LONDON CALLING

"Eighty? She can get married at 80. I wouldn't want to be an overprotective dad," he teased. He ate the piece of roll that she offered. "Question. If Robert believes it's safe, are we going to take any sort of honeymoon trip?" If they did take any sort of trip, he wanted to make sure they were going somewhere that Gelding was not known to operate in. He didn't want to take guards with them, and he didn't want to have to look over his shoulder the entire time. He didn't care where they went so long as it was someplace where they could be alone.

"The jars aren't dangerous. That's not what you need to look out for. What you do need to make sure you never do is to betray Robert. Getting on his bad side is what I would be afraid of. Not those jars," Angus said. He was interrupted by a sound. It made him sit up. He listened and then he looked out the window. Rain. Just a steady, heavy summer shower.

"Well, we could use a good shower. The crops and the gardens need it," he said. "This would be a good day to choose to be on our own tonight back at our house. We could make a little fire in our fireplace, just enough to take the dampness out of the house, and let Andrew make us a light supper. Maybe a kettle of some sort of stew or soup and some crusty bread? What do you think? A quiet night without seven hundred people would be great."

Ruby chuckled and smiled when he took the roll from her. " I agree, no one should cross Robert, maybe some one should warn Gelding as hes donr that more than once." she chuckled again as he spoke of a honeymoon " I'd love one but but yes only if its safe." she heard the rain and smiled knowing the plants would get watered that night. Leaning close to Angus she spoke softly "I agree totaly, I'll send a note to Andrew and together we can get you home" she smiled. Slipping from the bed she found some paper and wrote the note asking Andrew to come help move Angus to his own room and bed. She aslo asked him to light the fire in their room.

Puting on some slippers and a dressing gown she waited for Andrew to help as she moved to help Angus sit up on the bed.

"Would you see if there is still one of my robes in the closet? I'd like to not be completely naked when he comes," Angus said.

Andrew got their note, and he lit the fire both downstairs in the living room and up in the master bedroom as well. He apparated over to the main house and ended up in the kitchen.

"Well," Robert said, "evidently Angus is awake?"

"Yes, apparently so," Andrew said. "Ruby sent a note. They want just a quiet supper at home and a long evening in the quiet."

"Sounds heavenly," Robert said. "I won't disturb him about his hands until morning then. Tell him I'll stop in tomorrow before I head to St. Mungo's."

"Will do," Andrew said. Andrew went upstairs and knocked and when he went in, he found Angus and Ruby in their robes. "Good to see you up, Angus. Feeling better than last night?"

"Well, yes, but I don't remember how I got up here."

"That's because you were in a dead-to-the-world sleep, Mate. You didn't know a blooming thing because you were completely done. I think we could have set off a bomb right next to you and you wouldn't have budged. Ready to go home?"

"Yes, please, and could you manage to help me in a shower?"

"Absolutely," Andrew replied. "I'd be happy to. Coming with us or apparating on your own, Ruby?"

Ruby walked to the wardrobe and took out a nice robe for Angus walking over she helped him put it on and tie it around his waist. She saw the door open and Andrew walk in and explain to Angus how he managed to get into his room then take him for a shower."I'll come with you, if thats okay" she said smiling as she held onto Angus. Together they ported right to the bed room where she helped Andrew place Angus into the bed. She felt the warmth from the fire and smiled.

Laying down she looekd up threw the sky light , not that she could see much with teh rivers of water runnign down it but it made a soothing sound for her.

"Anything in particular you'd like me to fix for supper?" Andrew asked them.

"Something comforting, like a stew or a soup, with maybe some of that crusty bread that's over at the main house," Angus suggested.

"I have just the thing," Andrew said. "Leave it to me. You want to shower before or after supper?"

"Maybe before, please?"

"Of course," Andrew replied. He helped him through a shower, and Angus felt worlds better after being able to shower, shampoo and shave. He chose just a simple pair of lounge trousers. These were a black and gray plaid, and he had a black v neck tee with it. Getting a shower made him feel worlds better. Andrew helped him back to the bed, where he sat, leaning back up against the head of the bed, watching the fire in the fireplace.

