Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5
Disclaimer: No one in this story belongs to me.
Title: War Rises/Sky Falls
Author: Kate R.
Rating PG-13 to R
Pairings: A/J, C/S, G/E, Jenny/Methos
Sequel/Series: Sequel to Beast/War
Summary: They Need War's help again. This time, they make him stay
The Mayor was a bigger threat than Giles thought he'd be. Not even Jenny seemed able to kill him. The mayor was getting worse in his attacks on people and no one would ever suspect him because he was the Mayor. Giles was tired. It had taken awhile to get energy again after the Glory Mess. And they were still tired in some ways. Giles didn't know what they were going to do. Jenny couldn't kill him, Darius he was leery of but that only made it dangerous for Darius to be out. He was a Target. Giles sighed and rubbed his head tiredly. He felt Ethan's touch on his shoulder. They'd finally talked everything out and realized they were still deeply in love. Giles leaned into his touch feeling Ethan begin to rub his shoulders. He'd been researching for hours.
"Have you seen Dawn?" Ethan asked. Giles looked up at him in alarm.
"She isn't home yet?" Giles asked. Ethan shook his head and Giles looked out the window. The sun had set. This was bad.
"Let's go find her," he said grabbing his leather jacket. He and Ethan took off, knowing the others were following. Dawn, this late, was a bad sign.
Giles and Ethan walked through the town a fast clip. Where was she? Dammit, this was bad. Giles was beginning to have a terrible feeling about this. Where was she?
"DAWN!" He shouted as they walked through the streets. "Dawn, where are you?!"
Giles began to feel a sense of foreboding as they walked closer and closer to city hall. If he were right, there would be blood on the ground before this confrontation was over.
"Is she in there, Ethan?" Giles asked. Can you tell?"
"She is," Ethan answered. "And she is very frightened. Do we storm the place?"
"No," Giles said. "We wait."
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In the Mayor's office, Dawn sat frightened. She was going to die; she just knew it.
"Arry, where are you?" she whispered as she heard the Mayor coming back. He scared her.
"Well, Miss Dawn," he said pleasantly, "Are you ready to die?" Dawn paled and tried not to cry. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction of her tears.
"Well, Miss Dawn?" he asked as he held the knife to her neck and laughed. "Are you ready?"
"No, a dark voice said from behind him, "She most certainly is NOT ready to die."
"Ares!"
"Oh, dear," the Mayor said, going white.
War Rises/Sky Falls 1/?
Dawn brought Ares home with her after he saved her from the Mayor. It was looking to be another battle that would require his help. Also
there were Angelus' nightmares to be dealt with. He and Darius both seemed to be having trouble with some things. Once they were home and
they'd all eaten dinner, Angelus and Darius approached him.
"What's wrong?" he asked them.
"Our memories," Darius told him as they sat on the floor before their father. "Something's wrong. There are two separate and conflicting
memories of our time on Olympus."
"What is it?" Ares asked.
"Apollo," Angelus told him. Ares began to snarl until Angelus' hand came down over his.
"Let us talk before you start judging him again," Angelus whispered. "Those memories of him ripping us from you, that's what's wrong. We
see memories that feel right to us, then those images that feel so wrong."
"Tell me about the ones that feel right?" Ares asked. Darius nodded.
"You went into premature labor with Angelus," he told his father. "I remember screaming for help but Zeus was there, blocking my cries.
Then there was a flash and 'he' was there, screaming blood murder at Zeus about what he thought he was doing. He put a shield up, keeping us all
from Zeus while he delivered Angelus. That's why it felt like being ripped I think, Apollo had to cut you open. But he was in a real screaming match
with Zeus and then Zeus said something and then Apollo nodded and that was it. They left together after Angelus was cleaned up."
"Then Lust was allowed to hide me among her people and Darius was placed where he would become a Great General. We don't know what
Apollo did but he argued with Zeus about us and then he left with Zeus an ever since you've hated and blamed him for something he didn't do."
"So, how do we find out what happened?" Darius asked softly.
"We talk to Apollo," Ares answered. "And we make him talk to us."
When they arrived at Apollo's temple on Olympus, they became concerned. Apollo wasn't there. The place was stark and cold as if Apollo hadn't
spent any real time here in a long time.
