Welcome to AresJoxerCupidStrife

Prologue Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Disclaimer: Ethan, Wesley, Giles, Buffy et al belong to Joss. The gods belong to anyone. The Xena characters aren't mine either.
Title: Chaos' Son
Author: Kate R.
Rating: PG-13 at least
Summary: Ethan is given a trust
Pairings: A/J, C/S, G/E eventually. Everyone else, we'll see.

Prologue: Redemption Through the Eyes of a Child

The Fates watched, seeing the one who had been lost. A child of Janus but he was not supposed to be. Oh, well. That was correctable at least. Atropos chuckled as she sought one to give this child of Janus. This---Ethan.

Ah, there was one, Clotho pointed out. A small boy, being abused by those who had damaged Ethan. They would never learn.

Atropos looked at Clotho who nodded and wove the threads together. The Healers of Love they saw in the pattern now. Excellent. On the bed behind them, Hades moaned in pain and Lachesis gently stroked his hair off his face. They'd found him at least before Aphrodite had gone insane and begun calling herself Glory. They'd managed to gather the King, the baby, the Son of Love and War, the Builder and Mischief. They looked up as Cupid and Strife reentered the cave. Strife gently soothed Hades as best he could. Dite had nearly killed him when she had gone all dark.

Thank Cronos that no one could kill Death. Hephaestus limped over to where Hades lay and took Strife's place so Strife could be with his husband Cupid. Dite's bend to insanity had hurt the young love god the most. Both his parents were taken by it. Lachesis smiled as the two threads connected. Ethan and the child. Now they would heal each other. The Fates prayed this last gamble paid off. Ethan was their last hope to stop Aphrodite.

If they could bring the White light that was buried in him back to the surface. It was a hell of a big If. So many years, so many scars. But the child, they knew children could work miracles.

They watched as the child's thread broke and then everyone stared as Bliss, still a toddler, dove into the tapestry and picked up Wesley's thread. Mixing with the thread until the threads were one and the same. A Trust given to the broken Champion. The Broken Healer. Take good care of him," Cupid whispered as he and Strife lay down by Hades to rest. "Take damn good care of my son."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Running.

Running and running, carrying the child. Ethan Rayne was tired. But the boy, He had to save the boy. He didn't know why, just that this boy was special. He'd nearly ahd heart failure when the boy's heart had stopped momentarily. A silent testimony to the Council's child rearing abilities. Ethan kept running until he got back to an old flat he kept for just such an occasion. Well, not just such an occasion but things like this. Running for your life and such. Laying the child on the single bed in the flat, he laid on the floor next to it. He would save this child, even if it killed him. Looking around the flat at all the evidences of his dark sorcery, Ethan growled. No place for a child. So be it. Ethan Rayne would be rid of it. This child was now his and he would raise him right. Ethan stood and walked to the table where the black altar was set up. He began to destroy every evidence of Satan and demons there. No more.

He left Janus because Janus was not a demon. But everything else, the contracts were paid in his blood and then, he destroyed the links to them. He lay on the floor for hours after the act, panting as the pain washed over him. Finally, movement got his attention. The boy was there. The boy very gently curled up next to him on the floor and went back to sleep.

The boy.

His boy.

His Wesley.

Chapter 1: Sunnydale, 15 years later

The house was nice as far as they went, Wesley thought as he unpacked. And Dad said they would be staying for a while now. This was going to be great. And he got to go to school. He loved it when they were going to be someplace long enough for him to go to actual classes at an actual high school. Dad tried, he really did. But Father and his goons were still chasing them. Dad said they had so many identities set up so they would be safe. Some nights he still woke up remembering what Ethan had taken him away from and he never complained. Ethan did his best. He'd had as normal a childhood as anyone could and he was 17 now. The Council had stopped looking last year. Wes figured it was the fact that he was old enough to be believed in court now and they didn't want that.

"Wesley!" Ethan called. "Come on, brat, we want to get you registered for classes so you can start right?"

Wes laughed and ran down the steps, grabbing his board on the way out. Sure, he was old enough to drive but he loved his skateboard the most. He did have a driver's license though, for the motorcycle he got on. His dad got on the one next to it and they pulled out and headed to the school. Sunnydale high. Supposedly, Uncle Rupert was here. Why Uncle Rupert had left his dad he would never know. His dad was the absolute best.

They pulled up at the school and Wesley got off his bike and alarmed it. Then, he followed his dad into the school. Dressed in his normal outfit of jeans, combat boots, and a t-shirt, he trailed his dad into the principal's office where he got registered. It only took a few minutes.

