Werewolf in London ||Montgomery

Tyler whistled to himself as he walked up the steps to the house. The sun was bright, though the air was still cold. Still, it was nice to be out and exercising agian.

He had been cooped up in his house worrying about Laura, and finding a job for far too long. He felt a weight lift on his shoulders, even as he walked towards something that represented all that changed.

Surprisingly, his transformations was something that represented his life before the baby - it was some how some sign of normal.

Besides, he reminded himself as he knocked on the Montgomery's front door, he always looked forward to seeing Owen again. And it was close enough to Christmas that Tyler wondered if Ondrea would be around as well.

Mo promptly answer the door. "Mister Ty!" the elf squeaked excitedly in greeting. She ushered him in, large blue eyes gazing up at the man. "Can Mo be getting Mister Ty anything today?" she asked. "We's got cookies. Mo made them today!"

"Stop pestering the poor guy, Mo," a voice came from the wall. Or, more precisely, a painting on the wall. Owen grinned out at the werewolf. "It makes me a bit jealous, almost. Faye was always Mo's favorite, and now she's doting on you, too." He was clearly joking.

Owen started moving between portraits along the hall. "Might as well take a seat in the parlor. Mum's working a bit late, tonight. Something came up at the hospital. My sis is somewhere around, though. She stepped outside, but she should be back any time, now."

"Yeah know I ain't gunna be sayin' no to cookies Mo," Ty beamed at the small creature that had taken a liking to him, and despite the culture shock of a house elf, the young werewolf had found her to be a pleasent creature as well.

Stepping into the house, letting the door close behind him as his gaze moved up to the wall, and his grin softened into one of amusement, "I can't help it if I'm natrually loveable. I personally thank its the accent."

He winked and gave a laugh as he started down the hall, the premise that his companion was canvase and paint rather than flesh and blood didn't faze the former Muggle anymore.

"She probably heard I was comin' and scrambled before it was to late," the joke rolled off his tongue easily as he walked along. "Whats been happin' since I last showed my surprisin'ly handsome mug? Yeah haven't tried ta kill Jocy yet?"

The elf popped away to go get the cookies, leaving Owen to escort Tyler to the parlor.

"Puh-lease," Owen scoffed, "charming accents and pretty boy faces don't work on house elves, you arrogant mutt." He seated himself in a painting about the fireplace, his figure obscuring most of the scene painted there.

"You know that's not true," the painting said seriously. "Faye cares about you, a lot. It's... not odd, just - I don't quite understand it, fully. Maybe it's because she made you. A werewolf, I mean. It's more than her guilt."

Owen shrugged as Mo popped into the room with a tray of cookies and a cup of tea. He laughed. "Are you kidding? Jocy and I are always trying to kill each other. I think Drea's having girl troubles." The painted blond frowned worriedly.

"So what I hear yeah sayin' is, that even if it ain't workin' on Mo, yeah think I have a charmin' accent and a Prett-eh face?" the grin he flashed the boy was completely mischievous.

"I care for her too," he said softly, his mind flashing back to his converstation he'd had with that man - Vampire he was sure now, though he had not real proof - and the way his defenses had immediately come up when it came to Ondrea. "I thank I'd have liked her, even if she hadn' a taken a few bites out of my flesh."

He gave a soft laugh, not really one of amusement. His eyes drifted to Mo as she came into the room, and his face light up again, thanking her exuberantly and taking a cookie.

"Speakin' of Jocy, I'm offended the lady ain't comin' runnin' once she head I were here," he smirked agian, bitting into his cookie and chewing it softly, as Owen finished his thoughts.

"Girl troubles, that one trouble I know - been born with girl troubles. Ain't too good at fix 'em, but I know 'em."

"Why?" Owen grinned back just as mischievously. "Do you want me to think that, Ty?"

The portrait gave a fond chuckle. "Yeah, she has that effect on people. Or at least, she had that effect on me. I remember when mum and dad brought her home. She was adorable with these big brown eyes. I hadn't wanted a sister until I saw her.

"She was so scared and sad and confused, though. Those people-" his tone hardened around the word, "her birth parents - it was easy to see they hadn't treated her very well before she came to us. It was months before she even spoke to any of us. Faye doesn't even remember them. What does that say about them? She ought to be able to; she was four. I remember things from when I was four."

