A Birth day

Yu nodded to Robert and smiled "We have some juice boxes in the fridge and his cup is on the sink clean" Yu said as Jessie sat down on the couch as Cris asked about Angus.

" yes, of course, he can see Angus tomorrow if he wants," Jessie said " Im thinking he went to tend to his sons and daughters who will be back from work and hungry," he said with a chuckle to them as he held Cris gently. Yu brought some paper and the pencils to low coffee table and set them down if Cris wanted to draw. He also saw Robert calm Cris and nodded he understood what he was doing but said nothing.

In the midst of this, there was a knock on the door. Robert went over to the door and opened it ,and he saw Michael there with a large glass jar.

"Mission complete," Michael said. "Now what the hell do I do with him? He's too small to make frog legs out of him." He held up the jar that had some leaves, a stick and clinging to the stick was a tiny green frog not even quite two inches long.

"One American Tree Frog," Robert smiled. "Cris?" The boy looked up, and Robert motioned to him to come. Cris got up and walked to the door. Michael held down the jar, and Cris looked inside.

"Pickle!" Cris shouted. "Pickle! Este Pickle!"

"Congratulations, it's a frog," Robert said to Jessie and Yulong, teasingly. "Well, maybe that explains why a tall 33 gallon reptile tank was delivered to the kitchen next door. And a jar of bugs. That tank is big enough for a whole army of tree frogs."

Jessie let Cris go to Micahel and chuckled at Robert's response " yeah we .." he stared but Yu stopped him talking and walked to Cris.

"Cris I put something in your room for Pickles and Im sure he'll love it more than that jar" he looked at Segio or Anna to translate for him then moved to his door and opened it to show a tank for frogs set up in his room " I fixed it up earlier while you were out having your picnic," he said and smiled to Cris "Murături acasă," he said then motioned to the sign that said Pickles home. Jessie chuckled to Yu and moved to the tank opening the top he waited to see if Cris would put Pickles in it.

Cris took the jar from Michael and looked at him.

"Mulțumesc," he said timidly to Michael, thanking him.

"Cu plăcere," Michael replied with a smile. Cris tapped on the jar, and the little frog started to make a croaking sound that actually sounded almost like a tiny car horn honking. Cris made a very similar sound in reply and the frog chirped back at him. Cris opened the jar, reached inside, and the little frog hopped up on Cris's hand. Cris stroked the tiny frog a few times and then put the frog in the tank. Robert took the bug jar, cast an immobilus spell on it so the bugs couldn't fly out, and then picked up two or three bugs and put them in the tank with the frog, replacing the lid on the bug jar.

"So that's how you don't have five hundred bugs in the living room," Michael said.

"Precisely," Robert said, taking the immobilus spell off the bugs. Cris watched the frog eat one bug, and that seemed to be enough for Cris to know that Pickle was just fine. "Do I want to know how you found exactly the right frog?"

"You know damned well how I found that exact frog," Michael said. "Oh. And here." He handed Michael a thick envelope, and then Michael excused himself and left. Robert knew. Michael had broken into Cris's family's house and stolen the frog, along with some family photos and some important documents like Cris's birth certificate, and some other non related things so that it looked like a routine burglary. Robert would hang onto the photos and documents until such time as he could share with Jessie and Yulong that he had them.

"I think this is well in hand now. Do make sure Cris gets supper, and I would give him the dreamless sleep potion tonight again," Robert said. "As for me, I'm hungry. I'm going to go see what Nicky has prepared before Jack eats it all."

"We'll come with you," Sergio said. "Thank you, Jessie and Yulong. I'm sure we'll see you later." He looked at Cris. "Noapte bună, Cris."

"La revedere," Cris said. Sergio and Ana and Robert left, leaving Jessie and Yulong alone with Cris.

Jessie smiled as he watched Pickles move to Cris's hand as he placed it in the jar and then move to the tank for him. He also saw how Robert froze the bugs and moved them into the tank then unfroze them for pickles. He was aware of the envalope Michael passed to Robrt but chose to not say anything to them about it. " of course" Yu said " supper is in the kitchen already I prepped it before you came" he said " and the dreamless potion it ready" he added knowing Jessie would have forgot.

Jessie smiled seeing Pickles settling into his new home and he smiled at Cris then he looked at Sergio and Anna " thanks for seeing Cris and again your welcome here anytime" he said smiling as he walked with them to the door " I hope your son gets better" he said glancing back at Cris who Yu was pointing at Pickleas with Yu.

Angus was spent. He had gone home, and Marcus had stepped in straight away to take care of things.  He poured Angus a firewhiskey, and Angus sat down for a moment, checking the clock. The kids would be back in just a few minutes, and Angus hadn't started supper.

"I'm going to make an executive decision," Marcus said. "I'm ordering pizza. You're not cooking tonight."