Dad was very thorough with the paperwork. Wes watched him head off. The story was dad was wealthy and it was true, he just didn't show it off much. Every house they'd lived in was done tastefully but not stiff or gaudy. Wes grinned as Snyder sent him to the library where he was to report to his advisor, Mr. Giles. Wes couldn't help sniggering. Uncle Rupert was gonna get a huge shock, reading his file, of that he was sure.

"Mr. Giles?" he called in his slightly accented English. Dad spoke with an accent and Wes had picked it up. A man with light brown hair came out of the office and looked down at him. Wes chuckled at the stumble as Mr. Giles took in his appearance. Wes knew what he was seeing.

"Hallo," he said. "I'm your new Advisee, Wesley."

"Hello, Wesley," Mr. Giles said as he came down and to the lower level. Wesley handed him his file and watched him open it. He saw the instant Mr. Giles saw his full name and his father's full name.

"Who is your father? It cannot be Ethan Rayne," Giles said. Wesley smiled grimly.

"My Father is an abusive ass in the Watcher's Council. Ethan is my dad and he's always been there for me. He did right by me. Even severed all ties to demonic forces. He's done right by me. Kept me safe gave me a good life and did everything that a real father does. Baseball and martial arts and skateboards and music. My dad is cool."

"Alright," Giles said as he sat at his desk. "How is he?" he asked softly.

"He's great. Misses you but otherwise he's great. We've been everywhere and seen everything. I almost died the night he took me. I did die for a second. Then I was okay. Dad was so scared.

When we got to where we hid that night, he paid all his contracts in his own blood and then was out for twelve hours. I took care of him. Well, as much as a three year old could. I could feed myself so that was good. Dad was hurting so much when he woke up but he made himself get up so we could move. We move a lot but Dad says it's okay now. They aren't looking anymore and he hopes you don't tell them where we are."

"No, of course I wont. Would he---he did something---"

"He paid the debt to the demon yes, once. The others called it again but you two are safe. Dad paid for you in his own blood."

"Oh," Giles whispered. "Would he--- do you think he might like to see me?"

"Yeah," Wes said. "He loves you lots. Misses you too."

Just then, the door banged open and a blond girl, red head girl and a brunette boy trooped in. Giles chuckled.

"Buffy, Xander, Willow, this is Wesley Rayne. A new student and my new advisee. If I'm not mistaken, he knows about what we do."

"Uh-huh," Wes said. "Dad said I could help but you can't bitch me out or he'll turn you into a toad and leave you like that."

Giles outright laughed then and set Wesley up with textbooks and such after looking at his schedule. He was impressed. Several of the classes were AP. Ethan had taken Education seriously it seemed.

"Dad was big on me studying," Wesley said as he headed out to his first class. "I always do my best."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

In a penthouse apartment, the deity once known as Aphrodite walked into her bedroom where her one time lover lay chained with a collar around his neck. She smiled as she banished her clothes and straddled his leather-clad legs. Ar was always such a stud. She forced him to wake and look at her but his glance was cold now. There was nothing but hate and contempt for him.

"It's here somewhere, Ar," she said. "My Key."

In his mind he laughed. Her Key was under her right now. She just didn't know it. She was looking for the Lock. His clothes vanished and he felt himself sigh as he allowed his body to respond to her touch. He was tired and did not feel like fighting. Besides, better she saw his hate when she made him come. Hate was all he ahd for this incarnation of the one he had cared for once. The Mother of his children.

"I'll have my Key soon," she crooned once she finished. "I'll have my Key and we can go home."

Ares couldn't help it; he began to laugh harshly. All these years and she still didn't know. Oh, well. She would learn soon. Especially if he was sensing what he thought he was. Hades was waking. Tartarus was coming to her. She just didn't know it. He laughed until she put him out again. He knew when he laughed like that it scared her. It actually terrified her. It was saying he knew something that she would never know. She hated when he did that. Absolutely hated it.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Cave of the Fates

He'd woken disoriented. What the Tartarus? When the Tartarus were they now? Then he felt it. Bliss had woken him. Bliss who was not here. Bliss who was on the mortal plain mixed with a mortal boy who was nearly beaten to death but for the sorcerer he was tied to. A Healer? That one? Indeed, he was the only one left. What was---Glory? Damn! He'd hoped but no, if he had slept this long, she was still Glory. He felt Ares and he knew he would have to do something soon. He looked next to him on the huge bed they were all on. Cupid and Strife lay together, wrapped in each other's arms. He felt a pang for his Sephie whom Dite ahd killed in the first surge of darkness but there would be time for mourning later. Things were moving. He had to be ready. Everyone was in place. Foolish Glory to look for that, which was in front of her. Stupid child. Ares knew. Pity Glory did not.

He smiled coldly as he got up and dressed himself with a thought.

