A Birth day

"It's certainly possible," Edward said, as he saw Simone go and put clean sheets and clean pillowcases on Angus's bed to refresh it. "A man in my business always has enemies, but no one recently that I'm aware of. I would have expected some trouble when I was actively working, and not now that I'm almost completely retired from any active hunting. I'll have to give that one some thought. I'm not discounting it, though, because it's as good a theory as any other."

Kate put her sculpture away and got out plates, mugs, and silverware for anyone who wanted breakfast. She woke Robert and handed him his go-bag, and he went upstairs to freshen up. As a healer, he knew how to shave, shower, and dress in about three minutes. Marcus and Nigel had already gotten up and showered, and they made their way to the kitchen so they could get some coffee. When Robert finished in the bathroom, he looked into the nursery and saw that the baby was still sleeping. Good. Let her sleep, he thought. A little less chaos when Angus got home would be a very good thing. He headed downstairs, checking his watch. He expected Michael to be back with Angus at any time now. The guards were still there, of course, and Robert was sure it had been a damned long, boring night for them. Simone was going to get out a bottle of flavored coffee creamer she had bought but when she got into Ruby's fridge, it wasn't there.

"Edward, would you go over and get that hazelnut flavored coffee creamer I bought?" she asked. "I thought I brought it over but evidently I didn't."

"Certainly," Edward said, heading towards their side of the house.

Michael ported Angus and himself back home, and they landed on the front porch. Angus wasn't steady on his feet, so it took him half a moment to steady himself. Michael didn't hesitate because he feared that Angus might well not stay on his feet, so he opened the door and brought Angus in, nearly running straight into Edward.

"Angus," Edward said, deeply relieved, instantly wrapping Angus close to him. Angus folded into Edward easily because, for him, Edward was home. He was safety. "You alright, Boy?" Edward asked. Angus nodded.

"I'm fine now," Angus said. Edward drew Angus's face up to look at him. Angus was filthy dirty, and he looked like he'd gone a couple rounds with the devil himself, but a shower, some clean clothes, and some food would go a long way to helping him look better. "Sorry. I'm grubby."

"You certainly are," Edward laughed. "And those stripes do nothing for you at all."

"Barnett said I should set them on fire," Angus said.

"Sounds like sound advice to me," Edward said.

"I know you all have been working nonstop on this," Angus told them, as Edward braced him up. "Thank you. It isn't any place I'm anxious to return to."

Ruby nodded to Edward and heard Simone when she saw Angus she smiled "I think a warm shower and rest with good food is in order" she said walking over to him. She gently placed a kiss on his cheek and smiled at him "Welcome home" she said softly to him leaving ehr han resting on his cheek for a moment before looking at Michael " The shower rooms clear I'll fetch some fresh towels" she smiled befre turning and heading to the closet beside their room to fetch towels and clean clothing for Angus. Moving down to the living room she lit the fire ready for the PJ he ahd been wearing. now happy to have him home.

After she'd mede everything ready she wasnted to let the girls know but decided they both needed rest so moved to sit facing Simone " Its good to have him home" she said " it still dosn't awnser who set him up though."

It was now Aria proted in and walked up to the door and knockd Ruby went and awnsered it " Aris , your back?" she asked and Aria nodded looking for Robert and glancing at Malcom and Jacob who stood by the bed.

"Hes taking a shower" Ruby said Aria nodded she aproved.

"It's good to be home," Angus told Ruby quietly, kissing her quickly. "Sorry, i don't want to get too close. I'm disgusting."

Marcus walked up to Angus.

"Well, good morning, Disgusting. I'm Marcus. I'll help you through a shower," Marcus teased.

"Yes, please," Angus said. Marcus took im upstairs and helped him get a shower without getting his incision wet. He helped him with a shave and then helped him with a clean pair of plain olive green pajama bottoms, and he brought him back downstairs and helped him to his own bed. "I'll get you some coffee while Robert tends to your dressing. It definitely needs changed," Marcus said.

