listened to him talk of why she did what she did. the longer he spoke about it the more she agreed.

" Angus, I don't know what was going on in my own head , it was like I was on auto pilot, but i know its not happening again" she said looked up at him " I have too much to lose if I do." she hoped he understood she ment him and their child two important things in her life. Standing she faced him " Im making Herby fish fingers with Chinese-style rice along with vegetarian lasagne." she told him.



Moving over she gently kissed his cheek " I'll see you later, when I get back from Paris." she said as she stepped back from him" I'll take some of your cinimon rolls with me for the remaining kids." she smiled picking up her basket.  

"Okay," he smiled. "Have a good day." He watched her head back to the main house to get ready to go to Paris. Andrew came out a bit later.

"How'd it go?" Andrew asked.

"She says she gets it, and she's not going to do it again. She doesn't know why she reacted that way, but she's thinking of some meditation classes. She's fixed some food to take to Paris for the kids and the workers. I presume I won't see her til closer to the end of the day.""

"It's a worthwhile start," Andrew said. "Would you like some breakfast?"

"I don't think so, thanks. I never got to Flourish and Blotts yesterday like I planned. I should go today to pick up our order."

"Well, the weather is going to be good, so I don't see why not," Andrew said. "We can go whenever you like."

"Let's just go and get it overwith."

"Okay," Andrew said. He accio'd a large messenger bag to carry their purchases in and ported them to London to Diagon Alley. They got their book order, and then. As they were walking, Andrew asked about the candy shop he heard so much about. Angus told him that was in Hogsmeade, and he gave Andrew directions to go there.

They went into Hogsmeade, and Andrew was in love with the place from the moment they got there. Andrew was happy to guide Angus's chair through the village, and they wound up at Honeydukes. Jonathan Belby was thrilled to see Angus again. they talked only a moment about how Angus was temporarily disabled, and then they went candy shopping and between the two of them, they bought pounds and pounds of candy.

Then, they went over to the Three Broomsticks, and Andrew talked Angus into a light lunch. Angus ordered a scotch egg, and the server talked him into the special, which included their own mustard sauce, a side salad of fresh baby greens, and colcannon. Andrew had no idea what any of it was, so he just followed suit and ordered what Angus had ordered. Angus ordered them each a butterbeer so that Andrew could say he had actually had one. it gave them a nice lunch and a couple hours with old friends that they hadn't seen in awhile.

While they were there, a fight broke out between a few 7th year Gryffindors and half a dozen Slytherins. School wasn't due to start for one more day, so the rivalry was already in full swing. The fight broke out when the Slytherins started their typical bullying and the Gryffindors weren't going to walk away from it. The next thing that Angus and Andrew knew, furniture and glass pint mugs were flying in every direction. One of the glass mugs was lobbed straight at Angus's head, and out of reflex, he raised his hand and tried to cast a wandless shield, but his hand actually caught fire instead.

Andrew leaped to his feet, and he grabbed their butterbeers and poured them both over Angus's hand to put out the flames. Angus was speechless for a moment.

"I...didn't think that worked," Angus looked at Andrew, confused and stunned.

"Well, clearly, it doesn't work well," Andrew frowned. "Unless you were trying to set yourself or the pub on fire."

"No," Angus said.

"Looks like your magic might be trying to come back," Andrew said quietly, as the servers hurried over with towels and a couple fresh butterbeers. Angus was rattled. Andrew looked at Angus's hand. It was red and blistering already.

"I'll have Nigel check it when we get back," Andrew said. "I can provide a bit of pain relief though. I can do that."

"So what you're saying it that this might be good news, really? But I'm not sure how setting myself on fire can be good news."

"Well, a couple days ago, it didn't work at all. Still, I don't think you should try to use it just yet until more of your system regenerates. Hard telling what you'll end up doing."

"Oh, good. So I risk turning Ru into a potato," Angus sighed sarcastically. Andrew laughed.

"God, I hope not," Andrew said. They finished their butterbeers, paid the tab, and decided to head for home.

Ruby finished the dinner and placd a cover over it then began the cinimon rolls to take to the paris house. once she ahd a pile she filled a large container and headed to find Robert. " Robert , if there isn't anything you need me to do I would like to return to the paris house." she said " I have treats for the remining children" she held up the container. to show him.

Aperating into the paris house she went to the kitchen where she saw still a lot of children sitting painting or making things with clay. She chuckled as ech walked over and hugged her " hey I brought a treat but its one pr person okay" she said and sat down handing out one roll to each child and smiled as the younger ones gave her a hug. She saw Jess talking to some one and was suprised at who stood talkign to her " Jessie?" she said handing of the bucket to one of the other helpers and waked over to him.