"Soon, Glory," he thought. "Soon all of Hades will come for you. What happens then will be your choice."

Chapter 2: Ethan's Choice

A week after Wesley started coming to school, Giles was in the library one night. The doors swung open and in walked Ethan Rayne carrying a sack of something. Giles looked up surprised as Ethan set the sack on the table.

"Stakes," the sorcerer said. "Wesley told me Buffy liked the one he had last night so I made you more."

"You made them?" Giles asked. Ethan shrugged.

"In some places, we had to blend. I found I was good at carpentry and woodwork and I love to do it. So, sometimes, I do it just to relax. Wesley told me Buffy loved the one he had last night so I made them each one of their own."

"You did? Really?" Giles asked. Ethan chuckled and pulled the stakes out. One for each of them, all carved to person. The one for Angel did not have no crosses or anything, nor did the one for Spike. All had names carved on them.

"Ethan, how did this change come about?" Giles finally asked outright. Ethan sighed.

"There was a choice," Ethan said. "I could run from the Watcher's Council and hide forever and have nothing but fear. Or, I could save a little boy whose father was beating him and run and maybe, just maybe, find some peace in my life. The boy, Rupert, was Jonothan Wyndham Pryce's son. And he was being beaten at 3 for dropping a glass. I chose Rupert. I chose the only thing I could in that situation. I chose the child. I have never regretted that choice. Not once in the last 15 years have I regretted that choice."

Giles nodded impressed. "Wesley said you severed the connections to the dark?"

"Of course I did," Ethan retorted. "I had childr---a child to take care of. Demons had no place in that."

"No," Giles said as he stared at the man he ahd loved once upon a time. He saw now that man before the changes. Before Randal and Thomas and Philip wanted an orgy demon. It was Ethan, as he knew him standing there, not the young man who was twisted by the magic but Ethan himself. Strong and powerful and absolutely sure of himself. Giles found himself smiling as he watched Ethan lay out some amulets as well.

"These are protection for you all," Ethan said. "They protect from possession and demonic influence. There is one here for the Slayer's sister. If the child insists on following her out, she should have protection of some kind."

Giles nodded and watched as Ethan laid out stakes from the bottom of the bag that were just regular stakes and bottles of blessed holy water. Giles smiled, as he understood. Ethan was arming them.

"I'll see you later, Ripper," Ethan said. "If you care to see me. But I do need to get home now. I told Wesley I'd bring these over."

"I'd like to see you very much, Ethan," he said as he touched Ethan's hand. The Sorcerer chuckled and smiled, kissing Giles before leaving. Giles stared after him for a long moment before the doors blew open again and Xander and Wesley came in.

"Giles, you wont believe this," Xander said.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Behind the Bronze, 30 minutes ago

Xander and Wesley were walking, patrolling. They had paired off leaving Willow with Buffy and Dawn with Angel and Spike since they knew she wouldn't stay home and the vampires could protect her. They'd been searching for minions when they came across a blond woman screaming something about her Key. Wesley tensed then.

"You wont find it here, grandma," he said in a voice not quite the one he normally used. Xander had turned and stared, as Wesley seemed to change before them, growing wings and the shirt vanishing and his hair turning blond. "It isn't anyplace around here."

"Bliss?" the blond woman said in shock. Xander was right there with her. She moved to touch him as was blasted back by a fireball Bliss made.

"You don't touch me, bitch," Bliss hissed. "Uncle Hades was hurt because of you, Both of my fathers cry at night because of you, Grandpa Heph is hurting and you think you have the right to touch anyone? You wont find the Key, Grandma. It isn't lost. Uncle Hades knows exactly where it is."

Another fireball threw her across the alley again and bliss stared at her with anger flowing through him. "Go home. The Key isn't here."

He then tapped Xander on the shoulder and reverted back to Wesley. Xander followed him and they left the stunned woman lying on the ground.

"Who was that? Who is Bliss?" Xander demanded once they were on the way back to the library.

"I'll tell you when everyone involved is at the library. Tomorrow evening because my dad has to be there too. But for a hint, we are bliss and Wesley. Ethan knows." He walked Xander back to the library where Ethan was just walking out the doors.

"Back inside, dad," he said as his hair flashed blond again. Etahn nodded and trailed them into the school. Something had happened to make his other boy reveal himself.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The Cave of the Fates

Cupid and Strife watched as Bliss walked into the school with his foster father and his friend. They knew they ahd better be ready to get there. Hades was still not strong enough and his presence on the mortal plain would bring Glory to them. They did not want that, not at all. It was time for the truth.

