A Birth day

When Aria left, Angus took his glass to the sink and then decided to head upstairs.

"I think I'll head up. It could be another early day tomorrow," Angus told Ruby. He peeked into the nursery and found Finn had move out from under one of the cribs but there were also about five stuffed toys now laying where Finn liked to lay. He made a mental note to ask Ruby if she had put a bunch of stuffed toys in the cribs.

"Well," Marcus laughed. "If he's honestly going to pull a prank on Evan and Edward, I want in on it. Thanks for making a good security check. I won't worry about them tonight then since Minos is on it. From what I saw, i think Elwood is going to fit in just fine, but I hope they don't get their hopes up in case Elwood decides its just too much work to fight to live. I think he had a good night tonight, but he has a long way to go, and he was pretty darned determined to just enjoy what little time he has left. If they get their hopes up and he decides to cross the veil, they could be in for some heartache. But, that's who Angus is, I think. He's a rescuer. I think Ruby, to a certain extent, is too."

Ruby smiled seeing Angus take his glass to the kitchen and say he was headed up to bed . "yeah same here its been a long day" she said smiling as he passed by " I'll be up in a moment too" she added as she placed the mugs and glass in the washer and set it going. Once done she headed up to their room passing by the nursery she saw the toys in Finns bed and chuckled moving in she quietly moved them out o he could settle again.

Aria chuckled hearing Marcus " thought you might" she said smiling as she listened to him continue. " yeah he was getting his men in position when I left" she listened more and smiled as she listened to Marcus talk of Elwood " yeah but when that happened even if its a short time he'll have had a good and caring family around him, not like Pearl keeping him isolated, even for a short while he will have lived and not many get to say they met there great grand children." she said softly as she moved to look at him " I feel they know that, both of them and are ready for it all, why else would they have offered for him to live with them if they weren't" she lay her head down next to Marcus and yawned " okay now sleep, lets dream of less morbid things" she added slowly falling asleep.

Angus crawled into bed and turned out the light, leaving the door ajar in case they needed to hear either the kids or Elwood. It wasn't more than about three minutes, though, and he was in a sound sleep.

"Well, you're right, of course," Marcus said, turning out the light. "Oh, by the way, Zane and Kai went to see Ezra this afternoon, and they apologized to him for slipping him that candy. Apparently, things between the brothers are sufficiently mended, or at least that's what Zane Kai told me. I'll know more when I see Ezra tomorrow. Goodnight." He closed his eyes, and he finally slipped into an exhausted sleep, resolving that once in four nights was not actually enough sleep for him.

Angus got up at his usual time, smelling coffee and strawberries. He got up, looked in on the babies and saw they were still asleep. He looked in on Elwood and he saw Elwood was awake, sitting up, drinking coffee and reading the morning papers.

"Good morning, Lad," Elwood smiled. He looked at Angus and frowned. "How did I not notice all those muscles on top of muscles you've got? How did I miss that? Good grief. Do you work out every day?"

"Not as religiously as I should," Angus said. "Sometimes six kids get in the way of working out."

"Understood. By the way, this Andrew chap is very efficient. I rather like him. He at least makes decent coffee."

"He's a good cook too," Angus smiled. "You will not go hungry in this house."

"I will find it hard to see that as any sort of threat," Elwood laughed.

"Good. Would you like to come downstairs?"

"Thank you, but no. Andrew has promised me a soak in a real tub after breakfast. I look forward to that."

"By all means, soak as long as you want," Angus smiled. He went downstairs and saw Andrew taking out two pans of strawberry muffins. He had already made two pans of chocolate chip muffins, and he had bacon and eggs frying.

"'Morning, Andrew," Angus said, pouring himself a cup of coffee. "Have you seen Finn?"

"Yes, indeed," Andrew said. "I let him out this morning, and he took off to chase a skunk. So for now, he's going to be shut outside until he's had a bath or maybe several.

Aria listened to Marcus and sighed " good , sibling squabble's should not go on for any longer and I do hope he cooperates there words" she said " if they have then that's very grown up of them" she added and felt Marcus slowly fall asleep " night dear" she said kissing his cheek as she too fella sleep.

Ruby woke to Angus already being up , she smiled and quickly showered and headed down to the living room where she saw Andrew " morning , those smell wonderful" she said then heard Angus and chuckled as Andrew said Finn will stay out side since he had run off to chase a skunk " oh I'm sure Jack will clean him, he did last time" she said and chuckled. She looked to Angus and spoke again " oh you still going through with what ever devious thing you mind came up with last night?" she asked as she smelled the food cooking. " you do know that's going to bring down the boys right" she said and chuckled

"I am still going through with it," Angus laughed. "The boys won't be able to come. They'll be working. That reminds me. I need to get cracking." He went to the basement and brought up a large piece of card, and he made a sign on it with thick black marker. The sign read "Moral Support Department." He tucked the sign away temporarily, and then he checked the fridge to see what ingredients he had. He began making stacks of sandwiches and bagging them up in plastic bags, picnic style.

"What are you doing?" Andrew laughed.

"Watch and learn," Angus said. "If we're lucky, Elwood will want to come with us."

"Come where?"

"To the beach."

"Where?" Andrew asked incredulously.

