Title: Child of Love

Author: Kate

Fandom: Hercules/Buffy

Disclaimer: Own nothing and no one used herein.

The song "Two People Fell in Love" belongs to Brad Paisley

Summary: The Child Of Love can prevent the twilight.

Pairings: Ares/Joxer, Cupid/Strife, Hades/Persephone

Rating: PG-13 at least

Child Of Love

by Kate

The Prophecy of Eve's Fall: The Bringer of the twilight will come To destroy everything of the old ways. Butchering parents and children. Death's Miracle can save all. Lo, He will come, The Child born of Faith, Hope and Love. Eternally young, Death's son.

Sapphire eyes of his father's compassion, And the mark of trials on his brow. Twice named. Once given by parents, Once given by himself. He will come, the Slayer of Eve, Destroyer of the Twilight and bringer of Dawn.

The Fates looked at each other as they felt Michael give Xena Eve.

The Last Prophecy had to be activated. Perhaps when it was done, Hades could have his son back. It all depended on whether or not the Child was strong enough. For though he could destroy Eve, the question was, would he?

Atropos watched as Ares and Joxer were preparing to save at least some of the family, for they knew nothing of this last contingency either. Hades only knew that they had taken his son to safe guard him.

A miracle child to be sure.

Persephone had believed Hades could give her a child and she had been right.

Not knowing her love and belief would be what made it happen. Clotho smiled as they watched Michael put his plans into effect. The foolish child knew nothing in planning things for the long term. He did not know about Hades and Persephone's son William, a true miracle child.

Lachesis watched as Cupid and Strife laid their son Bliss in his crib to sleep. Bliss was sent outside of time so at least one would live.

The fight was bloody and the gods fell. They weren't strong enough to stand against the Light's weapon.

Hades, died, his last thoughts of his son. Ares became mortal, his love stronger than any knew. Cupid and Strife hid with Bliss with Ares last push of power. Joxer stayed with his mate.

It all depended on William now. The Child made of Faith, Hope and Love was their only chance in defeating this darkness calling itself The Light. They could only pray he was strong enough. For all their sakes....

XXX

Two thousand years after the fall of the gods in Sunnydale California, a special group was meeting to discuss a new prophecy. "Did you have to bring him Xander?" Cordelia asked as Xander came in with his mate, Spike, also known as William The Bloody.

"Yeah, I did," Xander, said. "Spike and I are always together."

Rupert Giles sighed and waited for Cordelia to quiet down. They were all used to Spike being with Xander now but she sometimes got bitchy for no reason. Besides, Spike was helping them.

Dawn Summers sat in this meeting, her first real Scooby meeting and watched. Buffy and Angel chuckled as they sat together. Angel's soul being a permanent thing had certainly helped there.

Now, Giles was looking at this prophecy glad Spike had come with Xander. If the Prophecy spoke True, it was about Spike.

"Well, he began," lets get started shall we? I recently received a prophecy form England. One Travers wants stopped at all costs which tells me we should make it happen with all do speed. I'll read it for you."

The librarian cleared his throat and began to read aloud from the ancient piece of Parchment: The Prophecy of Eve's Fall: "The Bringer of the twilight will come To destroy everything of the old ways. Butchering parents and children. Death's Miracle can save all. Lo, He will come, The Child born of Faith, Hope and Love. Eternally young, Death's son. Sapphire eyes of his father's compassion, And the mark of trials on his brow. Twice named. Once given by parents, Once given by himself. He will come, the Slayer of Eve, Destroyer of the Twilight and bringer of Dawn."

When he finished, all in the library just stared at him.

Finally, Buffy's mother spoke. "It sounds like Spike," she said.

Giles nodded. "That was my thought as well. It does indeed sound like Spike. Spike?" He asked.

Turning he saw Spike had left the library and he could see Xander, Buffy and Angel trailing after him. Spike looked so lost as he took off and Giles thought that perhaps the Prophecy had rattled him. Looking at his books he realized who Spike's father was and it shocked him. All he knew of this old god said it would be better if he died. Yet something about these myths had always bugged him.

XXX

In the hallway, Xander, Buffy and Angel were sitting on the floor with Spike who was looking confused.

"What do I do Sire?" he asked Angel.

The elder vampire hugged him not knowing what to tell him.

Finally Xander spoke. "It says you were made from the faith, hope, and love your mother had for your father. Doesn't that mean you were made in the greatest possible way? I mean, Spike, you're a miracle child. Your dad wasn't supposed to be able to have kids but you exist. Makes you special and it means he had to have something these Light buffoons didn't you know?"

Spike looked at Xander and nodded. His throat was thick from suppressing tears. He'd always known he was adopted and that his real parents were dead. But now...now he had a chance to save them. If he could find the strength and courage. Looking at the Slayer, his Sire and his mate however, he knew those things were in front of him. His family would help him if need be. Like they had ever since he'd realized he did have a soul of some kind.

They walked back into the library to hear Cordelia make a snide comment and Xander and Buffy immediately turned on her.

"What if it was your father who was going to die so someone could feel superior to other people?" Xander asked. "Would you be such a stuck up bitch then? DO what you want. We're going."

"Where though?" Willow asked.

"To Ancient Greece," Spike replied softly. "To my Da'. To save him and his family. Is what I have to do."

