A Birth day

Aria nodded to Marcus " but she is very bright" she said then heard him mention Robert " yeah" she said and followed him outside to the pond and stood with him while Robert spoke to them about doing shifts Aria listened to Marcus and Robert and nodded " I think that's a good idea," she said looking to Robert with a nod of her head.

Ruby looked at Angus and smiled to him as sh now walked out and sat with him . " its a nice night" she said looking up at the sky above her.

"It is," Angus told Ruby. "Robert made a suggestion for a schedule, and he's presenting it to Aria and Marcus. It is something that combined his own ideas and one of Minos's. Since Marcus is providing Aria some training, Robert is suggesting that she take one shift of the day, Marcus would take the second, and Minos volunteered himself and the Fae to take the overnights. I don't think Robert cares whether Aria works first or second, and I doubt Marcus really cares either. And really do need to spend some half days, probably mornings, in my office at the main house. Robert doesn't believe I really should need a guard there because the main house has always been secure. So, perhaps Aria can help with the kids while I'm at the main house, depending on what time of day you need her more for. I think Robert is thinking of asking Jessie and Yu to take the first and second shifts on Aria and Marcus's days off. It sounds like it should work, but personally, I'll be happy when your mother's plans all run out and she can't get any more access to her thugs to get any new ones launched. Then maybe we can all breathe a bit easier--maybe.


"I will miss having Marcus around, though," he told Ruby. "I know he'll still be here on the estate but when I don't need a guard anymore, I'm sure he'll go back to his primary responsibility with guarding Khaat. I've gotten used to him being here. It'll be different with it being just you and me when they're no longer here and the kids are either working or in school."

Ruby listened to Angus and nodded as he spoke about Roberts plan " she's been doing that already " she said and smiled " but I see your point, as much as we'd love for them to be around all the time they do need time to themselves and protect Khaat from what isn't James dead ?" she asked remembering him mentioning James going over a cliff " but regarding my mother, that I hundred percent agree with you on that" she said seeing Jessie walk over and head to play with the babies " I asked him to pop over so we'd have a bit of a break, like this" she said " he's a good uncle to them, both of them" she smiled watching him pull faces at the babies and making them giggle.

Ruby heard Angus talk again and nodded " no you don't but he's more than a guard hes your friend, best friend too" she said " ad that's something that will never fade " she added hearing him say about it being different with just the two of them she chuckled " what with four teens and two babies , not that alone" she said leaning against him gently " but maybe its what we need."

"We don't actually know," Angus said. "We never found a body. If there was any way for anyone to survive, James would have. He has survived far worse. After some of the horrendous things James has already done to Khaat, the last thing Robert would ever take a chance on is letting Khaat work the crazy hours she does, often ending up out well after midnight, by herself. He and Brian aren't willing to risk that, and I don't blame them. Besides, a man like Robert has a lot of friends but he has just as many enemies. And it's no secret that Kate and Khaat and Abbey are the three most important people in his life. If one of Robert's enemies wanted to hurt him, all they'd have to do is to strike out at one of them, and Khaat is out off of the estate far more than Kate and Abbey are."

He listened to Ruby talk about the kids and the babies. 

"Well, let's be realistic," Angus said. "We will be lucky if the kids aren't married and living in their own places by next year this time. They're chomping at the bit to do it, and I expect they're going to want a couple of the apartments on the estate once that happens. And the babies are going to be at the age to start nursery school. Then the house will be a lot emptier, period. I'm not saying change isn't a good thing. I'm only saying some big changes are coming within the next year. It's going to take a little adjustment. So if the kids are all in school next year, that's going to leave you with some empty time. What do you think you might like to be doing when you start to have some daytime hours free?"

Ruby listened to Angus talk about James and sighed knowing he was right about that dreadful man. then she chuckled hearing him talk of the kids " if they had their way it would be tomorrow" she said " though I thought Sam and Anise were taking a break?" she asked then heard him talk of the babies and how they were near kindergarten age " yeah, I was hoping not to think about that. their growing up so quick, won't be long before we're seeing them off to Hogwarts" she said looking out over the yard at the evening as she heard and saw a ox run across to the other side and disappear into the woods.

Hearing him ask about what she would do once the babies were at school she turned slightly to face him " I want to get back into fighting in the organisation" she said " if you mean here on the estate , i might help Kate in her pottery studio?" she said " its something I haven't done before, ether way I'm not going any where unless Robert orders it, besides I like fighting next to you" she said to him with a smile.

Marcus thanked Robert for his offer and his time and then excused himself to go back and check on Poppy and start the security check for the night while he had the time to do that. 

"Taking a break?" he asked. "Are they? I didn't hear anything like that. I know that Anise was irked with Sam for awhile because he was being pretty insensitive, but I think they've probably moved on from that. If they're taking a break, then maybe you know something I don't. If they're taking a break, then maybe Ginger needs to stop crocheting Anise's wedding dress. I know she's been working on doing Anise's for her as well as doing her own since Anise doesn't crochet."

