A Birth day

Robert apparated in and found himself standing in the forbidden forest, with a body on the ground, and Angus was consoling a man who was sobbing in his shoulder. Fenrir looked like he'd been hit with a speeding sawmill.

"They have many injured," Marcus said softly to Jack and to Robert. "Fenrir says some aren't going to survive. The body is Anise's and Ginger's mother. James killed her very early this morning. That's their father Angus is with. James' pack attacked right when daylight was starting to break, so some of them were already changed back. They need as much help as we can give them."

"They clearly do," Robert said. He was angry for the victims of this pack. He knew for a fact that when a werewolf transfigured back after a long night, he was exhausted. They'd struck when Fenrir's pack was the most vulnerable. Robert looked at Fenrir.

"Greyback," Robert said, nodding, in a respectful sort of greeting.

"Lupin," Fenrir returned the greeting.

"Your pack needs a safe place to rest and recover. They need sanctuary, at least temporarily. You're welcome to come back to the estate to the same camp you had so your pack can rest and mend--and grieve," Robert said.

"You would do that for us?"

"Of course," Robert said. "I have healers and supplies and food. I have what you need."

"The girls' father has given Angus guardianship of the girls because he says he can't care for them without Phoebe," Marcus told Jack very quietly. "And he wants Angus to bury Phoebe somewhere where the girls can visit their mother's grave. We're going to have to have a lot of help to move them under these circumstances. Or we're going to have to triage them and make several trips."

"We need Jess," Robert said. "Can you summon her, Jack? We need Jess to triage them so we can get the most severely wounded moved first. We'll take them temporarily back home, out to the yard, and we'll do some emergency care there until we can get a camp set up. They know where the camp was. If the best of them can start to set up a camp, we can tend the injured, provide them with food and clothing and supplies. Jack, you may have to help them move those who are too badly hurt to move themselves, but we'll depend on Jess to decide who gets moved first. We'll have Nigel and Brian at the house, ready to tend the injured. Khaat can help if she can shut up that damned necklace of hers. Where are the girls?"

"Hogsmeade with Jessie," Marcus said. "They were going to Honeydukes."

"Get hold of your father somehow. Don't let them go back home yet. And Angus, send for Edward. You two do something with Phoebe for now."

"Go," Angus told Marcus, as he summoned Edward. Marcus nodded. He apparated to the kitchen of Honeydukes and saw Jessie and the girls enter the shop and start to look around. He gave a soft whistle, and Jonathan turned around and went into the back. Marcus spoke with him.

Edward got Angus's summons, and he immediately apparated out to go to wherever Angus was.

Jack stood and listened to Robert but didn't have time to react as Jess appeared right beside him " damn seers abilitys" he said Jess just chuckled and went to Anise and Gingers father placing her hand on him in reasurance she then to Fenrir touching him gently.

" I'll get to it, Fenrir will you alow me to enter your camp to treat your pack?" she asked him having healed some of Fenrirs injuries.

Jessie walked over to some chocolate frogs and chuckled seeing the cards that could come with them. " what about some beans?" he asked themlooking at the counter for Johnothan so he could let him know to add the sweets to Angus's account but didn't see him and shrugged.

"Jess," Robert said. "I need you to start triaging them. Don't work on healing yet. Triage them so we can get them out of here and back to the estate as fast as possible."

"Yes, on Lupin's word, yes," Fenrir said.

"She's Jack's female. You can trust her," Angus said. Fenrir nodded. Angus's word was now good with Fenrir too. Edward arrived, and he saw the body on the ground, and he saw Fenrir had had a close brush with death himself, surely. Edward went over to the man with Angus and started to talk to him to soothe him, and the man let go of Angus and started to calm because of Edward.

Jonathan had received Angus's message and Marcus had used Jonathan's floo to send word back to the estate to prepare for the pack to return, and with numerous serious injuries. That would mobilize Nigel, Khaat, Brian and any others they could find. Marcus had gone to go back to the forest, and Jonathan came out front now.

"Well, well! Good morning, Ladies. Hello Jessie! What can I do for you this morning?" Jonathan asked cheerfully.

