A Birth day

Ruby chuckled and nodded " I think how he likes being around you he thinks your an okay guy too" she said handing Caprice a carrot too so she could chew it. " some ones getting teeth again" she said noting how Dimond chewed it on one side only. " I'm sure the Fae will step up to protect every one when or if the time came" she added.

Aria looked up and nodded to both of them " he cares for his people and that's a good guy" he said as she turned her page in her book and read the next page She glanced at Marcus and then back to her book. " lunch was perfect , thanks Angus" she said as she saw Jack walk past the back door. " must be done for the day?" she said " or he's looking for something?" she follow him going towards the direction of the barn.

"I'm sure you're right," Angus agreed with Ruby.

"You're right, Aria. Maybe that's why I've liked him right from the outset," Angus told her. "You're welcome. Glad you liked it."

"Give a shout if I can help," Marcus told Aria as she headed for the barn.

Edward came over, and he had a basket with him.

"I know how you like these, so I thought I'd bring you some," he told Angus. Angus took the basket and took the clean tea towel off the top and saw Edward had brought him a big basket of fresh Italian citrons. He did like the oversized Italian lemons, and he immediately had a lot of ideas on how to use them to infuse a lot of flavor in his dishes.

"Awesome! These are great," Angus grinned. "I think I'm going to make citron chicken for supper."

"Send some over to us, then."

"Well, just come over," Angus said.

"Thank you. We'll do that," Edward said. "We took Rosaria and Carlo home. They're better enough that Robert said they could go home, but Evan is going to have to cook or send food over to them for a few more days. Still, I can understand them wanting to get home. They've enjoyed their trip but they really aren't used to being gone that long. Oh, and Evan told me, while I was there, that the girls participated in a repeat of the dueling exam today. Ginger placed third in her entire house, and I am so proud of her for that. She really worked hard with you to prepare for that. Anise took first place in her house, and I am not one bit surprised. I think she's more experienced than any of them there. But you'll have to make sure you praise them both when they get home."

"I definitely will," Angus said. "I am equally proud of both of them. For Ginger to go from not wanting to learn to duel at all to taking third place? That's huge for her. And Anise's win in her house is every bit as impressive. Thanks for telling us."

"You're welcome, but you're going to pay me back by making a great lemon chicken for supper," Edward teased, and he went back to his own side.

Aria heard Marcus and chuckled " why want to muck out the hippogriffs with me?" she said and chuckled as she walked to the barn behind Jack. Ruby saw Edward and breathed out knowing Rosaria and Carlo were back home " best place to heal is in your own home" she said smiling when Edward mentioned the lemon chicken she smiled.

" oh what about letting him take one of the pies I made" she said " maybe he can tell the difference?" she said teasingly knowing he probably could seeing he'd had the original with Caprice. Ruby quickly moved to fetch one and handed it to Edward " hope you enjoy" she said smiling at him.

Aria worked in the barn till early evening, once all was clean and done Jack motioned for her to head back to the duplex " thanks for the help" he said and she waved him off heading back to the duplex to shower and change. Stepping in she held up her hand to Ruby " I know I stink I'm gonna shower right now" she said and chuckled as she headed up the stairs.

"make sure to throw those clothes in the washer they reek" Ruby called up after her and heard Aria laugh out loud as she headed to the bedroom.

"Good idea," Angus said, seeing Ruby give one of her pies to Edward.

"Thank you," Edward said. "I'm going to have a slice of pie and a cup of tea for my lunch. Perfect." He took the pie and went back to his place.

Angus watched Aria come back and go up to shower.

"So, there's a lesson in that, I think. That one needs to stay busy in order to stop herself from overthinking. If we let her have too much time on her hands, she goes bananas."

"You're right," Marcus said. "Now, Angus. i need to go get the girls from Evan's. Tell me you're going to stay right here. No going outside, not even out to the garden, for all of about five minutes. If you do, I swear to God, I will castrate you myself with a piano wire garrot. Understand me?"

"My own bodyguard is planning to mame me."

"Yes, and don't think I won't." Minos fluttered over in front of Angus, facing Marcus, and Minos gestured to himself.

"You're going to guard him til I get back?" Marcus asked. Minos nodded. "He's stubborn, that one. Be careful, Minos." Minos shrugged. He wasn't particularly bothered by a headstrong humanoid.

"Okay. I'll be right back. Good luck, Minos," Marcus said, porting out.

Ruby smiled as Edward took the pie and chuckled at Marcus and Angus " I'm sure with Minos and I and Aria here he'll be safe" she said but could not help chuckle at the piano wire castration " hum is that even possible?" she said smirking but watched as Minos floated in front of Angus then settled on his shoulder 2 and with Minos right beside him I'm sure nothing will happen in the time you will be gone" she said " now go bring our girls home" she said then quickly headed to the kitchen to bake a light fluffy cake for the girls to congratulate them for doing well in there exam.

Aria made sure she washed every inch with a nice smelling body wash before she changed and headed down the stairs. She heard Marcus say he was fetching the girls and nodded and for Angus to not get in trouble while he was gone.

