A Birth day

"Scare you?" Angus asked, momentarily blank. "Oh. Jess. Yeah. Sorry. I'll get her sorted."

"Well, technically, it wasn't Jess either," Robert said. "We got her, though, so you don't need to sort her this time. That's why you're part of a team. Sometimes it's alright to let your team handle it for you. She was a nutcase who wanted to impress Suzanne into giving her a job. She's locked up in Azkaban, so you're safe now."

"Was she even a blonde?" Angus asked.

"Nope," Robert laughed. "Sort of a carrot top."

"Cheeky bitch," Angus mumbled.

"Hello, Jack," Marcus said. "I think Angus's head is perhaps starting to clear up a lot sooner than we thought he would. Robert didn't think he'd be able to clear his head at all today because of all the potions and spells he's had, but I think he is trying. People will probably have to be a little patient with him because his thought processes are a lot slower than normal. He's had a little food today, and that's been ahead of what Robert thought he would be able to do too."

"Supper's on for those of you who are hungry," Simone called. "Fix a plate if you're hungry, Jack. It's one of Angus's recipes for a hotpot with pork loin, and he added not just potatoes but leeks, and some carrots and some apples, pumpkin, and fresh sage. It should have a very autumn feel to it. Oh, and Ginger made shortbread--her first time ever baking cookies."

Ruby smiled hearing Angus and his words about the woman she could not help but chuckle at him calling the woman a cheek bugger. " oh she was defiantly" she said still holding his hand in her own.

Jack listened to Marcus as he told him about Angus and smiled " that's good to know, I'll let Jess know too, she was worried" he said as the tarp was fully secured. Hearing Simone he smiled " oh, oh i'm not missing that, and short bread by Ginger, nice." he said and looked to Marcus " come on best get some food before I get there" he said with a cheeky grin as he headed towards the duplex.

Aria finished putting things away and setting the washing on the go. taking a think blanket she walked over to Angus and lay it over his legs wrapping the around them to keep his legs warm. Turning to the fire she placed a second log on it to keep it going.

"I'll be there shortly. Just save me some," Marcus laughed.

Marcus fixed a plate for Elwood, and then he went back to fix a little for Angus. Victor took Elwood to the table before he went to fix his own plate.

"Go fix your plates while its fresh and hot," Marcus told Ruby and Robert. "It smells fantastic. I'll fix mine when he's done eating, but I know he's going to want some."

"Don't push him. Let him eat what he wants," Robert said. "Is there anything you do want, Angus?"

"Coffee," Angus said.

"Fine. You can have coffee if you want it," Robert said. "One of us will bring you some. try to get a little supper, though."

"It's supper time?"

"It is. You've slept all day, but you need to sleep. You may start feeling a bit better tomorrow," Robert said, his stomach growing very loudly.

"Sounds like you need to go fix your plate instead, and either Ruby or I will fetch the coffee," Marcus laughed.

"Come eat, Robert," Elwood said. "And then after supper, maybe you and I can play some chess so I can wipe the floor with you again."

"Wipe the floor with me? I won last time," Robert said.

"I won one, you won one, and I'm telling you the next one is mine."

"Oh, in your dreams," Robert told him, heading for the table.

Jack heard Marcus and chuckled " if there's any left " he said and headed over to the table to grab a plate of food. Rub heard Robert and nodded but not before giving Angus a gentle kiss on his cheek. Leaving him she picked up Caprice and Amari and placed them into their high chairs giving them some food while she ate too.

Aria looked to Marcus as she walked out with a cup of coffee walking over she placed it next to Angus bed " here you go, one cup of coffee as requested." she said with a chuckle and a smile. Now Leaving them she moved to the table and fixed a plate for herself and sat next to Amari to eat glancing over to Marcus should he need anything. Hearing Elwood and Robert's banter Aria chuckled as did Ruby " oh that's fighting talk " Aria said making Jack chuckle too.

"They both think they're Merlin's gift to chess," Victor said.

"No, that would be me," Robert teased. "Elwood is just a chess wannabe." Elwood laughed.

"Listen, Little Boy," Elwood said, "I was winning chess tournaments before Lyall Lupin was even hatched."

"The fact you're older than dirt does not intimidate me in the least," Robert replied.

"It should. I had socks older than you, and they still could be in the ruin of that damned castle."

"We are not going back there for your moldy socks," Robert told him.

