A Birth day

Ruby smiled at Angus then to Abby " hey you were the chef" she said and made herself a sandwich and sat down with soup to eat. " yum this is good , good work Abby" she said and smiled to Angus knowing he had done the work too. She listened as Marcus spoke about his kids and what they ere doing to keep them selves occupied.

As she finished she heard Marcus ask her about how her trip went " as expected Marcus, but weird too" she said as she finished her sandwich and soup. " a guy called Jacobi told me, the warrior will rise up because the five of fire forces the warrior to rise because there will be no other choice " she said verbatim. " not sure what he meant but got the feeling he meant you, that's the weird part." she said and looked to Angus.

"Sounds to me like business as usual," Angus laughed. "When do we ever get advance warning on anything?"

"You're right about that," Marcus laughed. "Well, we should all be grateful for Robert being so bloody relentless because it's kept us alive."

"Seriously, though," Angus said, not wanting to be dismissive of Ruby's observations, "I think, on some level, I've always known I'm going to have to face her, Ru. I just don't know how the hell I kill a ghost."

"If she's a ghost at all," Marcus said. "We don't know what she is."

"That does not make me feel any better," Angus said. "Maybe I need to be reading my book again on magical beings. I'm not so sure what I'd do if I had to kill a banshee or something."

"Gold," Marcus said.

"What?" 

"You know, like werewolves supposedly don't like silver. Tradition says banshees don't like gold."

"How do you know that?"


"Go to a pub in Ireland around St. Patricks' Day, and you'll find at least one pub that is doing a trivia contest. The question came up in the contest, so, legitimately, I picked up a piece of useless trivia in a pub."

"It won't be useless if I have to use it. Question--is there a spell that fires gold?"

"I don't think so," Marcus laughed. "Let's think about talking to Robert when Beau is off the critical list and see if we can at least brush up our skills a bit."

"We? Jacobi said warrior, not a platoon."

"Lest you forget, though, I am ordered to be sewn to your behind."

"I'd prefer having no one sewn to my behind," Angus said, "but I understand."

Ruby listened and chuckled at their banter about what was going to happen " guess it really is business as usual" she said and looked to Abby " boys huh" she said and chuckled as she sat with her listening to them " well Robert did practically say that" she said to Marcus statement about being sewn to Angus butt. She pored a cup of tea for herself and sat down again and began to drink it with a smile.

" I never head you can vanquish a banshee with gold, might hold on to that titbit of info myself" she said with a chuckle.Aria walked across the yard to the duplex and paused as she heard them talking. " hey that's just normal for both of you" she said moving to grab a cup of coffee for herself and a sandwich before sitting down and eating. " you told him about Jacobi ?" she asked and Ruby nodded.

"yep and what he had said , they think its gold that will kill her if shes a banshee2 Ruby said as Aria chuckled.

"Grab that last bowl of soup on the sideboard, Aria, and get that sandwich," Angus told her as Abbey crawled up on Angus's lap and cuddled into his chest, yawning. "Abbey worked hard on those." Angus knew what was coming. Abbey had gotten up way before her usual wake up time, so now, with a full belly, she was getting sleepy. He wrapped his arms around her, and she laid her head on his chest. 

"And that is what happens when a three year old's energy runs out," Marcus smiled.

"This used to happen every afternoon. I'd feed her, and she'd konk out on my lap. I used to scramble like mad to get laundry in the wash and get the floors scrubbed and set dusting spells out while she slept. I only had a couple hours but she was as regular as clockwork. And there are certain tasks that are infinitely easier to do when toddlers aren't present."

"He saved all the cooking and the budget paperwork and folding the laundry til she was awake," Marcus said, "because she loved tagging along with him."

"Especially when I changed the sheets on the beds. She loved helping me straighten out the sheets and the blankets."

"Is that what the giggling was every Saturday morning?" Marcus asked.

"It was," Angus said. "Do you know she knows how to fold a fitted sheet?"

"Really? I know adults that can't do that," Marcus laughed. Angus saw Abbey was sleeping soundly so he got up and laid her on the sofa. Then he came back and started to clear the table. He had just put the leftover soup and chicken salad in the fridge when Abbey woke sharply, screaming for him at the top of her lungs.

"Aggie! Aggie! Aggie!" she was frantic. He dropped a little stack of plates on the floor, not expecting it, and he jumped over the broken glass and flew to her. Sitting on the edge the sofa, she hid her face in his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her and soothed her, telling her it was just a bad dream. He knew better. Any time she woke like this, her seers energies were at work, and he was pretty sure he didn't want to know whatever it was she had seen this time.

"

Aria chuckled and did as Angus and Marcus suggested " really good " she said as she ate and listened as Angus told them this was what he and Abby use to do.

