AresJoxerCupidStrife - Kate


Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein.
Title: The Prodigal Son Returns
Author: Kate R.
Rating: R for Slash content.
Pairings: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife, Giles/Ethan, Xander/Spike, Wesley/Angel, Willow/Tara
Summary: Order, Meet Chaos

Chapter 1: Salvation From the Mouth of a Child

It was bad. Strife was dying and the babies were dying and Zeus was an asshole. Ares paced angrily up and down the room in the temple. Damn his stepfather to Tartarus. If Zeus was angry with him, dammit, he should take it out on him. Not his nephew. His Nephew who wanted these children so badly. After the last one Strife had learned. He'd learned to see his children, for who they were, not who he wanted them to be. Of course, after Hades screamed him into next week for that boy, how could he not? Now, Strife was pregnant again. And Zeus, in his desire to punish the House of Aggression, had forbidden him Ambrosia and Nectar for the Babies. Ares was fuming but as Zeus had made it a law there was nothing any of them could do. He sighed as he walked into Strife's bedroom where everyone else was. Bliss was playing with blocks on the floor while they talked among themselves. What were they going to do?

"Gods I wish there was someone who could tell Zeus "no". That is what we need here," Cupid muttered. Hades sighed wearily. He'd done his damndest to stop the deaths but he knew it was only a matter of time. The only god on Olympus who could tell Zeus no was on Zeus' side in this.

"Find someone who can teww him no," Bliss, said quietly from his play corner.

"Blissy, there is no one," Cupid said as Bliss looked at him. Bliss sighed. Honestly he thought his daddy was dense sometimes.

"There is too," Bliss said. "Efan can tell him no."

"Efan?" Cupid asked trying to guess around his son's lisp. It was Hades who answered though as he was just one step ahead of Cupid in understanding children with lisps. Strife's son had had one as well.

"Ethan," Hades said. "He means Ethan. Chaos personified."

"Ethan isn't here Blissy," Dite said as she wiped Strife's brow with a cloth. "We don't know where or when he is."

"Ask Cwonos," Bliss said simply. Gweat Gwampa would know where Efan goed if he moved in time wight?"

At that everyone in the room just froze and stared at the boy. It was so simple, so obvious. Cronos would know where or when Ethan was. And Ethan, Ethan could tell Zeus no. Ethan was likely the only Olympian at this time who could or would tell Zeus no. As Hades went to speak to his father on the isle of the blessed, he had one thought. "From the Mouths of Babes comes salvation."



Chapter 2: Seeking: One Chaos Sorcerer

Hades grunted softly as he looked up at the townhouse in front of him. Next to his was Gaia and in his arms was Bliss. Ethan was here according to Cronos. In this strange time and place. It had been decided Bliss would come with them, as Ethan was likely to respond better to the three gods who had not fought over him.

Hades sighed as he walked up to the door with Gaia next to him and knocked. It was opened a moment later by a man in spectacle holding a book. He looked at the three of them and motioned them inside.

Ethan's sleeping," he said in a cultured British accent. "If it can wait an hour I'd like to let him rest."

"Of course," Gaia said as she and Hades sat. Hades removed his armor with a thought so he was dressed in leather pants and a silk shirt. All in black of course. Hades sighed as he leaned back against the couch. The stress of the last few days had been wearing on him. Months actually.

"Would you like some tea?" the man Hades supposed was Ripper Giles asked. Ripper was the man Ethan loved more than anything according to Cronos. Hades looked at his grandmother taking cues from her in this.

"That would be lovely Mr. Giles," Gaia said. "Do you perhaps have some milk for Bliss?"

"Yes I do," Giles responded as he moved to the kitchen. When he came back in, he got a shock. Buffy and the others had arrived and Bliss was holding Buffy's crossbow. What he said surprised and amused Giles.

"My daddy's shoots Pwetty feewings," the little godling said to the slayer. "What does yours shoot?"

"Her's shoots wooden stakes, Bliss," said a voice from the loft. Everyone looked to the stairs where a sleep muddled Ethan Rayne was standing.

His eyes lit up seeing Hades and Gaia seated on the couch.

"Grandpa Hades, Grandmother!" he called as he ran to them and hugged them both tightly. Bliss abandoned the crossbow and joined the hug going on. Hades pulled back to look at Ethan and smiled at what he saw. A true God of Chaos stood there. Chaos personified smiled at him form Ethan's human seeming eyes.

