A Birth day

Robert nodded and let Ruby get on with giving them a tour. Kate brewed a full pot of tea and found a variety of cold cuts in the fridge and made a stack of sandwiches and set out some of Ruby's cinnamon rolls. She set out some plates, some mugs, and some silverware, just in case someone wanted a fork with their cinnamon roll.

"Help yourselves if you get hungry," Kate told them.

"Ah, yes. I'll finish our introductions. This is my wife, Kate, and you've met Angus's fiancee, Ruby...." Robert began, and as he was speaking, Caprice let out a big wail, and Edward picked her up.

"Now what's your itty bitty problem, Ralph?" Edward asked.

"So, its a girl?" the one auror asked, noticing the pink onesie.

"Yes," Edward said, as Simone hurried to make a bottle.

"And you named her Ralph?"

"Her father nicknamed her Ralph. Her given name is Caprice. I'm Edward Donohue, her grandfather."

"Say, are you any relation to that guy.."

"You might say that. I am that guy," Edward said. "Angus is my grandson, and this is his daughter."

"And since he won't introduce me," Simone said, "I'm Simone, Edward's wife. And that tall man there in the suit? That's Marcus Belby, Angus's closest mate, I think, and, right now, his bodyguard. You've met Lee Shepherd, I take it, and there's one more healer here, Nigel Sigworth. He's downstairs tending to one of the girls. He'll be up shortly." She took the bottle to Edward, but Caprice wasn't having it.

"Well, that's not it, huh?" Edward said. "So you just want to be cranky? Well, then, go ahead and scream your head off. It's fine by me. Just go for it, Ralph."

Jacob and Malcom looked at everyone and nodded "Nice to meet you Ma'am" Malcom said then looked at the baby names Ralph but he chuckled at the nickname "It's like liz with ours, she calls her Bean but she's called Anna." Malcom said watching Edward with Caprice " I can tell you're the grandfather" he said smiling "Meant in a good way sir" he added. Jacob listened to Robert and nodded.

"I have heard Mr Sigworth is the best of the best," he said then looked to the other two men " Yes, I've met Mr Shepard in passing with Auror Barnett." he said then looked to Marcus " Mr Belby if anyone can bring Mr Donohugh home its Auror Barnett." Malcolm finished but the smell of the sandwiches made his stomach rumble.

"Help yourself to tea or sandwiches or the homemade cinnamon rolls," Kate said. "There's plenty here."

"Sigworth is one of the best," Robert said. "Angus's injury was very tricky business, so he and I worked together on the repairs on Angus's shoulder. I don't doubt Barnett, but I will be glad to see Angus back where we can see to him properly. He's still on bedrest conditions, or he was."

When Barnett asked Michael if he'd been to Azkaban before, Michael nodded.

"I have," Michael said. "More than once, and it never looks any friendlier." Michael well knew that the winter months, like January, were the most treacherous to try to cross the North Sea. "The ministry lost a ship on the crossing five years ago In February, and I was on the team to try to bring back anyone we found--dead or alive. We saved three, and we brought back five more that we were too late for."

He wasn't going to tell her he knew about all sorts of little hidey holes and passage ways in Azkaban that weren't supposed to exist. That was none of her business. "I guess I'm a gopher of sorts. You know, 'go for this', and 'go for that.' I don't really fit in any department, unless there's a category for Old Errand Boy."

Well, that really wasn't anywhere near the truth, was it? He was a espionage agent, and a damned good one. And he specialized in rescuing agents that couldn't rescue themselves or in 'liberating' things that the ministry believed needed to be theirs. He presumed she didn't know that, not unless she knew someone who was an unspeakable who had actually told her who Michael was and what he really did.

Both Malcom and Jacob walked over and were greatful of the sandwiches and cinimon buns " these look wonderful" Malcom said as they both dug in. Aria sat and listened to Michael smiling " I know what you mean, sometimes thats half my job" she admited " I heard about that , thank you one of my family was on that boat, they came home alive thank goodness , but others didn't but they at least came home" she said and looked to the front of the boat " were here" she said as she could see the meir hint of the sun rising on the horison. " Hope Mr Donohugh is not to worse for wear."

As The boat docked she saw a man walke over to her and she took out her badge as did the others " hes with us " she said " hes an unspeackable" she didn't even turn back to look at Michael but continued into the prison. At the entrance she cast her patronus causing the dementors to leave inidiatly. " this way" she walked down the corridor and past severalcells where men and women all called to her , and not in a good way " I put these here." she told him.

