A Birth day

He had dozed off, wrapped around her, knowing he didn't dare stay long. He hadn't slept more than about 30 minutes or so, and he woke to see that they were both still laying skin to skin, with all the blankets and the sheets cast aside. He remembered they had just been in the way. A clock somewhere chimed 2 am. He saw the flashlights of the guards as they moved across the grounds, patrolling to be sure all was secure. If they had been at home, this would have only been a recess before they got back to another round. Tonight, though, it would need to be enough.

"Ru," he said, "I know you're probably anxious to get home, but you take the time you need. I want you to feel like you know who you are and what you want for your life, whatever that is. Whatever you decide, we'll find a way for you to have it. I just honestly needed to see you tonight, but I know I soon need to go so I don't get you in trouble.

"As far as things at home? I think things are as much under control as I can make them. The kids are working, and that seems to be going well. They're also all experimenting with intimacy. Robert's protected them because I insisted that for all four of them, but as hard as they try to be sneaky about it, they're just not very good at it. I'm having to pretend I'm blind to a lot, but realistically, I can't prevent it. But between work and that, they're actually very busy right now. Jessie and Yulong are busy with Cris, and, well, life seems to be pretty quiet when we're not working. Your mother had her baby with Tom. It's apparently a girl, by all we can find, and we think Tom has hired a nanny to take care of her--probably wise, given your mother's lack of any genuine maternal instincts. I don't know much more than that. not that's worth mentioning anyway."

"Be sure about that," he told her. "It can work, but only if you're ready for it. I know you saw some close calls when you fought with us before, and I can't promise they won't happen again. That's our lot. It does require risk, but, that's why we're constantly training, constantly recruiting informants, getting better and better equipment. It's all meant to reduce risk.

"Actually, Robert has some things I knew nothing about. Found out about it on a mission today. He's got these bubbles the size of golf balls, and Michael called them troll poop bombs." He tried not to laugh.

"And the whole point is that when they explode they smell like a whole big pile of mountain troll poop. It's a great distraction. And, if I know Robert, there are more little gems in the works. But, honestly, Kate and Robert have fought together for decades without a problem. So have Khaat and Brian and Jess and Jack and Edward and Simone. And I have seen Michael and Daniella on occasion. I think it could work, but I don't want you forcing it if it isn't really something you want. I'll live with whatever you want. What I don't want, though, is to have to keep things from you because that really does weaken the very foundation of our relationship. I don't like how it build huge walls between us. It's not good for either of us."

"I could be persuaded," he smiled.

This time, when he woke, he knew he was going to have to go really soon. He lingered with her, not needing or wanting any words, but first light was now just perhaps an hour or so away. He didn't dare stay any longer or Marcus would soon be coming to haul him home. He kissed her and got up and dressed.

"If I go now, you should have time for a few more hours' sleep," he told her. "I have to get back, though, before Robert gets up because if I don't, he'll have Marcus's tail in a sling. And since nobody really wants that, I really need to go." He wanted to tell her about the strange mission they'd just been on, on the couple of bottles of $2000 wine he was hoping to get from Edward and how they'd gotten it. In the end, though, there wasn't time. Not tonight. He leaned over and kissed her. "Go back to sleep. I'll let myself out."

He went to the door, listened first, and then silently opened the door, slipped out and downstairs into the darkness. He made his way through the brush to get far enough from the buildings and the guards to not be seen or heard, and then he apparated his way back to Tuscany. He had apparated in, on the alley next to the charter offices. Then he made his way in the darkness back onto the ship. The night watchman saw him arrived and merely gave him a wave. Angus waved back and went silently to his cabin and let himself in without a single noise. Once inside, he saw Marcus was just waking. Marcus was stretched out on top of the covers on the bed, with a blanket.

"Just getting in?" Marcus asked.

"Yeah."

"How's Ruby?"

"She's alright," Angus said.

"I appreciate you not being late," Marcus told him.

"You'd do the same for me," Angus smiled.

"Yes. Actually, I would. Not for everyone, but, for you? I would. You should get a little sleep, since breakfast is being delayed a little for a most unusual lazy morning."

"Good idea," Angus said. He saw Marcus intend to get up and move to the sofa. "You're fine where you are," Angus told him. "I don't have any more interest in you than you do in me. Go back to sleep."

"You sure you don't mind?"

"Not in the least. Besides, if it weren't for your assignment to me, you might have had a date tonight of your own." Marcus laughed.

"If I want companionship, believe me, I know how to make time for it," Marcus laughed as Angus changed and then got into bed under the covers and soon fell asleep.

Ruby smiled when he said he could be persuaded and moved closer to him.

Waking she felt Angus move from the bed, laying there under the sheet she watched as he dressed and spoke to her. To her disappointment she knew he was right, Wrapping the sheet around her he stood up and walked to him as he stood in the room." I know and it would never do for Robert to find out that you snuck out." she said and chuckled but with a last kiss she smiled " I'll see you in a few days, tell Marcus I owe him big " she said stepping back she watched him leave the room, her heart now lighter for having been with him. Moving to the bed she quickly dressed back in her PJs and remade the bed as if nothing had happened, then lay down on top of it to dream of Angus with a smile on her face.

Jack woke to hear talking and smiled as he looked at Jess who lay next to him. " Hes back" he said softly to Jess who looked up at him and smiled.

"he's more relaxed, it did him good and I feel it did her good too." she said curling against Jack as they fell back to sleep

Angus didn't sleep long, perhaps just half an hour at best, and then he just couldn't rest any longer. he got up and showered and was dressing when Marcus woke. Marcus rebandaged the harpoon graze for him and helped him with a shirt. Then Marcus showered and dressed while Angus repacked for them for the short hop home.

