Marriage is Murder

Jim and jack nodded following up the stairs to a guest room each. Each showered and accio clean and dry clothes Jack sneezes loudly while in the shower making Jess chuckle as they could hear it down stairs. After a moment jack and Jim walked down jack wearing a large sweater and carrying a tissue in his hand as he sat down with Jess. Jim went straight to the kitchen and got some hot tea sitting down he drank trying to chase the chill he was now feeling creeping into his body. Cassidy brought some cold remedy for Jack who thanked her and downed it.

A short while later, Brian brought Simon back downstairs. Brian had found Simon some of Brian's plain sweat pants and a sweat shirt, and had resized them for him. He took the boy into the kitchen where Angus had a hot meal ready for him. Brian left him in Angus's care and returned to the others.

"I'll get him some clothes of his own in the morning. He's clear on the other side of England from where he started. He started clear down on the south coast. To get clear up here to the northern edge, he's been on his own for a long time."

"Give me the details and I'll check on his parents," Robert said. "I'll run a Ministry check in the morning. I see no imperative to do it tonight."

"Nor do I," Brian agreed. "The only thing I see as an imperative for him tonight is food and a warm place to sleep."

"Agreed," Robert said. "He is healthy otherwise?"

"Appears to be," Brian said.

"No sign of the illness?"

"None that I can tell."

"Hm," Robert frowned. "I wonder how he's doing that. Interesting."

Jim listened to Brian " if he made it all that way from down there he sure can track " he said looking up over his book " looks better in those clothes than those dirty ones " he said and looked at Robert " he was stuck half dog half boy when we found him, Brian helped him back to all boy, maybe that helped his tracking" he said placing down his book and walking over to them. " what parents would let their child just go like that" he said and sighed " if it was my son I would be looking all over the place and worrying sick about him" he folded his arms across his chest and sighed a little annoyed.

"Well, he told us that his mother is dead and his father is missing," Brian said. "That's why I asked Robert to see if the Ministry could track his father. The boy went to look for him. Thats how he got so far away. His father had no intention of leaving him."

"Are you able to keep him here for now?" Robert asked Brian.

"I don't see why not," Brian said. "Whats one more?"

"You do have a point," Robert laughed. "Alright. I'll give you and Khaat temporary guardianship in the morning when I go in. I think that's enough drama for me for one night. I think I'll head to bed. I'm tired. Goodnight." He excused himself and went upstairs to bed. Angus came into the living room.

"I'm fixing him a room right across the hall from mine," Angus said. "That way he can find one of us if he needs us before morning."

"Good. Thank you," Brian said.

"I'll make sure he gets there, if you want to go to bed," Angus offered. "He's nearly nodding off in his plate."

"Well, thats what happens to all of us when we get warm and full. We get sleepy."

"Indeed."

"Maybe I will go to bed, then. Goodnight," he told them all, and headed upstairs.

Jim listened and nodded chuckling when Robert said "whats one more" He could not help but sympathize with the boy . But smiled when Angus told them he was falling asleep " if you want I'll stay here tonight , don't sleep much anyway,and it would be good to have some one awake what with this storm."He said picking up his book and now warm tea. He moved to a chair beside a large window and watched the flashes and driving rain as he sipped his tea. Jack sneezed and blew his nose.

" sorry,ok I'll head home" Jack said wiping his nose on his tissues. He looked at Brian " I'll be back bright and early " he said then left leaving Jim sat with his tea and book.

Angus looked at the clock. It was later than he thought.

"Well, if you dont' mind staying awake a few hours," Angus said. "I've got about 4 hours before I have to fix breakfast. I will be back on time. Are you sure you want to stay awake that long by yourself? I could simply curl up on the sofa for now and just catch a few winks. That way you wouldn't be alone. I just would like a few minutes to get into something more comfortable." He was thinking of a pair of sweat pants just to sleep in. "I could be back in just a couple minutes."

Jim looked at Angus and smiled " I'm fine Angus, I'm use to it " he said looking up as he reheated his cup " but if you wish don't let me stop you" he turned the page in his book and continued to read silently glancing once or twice out the window at the storm " its a bad one, glad we got the boy back that cave would have collapsed or flooded" he spoke softly knowing every one would be back in their beds asleep and warm. His thoughts slipped to his own family hoping they were not in this storm. He knew all his kids would be fine and Margaret would be taking great care of them in his long absence's.

Angus was about to speak when he heard a window break in the kitchen. He apparated to the kitchen to find Archangel fluttering about on the countertop. He seemed dazed and hurt. Angus took a large, dry tablecloth and wrapped it about the bird, talking to it gently. The bird screeched in a rather unusual tone. Angus took it to be a cry of pain He had felt some unusual shape to the bird's large and powerful right wing.

"Too much storm out there tonight, eh, Boy?" Angus said softly. "Calm down. We'll get Kate and Robert, and they'll have that wing fixed up as good as new in a jiffy. You're home now. Its alright. Jim, go wake Robert and Kate, please, to tend to this wing before it takes both you and I to hold him. Khaat could do this, but she'd probably turn him into a bookend or something right now."

Jim stood up hearing the glass brake he moved with Angus hearing him he nodded and moved up the stairs to Robert and Kate's room. Jim knocked best he could " Kate Robert Archangels hurt I think the storm knocked him off balance and he flew into the kitchen window we need one of you to heal him" he said and stepped back from the door as he waited to see witch one would step out to help the bird. He could hear Angus down stairs with the bird as it screeched at him in pain. " he didn't know if Khaat could do it so he sent me to ask you both, he thought she would turn him into bookends "

"More than likely," Robert yawned, getting up. He and Kate both got up and put on their robes and went downstairs barefooted. Robert saw Angus struggling with Archangel. Their hearts went out to the beautiful bird that was so much a part of their lives and who was so dear to them all. Kate immediately began soothing the regal bird and calming him. She had hand reared him from an eaglet, and it was very maternal. The bird hid his head in the bend of Kate's elbow while she and Angus petted him.

Robert accio'd his bag and used a numbing spell to numb the wing and then set it and splinted it and bandaged it for him. He and Kate towel dried the bird. Robert moved Archangel's perch away from the window for the night and closer to the fireplace and then put the bird on the perch. Angus used a spell to repair the shattered window.

"Thank you, Jim," Robert said. "He'll be comfortable for tonight. The spell will not wear off for several hours. He will probably sleep. He's tired. If there is any more trouble, call me."