LONDON CALLING

Ruby smiled at Brian and watched him ready himself, then he fired the first whitch wrapped her in rope. she managed to lifted her wand and countered it with a Revulsion Jinx sending the rope falling to the ground. now she stood looking at Brian and lifted her wand level to him and cast "Stupefy" right at him. She knew he could dodge it or nutralise it easily but still she acted in instinct and returned the duel back to him.

Jessie sat watching he wanted to run and help Ruby when the ropes wrapped around her but was impressed by how she removed them from her body. Kaden held him back from running over.

"Go inside, Jessie," Robert told him, not wanting any chance for Jessie's impulsiveness to allow him to interfere. He appreciated Kaden's stopping him, but he wanted to send Jessie a clear message that he was not to interfere in this. If he cold not control himself with a bit of beginner's level sparring, he was not going to be able to handle Ruby going into the field with them. He knew Jessie had more potential than that, but the boy really did need to get a grip.

Brian decided to be a little creative, so he animated a patch of thistles to act like spiders. Then he used an Oppugno spell and sent them scurrying, using their roots like legs, at Ruby. It made Robert try to hide a bit of an amused grin, wanting to look serious, but it still amused him seeing a bunch of thistles rushing at her.

Ruby frowned at her brother and shook her head " grow up brov" she said then looked at Brian who now she saw animated some thistles that scurried towards her looking at Brian she cast Reducto blasting them to peices before they could get to her.

"Yes sir " Jessie said as Kaden and He headed inside " Sorry Ruby" he said noting how she focused on Brin not letting anything distract her. Now Ruby raised her wand again and cast Relashio hoping to cause him to drop his wand.

When Ruby fired her relashio spell, Brian fumbled his wand, but he immediately used a nonverbal accio spell to draw the wand back up to his hand.

"Good," Brian told her. "Keep it up. Rictumsempra!" He fired the tickling curse at her, knowing that if she couldn't rid herself of it, either he or Robert would step in before it got out of hand. Not saying a word, Robert looked at Brian, as if to remind him that he would have to release her from it if she couldn't resolve it herself. This was only practice, after all. If she could handle it, then Robert would consider the test over because his need to know her skills would be satisfied.

Ruby saw him make his next more or more like felt it as she felt tickling all over her. Raising ehr wand she cast a Finite Incantatem charm stopping it. " you should know Im not ticklish ether." she told him now looking and smiling at him " though it was a good one, almost couldn't say the charm." she moved to stand side on again and raised her wand to quickly cast "Petrificus Totalus " at him totaly aware he'd know the counter for it.

Jessie looked out the window hoping she would impress Robert and Brian. " hey sit down she's doing well on her own." Kaden said making him sit back down with a second cup of tea.

Brian saw she was ready to fire another spell and thought he would see how she responded if he put up a shield, so he put us a confringo spell to shield or block whatever spell she sent next. When she fired a petrifico totalus, it made him laugh, not because of anything on her part but rather because he had just tossed up a shield on a whim. It had been pure, stupid luck on his part.

"Well done, Ruby," Robert called. "Time. Enough testing, so go shake hands." Brian put his wand away and walked over to shake hands with Ruby.

"You did just fine," Brian told her. "I'd say you're in for tonight's mission, if we didn't intimidate you. Your brother, on the other hand, needs to learn to get a grip. You obviously can't be on the same detail with him, regardless. He would fumble it for certain. I can't let you two partner together. That would be exceptionally bad."

"He'll learn," Robert said, coming over to the two of them. "It'll take him some adjustment, but he'll get it. Brian's right, though. If you want to come with us to Paris, I'll pair you with a partner for tonight."

Ruby chuckled seing her spell bounce of his sheild then heard Robert she slipped her wand back in its holder and walked over to Brian " meh.. you did good too, as for brov he was always the one to look after me when I was little, even thought hes younger of us." she purposly raised her voice so he could here. She listened to Robert and nodded " yeah need his mind on the mission not me right?" she said then grinned " oh, try and stop me" she said still grinning like a cheshire cat.

Jessie walked to the back door and breathed out seeing them now finished dueling. " see told you, you are not her keeper, shes your older sisi not younger." Kaden told him Jessie smiled back at him and nodded.

"your right, its just when I was at home I looked after her." he said then smiled " guess time to be a true big bro, but I can still worry...a little." he joked.

"That's exactly it," Brian said. "I can't have him distracted or distracting you or distracting anybody else. Robert and I completely understand what it is like to have your loved one in active combat with you. We both have done it and continue to do it on a regular basis, and so do Jack and Jess. We all consider each other family, so every time we go out, we're in that very situation. However, one has to learn to stay professional and to rely on your training. You and your brother both have some training to do, and if we didn't think you would be able to develop into the fighters you need to be, trust me, neither Robert or I would permit you to accompany us on the very first mission."

"I realize you work for the ministry," Robert told her. "But, the private training I can provide you will exceed the training that the Ministry does. Brian is in charge of training for the Ministry, but they do keep some tight limits on him that I never imposed when I was there. I think every ounce of training you can get is just one more piece of insurance that could save your life. You're certainly welcome to continue doing what you do with them, but if you want more, this is the place to get it."

Ruby looked at Brian and nodded " I would apreciate any wisdome you can impose upon me." she said chuckaling " I think Jessie will learn, as for being professional I prefer to focus on the job, weather duling or snooping." she chuckled " but now I feel like some of that cheese cake Jess made earlier." she said and moved into the kitchen where Jess had cut up the cheese cake for every one and placed small plates so they could take a slice each.

Jessie walked up to Ruby and smiled " you did good" he said and hugged her. " but now the hard part starts, right Brian, we all need to train harder." Kaden walked over to him with two plates and handed one to Jessie.

"First you eat, this is delishious." he said poppong another peice of cake into his mouth.

Brian and Robert followed Ruby into the kitchen and helped themselves to cheesecake, and Brian made sure that Abbey got a little piece too. When he sat down to eat his dessert, Abbey left her dessert to climb up on his lap. Brian magically slid her piece of cheesecake to be in front of him so she could reach it

"Yes, Jessie, you're right," Brian smiled.

"Daddy," Abbey said, curling into him to cuddle with him.

"Yes?" he asked her quietly.

"I miss Mama," she said.

"Me too," he said.

"Is she with ReeRee?"

"No, no, Pet. Why would you ask?"

"I no hear her now. She gone and BooBoo Kitty gone."

"I know. You and Gram and Jess all have trouble with that right now, but your mama isn't with ReeRee--not like you think. She's with Marcus. Where's your BooBoo Kitty?"

"I no know. Mama come back?"

"Yes," Brian said. "We'll bring her home--soon I hope."

"BooBoo Kitty come back?"

"I bet Aunt Jess knows where your BooBoo Kitty is. She always knows these things. We'll ask her to help us find him when she has the time." If anyone in the house would know where Abbey's stuffed gray tabby kitty was, it was surely Jess. The floppy stuffed kitty had reminded Khaat of the best parts of a stuffed animal and a ragdoll all rolled into one, and it was Abbey's favorite toy. It was not like her to lose track of BooBoo Kitty.

"I seep wich you tonight?" she asked.

"You want to sleep with me?" he asked. She nodded.

"Alright," he said. It wasn't something he normally did, but he felt like he needed to make an exception. Part of him had not wanted to put Abbey in his bed so he could slip out of the house later tonight and go to Paris on his own to look for Khaat, but Abbey had unwittingly put a kibosh on that by asking to sleep with him.