"I hum didn't know Marcus owned a garrot, let alone knew how to castrate some one" she said chuckling as she sat down close to the babies and a chess set she moved a piece and another moved by its self " hum is this enchanted, because I seem to be playing by myself?" she asked Angus.

"Yes. It is possible, actually," Angus told Ruby. "I don't think he actually owns a garrote, but I know for a fact he knows how to use one, and I'm sure, with the training he's had, he could wrap a wire around anything he had a mind to."

He saw Aria sit down and watched a chess piece move by itself.

"Um, no, it isn't enchanted," Angus said. "And it isn't Caprice either. I see a bloke there. He seems to know you. Dark blonde hair, average height and weight. Recently deceased, I think. Any chance he's the guy from your old team that passed? I honestly sort of think he stopped by just to let you know he's okay. He's at peace, and I think he's come to say goodbye."

Aria looked at Angus as he described the man he saw her eyes widen at the description " that's him exactly" she said she saw the pieces move to a smiley face and she chuckled at it . then looked up at Angus again " I'm glad" she said then looked at the space in front of her " stand down mate" she said softly feeling a light breeze against her cheek as she felt he had gone. Looking at Angus she could not help the tear that rolled down hr cheek " he's gone, thank you Angus." she said wiping her cheek dry.

Ruby paused and watched smiling as she saw the pieces move to a smiley face. " why the smiley face?" she asked Aria who looked at her with a smile.

"its because I never smiled while we worked together , that and he had a smiley tattoo on his shoulder that he called his little buddy." she said and chuckled feeing a weight was now gone. " sorry about before guys." she said putting the pieces back in place as Ruby walked over and began a game with her.

"It's okay. It's what happens to us when we've been alone too long," Angus told her.



In the years that Angus had worked for Robert, he had seen a lot of loners come to work for Robert. Robert, for some reason were often drawn to them, and, most of the time, they were good, loyal, hard workers. Most of them also needed some of Robert's parental style of mentoring, and, at times, a rather long leash to find out what it meant to be a part of a family style team. When they'd been alone too long, they had the struggle that Aria did. Angus knew that in the end, what would probably make it worth Aria's while to take the risk to find out was the fact that she wanted to be with Marcus in the long term.

Angus knew that prior to Aria, Marcus had only had two rather long term partners--Evelyn, and Ana Levski. And he had children with both. However, Marcus had had an endless string of flings and one night stands that, despite Angus's own string of one night stands, Angus looked like a choir boy with wings and a halo to match. Still, the one thing Marcus had wanted was a sane, level headed woman that was strong enough to deal with Marcus's extremely dangerous job, and his five, sometimes-too-candid kids. Aria had potential to deal with all that, Angus believed, if she didn't get so headstrong that she believed she could save Marcus from himself. Marcus didn't want saving. Not like that, anyway.

"Aria," Angus asked, "maybe your friend was asking you what you were waiting for? To smile, I mean. After all, it doesn't cost you anything. And actually, its muscle saving. You use two less facial muscles to smile. So what were you waiting for?"

Aria looked at Angus and thought about it then she did, she smiled to him " your right Angus." she said and chuckled as she moved and took Ruby's knight with a chuckle. Ruby chuckled back and moved a pawn one place up. Aria took Ruby's queen making her laugh as did Aria, the babies giggled to themselves.

Ruby and Aria played another game before moving to another game. " oh monopoly" Aria said and took out the box and lay it out " you joining us?" Aria asked Angus " come on I want the water works this time." she said teasingly to him. As she set out the board Ruby helped looking over her shoulder at Angus.

" oh I think he's not going to fall for that" she said smirking hoping he would join them to take his mind off Marcus being away fetching the girls from Evens . Quickly she took out her cooked cake and took out some royal icing , rolling it out flat she decorated the cake and added congratulations and the girls names then left it to sit on the counter.

"Why don't you two start without me? Let me get the lemon chicken in the oven. It wont' take me long," Angus said.

He took some chicken pieces from the fridge and made lemon chicken and put the chicken in the oven. Then he sliced some potatoes paper thin and layered them in a large shallow casserole dish and made some scalloped potatoes with four different cheeses. He made a caesar salad to go with the chicken and potatoes and set the salad back in the fridge.

By then, Marcus was getting home with the girls. They came in the door, and seeing Angus first, they rushed to him and flung themselves around him in big hugs.

"We did it! You showed us, and we did it," they said.

"Did what?" Angus made a feeble attempt at not knowing what they were talking about, but he was grinning from ear to ear. "Congratulations, my little champions. I am so proud of you both. Your first time in a school duel. Third place of your entire house. I'm so proud of you." He kissed Ginger's forehead, "And you--first place in your house. I wish I could have seen it," Angus kissed Anise's forehead. "Edward told us, and Ruby made you both a special dessert tonight." He pointed to the cake.

"A cake! Ruby--thanks!" they said. "That's awesome. Thank you."