A Birth day

Jack watched as Marcus, Micahel and Evan were brought aboard and no sooner his feet touched the boards of the ship than he was whisked away. Jack watched as Michael and Marcus walked over to him "Yeah, I'd rather he not end up as shark bait ." he said and chuckled " one of those .. men shot at him with a spear gun, it just a graze, One of the crew looked at him but I think his shoulders hurting him too." he heard Michael and nodded " agreed I could eat a whole hypogriff" he said and chuckled " I'll show you where he is" he said and walked them down to the cabin. he had heard Michaels praise but took it as part of his job and watching over a freind who would have done the same for him.

Entering the cabin where Angus was he stepped back to let Michael and Marcus walk in first . He smiled as he saw the relife on Angus 's face as he moved to sit down on one of the couches.

"How's Evan?" Angus asked.

"I'll check on him for you," Marcus said.

"Thank you. All of you," Angus said. "I know its what we do, but I could not have begun to do any of this without you all. I'm glad you're here. I'm sure that when we get to shore we're going to be swarmed with women..."

"Why did the way you said that sound a lot more inviting than it's actually going to be?" Michael laughed.

"Because these women are not coming for entertainment or because of our stellar good looks. They're going to be beside themselves and all out in our business," Angus replied with a cheeky grin.

"Exactly," Marcus said.

"I'll contact the chef and have him just fix supper for us. I think they're probably not going to move Evan for hours. He could be on the decompression mask for eight to twelve hours, and that would take us to, probably breakfast or after breakfast before he'd be clear to be free of it," Angus said. "We can stay onboard in the slip at shore, and we'd be just fine."

"I have suites rented for everyone but you and me and Michael at the hotel next to the office."

"Jack, if you don't join Jess there, you're missing a stay at one of the finest five star hotels anywhere around here," Angus said. "I would expect Tara will want to stay with Evan. I may have to bring the kids here. I don't know that I want them alone tonight, and its entirely too much to expect Jessie and Yulong to handle getting adjusted to a new son and to care for my five.

"Four," Marcus corrected. "I think I overheard that Caprice is with Rosaria."

"Well, first things first. I'll order supper for...um...about 14, unless my kids come, and that boosts us to about 18. You want me to order us all a pint for now?"

"Absolutely," Michael said.

"If you want something other than a pint, speak now, or drink your pint," Angus said, picking up the phone to call the kitchen.

Jack sat and listened to them talking then chuckled " I agree a pint does sound nice about now" he said " well its ben a while since we had a night in a hotel, last time I think was our wedding night" he said and smiled at them all. When Marcus reported on Evan Jack expected no less. He stood up and chuckled " well I should change out of this wet suit and into my dry warm clothing. He stood up and crossed the hallto the cabin opasite Angus.

Now showered changed and feeling much beter he waled back over to Angus room and knocked " hows the shoulder he asked as he lent on the door frame. " I mean teh one that was hurt before the dive" he clarafied. " you know Roberts going to be checking it when we join them." he added as he moved to sit to wait for them to dock or for food to be made.

Angus ordered pints and some sort of snack while Jack was showering. He also ordered supper for everyone, including those who would be joining them. Marcus went down the hall to check on Evan. He wasn't gone more than a few moments, and he returned as Angus was speaking to Jack.

"My shoulder held up better than I thought it would. Still, it had more of a workout than it probably needed so it's achy, but not miserably so," Angus said. "Maybe I should start some weight lifting with some small weights."

"Maybe you better talk with Robert first," Michael said. "After he and Nigel rebuilt it a couple of times, they probably would appreciate not having to do it a third time."

"Evan's awake," Marcus said, "and the kitchen has brought him a light meal. He wanted a cheeseburger slider, and they sent it with some chips. He's not allowed anything carbonated or anything with caffeine, so right now, he's drinking an iced herbal tea with his slider. He told me especially to thank everyone who came to get him out of that hellhole. The medic seems to think he's going to be just fine. He's starting to look completely drained, but he really does want to see you, Angus, just for a moment before he goes to sleep."

"Pints and loaded nachos are on the way, you lot. Save a pint for me," Angus said, getting up to go see Evan for just a moment.