"yeah Jeffery said I could leave, I have to report to Robert but heard about the raid and came to see if they needed my help, but I also hard of your blow up too, ready Ruby" he said and she nodded " not cool, Angus is a cool guy" he told her " but we'll talk later, for now..." he pulled her into a hug " see you later, you too Jess" he said and aperated to the main entrance of the farm. Stannding he waited for a man to appear and he gave his name and a letter from Jeffery.

Robert had been in Brian's office at Brian's estate when one of the outside workers told him that someone was at the gate that wanted in. The guard gave him the name and a letter.

"Oh, yes. He works for us," Robert said. "Let him in. That's fine." He sent the guard back out to Jessie. He closed up the paycheck accounts and the organization checkbook and locked them back in the safe for now, and he went to the kitchen. He filled a tall glass with ice and then poured some iced tea from a pitcher in the fridge. He had taken a liking to iced tea this summer, especially on days when it had been hot. He glanced up towards the duplex and saw Angus and Andrew arriving back from someplace. He saw that Andrew had a messenger bag that seemed to be weighted down with several things, and Angus had a huge shopping bag on his lap. He recognized that teal and pink striped bag anywhere. It made Robert laugh out loud. To fill a large shopping bag to that capacity, Angus had to have purchased at least thirty pounds of candy. What in the heck were they going to do with all of that? He watched Andrew take Angus inside with their purchases.

Michael apparated back in. He had actually gone to London himself, but he had gone a different direction. He had gone to the large farmers market in Chelsea, and he had gone through it and had purchased a couple of enormous shopping bags of produce and things himself.

"So you've been shopping too, I see," Robert said.

"I have," Michael said. "Farmers market. They had some top notch things. I'm making a huge kettle of old fashioned beef vegetable soup for supper tonight. I've got some wonderful lean stew meat that I can use that will make the soup full of some great flavor. And I found some great sausages too. These are actually smoked chicken sausages with apple and asiago cheese right in the sausages. They actually taste like beef, but they're a lot healthier, and they're delicious. I had one for lunch. So I'm making sandwiches out of them for supper to go with the soup. And I bought a huge apricot cheesecake from a five star bakery nearby. It looks incredible."

"Good. Well, Kate is around here someplace, and I think Simone is maybe over at her place if you want some help," Robert said. "Guards just said Jessie's arrived back. Sent a letter from Jeffrey. Haven't read it yet, but obviously he wouldn't be here if Jeffrey hadn't released him."

"Maybe he can help straighten Ruby's thinking out a tad," Michael said.

Jessie watched the man return and open the gate telling him he could go up to the main house. Jessie looked at the hightened security but said nothing as he walked up to the main house. He saw new houses not far from the property and saw two people talking out side. He recognised one as Robet and one as Michael but there was one sat in a chair and he thought it was Angus. Walking over he focused on Robert . " Reporting in" he said as he stood facing Robert his back straight as he stood in an at east stance he'd been use to." Jeffery thought it best I report immidiatly to you for assignment" he said but didn't turn he was on the clock.

Ruby moved back and continued handing out the rolls to the kids. It was now she saw one of the kitchen staff strugaling with getting the oven lit " here " she said and tapped it on the side , pushing the button it clicked into life and then lit the ring" it sticks a quick tap and it frees it" the woman thanked her and she moved to the garden looking at a patch that was starting to die off. She didn't have long as an influx of children appeared with several men and women " they were in a wearhouse far to the east side of the city." one man said " okay take them to the kitchen and feed them all." she said " I'll inform Robert and Angus." she wrote a note and sent it to them via the floo telling them of the extra fifty children and ten adults they had found.

"Hi, Jessie," Robert said. "Welcome back. At ease. Its good to see you. How are you feeling? I just got myself a glass of iced tea. Would you like some? Sit down and catch me up a little. I haven't read Jeffrey's letter yet. I thought I'd talk to you first."

"Hi, Jessie," Michael said, still unpacking all the purchases from the farm market. Simone came into the kitchen with a big garden trug fill of fresh herbs. She saw the stranger in the kitchen with Robert and stopped short.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'm interrupting..." She began.

"Not at all," Robert stopped her quickly. "Simone, this is Jessie--he's one of Ruby's brothers. He works for us. He's been on medical leave, and he's rejoining us. Jessie, this is Simone Salazar. She lives here on the grounds. Angus and Edward build a log duplex across the yard over there, and she lives with Edward. They're engaged, and they have a tentative date for the wedding next month.

"Nice to meet you," Simone said. "I'd shake your hand, but I've just come from the garden, and...well, let me wash my hands." She smiled. She went straight to the sink.

"Those for me, my dear?" Michael asked, taking her trug. "You're absolute magic in the herb garden, aren't you?"