With Marcus back, Angus was able to go back to the camp to see what help he could be at helping the camp pack to leave again. He hadn't considered what he ight see, though. He had seen carnage before, but these weren't just men. There were women and children too. There was blood and gore everywhere. James hadn't discriminated. He had gone after them all. These people had come as close to being slaughtered by James as anything Angus had ever seen. These were Anise's and Ginger's family. Their people. It blindsided him and overwhelmed him. The intense grief Angus felt in that moment made his knees buckle for a moment. Edward and Marcus bolstered him quickly.

"Close your eyes," Marcus told him quickly. ""Close your eyes and breathe. Give yourself just half a tick."

"These are my daughters' people..." Angus said.

"And so are you," Edward said. "They aren't alone. We're here. You brought them help." Angus nodded, breathing, pulling himself together. "You're a fine father, you know that? Come on. We've got work to do."  They set in to do whatever they could to help the wounded pack all the things that belonged to the pack so the pack could evacuate once more.

Jess nodded to Robert " right away" she said turning to enter the camp and begin triaging people into seerious and non seriously injured , almost haf the pack had some sort of injury but six were the worst three males and women. Jack followed Jess and Angus he paused seeing how bad the group were and was glad Robert ofered them scatuary at their grounds again. He saw Angus go down and Marcus move to him. He heard Marcus and waked close to him " I agree with him Angus, your a danm good father." he said as he saw Jess dive around puling the more seriously injured into one tent to treat.


Jessie saw Johnathan and smiled " there you are, Angus said they could what they want on his account" he said and turned back to look at the girls just intime to see a chocolate frog jump from one of the boxes onto Ginger he could not help but chukle at the sight.

"That's fine, of course. Any time," Jonathan said.

"And Angus is looking to make a thing," Anise said. "A moose? Some chocolate thingy. He wanted special chocolate." Ginger rolled her eyes at Anise.

"Mousse, you nitwit. He's not making a moose. He wants to blend some really good bittersweet and semi sweet to make a super dark chocolate mousse," Ginger told Jonathan.

"Ah. Yes. I try to keep some special chocolate for people like Michael and Angus that want specific things for special occasions. Why don't you all come into the back, and I'll show you what I have and maybe we can come up with some different dark chocolates to take back to him? We can do a chocolate tasting."

"A chocolate tasting? Really?" That was music to Anise's ears. She looked at Jessie. "I'm so in."

"Me too," Ginger said.

"Then come on back," He motioned them to come back to the kitchen. "Pull up some stools to the work table, and I'll get some things out to show you."

"Thanks," Angus told them. "I...didn't have my head in the game. Sorry. I'm fine."

"No apologies needed, Mate. We're all dads too. We get it,' Marcus told him. Angus had rallied after taking a breath. He knew he was no shrinking violet. He had merely needed a moment. Now, he was back to himself, the fighter that was strong, steady, immovable. At one point, he ended up beside Edward.

"I'm supposed to take Phoebe and...and find a good place for her--for the girls," he told Edward.

"The girls are family. That means she's family," Edward looked at him steadily. "We'll take her home to Tuscany with the rest of the family. He can visit her any time he wants, and so can the girls." Angus thought about it. It was a good plan. Edward was going to give her a full funeral, and a place in the family grave site at the estate. The grave would be perpetually well tended and cared for. It was a very good plan indeed.

"Thank you," Angus said.

"Angus, send for at least two more," Robert called to him. Angus's mind flashed to two that he knew he could trust. ANd then he summoned Sergio and Ana. They appeared in seconds, and without missing a beat, they stepped in to help.

"We're taking them all to the estate," Angus called. "We need to move them as fast as we can."

"We're on it," Sergio called. Marcus and Angus began helping to apparate some of them back and forth but by about the fourth trip, Angus was tiring.
Evan had only just arrived but when he saw Angus was in some sort of a mess, he left his bag right inside the door and called to Yulong.

"Yu! They're in trouble. They need help," Evan called. He ran over to Marcus and Angus and the bloodied people they had with them.

"Over here," Brian motioned to where they had lawn chairs sitting out to have people sit so they could be tended. "Bring the wounded over here."

"Are there more?" Evan asked Angus. Angus nodded.

"He's alright. Just tired,' Marcus said. "This is our forth trip back with some."

"Where do I go? How can I help?" Evan said.

