A Birth day

"She is getting a lot better at most things," Marcus said. "She's starting to feel secure here and with her caretakers. She's letting us know what she needs, and that took her awhile. And, I honestly think she's starting to bond. She clearly wasn't doing that at the Gelding house. I don't honestly think the people who live in that house that have the capacity of genuinely caring for others, and i question if any baby would ever survive in that house, but for now, she's here, and she's definitely doing better."

"Good. Good job. Thanks, Jack, and do make sure you pass on my thanks to everyone. I do appreciate it. It puts us in a proactive position to be able to help the ones we care about right here at home. It's going to be a bit yet before we're going to have a breakthrough in these vaccines that I feel that works, but we are going to get the job done. And in the meantime, we may be taking care of our own in the same way that we took care of the pack this summer. I hope not, but if we do, that's what we'll do. I'm sure that since Angus ordered supplies, I'm sure he's working on menus as we speak. I know he would surely have ordered supplies but he probably now is doing menus to make sure that the staff and the patients are cared for well. The menus would not be something he would do first. He would have done all the ordering and organizing first. Now that those pieces are done, he'll be doing that for you, I'm sure."

Jess chuckled as Marcus explained and nodded as he told her Dimond defiantly felt safer now she was with them. " oh any one with eyes can see she is much better here with you two" she said as she saw Dimond peek around Marcus neck. Jess heard Marcus talk again and sighed " that's something that we see everyday at St Mungo's but there's nothing we can do about it. " she said " but I'm happy this little one is safe and thriving in her new environment." she said with a smile.

Jack listened to Robert and nodded " I will certainly do that" he said then listened as Robert spoke of Angus and how he was probably on top of the menus already. " knowing him he will be." Jack said " I'm sure Fenrir understands and will accept our help with his pack, keeping a healthy pack is top priority for an Alpha." Jack said as he stood listening to Robert.

"When I get a chance, I'll ask Angus to come with me, and we'll go see Fenrir together," Edward said, "but there's no point in doing it unless we have a vaccine to give."

"I agree with Edward," Robert said. "We could use the muggle vaccine, but since this strain of mumps has been altered, we need a better solution than the muggle vaccine. We're closer, but I want to make sure it works. When we get to that point, I might take a blood sample from you or Jessie to see how the vaccine impacts some of the body chemistry of a werewolf before we try to actually give it to a living werewolf. I want to know it will be safe. For now, though, you lot have put in a full day. I think you should let everyone go home, get some supper, relax a little, and we'll see where we are tomorrow. Nigel and I are going to be here working through the night, and I hope we have something to report by morning."

Meanwhile, Angus was starting to smell something. He didn't think he was hungry, but he was getting hungry, he realized. He got up and looked out the kitchen window to see that Michael and Rosaria had the estate's extra large charcoal grill out, and they had the grill full of big, thick beef steaks. They were grilling some Bistecca alla Fiorentina--some very thick prime quality beef steaks. Rosaria was keeping her word to help Michael cook supper, and while they were grilling, she was chopping vegetables for a huge salad of some sort. Angus could smell the charcoal and could smell the beef cooking. He was hoping that Tara brought the girls home soon because these steaks would be served rare. And he figured that Rosaria would be doing a very quick white bean skillet dish with the steaks and whatever salad that she was making. It would be a very healthy meal, he was sure.

"Jess, you should probably find Jack, wherever he is. Those steaks Rosaria and Michael are grilling are very fast steaks because they're always served rare," Angus told Jess. "They're going to be readyto serve supper to everyone in the next few minutes, I'm certain."

Jack heard Edward and nodded now he smelt steaks grilling and smiled " yeah , I agree, no point in scaring them needlessly for the moment." he said then sniffed the air " some one cooking steak?" he asked hearing Robert say to relax for the rest of the day he nodded turning towards the stairs he smelt it stronger and headed up and out of the main hose.

Jess chuckled and nodded to Angus " yeah before he gets to them" she said and chuckled seeing him leave the main house and walk over to the grill " oops too slow" she said and looked to Angus" okay see you guys later" she said and walked over " those smell divine" she said watching Jack as he smiled smelling the steak grilling. It was not long before Jessie, Yu and Chris walked over talking among each other before pausing and taking a deep breath in.

" Bistecca alla Fiorentina with some very thick prime quality beef steaks" Yu said smiling " good choice." he smiled holding Jessie back from swiping it right off the grill.

"They're going to be fabulous," Michael said. "This lovely woman is a mistress at the grill. This is not going to be a meal to miss, that's for sure."

Michael was slicing the steaks into generous, thick slices and putting the slices on a huge platter. When he had enough for the main house, he kept slicing and put a large pile on a a platter that was a bit smaller for the duplex, and put another pile on a third platter for those who were working in Robert's potions lab at the farm. Michael happened to look up and he saw Sam and Victor who were finishing work and getting ready to go home. Michael whistled for them and motioned them over.

"Can you deliver your supper to your house, please?" Michael asked the boys.

"Sure," Victor said.

"Carlo is putting together a basket for you. There's a panzanella salad, a white bean skillet dish and these fabulous steaks. Oh, and some chocolate mocha ice cream to make some affogatos with for dessert."

"Some what? I forrgotto's?" Sam asked.

"No. Affogattos. It's the Italian word for drowning. Angus knows how to make them. You'll be drowning ice cream in hot espresso coffee," Michael said.

"Oh, yum," Sam said. "What's the bean thing?"

"It's a white bean skillet dish. it has cannellini beans, tomatoes, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and also some sun dried tomatoes. You'll like it," Michael said.

