LONDON CALLING

"Thank you, Yulong," Angus said. "I appreciate it."

"They're right here, helping Kate finish up the cookies and the apples," Angus said to Ruby. "They'll be over to eat as soon as they finish up this last tray of cookies." He called everyone else to the table, though.

Sparks had sent a wide variety of their meals from their supper menu, and it gave people a choice of what sort of a meal they wanted. angus wad glad to see there were so many suppers and so many different choices. Angus saw that Lizzie had come up with a new entree that intrigued him--a Firewhiskey Steak. It was a steak marinated with a Firewhiskey marinade, then fire grilled and topped with some of their firewhiskey sauce, with a baked potato, and a tossed salad with a homemade blue cheese dressing. That was what he chose for himself.

And the boys, when the came over, they specifically hunted out the same firewhiskey steaks to try. Kate picked a homestyle macaroni and cheese dish with a sauteed green beans and a side dish of baked cinnamon apple wedges. As she was sitting down with her meal, Robert arrived, and he chose for himself some fish and chips--of course.

Ruby chuckled and nodded " sorry," she said and seeing the selection of food she chose the homestyle macaroni and cheese with a side dish of baked cinnamon apple wedges finding the aroma pleasing to her. "thank you for bringing this over Lizzie it all smells wonderful." she said smiling as she took some food and moved to the table seeing the boys take some steak she chuckled not sure if they would like th strong flavour of the whisky but she didn't stop them as it was good to se thm trying new foods.

Yu went aroudn the garden tyding it up and replanting some plants that had been dug up. Seeing some wild flowers that were still in bloom he cut them carfully so the plant would servive and took them into the duplex on Edwards side. Fining a pair of nice Vases he filled both of them with water and a small pinch of sugar as he then added the flowers split into two. Taking obe he placed it on the fire place the second he carried up to the bed room and placed it beside the bed making very sure how he wanted them to be seen before leaving the home and returning to his own.

To Angus's surprise, the boys loved the Firewhiskey Steak. Like so many things, the boys seemed to just flourish now that they were free of Suzanne and Reginald. They wanted to learn, they wanted to experience every good thing they could, and they knew Ruby. They knew her preferences what she liked and what she didn't, but they were still getting to know this new dad. And they wanted to try everything they saw him eat, everything they saw him do. Angus was keenly aware of it, and he had tried to give them every opportunity to get to know him by being with him for everything he did. This was their last supper with him until the next school break, and they had gotten past their grief at going back. They were starting to trust that they could leave the estate and come back and still find Angus there. Angus was going to have a talk with them before they went back.

Robert and Kate took care of moving the leftover dinners to the fridge and cleaning up the mess from the cookies and the apples, and as they were cleaning things up, Angus packaged up a box of apples and a box of cookies for each boy to take to school with them. He made a large pot full of hot chocolate, poured the cocoa into large insulated travel mugs and took the boys outside around a bonfire, with blankets, just to sit and talk with them about going back to school. He wanted them to be absolutely secure that they would always belong to the Donohues. He wanted them to know that, as long as they were really doing their best, he would always be proud of them and would always support them. They had never gotten those words from Suzanne or Reginald either one. He told them he wanted them to truly enjoy their senior year because it was their last year at school. They were outside a couple of hours, and then Angus sent them over to the duplex to get packed up and showered up. As he was sitting outside by himself, Robert came out and sat with him.

"Angus," Robert said to him quietly, "your energy is running out, Lad. You could take more. It's been hours since your last dose, but, let's be honest. An energy potion is no substitute for sleep. You need to go home, take care of your family, and get a good night's sleep. Lizzie's crew has worked alongside you for the last three pumpkin harvests. They know the job, they have your recipes. Let Lizzie do her job overnight. Kate and I will be here. If they need something, they can get us. You can join them tomorrow once you get the boys back to school. Your boys are not going to learn from you by your lecturing them. They're watching every little thing you do. Show them how to take care of themselves by you rolemodeling for them how its done. Take the help where you can get it. I'm going to send Ruby out and have her take you home for the night. Tomorrow is another day. You're doing too well on your recovery to damage yourself now." He nodded.

Robert went inside and went to Ruby. "Angus is totally knackered. You need to get him home. He needs a good night's sleep. He might not want you to know, but I'm going to tell you anyway. I helped him get a bottle of energy potion today. I'm keeping a close eye on when he uses it. I really think he's trying to push himself back to work, back to all his duties, and I'm going to do my best not to let him do it. So, let's start with a good night's sleep."

Ruby watched as Angus and the boys enjoyed the meal and then he set them to pack. She salo saw Robert talking to him then walk over to her. She stood and listened to him explain " thank you" she said simply as she pulled on a cardigan to keep her self warm as she walked over to Angus " Come on hun time we should be in bed" she told him a she took hold of the chair and turned him so they could head up to their bedroom. "Robert told me about the potion and how he gave you some earlier." she said moving him back inside and to the stairs " but he did say sleep was the best thing right now" she finished as she made the stairs take them up to the second floor.

Entering the bedroom she smiled " I will admit hes right" she said " you look like how I felt eariler on today" she told him as she changed into her PJ's then paused as she turned side on ," huh I have a bump" she said chukcling as she sowed him her definate bump.

"Yeah," Angus said, "we talked. He told me the same thing he told you. It's fine. It wasn't a secret, but he did see me in Slug and Jiggers buying it. So that wouldn't have worked even if I'd wanted to make it a secret. Besides, he'd have caught me eventually because he knows me too well. I just don't have a choice, though, Ru. I have to step up. People aren't stepping up anymore. It's like everybody got tired of their jobs here, and nobody showed up for work. I don't know how anybody can just forget that, just because they live here, they're also employed here and they need to bloody go to work when they're scheduled. There are a hundred things to do that aren't being done, and I have no choice but to take it back and make it work."

