Robert gave them a smile and headed inside to take care of Ginger.
"Thanks," Angus told Ruby. "The pain potion helps, but I really just want to go home."
"I'll go with him," Edward said to her. He walked Angus home, and Edward found a note from Andrew, saying that he had gotten a request to help Angus with a shower and his brace and his sling in the morning. He said he would be over at his usual time and would be more than happy to help him. He left a PS on the note. It read: "PS: I think it'll be alright to take the sling off at bedtime tonight if you're really uncomfortable, but you really should leave the brace on. We'll put it back on tomorrow."
Edward helped Angus change to his lounge trousers and they just left the tee shirt he had from earlier. Edward cast a refreshing spell on it so it was minimally clean for bed tonight at least.
"You look like you could sleep a little," Edward said.
"No, I don't want to sleep," Angus said. "I'm so sick of that hussy breaking into my dreams. I don't ever want to sleep again."
"How about I make you some dreamless sleep potion? I can amp up the dreamless part so that she can't possibly break into your dreams. That has to be exhausting."
"It is," he said. "God, it feels like I go through the motions of sleeping but I wrestle all damned night long." Edward looked at him.
"When Ruby gets here, I'll go over and..."
"Please don't hover," Angus said. "I'll be okay for that long."
"You sure?"
"I have a couple loose ends. I can't go yet, as much as I might want to," Angus confessed softly. Edward frowned slightly. And then it occurred to him.
"Ah. Anise and Ginger. They're so new you haven't provided for them. You're not obligated to, you know.'
"Yeah. I know," Angus said.
"But you will,' he said.
"Werewolves live in poverty their whole damned lives unless they fall into some good situation like Jack and Jessie have. Yeah, I'll provide for them, like all the other kids," Angus said.
"You're a good man, Angus," Edward said. "Ruby chose well when she chose you."
"I don't know that I'd agree with you these days," he said. "It was all too short and she deserved better than me."
"Don't let her hear those kinds of goodbyes. It's way premature for that. It isn't the only plan on the table."
"Gathering information doesn't get rid of her," Angus maintained.
"Well, your plan isn't 100% foolproof either, and tonight you're tired and hurting. You couldn't win at tiddlywinks tonight."
"I didn't ever win at them either," Angus said. "I always overshot the wink--sailed right over that damned pot."
"Well, good," Edward laughed. "Some new game I can make a wager with you and gain a little pocket money."
"Probably a lot of pocket money," Angus's eyes fluttered shut
"That's even better," Edward said, knowing Angus was in just a very light doze. He wrote a note and sent it to Robert on a paper bird telling him about Suzanne still invading his dreams and making him sleep deprived and anxious about sleeping. A few minutes, Pip flew over with a potions bottle. This was a dreamless sleep potion that instead of being a lavender colored potion, was a deep, dark purple. It was labeled Dreamless Sleep X3, and it gave instructions about giving just 5 milliliters swirled into at least a potions cup of hot water. Tea or caffeine free coffee could be used. Edward took a little of the iced tea from the fridge and added the potion into it and heated it
He woke Angus and took him upstairs and helped him into bed and gave him the potion. Angus never knew it wasn't one of Edward's own potions. He just took it. Tonight, Edward thought Angus looked like he'd been bullied and battered. He felt sorry for him, remembering how many times he had looked just like this as a little boy, and Angus hadn't even tried to reject Edward's parenting. He just accepted it.
The last time Edward had seen Angus look this way was the night that Angus had needed Marcus to hang onto him and keep him alive when Angus was hanging onto a single tree on the inside of what had looked to them like a bottomless pit. Angus had been iron firm that he wasn't leaving until all 19 of Edward's great grandchildren had been rescued and were safe. Marcus had stayed right with Angus, had coached Angus back from giving up, and had hauled him out of the abyss. That night it had been Marcus who had brought Angus home and who had helped bring him some relief by slipping some dreamless sleep potion into some tea. Marcus had had him that night. Marcus had him still, and so did the others, even if Angus still felt committed to his own plan. Angus wasn't able to see the light yet, but Edward was sure that would come. Right now, he needed someone to provide some quiet nurturing, and Edward certainly knew how to do that.
Edward pulled up the blankets as Angus slipped deeply into a dreamless sleep. Edward turned down the lights but didn't turn them completely off. He checked the balcony door locks and made a check to make sure the house was completely secure, hearing Simone arriving home from helping to clean up the refreshments at the firepit. She looked and saw Edward at the bottom of Angus's stairs. She came in and didn't see Angus.
"Everything alright?" she asked. "Where's Angus?"
"Asleep. That wench is still after his sleep too. Robert sent over dreamless potion, and Angus didn't even try to resist. He's out like a light."
"Poor boy," Simone sighed. "I am so very glad you are not in Tuscany tonight."
"Even if I had been, I'd have come. He needs me right now."
"He certainly does," she agreed. "I'll stay with you til Ruby and David get back if you like."
"No, go ahead. I'll sit and read the newspaper for a little. I missed it today in all the excitement. They'll be home soon." He kissed Simone's forehead. "I'll be home shortly."
"Take your time, love," she smiled, caressing his cheek, and going to change into her pajamas.
by 
