Chapter 4: Slayers? Ha!

Buffy walked into the library with Willow after storming off the think how to prove the mirror wrong. She came in and found a big man in black leather sitting at the table near Wesley. Buffy felt herself getting drool as he looked good and hot.

"Hi," she said.

"Hello," the man said. "Not interested."

She stared at him in curiosity.

"In you," he said. "I'm not interested. I have all the lover I can handle right here."

So saying, the man pulled Wesley to him and kissed him. Buffy stared at him in shock finally intervening.

"Who are you and how could you want him?" she demanded.

"Name is Ares," he told her. "God of War. I want him, as I told the Nazi over there, because I want him. Why is no one's business but my own. Now, please, go away before I strip your power without giving you a chance."

"What makes you think you can?" she demanded haughtily. Ares sighed. "Because I created the Slayer lines. Piss me off and I'll erase them and start again."

She stared in slack jawed shock as he returned his attention to Wesley seeming to ignore her.

"If you created Slayers you must be proud of me," she said.

Ares laughed harshly. "No, I'm disgusted by you. I created Slayers to fight All Evil. Human and Demon. Vampires are not by the way. They are a godly Population control. Anyway, you have disgusted me by how you treat those around you. You disgust me in your every act because you do it for Glory. That is no reason to fight. A side effect yes but it should never be a reason. Now, excuse me, I have things to think about."

He sat with Wesley against his side almost as if he were protecting the slighter man and Buffy found herself staring.

She looked around and saw Xander lost in thought, as he seemed to be working something out. Angel and Spike were talking quietly and she saw Giles and Ethan in Giles' office just talking and holding hands. Cordelia came in then dressed in casual clothes. Still good labels but not gaudy or outrageous. She sat at the table and took the books that Wesley had been working on. She began to read them then.

"It is not just his job, Buffy," she told the blond Slayer as she started making notes. "Maybe you should research for yourself sometimes and see if it's as easy as you claim it is. Wesley, what am I looking at?"

"Notes on a previous ascension," Wesley said.

Cordelia nodded and went to work. She wrote notes down and read finding it was not as easy as they, the Scoobies, thought it was. Ares smiled as he sat holding Wesley's hand tightly.

"You will not fight alone," he said. "That is my vow. My family will be there."

"All of your family," a new voice said.

Ares head snapped up and he found himself staring at someone he hadn't seen in years. "Hercules?" he asked as the blond hero walked towards him.

Behind Hercules was Iolaus.

"Hello, Ares," Hercules said. "It's good to see you again."

"You...think it's Good to see me, brother?" Ares asked.

Hercules laughed before he pulled a stunned Ares into a hug.

"I was wrong, Ares," Hercules said. "2000 years has taught me that. I was wrong and I'm sorry. The world needs you again. But I don't think that's why you woke is it?"

"No," Ares said. "Mine woke me up. He needed me. I came. Just s I did once in the far distant past. Hercules, this is Wesley. Wesley this is my half brother, Hercules. Oh, the family will be checking in on you, brother. They all woke when I did. I...well; Wesley needed me so I came. Just as I came for Joxer. Just as I always come when I'm needed."

"You are a better man than I was, Ares," Hercules said. "Tell me about the family and that includes this group you are involving yourself in."

"Have a seat, Herc," Ares said. "This will take some time..."

Chapter 5: The Quality of Joxer

"Okay," Ares said after a few moments of silence "You all know something of the Twilight. You know my family mostly went to sleep. None of us died, Herc. We knew we'd be needed again so we went to sleep and we waited. Waited until now when it has been proven The Way does not work. But, that is not what woke me. No, what woke me was someone needing me. Someone needing to b believed in by someone. Have you ever heard of the Xena Scrolls, Mr. Giles?"

"I have and I scoff at her and that stupid, blond bitch for destroying a balance," Giles said.

"Yes," Ares said. 'Gabrielle. There was a third companion there and his name was Joxer. And he…well, he looked past Gabrielle's words about me. Continued to call on me and talk to me as a person. She was cruel to him and he considered ending it. Joxer was…well he was truly special. He was pure in a way that I have not encountered since…until now. He was pure and innocent and good and decent. Hades said when we have a mortal like that that touches us, that mortal has a quality of Joxer. One has to be special to have that Quality of Joxer. One has to have all of the things I mentioned as well as being under appreciated, belittled and yet still retain decency. Wesley has it. All of it. Wesley is the one person in 2000 years I've met who has this Quality of Joxer that lets us have renewed hope that the world will eventually find a balance without us having to maintain it."

"What about Xander," Willow said tightly. "He's been hurt by everyone around him. And he's funny and goofy and..."

"And not nice," Xander himself said. 'I've been jealous and spiteful and cruel, Wills. I'm not the person Ares is looking for. I don't have the Quality of Joxer. I've lied and cheated and hurt people. I get the feeling Joxer wouldn't do that, would he?"

"No," Ares said. "Jett would, but not Joxer. There was a need for Jett in the world too but child, you aren't him either. You are too speciesist in how you see things and you judge without knowing truly what you are judging. Vampires are a population control. They cull populations when a group gets too big. The Gypsy Clan will have to be dealt with as well. They hated that they were called on over populating. They punished a Child of Lust and Bacchus for doing its job."

"That was wrong, wasn't it?" Xander asked. "They did exactly what I...I'm doing what they did...I...I think..." Xander then turned and ran for the bathroom looking sick and Ares smiled softly.

"And so one learns," Ares said softly. "There is hope after all."

"But vampires are evil!" Willow cried stomping her foot like a child throwing a tantrum. "They are!"

"No, child," Ares said. "Humans can be evil. Vampires are merely a part of the natural order. As is Chaos."

And Ares smiled at Ethan who looked down. Giles nudged him and smiled when Ethan looked back up.

"Anyway, to continue," Ares said when Xander came back in. "The quality of Joxer is a precious, precious thing. To have it means the person has a goodness in them that lets them rise above abuse. Once someone, me in this case, stopped treating Joxer, and indeed, Wesley, like a fool or an idiot, they got better. Joxer became a powerful warrior but unlike Xena, the murderous bitch, he only fought for good. He never let himself be swayed away from his faith. Joxer was loyal and caring, strong and loving and honest and true. Wesley has tried to be what he was expected to be and it has nearly killed him. This is not the life he was meant for. Wesley is an artist, much like Joxer's other brother Jace. I do not need someone as mired in blood as I am to be my chosen, I need someone who is gentle and loving and can see all the colors that I cannot because all I see a good deal of the time is Blood Red. That is why Wesley. Wesley has The Quality of Joxer."

And then, dead silence filled the room as Ares turned his attention back to Wesley. He could see them each thinking about things. Well, everyone but the Slut and the Witch. But he would deal with them in time. That was his way. All things in their time.