The phone rang late at night. A hand moved to feel around on the nightstand until the cell phone was found. Without looking at the number, Russ answered with a groggy, "Whaat?" The voice on the other end came as no surprise. After all, most other people called during normal hours. His brother, however, didn't.

Russ rolled over onto his back, the blankets tangled up around the lower half of his body. A hand came to rest on his bare chest. "I was sleeping. Normal people sleep at night, Ross. What's up?" Russ looked to the clock and rolled his eyes as his brother spoke. Three in the morning, god. Only Ross would call during the witching hour. "Mmm, yeah. Congratulations on that." He chuckled but didn't let on that Ross' wife had already called with that particular news.

Russ let his brother ramble. He assumed that Ross had a point. It took him time to get there sometimes. "Mmhmm." Russ finally rolled out of bed and headed for the little kitchen. Outside he could hear the whisper of trees against the roof of the cottage. Somewhere in the distance there was a haunting cry of some beast on the hunt. Russ pulled a glass out of the cupboard and, tucking the phone between his ear and shoulder, opened the fridge to get out the pitcher of water he kept in there. When silence fell on the phone, Russ finally murmured, "So why did you really call?"

He didn't expect a laugh from Ross. That broke the ice and then came the serious talk. Russ expected something to do with the family. Maybe something to do with their father. He didn't expect the next question. "This is the phone you gave me. I assume it's secure, yeah. You tell me." That seemed good enough for Ross because then he started in on the real reason he'd called. Again, Russ wasn't expecting the topic. Business? Russ leaned against the cupboard and drank his water, brows furrowing. "Yeah, I know them." The glass paused part way to his lips. "No way, really? When?" He waited for the answer then sighed, "Well that sucks. What are you going to do?" Ross always did have a plan when things went south. That's what made him perfect for running the business. "Hmm. Yeah, I can see wanting that but god, Ross. What happened to subtle?"

He finally got the drink of water and nearly choked on the answer that came through the cellphone. "You're kidding right?" When did Russ become the level headed one of the family? "Sleep on that idea and we'll talk after you've had some coffee, ok?" Russ rolled his eyes again. By morning, Ross would probably have cooled off enough that he wouldn't act on the venting ideas he was spouting at Russ. "Make it two cups and yeah, call me. Ok?"

Once the line went dead, Russ clicked off the phone and tossed it onto the counter. He was of the opinion that his brother needed a vacation. Maybe London had a place where Russ could get his brother to agree to disappear to for a few days. Mackenzie could take over for that long and not screw everything up. Russ considered going back to bed but he wasn't really tired anymore.

Back into the bedroom he went, dragging out some clothes. He didn't care much if they matched. He grabbed his keys, grabbed his phone again and then grabbed the duffel he kept by the door. Time to head into town. Russ needed to talk and the only person he felt he could talk to was probably sound asleep. If Russ got lucky though, London would be sound asleep alone.

He slid onto his bike and revved up the engine. The little dirt bike didn't sound impressive but in the dark of night it was loud. He spun the bike around and headed off toward the city.