LONDON CALLING

"Are you not going to training this morning, Ruby?" Brian asked, seeing her start on some sort of cooking.

Robert came downstairs, dressed for work, and he poured himself a cup of coffee and took a portion of Angus's eggs benedict and sat down at the table.

"Taking the morning off from Paris, Ruby?" Robert asked. He didn't have a problem with her taking the morning off if that was what she had chosen. It was only that he had noticed she was still here instead of going to Paris.

"I just asked her that," Brian laughed.

"Oh, sorry, Ruby. You don't need both of us asking," Robert laughed. "I'm just not used to seeing you here at this hour because you're usually gone."

"Robert, Michael had a good idea," Brian said. "How would you feel if Angus and Jessie and Michael and I took the Orient Express to Budapest and then a passenger train on to the mountains?"

"I think it's expensive, but aside from that, I have no objections. And I presume the four of you want to come back the same way?" Robert asked.

"Preferably," Brian said.

"Well, see if you can get tickets. And get your gear packed," Robert replied. "But no booking the grand suites. You don't have to try to shove yourselves all into one compartment, but do try to at least share a compartment with someone. Two doubles should be sufficient. And do try not to buy bottles of Dom Perignon. Be reasonable."

"Understood," Brian nodded. "Alright. I'd better go. I've got time to do a few barn chores before my 9 am meeting with the new cohort of aurors at the Ministry." He got up and headed for the barn.

"I should go too," Robert said. "I want to pick up Angus's shoulder brace before I start morning rounds. I'll try to be home at noon for lunch. Thanks to whoever made a nice breakfast." He stood up and apparated out to London, and just as he left, Abbey came down to the kitchen. She had clearly picked out her own clothes and dressed herself. She had picked a pink pair of overall shorts and a pink t shirt printed with tiny flowers. But the shirt was on inside out and backwards, and she hadn't managed to handle the bib or the straps on the overalls at all. She was wearing two different colored socks, and both of them were inside out--and she had the heels on top of her foot instead of underneath. And her shoes were on the wrong feet.

"What's wrong with that outfit?" Michael looked at Abbey and then looked up at Jess and Ruby.

Ruby looked up at them both and sighed " I'm on my way " she said then looked to Jess " would you mind?" she asked Jess chuckled and shook her head.

"not at all." she said as Ruby transphigured her clothing to her work out clothing. " you know I might have to put trainning on the back burner for nine months when you guys get back. " she said then left hoping to confuse them and keep them guessing. Jess laughed and finished the food Ruby had started. She looekd to Brian and Robert wondering it they had caught on yet.

(robert and brian have already gone. brian went out to the barn, and robert left for london)

"I am not dressing a three year old," Michael said, "but I can fix a plate." He fixed a plate for Abbey and put her in her chair so she could eat. "I wonder if Angus knows Ruby is counting her pregnancies before they're hatched."

Gabe and Mira came into the dining room, and Mira saw straight away that Abbey had tried to dress herself.

"Look at you! Look who's styling this morning," Mira said. "Good job, Abs! You've got one or two things we need to adjust. Can I help you?" Abbey nodded, and Mira fixed Abbey's socks and shoes while Abbey ate. Then she got Abbey to take a moment's break and she fixed her shirt and her bib overalls.
"There--all fixed. You look great."

"I do-ed it myself," Abbey said proudly.

"I'm so proud of you. We'll have to tell your mum and your daddy all about it. What should we do today?"

"Buy more books!" Abbey said happily.

"More books?" Mira asked. She looked up at Jess. "Am I allowed to take her into Flourish and Blotts?"

Jess chuckled and shook her head " she knows, I think she was just trying to make a point that she'd have to stop one day." she said continuing to finish the dinner. she chukled as Abby walked down. Placing down her tools she walked around to Abby " okay you did well but we just need to tweek it alittle." she said and fixed some of the things Abby had on backwards or inside out. " there pretty as a picture." she said s she looekd at Mira " sure I'll come too I want to look at the potion books theres one recipy Im looking for but haven't found it yet." she said smiling " but have some food first Angus made it before he went back to sleep."

Jessie walked in and yawned " okay all quiet for once, wolves settled back in their den even the young ones went hunting " he said taking some food and sitting down next to Abby.

"I'm sure Ruby could do as much or as little training as she likes, depending on what job she wants to do," Michael said. "It isn't like there aren't plenty of jobs that don't require the level of training that the fighters do, And you've learned, from your years with Jack that you don't have to go everywhere he goes. I think Ruby will get to that point where she can let go of her own anxiety a little. As I seem to recall, it took all you married lot a bit of adjustment to get past that stage."

Okay," Mira said. "Abs, can I eat breakfast with you?" Abbey nodded enthusiastically.

"Aun' Jess, we take Stickee and get him ice cream!" Abbey told Jess, nodding.

"Does Stickee eat ice cream?" Mira frowned. Abbey nodded.

"What sort of ice cream does a bowtruckle eat?" Mira looked at Jess.

"Stawbewwy!" Abbey said.

"Well, okay, then," Gabe laughed. "Do you suppose Fudge knows he eats strawberry ice cream? One thing about it, this is one little lady who knows what she wants. Books and berries. That seems to be her whole world, doesn't it?"