Reatching a cell she motioned to the jailer to unlock it , which he did two of her men walked in and she followed leaving Michael to enter last. " we'll be fine you may leave" she told the Jailer and watched as he left . " Mr donohugh, we have good news your leaving here." she told him.

Michael followed Barnett through the hallways, and when they entered the cell, Michael could smell the black mold on the walls. Robert was not going to be happy that Angus had had even a moment in here, much less hours. Michael made a point to look at every thing he could in case Robert wanted to look at Michael's thought thread later. He wasn't surprised she had put some people here. That was her job. Robert had some here too, and Khaat had certainly sentenced several as her time as the Chief Warlock. Michael had also put a few here during some of his missions, but that didn't mean he liked the place. No one liked it here.

Angus had been unable to really sleep, even though he had tried. He hurt entirely too badly to sleep. And then someone called him by name. He opened his eyes and saw an auror there and Michael. Angus tried to sit up, not sure that what he was seeing was real, but he was having a hard time sitting up from a lying flat position.

Michael went over and slid his right arm under Angus' right shoulder because it gave him a better angle to pull Angus to an upright position without jarring his left shoulder. When he got Angus to a sitting up position, Angus was able to look at Michael in the face. He cold smell Michael's after shave. He could feel Michael's body heat--the first warmth he'd had since morning. He wrapped his good arm around Michael, and Michael gave him a strong hug.

"We've got you," Michael told him. "It's not over yet, but it seems we have a new friend who's helping us get you home on house arrest for now." Angus looked at the auror in the cell.

"Thank you," Angus told her quietly, the idea of being let out was slightly overwhelming, but most welcome indeed.

"Marcus said you didn't have a shirt, and he was right," Michael said. Angus's bruising on his muscular chest and arm was still looking like he'd been hit with a muggle truck. He was more black and blue than not, and his shoulder and arm and chest were swollen badly without the magic wrap.

"I don't care. Let's get out. I've got shirts at home," Angus said.

"I have a pair of shoes for you in my pocket.."

"Screw the shoes," Angus said. "Let's go." As far as he was concerned the door was unlocked, and he wanted to get while the getting was good. Michael helped Angus to his feet, supporting Angus under his good shoulder, and Michael felt how weak and unsteady Angus was now. Robert and Nigel weren't going to like that either.

"The lad has a one track mind," Michael told Barnett. "He's only focused on that open cell door. I've got him."

Aria let Michael walk into the room reaching into her pocket she took out the pain potion "Here this will help , Mr Lupin said to give him this, pain potion" she said kneeling down in front of Angus offering the potion to him. " we'll get you up and out soon enough right now you need to dress and walk with these two men, they can help you stand and move if you need." she said to Angus then looked to Michael " They will be behind him so you can walk next to him. " She motioned to the two men who moved to stand in front of Angus giving him privacy while Aria moved to stand with her back to him. " oh and those Pajama should be burnt as soon as you get home."

Ruby pored Malcom some tea and he thanked her before she repeated the same with Jacob . She glanced at Robert as she walked over with a cup for him too " you find anything?" she asked watching him look at the files then glance at the clock knowing nobody had slept since Angus was taken. Looking at the basment stairs she wondered if Anise was awake yet and placed down teh pot walking oevr and down the stairs to see Ginger " hows she doing?" Ruby asked Ginger.

Angus took the pain potion bottle and handed it to Michael without opening it.

"In a moment, shall we?" Angus asked Michael. and Michael put the potion bottle in his pocket for now, knowing Angus would most likely take it when he was safely on the ship. Angus heard the woman talk about burning the pajama bottoms. "I will definitely be burning these pajamas. I didn't like them anyway, but I like them even less now that some git turned them into prison stripes."

"I didn't bring trousers, Barnett," Michael said. "You aren't going to see anything more than you can already see unless you want him to take these off. He's going to have to wear the prison stripes home. Let's do the shoes, at least, Angus." Michael took a pair of tiny shoes out of his shirt pocket, put them on the floor and flicked his fingers at the shoes to resize them. "Just step in. I've got you. Do you want the shirt?"

"No," Angus answered, stepping into the shoes. "They hurt, and they're more hassle than what they're worth. Just get me out, Michael." He did hurt--badly. Michael knew he needed the pain potion but he wasn't likely to take it at least until he was on the ship headed back south to Scotland.

"I've got hold of him, Barnett, and he's as dressed as he's going to get for now. I'm sure he'll want the pain potion once we get onboard the ship. We can only safely support him to walk by holding onto him on his right side because there's no place to hold onto him on the left. I have hold of him, so let's just get him out to the ship, shall we?"

