LONDON CALLING

Jessie sat and sipped his tea as Michael spoke, it felt unreal but also all too real at the same time. It ws like he was getting a debreifing, which exactly it was to him. He listened more and now he understood why Rt hated Gelding so much. If he'd have know before the mission he'd have done so much worse that just snap his wand, he'd have snapped his neck.

"A little but now I know the history of what Im getting into, Im good with it." He said " but having people that have neem threw this, like Jack, helps loads, The potion Robert gave me helps tons already." He chuckled " and haveing a calming infulance like Abby around keeps the beast at bay too."  

Now he checked his watch and saw the time it showed "Maybe I should head back before Jack comes hunting for me, I'll be ready bright and early tomorrow for that hiking and climbing trip you promised."

Jessie carfully stood up and stepped over a now sleeping Otto " and I'll leave you with the footstool dogs." He chuckled " See you tomorrow" he took out the port key and ported back into the kitchen of Robert and Kates kitchen.

Jess heard some on port in and smiled seeing Jessie return. " have fun?" she asked and heard him chuckle.

"yep, best day and evening ever, oh also been brought up to speed on Gelding and the history behind him, sick man." he said softly " Abby sleeping?" he asked and Jess nodded.

"Nap time don't change" Jess finished making a victoria sponge and placed it in the oven to cook. " for supper." she said

Michael bid goodbye to Tyler and watched him leave. He understood Tyler's anger. It wasn't as he'd never been angry with Gelding. For all the law breaking Michael did when he was stealing something, there was something vastly different when living beings were taken from everyone and everything that they knew and loved. He sighed and got up to go gather up his own climbing gear and pack it up. He tossed in a few extras that weren't essential for climbing but nice to have.

Then he headed for the kitchen. He madde some homemade protein bars that were loaded with healthy whole grains, nuts, dried fruit, peanut butter, protein powder, all sorts of things for energy. He knew he could have bought some, but the homemade ones were so much better. He made some homemade whole grain bread, some quinoa salad loaded with fresh veggies, and some chocolate chip cookies that were actually amazingly healthy and full of high energy ingredients. He packed fresh bottles of water, some fresh fruit an vegetables, some individual portions of cheese. He knew, from experience, that climbing took a lot of energy, and it wasn't unusual for climbers to get extra hungry. He ended up packing enough for about four people, but he had had climbs where the group he was with had eaten about double what they would normally eat. So he was prepared. He even knew some spells to enchant the pack to keep the food cold.

He got out Hiss, his enchanted climbing rope, and Hiss seemed delighted to be useful again. He was going to pack Hiss, but the rope slithered off and curled up on the foot of Michael's bed. That left Michael on his own to clean up the kitchen from all the cooking for tomorrow. And then he still had to decide what he was going to do for supper. He decided perhaps he might have to go to the Three Broomsticks for dinner. He wasn't in the mood to clean the kitchen again.

Meanwhile, Robert had gotten fed up trying to sleep and had gone in to St. Mungos to work, but he decided to finish up on time and head for home, stopping for more cigarettes on the way. He bought a rose for Kate, just on impulse and then he saw the shop carried something new--berry flavored gummy candies. He bought a little package for Abbey and then he headed home to the farm, porting into kitchen.

"Something smells good," Robert said. "You've been busy, Jess. How's your day been, Tyler?"

Jessie stood up when Robert appeared. Jess just smiled and continued to cook. " Victoria sponge, thought I'd take up the slack while Kates looking after Archangel, hes much beter by the way, Kate was sugesting she might move his nest to her work room so she could work and take care of him at the same time." Jess said mixing the dough for some red berrycookies she'd found a recipy of."

Jack looked at Robert " Michael and I are going on a hick tomorrow morning, he aslo filled me in on....him, In my opinion he got off lightly, with what you did to him." Jessie said knowing he now knew that Michael had filled him in on the history. " I'll use that assault course befoe bed tonight."He started to walk away but stopped " oh I think something was wrong with the flask, the new one works great, not a single outburst and I hope you slept well sir." He told Robert.

Jess chuckled and took out a cookie cutter, roling out the dough she cut seevral and placed them on a backing tray. " you do seem calmer, That tweek you did Robert seems to be working for him." Jess continued to cut cookies. Kess smiled and nodded " yep and oh I got some climbing and hiking gear, michel helped with some things I forgot." he held up several bags he'd picked up off the floor and was about to put them in the room he'd been assined. " He said it would be in Irland, Iv'r only heard those views were breath taking, guess now I find out."

