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.
by 
