A Birth day

Aria listened to Marcus and nodded "Again your right" she said and looked as Kate walked out pouring some seers tea she handed it to her "Here" she said then looked to Robrt as Ruby spoke.

"I'll go Angus you rest" she said and stood up but Aria spoke again.

"Ruby doesn't have to go, she can stay here with Angus," she said and looked to Marcus "If this goes wrong Im blaming you, no secrets" she said with a smirk. Focusing her emotions she changed into Ruby, her hair changing to blond and her facial features switching. " I can go in her place," she said mimiking Ruby's voice as she looked at them all "Yeah I'm a metamorphmagus." she said looking to Robert.

Marcus laughed, when Aria said she was going to blame him. Robert wasn't surprised when Aria morphed. That sort of thing rarely surprised him. People didn't get to where they were without some sort of skill set. So, that was part of hers. Fine.

"Just remember, you're having to go see a seer," Marcus said. "If she senses you're not Ruby, she's going to be really frightened."

"They're exhausted," Kate said. "I don't think they're going to notice or care so long as they get back with their family."

"Tell them we're cooking supper," Angus told them.

"Let's go get them," Lee told Aria. He reached for her hand and they apparated out.

"I guess I'd better go cook something if we're telling them we're cooking supper," Kate said, heading back to the kitchen.

"Want a hand? I would love to feel like I'm productive somehow," Simone said, following her.

The aquarium closed at five, and now Anise and Sam were sitting, with their duffle bags, outside on the edge of a concrete planter around a tree that was slit with white lights. Lee thought the two of them looked pitiful. Kate had been right. They were completely drained, and they looked dirty and hungry.

"That's them," Lee said. "I've met them once before, but I don't know them well." Lee approached them with a smile. "Boy, are we glad to see you," Lee said.

"Lee? Ruby?" Sam asked, looking up, yawning. "Where's Dad?"

"He's at the house. We don't want him out and about any more than we have to let him. Anise is wise about that," Lee said. "Anyway, we told him we'd come and bring you home. We're supposed to tell you you're going to be just in time for supper. You two look like you could use something to eat."

"We forgot to bring our money. We left it behind in Colorado," Sam said, ashamed he'd forgotten it.

"Don't worry. We've got you covered. Let's get you home to Angus and Edward and Simone."

"I just couldn't let him go try to find her. He's not coming back from this one. I just know it," Anise said, wiping tears of exhaustion from her cheeks. "I can't lose him. I just can't."

"He knows, and believe me, he isn't interested in not coming back from this one either. There are plenty of us to help keep each other safe. Kate told him you've been seeing him not coming back in your dreams. He knows. He's not angry with you for leaving Colorado. He just wants you back home and safe," Lee said. "Come on. Let's get you both home."

Aria looekd at them all and saw Marcus chuckle and relaxed abit . She heard them talking and nodded to Kate but before she culd say anything Lee grabbed her hand and ported them out " hey , warning next time please." she said in her own voice . When he said he saw them she walked over with him and smiled to Anise " Lees right , Kates cooking super as we speack for us" she said using Rubys voice " hes all right, and is waiting for you" she moved to hold onto Anise while Lee took hold of Sam.

"there freezing we need to get them in the warmth" she said to Lee " I'll take Anise if you take Sam" she sugested to him her arms around Anise warming her. Now Ready she ported them back to the house and changed back to her self as she sat Anise down on a chair. Ruby walke dover to her ahdn held her close .

"Im glad your safe , now why didn't you just get a message to us" she said worried to Anise as she checked her for any scrapes or cuts as a mother would a young child. Aria stepped back and stood beside Marcus.

" I'll understand if last night was a one off" she said softly to him. Turning to face him she finished her sentance sotly so only he would here" I'm use to it." she said looking back down at the map.

"I did get you a message," Anise told Ruby unhappily. "I talked to Angus about it. He knows what I've seen..."

"Anise," Angus called. She turned and saw him, and he motioned to her. She went over to Angus, and he reached to her to hug her. She sat down beside him in his oversized chair, and he wrapped her close. "I'm sorry. I know this is frightening. I can't blame you for being afraid. I've seen her too. She's one creepy looking woman, that's for sure..."