"Apollo?" Ares called. "Apollo, get your shiny ass down here, now! APOLLO!!"
"He's not here, Uncle Ares," a voice spoke from the shadows. Ares turned and saw Asclepius sitting on the steps leading to Apollo's
sanctuary. "My father hasn't been here in a long time unless he's healing someone. He spends his nights someplace else; someplace he hurts from
being in. I know because I heal him when he allows it."
"Do you know where, Ace?" Ares asked.
"Don't call me that, Uncle," Asclepius hissed. "Only my friends call me that and people who accuse my father of vile things are not my
friends."
"Where's our father," Angelus asked quietly. "Please? If you know, can you tell us?"
Ace looked at them, Angelus and Darius, and seemed to think for a long time.
"Talk to Zeus," Asclepius whispered as he turned to go into his father's sanctuary. "He knows where dad spends his nights, Uncle."
"What does Zeus know of Apollo's nights?" Darius asked.
"How to make them torturous nightmares," Ace told him. "How to make him suffer for loving you, Uncle."
The word 'Uncle' was snarled as Ares felt his nephew's rage like a blow from Heph's hammer.
"Loving me?" Ares asked, confused. "Apollo didn't love me. Apollo didn't love anyone."
"Bullshit," Ace snapped. "He adored you, Uncle. He would have given his soul for a kind word from you or a smile, maybe an invitation to
those damned dinners of yours. Dad loved you like you wouldn't believe. When you told him Zeus said unless the next two children born to your
house came from one of his favored he would kill them, he offered to father them for you with no strings because he knew, Uncle, that you wouldn't
give him the time of day. You wouldn't even thank him or care that he would then spend hours dreaming about the love you'd give those children.
You have no idea how many times he ordered me to accept invitations to your temple for dinners because I knew how much he hurt for longing for a
chance to show you he wasn't like Zeus and Athena and even Aunt Artie. So many nights, Uncle, he would cry. But, oh, that's right, Apollo doesn't
cry. Bullshit again. He cried until he fell asleep so many nights, Uncle. Even though he knows your love is only for Joxer, he would have given
anything to be allowed to be near your warmth. Yes, Uncle Ares, Dad loved you. And that love is the reason he suffers so. So don't come in here
and demand to see my father. You lost that right when you accused him of murder and rape. You lost that right when you never even asked why
Zeus never raised his hand to Darius or tried to find Angelus. Your whole house owes more to dad than you will ever care to acknowledge. So just
go to Tartarus, Ares. Take your happy little family that my father has paid for in his blood and tears and all of you just stay there!"
Ace slammed the door to the sanctum, shutting Ares out, and Darius and Angelus both looked at their father.
"When we find him," Darius whispered in fury.
"He comes home with us," Angelus finished, his eyes shining a dark, angry gold.
Ares nodded and turned to leave the temple.
"Where are you going?" Darius asked.
"To talk to Zeus," Ares growled. "Enough of this shit. I want Apollo back. I want to see my brother laughing as he talks about something,
I want to see the sun in his hair and watch his eyes light up as he watches the kids play. I want my brother back."
Darius nodded although he saw rage building in Ares' eyes. Rage that he knew was going to be spectacular when it went off. And he
followed his father, with Angelus to a huge, monstrous temple that they remembered from their nightmares.
"Zeus!" Ares bellowed. "Zeus get your sorry, ugly old ass out here right the fuck now Uncle!"
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"Ares," Zeus said as he appeared. "What can I do for you, my son?"
"Cut the crap old man, I'm not your son and you know it," Ares snarled. "As for what you can do for me? You can tell me where Apollo is."
"Why do you care to know?" Zeus asked. "Didn't you say you'd as soon never see him again?"
"Changed my mind," Ares told him. "His sons want to see him."
It was then Zeus saw Angelus and Darius and Ares smiled a bit grimly as he paled slightly.
"By your own laws, Old Man," Ares began. "If a child requests to see their parent you have no choice but to allow it. Where is Apollo?"
"He's . . . occupied right now," Zeus began. "I'll bring him to you in an hour."