Chapter 3: Explanation

Once everyone gathered in the library after patrol, Wesley sat quietly for a few minutes waiting. Xander asked the first question. "Who was that?" He asked. Wesley met his gaze squarely as he answered.

"Her name is Glory, now," he said. "Long before modern times she had another name. A name that was pure and good."

"What was it? And why did she call you Bliss? And why did you call her grandma?" Xander asked.

Wesley sighed and took Ethan's hand as the offer of strength it was.

"Her name was Aphrodite," Bliss said quietly as his form changed again. "And I call her grandma because she was my grandmother."

"That's Aphrodite? What happened to her?" Giles asked.

"The Twilight happened," Bliss said. "Great Grandpa Zeus was killed and Uncle Hades was hurt badly and couldn't get up for a time. Grandpa Ares gave his power to save Grandpa Hephy and the others so he couldn't take the throne for a while. Also, Xena was nutters so Grandpa said we had to wait. While Uncle Hades was healing, Grandma was the only Major Deity not hurt. Everything became her job. She couldn't handle that much raw power. Uncle Hades had to get up again before he was really healed enough to try to stop her slide into insanity. He wasn't fast enough. Grandma was driven into the darkness by the power swallowing her. Grandpa Ares tried to stop her, and she chained him. Uncle Hades she tore up badly again but not before he managed to strip a good deal of her power. He took love from her. She's still jealousy and rape and all that but he took the most power she had from her and bound her to a mortal. He also banned her from Olympus. To do that, he and Grandpa Ares slammed Life energy and Death energy together and blew everyone off the mountain. The Fates found Grandpa Hephy, Daddy Cupid, Daddy Strife, Uncle Hades and me in the rubble of the mountain. Grandpa Ares had made sure we weren't taken with the rest of them. She wants to go back and reclaim her godhead."

"What is this Key thing?" Buffy asked as Xander had told them about the blond looking for the Key.

"Well, actually, what she wants is the Lock. She has the Key. The Key is Grandpa Ares."

"Oh, Bloody, buggering, sodding Hell!" Giles exclaimed finally. Then what is the lock?"

"Dawn," Bliss said softly. "When she was born, The Fates placed the energy in her. The energy that is the Sword of War when Grandpa calls it to him. But see, he won't as long as he's in her power. He wont let her go back to the Mountain until Uncle Hades can stand against her. Uncle Hades is the Only God anywhere who has that power to stand against her and call it a draw. His power comes form every living thing on this planet so he has more. However, his injuries are still healing. He's awake now though, so that's good. It means he's nearly strong enough to hold her."

"What happens when she's held?" Willow asked.

"I heal her," Ethan said quietly. "I don't know how yet but I know it's supposed to be me. That's why I have you, isn't it?"

Bliss nodded and sighed. "Wesley would have died if I hadn't joined with him. I didn't age until 15 years ago even though you had me for 19 because I had to get this body able to accept my power. Wesley is still here and he's healed but I have to stay until this is resolved one way or another. I'm telling you now though, guard Dawn. She's important and as long as Grandma doesn't have her, she can't go back to Olympus."

Everyone nodded and Bliss looked up as if listening to something. He smiled, as there were two flashes of light heralding the arrival of two new gods.

"Daddy, Daddy Strife," he said, "She saw me. She's looking for the Lock."

"She's starting to suspect she already has part of it," Cupid said. "Uncle Hades said to tell you to wear the amulets your dad there made. You'll all need those protections. We have to get my dad back as soon as we can. I mean ASAP because she's realizing he was the one who threw the life energy to Uncle Hades which means he's part of it."

"We can always call Uncle Herc," Bliss said as he started to change back to Wesley's form. He liked the human form. It fit him. "He's in town somewhere I think."

Cupid's eyes closed and in a flash, there was Hercules, wearing jeans and a t-shirt and hiking boots.

"Cupid!" He cried happily seeing the younger God of Love. Cupid grinned and hugged back.

"We need your help, Uncle Herc," Cupid said. "We have to get Dad away from Glory."

"She's here then?"

"Yeah. She's looking for the Lock. If we can get Dad away form her and keep him away from her for another month, Uncle Hades can restrain her. We have a Healer now." Hercules looked and saw Ethan and he smiled. There was a chance now, thank all the gods who still lived.

"Hades is the Door, isn't he?" Hercules asked. "He and Ares sealed Olympus and having a Key and a Lock doesn't make sense without the door."

"Yes, he is," Cupid, said. "And he's almost strong enough now to come after her. He just needs more time to get set up and acclimated to this time."

"We'll give it to him. If I'm to go in there though, I need a mortal to go with me. One with no powers."

"Guess that's me," Xander said. "When do we do this?"

"Tomorrow morning," was the reply. "Tomorrow morning"

tbc