"Is something wrong grandfather?" he asked as he sat between them with Bliss on his lap. Giles sat in the armchair where he could watch Ethan with his family and smiled. However, he could see the worry in stress in the three divine beings.

"Your father Strife is pregnant again," Hades said to him. "However, Zeus, for some cruel reason has forbidden him by law to have ambrosia or nectar."

"But the children will die without that," Ethan said horrorstruck. Hades nodded sadly.

"They will," he began. "Unless someone who the laws of Olympus do not apply to says otherwise. Janus will not help him Ethan. We were hoping you would."

Ethan stared at Hades for a few minutes and Giles could tell he was weighing things in his mind.

"You wont go alone luv," Giles told him. "I just got you bloody well back. I'm not losing you to another time and place."

"Guess we're going too then," Xander said. "Angel? You and Wes in?"

"Yeah, we are," the dark haired vampire, said to Xander. He and Wes had come to Sunnydale from LA because Angel was sick of the powers and their Bullshit. Wes got hurt again, that was the last straw. It seemed the powers wanted Wes gone. Angel refused to allow that to happen.

Ethan still seemed lost in thought. Some part of him knew he would say yes. But the other parts were warring out things and memories and pains. Ethan sighed as he saw things from his childhood playing out behind his eyes.

"I will help him, grandfather," Ethan said. "I will help for the sake of those children yet unborn."

Hades nodded, not having expected anything else. He knew Ethan was very angry with both of his fathers but as he had hoped, the children had swayed him.

"Lets go then," Giles, said. He would ask Ethan about this rage he sensed in him later. Right now, Ethan needed support.

"Angel, Spike," Willow said, "Bring blankets."

"Not necessary," Hades told her and snapped his fingers. Angel and Spike looked at each other to Hades and back.

"I restored your humanity but with the vampire perks. None of the downs, all of the ups. Enjoy. Are we ready?"

"Yes," Ethan said tensely. Giles took his hand and held it as they flashed out of his living room and the present to appear in the Temple of Love in the past. They could hear and argument going on between Zeus and Ares and Ethan growled. Zeus was a bastard of the highest degree. Someone needed to knock him down a few pegs. Ethan walked to the doorway to his father's bedroom where he saw Zeus standing looking at Ares.

"No one can defy me Ares," Zeus said. "There is no one on Olympus on your side who the Law does not apply to."

Ethan felt a white hot rage burn through him then and he found his voice.

"Wanna Bet?"

Chapter 3: Chaos Incarnate Zeus stared incredulous. It could not be. His eyes had to be playing tricks on him. But no, there he was leaning against the doorframe. Ethan, Chaos incarnate. And he looked angry.

"You say no one may stand against you Zeus? In this Law of yours or any other? I say you are wrong. Chaos obeys no Law. It is not bound by foolish words. Chaos is simply that. Chaos. It follows no order or pattern o Law made by anyone, God or Man. And so I tell you this. No to your law about Strife and ambrosia for his babies. No to your lies about who has the most power on Olympus. And No to your laws about killing Hercules. Chaos rescinds your Laws. Chaos dominates and controls and rends and destroys. But it also protects those it loves."

Zeus stared at Ethan when he was quiet for a moment before speaking himself.

"You hate your fathers. Both of them," he began. Ethan's cold laughter cut him off as he leaned back against Giles who had come to stand behind him.

"No, Uncle Zeus," Ethan retorted. I am angry with them both. I do not hate either. And I especially do not hate those children as yet unborn. Innocents in your war against aggression? There will be no more. For every unfair Law you make, I will rescind it. Every lie you tell, and forbid anyone to say it for what it is, I will speak it. You will not tyrannize anyone else Uncle. False King. It ends here and now. Your favored will be seen for the frauds they are. Your bastard, self-righteous son will be dealt with in accordance to True Law. There will be no more of this "Except Hercules" shit. This I say. I who am Chaos incarnate. Go to your temple. You've lost this round."

"This is not over Ethan," Zeus spat. Ethan laughed again.

"Oh, I've no doubt Uncle," he replied. "There are things that need to be resolved here. Things that finally need to be dealt with and wounds that need to be healed. You may try to interfere and I have no doubt you will. But know this---" Ethan leaned to Zeus' ear and whispered, "I know who the king is asshole. And it ain't you sweetheart."

