A Birth day

Ruby had watched as Angus woke from his sleep glad he ahd taken time to rest. watching him walk around she saw him walk out the door to find the girls she was about to tell him they were in the gazebo but saw him walk that way. Once passe she watched as he walked over to Kates herb garden and went back to tending to the roast.

Aria had heard Marcus and nodded " sure I'll join you soon" she said but then paused as he mentioned the game Even and Minos were playing " wow not heard of that game before" she said watcing them play intently " seems to be a hard game." she said walking with Marcus out to the flower garden where she saw Jack and some crew still working on the garden.

Jack head Angus's voice and smiled at him" sure what's up" he said then lost his smile as Angus told him what he has received " how in the hell did that woman get a note past our defences" he said and looked at the letter scrunching his nose even before Angus took it out his pocket " its okay I can small it from here, I put out a quiet word to the grounds men to watch out and I'll double the guard." he added knowing that if Pricilla was coming he had to be on his guard. " thanks for letting me know" he added

"It looks simple but it does require quite a lot of thought and strategy--like chess," Marcus told her. The stones basically leapfrog over each other, but it takes a good deal of thought to make that happen so that your opponent doesn't capture all your stones. I rather like the game myself."

With the word passed on to Jack, Angus dared to head into the main house, despite Robert's advice to the contrary and he found Robert in the basement, putting more missions wear in the equipment room.

"I thought I told you to rest," Robert said.

"Is Priscilla out of Paris already?"

"Not so far as I know," Robert said. "Why? You know something I don't?"

"Maybe," Angus said, handing him the letter. Robert read it.

"Hussy," Robert cursed under his breath. "I'll get to the bottom of this right now. You--you go home and you paste yourself to Marcus. And that is an absolute order. You don't go anywhere by yourself now..."

"I am not that valuable..."

"Do not question my judgment. You are that valuable to me. You get your little wounded self back to your house, plop your bum in your chair and stay there. You don't even go to the loo without him. No exceptions. Got it? She's not getting you again, and we're not giving her any openings to do that..."

"My kids are outside..."

"I'll get on it or get Jack on it. Go home. Stay there. I'll get you news as soon as I have it. Go." He pointed Angus towards the duplex. Robert went upstairs, heading for the floo to try to call Daniella.

Angus went home, looking for Marcus. He found him outside in the garden. Angus whistled for the girls and motioned to them to come inside. Marcus looked at him and sensed something wasn't right. Marcus went into the house, and Angus turned and walked back to Ruby.

"You have a right to see this next. Robert knows, and he's checking on it right now," Angus said, handing the letter to Ruby so she could see it.

Ruby had just finished preparing the things to go with the roast when she saw Angus walk back in looking like a child scolded . placing down the cloth she walked around to the living room and waited . as he handed her the letter she could already smell the cheap perfume all over it " priscilla?" she said not even having to open it " what does that black magic welding, two faced skank of a .." she paused glancing around before she spoke again " bitch want this time." she said now annoyed at priscilla.

Aria looked up and over to Marcus as that name was mentioned her face frowned. But she stayed quiet knowing it was down to Angus to explain. but having a sinking feeling his next words would be "she's back" Taking Marcus hand in her own she turned to face him " she's not having him" she said softly to Marcus as she glanced out the window seeing men moving quickly through the yard " Jack must have ben informed" she said just as she saw Jessie and Jack walk by looking like some one spit in their fruit loops. Turning to Angus she spoke clearly " you already told Jack and Robert as I can see he's mobilizing extra the men." she said then motioned to the roof of the main house " two men up top , another to the left of the duplex and one sat n the porch" she pointed out.

Ruby read the letter and looked at Angus " what did Robert say?" she asked " she out or is it just blowing hot air on her part?" she asked.

"Same thing she's always wanted, I'll wager," Angus said. "She has always wanted. The contract with James and the contract with Priscilla is your mother's contract with them to make sure I'm dead for taking all of her children from her, and, since we now have Diamond too that is more true than before. The way she sees it, she had five children, and I have five and she has absolutely none. Now, I am not going to try to justify that if she had been a decent mom in the first place I wouldn't have her children. And the fact that four of the five are now legal adults should have been a reality check for her, but it wasn't.

"I told Jack because he needs to brace the men so they're not blindsided if Suzanne or Priscilla shows up. I told Robert since he's still the head of our organization and Suzanne is married to Tom. So I owed it to Robert to tell him. He basically wants me to make sure I have Marcus with me every place I go, which I'm already doing. So for now, I've done all I can do. If she comes, she comes. I'll do what I always do. I'll stand for my family. It's what I do. She's not going to touch any of you. She's going to have to get through me to get to any of you."

Both listened to Angus and nodded " then we leave it to Robert but be ready if she comes here." Aria said she heard Jack bellow from outside then storm across the yard. " some ones in trouble" she said watching him disappear out of view. Ruby handed Angus back the letter and sighed deeply.