It was just about 6 am when Angus and Marcus went up to deck two, where they had had supper, and they found coffee, tea, and juice were set out for them. The tables were arranged in small square tables with four chairs at a table, and, sitting by himself at one of them was Evan, sipping on coffee. Angus went to sit with Evan, and Marcus brought coffee for Angus and himself.

"How are you feeling?" Angus asked.

"Two hundred percent better," Evan said. "Right as rain."

"Did Tara stay with you last night?"

"She did," Evan said. "She slept on the sofa, though. Still, she wasn't going to go back to the hotel. The girls did, though. I think the kids all went back to the hotel, and they might as well, since it was a three bedroom suite. Tara told them if there were any shenanigans they were all grounded for life, so I just hope they all behaved."

"If they acted up, Tara can ground them for one lifetime, and I'll ground them into the next lifetime," Angus said.

"So you're going back home today?" Evan asked.

"Yeah, I have to. The kids are all working their first jobs, and Robert's been understanding but he isn't going to give them time off forever. I have to get them home. You taking a few days off, after yesterday, I hope?"

"I hadn't planned on it, and the medic said it really wasn't necessary, but Tara read me the riot act..."

"And Edward will too," Angus said.

"Well, you're probably right, so since this is Thursday, I figured I would take today and tomorrow and start back on Monday."

"That's a much better plan," Angus agreed.

"Look, I know I didn't think you but..."

"Evan," Angus said, "as long as I breathe, if you're in trouble, I'll come. You have my word."

"I know. And I knew that yesterday. I was positive you'd come, and I hung onto that. I think that's what got me through. It means more than you could know."

"No, I do know," Angus said. "I know that all of those folks at the estate will always come if I'm in trouble, so I get it. I completely get it."

At that moment, Tara arrived, looking crisp and fresh in a pretty white midi length sundress that had beautiful cutwork lace on it and colorful tropical flowers embroidered on it. She'd paired it with some kitten heel sandals, and, in the chill of the early morning, she'd added a reddish orange silk pashmina as a wrap until it got just a little warmer out. She stopped and got herself a cup of coffee and joined Angus and Marcus and Evan at the table.

"You look refreshed for someone who slept on a sofa all night," Angus laughed.

"I have a lot to be thankful for," she said. "I saw the kids when I came up. They're walking from the hotel to the ship. so I presume the others won't be far behind."

"You're probably right. Robert and Edward's idea of having a lie in is getting up at 5 am instead of 4, so they'll probably be along any time now too," Angus said. "It'll be interesting to see how the kids manage who sits where with these small tables."

"Oh, I can tell you how that's going to go," Evan laughed. "I bet you a steak supper that they'll push two tables together. That'll give them six seats."

"You think they'll think of that?"

"If you're don't, I can promise you mine will," Evan said. It wasn't two minutes before the kids arrived on deck, waved to Evan and Angus, and then, without the slightest moment of thought or hesitation, they moved the chairs out from two tables, shoved the tables together and then put six chairs around so all six of them could sit together. Evan and Angus laughed.

"I owe you a steak supper," Angus said.

"You certainly do," Evan said. "And I'm holding you to it, too."

Jack and Jess apeared smiling as they walke up on deck and into teh sunlight " morning all" Jack said and smiled at Evan " good to see you looking so well today" he said as Jess went to sit down for breakfast. Jack looked at Angus and nodded then looked at the kids and chuckled "looks like a romance is blossoming among the young ones" he smiled as he sat next to Jess.

"We should head back home soon, I've got a shift this evening." she said then loked to Jack " and you have patrol and the barn to clean out" Jack chuckled and nodded before looking to Angus.

Angus and everyone at the table bid good morning to Jack and Jess.

"That romance has been in the works for some time now," Angus said. "They just haven't had a lot of time together until the boys finished school, so a lot of it was correspondence."

Looking just beyond Jack and Jess, he saw Robert, Kate, Edward and Simone arriving, and Robert was carrying Caprice and was chattering quietly to her. Caprice had a pair of white sweatpants that were printed with roses, and a pink hoodie with more of the roses fabric on the hood, the cuffs and the front pocket--and little pink sneakers.

"I haven't seen that outfit before," Angus told Marcus.

"Me neither," Marcus laughed.

"Where'd she get it, then?" Evan asked.

"Simone," Angus and Marcus both said simultaneously.

"She do that often?"

"All the bloody time," Angus laughed.

"So the fact that she sends things relatively often to my girls, then..."

"It's normal for Simone," Marcus said. "She doesn't see her own grandkids very often, so she's thoroughly enjoying having a lot more grandkids on this side of the family." Angus watched Robert flick his fingers at a high chair and pull it up between him and Kate.

"Looks like you aren't getting your baby back," Evan said.

"Yeah, she has no shortage of people with baby fever who want time with her," Angus said. "I figure it'll last until she stops being cute and starts to go through separation anxiety. Then, it'll be up to Ruby and me entirely to do with her when she's ballistic and cranky." That made Evan and Tara laugh.

"Send her to us," Tara said. "Evan was great with our girls when they got fussy like that. He has the patience of a saint."

"Well, that's good, because I don't know how much I'll have," Angus laughed. "We never had to go through much with Abbey because she was just always with me. So I have a feeling this one is going to put me to the test."

"Maybe not," Evan said. "Maybe you'll luck out. But, if you do luck out with this one, that means your next one will probably be a heathen, then."

"You're not so good on encouragement, you know that?" Angus teased.