"I haven't had Victoria sponge in ages. What a good thought," Robert said. "Sounds like Archangel is responding well, then. Good. It's nice to get some good news, and if I know kate at all, she brought him in alright, and she's pampering him like crazy. That's alright. He's a likeable bird, and he has been very valuable to us. I don't want to see anything happen to him either, actually." He listened to Tyler talk about going on a hike with Michael. Michael didn't just hike. If hiking was involved, there was surely climbing involved. Trying to keep Michael away from climbing was a lot like trying to keep a dog away from a bone.

"Michael is a good climber, and a good teacher," Robert told him. "I get a kick out of some of the young upstarts who believe Michael is too old to climb. He can outclimb any young bloke just about any day. Climbing is just second nature to him. Maybe you'll pick up a tip or two. But you will get a workout tomorrow, so don't be afraid to pull back a bit tonight on your run. Don't overdo it tonight because you may need to overdo it a bit tomorrow. And Michael's right. Ireland has some locations that are supposed to be fine climbing locations. Should be fun You have everything you need for tomorrow?"

"Couldn't close my eyes," he told them. "Not for want of trying. I did try. I just go through some episodes of this at times. Let's hope that when I finally can sleep that some stupid thing doesn't come up that can't possibly wait." He checked the coffee pot and found coffee still in it and poured himself a cup. "I'm glad the new flask works well. It certainly is easier to deal with your situation if you know you can rely on the potion to do its job.

"And I'm glad Michael told you about our Paris operation. Its been there for decades. Gelding will never forgive me because I'm the one who killed his father. It was in self defense, of course, but Tom Gelding doesn't care about that. He only care that his father is dead, and I'm the one that fired the spell. At some point, I do think he will try to get some revenge, but that hasn't happened yet. He's too busy making money right now. We won't talk right now about how he does that. We all know. We just don't need to rehash that again. We started that with our friends, and we still have friends helping us to follow it through. We'll get him. It's going to take awhile, but we'll get there."

Jess chuckled and nodded " wouldn't suprise me adn I think Abby got your sleep." she said " shes napping, or I hope she is" Jess said knowing her all too well. Jessie nodded to Robert.

"Michael helped, so yes sir, tat and some fudge too" he said with a smirk Jess saw the slight pink on Jessies cheeks.

"oh honeydukes?" she said and chuckled as Jessie nodded. " and let me guess he got some as well, chocolate fudge?" Again Jessie nodded as he took out the two bags from his pocket.

"Have to admit it is good" Jessie popped a peice into his mouth and offered Robert the bag so he could take one then Jess, who accepted and ate it while she cooked. " its kinda why im running tonight, working off what I've eaten today." he said making Jess chuckle and shake her head.

"you'll burn that off tomorrow, I'd wait till then once you've had your hike and climb with Michael, Roberts right he'll wear you out." she placed the last of the dough on the tray and placed it on the top shelf of the oven.

"I don't underestimate he will, Sir I don't judge a book by its cover and Micheal looks just as Kapable as you or I." He said to Robert his bag of fudge now back in his pocket.

"Thank you," Robert said, taking a piece of fudge. "This is another reason to go visit Michael on a regular basis. He always has fudge in the house, and usually a growler of good stout on hand." Michael's house was one of those places Robert could go and let go of his stresses and be a lot less serious. Michael had become probably his closest friend, although Robert didn't exactly know when that had happened. "Michael's been after me to keep an eye on the weather and, on the first warm evening, he thinks he is going to do a good, slow cooked Texas style brisket and all the fixings. I don't know how he thinks he knows about how Texans cook brisket but he keeps assuring me he's on it. We shall see."

"So tell me, Tyler, besides martial arts, what do you think your strong suits are?" Robert asked as Kate came into the kitchen.

"Oh, you're home," Kate saw him, a little surprised he was home on time. She kissed his cheek, and he handed her the rose. She cast him a smile, always appreciating when he took the time to think of her. "Thank you, my love," she said, kissing him. "It's lovely. Going back after dinner?"

"No, not tonight. They'll have to do without me," he said. She cast him a slight look of concern.

"You wanted me home more often, right? So I'm making an effort," he said. "She didn't buy that for a minute, but she decided to let it go for the moment.

Jessie was about to awnser him when Kate appeared and spoke to Robert. He smiled as Robert gave her a rose. He could tell Robert and Kate had a good relashanship and a very romantic one. " I met the foot stools , otto and..um the second ones name escapes me." he told Robert . " and that hat rack scared the...dickins out of me, didn't see any stout but the tea was fantastic." Jessie thought for a second " might ask him tomorrow what one it was I hear theres a lot of them."

