LONDON CALLING

Jessie and Jess arived back with the first of many people. Jess dove to teh playroom and began adding bunk beds for teh children so they could sleep if they wanted while Jessie ported back to gather more adults and children. soon he saw just Robert and Owens left. He also saw the suitcase and moved to grab its handle to carry it. " we should get back Jess has organised sleeping arangments for the children, Khaat and Angus went to the kitchen and assembled some platters of sandwiches and cookies and some pitchers of hot cocoa and tea." He told them as he looked from one man to the other.

Returning he placed the suitcase beside the back door and looked at the people around them. Jess returned and helped Angus and Kate with handing out the food. Jack just stayed quietly stood in the courner, though his back healed it still hurt he didn't get to finish Grinwald or his female witch helper.

"Then everyone made it to Khaat's safely," Robert said, relieved. "Good. Thank goodness. Their place is so much larger, and they've got those cabins. It's much easier to house them there than at my place. Owens, the valises..."

"I've got them, Robert," Owens said. "Is that everything?"

"I believe. Go. I'm going to make one last quick walk through. Go on," Robert said.

"I shouldn't leave you alone..."

"I won't be two minutes behind you," Robert assured him. Owens reluctantly left, and Robert set every traditional protection spell he knew into place. Then he went one step further. He stepped into the center of the ground floor, and gathering up as much energy as he could, he set a very specific enchantment of his own design on the building. The spell he cast was designed so that if anyone who was not an operative attempted to enter the building or the property, the property would dissolve and take the intruder with them.

As fragile as his own health was and his own energies, he wasn't certain he had enough left of himself to get home. He took a deep breath, summoned what he could manage, and ported home to the farm. He knew all the others were over at Khaat's, except for Gabe and Mira and Abbey. He did not want to add to their chaos, so he deliberately went home.

He ported into the kitchen, feeling completed overcome with exhaustion. Mira happened to be in the kitchen, and she had never seen anyone look as bad as she believed he did in that moment.

"Dad!" she exclaimed. Gabe came on the run, and he helped Robert to a chair at the table.

"Go get a proper sized glass of firewhiskey," he told her quietly. "He's alright. And get some chocolate if you can find it."

"Chocolate and whiskey?" Robert frowned. It sounded like a foul combination to him.

"What the devil did you do?" Gabe asked.

"Don't let anyone go to Paris now, not to headquarters," Robert said. "I've locked it down and put a self destruct spell on it. I'd rather they not blow the place up."

"I'll pass the word," he said, as Mira put a glass of firewhiskey and a chocolate bar on the table. "I'll take care of Robert. Send a note to Kate through the floo to Khaat's and tell her that Robert's safe and sound. Tell her to make sure all the operatives know not to go back to headquarters for any reason. That's all they need to know for right now."

Mira did as Gabe asked her, sending a note addressed to Kate through the floo.

(i'm fine with jess or jack intercepting the note. whatever you want to do.)

Jack saw a note fly out of the fireplace and he grabbed it. Opening it he breathed out " Roberts with Gabe and Mira, He exausted but fine, he also says nobody, absolutly nobody is to go to the paris headquaters" he said aloud noting how every one nodded they understood. Jessie had been busy showing the adults to several cabins and was now sat on a stool in the kitchen. Now Kaden aperated in bag in hand at Jessies request.

"I thought we could use a nother healer to help with any wounded." he said " and well since Kaden has helped in the past." He looked to Kate hoping he'd not over stepped his mark. First thing Kaden did was make Jack sit, even though Jess had healed him Kaden could see the signs of residual pain on Jacks face. Once that was done he them moved around the others.

"Okay wheres Robert?" he asked but it was Jack who spoke.

"His home, we're fine just go." Jack told him as as quickly as he'd arrived he left porting to Roberts home and into the kitchen. " oh hello" he said as he saw Robert sat not far from him.

Robert and Mira and Gabe saw Kaden apparate in.

"Hello," Gabe said. "You're missing all the fun. That's over at Khaat's place. Robert and I are going to have a short snort of firewhiskey, and then I believe he plans on turning in. I think he's completely knackered." Gabe opened the chocolate bar and broke off some of it and handed it to Robert. "Just eat it." Robert ate the chocolate and accio'd his cigarettes.

"I don't know if anyone else was hurt besides Jack or not," Robert said to Kaden. "The good thing about werewolves is that they heal quicker than the rest of us. And, Jack seems to be extraordinarily resilient. I don't know if Jessie will develop that or not. Time will tell."

"Tea and coffee are both hot, Kaden," Mira said. "I found a tin of a lovely soothing tea that tastes like fresh baked macaroons. I hope it was alright that I brewed a pot?"

"Certainly," Robert said. "I was hoping someone would get the courage to brew some. Now, if they only have the guts to try some."

"I have. It's lovely," she said.

Kaden walked over to Robert " I just came from there, its busy but there handeling it, oh and they got your note too." he told Robert lightly touching roberts hand. With a nod he looked at Gabe and nodded " you know I might try some too, thankyou." he said and sat next to Robert. " Jack is fine, Jes healed his back , hes got some residual pain but a good rest and normal pain killers will sort that."

Kaden thanked Mia as she handed him a cup of tea, Taking a sip he sighed and smiled "Quite delightful." he said " but could use a slight tweek" he said adding a small drop of fire whiskey to his cup , tasting it he smiled and nodded " much better."

"Muggle Brits do get it wrong, you know," Robert said, lighting a cigarette and exhaling slowly.

"About what?" Mira asked.

"Tea does not fix everything," Robert said. "Now, on the other hand, a properly distilled firewhiskey? Now, that truly does fix everything."" Gabe burst into laughter.

