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Magnus had invited everyone over to his house for dinner, and staying for dinner turned
into to staying the night. They had stayed up late talking and joking but eventually they all went
to bed. Angus was the first to go, slowly falling asleep on the couch and pretending he wasn’t.
“You doing alright there Agnes?” Taako asked from the other couch, draped in Kravitz’s
arms.
“I’m fine sir, no need to worry about me.” Angus said before trying to stifle a yawn.
Soon after Magnus scooped the boy detective in his arms and tucked him in his room
upstairs. Next to go was Davenport, who kept insisting that it was late and he should get going.
“I don’t want to impose Magnus really, I should leave before it gets too late.”
“Come on Capn’port, it’s much too late for you to leave now. ‘Sides I’ve got enough room
for everybody.” Magnus cajoled Davenport away from the door and towards the master
bedroom.
“If the life of the party is turning in then so am I, come on Dav.” Merle stood up and the
two men left the room.
“Sleep tight ya old men” Magnus called after the pair.
“That’s cha’boy’s signal to get to bed as well, off we don’t go soon Merle’s gonna hog all
the good sleepin real estate.” Taako stood and stretched like a cat.
“He’s right Maggie, for such a little guy he really knows how to hog a blanket.” Lup
untangled herself from Barry and walked over to give Magnus a kiss in the cheek. She turned
back towards Barry, “You ready babe?” Barry stood up and gave Magnus a quick hug. “Thanks
for having us over big guy, see you in the morning.”
Kravitz was the last to stand up and reached out for a handshake, “Dinner was lovely, it
was a pl-“ Magnus cut him off as he pulled him into a bear hug. “It was good having you Bones.”
The four piled in the master after Davenport and Merle. After a century of close quarters
the habit was hard to break. Kravitz was still adjusting to his new extended family and their
quirks but he fits into them like a missing puzzle piece. Avi crashes on the couch just like Angus,
but instead of putting him to bed they moved the rest of the conversation to the kitchen and out
of the living room. Killian and Carey took the guest room, Carey almost dragging her half asleep
wife out of the room. Then it was Just Magnus and Lucretia. They chatted idly as they finished
cleaning up the aftermath of the get together.
“How’s the dog training going? Angus told me you gave him a puppy?” Lucretia gathered
a few start wine glasses and took them to Magnus standing at the sink.
“Yup, got him a bloodhound, figured if he was gonna go around solving mysteries and
stuff he could use some help. Named em Cleveland after those books he likes.” Magnus rinsed
the glasses and handed them back for her to dry. “The rest of the dogs are doing fine, Johann
likes to help whip them into shape.” At the mention of his name the big deerhound walked up
and demanded attention. Magnus leaned down to scratch him behind the ears. “What about
you, Madam Director, how have you been?”
Lucretia sighed and and finished drying the last wine glass. “When are you going to stop
calling me that, Magnus, you don’t even work for the Bureau anymore.”
“For as long as your in charge.” He smiled and the two slowly started to leave the
kitchen.
“Looks like my lucky day, I’m thinking of stepping down.” Magnus gasped in a mix of fake
surprise and indignation while Lucretia smothered a laugh with her hand.
“But Lucy! Why are you leaving?” He pouted and she hit him on the shoulder.
“Oh gods, Lucy might be worse. But to be serious, I’m getting older Magnus. I’m not the
eighteen I was when we met and I’m not the forty I should be. I’m in my sixties now and I don’t
think I can keep up anymore. Besides I want to explore and spend time with you guys. I’ve
missed my family. I’ve been grooming Killian to take over and I have great faith in her.”
Soon their conversation moved to the music room. That was one of the things Magnus
was sure to include when building his home. A large living and dining room for his family to
gather, a fire proof kitchen for Taako and Lup, a guest room with bathroom large enough to
share, a small bed room for Angus, a large lawn for the dogs, and a music room for Julia.
It was one of the smaller rooms in the house, big enough for a small piano, a couch, and
a handful of other instruments. Magnus sat on the piano bench and Lucretia shared the couch
with Johann, his head in her lap. On top of the piano was a collection of hand carved wooden
figurines. It was mostly a collection of ducks, mostly carved by Magnus. There was one with
both ends carved into the butt that Carey gave him when they made Killian’s birthday present,
and a small choppy one Angus had surprised him with last Candlenights. But in the center of it
all was a carving of a smiling woman. It was carved and painted with extreme detail and even
more care. She wore a plain dress and a leather apron, her hair was tied back with a red
bandanna, and she smiled down at a figure of a bear she was holding in her hands. Magnus
picked the figure up and gently ran his fingers over it.
“Is that her, Julia?”
“Yup.” He looked at the clock on the clock on the wall that read 3:36 am. “Would you look
at the time, that makes today our anniversary, didja know that? Can’t believe how long it’s
been.”
“Oh Magnus I’m so sorry, I didn’t know.”
“S’no big deal really. Not your fault I didn’t tell nobody. I’m just glad you guys are staying
over tonight.” He turned away and put the woman back on the piano top and continued talking.
“I built this room for her actually. I like music and all but she loved it. She even taught me how to
play piano.”
Lucretia could tell he was done talking and was trying to change the subject. Julia was
still hard for them to talk about. Even after all Lucretia did, she did bring Magnus to Ravens
Roost. She brought Magnus to the love of his life.
“She did? Will you play something for me?” If Magnus didn’t want to talk they didn’t need
to talk.
“Of course, what are you in the mood for tonight?”
“How about the song that red headed boy used to sing every night in the quad at the
Legato Conservatory?”
“Ahhh, one Lucretia special coming up.”
Magnus put his hands to the keys and played. For a few minutes they just listened to
cherry notes. And then Lucretia began to sing and so did Magnus. It was nice, just the two of
them. Privacy was scarce back in the Star-Blaster days and it wasn’t much better now. When
the song finished Magnus started playing some of the songs Julia had taught him. Lucretia
stayed silent and found herself nodding off. As Magnus kept playing she curled up on the couch
and fell asleep with her head and Johann’s back and her hands tangled in his fur. Magnus
stayed at the piano for the rest of the night playing a variety of songs. Ones that Julia taught him
and ones that Johann had written and fed to Fisher. When he played “March if the Forgotten” It
was like the house itself knew his grief. He was still playing when Lup woke up to start making
breakfast around eleven. He never gets much sleep on his anniversary, he’d hate to waste a
second of it.