"Thank you," Angus said. "I know most of what you do here is not the job of a bodyguard. I am sorry about that. Truly, but I really appreciate everything you do--even though I don't say it enough."

"I am always happy to step in and help a friend. Sit and relax while you have a little quiet. I'll order the pizza," Marcus said. "The kids are probably going to want to talk about their first days at a job." Marcus ordered pizza, and Angus drank his first firewhiskey in a gulp or two and poured a second.  "Easy, Mate," Marcus said gently. "Guzzling firewhiskey isn't going to mix with an empty stomach and sleep deprivation."

"I'm sorry. You're right," Angus said. he wanted a cigarette, but he didn't light one, knowing Sam would be critical. Angus drifted away in his own thoughts for a moment, replaying the scene he'd seen in sickbay, and hearing Cris's scream over and over in his head. And then someone was touching his shoulder. He looked up and saw Robert there.

"Penny for your thoughts," Robert said.

"You'd be overcharged," Angus gave him a tired smile.

"You were good with the boy this afternoon," Robert said. "I was proud of you."

"I was proud of him. That's a damned adult stance to take for a kid," Angus said.

"He felt comfortable in doing it because he had people around him that he's starting to trust. That doesn't come easy to a kid whose lost his family, as you know."

"I was proud of Sergio and Ana too," Angus said.

"They'd have had to be completely heartless not to be affected at that moment," Robert said. "That wasn't so hard to figure out, but regardless of how it happened, their choice to wrap themselves around that little boy is going to prove to be huge for him."

"That's just who they are," Angus said. "If it is something for the benefit of a kid, they're all in."

"I'm going to mix up a potion for you tonight so you can get some rest," Robert said. "I think you need to turn in early, and I'm going to ask Marcus to make sure you get it. I think if you get a good night's sleep, you'll feel like a new man in the morning."

"Robert, does Kate speak Romanian?"

"Not fluently, but enough to get by if she had to, why do you ask?"

"Cris has artistic talent far beyond his years, like seriously advanced. I think he is artistically very gifted. And he loves to sketch. I'd like him to meet Kate and for her to look at some of his sketches."

"Okay. I'll tell her..." he said, as the kids walked in the door from their workday. Angus expected them to be wound up, but they all appeared tired, almost as tired as he felt. "They'll be fine, Dad," Robert smiled, a little amused. "This is their first taste of working a full day. They'll have to get used to it." Angus nodded.

"Have you seen anything of Edward or Simone? Or Caprice?" Angus asked.

"No, but I'm sure they'll be home shortly. If they're not, you let me know," Robert said. He went over to the counter and mixed up a potion for Angus. He poured it into a dose cup and showed it to Marcus. "Give it to him once he's into bed," Robert said. "It'll act quickly."

"Understood," Marcus said, setting it out of anyone's way but his own. Robert left as the pizza arrived. Marcus set it out, with some paper plates and some cans of soda to keep things easy. The kids were delighted. Angus talked with them about how their days had gone and provided them with a great deal of praise and encouragement. The kids were tired enough that they headed to the showers after supper.

It was then that Edward and Simone came home with Caprice. Angus was more than a little relieved. Caprice had been fed but she was getting tired. Edward was watching Angus with deep concern. He handed Caprice to Marcus, and it was Edward that talked Angus into heading to bed early. Marcus handed the potion to Angus so he could take it upstairs with him, and Edward went along to give him a hand to change and get into bed.

Edward came down about ten minutes later.

"How was he?" Marcus asked as he finished changing Caprice into a sleep sack.

"I don't think he said five words. I think he was just too damned tired. He almost didn't need a sleep potion but I gave it to him anyway since Robert wanted him to have it," Edward said.

"It's for the best. It was a long day today," Marcus said.

"Alright, well, it looks like it's all under control here, so I'll head back to my place. Goodnight, Marcus," Edward said.

Jesie and Yu gave Cris his supper and some dreamless potion then after a warm bath they dressed him in dino pj's and placed him in bed next to Pickles. Jessie kissed Cris head and smiled at him. He left teh light on in the tanl to act as a night light but didn't leave until Cris was sound asleep. He moved slowly and quietly to the door and stepped out leaving it slightly open so they would hear if he woke in the night.

After ceaning up they both headed to bed ready for the next day both falling asleep imidiatly.

Next morning Yu was up first and he set about making cinnomon packcakes for every one and setting the tablke. He smiled as he saw Crish walk into the room and sit at the table he placed a plate down then sat facing him with his spoon of wolfsbane. Letting Cris take the spoon again he watched as he took it then tucked into his pancakes. Jessie walked in soon after and smiled seing Yu and Cris.

"Im taking Cris to see Kate this morning in her studio, Im thinking she could bring out more of his artistic side" he said to Yu who looked to Cris and nodded.