Ethan turned to his father's bed and created a bowl of ambrosia. Zeus stared at Ethan and the group he could see had come with him. And he knew he could do nothing here. Ethan was far too powerful right now. Zeus snarled and flashed to his temple knowing he would have to find another way to punish Ares. Ethan was correct, Chaos had no master. Zeus could not order Chaos to do anything. And also there was that thing Ethan knew. Dammit, that was why he had sent the child away. Because f what he knew. Zeus cursed thinking he should have killed Hades when he had the chance. Oh, well, too late now. And besides, Ethan would likely reorder reality to bring him back. Zeus did not ever want to see Chaos incarnate that angry ever again. He decided to sit and bide his time. An opportunity would present itself. He just had to wait for it.

As he sat in his temple, Ethan's last words replayed in his mind.

"I know who the king is asshole. And it ain't you sweetheart."



Chapter 4: Facing the Past

In Strife's temple, the God of Mischief woke to a very strange sight. A sight he could not believe. Ethan was sitting by the bed, feeding him ambrosia and Nectar. Ethan had come home.

"Ethan?" he asked weakly. His son turned to look at him and there was a smile that did not quite reach his eyes.

"Eat your ambrosia, father," Ethan said. "I will make sure these children live."

"You came here to help me?" Strife asked. Ethan gave a humorless laugh.

"If you want to look at it that way. I'm more here for them," he said pointing at Strife's abdomen. "For those innocents who did nothing wrong."

Strife nodded accepting his son was still very angry with him. Ethan smiled as he looked down at Bliss who was still playing by the bed. He'd gone back to his blocks when they'd gotten here and had two vampires and two mortals playing with him now. Two former vampires, Strife amended to himself. Yet still they carried the Blood of Bacchus in them. And if they did---

"Hades," Strife whispered. Ethan looked at him.

"What of grandfather?" he asked. Strife pointed at the two former Bacchai.

"Blood can heal him. Blood of Bacchus can heal the damage Zeus did to him. They have it in them strong and as they are yours, Ethan, they can do so if you order it."

Ethan looked at Strife measuring his words and waiting for what he would have to give for that information. Always in the past they wanted something of him.

"You're helpin' me kid," Strife said. "I owe ya t' help the man who raised ya."

Ethan gave a snort and looked to Angel and Spike. He would not order. He refused to do that. Angel looked at Wesley, his bonded mate, who nodded. There was a myth about that. About the Blood of Bacchus and it's healing properties.

"It is very likely you can Angel," Wesley said. "And I think perhaps that needs to be done. And I believe Ethan wishes it but will not demand it of you."

Angel looked at the dark sorcerer who had had so little love in his life. He had seen the joy in the man's face when he'd laid eyes on Hades and Gaia and Bliss. How could he refuse?

"I'm in," Angel said. "Spike?"

"I'm in too Sire. What do we need to do mate?"

"Feed Hades your blood," Ethan said quietly. "He needs to ingest it."

Ethan then turned his attention back to his father. Strife and Janus had hurt him terribly, yes. But he would not see either of them suffer. Nor would he see innocents suffer for his anger.

Once Strife had finished his ambrosia, Ethan stood and left the room. Shielding it with Chaos. He and the others left Strife to his rest and walked out into the living room for lack of a better word, where Aphrodite and Cupid were waiting with the others.

"He is protected," Ethan said in his British Accented English. "Zeus may not challenge me in this."

"Did you choose Strife then?" Cupid asked. Everyone from Sunnydale, Gaia, Hades and Bliss all felt Ethan's mood shift with that question.

"No, I did not," Ethan ground out. "Listen to me well, Stepfather. I am here for those innocents in there. I am here to heal the only father figure I had that gave a fat damn, rat's ass about what I wanted for myself. Who loved me even though I had nothing to offer him. Who took care of me and fed me when you all fought so much you forgot about me. I am not here for either of my 'Fathers'. I am here because there are those who need me. Do not think for a moment my house allegiance has been decided here today. I would do such for Janus as well."

Ethan stalked out of the room after that, walking out to the balcony to look down upon the earth where he could see Uncle Ares' mate Joxer with those idiot heroes and Iolaus, he who belonged with Hades but was not. Giles looked at them all coldly seeing where some of the pain had come from. Angel and Spike moved to Hades' side to begin the healing in him and Xander and Wesley played with Bliss. Giles turned to follow Ethan and he looked back over his shoulder with Ripper's Death Glare. Buffy, Dawn, Tara and Willow stood in the doorway watching them all coldly.