Owen leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "I didn't know what to do for her - I only eight. She cried a lot - hid from Mo, entirely. I was sure she was broken. One day, she was sitting on the stairs looking sad and lost again, so I sat next to her and just took her little hand in mine. Then she looked at me and gave me the cutest little smile. There hasn't been anything I wouldn't do to make her smile ever since.

"Jocy and Audric are having one of their long-winded debates, again," Owen responded. "In Anglo-Norman. They're only on day two. You're welcome to try joining them. I get a headache just listening to it, myself."

The painting had opened his mouth to reply, closing it again silently, instead. A second later, Ondrea rushed into the room, catching Ty in an enthusiastic hug. "It's so good to see you!" she exclaimed, smiling warmly. "How have you been? I feel awful for not being around. Let me look at you." Ondrea stepped back, hands on Tyler's shoulders as she looked him over, the action indisputably maternal.

"I have not been having girl troubles, by the way," Ondrea said, shooting Owen an admonishing frown. "Or boy troubles, or any troubles at all, for that matter. If Lisette Josse is too homophobic to admit she holds a mutual attraction for me, that is her problem, not mine."

Ondrea helped herself to one of the cookies, breaking off a piece and putting it in her mouth. "I hope you're not listening to everything my brother tells you," she told Ty. "He's a master of exaggeration." Owen stuck his tongue out at her, which Ondrea pretended not to notice.

Tyler listened in solemn silence at the man in the painting spoke. He could see the images perfectly, feel the emotions. No, his own parents hadn't tried to kill him.

But once upon a time, someone in the world had.

He still didn't understand how he had gotten away - though he was slowly thinking some of the puzzle peices were fitting together.

He smiled sligtly, "She's lucky ta have yeah; she a strong girl. Really, I ain't have as strong as she is, don't even pretend ta be."

"I think I'll pass."

His laugh at the thought of even trying to attempt to intrupt such a debate was cut off as the other werewolf's arms were enclosed around him. "Ondrea!" The man greeted her just as pleasently wrapping his arms around her quickly, before letting her pull away to look at him. He gave her a crooked grin, "Do I pass the inspection, Ma? I thank I might have some dirt under my nails I need ta clean."

Grabbing another cookie - having already demolished the first one - Tyler flopped back in his seat, amusement written on his face.

"Aw, but exagerations are the best kind," he took a bit of his cookie slowly, taking his time chewing before he swallowed, "But if yeah say so - you ain't got woman, man, claw, beats problems. At least that make one of us, yeah?"

He gave her a wink and a quick laugh.

"I'm lucky to have - to have had her," Owen replied fondly. "At this rate, we're liable to forget that I'm actually dead. She doesn't have me the way she did before. That's why I'm glad she has you, even if it's not the same."

Ondrea gave Ty a light smack on the arm. "Incorrigible," she huffed indignantly, though her eyes shone with humor. "Clearly, Owen has been a terrible influence on you."

"Hey!" Owen protested with a laugh. "No fair blaming the portrait! And exaggeration is an art form." Rolling her eyes, Ondrea seated herself next to Ty, turning so her legs were over one arm of the sofa and her head resting on the man's leg.

"Tell me about your troubles, then," she invited. "And everything else. I want to catch up. I've missed you."

Taking the smack with nothing more than a smirk, and the acquisition of another cookie, the young man raised an eyebrow at the girl he now had in his lap.

"Comfortable?" he quipped before glancing a smirk back on Owen, "And don'ch'yeah know - yeah always blame the portrait."

Chewing on his cookie thoughtfully, Ty tried to pinpoint the best place to start. Everything seemed to be a large blur in his head.

"It ain't so much 'women problems' so much as... I still ain't to sure I'm gunna be any good at this parent thing," he nodded his head slowly, as he agreed with himself on that having been the best way to phrase it. Then another worry came to him. "I told yeah 'bout Laur, and the baby, didn' I?"

Oh lord, he couldn't keep track of which facts he'd shared, and which he hadn't anymore.

Ondrea blinked up at him in surprise. "Baby?" she echoed. She had heard about Laura, of course, but this was first time she had heard anything about a-

"Baby?" The girl sat up, rotating to face the man. "Tyler Marks! You knocked up Laura? Why am I only hearing of this now? Merlin's pants - the least you could have done is written, or something. How far along is she? Has she moved in, yet? Oh, Merlin... what about her parents? They're not going to murder you, are they?