Marcus fed Angus as much has he could get Angus to eat, and then he helped him with some coffee. Marcus noticed that the effort of eating a full meal exhausted Angus, and it concerned him. Angus soon refused anything more, and Marcus took it upon himself to give him his next dose of pain potion. Angus slept almost immediately, exhausted. Marcus took Angus's dishes to the sink and then fixed his own plate.

"Sit and enjoy your supper, Marcus," Robert told him. "We'll keep an eye on Sleeping Beauty over there. He's probably pretty much done for the night anyway."

"I'll go get dessert," Simone said. She got up, went to the kitchen, put the scoops of ice cream into dessert bowls and two of Ginger's shortbread biscuits into each bowl and then served a bowl to everyone. "We had little bits of 4 different ice creams, so if you don't like the flavor in front of you, just trade with the person next to you."

"Or just take them all," Victor grinned.

"That is not an option, young man," Simone laughed.

Ruby and Aria chuckled at Robert and Elwood's banter about chess and who was better . Hearing Simone say she was going for dessert and Ruby took the babies empty plates threw to the kitchen ready for desert . " Looks good Ginger" Ruby said as Aria took a bite of the short bread and smiled.

"tastes good too" she said smiling as she added some ice cream to it ," perfect with the ice cream too" she smiled as even Jack dipped his finger into the ice cream and hummed at the flavor. Ruby crumbled half of one over the ice cream for the babies , Caprice too a bite and giggled looking at Ginger " well I'd say it got the Caprice seal of approval" Aria said hearing Robert tell Marcus to go relax for a while she nodded " there's a plate for you and some dessert saved too" she said to Marcus accioing his plate to the table in front of him.

Marcus settled in for his meal, and he was glad for a few minutes' break. As they were eating, there was a loud banging on the kitchen window.

"Ruddy bird," Robert sighed, flicking his fingers to open the window. The bird came over, perched on Jack's shoulder, dropped a note in his talons, the envelope falling into Jack's plate, and then Archangel screeched loudly in his ear, wanting paid.

"Why does he do that only to Jack?" Victor asked.

"Because it annoys Jack, and Archangel seems to take particular pride in being able to do it," Robert laughed. "That note actually looks like it's for me anyway. See that Azkaban prison symbol on the envelope? And those initials are the warden's. I'm guessing Jack isn't expecting any correspondence from there."

Jack finished his desert as he heard the thud he was going to stand up but Archangel flew in and settled on his shoulder and screeched making Jack sigh as he retched into his pocket and gave him a treat before picking up the letter and handing it to Robert " nope defiantly not for me" he added and glanced at the name " and defiantly from the warden, why write now?" he asked as he placed Archangel on a stand he saw not far from him.

Ruby chuckled as Archangel flew in and screeched in Jacks ear making him sigh. " Jack doesn't mind Archangel doing that." Ruby said making Jack raise an eye brow at her making Aria laugh.

"says you" she said and Ruby chuckled too as she finished feeding Amari while Caprice fed herself with a spoon. Now done Aria wiped clean Amari then turned to Caprice and wiped her face clean too.

Robert opened the envelope and read the message, and then he started laughing.

"The warden wants permission to do an exorcism of Dora Hackett's cell," Robert laughed, finding it hilarious. "Apparently, since our visit, Little Miss Dora has been terrified and has been screaming almost nonstop. She says her cell is haunted by a blonde banshee...."

"Oh, I just bet it has," Edward said sarcastically.

"You do know I am going to refuse that request."

"Well, if I know Caprice at all," Edward said, "and I believe I do, she's not going to stop until Dora does whatever it is that Caprice wants her to do. And once she does that, Caprice might stop."

"And how exactly do we find out what that is?"

"She'll make that known in due time, I suspect. Until then, I think Dora is screwed. She messed with Caprice's boy, and Caprice is furious. Dora traumatized Angus and Ruby, and now Caprice intends to traumatize her."

Ruby looked at Robert when he read the letter and laughed she could not help but laugh herself " oh perfect" she said then heard Robert say he was going to deny the request for an exorcism of the cell " good she deserves every bit of what Caprice is giving to her" Ruby said as she cleared the table of bowls taking them to the kitchen.

Aria and Jack both laughed too then listened to Robert and nod their heads together as Jack finished his bowl and let Ruby take it " meal was wonderful thank you" he said and looked to Ginger " the shortbread was magnificent" he said with a smile as they all heard Caprice give the loudest burp and chuckled " better out than in" Jack said