Title: The Prodigal Son Returns 4/?
Author: Kate R.
Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein.
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.