LONDON CALLING

"I did. You?" Andrew asked. "I'm not sure when he went to sleep. When I went up to bed, he was reading, and When I came downstairs this morning, that's what I found--book on the floor, and him out like a light. I could see he was tired when I came home, and I offered to help him into the shower and into bed, but he was determined he was going to read. So obviously he managed to make it upstairs to change by himself.

"He was frustrated with the boys, though, I must say. he was good with them, though. Didn't lose his temper with them, and it would have been easy to get irked with them. They'd gone to bed, and he was fine with that, but--apparently someone gave Victor a spell that they said was good for putting clutter away. So, they tried it, and now several things have disappeared--including the book that he only had a couple chapters left in. He was just about to start the chapter with the reveal in it about who the murderer was, and now the bloody book is gone. And apparently one of the other things that is gone is some necklace of yours that you left on the bathroom vanity. I have no idea what necklace that was. I'm hoping that those things will turn up again somehow."

Ruby smiled at Andrew " well yes and no I kept turning" she said and looked at Angus " guess I missed having hi next to me" she aid finishing the breakfast " and realy I wonder how they got a hold of that?" she asked " may have to put an age line on the library , but then I thougbt one was alreay on Robverts." she sighed when he told her one of her necklaces went missing. She thought hard but could not come up with any as the only one she wore was the one Angus gave her with the green stone in it. Her hand moved to her neck and she found it still around her neck.

"well your probably right and it will turn up sooner or later but , did Angus tell them not to use that spell again?" she asked placing food down on the table gently and quietly before walking over to Angus with a cup of fresh brewed coffee. " Angus honey, coffees ready." she said and placed it on  low table.

"Oh, yes," Andrew replied. "I heard him tell them that he thought they shouldn't use it again until he had taken a good look at it. He made them write it down so that he could examine it himself later. He was careful to tell them not to even say the spell words out loud in case they ended up accidently casting the thing. They seemed to understand him clearly enough."

Angus heard Ruby call him, saying coffee was ready. He woke, and when he saw bright sunlight shining through the windows, he was confused for a moment. He looked and saw Ruby and Andrew wearing different clothes than they were, and it clicked in his still sleepy brain.

"Oh. Wait. It's morning? Did I doze off in the chair again?"

"'Fraid so," Andrew laughed. "Did you get any of your book read at all?"

"Not much. I had to keep re-reading the first page over and over because I just wasn't absorbing a thing I was reading. Where's the book go, by the way?"

"You dropped it on the floor," Andrew laughed. "I'll get it in a moment. So, now, tell me, before you surprise me with something, anything on your schedule today?"

"Not that I know of," Angus said. "I know the boys want to go to their old house, but I don't know where the men are with going through the basement. So we won't be doing that today. I'm hoping I can get them to spend the entire day catching up on their studies and maybe even getting a bit ahead of schedule. It wouldn't them a bit. They do get plenty of down time here, so catching up would be good. While they do that, I need to get a head start on the cake for Edward and Simone."

"You've still got a couple weeks, though."

"Yes, well, I'll freeze them so the layers are done, and then I'll start all the fondant sculpting for one of them. I've decided to do two entirely different cakes. A wedding cake and a groom's cake. And there will be a lot of fondant sculpting involved, so I need to get cracking on it. And, Ruby, I presume you'll be over at the main house today?"

Ruby picked up the book from the floor once she was happy he was fully awake. Hearing him ask about it she placed it on his knee " here it is and maybe, I still have to ask Simone when she wants to go dress shopping" she said," and I agree with the boys catching up on their studies today." she handed him the cup of coffee I made Breakfast Quesadillasfor us to have" she said placing down a plate for him on a tray.



Hearing what he had planned for the cake she smiled " they will look wonderful" she said " Andrew help your self." she said motioning to the pile on platter on the table. " Andrew told me of the spell the boys tried to cast and what was missing, shame realy , I think the necklace that disapeared was one my mother in her rare good moments gave me." she said but shrugged her shoulders " it will return.eventualy" she said and chuckled.

"Thank you," Angus said, always grateful for the help when Ruby provided it. "Ruby, can I ask you something? Do you think it matters to the boys, now that we're their parents, that we aren't married? I haven't asked them, but I suppose, if it does, we could always do a civil ceremony at the registrar's and then have a more formal thing later when I actually can handle it on my feet. I guess yesterday happened so fast because I wanted to make sure, first and foremost, that they were going to be safe, that I never gave any thought to the rest of it. Things are different now, though. I mean, if it bothers you or if it bothers them, then perhaps we need to fix it. I'm not just sitting on my arse all day. I really am working on standing and walking..." He was rather trusting that if it bothered her, she'd say something, but he really just wanted to know.

"You're what?" Andrew frowned. This was the first he was hearing about this. "When? When are you doing this? First of all, where am I when you're doing this? And second, why do I feel like neither Robert or Nigel know you're doing this horseplay?"

"I'm not going to get stronger if I don't work on it..."

"Angus, this isn't about building your strength..." Andrew cut himself off, frustrated with him.

"I have to try!"

"You're an idjit," Andrew scowled.

Ruby listened to him and smiled at him " I would love to do that but I feel we should ask teh boys as it dosn't bother me that were not married, I know when the time is right we will." she said hearing foot falls from up stairs " why not ask them now." she said tehn heard Andrew speack when he mentioned working on builing his strength again. " hes right its not about pysical strength, its inner strength and that will come back in time, your magic has of sorts." she added as the two boys came down, Sam pushing Victor in his chair.