"Speaking of things you haven't told me... Why didn't you tell me about an Alpha recruiting you into his pack?" The girl gazed at him sternly, clearly displeased at having heard it from somebody else.

Tyler's expression turned distinctly sheepish. There was a lot of information he was withholding it seemed. He had never intended to keep things a secret, he had merely been in such a hurry since Laura told him, trying to straighten out everything, take care of her, worrying about being a father, he hadn't had a moment to think about anyone else.

"'bout that," he clasped his hand behind his head, rubbing his neck awkwardly, "Yeah see, I just- Brock came ta me, or whatever, but I ain't that comfortable 'round other. So I weren't gunna do it. But then Laur told me, and I couldn' just leave her, and I were worried 'bout what I may do. So, I went back. Took his offer. I was gunna tell yeah, I real'y was, I just... fergot."

An innocent grin taking the place of the sheepish one.

"Laura told me in August, end; her parents ain't tried ta kill me yet, and she moved in," he nodded his head. "Promise yeah'll be the first person I tell when its born?" His tone was distinctly one of a person trying to get out of trouble.

Ondrea gave a soft laugh, the sound fond. "I'm not angry with you," she said. "Actually... it's probably best that you did join. I haven't been here for you the way I should have. In the pack, you'll have better guidance. Better than I had or have given.

"I've joined, too. The Alpha seems to think I can be trained up to be some sort of leader." Ondrea shrugged. "Seemed worthwhile."

She grinned at his antics. "I better be!"

"And yeah doubt him?" Ty raised his eyebrow. He didn't doubt the man's insight at all. If he had to listen to anyone, even if she was a far bit younger than him, he'd definitely listen to Ondrea, "Yeah ain't have been half as bad as yeah seem ta think yeah have. I promise yeah can take my word on that."

His grinned softened to one with genuine fondness, and he nodded his head.

"It settled then. Second the little buggers in the world, I make sure yeah getta see 'im, or her or whatever it maybe." A frown crossed his face at that expression. "Speakin' of whatever... there's a chance it gunna be like me, ain't there?

Ondrea shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know," she said. "I mean, I well capable of being bossy, but that doesn't mean I'd make good leader material." The girl gave a quiet hum as she considered the question, wanting to answer it completely.

"Well, I've never known any other werewolves, previously. But from what I've been able to read, yes. There's a chance your baby might be born with... I guess it'd be the gene for lycanthropy. I'm pretty sure the alpha is lycan-born. I'm not sure. He smells a bit different, and it's not just his personal scent, either."

"Nah, I think it more than yer just bossy, which yeah are but I suppose I ain't complaining," he flashed her a teasing grin, before stretching over to grab another cookie. He held it in his hands as he looked off thoughtfully, "I ain't too sure what it is exactly, but yer just... yer smart, and good... and yeah just make people wanna listen to yeah. Or maybe yeah just made me."

He shrugged, his smile fond before he finally munched on the cookie, his appetite going a little sour as his fears were more or less confirmed. Ty, looking back upon it, had noticed the scent change in the man, though he hadn't dwelled on it.

"I suppose there ain't much I can do 'bout that now," he murmured after swallowing. "Just gotta... Lord Almighty, I'm gunna screw so much up. I ain't ready for any of this. Sometime I think I am, but I know I ain't."

"Hey," Ondrea said softly, poking him in the side. "It will be fine, either way. Not all children of werewolves are born with the gene. It's not even the general rule. Even if you did pass it on, it's going to be okay, Ty."

The girl inclined her head, the better to look him full in the face. "Want to know how I know? Because you have the best heart of anyone I've ever known. You're not gonna screw this up. Just look at all the people you have around you, now. With that much support, you're not even going to have a chance to screw up. You hear? It will be okay."

A bashful grin worked his way across his face as he listened to the girl and allowed her words to sooth his worries. He had been telling himself things along the same line, trying to convince himself that this was a truth, but nothing was quite as convincing.

But Ondrea, she made it sound a hell of a lot more convincing than he ever had. He was almost willing to believe it.

