A Birth day

Robert ported them to Paris, a block away from the restaurant. 

"I presume you both know to let me handle it," Robert said. "I can guarantee you he wants to try to cut a deal for Elliot. Whether he intends to try to include Suzanne in that will be the only interesting piece in it."

They walked into the restaurant, and Robert saw Tom had already arrived and was sitting at a round table set for four. Robert spotted nearly half a dozen of Tom's known thugs scattered about, four of them inside the restaurant, two outside. That didn't surprise Robert or Angus one little bit.

"You don't listen to instructions," Tom bristled at Angus.

"Probably because, fortunately for both of us, I don't work for you," Angus responded, as Robert motioned for Aria and Angus to sit. Robert chose the seat directly across from Tom, and Angus sat on Robert's right, leaving the space on Robert's left for Aria. A server brought them menus. 

"We're ordering lunch," Robert told Angus and Aria, "and this is the place to get some terrific steak."

Angus waited until after Aria had ordered and then he ordered himself ordered a filet mignon, and Robert ordered a braciole an. Tom ordered at steak salad. The waiter brought a beautiful merlot to the table and poured it for them and then left them to talk while their orders were prepared.

Then Robert looked at Tom.

"I'm the only one you can bargain with," Robert said. "Cards on the table, Tom. What do you want, and what are you offering?"

"As I hear it, I killed one of your boys last night, and...."

"You heard wrong," Robert said. "We lost no one.  You hospitalized one of ours. We hospitalized thirteen of yours. You're running short staffed today. Again. What do you want?"

"My son," Tom said. "And don't give me any bullshit that you can't get him, because I know you. You can get him out if my price is right."

"I'm not even going to try yet because I don't know what's in it for my country."

"Let me sweeten the pot, then. Long term foster care for Diamond with Donohue, if I get my son."

"No deal," Robert said. "I've already done that. She doesn't go back home until I say she goes back home. You'll have to do a lot better than that."

Aria nodded to Robert and walked slightly behind Angus as they entered the restaurant, she spotted the extra men and stayed close to him sitting to Roberts left as she ordered some food and sat watching out the corner of her eye the men around her. She listened to Tom but showed no emotion as she watched the interaction and Roberts stoic body language towards Tom.

When He spoke of the steak she simply gave a nod not wanting to take her eyes of the men around her.

Ruby sat next to the play pen as once she finished cleaning up the table and food placing some left overs in the fridge for later or if Angus wanted some extra food when he came back. Sitting down she played with Caprice and Dimond playing together quietly.

The waiter brought their lunches, and the conversation paused while the meals were placed before them. When the waiter left, Robert tucked into his steak and motioned Angus and Aria to do the same. he was purposely giving Tom time to either sweat or to make another offer.

"Alright," Tom said. "Foster care and a one million galleon trust for Diamond's care." Angus knew the math. That was a five million pound trust.

"No deal," Angus said flatly. "I don't bargain for children."

"Nor do I," Robert said. "Angus isn't interested in your money. What else have you got?"

"Damnit, it's my son. He hasn't committed that big of a crime..."

"He participated in the attempt to overthrow the French ministry of magic. That's a capital offense here. You know that," Robert said. "You're boring me, Tom. You didnt call me here to waste my time, did you? You have one more chance. You don't make me a decent offer, and we're out of here. Give me your very best offer right now."

"Fine," Tom said, and Angus could see that Tom was livid. He looked back to one of his goons, who handed him some folded papers. Tom passed them across the table to Robert. Robert opened them and looked at them.

"And what do you want for this?" Robert asked.

"My son and my wife," Tom said. 

"Oh, so the price just went up. Good to know," Robert said. "I'll tell you what. You gave me your best offer. Now here's mine. You'd get your son, but--the very best I'm going to do for you is a long term commitment to a lock down facility for Suzanne..."

"She's my wife!..."

"She's a nut with a stack of attempted murder charges on her plate. That's my counteroffer take it or leave it."

"And when she gets well? What then? You can't imprison her forever."

"I could send her across the veil and be done with it, you know. If she gets better, and that's a mammoth if--I'd reassess. But that's a long, long way off, and we both know it." Robert passed the papers to Angus, and Angus looked at them. 

The papers were a transfer of permanent custody of Diamond to Angus. Tom was willing to give Angus full, permanent custody of Diamond in exchange for Elliot and a reduced sentence of some sort for Suzanne. Angus was ready to turn down Tom flat because of all the hell Suzanne had caused him and his family, but Robert seemed to be considering it.

