Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein
Title: Country Roads (Sequel to Go Rest High)
Author: Kate R.
Rating: PG At worst I think
Summary: After being on Olympus for 3 months, Ares returns to the family that took care of him. He misses them.
Mentions of Ares/Joxer and Cupid and Strife but nothing graphic
"Almost heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River
Life is older there, older than the trees
Younger than the mountains, flowing like the breeze."
He walked along the roads, heading home form his Other Home, the one on the Mountain. For three months he'd been home and he'd been absolutely miserable. He missed his mortal family. He missed playing football and raking leaves and home cooked dinners. His parents had actually recognized the signs in him this time. Without Dite and Cupid telling them. That had told him they changed. When they asked what was wrong and he told them, they made arrangements. He would be able to return to his mortal family immediately and he would take a supply of ambrosia with him. That would prevent a recurrence of the illness that had necessitated his return to Mount Olympus. Now, here he was, walking these roads home.
"Country Roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."
He walked through the roads, on his way home, the home of his heart, to be with his chosen family. His parents knew he would always be their Ares but he needed to be Res as well. He needed a rest from War. He walked the roads home, happy to be here, seeing everything he'd ahd to leave when he got sick.
"All my memories gather 'round her
Miner's lady, stranger to blue water
Dark and dusky, painted on the sky
Misty taste of moonshine, tear drop in my eye."
He remembered his five years here, the summers were the best, and there was the swimming hole. He had loved swimming in that. It reminded him of Greece in the old days where he would sometimes bathe as mortals did in water holes. He watched the sky remembering how he thought of those strangely beautiful colors in the dawn and dusk from the clouds and how they broke the sun's light. Io would be jealous with some of the shades this sky turned. He walked, whistling, and smiled as he saw grandpa's whiskey stile area. Moonshine, he remembered the taste of moonshine. He wasn't supposed to taste it as a 'Boy' but as the GOW He had to sample it. Dionysus tasted it through his memory and he'd asked Ares to get the recipe while he was home. Ares had laughed trying to hide the teardrop he felt in the corner of his eye.
"Country Roads, Take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama
Take me home, country roads."
Ares felt a laugh building in him as he walked towards home. The town was down there and he would have to walk through it to get to the house. Grandpa had made his Mountain Dew away form the family so they did not get in trouble. He felt sheer Joy to be back where his heart had been for the past 3 months. Joxer had understood that Ares wasn't whole on Olympus. How could he be, they'd all wondered, when they'd seen what his life was like at home? Joxer had kissed him, made love to him again, and sent him on his way home. Telling him he needed to be whole to be happy. Ares had left the next morning. This morning. He was almost home now.
"I hear her voice, in the morning hour she calls to me
Radio reminds me of my home far away
Driving down the road I get a feeling
That I should have been home yesterday."
Ares walked, his pace quickening as he got into the town. His appearance changed back to the 15 year old he'd appeared to be when he left. Dressed in faded jeans, a t-shirts, beat-up sneakers and carrying a backpack full of clothes. Res Heart was home. And he felt as if he should have been here much sooner. He smiled as he heard Old Timo playing his banjo as he jogged past. He waved as he picked up the paper to Old Lady Dane and tossed it up onto her porch. She was old and sometimes couldn't get out to get if the paper idiot only left it on the lawn and he knew reading was one of the few pleasures she ahd. Sometimes he would even read for her. He waved to Mr. Johnson, the Grocer as he went past, his pace picking up. He could have been here in an eye blink but he'd wanted to see the area again so he'd walked at a normal, mortal, pace. The roads had done it---
Country Roads, take me home
To the place I belong
West Virginia, mountain mama,
Take me home---"
He knocked on the door to his house. He still carried a key but he wanted to surprise mom and dad. He watched as the door opened and mom stared at him before calling into the house and there was dad. Res grinned as he hugged them both.
"I'm home," he said as he hugged the two mortals. "I'm home."
"Take me home."
end