Jack sat and listened to Angus and was about to say teh same thing as Michael " agreed Michael" he said simply and chuckled as Angus said drinks and food were on the way and to save him some " best hurry then" Jack said chukaling as Angus left to see him. " shouldn't we contact Robert at th hotel and let them know we found and have him?" Jack asked as he moved to take a pint and take a drink " god thats good" he said smiling at his fitdst drink. He felt it cold and bubbly drain down his throat and he loved its cooling feeling. Now with nachos he picked up one and loved the cheesy flavour " well Angus better hurry of he wants any becuse these are moreish" he said poping another chip in his mouth.

With drink in hand he sat back on the couch " I'm betting Tara will be happy when she knows Even is safe" Jack said to Marcus as he sipped the cold pint he held. " I know Im going to be glad to be back on dry land again, not that I didn't enjoy being on the ship, but a wear belongs on land." he said downing another mouthful of his beer.

"Robert knows. He was with Edward in the charter office. He knows pretty much everything we do," Marcus told Jack.

Angus walked in to Evan's suite, and he went over and sat down on the bed beside Evan. Evan reached out and took his hand.

"How did you manage to swim with one hand?" Evan asked.

"I didn't. I used two," Angus said. "How do you feel?"

"Like I wanna be a landlubber for a good long time," Evan said. "Thanks for coming and getting me out. I don't mind telling you I was getting pretty claustrophobic knowing I was sitting at the bottom of the sea and nobody knew where I was. How did you ever find me?"

"I have very talented friends," Angus said.

"You have a whole life I know nothing about, don't you?"

"Well, I think we've run in different circles, that's all," Angus smiled. "Do you remember the man and the woman? The people who hired the ship? What can you tell me? What did they look like?" Evan described them, and he had a pretty accurate description of Tom and Suzanne, just what Angus had expected.

"Who are they?" Evan asked, tiring.

"Nobody who will ever be any sort of ally of the Donohue family. The woman is a complete nutter and she happens to be Ruby's mother. And the man she was with is her husband. He's a powerful white collar criminal that you don't want to get mixed up with. He's positioned himself to be an enemy of Robert's, and that's not a good place for a man to be in."

"That demented old bat is your mother in law?"

"For all practical purposes, yes. And Caprice's grandmother. Stay as far away from both of the woman and the man as you can..."

"Tara and the girls..."

"They're fine. They're at the hotel. I'm sure they'll be here as soon as we dock. You'd better finish your burger and then get some sleep while you can. I'm straight across the hall if you need something, but for now, you're in safe hands."

"Don't go too far, will you?"

"No. I won't. Rest," Angus told him. Evan pushed the plate aside and dozed off. The medic reassured Angus that Evan wouldn't be alone. Angus nodded and went back to his own room.

"Evan says thanks to each of you,' Angus told them, sitting down and picking up his pint. He took a big sip of it and sighed. "God, that hits the spot. Evan's asleep finally. He's drained. Tara isn't going to get a conversation out of him tonight. That isn't going to happen."

Jack had followed Angus and stood in the doorway listening quietly to Angus as he spoke to Evan making Jack smile, When Evan spoke of Suzzane being a nutter Jack chuckled " you don't know the half of it" he said softly before moving back to Angus room and sat down picking up his pint and taking a swig as he saw Angus walk into the room and take a drink of his pint " yeah, I think were all knackered from today" he said taking a second drink and chukaling.

"Im glad you didn't bugger up your shoulder again" he said to Angus " I have a feeling the girls will go nuts when they see him." Jack added and finished his drink.

"Yes. They will. We all take things like this as just another day at the office. Evan, Tara, and the girls? No. This is entirely foreign to them. I can't help thinking it's either going to draw them closer to us because we do know how to deal with this, or its going to drive them away because they don't want anything like this happening again," Angus said.

"There is one thing to consider, as long as you're doing calculations," Michael said. "Evan has known that Edward has always dealt with dangerous situations and dark arts, not because he wanted to, but because people needed help, and there are very few people with the knowledge and the courage to come up against a completely untethered werewolf. So he's not perhaps as ignorant as people take him for. Is he himself inexperienced, though? Certainly, and he admits that, and he's also said very clearly he wants to change that and that Tara and his girls are all about wanting to know more too. So, perhaps, if we provide them with the guidance and reassurance, they'll deal with this just fine."