Aria saw the waiter bring their food along with Toms. she watched as Angus and Robert started to eat so did she. But she paused when Robert and Tom started to talk again she watched as an envelope was passed and Robert opened it then passed it to Angus who looked at it but left it on the table in front of him. Finishing she sat back and sipped a glass of water in front of her but also so she could see the men around her.

Taking the envelope she slipped it into the inside pocket of her jacket for Robert to go over more in depth later. But she kept a straight face and shifted back in her seat a little so she could reach her wand holster and throwing knives if needed. She sat and listened to Robert expertly negotiate with Tom and was surprised at the look Angus gave him at adding in Suzzanne to the deal but she stayed quiet listening to the sounds around her and the people coming and going from the restaurant.

"Give me the paperwork back," Robert said to Aria. "Let me take a closer look." When he got it back, he took his sweet time reading it. He did not want Tom to think he was quick or easy with such things. Robert was not entirely surprised that the paperwork was straight forward. It made Angus the father of Diamond. It didn't surprise Robert that Ruby wasn't mentioned because Tom didn't know Ruby. He presumed that, because of Suzanne, he knew of her but he didn't actually know her. But that was an easy legal fix once they had permanent custody. Angus could file the paperwork to add her to it.

Angus had already picked up on the fact that Ruby wasn't mentioned, and he did realize why. He was hoping Ruby would not take it personally if he signed the agreement as it was. Robert didn't say a word. He took his pen out of his pocket and added the conditions to it that he had spelled out to Tom. Then he handed the forms to Tom. Tom read Robert's handwritten notations, and then he looked up at Robert, frowning.

"So if she does anything more..." Tom began.

"We will prosecute her to the fullest extent of the law," Robert told him. "No question about it."

"And her associations..."

"And your associations with Priscilla and Dominic will be considered criminal activity. She'll be prosecuted, and so will you."

"You're a bastard."

"Thank you. Glad you noticed," Robert replied stoically. Tom sighed unhappily and signed the paperwork. Robert took the papers and the pen and handed them to Angus to sign. Angus signed them, and Robert signed the forms as well. 

"When do I get my son?" Tom asked.

"As soon as I file the papers. You'll be notified," Robert said. 

"I want him today."

"Yes, well, wish in one hand, Tom," Robert waved Tom away. Insulted, Tom got up and left the table, taking his goons with him. Once they were completely gone, Robert looked at Aria and Angus and laughed. "Well, that was definitely a profitable lunch.  You and Ruby are parents--again, Angus. Congratulations."

"Thank you. I hope Ruby is good with it," Angus said. 

"We'll add her as soon as we can. Let's get the permanent custody filed first and get that in stone. Then we'll add her. That's the safest course of action to keep Tom from rolling it all back."

"I'll tell Ruby, and I hope she's good with all of it. I think she probably will be. I hope," Angus sighed.

Aria heard Robert and took the documents from her pocket and handed them back to him so he could check them again. she sat and listened to him talk to Tom trying not to smirk when he responded to Tom calling him a bastard. But she kept it together while Tom was at the table. Now once he was gone and out of ear shot she chuckled as she looked round making sure Toms men were all gone " we're clear" she said " I'm sure she will be okay with it, but we won't know till we get home" she watched the waiter clear the table and she looked to both men. She looked at Robert and sighed " you think he'll keep his side or will he break it first chance he gets?" she asked.

Ruby watched Dimond and Caprice together and smiled Dimond was coming more and more out of herself with Caprice. She heard footsteps and smiled seeing Edward and Simone walk from the duplex " good to see you guys , hows your day been?" she asked just as Dimond chucked her toy out the play pen then tried to pull herself to her feet. " sorry shes having a throwing day today" she said with a chuckle.

"Our morning has been lovely," Simone said. 

"Simone conned me into going to a flower show with her. Do you have any idea how many flower shows there are in this country?" Edward teased.

"You had a good time. Don't make her think you didn't," Simone laughed.

"The Italian gelatto was the best part," Edward said.

"Once its filed, there's not a damned thing he can do about it," Robert told Aria. "That's why I want to do that immediately. I am not releasing Elliot or Suzanne either one until I have this filed. So, Tom is just going to have to wait."

"You drive a hard bargain, Robert," Angus said. "Elliot being free is harmless because Elliot is a complete idjit. And, Suzanne in an asylum long term is a relief too. However, I particularly liked the fact that if Suzanne or Tom either one have any dealings at all with Priscilla or Dominic, they'll go directly to jail. I do want to get a few hundred photos of Tom Gelding behind bars. Do you think Tom realizes what a bad deal that was for him that he just signed?"