"when will this end" she said " I'm guessing with her death, because it won't be over yours" she told Angus " we'll be vigilant " she told him as she moved to refill the Fae's pitcher with drink. " you going to tell Edward and Simone that she's back" she asked placing the pitcher on the small table much to the delight of the fae sat there.

"It isn't going to stop until one of us is dead," Angus said. "I would prefer that it not be me, but that's when she'll stop."

"She's not going to get the chance. She has no idea how damned dangerous I can be if I'm pushed to it," Marcus said. "I haven't even needed, really, to do much of that with James, but she's getting on my last damned nerves. I'm just about ready to go handle her my own damned self."

"Going rogue?" Angus asked.

"Well, more or less. If I need to act, I will tell Robert I will handle it, so I technically haven't gone off grid, and then I'll go do whatever the hell I wanna do."

"If you decide you're going to do that, I will find a way to go with you."

"Certainly. I won't want a platoon with me, but she'll certainly regret she pushed that far," Marcus said. "I'll give Robert a chance to do what he thinks he needs to do, but if she gets past that, then I will handle it."

Aria looked at Marcus hearing what he was saying " then count me in too, where you go I go, remember" she said and looked at him. Ruby did not react knowing her place would be to stay with the babies so he knew they and she was safe so he could do what he needed.to do.

" I think for right now we need to simmer down, she's not here and she from what I can see from how Jack is , is not getting into this area without a difficulty, so for now all relax" she said to them handing out several glasses of Fire whisky. Taking her glass she spoke " here's to a quick end to all this bull shit." she said and downed her glass.

"Look, Aria," Marcus said, still fired up. "I know you want to go everywhere I go, but let's get one thing entirely clear. That absolutely does not give you an automatic pass to go everywhere I go, on every mission I have. If I need a partner or backup, I certainly will tell you...."

"Drink your firewhiskey, Mate," Angus told him, shoving the glass at him. "And then shut up before you say something you wish you hadn't said. And then let's go run to get it out of our system. A lap or four around the running course should just about take care of it."

"If you don't bleed out on your lap around the track," Marcus said.

"I'm not going to bleed out. Drink up, and lets go."

"Robert's going to castrate you if he sees you on the track."

"Well, that will solve that whole problem of us having a dozen more kids, won't it," Angus said dryly, unmoved. He swallowed his whiskey, and seeing Marcus hadn't drunken his, Angus took Marcus's glass, drank it down himself in one gulp, and then transfigured his clothes to running clothes. He apparated out.

"I'm gonna kill him," Marcus muttered, transfiguring his own clothes and apparating out to go find him.

Aria heard Marcus she kept quiet as Ruby moved to stand next to her as Angus spoke then watched as Marcus left the duplex followed by Angus " I love that man with all my heart , I'm damn sure I'm not going to let him be put in harms way with out me being there to at least have his back so I don't lose him too." she said then turned to head up to their room leaving Ruby stood with the babies in the crib and the Fae.

Jack walked around the grounds letting the grounds men know what to do " get that charm tighter, Pricilla won't give a shit if your lazy, she will kill you in an instant, now get with it!!" he shouted and a poor young grounds man ran off. Looking up he saw the barrier close tight and the charm glow as it was strengthened. Turning he saw Marcus and Angus on the trac but waited , having a feeling that they were talking.

Angus was already doing some stretches to get ready to run when Marcus caught up with him.

"Let's go, Old Man," Angus told him.

"Old Man?"

"You're older than me--by 8 years. Coming? Or should I get your cane for you?"

"Git," Marcus said. "Let's go if you think you can take me."

"I can," Angus said. The two of them started a hard, quick run. Neither of them were sure how long they could run at their top speeds but they were going to try. They figured they'd only be able to keep up their top speeds for a few seconds but they both had frustration to burn. They ran the full course, and by the time they got to the end, Angus was drained. They finished the course together, but Angus hadn't been expecting to be so seriously drained of his energies. He didn't feel he could go another step. He sat down crosslegged on the track at the end of it.

"You okay?" Marcus asked. Angus nodded. "Take a minute. Catch your breath."

"Dumbass," someone said. Marcus turned to see Robert standing a few feet away. "Is this your understanding of my direct order to go home, plop your bum in your chair and give it a rest?"

"You don't get it," Angus began.

"I don't care. You have one more chance before I write you up. Go home, plop your bum in your chair and give it a damned rest. Now, did I stutter? Did you misunderstand me?" Robert asked. Angus didn't reply. Robert whirled on Marcus. "You get his arse home or I'll write you up too. Both you little delinquents got that?"

"Yes, Sir," Marcus said. He laid his hand on Angus's shoulder and apparated them home into the living room. Angus hadn't been prepared for it. ONe moment, he was sitting on the ground, on the running track. And the next, he was sitting crosslegged in the house on the living room rug.