A Birth day

Ruby listened to Tara and nodded " I remember him telling me" she said " didn't realize it was that bad though" she said sipping her tea again as she listened to Tara glad they had this bolt hole to go to so he could relax " I know one thing they got right , this deco is perfect or was it Caprice's idea because it is so relaxing in here" she said changing the subject to something a bit less bloodied and more relaxing.

Aria looked up at Marcus and chuckled "ok so to have you relaxed we need to keep Angus in eyesight and you'll be good , right " she said " oh and we have our time when they're sleeping, I can handle that" she said turning slightly so she could see Marcus. " just like home then" she said smiling " I checked the kitchen by the way three deadbolts on the doors, all windows have locks and that's all round and a patrol around the grounds, that I saw, can see why its secure and he likes being here." she now rested against his arm.

"It was Caprice's idea. Edward has always had his office and his potions lab, so it seemed only fair that Caprice had a little get away space of her own. The furniture changed over the years, but this was one of her favorite spots, and after she passed, Edward just left it as she had it. I'm sure I'd have done the same thing," Tara smiled. "I mean, Evan has his favorite places too on the estate, and I'm sure I'd leave them untouched."

When Aria basically asked Marcus how he would relax, he laughed.

"I am relaxed," he told her. "This is as good as it gets. If I ever do get rattled by something, you'll know it. I like it here. Hell, I like it at Brian's. I got used to having a flat I never spent any time in, and living out of a duffel. Now, I have a place to belong, and I'm on the verge of not renting a flat but owning a house. And I have steady, easy work and the most generous employer I've ever had. This is good for me, and it'll be good for my kids, and a lot of good people for a change. There's nothing for me to be unhappy about."

Ruby smiled and nodded " I won't change anything ether its perfect" she said smiling as she looked around seeing a book she picked it up and chuckled " ah mystery novels" she said picking it up " unless its one of yours?" she asked showing her the cover of it and chuckled at the two people in a compromising situation.

Aria chuckled as he said he was relaxed " ah , so knowing what's around and that he's safe relaxes you, that's good to know" she said and heard Marcus continue to talk about what made him happy she smiled " I hope you can be just as relaxed at the cottage once its been installed at the pond" she said " but I do agree a good employer is hard to find and when you do you look after them really well" she said smiling looking over at Angus " and he's one of the best, along with Robert and Edward too" she said leaning back on the door frame as she took the glass from him again and took another sip from it.

"Not one of mine," Tara laughed, "although I have read that one. Edward has always said he believes there are ghosts in this house. He hasn't ever been able to get enough of a reading on them, despite his seer's skills, to know who they are, but this house is old. Goes back hundreds of years. It could be anyone. Things get moved in here all the time. It wouldn't be Rosaria's or Carlo's. Carlo likes American western novels, you know, cowboy stories. And Rosaria likes romance novels. She actually has a subscription and they send her several paperbacks a month. This is not one of theirs. This one has been moved from one of the other bookcases in the house somewhere. Maybe someday we'll know which ghost moves things around." She laughed.

"It was Robert I was talking about," Marcus said. "Since he hired me away from the Bulgarian minister to guard Khaat, he's actually my boss, and he pays me exceptionally well, better than I've ever been paid."

"We have more pint glasses," Evan laughed at Aria and Marcus. "Bring that glass over. We'll top it up and pull one more. You like it?"

"It's a great beer," Marcus said. "I told Aria I wanted to see if we could get some to take home."

"See? It sells itself," Evan told Angus.

"You don't need to convince me. Convince Edward."

"He's a tougher sell on everything," Evan said, topping off Marcus's glass and passing it back to him.

"Not really," Angus said. "Fix him a decent meal using this ale in every course, and you'll have him."

"I don't have that kind of creativity," Evan said, now pulling a pint for Aria and handing it to her. "Nor do I have quite the same level of cooking skills that you do."

"Ask nicely, then," Angus shrugged.

"Ask nicely? I'm your brother, you rogue. Ruby's right. Pirate through and through, you are."

"If I had been anything, I'd have been a privateer," Angus said.

"Same thing," Evan shrugged.

"No, as a privateer, I'd be pirating for the good guys."

"Still, pirate, regardless of what side you're on. So, you're cooking for Edward, right?"

"That's nicely?" Angus asked. Evan rolled his eyes.

"Please, Your Lordship, would you consider cooking for your grandfather?" Evan said, exaggerating his request.

"Knave," Angus said.

Ruby listened to Tara and laughed " well whom ever it was this is a good book" she said smiling and looking around " thank you" she said to the air around her " which ever one of you put this here" she added and chuckled not being a seer herself she didn't know where to look but was glad of the book to focus on.

Aria looked at Even and chuckled as they walked over and even took Marcus glass before refiling it and handing her a glass of her own to drink " oh its really good, it would be great in a beef dish and could we?" she said taking a sip of her own glass and savouring the flavour again. she listened to them talking and chuckled at the banter between the two men and the image of Angus a swashbuckling pirate jumping ships for bounty.

"I'll make sure I send some with you," Evan said. "Those boys will be over the moon to know you all liked it so well."

Rosaria came in, and when she saw Angus had arrived, she went over and gave him a big maternal hug and a kiss on the cheek and began asking him in rapid Italian, first, where was his bag, and second, why did he look so tired, and was he working too hard, and a million other questions. Evan shook his head, laughing.

"She misses you when you're so long in between visits home," Evan said.

"I know. I miss her and Carlo too," Angus said. He had to tell her he didn't know where his bag was, and told her he'd brought just a duffel. She said she'd track it down. She promised him she'd have him feeling better again in no time. He reminded her it was just a weekend, and she told him, in no uncertain terms, that if he was not well by the end of the weekend she was not going to let him leave to go home. He laughed, but he also wouldn't entirely put it past her to try to keep him either.