"Thank you," Angus said. He didn't tell them that he had thought about that darned cup of coffee off and on during the night while he'd been trying unsuccessfully to sleep. "I smelled that coffee when I came in the door." Robert changed the dressing and made sure that Angus really wasn't much worse for wear. He found him a new magic wrap and a new sling for his arm to take the weight of his arm off his shoulder.

"Breakfast and then, perhaps, some sleep," Robert told him.

"Perhaps," Angus said, not arguing. His brain had been running almost nonstop wondering who had killed the workers and why they'd set him up for it.

The girls woke up and dressed and came upstairs. Ginger was hungry. Anise wasn't sure. She was still haunted by the werewolf she'd killed and was feeling that she had let Angus down, blaming herself for perhaps not being made of the right stuff to be a fighter after all. They came upstairs and when they did, Anise happened to glance over and saw Robert moving away from the bed, finishing with Angus, to throw the old dressing away. Marcus was setting a fresh cup of coffee on the nightstand for Angus. The sight of him made her eyes fill up with tears. Angus looked up at her, and he saw the tears.

"Come," he said quietly, motioning to her. She wanted to hesitate but her feet were already in motion, going to him. She sat down on the bed, and he folded her into a one armed hug. He brushed her tears away and looked into her face. "Tell me. What is it?"

"I'm sorry. I'm such a disappointment," she blurted out to him.

"You could never be a disappointment," he smiled. "What happened?"

"She was with me last night," Edward said as thunder and lightning filled the skies and rain began to pelt the doors and windows. "She had no choice. She took out a werewolf at our place in Tuscany, with one of your rapiers. It's a damned hard thing for a 16 year old kid." Angus kissed her forehead.

"Yeah, I get it," Angus nodded. "The first one is always so hard. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. You'll be alright, you know. Give yourself a bit. I guess it's going to be a day to be indoors. Maybe you and some of the others could get out a board game for a bit after breakfast. Get your mind off it."

"What's a board game?" she asked. Angus looked at Ruby. "I know there are a few board games somewhere here, aren't there? If not. there's a ton of them at the main house in that big linen closet in the upstairs hallway. Maybe you could teach them how to play a board game this morning, if you have the time."

Ruby smiled at Angus as he returned from his shower handing Marcus a cup of coffee for him. She watched smiling as the girls appeared and as Anise walked over to Angus. Moving to Anise she gently rubbed her back to comfort her. When Angus spoke of board games she smiled and nodded "Oh there are a few" She said, "I'll bring some from the store room, we have Monopoly, backgammon, chess, scrabble and a whole load of others too." Leaning closer to give Anise a gently hug she headed down to the room returning with her arms filled with board games " these my dear are board games, basical games played on a board." she said and chuckled " some I haven't played in years, chess is my favorate, its stratage based." she explained placing the boxes down one by one along with a box of lego whch she had picked up by mistake among the boxes.

"Can you show us how to play," Ginger said, dishing up herself a plate of egg casserole and taking an orange danish. "Sorry. I'm hungry." Angus had been glad that Ruby had stepped right up with nurturing and support and now she was taking the cue to help redirect the girls to something that would help Anise to embrace her human family and heal.

"You're being hungry is music to my ears," Robert told Ginger, coming to make his own plate. "Tuck in, Girl. Maybe you and I are going to be the only ones eating. That's okay. More for us."

"Go get yourselves some breakfast," Kate told the guards and Barnett. "There's plenty for all. And there's tea and coffee both. Help yourselves."

"Go get some breakfast," Angus told Anise gently. "And could you bring me a plate too?" He knew that anyone would have brought him a plate, but he had asked Anise deliberately, knowing that she would likely not have gotten herself a plate, but since he had asked, she would get a plate for him and for herself now. It was merely a means to get her to get some food. He caught just the very slightest glimmer of a smile on Marcus's face. He knew exactly what Angus was doing and why. Anise nodded and went over and fixed two plates. The rest seemed to follow suit and go to fix their plates. When Anise brought her plate and Angus over to Angus's bed, the rest of them started to just sit wherever they wanted to, not necessarily at the table. Marcus got out Angus's overbed table, and then he looked at Angus.