"No, that's Edward's passion. I am just the Chief Weeder, I think," she teased. "They look great. They'll be wonderful in tonight's supper."

"Michael, Simone, Kate, and Ruby have been on kitchen duty while Angus is on medical leave. But that's another story," Robert said. "I want to hear about you."

Jessie relaxed and smiled at Robert "I would love one and , I have to admit better than when I was here last." he said walking with him to the kitchen " I see the new buildings, Hi Michael." he said motioning to the buildings now behind them. He poured a glass of Iced tea and sat with Robert. " not much to tell that you don't already know, he did what he called a brain retrain" he chuckled " I have to admit for the first time I slept, i mean realy slept no nightmares or worries" he smiled at him " I learned to meditate and focus, also paint, yeah me paint, but I did and enjoyed it. " he pause seeing a woman he didn't know walk in his insinct was to stand up out of respect, and thats what he did.

He listened to Robert introduce her and he relaxed as Robert told him they lived in teh duplex across from the main house " pleasure to meet you Ma'am" he said watching as she washed her hands " oh congratulations." he said smiling " Jeffery had me doing that , its very theraputic" he said and looked at the calises on his hands from the manual labour he'd done while away. He sat back down and chuckled hearing the banter from them. Looking at Robert he took a breath in " where to begin." he said softly " when I arrived I was angry, hell I was almost feral, they put me in a room and talked down until I was calm, that took a few days , but then he started the reprograming, teaching me things I should have known, he never once raised his voise at me, but always got his point across, strange to think about it now, after a few weeks he let me out and he showed me the garden they have, told me for every weed I puleld with out damaging the flowers he'd let me stay out a bit longer, ended up getting goos that he would let me stay out all day. "


He paused to sip his tea before continuing " he taught me that calm is best, anger only brings violance and well problems, a clear level head is the thing to have, " he chuckled " he's even managed to get me on the potion once a day and he told me to for get my past but think forward, but I do owe Angus a serious apology." he said to Robert then looked sheepish at him " I heard about Ruby's blow out, thats not like her." he sipped his tea once more " the rest is in the letter, Im guessing its medical info you need, other than calisted hands and a stronger back, im healthy, in body and mind and raring to get hold of James and Gelding when you say." he said

"Well, I'm glad to have you back," Robert said. "It sounds like your stay did you a lot of good. Jack had a similar experience and it helped immensely. I will tell you that we do have a security problem right now. Let me see if I can give you the update from the last that you knew.

"You knew that your father has passed. Oh, Angus did arrange some calling hours. I think those are perhaps tomorrow evening. Obviously, it is your choice to go or not. Angus did it, particularly, so that if your brothers wanted some sort of closure, they have the opportunity to have that. He doesn't necessarily expect anyone to go. He has arranged for embalming, a casket a plot, a headstone, the calling hours, the flowers, the whole thing, and, his assistant told me that Angus wrote a check to the funeral home, and he paid 100% of it. So that is coming up tomorrow night.

"You might run into your mother if you go tomorrow, but I don't really expect that either. Unfortunately, what we haven't had time to update you on, is that your mother moved out of the house she and your dad lived in the day after your dad died, and she moved into Thomas Gelding's house. Our intel says she is calling herself the lady of the house, so it sounds like she has started perhaps a relationship with Gelding. So, if you see her, you might not want to trust her a whole lot. I guess that's my gentle warning.

"And, here's the nutshell about Angus's accident. A two bit hood that worked for your father attempted to kill Angus and damn near succeeded. It completely destroyed his body's magical system, and if Brian and Jess didn't happen to be right there, Angus absolutely would have died. So, because of how wizarding physiology works, that leaves him with not enough strength to stand or walk, and his magic doesnt work at all. It will come back as he heals. Nigel has some expertise in this, so we brought him back, and Lee Shepherd came with him. Lee brought some extra men to help protect Angus and Ruby and Edward and Simone because the risk to them has been tremendous. There are two inside each side of the duplex at all times and two more outside. Angus has an assistant to help with the medical tasks. He's a nice American chap named Andrew.

"So, we do need help with patrols. James has been coming and going pretty much at will, but Angus has managed to injure him. I doubt he's going to be back for a couple days. Still, we do need to keep up the tight security. Jack is the man in charge of all the security for this place and the farm, and all the outside operations. Michael and Ruby and Simone are pretty much handling the kitchen and supplies.

"Off the top of my head, I'm thinking we're going to need experienced sharp eyes on security, but Jack may have other ideas. When you find him, feel free to ask him where he wants you. I can't say I understand Ruby's blow out at all, but I'm staying out of it where she and Angus are concerned."