"No, I don't think so," Darius spoke before Zeus could turn away. When the older god tried to get in and shut the door to his temple a circle
of flame shot up and surrounded him. "We'd like to see our father."
"Now," Angelus completed the thought.
"No, I don't think you want to see him right now, boys," Zeus told them. "He's not fit for company."
"What the fuck did you do to him?" Angelus demanded.
Zeus' laughter chilled them as they ran into the temple. Ares trusted his gut and led them to his father's bedroom.
"Oh . . ."
"My . . ."
"Gods . . ."
They were frozen in shock and horror at what they saw. Apollo had been hung by his arms from the ceiling and whipped badly. His back
was a ruin and his chest didn't look so hot either, what with having half the skin flayed off of it. They heard Zeus laughing behind them and Angelus
moved. He threw himself at the muse holding the whip. Calliope, he thought. Sadistic bitch, and pinned her to the floor with a snarl. The one riding
Apollo was removed by Ares grip on her hair. Erato, he noticed. Darius dealt with the one blasting Apollo's ears with loud, discordant music,
Terpsichore.
"You sick, twisted, sonuvabitch!" Ares roared. "What the fuck is wrong with you?
"He defied me," Zeus laughed as Apollo screamed again. Ares didn't see what was causing those screams but he figured it was bad, whatever it
was.
"Stop is," Angelus hissed after he tore the shit out of Calliope's neck. "He's doing it, father. His hands are . . ."
"Gods please, no, father," they heard as Apollo moan. "Please, I'll be good, I swear. I won't g-go to A-Ace again just please don't do use that,
please I . . ."
The whimpered sentence was cut off with a scream as Zeus made a fist and shoved. Apollo bucked so hard against the chains they heard
his shoulders dislocate. Tears streamed from his eyes as he screamed from whatever was hurting him.
"Sorry," they heard him whisper hoarsely. "I'm so sorry, father, I just . . . I couldn't heal that one alone…Oh. Gods, please."
The room got blisteringly hot and Ares looked at Zeus with almost pity.
"Before you say a word, Uncle," Ares told him as Angelus got the chains off, "That's not me. It's Darius. Little known fact about my boy
here? The last time he lost his temper before the Second World War, Rome was a smoking pile of ash before he calmed down.
"We're taking our father home now," Angelus told Zeus. "All bets are off, old man."
"What does that mean?" Zeus asked as Angelus cradled their father against his chest. Every touch was agony, he could see, but at least
he was out of those damned chains.
"It means simply, Old Man," Darius growled as things in the temple began to burn, "That you are going to go down, by our hands alone if
necessary but you 'are' going down. You wanted War to act? So be it. And his children will now act with him."
"And his children's children," Angelus reminded him. "Do you think your kids are going to stay out of this one, Darius?"
"No, I don't think they will. I think all of my children are going to get involved here. Even the ones I normally try to leave out of it."
Angelus nodded and lifted his father into him arms as gently as he could.
"Let's get big brother and go home," he told his father and other brother as they left Zeus' temple. Ares nodded and they returned to the
Temple of Light and Sun and Healing. Ace was waiting with a blond girl that Darius recognize as someone who'd play with him when both his father's
were busy.
"Solaris!" He called. She grinned and hugged him tightly.
"Dari!" She chirped back happily. "Why are you here?"
"We came to get father and you two," Angelus told her. "We're going home now. Father needs rest and care for a time."
"Oh, Daddy," She whispered. "Oh, Daddy why? Why didn't you call? We'd have come?"
"Because he knew we'd be in danger if he did," Ace told her as he moved to Ares' side so he could begin to heal his father. He would have
to pull power to do this and he had no idea where it would come from. Ares flashed them all out of Olympus, returning to Everkeep where the rest of
the family was waiting.
Ares turned away from the site of his tortured brother. Unable, at the moment, to face what his callousness had caused, he let Ace tend his father
but he did remain in the room. Ares found himself, at dawn, facing his brother's tortured body as Apollo twisted in pain in the bed. The injuries had
brought a fever on and it would take far more than one day to heal this damage. Ace wouldn't even tell him all of what was done, just that it made
Discord's worst use of a lover look tame.