"Anything else you need?" he asked.

"If there's anything else, I'll get it," Anise said.

"Thanks," Marcus smiled, seeing Anise was already starting to feel a little better. "You're in good hands, Angus, so I'm going to get my plate before Ginger eats it all." Ginger giggled.

"So what's the best board game?" Ginger asked.

"Monopoly," Michael said. "Unless you play with Robert. He cheats."

"I only cheat when I play with you," Robert laughed.

"Why?" Michael frowned.

"Because it makes you rattled enough that you don't see me taking all your money and your properties legitimately without cheating, and you lose every freaking time," Robert laughed.

"Its true," Kate laughed. "That's how he's always gotten one over on you, Michael."

"Well, that's about to come to a screeching halt today," Michael said.

Ruby chuckled and smiled at Ginger " Of course" she said then saw her get her food "That's okay, we can play and eat " she said smiling happy to have Angus back and that Anise was almost herself again. Hearing Robert and Michael she laughed and placed down the board with the small pieces that you move " Okay Im the dog" she said showing Ginger the small silver dog piece " We have a train, a hat, a car and a boot" she said I think there's a cat in here someplace" she hunted for it and smiled placing it on the board.

Before everyone went to get their food Aria smiled seeing the family dynamics she looked at Jacob and Malcom and nodded. She looked at simone as she was offered food and nodded "Thank you its been a while since I stopped to actually eat, you two eat?" she said softly but then chuckled seeing them nod their heads then she moved to the counter " just a coffe please" she said turning to look at the board game.

Simone poured Aria a cup of coffee and plated her up a danish and handed them to her.

"Eat something," Simone told her, and then she went back to fix her own plate. The girls picked out tokens. Anise decided to be a hat and Ginger chose to be the boot. Michael decided to be the car, and Robert joined in, taking the train, since it was the only piece left.

"Are you the banker, Ruby?" Michael asked. Angus felt like the girls were in good hands, and he ate what he could of his breakfast and drank some of his coffee, but he was tiring. He gave up only about halfway through, and he laid back, feeling like, maybe, he could relax and sleep awhile and that maybe nobody would whisk him right back to his cell. He closed his eyes and drifted to sleep.

He hadn't been asleep more than about 45 minutes when he heard a huge explosive booming noise, the sound of someone arriving, and whoever they were, they were raging angry. It jolted Angus straight out of bed, accio'ing his wand and racing outside into a lightning storm in just pajama bottoms and barefeet before he had his eyes even open. At first he couldn't see who it was who had come and intruded. And then it registered. It was his own Uncle Basil, Edward's older brother, older than Edward by nine years. The eighty year old wizard actually looked precious little like Edward, except he carried more height even than Edward did. Anise and Ginger raced outside right after Angus.

"Oh, good," Basil said, with a sinister laugh. "This'll work out better than I hoped. Basil looked at the girls. "Go play, Kiddies. This is only for grownups." He flung a spell on them that sent them flying backwards towards the wall of the house.

"You don't get to touch my girls, Basil," Angus said, already gearing up for a fight.

"Mind your elders, Boy," Basil said, firing a spell and knocking Angus to the ground. "I'll kill you in good time, but you need to wait your turn."

"What on earth is this, Basil?" Edward took a position standing right beside Angus.

"I've come to take my inheritance from you, Little Brother," Basil said darkly. "And I can take several of you in one fell swoop, I think. You first, Brother, then your wife, and then the boy and all the rest...."

"Why? What did I ever do to you?"

"You took what was rightfully mine!" Basil shouted.

"What are you talking about? We all got an equal share of what Dad left us...."