"It's gory," Marcus warned him.

"Don't care. I'll take his place. Take him inside. I'll go with you. He's tired," Evan said. Marcus took Angus to the porch, as Simone stepped outside.

"He's drained," Marcus said. "Can you and Angus take care of the baby, and I'll take Evan with me?"

"Of course," Simone said. She helped Angus inside, and Marcus took Evan with him.

Jessie smiled at Jonathon as Ginger and Anise spoke of the mouse Angus was going to make " yeah Yu Long is making a light fluffy cake for the boys when thy come hom after graduating, its a family meal" he said but watched him as he offered to take them into the back to show then the chocolates, he'd not heard of that happening but was haopy the girls were having fun.

Jack looked at Angus and nodded " Marcus is right " he said moving to Jess who directed him to who he could aperatre back to the camp on Roberts grounds while she tended to the more serious injured. Yu had Caprice in his arms as he saw Angus and Marcus apear with sevral hurt people. Turning to look at Simone he handed Caprice to her " I have to help" he said and headed over to them to help with Angus as some of the crew ran over to help the pack members. It wasn't long before Jack apeared with more people.

"I'm fine, Yu. Go with Marcus," Angus said. "They're in the forbidden forest. James attacked Fenrir's pack, and Anise's and Ginger's mom is dead, while the rest of the pack is injured or dying. They need as much help as we can give them. Go help Robert and the others bring them back here. Hurry."

Simone laid the baby on her play mat on the floor and hurried to the door.
"I've got Angus. You all go. We'll be fine," Simone told them, seeing Sergio and Ana arrive with some wounded. She helped Angus inside and to his chair.

"I wasn't much help," he told Simone breathlessly.

"Wasn't much help?" She echoed. "Angus, you responded to Fenrir's SOS. You went. You summoned help. And if I know you, you've already thought of protecting the girls from being traumatized, and you've thought of Phoebe and her husband too." Angus nodded. "And I'm sure that wasn't all. I'm sure you put in as much work as you could until you just couldn't do any more." Angus nodded.

"Rest a moment. You'll feel better," she said. "I'll get you some tea and then go make up another guest room on our side for Sergio and Ana, in case they stay. You just rest a moment and regain yourself." She brought him a mug of tea and then hurried to the guest rooms on her side to make sure the other two guest rooms that hadn't been refreshed on her side were at the ready.

And it was now that Angus thought of Ruby again. This would be in the Daily Prophet at some point, and he didn't want her to read it in the papers. He wanted her to know from him, but he didn't want to disturb her work. So instead, he wrote a note to Jeffrey.

"Jeffrey, I leave it to your discretion on how and when to tell Ruby, but the werewolf pack that Anise and Ginger came from was attacked in the wee hours this morning by a dark werewolf she knows of well, James Blood.

"Anise and Ginger's mother, Phoebe, was killed. Most of the rest of the pack is injured, many are in either serious or critical condition. We are providing the pack with sanctuary at the estate, along with emergency medical care, food, and more. The girls' father is devastated and has surrendered the girls to me, feeling he can't care for them alone, and I now have guardianship of them. If Ruby wants, I will find a way to add her to the guardianship, but if she chooses her life to go in a different direction, I will understand. I merely wanted to let her make her own choice. Their father just could not remember her name, and he sends his apologies.

"The girls do not know yet. I will break that news to them myself soon. They're out with Jessie right now. Edward and I will be taking Phoebe's body to Tuscany where we will have a family funeral in a couple days, I expect, and bury her there so her body will be safe and protected and the girls will have a safe place to go visit her if they choose. I do not expect her to interrupt her work for this, but I know the girls are important to her, so if you think she would want to know, I leave it to your discretion to pass this on to her.

With Sincere Thanks,
Angus"

He thought about it for a moment before actually sending it, and then he opened a floo channel to Jeffrey and sent the letter through.

Yu looked back at Simone and then to Angus as he stood with him " all right" he said and aperated to the forbidden forest finding Jess sorting the pack out . " take those three to the camp , the've been treat" she told himand he nodded , Taking their hands he aperated them to the camp and got them settled returning to repeat until only the critical were left " we need these in St Mungos" she told him " staff have been informed theres a special ward for them, with the best care" she said Yu and Jessie lifted the litter and aperated to St Mungos where a nurse waited with a gurney to put them on once done they aperated back and returned six more times the last time Jack arrived with Jess who immidiatly went to work, Jack Jessie and Yu aperated back to the Duplex all went to find Angus and check on him.