"I don't want her to kill you!" Anise said, upset.

"Well, I don't want her to kill me either," he smiled. "We have all sorts of aurors from Lee's forces. We have all of us here. And just about all of us are here. And we have some new friends too. Nobody is planning on her having that much access to me to be able to harm me. Anise, sometimes there are a lot of reasons that a seer can see things that never come to pass. Kate can explain it a lot better than I can, but sometimes a seer picks up on something that their enemy wants them to see. I know this woman wants to hurt me, but that doesn't mean she actually gets to do it." He sighed. "I can't blame you for leaving training, but I wish you'd have finished. Anyway, I'm glad you and Sam are safe. I bet you're both hungry, huh?" She nodded, cuddling into him. "I'm sure supper will be ready soon. Now, look. We're cramped on space but we'll make it work.

"I can take the boys with me to the hotel I booked," Evan said.

"We can take the girls with us," Edward said. "We've got room." Angus nodded. "Thank you."

"Of course," Edward said.

Kate came in from the kitchen. "Supper's ready. It isn't fancy but its edible. You can come fix your plates and eat wherever you want. Inside or in the center courtyard."

"Edible is all that matters," Edward said. Kate and Simone had made some big, homemade cheeseburgers, with some oven baked fries, some cole slaw, and they'd thrown together a batch of chocolate chip cookie bars for dessert. The kids practically flew to the kitchen to fix their plates, grabbed some sodas, and then they took them outside to the courtyard.

Ruby listened to Anise and now understood and smiled " I guess you did, and we got it, you're a brave girl" she said then looked to Kate as she entered the room once Anise moved to Angus and cuddled against him. she listened and nodded " she won't touch a hair on his head" Ruby said as Aria turned and cleared the table of the map and papers .

"I'll help lay the table " she said accioing sevral plates and laying them down along with the cutlery. " what ever it is it smells good" Aria said moving now to the kitchen to make some juice for every one.

"Just cheeseburgers," Kate told Aria. "Come fix your plate."

"I'll get your plate for you," Marcus told Angus. "What would you like on your burger?"

"Mustard and ketchup, please. And, if they have it, lettuce, onion and tomato," Angus said. "Thanks."

"In other words, the works," Marcus laughed.

"Pretty much, yeah," Angus said. Marcus went out and fixed two plates--one for himself and one for Angus. He floated two sodas into the living room, and then brought in the two plates. "Thanks," Angus told him as the two of them tucked into their plates. "Great burgers, Kate. I nominate you for burger duty from here on," he said.

"Oh, no, no," she laughed, sitting at the table with Robert. "You do the best burgers, but I appreciate the compliment. Evan fixed his plate and went in to join Angus and Marcus. Over supper, Evan asked for an explanation of this situation, and Marcus and Angus filled him in.

"Well," Evan said, "I can promise you these kids will want to stay and they're going to want to join the crew for this. I've heard them talking, and I can tell you one thing for sure. This family--their home with you and Ruby--this is the most important thing in their lives. Its where their hearts are. They are not going to be interested in going anywhere until this is resolved. I hope Sam and Victor are just venting but they've both talked about wanting Suzanne dead, no matter how it's done."

"Well, I can't blame them for feeling like that," Marcus said. "Its the closest they've ever had to any real happiness, and they're not in the mood for some crazy old woman to buggar it up. My kids would be having exactly the same feelings by now. Knowing my boys, they'd have been trying to actually go rogue to do something about it before this. I know Robert will have the final say, but I think the only way to keep a handle on them is to include them so that they feel like they're a real part of this."

"You might be right," Angus said. "I'll wait for Robert's suggestion, though."

Ruby smiled as the food was announced she looked to Anise and spoke softly " come and eat you'll feel better " she said " Angus could I suggest Sam and Anise after they eat use our room to rest in" she said.

Aria listened to them talking and listened to Marcus talk with Angus she just said nothing but understood how his kids must have felt with his soon to be ex wife. " I agree " she said " suprise could be on our side here with the extra hands being avalible, don't worry they will not be in harms way." she added picking up a burger she walked on to the porch area and sat down to eat.

