A Birth day

Ruby saw the look on Edward face and chuckled " oh Im sure he is , shes the reason he's lost everything, his name , his house and his reputation" Ruby said.

Jess nodded to Robert and then smiled to pheobe as he mentioned having some one take her home "of course I can ask my husband to take you home" she said and headed up to find Jack who waws sat at the counter. " hey jaack could you see Pheobe, Gingers mother home please" she asked Jack stood up and smiled at her

"of course I will" he said and gave her a kiss on her cheek before heading down to the med wing. "Hi Pheobe, Im jack I'll take you back to the camp and if you want to come abck tomoorrow I'll be around to bring you, ether myself or Jessie Tyler" he reasured her as he stood close . Soon when she was ready he took hold of her arm and ported her back to the camp. " here we are, safe and sound" he said and smiled.

"Well, Angus is responsible for most of that, to be honest," Edward said. "And, if it were that simple, he'd continue his hatred towards Angus. However, that seems to be not on his mind anymore. He's really angry at Suzanne for something far more than he is at Angus. I think there might be more to the story that we don't know yet, and who knows if Reginald will ever tell us what that is. Whatever he's irked about, he is willing now to help provides us with a possible weapon against her, and I think that is quite interesting indeed."

"I am responsible for that," Angus acknowledged. "That was why your father broke into our house and came at me. He was irked that I had taken the boys and you and had taken just about everything he owned. I didn't leave him with much of anything except your mother. And he was mighty unhappy. That was why he tried to kill me with the killing curse, and it's also why I killed him in self defense. So it really doesn't make sense that he would help us now."

"Aggie," Abbey said. "He no like the lady. He mad. He say he gonna get her. He no like you, but he no like her more."

"Well, now, that I can believe," Angus said with a smile. "Has he told you why he doesn't like her?"

"He say she talk to big man, and big man send her to you. And now he over there...."

"Oh!" Angus's face cleared. "I get it. Suzanne set him up! Suzanne wanted Gelding all along, and she talked to Gelding, who send Reginald to try to take me out, knowing I would take him out instead. She set me up to get rid of Reginald for her. That's why he hates her now."

"Dear God in heaven," Edward said. "Either she's smarter than we took her for, or Gelding was willing to try to take you out. If I were in his shoes, I would think I would win either way. No wonder he's helping. He wants her stopped one way or another."

"Well, then, that makes two of us," Angus said. "I have had countless encounters with Gelding over the years. The only one who has had anywhere near the number of encounters with Gelding that I've had is Robert. Gelding absolutely hates me and has for years. That's not news. Would he take advantage of a ditz in order to take down some of us in Robert's organization? Certainly. And what Suzanne may or may not know is that when he's done using her, he may very well get rid of her in one form or another."

"If she doesn't end him first."

"Well, if she does, she doesn't need to think she'll get anything out of it. I'm sure he's already guaranteed that his sons get everything he has if something happens to him. That's just the way the Gelding family operates. She better enjoy the wealth while she has it because I don't see her having it long term."

Ruby sat and listened letting Angus speak freely as he did she just stayed quiet " Then he is an idiot" she said softly " You didn't take me, I chose you over an abusive father and mother, I choose to love and safty, as for the boys they too came willingly, and as for taking what he owned, I asked you to do what you've done and will do." she said then smiled seeing Abby run to Angus. She listened to Abby and chuckled as she said her father didn't like Suzanne.

She listened and looked to Angus " It sounds like it, mother is a lot more manipulative than we first thought." she said crossing her arms as she listened to the conversation longer. " I don't know if I should feel sorry for Gelding being with Suzanne." she said "They both deserve each other the way she's acting."

"I don't think you need to feel sorry for either of them," Angus said. "They've treated each other, their children and other people viciously. I am glad for whatever little bit of help that Reginald is giving us right now, but let's not be fooled. He's doing it because of his desire to reach out and hurt Suzanne from beyond the veil. If we use his information, we might be able to stop her, but we don't have any right to feel proud of it by any means. We're just needing to stop her from continuing to hurt us."

