LONDON CALLING

"Very nice to meet you," Simone told them. "Is there something I could help you with Jess? I'm always happy to lend a hand wherever I can, even if it's only with the washing up. Not that I wouldn't help you, Mr. Tyler but I am not so experienced at putting up fence posts or fencing either one."

"I think you can safely let the boys handle the fences," Kate laughed. "Let me show you how we handle the washing up." She flicked her fingers at the sink to start a washing up spell. It made Kate and Simone both laugh.

"The same trick I use at home," Simone laughed. "Oh, wait. Now I remember. You were the woman at the Ministry ball a few years ago in that absolutely show stopping red glitter dress. That was so lovely."

"Well, thank you, but blue jeans is far more my style. Hard to work in the garden in an evening gown."

"Yes, but I've done it," Simone said.

"So have I!" Kate said. She had a feeling they might get on.

"So you have a separate garden from your farm crops?"

"I do. I have a kitchen garden and Robert has an apothecary garden."

"I'd love to see them sometime," Simone said.

"Simone's specialty is herbology," Edward said.

"Well, you're welcome to come along whenever you like."

"Thank you, but I'm really being tempted by the smell of those burritos, if you don't mind."

"Absolutely. The dining room is through there," she pointed to the dining room doorway. "Help yourself."

"May I bring you a plate, Edward?" Simone asked softly.

"No thank you, my dear. I need to see to my grandson straight away. Will you..."

"I'll be fine. Go ahead," she smiled. He looked at her, and she nodded to encourage him. Edward closed the folder and handed it back to Robert and headed upstairs.

"Jessie," Robert said. "We definitely need stronger fences. Those hippogriffs can have a fierce temper and they can tear down most muggle fencing, and that charcoal colored boy really has a short fuse. You're right about that. There are some decent enchantments for fencing though. Do you have a preference about what sort of fence you think might work?"

"

Jessie chuckled and nodded " none taken, Jack and I will sort that, it is our job after all." he said and looekd to Robert. Jess made up a biritto and set it asside " Ms Salazar your biritto." she said handing it to her 2 best get it before my husband smells them he loves food. It was just as she finished Jack walked in the door and smelled the food " see always on time for food."

"well Im a growing man" he said chukaling as he kissed Jess's cheek " moring Kate and um woman I haven't met." he smiled at her and offered his hand " Jack Darkheart at your service" he said smiling at her.

"Oh, thank you," Simone said to Jess. "That looks delicious." She watched a large man come in and was introduced as Jess's husband. She shook his hand when he offered it. "I'm Simone--Simone Salazar. Very nice to meet you, Jack. I'm an old friend of Edward's. He's decided to impose me upon you wonderful people for a few days."

"It's no imposition at all," Robert said. "Jack, Simone was married to Maurice Salazar. He was our ambassador to the Italian ministry of magic when I was the minister. You met her and her husband at that first ball you went to with us, right after we hired you. The one where they had all of those portraits done of some of our most famous wizards and witches? Maurice was the man who had that very nice wolf tie pin that we all admired so much. Maurice passed on not too long after that ball but its nice to have Simone here with us for awhile. I think Edward has excellent taste in friends."

Jack loked at the woman and smiled " yes I remeber that ball and as Robert rightly said its no imposition at all, its good to see you again, Im truly sorry to hear about your husband, he was one of the good guys." Jack said as Jess walked over and stood beside him both chuckled " I agree, He needs some one strong in his life."

" I remember the ball, it was a beautiful affair, it also was the first time I wore a ball gown too, Khaat had to help be pick one out." Jess said and smiled at her. " I remember you looked stunning"

"Thank you," Simone said to Jack. "He truly was one of the good guys." She looked at Jess. "Thank you. I remember you too. I remember you came in the room with Jack and almost every eye in the place turned to look at you. I remember Maurice looked at me and told me that Robert's friends were getting younger and decidedly better looking." She laughed. It was a warm memory for her of better days with her husband. "Jess, your burrito was incredible. Could I bother you for the recipe?"

"Did I hear that those miniature beef wellingtons that we had that night was actually a recipe of yours?" Kate asked Simone. "Jack wanted to try to score a whole tray of those for himself. Those were wonderful."

"They were mine. I wasn't sure if anyone would like them," Simone said.

"Like them?" Robert echoed. "We ran out of them three times--and that as without Jack's assistance."

"I do like to cook. I haven't done it much lately. It isn't nearly as easy to have motivation to cook for just oneself."

"What'd I miss?" Michael came into the kitchen and stopped short when he saw Simone and was utterly delighted. "Oh, my God, look who's here." She got up from her place at the table, and Michael wrapped her into a big bear hug and a kiss. "How did you get here?"

"Edward asked me to come stay with him for a few days," she said. Michael looked at her for a moment.

"You..and Edward...?" Michael put it together quickly, but he had never expected Simone to end up in a romance with Edward.

"He's very gallant," she said. Michael smiled, amused.

"If he makes you happy, then I'm happy for you. You shut yourself away for entirely too long." He looked up. "What's for breakfast?"

"Burritos. Go get one before Jack gets there," Robert teased. He looked at Simone. "Jack is our biggest eater, so we rarely resist an opportunity to tease him a little."

"He's your biggest eater probably because he's your biggest man here," Simone said.

"Very true," Robert said, "but Jessie isn't far off his size."

"Last one to the burritos has to shovel hippogriff poop for a week," Michael said, going to the dining room.

"That isn't a fair bet. Michael doesn't shovel hippogriff poop anyway," Robert laughed.

"I'd love to see your hippogriff," Simone said. "I love animals."

"You're missing my granddaughter's favorite as it is. Right over there in that little tree," Robert said.

"May I?" she asked.