"We can certainly suggest it," Angus said. "I'm presuming they're probably going to want a shower and perhaps an early night. I was going to suggest that two of them could sleep in the floor in our room if they really were dug in that they wanted to stay with us. I suppose the other two could either sleep in the bed and we could sleep down here, or they could sleep on the floor down here. My thought is that since they're younger than we are, they get the floor and not us."

"That sounds like a wise choice,' Marcus laughed. "I expect that Anise isn't going to want to go anywhere else tonight, and that means the other three will want to stay here too."

"Well, yeah. Tomorrow might be a different story, but tonight? I thin they're going to want to stay with us."

"Agreed," Marcus said. "I would offer some floor space in our place but they won't accept it. This is about being right here with you two."

"Yes. It is," Angus said. "I think I'll have Iya maybe talk with Anise tomorrow. Maybe she can put her at ease a little."

"Unless her premonition really is something to be concerned with."

"Nah, I don't believe in predestination like that," Angus said. "There's no point in life at all, then, if it's all predestined and we don't actually have any choices that haven't already been made for us."

"I tend to agree with you," Marcus said. "Still, I think it'll be interesting to hear Iya's opinions."

Ruby looked at Angus and smiled " I agree that they will want to be close to us tonight" she said smiling at him as she ate. Aria sat outside one eye on the group sat eating not far from her. Her eyes fixed on them while they ate to make sure they wouldn't leave but she also knew this was where they wanted to be. Ruby looked at Angus as he spoke again and chuckled "True, I don't think you'd fare on the floor, not with that ankle, by the way, hows it feeling now?" she asked refreezing the ice pack on his ankle,

Now finished Aria stood up and returned her plate to the kitchen washing it and placing it in the drier. " okay, I'm going to grab a shower and change my clothes if anyone needs me" she said glancing at Marcus she spoke again " don't worry I'm not gonna go it alone" she said as she headed to the house opposite. Opening the door she closed it and breathed out heding to shower and change into some shorts and a light tee shirt to sit and read quietly.

"It's fine for the moment," Angus said. Marcus lifted the ice pack to look at the wrapping.

"Still looks like you have two ankles wrapped in that," Marcus teased. "Yeah, no running for you tomorrow."

"I wasn't going to run anyway because knowing my luck, I'd be running from a gator and run into a twelve foot snake," Angus teased. Marcus just laughed when Aria said she wasn't going off alone. Good. She was learning she didn't have to be a loner. It was a choice, but it wasn't an essential.

The kids finished eating and brought their plates in. Angus told them they could stay if they wanted to sleep on the floor, or they could go with Evan or Edward and sleep in a real bed. All four of them instantly voted to stay and sleep on the floor. Anise and Sam decided they would take turns and go shower simply because they were so tired.

Robert came over, unwrapped Angus's ankle and checked it. It was still swollen and there was a coal black ring all the way around.

"Well," Robert said, "it looks better than I thought it would. The anti inflammatory is helping but I want more swelling out of it before you start walking on it again. Still, staying off of it did help. Good job. Keep at it...."

At that moment, the front door slammed, and coming in from outside was Victor and Ginger. They were dressed for running, and, in fact it looked like they had been running. Angus hadn't seen them go out. Now both Victor and Ginger were standing, wide eyed, looking like they'd seen a ghost.

"Dinosaurs! There are dinos in the front yard!" Victor said, looking horrified.

"Dinos?" Angus frowned.

"Not dinos, Lad," Robert laughed. "Alligators. Did you see one?"

"Three! Two big ones, and one little buggar with a stubby tail. The big ones looked like they were hunting the little one," Ginger said.

"No, no, no," Angus said, getting up grabbing his crutches. "I know that one. They don't get to eat that one. I named him Wilbur."

"Wilbur?" Marcus laughed, finding it hysterically funny. "Why Wilbur, and what exactly do you intend to do in your condition?"

"I'm gonna go get Wilbur," Angus said, hopping to the door on his crutches.

"You've lost your mind," Marcus said. "And what are you gonna do with him?"

"Haven't the foggiest yet," Angus said, motioning the kids away from the front door so he could go out. Marcus sighed and decided to either follow him or try to think of a way to rescue Wilbur.