"No," Robert replied. "Not yet. But that's not my problem. And I have to tell you, I did really think he would try exactly this. Diamond was the only card he had to play. We've taken all his others. But I wanted to wait until he made the offer himself because I wanted Diamond free and clear. So. If you two can make your own way back home, I'll go back to work and file this for you."

"Thank you, Robert. Always delightful learning from the master," Angus said, as Robert paid the restaurant tab. "And thank you for a delicious lunch in Paris."

"My pleasure. I'll see you at home later," Robert said. They got up and walked out. 

"Shall we head home?" Angus asked Aria, as Robert ported out.

Ruby listened to Edward and Simone and chuckled " all I know is a lot" she said the chuckled again at his mention of the gelato.

Aria listened to Robert and nodded " make it iron clad , right?" she said then chuckled as Angus said he learned by watching from the master, meaning Robert " same from me too" she said smiling. Hearing Angus she nodded and walked with them outside. Looking around she saw nobody around taking Angus arm she ported them both back to the duplex and helped him into his chair. " I'll get you an Irish coffee." she said and smiled to Ruby " it went really well" she simply said leaving Angus to fill in the blanks "

Ruby saw Aria and Angus return and looked around for Marcus not seeing him she smiled seeing Angus and Aria walk in and Angus sit in his chair. She was puzzled at Arias words and so looked at Angus. " you know Aria is really cryptic , so what happened?" she asked wanting to know if Tom tried anything funny with them. Aria called from the kitchen to Ruby.

"food was good , really good Robert wasn't wrong about the steak" she said walking back with a hot Irish coffee for Angus.

"I think she was purposely leaving it to me," Angus told her. "Robert's called it correctly from the outset about Tom. He will do just about anything to protect Elliot, and he will try, to some extent, to try to protect your mother, but not as much as he will for Elliot. Found that out today. Thank you, Aria." Angus smelled the coffee with the whiskey in it and took a sip. He liked the way it smelled and the way it tasted.

"Robert can be a hard man when he needs to be, you know? I just saw him take Tom's attempt at dealing and nearly shove it where the sun will never shine. In the end, though, I do think it turned out for the best. Tom wanted Elliot and your mother free, but he didn't entirely get it. He'll get Elliot because Elliot isn't a threat. He wanted your mother, but he won't entirely get her, not for the immediate future. What she will get is a rather long-term placement in a lock down facility. It does get her out of a death sentence, though. 

"So," Angus continued, "now, your question, I'm sure, is what was Tom offering up for that. Diamond. he gave me all legal parental rights to Diamond. Unfortunately, he didn't put your name on the document. I presume he just isn't thinking as clearly as he should to have thought of putting you on there, but not to worry. I'll fix the legal custody of it and add you after we are completely sure that we have her and that Tom has no chance at all to reverse it. Robert seems pretty sure he can get it filed immediately, and I presume he'll negate your mother's chance for custody based on the fact that right now, she's facing a death sentence anyway. Then Diamond will be legally ours. Clearly, he doesn't have regard for children. They're expendable in his mind. I know we didn't want six this soon, but it does appear to be the hand we're dealt. It's good news for Diamond, though. She'll have half a chance at a decent life. I don't think we'd have had much of a battle in the court if I'd have filed for permanent custody. Certainly we could have proven that she improved dramatically in every way since coming to us. That would have spoken volumes, but I think Robert went for it because it got Diamond out once and for all, without Tom or Suzanne being able to come back to cry foul later on."

Ruby listened to Angus as he spoke to her about what had happened as Aria made Angus his coffee and chuckled as she walked over and handed it to him . Ruby shifted as she waited for Angus to continue talking which he did. She took in every words he spoke to her about what had happened when he spoke of what Tom anted from the meeting she tipped her head as he continued.

When he started to talk about the contract and her name not being on it she chuckled " didn't expect it to be but I'm good with leaving that to you dear" she said smiling as he continued saying Dimond was legally or will be once the papers were file , theirs " wow another daughter, your quick " she teased making Aria chuckle too but Ruby spoke again " but its good, shes finally in a family that cares about her, but yes your right about him seeing kids as commodity's to barter and sell when he wants at a whim." she said picking up Dimond to sit her on her lap " so you think she'll call you dad ?" she asked watching as Dimond grinned and giggled at him.