"Sam Victor we' like to ask you a question and well we need an honest awnser from you" she asked " are you bothered that Angus and I arn't married but yet adopted you as if you were?" she sked wondering just what they would say.

"What?" Sam frowned when Ruby asked the question. "If you're what?" He and Victor both looked at Ruby and Angus as if they had both sprouted three heads overnight. "Really? We're not prigs. Why would we care?"

"That's old school anyway," Victor said. "If you want to get married, then do it. If you don't want to, then screw it. I'm sure it means more to both of you than it does to either of us. I'm not sure why you need it. It doesn't mean near what people think it should because people think marriage is disposable anyway. They get married and lie to each other at the altar when they pledge to stay together for life and then in a year or two they get a quickie divorce and move on to do it again with someone else."

"Well, that's rather cynical, isn't it?" Angus asked.

"I'm a realist," Victor shrugged. "If a relationship works, it's because the people involved work at it. Not because they've said some antiquated vows."

"Well, I guess that answers that," Angus looked at Ruby and laughed.

Ruby chuckled and nodded  "yeah guess it does," she said then leant down and kissed Angus " I can wait," she said softly " now can you stop worrying and focus on Edward and Simones wedding" she smiled at him. " alright , eat first then studies, Andrew would you mind watching them please, while I go to the main house, those breafast casseroles aren't going to cook themselves" she smiled at Angus and then went to the boys hugging each gently " I'll see you guys later" she said giving Angus a last kiss before heading over.

Once at the main house kitchen she took out the casseroles and placed them in the oven to cook ready for every one else while she made french toast with warm cinimon buns that were left from the day before. Putting on a fresh pot of coffee and tea she cleaned up and laid the table ready for breakfast. Jessie was the first up and he smelled the rolls " morning" he said picking up a cup and poring some hot coffee.

"morning Jessie, breakfast is ready" she said pointing to the dresser with teh food laid out ready for eating. Jessie took a plate and grabbed some food sittng down to eat.

"Have a good day," Angus told her as she kissed him and then left for work. He tucked into his coffee and his breakfast, as the boys and Andrew tucked into theirs. Andrew and the boys helped clean up the kitchen and they got out the fondant and the tools for Angus to start doing some fondant molding. Angus had a big, clean fishing tackle box that he had used to store his fondant tools in, and he had a rolling tote full of various fondant molds of all kinds. He had shrunken the molds and organized them into the rolling tote. The boys were utterly fascinated with the entire thing, and it wasn't more than a few minutes before they were washing their hands and sitting down at the table with him, rolling out fondant, and pressing green fondant into molds for leaves, and various colors of fondant into molds for flower petals, butterflies, ladybugs, and more. Angus was taking the petals and sculpting shape to them to make realistic looking flowers. He was explaining that when the fondant dried, he would paint them either by hand or with an airbrush. He showed them photos form the book he'd bought, showing them other people's realistic cakes, and he showed them his sketches of the cakes he wanted to make for Edward and Simone. So much for them spending all day in their studies.

While they worked, the boys wanted to know all about Angus and how he and Ruby had met, and about Angus's childhood. They were nonstop with questions. Angus felt guilty about not keeping his word about studies, but they did appear to be trying to get to know him. They knew all about Ruby, but they really did want to know their new dad.

They were all in the kitchen, working, when the entire house was rocked by a deafening explosion. It shook the entire house, and Angus immediately smelled smoke. He saw flames already racing across the ceiling.

"Andrew, get the boys out! Now! Dont worry about me!" Angus shouted. "Apparate the boys to the main house. Don't let them go outside."

Over at the main house, Marcus had just come downstairs for his first cup of coffee for the day when a massive explosion. He glanced out the window to see flames rising up out of the roof on Angus's side of the duplex. He could see some figures on broomsticks above the duplex. They'd been breeched. He looked at Ruby.

"Do NOT follow me! I don't have time to rescue both of you!" he said to her with iron firmness. He hit his alarm and then apparated out, straight to the duplex. Edward apparated in, still in his pajamas. Andrew had snatched up the boys by their collars and apparated them to the kitchen in the main house.

"Ruby, keep hold of the boys. Don't let them outside. We've got a lot of company outside," Andrew said. He drew his wand and apparated back to the duplex. Marcus apparated Angus to the main house kitchen, and then he apparated straight back. Robert and Kate and Michael raced outside, wands drawn and started firing at the broom riders.

Ruby heard the explosion and looked out of the window to see several figures on brooms above their house " oh dear god" she gasped just as Andrew Aperated into the kitchen she moved quickly to Sam and Victor and held them close against her  "let them do what they do best" she said seeing Jack bounding up to their house with Jessie not far behind together they lept up onto the roof and then up to grasp hold of one of the riders who atempted to shake Jack off but he did not losen his grip and threw the guy down to Jessie who held him on the ground leaving Jack to go after the other men along with Andrew and Angus.

"we can't help, youare not alowed to do magic outside of hogwarts and well I'm carrying preshious cargo" she chuckled hoping they would make short work of the men but she could already see the house was beconimg a mess. " awe not the stain glass" she said " we just got that fitted" she looked at the boys " it was a gift from Kate" she told them as she saw Jess port in wand at the readh as she too fired stupify into the air to stop the fliers.