Michael walked Angus forward out of the cell and into the hallway, walking him out to the ship. As they got on board, a voice shouted to Angus.

"What the hell were you doing in there, Skipper?" the voice called. Angus looked up to see it was Captain Cutter at the helm.

"And what are you doing out in the middle of the night, Cutter?" Angus asked, and as he spoke, Cutter frowned deeply.

"Making a bob or two, my boy. It pays double at night. Jesus, what happened to you? You step out in front of a train or something?" Cutter asked. "You look like hell, Lad."

"I feel worse, I promise," Angus said. "Farm accident."

"Sounds like you're better off at sea. And that weren't no farm accident that put you behind bars."

"No. That just screwed up the shoulder. Being wrongfully blamed for killing two people got me in the nick. Didn't kill anybody. Was in a hospital bed at the time, actually," Angus said, as Michael flicked his fingers at a couple of pillows on the sofa down in the salon so they would be behind Angus when he sat down. "Take me home, Captain?"

"Jackasses," Cutter scowled. "Well, make yourself comfortable, and we'll get you back to Scotland safe and sound. Give a shout if you need something. Barnett, you take care of him good and proper. He's a good boy, that one, and he don't belong in no nick." Angus nodded, and Michael helped him over to the sofa and put him there and then handed him the pain potion.

"You're going to be here for a bit, so I think you should take it now or this trip is going to be miserable for you," Michael told him. Angus took the pain potion now, and Michael helped him to stretch out on the sofa, with the pillows behind Angus's back. The potion made Angus groggy almost immediately, and his eyes fluttered shut. "Wake me if something changes," Angus said sleepily.

"Certainly," Michael said, finding a blanket to drape over Angus to take the damp and cold night air off him.

"Michael," Angus yawned, "when we get back, I have to make it on my own two feet going in the house."

"Well, two things about that. First, if you think I'm carrying you, you're out of your mind. Second thing--why? Why is it so important tonight?"

"Because Ruby was such a damned strong woman before she met me, and now she's so bloody freaking fragile.  I don't know when it even happened, but she can't handle anything anymore. I wanted a relationship built on equal partnership and openness and honesty, but this entire thing is built on deception and secrets. I keep everything to myself because I have to, not because I want to. When I'm open and honest with her, she crumbles into absolute dust. I truly do appreciate her love and devotion, but if Jeffrey's honest with her, he'll tell her that I'm no good for her."

"Okay, so maybe there's a third thing here. I am the last person to be giving you marriage advice, but under the present circumstances, I think now is not the time to be making any major decisions about anything. I think you should just stay focused on the things right in front of you, and maybe the rest will come as you go along. Maybe she'll reacquaint herself with some of her old friends and coworkers and they'll pull her up a little. A good mate can be priceless for such things. At any rate, what's right in front of you is a dire need for sleep. I'll wake you when we dock."

"No, not a damned thing," Robert sighed, unhappy that, while the file did a dandy job of ruling out suspects, it wasn't ruling any in. He was glad, though, to see some hot tea. "But I'm going to keep looking. Thanks, Ruby. You're a lifesaver."

Ginger was in her pajamas and she was doing her homework when Ruby came down.

"She's still sleeping. Nigel apparated over to the main building a few minutes ago. He said he was going to get a shower and some clean clothes and then come back," Ginger said. "I started a letter to Mom. If she reads about Angus in the paper,...well, I just don't want her to come back to take Anise back with her. Fenrir won't let me come back, but, Anise? With her skills? He'd take her back in a minute, and I know she doesn't want to go. This is where we both want to be. I'm hoping Mom's alright with it if I phrase it just right. I mean, after all, our pack gets accused of doing stuff we didn't do all the time, so she should understand that it can happen to humans too. And we all know he didn't do it because we were all right here with him.

"You know, Ruby, I've been thinking," she continued. "Werewolves often struggle to get money so we tend to make deals and compromises we don't always like if it gets us a galleon or two. Society still doesn't want much to do with us. Jack and Jessie are either lucky or just plain blessed to find someone like Robert that honestly doesn't care that they're werewolves and gives them such good paying jobs. What if there was some human, maybe the one that showed up at Edward's tonight, that had hired the werewolf to try to kill? If that's the case, then that person had to have had the house staked out somehow because no one was supposed to be there tonight. Either the werewolf was hired to kill, or, if they didn't have the house staked out, they were hired to steal something. If they were out for Angus, it would make far more sense to try to come here. I think it make a lot more sense if, ultimately, Edward was the real target of this and not Angus at all, unless Angus was a pawn to get to Edward."