He didn't put up any protest when she took him home, knowing he really was tired, and he knew darned well that Robert had sent her to take him home. His mind was still whirling about all that he was seeing that needed to be done and in a short time, but now he needed to somehow fix it.

He let her take him upstairs, and he heard the boys trying to settle for the night with Finn. It sounded like they had remembered to feed him his supper, to let him out and to play with him a little. Now they sounded like they were getting into bed and settling for sleep. He heard Ruby mention she had a bump, and he looked at her and smiled.

"Well, unless our baby is going to stay the size of an artichoke, I presume that will get a little bigger," he said, yawning. "Did you, by chance, remember to lock the door when we came in?" He got into bed and picked up his book, opening it up to where he left off, yawning heavily already.

Ruby had listened to Angus and nodded " well , I admit I have only becuse of this little one making me tired but Things should I hope get better." she admited then chuckled as he asked if she ahd locked the door when they came in " yep, I did" she said smiling as she moved to sit on the bed waiting for him to join her . She could hear the boys and sighed " its going to be swuful quiet without those two around " she admited pulling back the covers and slipping into bed.

Laying down she knew her bump would not stay small " yea and she is only going to keep growing." she said chukaling " in no time Im gonna be as big as a whale and unable to help at all, its bad enough I feel sometimes like I haven't slept, but tomorrow I'll be at the main house making breakfast and baby sitting Abby if they need me." she turned on her side as she waited for Angus to join her in the bed. " but please don't over do it Angus, we all know what and how much we can do."

"You do realize, though, that, yes, I'm sure everyone expects that you're going to have some off days. Nobody is going to begrudge you that, but if you're scheduled and you can't work, you're going to have to let me know before its time for your shift to begin, like any other job, because its up to me to either find a replacement for you or I'll have to be your replacement. That's how this works. If you're scheduled for in the kitchen, and you aren't going to be there, that's understandable, but people still have to at, so I'm going to have to either find someone to take your shift, or it's going to be my shift to fill. So, from now on, tell me ahead of time, yes?" His eyes were fluttering shut already, and his book fell into his lap, pages getting bent in the process.

In his sleep, he was already starting to dream. He saw endless mountains of filthy dirty dishes in the kitchen, tables and tables of hungry people to feed, a room from floor to ceiling full of groceries to put away, crops rotting in the fields, and he was all by himself, shackled to his chair, which was shackled to the floor, rows and rows pregnant women who looked like they were big enough to deliver double decker buses, and endless rows of bassinets with screaming cranky little night busses in them.

He thought he heard himself say out loud, just before he slipped into deep sleep, "No more busses." And then it all faded away from him.

Ruby looekd at him and put what he said down to his tiredness " I know" she said simply as she watched him slip into bed and start to doze of to sleep but hearing him talk in his sleep she chuckled " all right Angus no more busses" she whspered softly to him then started to fall asleep her self.

Next morning she woke early and felt better, heading down stairs she prepered breakfast for them then headed over to the main house passing the garden where she saw Yu tending to the plants that now looked healthy and strong she continued to the main house and started prep on their breakfast , she decided to make omllets and eggy toast with fruit salad and fresh coffee and tea .

The boys let Angus sleep in, and they got up, got dressed, got their coffee, let the dog out and then fed him and got breakfast. Today was the day that had to go back to school whenever Angus got up and got around to taking them. Andrew showed up just as the boys were finished with breakfast. The boys were a little concerned that Angus was still sleeping.

Andrew poured coffee for Angus and took it upstairs. He got out clothes for Angus knowing he would want to dress appropriately to drop the boys off at the school. There was no train running to Hogwarts this time of year, so Angus was going to have to take them himself by train to Hogsmeade and then take them by carriage to the school gates. He chose gray trousers for Angus and a lightweight sweater, and Angus's new black suede trench coat and, of course, his fedora. He woke Angus and got him up and helped him shower and dress and shave. Then he took him downstairs for breakfast.

Over at the main house, Marcus came downstairs extra early, before Robert and Khaat came downstairs, and poured himself some tea.

"You're up early," Kate said to Marcus, as Michael came in, just arriving, having been out all night on a mission from Robert.

"Ah, well, yes. Robert put me on assignment to go with Andrew to take the boys to the school today. The express isn't running because all the students are already in school, so we're going to have to take a different route to get them back. Robert wants no mess ups and no interference from Gelding. So, I'm the protection."

"Well, then good luck with him. Will you need any help from anyone else?"

"No, I don't think so," Marcus smiled. "If he's arrogant enough to show up, he deserves what he gets."

Ruby saw Kate and Marcus come from upstairs and smiled " morning , breakfast is ready"she said handing each a cup" tea or coffee" she asked holding a pot of each in her hands. " Im gonna miss them beng back at school, but they will be back for christmas soon." she said poring each their desired beverage then returning to the kitchen. Marcus could you let me know when your ready to take them back, I'd like to say good by and not to be too hard on the professors" she said with a smirk as she started making a large steak and ale pie for dinner.

Yu woke and did his usual rutine before walking over to the duplex and stopping at th garden first. Entering he smiled " good morning Andrew, I brought some flowers for the duplex" he said placing some in a vase he saw beore heading to the other side to make sure everything was clean and it has fresh flowers for the newly weds return later that day. Returning he spoke " I hear we lose two who are returning to school today" he said " school is important in this day and age." he said to Andrew.