"God, that feels better," he sighed, relaxing. "I remember Robert telling me last night he'd help me get some of grime off, but once he settled me on that table down in sickbay, I must have nodded off almost straight away. But I know have to smell better." He looked at her and saw she was looking at the skylight. He looked up and saw the water running down the skylight in small little trickles. "If we ever move out of this house, we're taking that skylight with us," he said. He looked over on his nightstand and saw the letter from Suzanne. He picked it up and handed it to her. "That's the letter from Suzanne, if you want to read it. You don't have to, but I don't have any secrets either. So it's your choice."

He smelled the familiar aromas of the start of some sort of food. He smelled something being sauteed, and then, onions, carrots and celery. Andrew was starting with a decent mirepoix. And before long, he smelled some sort of beef cooking with some sort of additions. He wasn't sure what. He could identify tomato, probably tomato paste, a bit of vinegar, garlic, and then it all started to blend. Then he smelled bread baking.

"Whatever he's cooking is starting to smell good," he laughed. "I'm going to hate to see him go, I think." As he spoke, Pip fluttered up from downstairs with a letter and dropped it in Angus's lap. "Andrew must have sent you up with that, didn't he?" The bird simply tilted his head, listening. Angus gave Pip a quick pet, and the bird chirped at Ruby, wanting her attention too.

Angus opened the letter and read it.

"Oh. There are actually two letters here. One is from Victor's house and one's from Victor. Here's the gist. Victor was able to use his new broom to make the quidditch team this year. He's a beater. However, in today's game, he took a fall off his broom. Broke the broom and broke his leg. He's in the infirmary. He says he feels fine, but he's going to be there for a few days while they try to mend the bone. He's most concerned, actually, about needing a new broom, and he wants to know if I can see my way to helping him replace it." He laughed. "Head of house remembers us being connected to Robert and apparently knows Robert's very meticulous methods of bone healing. He says that the bone is broken in more than one place, and he suggests that I perhaps see if I have any influence with Robert to take over the care of the leg so that the bone heals properly. Of course, I'll ask him. The head of house says that he can arrange for Victor to take a few days leave for medical purposes, so long as Victor agrees to keep up on his lessons while he's gone. Any objections to my asking Robert about it?"

Ruby chuckled and shook her head " nope I'm never leaving this house, it's perfect" she smiled still looking up at the skylight that saw Pip enter and drop something on Angus's lap. She took out an owl treat and gave him one before brushing her hand down his head gently. Hearing Angus talk of Vincent's accident she sighed and nodded and listened to Angus talk " nope none at all from me, as long as he does what Robert asks I'm good with it" she said letting pip fly to his perch in the far corner.

She looked at Angus "Guess that means we'll have to get him a new broom, but good on him becoming the beater, that's a hard position to play" she said when he had shown her the letter from her mother she held up her hand and shook her head. " nope, I'm good with what you've told me so far."

"I'll see if Pip will take a note over to the house then," Angus said. He scribbled a hasty note and took an envelope and put the note inside, along with the notes from Hogwarts. He called Pip and handed him the envelope. "Take this to Robert." The little owl fluttered off to deliver the message.

It wasn't more than about twenty minutes when Archangel arrived, carrying a tin. He was sitting on the balcony railing.

"Ru, let him in please? I'd try my magic to open the doors, but we'd probably regret it," Angus said.

When Archangel flew in, he dropped the tin on the bed. Angus opened the tin and found some of Michaels' caramel stuffed brownies, and they were still warm from the oven. The aroma of warm gooey, chocolate wafted out of the tin.

"Michael's been baking. he hasn't made these in ages. The center of these are stuffed with some of Jonathan's salted caramels," Angus said. He picked up a note--the response from Robert.

"Angus," it read, "Of course, I will happily assist Victor with his leg. For Hogwarts to make such a request, it cannot be taken lightly. It suggests to me that they think the break is complicated enough to require a bit more specialization. I realize you have a room there for him but the lofted bed might well be a problem for the lad. If Andrew cannot design something to accommodate him, we can give him a room here, though I suspect he'd be more comfortable there with his family. Let me know, and we will try to fetch him home in the morning. R."