"When do we eat?" Victor asked.

"Right now," Michael said, putting one of the platters of steak into the basket. "There you go. Enjoy." Victor picked up the basket.

"Thanks," they said, taking the basket home.

"Yu, can you take the steak platter inside to the dining room sideboard, please? And, Jessie, here's the white bean skillet dish, and maybe Cris can take the bowl with the panzanella salad in it. I think everyone is hungry. I'm going to take this other basket to the farm, so don't eat all the steak until I get a slice or two," he teased. "I'll see you all in a little bit. Enjoy."

Jess smiled as she took Jack inside to leave them to cook, Yu chuckled and nodded " they smell perfect" he said seeing Victor and Sam walk over. He stepped back as Edward explained about what each dish was. Once the boys had head to the duplex he looked back to Edward and nodded " of course, can't make that promise with Jack around" he said and chuckled as did Jessie , Chris was smiling at being able to help , He took the bowl and with Jessie and Yu walked towards the main house carefully carrying it inside and over to the table where he placed it down.

"well done Chris" Jessie said smiling as he placed down his plate white bean skillet dish on the sideboard for any one who wanted it next to Yu's plate of steaks.

Sam and Victor came in with a basket.

"Supper's here," Sam said. "Steak."

"Good. Can you both get the basket unloaded and get out plates and things?" Angus asked. "I am presuming the women will all be home shortly. I don't expect Edward maybe not until sometime tomorrow. If you can set things out, you two can fix your plates and eat while it's hot. Thank you for bringing it."

The babies both started to fuss, with Caprice starting to be snarky first, and Diamond following right behind with some snark of her own. Marcus sighed. He temporarily set the babies in the playpen, and he found some jars of pureed food and flicked his fingers at them to warm them.

"If you put them in their chairs and set them close together, I'll get them fed. You go ahead and eat, Marcus. I can do that if you help with changing them and such after they eat," Angus said.

"You sure? I can help."

"I'll need your help more later," Angus said. Marcus put the high chairs next to each other, and Angus sat down and fed them together, feeding one a bite and then feeding the other a bite until they were both full. It took immense patience because they kept slapping each other. Caprice would slap Diamond when Angus would give Diamond a bite, and then Diamond would slap Caprice when Caprice got a bite.

"Makes you want to ground them both," Marcus sighed.

"Hell, no. Then I'd have them around all the time to deal with their temper tantrums," Angus said.

Sam and Victor came in with a basket.

"Supper's here," Sam said. "Steak."

"Good. Can you both get the basket unloaded and get out plates and things?" Angus asked. "I am presuming the women will all be home shortly. I don't expect Edward maybe not until sometime tomorrow. If you can set things out, you two can fix your plates and eat while it's hot.  Thank you for bringing it."

The babies both started to fuss, with Caprice starting to be snarky first, and Diamond following right behind with some snark of her own. Marcus sighed. He temporarily set the babies in the playpen, and he found some jars of pureed food and flicked his fingers at them to warm them.

"If you put them in their chairs and set them close together, I'll get them fed. You go ahead and eat, Marcus. I can do that if you help with changing them and such after they eat," Angus said.

"You sure? I can help."

"I'll need your help more later," Angus said. Marcus put the high chairs next to each other, and Angus sat down and fed them together, feeding one a bite and then feeding the other a bite until they were both full. It took immense patience because they kept slapping each other. Caprice would slap Diamond when Angus would give Diamond a bite, and then Diamond would slap Caprice when Caprice got a bite.

"Makes you want to ground them both," Marcus sighed.

"Hell, no. Then I'd have them around all the time to deal with their temper tantrums," Angus said, making Marcus laugh.

"You have a point," Marcus said.

Aria and Ruby finished up at the cottage and went to find Simone " okay Simone were all set and done, time to head back to the duplex , I thought I smelt food cooking" Aria said smiling " dinner might be ready." she said as Ruby walked up behind her placing some sheets down on the end of a bed as she went.

Walking into the duplex Ruby smiled " smells divine" she said then walked over to Angus an the girls but stopped short " have they been like that this whole time?" she asked not making a move to stop them seeing Angus and Marcus had them under control . " Aria and I will dish up." Aria said as she moved to grab several plates and open the basket the boys had " did they say what it was?" she asked them as she flipped open the top of the basket and began taking out the food " it smells wonderful" Ruby handed the boys their plates then gave Marcus his then made Angus his plate next to him. " I've charmed the plate t stay warm for you" she told him as she moved back to grab her own plate.

"They're fine," Angus said, not overly bothered with the babies' behavior. "They're both just jealous of each other, thinking that one is getting more than the other. Ignore it."

"Its a Tuscan steak recipe," Marcus said, "a white bean skillet side dish, and a panzanella salad." At that moment, Evan arrived with the girls.

"Smells good in here," Evan said.

"Come get some food," Angus told the girls. "You want to eat with us, Evan?"

"Its' very tempting, but we've been invited to Tyler's tonight to have dinner with him and his family, so I need to get home," Evan said. "When things settle, you need to maybe go see Tyler and spend a little time with him. He misses you, and he wants to get to know you a little better."

"Okay," Angus said, sort of mentally discarding the idea almost as soon as he had told Evan he would contact Tyler. As he was paying attention to Evan, Diamond started to have a full scale temper tantrum. Angus calmly picked her up out of her high chair and put her on the floor. Then she started to scream at the top of her lungs and started smacking Angus's foot.

"Want me to take her?" Evan offered.

"No, just let her get it out of her system. She won't keep it up for long," Angus said. "She'll quit as soon as she either tires out or realizes it won't get her anywhere."