"Sometimes," Edward told him, "in order to continue to make sure that those we love are safe and well and healthy, we have to do things we aren't proud of. I am not proud of killing men and women with the werewolf curse because I know they were ill with an illness there is no cure for. But when they endanger innocent people, we have to do what we have to do. And this situation is no different. We will walk this out together. Its what we do. It'll be alright. For now, Boy, you really need to get something to eat and then spend some relaxation time. You can't be wound up all the time. Let me wrestle with it for one night. I'll get with Robert and then I'll talk to you in the morning. You'd done enough for one day."

"I am feeling spent," Angus admitted.

"And well you should," Edward said. "So take the night off. Why don't you and Ruby go down to the theater and watch a muggle movie?

"Haven't done that in a long time," Angus said. "And I don't know that you've ever done it, have you, Ru?"

Ruby listened to Edward and nodded her head " having to do evil for the greater good, right?" she said softly and looked to Edward not knowing that feeling but understanding. She also saw the tired look on Angus's face as Edward told him to take a night off and relax. "I don't think we ever did" she said smiling. " but it sounds wonderful, what movie should we watch?" she asked taking his hand in her own.

Jess smiled as she moved from the door to the med room into the living room " well its free now, so why not use it now" she looked over at Edward "Im sure dinner will be some time yet long enough for one movie" she told them both.

"Well, in essence, yes," Edward said to Ruby. "It's basically knowing that sometime having a good ending in something justifies a less than honorable means."

"Brian and Robert have quite a supply of muggle movies--not that that's legal in the wizarding world, because it isn't, but the ministry isn't going to be able to come find us to confiscate them anyway. So we should go downstairs after supper and you can pick out whatever you want," Angus said. Angus listened to Jess suggesting that they go watch a movie now.

"Generally it only takes a few minutes to grill chicken, and Shannon has the dining room set up for supper. So I think we should wait til after supper for that," Angus said. "I'll go see if Nicky needs any help, if you check and see if Shannon needs any help to put any of Nicky's side dishes on the table. Or you can go down to the home theater and pick out what movie you want to watch. Either way."

"Good idea," Edward said. "I'll go try to root both the grandmas out of the art studio." Edward smiled and left to go out to the studio. Angus got up from the table and went out to the grill to see if Nicky needed anything.

Ruby looked at Edward and then at Angus "I'll go and see if Shannon needs help, first" she said standing up but before she moved she lent down and kissed Angus gently " see you later" she said softly with a smile before heading to the kitchen. " Hey Shannon you need a hand?" she asked as Jess moved into the living room then headed up to her room to shower and change to make herself comfortable.

Jack checked the animal in the barn feed in them all and brushing the unicorns and hippogriffs. As he moved back to the main house he looked up at the barrier and saw it strong as ever but decided to check on the men he had stationed at it and Aperated to the spot. " so how's it been?" he asked " I hope quiet?" he moved to the barrier and touched it feeling it slightly weak. Taking out his wand he added to it making it strong again.

"Oh, that would be lovely," Shannon smiled. "Nicky's got his side dishes all sitting on the counter with warming trivets under them to keep them nice and hot, and I've put out more warming trivets in here. I've got out pitchers with the beverages and I cast some cooling spells on some trivets to keep those drinks nice and cold. If you could help me get the side dishes and set out some plates and glasses and silverware, that would be lovely. Oh, and I cut your beautiful tarts already and set them on the sideboard in case there is someone who prefers dessert first."

"It's quiet so far," one of the outdoor crew reported to Jack. "We'll page you if we have another uptick. We're going to keep a couple men here tonight just in case. I know Michael said he did some extra tinkering with the protection spells, so its hard saying what they'll do now if that woman tries to get back in. I don't know if we really want to know."

Angus helped Nicky baste the jerk sauce on the chicken, and when it all came off the grill, they each carried in a heaping platter of chicken pieces and put them on the sideboard, with each platter carefully labeled so that everyone would know which pieces were spicy and which ones were not.