"I'm sure Kate would like the help because she always has a demand for her pottery and her stained glass pieces and her engraved glass. You know, if you asked her, she'd show you how to do both. You'd probably like doing a lot of the kinds of artwork she does," Angus said. "You're welcome to fight, of course. You know that, but you're allowed to have all kinds of interests. Regardless, I do know that you're spending most of your time on the babies, but I really want your life to be more than kids. I want it to be filled with all sorts of things, so yeah, I guess I'm encouraging you to think beyond that."

Ruby sat and listened to Angus and chuckled " well that's the impression I got but I could be wrong, so Ginger should not stop just yet " she said then nodded to him as he spoke about what she had said " well, right now I'm studying to keep up my knowledge of creatures and skills, well I hope I am" she said and smiled seeing Marcus and Aria heading back to the duplex " seems their done with Robert " she said .motioning to where they were now walking towards them.

Aria chuckled and looked at Marcus " seems Angus and Ruby are talking the night air." she said as they walked towards the duplex. Entering she chuckled hearing laughter from the babies and Jessie making silly faces and playing with the toys which was what was making the girls laugh.

"Well, much as Robert would love to sit and chat, the man just doesn't have the time. From here, he'll go back and do a whole briefcase full of paperwork, shower, and read a couple newspapers, and if he needs any new potions for Poppy or Simone, he'll see to those before he even starts the paperwork. He'll get about four hours of sleep, get up, go running and do it all over again. He pushes entirely too hard for a man of 62. I think he'd like to go part time on both of those positions, but I don't know if, realistically, that would work. He's needed more than that at St. Mungos and at the ministry. He is getting better at delegating, and Kate is working on him to take a couple weeks' vacation. But that takes her actually a long time to talk him into it. The last time he and Kate took a two week trip, he took Khaat and Brian and Abbey with them. Kate can get him to take a long weekend far easier than a real vacation."

"I think its important they get away from the babies every so often," Marcus told Aria. "I know, after I first took the kids to my parents to look after them, I took my parents out to supper, and my mom was so used to cutting the kids' meat, that when the server brought our plates, my mom took my plate and proceeded to cut my steak. I don't know when I saw my dad laugh so hard. She looked at him, not realizing what he thought was so funny until he told her I was old enough to cut my own steak. Then her face turned bright red and she apologized profusely."

Ruby sat and listened chuckling at his description of Robert " you make him out to be a workaholic" she said as she looked at him and smiled " but his work is important, that I know" she said .

Aria listened to Marcus and then laughed as he told of his mother cutting his steak as an adult. "It was a reflex I'm guessing, I hope I get to meet them soon" she said smiling as they walked towards the duplex. Aria looked over to Ruby and Angus glad they were getting some free time " maybe they and we can relax again, not too much though" she said and chuckled as they walked . " I se Jessies minding the babies , and doing a good job." she also saw some fire flies hovering around. " they fireflies or fae?" she asked looking over at them flitting around.

"Well, he's in an unenviable position," Angus said. "I don't think its any secret that our current minister is a complete idiot. Robert basically does what needs to be done. So he's got his stuff and the minister's stuff too. He's basically doing the job of two people at the ministry, and, then there's the chief of staff stuff at the hospital. He knows he is needed in both places. I don't honestly think he wants to be doing both, but I don't think he sees an alternative. I do have his Christmas gift already, though. I managed to come across it not too long ago. I got him a time turner. If anyone ever needed one, its him. I haven't tested it yet, but I thought I'd take someone with me sometime to do something harmless, like going to get a pint. I don't want to give it to him unless I know for sure it works. Kate will hate me for it, unless she figures out that he might actually have a bit more time for sleep."

"I thought you met them already. Maybe I was wrong. Well, I'm sure they'll be around perhaps tomorrow to see Poppy," Marcus said. When she asked if she was seeing fireflies or fae, he looked where she was looking. "Those? Fireflies. I've learned the difference is the color. Fireflies have a yellow glow. Fae, in a group, tends to be multicolored. It can be hard to know if its a firefly or a fairy if its just one though. But those? Definitely fireflies. You're welcome to stay out here, but I really do need to check on Poppy. I'll see you inside." 

Marcus turned and went inside and went downstairs to check on Poppy. The other girls were all four showered and ready for bed. They had turned down the lights in the bedroom, and they were all in bed, with just the nightstand lights, reading. 

"Has she been awake at all?" Marcus asked.

"Just for a moment," Ginger said. "She wanted to use the bathroom and wanted a drink. I hope you dont mind, but I looked on the cart of supplies that Andrew left, and I saw he left a bedpan for her. I was afraid to try to help her up, so I helped her with the bedpan and helped her with a drink, and she went right back to sleep."

"You're a true blessing, Ginger," Marcus told her. "You shouldn't have to do that, but I'm glad you did."

"Well, I figured she'd rather one of us help her than her dad," Ginger reasoned.

"I'm sure you're right. Can I help you clean the pan?"

"Already done and back on the cart. I actually liked helping her."

"Thank you, my dear. I appreciate it. Now, if you dont mind, I might sit with her off and on during the night."

"That's why we left one of our chairs over near her bed. We decided we'd leave the door open, except if we're changing. So feel free to come in any time the door is open."

"Thanks." He set about making the security check on the basement windows and then bid the girls goodnight before heading upstairs.