LONDON CALLING

"Me too," Edward agreed with Ruby. "James held her captive once. Marcus rescued her, and when he got her back, she was black and blue all over. Brian gathered up everyone he could trust, and they went to get her back from James. Marcus was part of that group, and he was the one who found her. So when Brian's gone, I'm sure it resurrects that fear for her.

"James's cheese has slipped of his cracker. He's got this bizarre idea from wherever bizarre ideas come from--I don't know--that she is his mate. He has no regards for human marriage conventions. He believes we have something that belongs to him--her. And he believes he can come and claim her and take her. I have no doubt whatsoever that she would rather die than to end up in his hands again. She's quite a bit better when Marcus is with her, but he can't stay awake forever. So, I think, on those nights, she stays awake and paces and smokes. Can't blame her a bit."

Simone got up and put the rest of the pizza rolls away in the fridge and cleaned up the dishes. She glanced back at Abbey and Edward and saw that Abbey was in a sound sleep in Edward's chest. Ever a grandfather, Edward loved the sensation of a sleeping child laying on his chest again. So far as he was concerned, that sensation could never get old.

"Do you want me to take her up for you when you go upstairs?" he asked Ruby.

"Noooo. French toast! Wit' cimmamon!" Abbey nodded. "Aggie gots berry syrup in the fridge! And bacon. Archie likes bacon." She flapped her arms like wings to try to clarify she meant Archangel.

Robert and Kate were up, and Kate had made coffee and tea. She had filled travel mugs with coffee for Edward and Simone who were already up and out of the house and had been since it had been light enough to see at all. They were putting the bedding plants in the garden, and they both had seemed elated to contribute a bit to the duplex by putting in the garden. They both loved gardening, and for some odd reason, they found it incredibly romantic to be working side by side.

Marcus had motivated Khaat to shower and dress, and he knew she was tired. He believed that, if he could get her to take the morning off, he could get her to sleep a bit now that it was daylight. The risk of running into trouble with James was much less now. While she was showering, Marcus came downstairs to get a couple mugs of coffee.

"Robert," Marcus said, pouring coffee into the mugs, "any idea what Khaat's schedule is this morning?"

"Well, it should be a light morning. We were supposed to go to a conference on advanced healing techniques, but the keynote speaker ran into difficulties, and the conference has been cancelled. So I doubt she has anything on the schedule. Why?"

"She didn't sleep last night."

"Oh, I never gave that a thought. Brian's gone, and it kept her awake."

"I think she'd sleep a little now that its daylight."

"Probably would. Take the day. We weren't supposed to be in the office today anyway. I'll try to help her a bit with a sleeping potion tonight. She isn't going to take it, though, if she's alone."

"I know. I'll sleep on the couch in her room, and she'll be fine," Marcus said. "Thanks." He took the coffee upstairs.

"Edward is already downstairs, Ruby," Robert said, refilling his coffee mug. "He and Simone were up and out extra early today. I think they're putting in some plants in the garden. Makes them feel like they're doing their fair share for the duplex, I think. I'm going into St. Mungo's but Marcus is upstairs. Khaat's going to take at least the morning, maybe the day. I'm not sure. Marcus was going to try to get her to try to get a little sleep."

"I need to be out weeding my own garden this morning," Kate said. "So Abbey can stay with me or she can go help Edward and Simone for now. Not sure what's on Jack and Jess's schedule yet. Haven't seen either one of them yet this morning, but for all I know they could be up and gone already."

On the train, Brian had helped Angus do some flexing and stretching with his shoulder and believed that if Angus were diligent at it, he might improve his flexibility and his range of motion with it a bit before they had to do much climbing. As a trainer, Brian knew it was going to take a lot of rehabilitation to get Angus' shoulder back at full functioning again because there had been so much damage. It was certainly possible, thanks to wizard medicine, but some of the rehab and strengthening was going to have to be done the old fashioned way--by exercise and strength training.

After the exercising, Angus settled in with the itinerary and the maps that Gabe and Edward had put together. He knew this part of Romania well, and he wanted to make a couple of his own adjustments to the route because he knew a couple of shortcuts that would help them pick up a little time, and he also had a few contacts that he believed would either fix them a meal or put them u for the night.

This morning, the train made a refueling stop, and that allowed them to get off the train and stretch their legs and walk. They had a 45 minute layover before the train would depart again. Michael took full advantage and got a chance to walk and to smoke a couple cigarettes, having gone now over 24 hours without one. Michael also made a couple of phone calls on a muggle phone and made some hotel reservations for them in Budapest so they wouldn't be hunting accommodations when they got off that night.