"You are one tired buggar," Gabe told him. Robert chucked the last square of chocolate he had into his firewhiskey glass where it immediately sank to the bottom. Robert took a sip of the whiskey then, savoring it to see if the chocolate changed the taste at all. "If you're trying to come up with a new project with some gourmet firewhiskey, I'm sure someone's already working on it. Actually, I think the idea has some promise to it."

"I'm glad everything is in hand," Robert told Kaden. "Thank you. And I'm glad they got the note. I really would not like to see any of our friends blown up. I'm sure Jack will be fine by morning. He bounces back fast...." Abbey came into the kitchen in her pajamas, rubbing her eyes with sleep. She came over to Robert and crawled up on his lap. "Why aren't you in bed, Poppet?" he asked her. "Did you have a bad dream?" She nodded. "I see. Why don't you come with me, and I'll read you a story?" She nodded. He picked her up, got up and excused himself.

He took her into the library, picked out a stsorybook, and sat down in a deep comfortable leather club chair there, putting his feet on the ottoman, and she curled up on his lap, laying on his chest. He flicked his fingers to start a fire in the fireplace, opened the book and started to read.

Mira went to see if he wanted his whiskey, but when she got there, she saw that Robert and Abbey had both gone to sleep in the club chair almost immediately. She took a blanket from the back of the lather sofa and she covered them with it and then she went back to the kitchen.

"They're both out like a light," she told Kaden and Gabe. "i don't think either of them could have made it through the first page."

Kaden watched the little girl walk over and climb up on Roberts knee, He nodded as he watched Robert walk out the room. " he's exausted but other wise fine" he told Gabe once Robert left the room. " and the tea is realy good." he said finishing his own. " but I must head back." he Mira walk to check on them and return to tell them Robert and Abby were sound asleep. " good, I shall take my leave, good night" he said and headed back to Brians farm.

Looking around the place had emptied out quite a bit leaving Jess and Jessie in the living room tending to the last few. Kaden moved to Kate and stood next to her "Hes sleeping, with Abby in the playroom." he told her then chuckled " he's fine, I checked him over." He placed his hand gently on her shoulder and smiled in reasurance.

"Kate, go see your self, we can handel this with Angus and Michael being here everything will be done." Jack said as Jess handed him a cup of tea.

"Oh he has this tea that tastes like macaroons, apsolutly devine." he said smiling." I'l have to ask Gabe for the recipy one day."

"Thank you, Kaden," Kate said. "As long as he's home. That's what matters. You know, I thought that as we got older, our lives would just get quieter--like the muggles do, but apparently that isn't the way the wizarding world works. Its not the young wizards one has to worry about as an adversary, is it? Not really. The ones you have to watch out for are the older ones. They've had decades to hone their craft, and wizards live a good deal longer than muggles, so they just continue to gain in power. So, if you're coming up against an older dark wizard, who are you hunting up to help you deal with him? Why, an older lightworking wizard, that's who. So, I suppose our lot is to continue answering the call for as long as we can, until one of us doesn't come home from one of these things."

"Don't go there, Kate," Angus said, bringing back a stack of empty platters and pitchers. "You and Robert have decades left. Why don't you both sleep in tomorrow morning, and we'll do the morning farm chores for you and send over some breakfast. We have to cook for everyone over here anyway. What's a few more?"

"Thank you. And, Kaden" Kate said, "I'm glad you like the tea. Its one of Robert's little hobbies. I have some large tins in our pantry. I'll set out some smaller tins and if you get a chance, you're welcome to go through the flavors of tea in the pantry and fill some of the smaller tins with whatever flavors you'd like to try. We tend to drink a good deal of the almond cookie flavored tea, but ou try what you like. Help yourself."

Kaden heard Kate lament on what had happened and shook his head " its why they are trained by him, the younger wizards, he passes his knowlage on to them, so they can help fight with him and ease some of the burdon off his shoulders." Kaden said softly. He heard Kate mention the teas and smiled " I will certainly take you up on that offer, Im suprised Jessie hasn't told you that I love to have a cup of tea in the mornings to start my day, and one in the evening to wind down, Although there has been preliminary clinical research on whether green or black teas may protect against various human diseases, there is no evidence that tea polyphenols have any effect on health or lowering disease risk, but I enjoy the many flavours and colours you can get." he admitted pausing as he realized he was becoming a bit obsessed. " Sorry, but I agree, Take a moment for yourself and Robert, you both need it."

Jack stood up and walked over to Kate " I for one could use a shower and a rest." he said turning slightly so she could see the back of his shirt, some what scorched. Jess looked aover and nodded

"All the children are fed and tucked into beds and are sleeping, I added more into the playroom here." she said " no one has not got a bed."

"I think a lot of us like to have tea in the mornings," Kate said. "Robert and I have gotten to like coffee just as much, so we almost always have both brewing. Robert has gotten to love experimenting on making his own flavors of tea, and some of them have gotten quite popular at Sparks, especially the almond."

Jack showed her his back and the burn he got from the wand blast he took this evening.

"Thank you for sticking with him," Kate said to Jack. "I'm glad you were there. I trust you boys will lock it all up before you go to bed, so I think I'll head to my room. I think Robert and Abbey may end up spending the night together in the library, so I'm not going to wait up for them. Goodnight, All. See you in the morning."


It was shortly before sunrise that Abbey woke and climbed off of Robert's lap, her stomach rumbling. She toddled to the kitchen and looked around but saw nothing sitting out, not even the bowl of fruit that Kate usually left on the table. So, she took it upon herself to pull out the drawers, one after the other, to use them as steps to crawl up on the counter to get into the cookie jar, and she helped herself, sitting on the counter to eat a big chocolate chip cookie.