"makes sense since shes artistic too." he said " oh hes had his wolfsbane, now you" he said and Jessie sighed taking out his flask he downed his dose pulling a face that made Cris chuckle.

Simone was up early and she had made a large batch of fresh chocolate chips scones, and she saw that Angus' kids were up and fending for themselves this morning. She took over some scones for them, as they were dividing up the rest of the pizza and packing cold pizza for their lunches.

"That's really what you want for lunch?" she asked them.

"Cold pizza's good," Sam told her. She scrunched up her nose.

"It really is good," Victor said. "You've never tried it?"

"No thanks," she laughed. "Is your dad up yet?"

"No, not yet," Sam said. "He didn't say he was tired but we all knew it. He could barely keep his eyes open last night. Maybe he'll get to sleep in a little this morning."

"Maybe," she agreed, going to make coffee as the kids each grabbed a fresh scone. "Coffee will be ready in a minute."

"Thanks," Anise said as the baby started to cry upstairs. She was going to go upstairs to get her, but she saw Angus trudging sleepily from the master bedroom over to the nursery to go find out what the issue was.

"That can't be good," Sam laughed. "He's still 99% asleep."

"I bet he'll still manage just fine," Anise said. A moment later, they saw Angus taking Caprice over to the bathroom, cussing under his breath.

"Diaper blowout," Ginger said. "And he's not happy."

"Clearly not," Simone said. "I'll go up and get some fresh clothes. I noticed he didn't take any." She went upstairs and she saw why he wasn't happy. The crib was one big catastrophic mess and even the floor around the crib was a mess. She took the messy crib sheet off and put it in the hamper and then set a cleaning spell in place for the crib and the floor. After she had that done, she took a clean diaper and some clean clothes into the bathroom where Angus was trying to bathe Caprice one handed.

"Could I help you?" Simone asked softly.

"I thought I could manage," he said, "but..."

"It really does take two hands, my dear," she said. "Go get some coffee. I'll finish this and then do up the sheets and her sleep sack. It's alright. Go get some coffee and a fresh chocolate chip scone."

"You baked? Thanks," he said.

Downstairs, Marcus came in from an early run and saw that the kids were up.

"Coffee's ready," Sam told him. "And Simone brought some chocolate chip scones. And they're still warm."

"Is your dad up?"

"Sorta," Sam said. "Probably up to his elbows in poop. Diaper blowout upstairs. He's not happy. Simone went up to give him a hand. Uh oh. Time for us to go."

"Go ahead. We'll get your dad and the baby all sorted," Marcus told them. The kids picked up their lunches and shoved the rest of their scones in their mouths and dashed out the door, with Finn running along behind them.

Once breakfast was done Jessie offered his hand to Cris and tok him to get dressed in jeans , a dino teeshirt Angus had brought and some dino trainers then after a quick brush of his hair Jessie took Cris by the hand and walked to the door and opened it pausing he pointed to the duplex then together they walked over to it seeing the boys and girls head out to work.

Yu busyied himself cleaining up the kitchen of breakfast plates befoer he went on patrol. He did make a quick cake so Jessie and Cris would have something when they got back.

Simone bathed and dressed Caprice, and Angus went downstairs, still wearing just his pajama bottoms, and he poured himself a cup of coffee.

"That is definitely not a way to wake up," Marcus said gently to Angus. "Could I get you a scone?"

"Not yet, thanks," Angus said, as Simone came downstairs and put the baby in her high chair and then got a jar of rice cereal and one that was a peach and pear puree and she warmed them and then fed Caprice.

When Cris got to the duplex, he didn't wait for Jessie. He just opened the door and went in, without invitation. Seeing Angus he ran over to him and crawled up on his lap. He was looking at Angus's muscles.

"Puternic," Cris said to Angus, pointing to Angus's muscles. Angus nodded.

"He's noticed Angus's muscles," Marcus laughed, telling Jessie.

"Ce anume munceşti?" Cris asked.

"Salvez copii aflați în necazuri," Angus replied.

"Ca mine?" Cris pointed to himself. Angus nodded.

"Mă bucur că ai venit," Cris replied.

"Şi eu," Angus said.

"He asked Angus what he did for a living, and Angus told him he rescues children in trouble. Cris said he's glad we came," Marcus said. Cris touched some of the scars on Angus's chest and arms that he could see, and he looked at Angus questioningly.

"Munca mea este periculoasă uneori, dar merită," Angus told him.

"He told Cris that the work is dangerous sometimes but Angus feels it's worth it, and Cris wants to know if Angus is a police man."

"Cam. Sunt polițist privat. Mulți dintre noi aici suntem ofițeri de poliție privați. Deci ce vrei sa faci azi?"

"A desena," Cris grinned.

"And Angus just him that he's a private police officer, like most of us here are. He asked Cris what he wants to do today, and Cris said he wants to draw."