Jess chuckled at Michael and nodded " yep it took some time but shes not bad, at least shes not clingy to him and demanding he go with him." she said " and I think thats a good thing, she may worry but all us wives do worry for those we love, and yes I still worry for Jack but I don't show it." she said then looked to Mira smiling as Abby spoke of strawberry ice cream for Fudge " hum never knew A Bow truckle likes strawberry ice cream"

Jessie chuckled and picked up Fudge from the tree, carfully he placed him on Abbys shoulder. " don't lose him" he said " and fudge stay with Abby, she'll look after you" he chuckled hearing the little squeeks come from Fudge. "oh, mira take some treats with you incase he doesn't wnt ice cream." Jessie moved to get the bag of treats and took out two of them. " that should be enough." he placed them into Abbys pocket.

Gabe looked at Fudge.

"I didn't know you liked ice cream, Fudge," Gabe said. The little bowtruckle blew raspberries at him. "Yeah, that's about what I thought. Abbey, I think Fudge would like bug ice cream a lot better."

"Ewww," Abbey said, wrinkling her nose. When Abbey and Mira were done with breakfast, Mira was going to take their dishes to the kitchen.

"I'll get that," Michael said. "You three go ahead." Mira picked Abbey up out of her high chair and then she looked at Jess. "We're ready to go any time you are, Jess."

Michael cleared away the dirty dishes and the breakfast leftovers and put the leftovers in the fridge and set a washing up spell for the dishes. Then he went upstairs to pack some of his things. He was going to have to make a trip home to his own place in Hogsmeade to get enough climbing gear for all of them.

But, until some of the others started to come back, he was going to hang around. So he started to put together a shortcake for some strawberry shortcake for dessert tonight.

Towards late morning, Angus got up and washed his face to help himself wake, and he went down to the kitchen.

"Michael, when you were in my parents house, did you find my mother's jewelry box?" Angus asked.

"Wasn't looking for it," Michael said. "Should I have been?"

"I don't know. I keep dreaming about her, and I keep seeing her jewelry box in my dreams. I feel like I need to go find it," Angus said, as Michael took the shortcake out of the oven.

"Not by yourself," Michael said. "You've had enough of a battering from your family. If you want to make a quick trip, I'll go with you."

"Ruby will worry," Angus sighed.

"We'll leave her a note, and we'll come straight back," Michael said. "She's not due back for another 30 minutes or so anyway. We might be back by then. She can help us go through the box."

"Okay," Angus said, scribbling her a quick note.

The note read: "Michael and I went on a short errand. Won't be gone more than a few minutes. Be right back. A."

He drew out the port key to Tuscany, and he and Michael ported out to go get her jewelry box

Jess smiled as Jack walked in from upstairs " all right lets go." she said holding Abbys other hand and looked to Mira " you doing the honers or am I?" she asked smiling to her as they left.

Jack chuckled and watched Michael set everything cleaning "Hey, I'll tell Ruby when she gets back." he said but saw they'd left a note before leaving. He shrugged and sat down at the counter poring out some coffee as he waited for any one else to arrive.

Jess looked around them as they arrived in Diagon alley " okay book store." she said seeing it off to their right further down." there it is." she said happy "Fudge, you hold tight, okay." Looking at Abby she smiled " So what book were you loking for?" she asked as they slowly made their way down towards the store.

"Go ahead, Jess," Mira said, happy to let Jess do the apparating. When they got to the bookstore, Fudge listened to Jess give him instructions about holding on tight. He nodded, ducking down a little farther into Abbey's pocket. When Jess asked her what book she was looking for, Abbey looked at her.

"All of them!" she said. "I want this many!" She stretched her arms out as wide as they would go.

"Let's see if we can just pick a couple," Mira said. As they walked back through the store, a young clerk was shelving some new books in the children's section, and she saw Abbey and Jess and Mira.

"May I help you?" she asked. Then the clerk saw Fudge.

"Oh, look, you brought a friend with you. He's quite handsome. What's his name?" the clerk asked.

"Stickieee," Abbey said.

"Well, nice to meet you, Stickie," the clerk said. "You know, we just got a storybook in about bowtruckles. Would you like to see it?" Abbey nodded, and the clerk took her to the next aisle and handed her the book. It didn't take Abbey more than about one minute to end up with about six books she believed she just couldn't live without.

"Jess," Mira looked at Jess, worried. "She might just try to buy them all. What do we do? I've never seen a little one like this love storybooks as much as she does. Does Robert have an account here we could put a few books on for her?"

Jess watched and followed the store clerk to the childrens story section and chuckled at how Abby wanted all the books. Kneeling down she spoke to her gently "okay, but shouldn't you leave some for other little boys and girls, who also love these books, besides its more fun to come back and get more, one at a time than get them all at once, next time you might see a diferent book you like all about hypogriffs or one on unicorns, too much of a good thing is and could be a bad thing." she said softly " beside you get all these you'll have no way to cary the ice cream you want." she said with a chuckle looking at Mira she spoke " I belive so, but moderation is a good thing to teach at this age." she said.

Ruby finished her trainning and ported back to the house not finding any one but Jack she looked worried untill Jack pointed out the note they had left. "Thanks Jack" she said and read it. Smiling she placed it on the board in Angus's office. She pore a cup of tea and went to shower and change into fresh clothing before starting anything for dinner or supper prep.