Ruby had heard what had happened from Jeffery and sat stunned in her room. Taking a pen she began replying to Angus. " Angus my love, I recived word of what happened from Jeffery, As saddened as I am for the girls lose, we of course will take the girls and I would be honered to have them as my daughters, I think of them as they are already. just as you took my brothers for me I will do the same for them. Give the girls my condolances and how now I wish I was with them to hold them close in their time of need, but I know your there and your doing a great job of being a father to them.

Tuscany is a great resting place for her, she was a wonderful woman and mother to her daughters. As for her father not remebering my name I am in no way offended by it as I wasn't there long enough to get to know him.

As for us I will be coming home to you, the boys and the girls, all of you are my world, I can not give up on it. As Jeffery told me once, this was a bump in the road we travel together and that we have to over come and learn from it, just like me with this Anxiety, Take care Angus and stay the strong wonderful man and father I know you are.

Love Ruby

She placed it in an envalope and went to find Jeffery so he could send it back to Angus.

When the last had been delivered to the estate, along with everything the pack owned, Evan and Edward delivered Phoebe to Tuscany, and they contacted a wizarding funeral home to prepare Phoebe for the family to see her and also for a proper burial. Edward officially identified the body so Angus wouldn't have to come and do it, and he gave permission for them to close and conceal any wounds that the girls would see, in an effort to protect them. Edward chose one of Simone's dresses for Phoebe to have, along with a couple pieces of relatively inexpensive jewelry. He arranged for flowers, and he chose a pretty spot in the family cemetery for her and arranged for a headstone.

Robert, meanwhile, had returned to the estate, and he and Nigel were doing emergency surgeries in the yard behind privacy screens that had been set up.  Khaat and Brian were tending to as many other wounds as they could and dispensing pain medications and calming potions.  

Kate was offering a lot of comfort to the smaller children as she could. She had ordered blankets, a big shipment of stuffed animals, and some children's books, coloring books and crayons, along with plenty of children's brightly colored flashlights in case these children were traumatized at night and needed some control of their own. She was telling stories, providing hugs and wiping away a lot of tears. She had opened Abbey's play yard and tree house for them to de-stress with.

Michael had come, and he had Daniella with him. The two of them were doing light first aid with non sting antiseptics, plasters, butterfly strips and other bandages for minor wounds. Nicky and Shannon and Zoe were serving coffee, tea, burgers, and other foods to the survivors. Owens and a woman from the Paris office had come bringing soap, basins of hot water, and fresh clothes for men, women and children, and they'd taken bedsheets and hung them between the trees to make temporary private bathing screens. A couple of others from Paris had set up some temporary cots with pillows and blankets in the yard for the wounded or the exhausted to rest.

Some of the work crew had gone with those pack members who were able to set up camp, and they'd stepped in and worked right alongside the werewolves to set up tents and cots and to re-establish the pack's camp back at the same spot in the northwest quadrant that they had been in before.

Fenrir himself had initially refused treatment but he was not as able as he wanted to be to help the pack re-establish the camp because of his injuries. He had accepted some coffee, though, and was sitting off to the side, alone, drinking coffee, and watching the humans who were extending all manners of kindnesses to the members of his pack who were all looking emotionally shattered and broken.

Robert himself had tended to Phoebe's husband, while the pack had made their first priority to set up his tent for him with his bed and then setting up Fenrir's tent. Robert had found out, finally, that the man's name was Dennis. Dennis Hawthorn. Dennis hadn't been willing to communicate much with the humans before, but now he didn't have the resolve to stay distant. Robert took the time to take Dennis to his tent at the camp, and he helped him to the tent with a sedative to help Dennis get past feeling like he had lost everything that mattered in his life. The pack members who were there were no stranger to death, and they reassured Dennis that he still mattered and he still had value to them. When Robert went back to the yard, Dennis was asleep in his tent, with the pack members tending to him.

When Robert got back to the yard, he went over to Fenrir with a second cup of coffee for him.