"Well done, Ruby. That looks fine to me," Robert said. "You go ahead and go to training. That's important." Just as he finished speaking, Mira and Gabe came downstairs.

"Morning, Everyone, Mira said, coming in. She poured herself and Gabe coffee.

"Mimi!" Abbey seemed excited to see her.

"Hi, Abs! How are you?" Mira asked.

"Mira, are you busy this morning?" Robert asked.

"Nope. Not that I know of," she said.

"Well, if Ruby goes to training, do you mind if Abbey hangs out with you?" Robert asked.

"Mind? That would be great! We saw some dragonflies down by the pond yesterday, and I told her that if I could catch one, we could look up close at all the different colors in their wings," Mira said.

"Well, I can help you there," Robert said. "I have some dragonflies in one of my jars in the cellar. I'll go bring the jar up for you. Just try not to let them out, would you?"

"I won't open the jar, but I can't promise little fingers here might not give it a go," Mira laughed. "I'll do my best, Uncle Robert."

"Your problem may be solved if you still want to go, Ruby," Robert said.

"Could Abbey and I make lunch today? She gave me an idea that I thought was worth a try," Mira said.

"I see no reason why not," Kate said. "And if you need a hand, give a shout. I'll just be out in the kitchen garden, and Ruby's usually back by then. And if Im' finished in the garden, I'm sure Ruby doesn't have all her boxes and crates unpacked. I'm sure I could be useful for something or other." Kate picked up some food for Fudge and went over to the tree but then she frowned. Saying nothing, she searched the tree, and then she looked up at the others.

"We need to do a missing creature hunt," Kate said, hoping that Abbey wouldn't pick up on what she was saying. Kate knew Abbey would be devastated if Fudge didn't turn up.

"Oh, that's not good," Robert said. "When did anyone see him last?"

"We took him out to the pond with us yesterday, but I remember seeing him last night after we came inside," Mira said.

"He wouldn't have left us," Kate said. "We need to find him."

Abbey finished her breakfast and went over to talk to Fudge, and when she didn't find him either, she started to cry. It was just then that Marcus came into the kitchen to refill his coffee.

"Khaat's sleeping--thank goodness," Marcus said. "I think I'm alright to stay within earshot."

"I think she's safe in the house, Marcus," Robert said. Marcus went over the Abbey and crouched down in front of her.

"What's the matter, Bug?"

"Stickee runned away," she said tearfully.

"Stickee's not in his house?" Marcus asked. Abbey shook her head no. Marcus looked briefly and didn't find him either. "Didn't you and Mira have him with you yesterday?" She nodded. "Was he in your pocket?" She nodded. "Where's your shirt now?"

"I no know," she sniffled.

"Well, let's go check the hamper in your room." He picked her up and carried her upstairs. "I bet he's around here someplace. We'll find him."

"Oh, I never thought, Robert, that someone might have chucked him into the laundry," Kate said, suddenly anxious.

"Well, at least we haven't done the laundry since then," Robert cast her an amused smile. "He'll turn up. Don't worry."

It wasn't two minutes before Abbey came dashing into the kitchen, and she had an angry little bowtruckle in her fist. She had an iron tight grip on him, and he was as angry as a bowtruckle could possibly be. He was chattering at her in fierce little chatters and squeaks. Robert got up and went over to her.

"You found him. Where was he?"

"In the hamper," she said. "In my shirt. He mad now."

"Oh, he definitely is angry. You're right, but I think he's more angry because you're squishing him, my love," he said gently, unable to repress a slight amused grin. "You're holding him entirely too tight. Give him to Papa. That's my girl." He took the raging little bowtruckle from her. Robert spent a moment just soothing him and then fed him one of the cubes of food Kate made for him. He seemed to be calming. "I think he's better now," Robert said. "I'm just going to put him in his tree so he can relax a little. Besides, you and Mira are going to study dragonflies, remember?" He accio'd a jar of dragonflies for them. "Mira, if you take the jar out in the sunlight, you'll see much brighter colors."

"Okay," Mira said. "Come on, Abs. Let's go look at the colors." She took the jar from Robert and they went outside.

Near eleven that morning, she and Abbey came back in, and they fixed lunch together. Abbey wanted grilled cheese sandwiches, so Mira let her help make them. Then Mira put together a homemade tomato basil soup, and she made a batch of shortbread biscuits for a quick dessert. Then she set it all out on the sideboard in the dining room for anyone who might be hungry.