"Certainly," Robert said. She got up and went over to the tree and saw Fudge.

"Oh, look at you! You're magnificent!" she was delighted. She held out her hand, and he hopped right into it, and they began having a conversation.

"You speak bowtruckle?" Robert asked.

"In a way. It's a plant creature dialect. One of the few things I'm good at," she said. "Oh, he's a brilliant little fellow."

It was at that moment that Edward came back downstairs, and he had Angus with him.

"'Morning, Angus," Robert said. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine, thanks. Sorry for last night. I clearly wasnt' myself."

"You were more than entitled," Robert said. "And you were home with family. No harm done."

"Simone," Edward said, "this is my grandson, Angus. Angus, this is the friend I told you about. This is Simone Salazar."

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Angus said, and she went over and they shook hands.

"Edward has already told me so much about you," Simone said. "I feel like I know you already."

"Well, welcome. Anyone that my grandfather cares about so much is more than welcome," he smiled. Kate took his coffee mug from him and automatically warmed it up.

"Thank you. I care about him too," she said quietly.

Jack took the ribbing and shrugged " hes only short becuse hes younger, he'll catch up" Jack said chuckling softly as Jess lightly tapped his arm.

"Hey, I eat my fair share." Jessie said chukaling as he then turned rto robert but paused as he spoke to Simone first about talking bowtruckle. " I think Abby will like that." he said smiling then he saw Angus with Michael walk down. " Im not sure what fence post would work but I'll resurch some then pass for you aproval" he said to Robert before heading up to shower and change.

Jess looked at Simone and smiled " of course you can have it, its no secret recipy" she said and rote it down. Passing it to her she smiled at the interaction between Angus and her. She felt like simone would fit perfectly into their family but only time would tell.

"Thanks, Jessie," Robert said. "Just whenever you have time. I think Simone might be the first person I ever knew who spoke a plant dialect."

"Well, as you see, I'm unemployed. Not much call for someone who says they talk to their plants and expect them to answer back," Simone teased. She was pleased when Jess gave her the recipe for the burritos. "Thank you, Jess. I can't wait to try this one myself."

"She's also a gifted empath. Gets that from her mother's side. She'll fit right in with this house full of seers," Edward said. "Robert, we'd like to get this confrontation with Benjamin overwith. The sooner the better. Angus and I have decided we will partner to confront him."

"Well, that's a start of a plan, but you need to expect he won't go down easily or without having others coming to protect him--even from you. You'll need us along. I'm certainly in favor of you and Angus leading this, and I told you that, but not without us. You saw the names he's linked with. I know those names, and they're hired muscle men. Some of them we've run into before. They have reputations of being dangerous."

"Yes, well, so do I, or at least the last I knew, I did," Edward said. "Jack, you know the scuttlebutt through the creatures' underground. Would you say that my reputation as a dangerous man is still intact? Or do they consider me a dried up old fossil that they don't have to worry about anymore?"

Jack looked at Edward and laughed at his words " oh your rep is still intact don't you worry." he said " all the weres stay away saying you'd cut them down in one swipe if they got too close, you saw Ferirs reaction to you, hes scared sh...stiffless" he corrected himself so not to swear in front of company. " as for the others I don't speack parsltounge so no clue on the reptiles". Jess chuckled at Jacks words thrn smiled at Edward.

"don't worry your fine, your still the big bad were hunter." she said then frowned for amoment " Im sorry I have to get a kit ready." she moved to the lab. Jack watched her.

"some ones hurt, not too bad or she would have said something more, Jess is a seer and a healer like Kate and Khaat" he said looking at simone.

"Then there's nothing to worry about, is there?" Edward said.

"Its not the werewolves you're battling," Robert said. "You and I and Angus will et together and we'll plan this. Until then, how about you take Simone on the short tour so she knows her way around, and Michael, get her a necklace please. She'll need one."

"My pleasure," Michael said. Simone was a bit clueless about a necklace but she decided to let that ride until they filled her in. Jess excused herself to get a kit ready, and Simone nodded. She had noticed an uptick in negative energy, and she had presumed Ruby was returning because it had felt like her energy signature. But Simone didn't know much more than that. She hadn't been looking for any more than that.

"I think I perhaps will go take a look at Kate's garden if you point me in the right direction," Simone said.

"I'll go with you," Edward said, taking her hand. He glanced at Angus who merely nodded. Angus felt fine, and he felt like he could deal with whatever Ruby came home dealing with. Edward and Simone went outside to Kate's garden.

"So what do you think?" Michael asked Angus.

"I think he's happier than he's been in a very long time, and that's what matters. He's not a man driven by impulse generally, so I'm just going to be happy for him until or unless I have a reason not to be," Angus said.

"And what about you and Nigel and Ruby?" Robert asked.

"I was not done any harm. I feel fine, so I presume that was his doing. I have no reason to be upset with him. The squabble is between Nigel and Ruby, so even though it was about me, I plan on trying to stay out of it," Angus said.

Jess waitied for Ruby to port back in, which she did looking at Jess, Jess saw her with a split lip and a swollen cheek. " all right tell me what happened." she said Ruby shook her head " well I can't help you if you don't talk." Jess sat her down on a stool and began cleaning her up.

"This..." she pointed to the lip and cheek " was my fathers doing, after trainning I went to talk to my perants, to tell them what they did all those years ago was wrong, well it didn't go well and this is my fathers awnser." Jess went to heal it and Ruby shook her head " don't it'll remind me not to go back to them and I owe Nigel an opology I was a jurk towards him, I now see he was right also that there are worse people in this world." Ruby headed up stairs and paused seing Angus and Robert but passed them with out saying a word her head low in shame at how she had reacted as she went to find nigel.