Edward came back with Kate and Simone, and Kate was carrying Caprice, chattering to her all the way, and Caprice seemed absolutely fixated on watching Kate.

"I don't know if you'll get your daughter back before she's eighteen," Edward teased Angus.

"She's been fed her supper, and she's been burped and changed, and she's been over to Grandma Simone's and had her bath and some fresh clothes," Kate reported. "She's had a lovely time, and she helped us make another sling so her mommy has her very own."

"And Kate and I have designed some special slings for when it rains," Simone said. "They're made of waterproof raincoat fabric and they have an additional piece of fabric that lays over the top of the sling so the baby doesn't get wet. It'll just roll off down the sides of the sling and not on the little one. We made a black one for Daddy, and her mommy's is a white fabric with flowers." Simone held up the slings to show them to Angus and Ruby.

"That's a great idea. Did she make slings for her grandparents too?" Angus asked.

"Of course," Simone laughed. "One for Grandpa Edward and one for me, one for Kate, and one for Grandpa Robert. "And if anybody else wants one, they just need to let us know."

"Well, you might as well make a couple for the boys--some rain ones and some regular ones," Angus said.

"We'll add them to the list," Kate said. "I don't know what I'm smelling but I'm starved.

"Well, then," Angus took Caprice from Kate, "go fix your plates and tuck in. Nicky's made a real special supper tonight. Authentic Jamaican Jerk Chicken. Go get your plates. Ru, get yours too, and if you fix mine, I can manage one handed. I'd like the spicy chicken, please."

Ruby nodded to Shannon and moved to set out some plates and glasses and the silverware on the table. Returning to the kitchen she started on the side dishes to go with the jerk chicken. Once done she smiled seeing Simone return with Caprice and several new slings " oh thats perfect" she sid smiling s he placed the salads on the table ready fprthose who wanted to eat.

Ruby smiled at Angus and nodded fixing two plates then headed to the table " salad and spicy chicken" she sid as she palced his plate down infront of him " oh" she waved her hand and two glasses of drink moved to set down next to the plates.

Jack looked at the man and nodded " good keep your eyes peeled I'll send a relif in a few hours" he told him before heading abck to the main house intime to smell the cooked chicken as he walked into the main house. " wow that smells sooper good." he said giving Jess a kiss as he sat down.

Michael came in, and as Robert came up the stairs, he saw Michael coming in from outside.

"Where have you been all afternoon?" Robert frowned.

"Adding a few tweaks to the protection grid," Michael said.

"Oh no. What have you done?" Robert asked. Michael cast him a look of sheer mischief. "Do we really want to know?"

"Well, maybe," Michael said, with the grin that reminded Robert of a schoolboy that had managed to pull a jinx on the headmaster. Michael went in.

"Jerk chicken! Nice!" Michael said, taking a plate and putting a piece of spicy chicken on his plate.

"Alright, what did you do?" Robert followed him in line to fix his own plate.

"Well,' the firs thing that will happen if someone tries to get through the grid is that their hair will all fall out--and I do mean ALL their hair--everywhere," Michael said. Kate burst out laughing. "And then, after their hair falls out, their skin will turn all sorts of rainbow colors that will take at least 4 to 6 weeks to wear off." Now Robert laughed, truly amused at the thought of Suzanne, hairless and with rainbow colored skin. "If they make a second attempt to get through, then they will glow in the dark and instead of speaking, all they will be able to do is to bray like a jackass."

Angus now burst out in uncontrollable laughter.

"Well, that sounds just about right. Is there a consequence for a third try?" Angus asked.

"Well, yes," Michael said, finishing fixing his plate and going to the table.

"So, don't keep us in suspense. What is it?"

"All their clothes will fall off and completely disappear," Michael said.

"Michael, you are truly a genius," Edward said. "Excellent. I can hardly wait."


"So the bottom line, boys and girls, is to remember your portkeys," Robert told them, "because if you don't, we will all know exactly who you are."