"You got millions!..."

"No, I didn't. I got the same amount you did! I worked for my money..."

"It's mine, and I want it, and I'm not leaving here without it. If I do away with you and the woman, it's all mine...

"Not so fast, Braintrust," Angus said, struggling to his feet. "You'll have to get through me first."

"Piece of cake," Basil laughed.

Ruby chuckled and nodded "All right I'm the banker," she said but then hearing the boom dropped her pile of play money and looked to Simone " Simone please, get Caprice and stay in the nursery, it's protected Angus made it so." she said motioning to her as she heard Caprice whail from upstairs. Taking out her wand she walked out seeing Angus getting up off the floor from where he had been knocked Aria followed her as did the two Aurors.

"You'll have to get past us first," Ruby said standing behind Angus and let the man rabble on about inheritance as angry as she was she kept quiet beside Aria who smirked at the man then looked to Edward.

"you know this man?" she asked moving her jacket to show her badge as did the other men next to her.

"Basil Donohue. My older brother," Edward said.

"You don't get to play either, you poor little cow," Basil fired a spell at Barnett to knock her back even farther than he knocked the girls. Angus had seen Basil aim at Barnett, and he fired a fireball at Basil, catching his clothes on fire. Basil wasn't deterred, just annoyed. He flicked his fingers and cast a spell to put out the fireball and then fired a return spell at Angus, causing Angus's eyes to burn like fire, taking away his vision entirely. It wasn't a spell Angus was familiar with. Startled, Angus let out a sharp cry of pain, and Edward moved in front of Angus.

"Not my boy, not today, Basil," Edward was outraged.

"That's okay. You're boring me anyway," Basil laughed. Marcus apparated in front of Angus, ready to help Edward. "Oh, wait, maybe I'll take out the woman first." He aimed straight at Kate.

"I'm not his wife, you daft old codger," Kate snapped angrily. She fired a spell of her own doing, causing thousands of fire ants to race in all directions all over Basil. Basil was caught off guard, shouting in anger at being bitten all over by fire ants.

"She's mine, and you can't have her, you nut," Robert roared, apparating in and standing in front of Kate. Lying on the ground, Angus could hear exactly where Basil was standing. He heard Basil start to cast a spell under his breath, and he didn't like it. He'd seen it cast once before, with devastating consequences. It was a spell that poured a horrible acidic substance down on the opponent. The man he'd seen victimized by it had died a horrendous death.

"Sorry, Barnett," Angus called, knowing he only had one shot at this. He took aim at where he was sure Basil was standing. "Avada Kedavra!" He fired the unforgivable curse to save his family, his heart sinking, all hope of ever being a father to his kids or raising Caprice with Ruby. This would get him thrown into Azkaban for the rest of his life.

Edward saw the spell hit his brother in slow motion. He saw his brother's eyes go blank, and then saw his spirit rise up from his body, while Basil's body fell, dead before it hit the ground. Angus buried his face in the wet grass, knowing he'd made a direct hit, knowing his life as he knew it was completely over.

Ruby scowled at Basil but felt herself suddenly befpre she could cast patronus she was flung backwards hitting her head and knocking her out cold. Arai looked to the batty man in front of her and drew her wand but did not fire ..yet. Listening she heard the spell being mumbled and had a feeling what was about to happen "Turn around" she ordered her men just as Angus spoke those cursed words, once she heard the thump she turned back and looked down at Angus " hum seems he had a heart attack and died from over-excursion" she told him " he was past his prime, I'm sure you agree Edward" she said and looked at him. Looking down at Angus she knelt beside him "You should get inside and clean up again, anyone would think you enjoy being in the mud" she smirked at him and offered him her hand.

Helping Angus stand she looked to her two fellow Aurors " Our report will show that he dropped down dead after confronting you and assaulting Angus here and then Ruby also after confessing to harrassing you." She motioned to Jacob to help Ruby sit up seeing her stir on the ground.