" shes welcome over at any time" Ruby said smiling to Abby as she watched her fall asleep against him . she was sipping her coffee as she watched Angus lay Abby on the couch. Aria finished her food and was about to put the bowl in the sink when she heard the little girl scream and saw her run to Angus fearful. Ruby placed down her drink and looked to Angus " that's not normal" she said and moved to Abby while Aria cleaned up the broken items on the floor around them.

"No. It isn't," Marcus told Ruby very softly. "This is what comes from having a family of seers--especially from having a three year old seer. The only time she ever screams like that is if she sees something in her sleep. It used to be about James, but it's hard saying what she sees now. Frankly, I think I'd be relieved if it were only James. She doesn't have these nightmares very often, but when she does, she always wants Angus or Robert. Her mother wakes with a jolt like that when she has seers' dreams, but the difference between them is that she has learned not to scream anymore. Hers are mostly about James too now. They used to be about Remus's death but when James came into her life, he was a far more immediate threat. And when it happens to Kate, she wakes up with a jolt, and it takes her a moment or so to be able to even breathe. If Khaat's fortunate, Robert is there and can help her regain herself far quicker than it takes me to soothe Khaat."

Angus had pretty much stopped Abbey from crying, and he was speaking softly to her. She was hiding still in his chest, but Marcus believed she was telling him something. Marcus could pick up a word here or there, and he was sure he had heard Abbey mention Pew. Of course she did. Marcus had a feeling the fight was coming sooner than anyone was going to be ready for. 

"The fight is coming soon, I think," Marcus said very softly. "The pieces are coming together too quickly now for it to not be coming. I could be wrong, but I think we need to practice some fighting skills and to make sure our gear is at the ready. I don't think we're going to get much advance notice."

Ruby listened to Marcus and nodded " I'll make some seers tea, not strong for her she might need it" Aria said softly. hearing him explain Aria and Ruby could not but feel worried about Abby having seen that in her sleep. Once the tea was ready she added a small flavoring to it to make it taste nice for Abby and smiled a she walked over to Angus " its seers tea but I added strawberry flavor, to help her" she said placing it down next to him on a table.

Ruby heard Marcus and nodded " I have that dread feeling too" she said to him hearing his suggestion of practicing she nodded " be a good idea" she said and looked back at Angus and Abby. " Aria and I could spar out side first if you want or Aria could stay and watch Angus so we could spar?" she suggested " will be good to keep our skills sharp."

"Thank you," Angus said. She'll definitely need it. Good thought."

"Aria, do you mind? I'll go spar a little with Ruby to help her polish up a bit." He was heading outside to spark with Ruby when Khaat and Kate came in and went straight to Abbey. Kate looked into Abbey's face, and that started fresh tears for the child.

"Your mother and I saw her too," Kate said. "We weren't asleep but we saw her too. You alright, Pet?" Abbey cuddled tight to Angus. 

"We're not going to let anything bad happen," Khaat told Abbey softly. "We're a family. We stick together. We always have, and we always will."

"Dad?" a voice came through the floo. It was Anise. Marcus sighed. He knew what this meant. Kate, Khaat, Abbey, Anise, and, undoubtedly Jess too. The seers had somehow been alerted. 

"He's here, Anise," Marcus said. "You saw her too?"

"How did you know?" she asked.

"Seems like most of the seers around here were alerted."

"I'd say we all were," Edward said, coming in. "I'm going to town. Anyone need anything while I'm going? Aria, care to come with? You might like this particular little shopping trip. It's a special errand."

Ruby looked as Marcus spoke with Aria who nodded " its fine with me , I'll hold down the fort while you spar" she said to him and Ruby nodded but stepped to one side as Khaat and Kate walked in.

Down in the med bay Jess had just finished briefing a nurse who was to look after Beau when she felt something strong and ported up to the duplex where she saw Kate and Khaat comforting Abby " you felt it too" she said softly then heard Anise threw the floo. she looked at Angus.

Aria looked towards Edward and then to Angus . " I should stay at your side while Marcus is sparing" she said then looked to Edward " can we wait till Marcus has finished sparing, I really want to go with you but Robert orders are some one has to be with Angus at all times." she asked him

"I think all the seers did," Edward said. 

"I think this is important, Aria," Angus said. "I'll call Minos. It'll be fine."

"Let me see if he'll come in," Marcus said. stepping outside. It wasn't two minutes before Minos came with half a dozen of his guards. 

"We are very well protected here," Angus said. "I have a whole squad of seers here. And Ruby and Marcus will only be a few steps away in the yard."

Edward drew his wand, wanting to go now. He hadn't liked what he had seen any more than any of the rest had. Edward was taking action.

"Do I know where you're going?" Angus asked Edward.

"I'm sure you do," Edward said.

"You are going to want to go, Aria. Trust me," Angus said.