Jess looked at Kate and smiled " always the romantic, hey Kate" she said taking the now golden brown cake from the oven to start cutting and adding the filing to it. " Oh hows Chicken marengo for supper?" she asked both Robert and Kate lifting the lid of a pot sat simmering on the stove top "it's served with a side of prawns, bread and a fried egg." she told them " its chicken casserole with a difference and whip up version with mushrooms, olives, tomato and parsley." she told them all Jessie took a small spoon and took a small amount to taste and hummed at the flavours.

"Otto and Faline," Robert said. "The puppies are cute, though. They start out about dollhouse sized for some odd reason. Michael keeps asking me how to spay and neuter a footstool, but I don't feel like telling him. Besides, the puppies are good for him. Might be the only babies he ever has at his house. The hat rack is Snidely. Snidely's a decent chap, but he does have a crush on the mailbox. And he cheats at poker. Still, he does try to be the major domo there and tries to keep everything in line."

He saw jess taking the dinner out of the oven, and when she lifted the lid, the aroma rolled out and filled the kitchen. It made Robert hungry. Well, it had been awhile since he'd eaten...wait. When had he eaten last? He couldn't remember.

"It smells great," Robert said. "And I'm hungry. I'll go get Abbey. Kate, am I taking her home after dinner?"

"No, she's our grandchild. I'll keep her as long as I want to. I'll take her home sometime between now and when she turns 18," Kate replied.

"I expect they'll miss her before that," Robert said, going to get Abbey from her nap.

Jesie laughed lout loud " I asked the same question." he said " tastes realy good too" Jessie said making Jess laughed and nodded "I'll set the table, Jess" Jessie said as Jack appeared.

"Wolves say it wasn't them, they did catch a faint scent, said it stunk even to them" he said washing his hands in the kitchen sink. " oh west sides safe all charms working properly. " Jack dried his hands and kissed Jess on her cheek. Jessie moved out of the room to the room he'd been given and unpacked all he had bought putting it together in a backpack he'd use the next day with Michael.

Returning to the living room he saw Jack finishing up laying the table " I'd have helped" he said but Jack waved him off.

"Na my turn you get it tomorrow." he said and chuckled. " oh that sounds wonderful Robert Texans cook brisket, well show you how its cook by a true Texan, hey Jessie" Jesie chuckled and shook his head.

"I wouldn't know, not from Texas." he said much to Jack suprise " oh Kate, Im sure Khaat and Brian would have something to say about that, probably be greatful." Jess lightly slapped his shoulder making him chuckle as he placed down the last plate and Jess placed down the turrine filled with the Chicken marengo. Jessie fetched the other sides, like warm fresh made bread rolls and sticks.

"It wasn't them?" Robert frowned at hearing that the wolves denied attacking Archangel. And they said there was something on the grounds that smelled?

"You and Jessie get on that on Sunday, Jack," Robert said. "I could try to hire trackers to go scout the grounds and see if their dogs could pick up anything, but you two can track just as effectively. The grounds are big enough that its going to take awhile to cover it all. This would be something that Archangel would be a huge asset on, but we'll have to see if the healing spells have him back up in the air by then. He could certainly scout a wider area from the air and perhaps cut down the time you two need to be covering the grounds. If he can fly for a limited amount of time, you might be able to take him along. Your shoulders are broad enough that, he might be able to ride on your shoulder except for when you want him up in the air. I would wear a jacket though, because those talons are powerful. If he can fly, you might want to take Kate with you since one of her strengths is in being able to talk to birds of prey." Archangel's talons were about two inches long, and they could certainly take care of business if the bird needed them to.

He listened to them discussing Texas brisket. Robert figured Michael had likely been to Texas but he really had no clue if Michael really knew how to cook a beef brisket Texas style. And, as for himself, since he'd never eaten brisket in Texas, he wasn't able to judge if any brisket was Texas style as opposed to any other style. Still, Robert did like a good beef meal when he could get it.

He sat down at the table as Kate brought out Abbey who still looked a little sleepy. He figured Kate had to wake her up for dinner. Kate sat Abbey in her booster chair and then sat down beside her.

"Hungry, Abbey?" Robert asked. Abbey nodded, yawning. "Jess fixed chicken, and I know you like chicken, don't you?" Abbey nodded again, as Kate broke a breadstick in half and gave half to Abbey. Robert put some of Jess's chicken on a plate for Abbey and put it in front of her before putting some on his own plate. "Looks good, Jess," he said. "Kate, any chance, if Archangel rests tomorrow, that he might be able to do any flying by Sunday?"

"Perhaps," Kate said. "The spells are definitely helping, but you might want to see if you can speed them up at all."

"I'll check him after dinner. I presume he's still in your studio?"

"He is," Kate said. "When I left, he was on his perch and settling in for a nap."

"Well, the rest will do him good," Robert said, taking a bite of his chicken. "Very nice, Jess. Well done."