Apollo moaned at times but he did not cry out for anything. Even now, in this condition, he would not ask for what he needed, nor admit to what he
wanted. Although, before he, himself, fell asleep in the chair, Ares heard a whispered word from his brother's parched lips:
"Ares."
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"I'm here, 'Pol," Ares whispered, stroking Apollo's hair back from his face. The blond curls that Ares would sometimes admit to wishing he
could run his hands through needed a wash; Apollo needed, in general, a nice, hot bath. Ares thought he might bathe Pol himself this time. Show
his brother/cousin the care Apollo had given him so many times in the past. Give his brother the love he'd needed for so long. The love that Ares
had always dreamed of giving him, if he'd admit it to himself.
"I'm gonna take care of you, 'Pol," Ares told him. "I swear I'm going to make you well."
Apollo turned towards the sound of his voice which told Ares that Apollo could hear him even if he was too weak to open his eyes for him.
"Would a bath be nice, Pol?" Ares asked, testing a theory.
"Mmmm," was sighed softly.
"How about if I give you one?" Ares asked. "Would you like that, Pol?"
"Mmmhmmm," was the answer he was given.
Ares smiled then and carefully lifted his cousin in to his arms and carried him into the large bathroom at this place called Everkeep. There
was a huge roman style bath that Ares filled with a thought and then he flashed both their clothes away before lowering them into the tub. Apollo
whimpered slightly and Ares knew it had to do with the pain he'd endured.
"Relax, Pol," Ares whispered as he carried his brother gently into the center of the pool. "Just relax and let go. I have you, you're safe."
But he knew it would be a while before Apollo believed that, especially of him, so he did his best to just hold his cousin and, he was starting
to see, God he loved, in the water and wash them both.
"Dad?" Cupid called as he flashed in. "Dad, what are you doing?"
"I'm giving Apollo a bath," Ares answered him. "Could this wait?"
"Why are you giving 'Him' a bath? Hades, why do you even care about him?" Cupid asked.
"He is the father of two of my children," Ares growled. "And I love him. Why shouldn't I care about him? Knowing what he's done for me,
given in my place on that altar of pain your grandfather has."
"I think it's a fake," Cupid muttered as he watched his father carefully wash Apollo's hair.
"I think you're jealous," Ares calmly stated. "Either that your mother is. What is your problem, Cupid? You've never had a problem with any
other lover I . . . ahh, so that's it. You and your mother didn't pick him for me, did you? Joxer was dead for two thousand years before Athena
brought them here, and I had long gotten over my grief at his death. I am ready to move on."
"Yeah but Apollo?" Cupid asked in a scandalized tone. 'Why not just fuck Athena? They're cut from the same cloth."
"How would you know, Cupid?" Ares asked. "Have any of us ever bothered to get to know him beyond knowing he's one of Zeus' bastards?
I think it's time we did get to know him as a person and not just another one of Zeus' bastards. I love him, Cupid, and he loved me enough to suffer
for a 'very' long time. The least I can do is give him the chance he wanted to show me he isn't like the others. Not that his actions haven't already
done that. When he's well, I'm going to have him over for dinner and I am going to learn who Apollo is underneath the veneer he presents to the
world. It might do us all good in both our houses to stop assuming about people. After all, you think Apollo is good enough to baby-sit Bliss when
you and Strife want alone time."
Ares dismissed Cupid then, finishing bathing Apollo and then carefully rubbing him dry, flashed them back to the bedroom they were using
and redressed him in soft cotton clothes that would keep him warm but not stick to the bandages Ares carefully reapplied. Apollo 'hmmed' when Ares
put him back in the 'Freshly remade' bed and covered him with the blanket.
"I'll be nearby, Pol, I promise," Ares told him, carefully making sure he was tucked in completely. "I will be right here. I promise."
Apollo shook his head in sleep and turned on his side. Ares tucked a teddy bear into the bed with Apollo and watched him hold it to his
chest before he drifted into a deeper sleep. A healing sleep. Finally.
"Sleep well, my love," Ares whispered. "No more pain will touch you."
Apollo was deeply asleep when Ares left the room, making sure the wards of Order and Chaos would not be triggered. He then went
downstairs to have some breakfast. All he wanted was for Apollo to get well, that was all. And he'd trade everything he had here for it.
tbc