It was then that Angus remembered that Dennis had wanted to visit because it was Molly's birthday.

"Damn. I forgot. Dennis wanted to visit a couple days ago, and I forgot..."

"We got it," Evan said, trying to soothe him. "The girls mentioned it to me before and after I talked to you, so I came to the estate, picked up Dennis and brought him here and then, when he was ready, I took him back. He was very, very gracious. I rather liked him, for all his rough exterior."

"He's a decent guy that just doesn't have the ability to care for the girls under the circumstances. I like him too," Angus said. He stood up and stretched, feeling a lot of aching in the limbs that Moira had cut earlier.

"Now, you're starting to look tired," Evan said, as Marcus checked his watch. He reached in his pocket and handed Angus a single dose potions vial.

"Take it. You're overdue. You'll feel better for it," Marcus told him. Evan frowned slightly. "Pain potion. He took a few slashing spells in a skirmish earlier this morning. They've been tended, but now he's achy. Can't blame him. Those are painful business."

"Ah. Okay," Evan said, relaxing, knowing the wounds had been tended. Rosaria was not happy, and she was demanding answers. Evan soothed her by telling her he would catch her up shortly. She nodded, telling Evan firmly that if he broke his promise, she was giving him nothing but rutabagas for supper. Then she turned and left.

"I thought you like rutabagas," Angus frowned.

"I do," Evan said softly, "just not her rutabagas." That made Marcus laugh out loud.

Aria nodded and smiled as Even said he would let the boys know it was well received " oh please " She said when he said he would send some to the estate for them. She paused as Rosaria walked in and hugged Angus seeing him wince slightly she noticed Marcus check his watch and she nodded " he's over due" she said softly noting how he took out a small potions bottle and she smiled as he handed it to Angus to take. " yeah Jess looked after him and Robert double checked it" she said then saw Angus stand stiffly up she stepped back letting Marcus step in to help him looking at Rosaria she spoke softly " his bags are already in his room and unpacked." she told her softly and smiled " angus and I took care of it."

Ruby saw what time it was and looked at Tara " I should go and see if Angus has taken his pain potion yet , he's over due I know Marcus and Aria both will make sure he hasn't missed it yet" she said and placed down the book but as she did it flipped open to a page with a flower book mark in it . " I think some one wants me to stay a bit longer." she said wondering if it was Caprice letting her know she approved of her for Angus, but she also needed time to her self too.

"Well, maybe she's right, then," Tara said. "Angus is a big boy. If he has pain potion and is hurting, he's plenty old enough to know to take it, I think. Besides, in what little time I've known Marcus, he seems like he is more than a bodyguard. He seems like he can be a capable keeper if he has to be. The kids are all taken care of. Angus is far from alone, so read your book."

Angus was drinking his beer, and he glanced out the window to the backyard, towards the family cemetery, when he saw a blonde woman with shoulder length hair walking through the cemetery. he frowned.

"Who's that?" Angus asked.

"Who?" Evan asked, looking.

"Her. That woman," Angus said. "Right there, in the cemetery."

"There's nobody there," Evan frowned.

"There is too. I see her as clearly as I see you."

"You've been working too hard. There's nobody there."

"Yes there is," Angus insisted. He set down his drink on the bar, and he left to go out to the family plot. Marcus looked outside, and he saw something that looked like mist. Unlike Evan, Marcus did see something, but he didn't see a figure like Angus did. That made Marcus believe that, for some reason, there could be a spirit outside, but one that was only choosing to show itself clearly to Angus.

"He's right. There is something out there. He's not making it up," Marcus said. "I've got him." Marcus followed Angus, hoping it wasn't some sort of calculated trick.

Ruby smiled and nodded " he's more like a best friend than a body guard" he said to Tara but paused seeing Angus and the others walking across to the graveyard" why are they going there?" she asked as she stood up to head out to see what was wrong.

Aria looked to Marcus as Angus stood up and insisted some one was in the grave yard she followed Marcus as Angus and he headed to the where Angus hand said some one was stood. Aria saw nothing but felt a coldness even in the cool day and gave a shiver as she drew close. " Angus what do you see , describe her or them." she asked and looked to Even " might give you an ide of who is it."

Angus was frustrated that he saw her and nobody else did.

"Blonde. Blonde hair almost to her shoulders. Smallish. Maybe 5'2". Average weight. Don't tell me nobody else sees her but me."

"It doesn't mean she isn't there," Marcus said. "How many times has Kate seen things that no one else did. Maybe she's not there for us. Maybe she's there for you. I believe you. I see a mist, and its moving straight across from right to left."

"Yes, that's right, but I see a woman," Angus said, "not a mist."

"What's she wearing?"

"Jeans. And a button down of some sort..." Angus said. He blinked and she was gone. He stopped. "Where'd she go? I don't see her now."

"Funny, but the mist disappeared at the same time you said she was gone. Angus, does Edward have a photo album or anything. If she's wearing jeans, that would put her well within the right time period to perhaps be your grandmother."

"My..." Angus began and then stopped. "I never gave that a thought. She's been gone for such a long time, though. Her hair was sort of white-ish blonde..."

"Younger, Angus. What would she look like if she were younger?" Marcus asked. "How did she wear her hair?"

Angus went into the family cemetery and walked the family plot. He went to where he had first seen her, and looked around. He saw some empty space, but he also saw his grandmother's grave and the empty plot where Edward had planned to be someday--beside Caprice.

"She was right here," Angus said.

"Yes, but look. That's where your grandmother's grave is. I honestly think you saw your grandmother," Marcus said.

"Why would she be here now?" Angus said. "It makes no sense."

"I don't know. Maybe she's just visiting to let you know she still loves you," Marcus shrugged.