"How could you?" Willow asked Cupid and Aphrodite.

"H-how C-could you g-get so caught up in-in your f-fighting th-that you F-F-F-FORGOT the ch-child wh-who depended on y-you?" Tara demanded angrily. She and Willow went back in to Strife's room with Buffy standing guard at the door and Dawn going to join Xander and Wesley with Bliss. Tara and Willow would reinforce Ethan's shield and they would guard Strife for the babies. But hearing what Ethan went through at his supposed family's hands it was no wonder he was so uncertain of being loved. Hades, Gaia and Bliss seemed to be the only ones who had not wanted something. Ares was the head of house and so was working Tara guessed but the others? It was cruel and inhuman.

"ASSHOLES!" Tara yelled back into the living room. Buffy sniggered. When Tara got angry, it was best to run for cover.

Outside, Giles and Ethan stood by each other. Giles knew there was pain in Ethan. Now perhaps he could ask him about it.

"Wanna talk about it mate?" he asked softly.



Chapter 5: The Past Hurts

Ethan looked at Giles as they stood on the balcony and nodded. He figured he should tell him. If for no other reason then it might help the emotional wound.

"I was I think 6. Everyone had been fighting. For two days they fought with me in the middle---"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Olympus, 35 years ago

"He's my son!" Strife yelled. Ethan sat in the corner watching them fight. It was over him as always and he sighed. He was hungry. This had been going on for more than a day and no one had thought to feed him. Sighing, he got up and walked to Uncle Ares. Everyone else had yelled at him when he tried to ask for something.

Appearing next to his uncle on the battlefield, he froze as he saw a man with a knife swinging at him.

"SHIT!" Ares swore as he saw Ethan. Grabbing the child, the moved them from the battlefield to his tent. He looked down at the little boy whose lip was trembling.

"Ethan?" he asked. Ethan looked up his uncle with tears pooling in his eyes. He knew Uncle Ares was too busy.

"I'm hungry," he whispered. "But everyone is fighting and they yell at me when I try to ask for something. I thought maybe---"

"Oh, little one," Ares whispered. "Come here. I'll take you to someone who can get you some food. I'm sorry I can't baby but I have to watch this war."

"I know Uncle Ares," Ethan sighed. His lisp had cleared up a few months ago, which, led to the fighting getting worse. "I just you might have time for me."

"I'll do you one better baby," Ares said. "I'll take you where you can have a whole meal." Ares gathered little Ethan into his arms and flashed them down to the throne room in Asphodel where Hades was judging souls. He put it on hold when he saw Ethan sitting in Ares arms.

"What is it Ares?" Hades asked. Ares shifted Ethan a bit and looked Hades in the eyes.

"They've forgotten him," Ares answered. "He's hungry and they yell at him when he asks for food. I'd feed him but I have the war on the borders I can't turn my back on."

Hades looked into his son/nephew's eyes and then held his arms out for Ethan. The little boy went to him willingly.

"We'll see about this neglect Ares," Hades told him. He knew Ares was indeed too weighed down right now to be able to take on more things but the rest of the House of Aggression should have been watching the child. "Come on Ethan. Lets go see what I have for Little Gods to eat."

"I Just want a little," Ethan, said upset that he was interrupting his grandpa's work.

"Nonsense little one," Hades said as he shifted Ethan a bit. "I have plenty of food and I need to stop for a break anyway. Now, what would you like?"

Ethan looked at Hades surprised he was being asked and not told. Hades looked in to his eyes and saw it. He gently carried Ethan to a table and sat him down. He then thought up a meal he hoped Ethan would like and watched as the hungry child dug into it. He felt his anger rise even more. The poor boy was that hungry.

"Are you tired little one?" Hades asked. Ethan nodded slumping towards the tabletop and Hades lifted him into hi arms again. He carried Ethan to his own bedroom and laid him down.

"I'll be back soon little one," Hades said as he conjured a soft toy for Ethan to hold on to. Ethan wrapped himself around the toy and snuggled into the blanket Hades covered him with. He was asleep in a matter of minutes leaving Hades free to go and deal with this family of his. He flashed up to Olympus and appeared in the middle of the fight Ethan had been in the middle of and growled. This was it. The last straw.

"SILENCE!!!" He bellowed. Everyone froze. He looked at them, each and every one of them and his fury rose by notches.