Aria turned to look at Angus and nodded to Michael "Hum, okay" she said then turned to the two men " Watch for dementors , you know the drill,patronus out if they get too close" she told them as she watched Michael lift Angus to his feet. She walked beside them both on Angus's left while the others were one behind and one in front. Soon they exited Askaban and walked down to the dock. Aria was glad to feel the sea spray on her face and breathed out. Hearing the skipper she looked to Angus and Michael and then helped them aboard " sooner were out of here the better" she said following them down to the Salon where she checked out the area " Skipper we should set sail ASAP." she said then over heard them talking about Riby " you know she was the one who contacted me, said something was off and if I could look into it from my end for her." she admitted to them " shes stronger than you think."

Ruby smiled to Ginger and shook her head. " I don't think that will happen, I can write to her too and explain, but as a mother she'd know right here is safer than in the pack." she then heard her talk about Jessie and Jack " I guess so, Jessie was ..how can I say it , some what difiant to start with being here, he caused a lot of trouble so much so Nigel had to be called in to calm him down and his wolfsbane adjusted too." she then heard her talk about it might be possible some one was after Edward and not Angus "Hum, that might be something I can talk to Robert about, its a good thought tho, listen you get some sleep and don't worry about all this, we have it undercontrol and Angus will be home when you wake okay." she said and lent over to gently give her a hug

"Just waitin' for you to get aboard, Lassie," Cutter said calmly not sure why this auror was trying to tell her how to sail his ship. 'You know, the spooks here don't follow outside unless you're breaking out." Angus just nodded when Barnett had risen to Ruby's defense. It was just one more reminder that he didn't dare say what he thought or felt because there was always someone there who felt they needed to try to correct him. Things on the ship grew relatively quiet as Cutter's crew cast off the lines, and the ship headed back south to the Scottish coast. He slipped into a light doze.

"Okay," Ginger said. "Goodnight, Ruby."

The journey back was cold and damp, and as the night began to give way to the start of a new day, it was clear to Michael that it was going to be a dark, overcast day. Storm clouds were hovering in the south, and Michael knew that they were going to run into the bad weather. He felt that they would make land before they got into the rain, but he was also betting that it was going to be wet, sooner or later, at home. The closer they got to the coast, the more Michael began to see lightening far in the distance.

When Cutter brought the ship into the dock, Michael woke Angus so he could get himself together just a little.

"Take your time," Michael said. "Nothing is on fire. We're in Scotland. Get your wits about you first. Cutter's still tying the lines and the gangplank isn't in place yet, so you have a moment or two." Angus nodded, throwing off the blanket and immediately feeling chilled. The pre-dawn air was cold, and he shivered with having nothing more than a thin pair of Azkaban uniform bottoms. His shoulder hurt like the devil had been twisting it around just for the fun of it, and as he tried to sit up, the pain tore through it.

"Where's your sling?" Michael asked. "I meant to ask you that last night."

"Some bonehead took it so I didn't hang myself with it," Angus yawned. "Never occurred to me to try to find a way to use it for that." Michael took off his belt and used it for an improvised strap to take the weight of Angus's arm off his shoulder. Then he helped Angus to his feet.

"I presume you'll let me use my portkey to get us back to Angus's house?" Michael asked Barnett.

At Angus's, Edward had made a large pot of fresh coffee, and Simone had gone next door and had made some orange danish and an egg casserole with bacon, ham, cheese, onion, and diced bell pepper. The house was starting to smell like it was morning once again. Marcus and Robert and Nigel had all dozed off in various places, while Kate had stayed awake, working on a large macrame sculpture that a woman had commissioned from her.

Aria nodded to the skipper as she boarded then sat down for the long trip back to the mainland. She staid sat down as they docked and Michael spoke to her " my jobs done for now, go ahead" she said motioning to the two Aurors " we'll catch up with you later in the day, just to check up that hes settled ." she said and stepped back to let him aperate back to the duplex.

Ruby smiled to Ginger " good night" she said softly then walked up to find Nigel abd Robert sleeping, walking over to Edwrds side and saw Edward. She walked over to him as she sat on a stool to talk to him " ginger made a good sugestion earlier " she said smiling as she was handed a cup of coffee " she though that they arn't after Angus but you, and they were using Angus to get to you, so do you know any one who would have it out for you?" she asked blowing and taking a sip of coffee knowing the dark curles under her eyes would show she had not slept.