Angus handed the note to Ruby. "If we can't come up with something for the bed, we'll 'unloft' it and move some of the furniture to the basement for now," Angus told her. "We won't let that shove him out of his home."

Ruby smelt the brownies and smiled " hmm those smell divine" she said leaning over to look at them as Angus read the letter aloud to her " agreed Sams's bed could be lowered it not got anything under it for the moment." she said " we can do that in the morning ready for when he arrives and I think there's some spare bedding in one of the cupboards." she said as she snaffled one of the brownies from the tin " hmm tasty, I would have thought he would make these more often." she managed to grab a second but thought beter of a third. " now , rest my hansom, smary , sexy husband to be." she said and kissed him gently knowing she had to taste like brownies to him.

Climbing under the covers next to Angus she smiled seing teh skyhad cleared up and it was no longer raining. " oh look the stars are out" she motioned to the sky light but once more it rained . " oh well they were for a short time" she said and chuckled " it will be nice for Victor to have a stable home enviroment." sh said to Angus, out of the pair of them hes the quite one, maybe something here will bring him out of his shell."

"We don't need spare bedding. We have plenty of sheets and pillowcases and blankets. I bought several sets of sheets, several blankets and both beds are already made up. Next time you get out into the upstairs hallway, open the door to the right of the master bath--the skinny door. It's a full sized linen closet. Had to enchant it to fit it into the floor plan, but it's abundantly stocked with bedding, blankets, tablecloths, placemats, napkins, extra towels and washcloths that didn't make it into the bathrooms, and a hundred other things." he told her. "Don't get too comfy. Andrew's got supper cooking. It smells like, whatever it is, it's going to be wonderful."

Within thirty minutes, Andrew sent up a tray for the two of them--and it had homemade steak and ale soup, a crusty Irish soda bread with French butter, and a couple of sodas on ice.

"Steak and ale soup," Angus said. "Ironically, you wanna know the first place I had it? Colorado, of all places. Don't know why I didn't find it over here, but, no. Found it in America at an upscale deli. And I have to tell you, I think Andrew's recipe is better than mine. This is wonderful." He ate his bowl of soup, his bread, and sent to Andrew for another half a bowlful. When Andrew brought the bowl up, Angus filled him in on Victor breaking his leg and coming here so Robert could tend the break properly.

"That's not a problem," Andrew said.

"Well, the lofted beds could be," Angus said.

"Not really. Not unless he falls out of his bed. We have a couple options. I can shuffle furniture and lower one of the beds. Or, I can enchant an armless chair so that it lifts and lowers on command. If we position it closely enough, he could slide from one to the other. Or, I can levitate him and lower him as he needs it. There are a lot of work arounds. I can get with Robert in the morning and get directives straight from him on what he wants for Victor. Don't worry. Believe me, I've worked with all sorts of broken bones in my time. This is not a deal. We've got this."

"Oh, and Michael sent over some of his homemade brownies. They're still warm. These decadent things are stuffed with salted caramel," Angus said. "Leave us each one, please, and take the tin downstairs?" Andrew groaned.

"I can't wait. I'll try to restrain myself to only one," Andrew laughed. "Either of you want something hot to drink with that?"

"Maybe coffee for me?" Angus said.

Ruby smelt the food and her tummy rumbled loudly " oh that smells wonderful" she said , and this little one can't make up its mind what Im suposed to be craving" she said as Andrew placed down the tray for them both. " realy?" she asked thinking it would be found in england too, " strange its not here too " she said and chuckled as he said it ws better than his own " wow thats something " she said and ate some, she could not help the groan that left her at the taste " yep your right, thou I can't realy compare since I haven't had yours yet" she said " she said and chuckled again. Now finished she saw him with the tin she took another " hot chocolate please, little one dosn't like coffee, more the pity" she said popping the peice into her mouth and eating it. 

Now sat with a hot chocolate she smiled at Angus as the two of them talked about Victor and how he was going to get up to the bed. " I still think we should lower the bed, one less distance if he should fall out of the bed , pluse he can move around easily like go the bathroom with out one of us there all the time, you know give him his indipendance." she said sipping and blowing over the top of her hot chocolate.