"I hope so," Angus said. "And, yes, I am very glad I didn't buggar up my shoulder either. I have no desire for another repair." The phone in his room rang, and Angus answered it, spoke for a moment, and hung up. He looked at the others. "Gervaise says we'll be back in port in another twenty minutes."

"Then I've got time for a quick shower," Marcus said. "That nasty old sub smelled. I want to freshen up before the others get here."

"Me too," Michael said, leaving for his room and a shower. Marcus took a quick shower and changed to jeans and a plain black polo. Michael dressed in khakis and a soft blue button down with the sleeves rolled up.

"I should shower too before Robert gets tinkering with this graze," Angus said. "Give me just a few minutes.

"Need help?" Marcus asked.

"Let me see what I can manage on my own," Angus said. He managed the shower by himself and he managed the jeans. He chose a white tank because he could manage it. Marcus put a fresh dressing on his arm and helped Angus put a denim shirt on, and Angus left it unbuttoned.

By then, Angus felt some of the slowing of the engines.

"We're coming into port," Angus told them. "Prepare for the onslaught of hysterical women."

On the pier, Edward and Robert were waiting, and they had Sam, Victor, Anise, and Ginger with them, and they all had duffel bags with them. Kate and Simone walked from the hotel to the pier, and they were actually glad to see the kids.

"So your understanding is Evan is with them and he's okay?" Kate asked Robert.

"That's my understanding. Yes," Robert said.

Jack chuckled and stood up "Sure mate" he said then stopped " I wonder if they managed to unstick that guy from the sub yet" he said and chuckled as he headed to the room he was using to wash up and rest before they docked. Soon he felt the ship slowly and chuckled as he stood up and moved to the deck.

Jess walked with Tara, Evie and Faith out of the hotel and down to the dock to wait for the dive yacht to dock. Jess smiled seeing Jack up on deck with a smile. "well I see Jack on deck" she said smiling as he saw her and waved . She watched as the ship docked and the gang plank was lowered ready for ether them to board or those aboard to head down to dry land.

Michael went out on deck, and Angus and Marcus followed. The first mate told Angus that supper was being set up on deck two for everyone so that, if they chose, they could relax and enjoy the evening under the stars. That was always fine with Angus.

Kate and Simone and Edward and Robert went aboard followed the kids, and Evie and Faith hurried to catch up with Anise and Ginger and Sam and Victor. Tara went aboard, anxious to see Evan.

"Before some of you decide to go ashore," Angus told them all, "the chef is preparing a five star supper for us up on deck two so we can dine by starlight and candlelight tonight. And for those who will be staying on ship overnight, cabins are being prepared."

"Where's Evan?" Edward asked Angus quietly.

"Admiral's Suite 406," Angus replied.

"This way," Edward told Robert. "I'll take Robert and Tara to see him and then I'll be back. See to the others, would you, Boy?"

"Of course," Angus said.

"You were hit?" Robert asked Angus.

"Just a graze. It's fine. It'll wait," Angus said, and Robert nodded and followed Edward. Tara fell into step with Edward and Robert and headed down the corridor to Evan's room.

"This is some ship," Kate said, impressed.

"It's one of our biggest, but it's got probably some of the best dive equipment too, so it was a good choices for this mission," Angus said.

"Do we have cabins?" Victor asked.

"You will have, yes," Angus said, going to hug the kids. He made sure he hugged not just his but Evie and Faith too.

"Dad's alright? Really?" Evie asked him.

"Yeah. He's gonna be fine. We're giving him oxygen because he was underwater in that sub so long, but he's fine. A good night's sleep, and he'll be right as rain by breakfast," Angus said. "You lot getting hungry?"

"Always," Sam grinned.

"You'll like this. The food is better than mine," Angus said.

"I doubt that," Sam scowled.

"Let's go up to deck two, and you can at least get a drink before supper," Angus told everyone. "The elevator is this way." He took them down the corridor to the elevator to go up two decks to deck 2.