"Your pack is alright now," Robert told him. "Will you let me treat your wounds now? It's going to be important for them to see you're recovering."  Fenrir hesitated, and Robert believed he knew why. There were bloodstains everywhere on Fenrir's clothing. It would mean disrobing and in front of strange humans. Fenrir needed tending everywhere. "Come. Let's find some privacy, and I'll take care of it, and we'll get you some fresh clothes." It took a great deal of patience and time on both their parts. Fenrir had not had any medical attention in many, many years, and Robert was going to take care of every issue he found in the old man as he found them. He distracted Fenrir with conversation about James, the ambush on the pack, and the pack's present needs, and Robert just took care of a good many health issues, both new and some that had been longstanding for the elderly werewolf.

"Why are you doing this for me? You know what I did to your brother, don't you?" Fenrir asked him.

"I remember it vividly," Robert said, continuing to work. "It changed my entire family forever. That does not negate the fact that I am a healer and I took an oath to help the sick and injured. And so here we both are."

"We are again in your debt."

"No, you aren't. My door is always open for an ally."

"Allies," Fenrir rolled the concept around in his mind for a moment. "Well, perhaps at least not enemies for the moment." Robert flashed him an amused smile.

"Starting to feeling better?"

"I admit. I am," Fenrir said. "And now, I must go tend to my pack."

"Not naked, surely," Robert said, handing him a fresh set of clothes. "Wait here. I'll be back in a moment. Fenrir nodded and dressed while Robert left him for a moment. Robert had Nicky pack a takeaway meal for Fenrir. Robert took it back to him and handed it to him. "I know you have to be hungry. Take it with you." Fenrir took a couple steps away and then stopped and turned to look at Robert

"Give my regards to the Donohue boy. He is trusted now amongst us," Fenrir said to him.

"I'll tell him," Robert replied, sensing that, for a pack to recognize a human with such trust was a bit of an honor, . Fenrir got up and left to walk up to the woods towards his pack.

Angus, meanwhile, was reading Ruby's note. He wasn't surprised to hear she intended to return, but it was still good to hear her say it. He heard the baby start to fuss, and he looked to see she'd chucked her toy away, so he flicked his finger at it and returned it to her.  Simone had made a huge pot of Robert's almond tea and she'd made a stack of sloppy joe sandwiches, with a huge bowl of hot crispy chips, and she'd set out a large platter of snickerdoodle cookies that she had dipped in chocolate. She had set out some malt vinegar and some mayonnaise for anyone who wanted it with their chips. She refreshed Angus's tea as he finished reading Ruby's letter. When she saw Jack, Jessie, and Yulong coming, she opened the door.

"Come in, Fellows, and go wash your hands," she told them. "I've made you a bite of lunch. I know it's been a hard morning, so I made you a hot lunch. Wash up, and then come tuck in and relax a little." As they came in, she told them, "He's alright. He sent word to Ruby, and I think that's her response he's reading."

At Honeydukes, they had completed their chocolate tasting, had a large tin of several sorts of chocolates for Angus, and the girls had each bought just a little bit of candy for themselves. They'd each bought a couple of chocolate frogs, and Anise had bought a little box of chocolate flies, while Ginger had bought a box of chocolate peppermint toads. And they had bought a pound of fudge for Angus, Edward, and Simone to share. They were anxious to get home, though. now.

Yu, Jack, and Jessie went to the kitchen and each took a turn washing their hands clean of dirt and sweat. Jack poured a cup of tea and smiled as he took a sip as walked over to Angus "All okay?" he asked as Yu brought over a plate for Jack who gratefully accepted it.

"We got everyone who was in camp moved, the worst is with Robert, Kate, and Jess being looked after and tended to." he said taking a bit of food "Gosh this is delicious Simone " he said taking another bite. " I saw Fenrir being tended to as well by Robert, he's mellowed, " Jack said as Yu sat down to eat as well.

" Seeing the children you wonder how some on could harm them" he said softly " some lost fathers and brothers, but they acepted our help with out hesitation." he bit into his sloppy joe sandwich and chuckled at the taste " this is a slopy joe?" he asked and hummed " intresting texture." he added as Jack seem to inhale his sandwich next to him.