"Here's how this is going to go," Angus said. "I know my grandfather and my brother too well to see it any other way. I'm going to want to help them fix their houses after the fire, and they're going to tell me they don't need a thing, just some moral support. So, I'm going to make sure they regret that. I'll give them moral support alright."

"Oh, lordy."

Angus made sandwiches, got some crisps, some sides, and a cooler full of cold beverages--both non alcoholic and alcoholic. He packaged it all up and set it out of the way.

"This depends on going to the beach, Ru. You coming?" Angus asked her. "I'm really hoping Elwood will come. A day in the sun with some sea air would do him a world of good."

"Well, you're right about that, so long as we use plenty of sunscreen so he doesn't burn," Andrew said.

Ruby heard Angus and laughed hearing him ask if she was going she nodded " we could bring the babies they would love the beach" she said and headed up to get the babies bags ready quietly so they would not wake too soon.

Aria woke and dressed leaving Marcus sleeping as she made her way across to the duplex " morning , Marcus is still sleeping , I left him there for now because he was so tired last night" she said then saw fin still chasing the skunk " oh lord, hes surely going to be sprayed." she said " I call dibs on not washing him." she said said raising her hand and laughed. Seeing Ruby walk down with two diaper bags she looked puzzled " going some place?" she asked and Ruby nodded.

"yep, the beach , you can come too with Marcus, we can be the moral support cheer squad" she said and chuckled making Aria look puzzled at Angus.

"Um am I missing something here?" she asked motioning to Ruby and the bags.

"Morning. You're not missing a thing--yet," Angus said. "I think I'll go set the trap. I'll be right back." He went over to Edward's, was gone about ten minutes and came back, doing his best to hide a wide grin. He closed Edward's door when he came back, managed to get back to the kitchen table and then burst out laughing. "What'd I tell you? Just like clockwork."

"I'll be right back. I need to take Elwood's breakfast up," Andrew said.

"Oh, let me," Angus said, taking the tray from Andrew and heading upstairs.

"Well, I guess I'll serve up the breakfast for everyone else then on the sideboard, shall I?" Andrew said. "He makes me nervous when he's sneaky."

Angus took Elwood's tray up to him, told Elwood about his plan to play a prank on Edward and Evan and before long, Andrew heard Angus and Elwood laughing like schoolboys.

"Why do I think he's completely sold Elwood on going to the beach today?" Andrew laughed. "I guess I'd better get Clive to send him a pair of swim trunks straight away."

"And now that the trap is set, I have a couple other things to put into place," Angus said. "I'll be back." Angus drew his wand and apparated out.

"Why does this remind me of Dr Frankenstein making a monster?" Andrew laughed.

Ruby listened to Angus as did Aria, she looked at him and shrugged her shoulders as he spoke to her." okay" she said simply a she pored a cup of coffee for herself as she watched him head for Edwards then return practically laughing as was Ruby.

" I'll fill you in later" Ruby told her as he returned and she laughed as he said he was predictable. " oh but we do need to get the babies ready for the beach, sun dresses , sun hats and maybe some swim suits so they can paddle in the water" she said beaming with a smile . Aria chuckled and nodded as she heard the babies wake and start to chatter between themselves.

Ruby and Aria watched as Angus ported out Aria knew Marcus would not be happy to find out he left on his own, again. Hearing Andrew Aria looked at him and chuckled at his words " yeah , feels that way too, but at least hes happy" she said and chuckled " I'll help you with breakfast " she said and picked up the bacon and set it on the side board with the eggs and muffins too.

Angus made a trip to the main house, talked with a couple people, and sent a few messages, and then he went over to Marcus's, went upstairs, and got into Marcus's closet. He got out Marcus's swim trunks, his flip flops and some other things and dumped them on the bed.

"Wake up, Sunshine. Time's awasting," Angus called.

"What?" Marcus looked at him sleepily.

"Come on. Up and at 'em. We have people to prank."

"Who? Who are we pranking?" Marcus yawned.

"Edward and Evan."

"Oh, that's right. I'm in. Ok. Give me a minute to get my eyes open."

"Get your beach stuff, get dressed, and come over when you're not naked," Angus said.

"I'm not naked now," Marcus frowned. "i presume I can change out of pajamas, though."

"Yes please. Just don't take all day."

"Fine. Go away," Marcus sighed. Angus apparated back to the duplex.

"I'm back," Angus said, fixing his breakfast place. "Andrew, Elwood is going with us. Can you help him get ready after breakfast?"

"Of course," Andrew said.

It wasn't three minutes before Marcus apparated in, still yawning, with a beach bag, and he set it down on the floor. He poured himself a mug of coffee and fixed himself a breakfast plate.

"Did he wake you up?" Andrew asked.

"I will never ever need an alarm clock when he's around," Marcus sighed.

Aria shook her head when Angus ported back " I'll have to pop back and change for the beach" she said just as Marcus sleepy as ever walked in " morning dear" she said then chuckled as he grabbed some food and a cup of coffee. " okay be right back" she said and ported to the cottage . Quickly as she could she changed into a summer dress with matching sun hat and a pair of flip slops grabbing a bag that became a beach blanket and an umbrella to cover the babies from the sun. porting back she smiled to Marcus " okay I'm ready" she said and placed the things she had brought placing them down next to the babies bags.

" we can both go see Ezra once we've seen what Angus has up his sleeve" she said smiling to Marcus " as I really want to see and hear for myself that everything is good with the boys too"