"I have had it with you all," he snarled. "For 6 years, all you have done is fight over a small boy who just wants to be loved. You fought so badly this time you yelled at him when he asked for food. That is the end of it. I will be raising Ethan from now on, and you all may just deal with it. If you can't pay enough attention to the child to feed him, you don't deserve him. Good day."

Hades vanished back to Asphodel in a flash of black lightning leaving everyone to stare in gape-mouthed shock. Hades had never, in all the time they had known him, come to Olympus unless it was for a meeting or something that required his presence. This was a new one. The two main antagonists of the fight stared at each other at a loss. Hades had spoken. Ethan was his now. ---

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Present Day:

So, I stayed with Hades after that," Ethan finished telling Giles. "I lived in Asphodel until I was 14. They still fought over me and then I left. Ran right into you. I love my grandfather though. So I will do my damndest to heal him before we leave."

"What if they wont let you leave Eth?" Giles asked. Ethan chuckled. "They don't get a choice in my life anymore. Only Hades has any influence over where I am. Well, him and Grandma." Giles nodded and they went back into the temple where Cupid was staring at the wall in shock. Ethan looked at him coldly as he returned to Strife's room where he now found Angel and Spike working on Hades as well as everyone guarding Strife. Ethan smiled. Soon, it would be time. Soon, he could place the true King on the throne.



XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Chapter 6: Chaos Restored

Ethan was sitting, reading a book Giles had brought while Strife was resting. He sighed when he felt a power similar to his brush the shield so he went out to the living room where he found Janus sitting and waiting.

"What do you want?" Ethan asked. Janus stared at him for a moment before slowly reaching out to touch him. Ethan backpedaled feeling the compulsion. "Don't Even," he growled. "I am far too strong for that to work on me, Father!" He finished with a snarl. Giles came into the room then and stood behind Ethan, sharing his strength.

"Let him speak his piece Ripper," Ethan said. "Then we can rip his arguments to shreds." Giles made a 'Proceed' gesture and Janus drew himself up to his full height.

"I am your father as well, Ethan," he said. Ethan laughed, a harsh, brittle sound.

"You think that I'm here for Strife?" Ethan asked. Janus looked at him.

"You came to aid him. I have a right to tell you not to."

"And I am old enough to decide for myself who I help and how and when and where. I am not here to help Strife, father," Ethan snarled. "I am here to save the babies. That's it. That's the only reason I'm here in this temple right now. Otherwise I'd be I Asphodel overseeing Hades' healing. Funny thing is, Uncle Zeus can't order anything down there. You wont cost Strife the babies, Janus. I wont allow it. You two ruined my childhood, lets see if either of you can do better with this one."

"They kept you from me," Janus hissed. Ethan's eyes flashed then.

"No, they did not. You didn't want me around. I used to spend entire days outside your temple hoping you would open the door for me so I could come in. You never did. You did not want me either because I wasn't all yours. You made me the focus of a feud and I'm saying it stops now or I leave after this and never come back."

"You are Olympian," Janus said. "You have to come back."

"No, I grew up in Asphodel. I am not Olympian. Remember who I am, father. I am Ethan, Lord of Wild Magic, Chaos Incarnate, God of Frost and Fire. Zeus may not order me as he does everyone else and nor may you. I am that which was your Godhead. I am Chaos. You have no true power over me. You are merely the God of Gateways. I. AM. CHAOS!"

Janus staggered back as Ethan's full Godhead snapped into place and there was an audible shift in power. Ripper laid his hand on Ethan's shoulder as the power settled into him. No more power fluxes would assault Ethan, no more sharp pain. He was in control of that which he drew power from and Janus could no longer influence it.

"You are one who gave me life," Ethan said. "Do not make me take yours as is what normally happens. I care for you both but don't ever think I'll allow either of you to ever hurt another child, as I was hurt. Clear?"

"You would destroy us both, wouldn't you?" Janus asked. Ethan merely nodded.

"If you do not change. I will destroy Zeus as well if he does not give up this charade. He is not the king of the gods. I know this. Don't think I'll allow innocents to be hurt in his petty fights. I wont. Go away now father. I have work to do." Ethan turned back into Strife's room dismissing his other father to return to Strife and keep the shield from falling. The shield's power increased suddenly as Ethan accessed his full godhead. No one could touch that room unless Ethan allowed it now. That was it. Chaos had returned to Olympus. Let those who had tried to supercede Order beware.



TBC


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