He gave a soft laugh, "Suppose yeah might be right; yeah better know yeah just put yerself on babysittin' duty now."

Ondrea faked a groan of protest and grinned back at him. "First, I'm always right," she informed him teasingly. "And second, I am great with kids. I always have been - they love me."

Owen coughed some contradictory statement and his sister tossed a small throw pillow at him. Rising to her feet, Ondrea tilted her head towards the doorway.

"Let me go get your wolfsbane before I forget. Then, if you still have time, we can keep talking." She went to do just that.

Giving a nod to the sister, he laughed as he glanced at the brother, the pillow flopped harmlessly to the floor. He enjoyed watching them interact. It was true there was a certain level of forgetting involved with Owen, but it was still nice to see something that resembled sibling relationships.

Ty wondered where Rebecca was, or Rhys for that matter. He hadn't seen either in forever. A small frown threatened to tug at his features, but he refused to let it. Instead he leaned over to grab the last cookie off the plate as he waited for Ondrea to return.

"Always been such a violent thing," Owen remarked impishly as his sister left the room, knowing she had heard him. He dusted off his forever-present school robes, adjusting the blue-striped tie. Not that he needed to do any of that. The pillow launched at him had rattled the frame of the painting but had had no effect on Owen himself.

"Hey," Owen addressed Ty, proving in that moment that he was as astute as his sister, painting or not. "You're always welcome here, you know. Our mum and dad would say the same - especially mum. Bring Laura, even."

Ondrea gave her brother a glance as she returned. "He's right, you know. You're part of this family, now. Just... avoid my grandmother. She doesn't like that-" That Ondrea had lived instead of Owen. "She doesn't like me."

"She doesn't even visit, anymore," Owen huffed, then added for Ty's benefit, "She's a gossipy old woman who doesn't approve of anything. Fortunately, mum took after grandfather."

Ondrea gave no argument to the assessment, simply returning to her seat next to Ty. She handed him the vial of Wolfsbane, knowing she didn't need to instruct him when to take it. By now, he definitely knew.

"I want to be there when the baby's born if I can," she said. "I'd sorta be the aunt, anyway. When is Laura due? I feel bad I haven't met her, yet." Ondrea gave a faint pout at this. If she wasn't away at school all the time, she definitely would have made opportunity to do so.

Ty glanced up from the thoughtful analysis he had been giving the treat, rather than eating it. His expression was blank for a moment, as if he had to think over the words that were spoke, before a smile broke out on his face.

"I know, really should bring Laur, 'round. Everythang just sort a spiralled so fast I thank we forgot ta do anythang the normal way."

He merely nodded his head at the mention of the grandmother, figuring that its was best to keep his tongue on such matters.

Palming the small vial, he nodded his head, feeling an almost relief. "I thank I'd like that- someone ta make sure I ain't gunna panic to much. Yeah can have the duty of slappin' me back inta reality," he gave a little laugh. "May. T'were the end of summer when... May, she due in May."

"Good," Ondrea gave a conclusive nod. "It's sorted, then. I'll see about dropping in before then, if I can. To meet your lady friend." She grinned a bit impishly. "Promise I'll behave myself, this visit."

Propping her feet up on the coffee table, she snuggled into the man's side, much the way she had when her brother was more than a mere portrait. "You smell good," Ondrea murmured, her eyes having fallen shut. She cuddled a bit closer, for the moment simply becoming a sixteen year old girl.

"I was-" She stopped to yawn. "-thinkin' that... may..." And suddenly the girl was asleep, breathing softly.

From the painting, Owen gave a fond laugh. "I'd forgotten she could do that," he said, adding wistfully, "Usually, she doesn't feel secure enough."

Ty gave a slight chuck, "Good, and don't worry, Laur ain't nearly as infuriatin' as Rhys can be."

Wrapping his arm around the girl, easily letting her curl into his side, giving a fond glance and a soft laugh at her comment. At least someone thought he smelt good. He'd been spending far too much time with Vampires for his own self esteem. He was about to ask her what she thought, when he could feel and here the slower, regularity of her breathing, and knew it was pointless. She was asleep.

He flashed Owen a grin, even though his words gave Ty a warm feeling. He was glad she felt secure around him, "It one of my perks. Everyone finds me an irresistible pillow."