As they were preparing, a song came over the radio and Spike thought it stated his existence to the world. The refrain of the song did anyway: "It's funny when you think about the reason he's alive, Is all because two people fell in love." The entire song...every verse ended with that line and Spike felt it suited him perfectly.

"All because two people fell in love," he sang to himself as they prepared to have Dawn open the gate to where they needed to go. He was alive because his parents, two special people had fallen in love. Love so deep it made for a miracle.

Spike gathered his heart family to him and they stepped through the portal that Dawn, the Key had opened for them. It was time to show these power hungry fools of The Light what two people falling in love could bring about:

(2)

"WAIT!" A voice cried from the doors to the library just as they were about to go through the portal. Everyone turned to stare at the new comers and Dawn shut the portal for the time being.

The Scoobies faced a blond man with white wings, a dark haired man dressed in leather and a boy with white wings.

"I say who are you?" Giles demanded. "We were just in the middle of something."

"I'm Cupid, this is Strife and this is my son Bliss," the older blond with wings said. "We wanted to see the Miracle Child for ourselves. I mean there is no record of him on Olympus."

"I'd say it's because he wasn't born on Olympus and was removed shortly after his birth by the fates," Joyce said. "Spike was made to combat the hate the Light is. He was made in a act of pure love."

"Oh," the older winged blond said. " But Hades..."

"My dad isn't dark and he ain't evil," Spike said. "He just...is." The bleached vampire then turned to look at Dawn. "We need to go now," he said. "Time is runnin' out."

Dawn nodded and opened the portal again. She knew this was important. It was really important. Spike didn't usually react to things this way and Buffy and Angel and Xander were just as antsy. They looked at the opening and stepped through it. Everyone but the three strangers followed them through and they were on a beach.

There was a fight going on and Spike reacted to the flying disk thing. He simply caught it before it could hit the man in black armor. "Mine!" he said to the woman with black hair. "You wont kill my family."

(3)

3/?

Xena stared at the man with white blond hair that had appeared in front of her. His eyes blazed power and as Xena looked at him, she saw something familiar. Something she did not quite understand. He stood between her and the gods. He and his friends. And as he looked at her group, his lip curled in a disgusted sneer.

"I don't like you she-bitch," he said as he pulled from his coat a railroad spike. This one was sharpened and polished and Angel knew looking at it, it was something he'd kept for an occasion such as this.

"Who are you?" the blond bard asked. Hades himself wanted to know the answer to that question. Who was this man who had saved his life. Buffy smiled as Spike grinned evilly and lifted the dark haired woman by the throat. He wasn't going 'Grr' and Buffy was curious as to why. Of course she was also curious as to what he was doing now. Spike was whispering something in Xena's ear before he dropped her and turned to the gods.

"Let the bitch have her daughter. For all the ruddy good it'll do her and her and her Way. Those bloody angels should know there are always bigger badasses who have bigger balls than they do. I bloody well know. I'm one of them."

"Hey," the annoying blond demanded. "I asked who you are!"

"You're a bloody smart one, you figure it out," Spike replied as he looked at the gods. He had yet to look any of them in the eye and he looked at Giles to ask the gods if they could leave. Xena simply gawked as they all vanished, one by one, to Olympus, the strange group.

XXX

On Olympus, a meeting was being held as the Gods faced the strangers from another time. Finally, Athena spoke.

"Just who are you that you caught the Chackram? No one should be able to do that. No one of mortal birth at any rate and all the gods are here."

"That you know of," Angel said softly. Joxer looked up from Ares side at that. He looked the group over, trying to see what had enabled the white blond haired man to do what he'd done on the beach. Spike chuckled and paced around the room. His hyperactivity showing as he was suddenly filled with energy. He looked at Cupid and seeing his sadness, snapped his fingers and called his son form outside of time.

"You won't need to be separated from your kid, mate," Spike said as he walked around looking at each god. "I'm here now. Death's Miracle has come."

"Death's miracle?" Apollo repeated. Suddenly he recalled an ancient prophecy and he stared in shock as it rang clear to him. Death's Miracle, the Child of Love, was standing in front of them.

"You're the twice named child?" Athena asked. She walked around Spike trying to see if she could use him when his hand suddenly wrapped tightly around her throat and she was pulled off the ground.

"You ain't the Queen of the Gods," Spike snarled. "Your father wasn't even really the king. The King of the Gods is right bloody there."

Spike pointed to Hades as he felt Xander walk up behind him. He leaned against his Nummy Treat and smiled. He had work to do here. They all did.

"Hey, Buffy," Spike called. Buffy looked up at him.

"Yeah Spike?" she asked.

"Wanna kick some ass?"

"Oh, yeah," she said. Dawn looked next to her at the quiet young watcher who had come along with them but had not spoken a word. He knew no one but Dawn really wanted him there.

"Hey, Wes," she said. "Can you read Greek?"

Spike nodded as he realized Dawn was trying to make Wes feel like part of the gang. Spike rather liked the younger watcher. He was good people and he tried so hard. And his Nibblet liked the guy so Spike figured he deserved a chance.

"I-I c-can," the nervous young man stuttered. Apollo looked into him and what he saw pissed him off so badly.

"If we survive this? That Council is going down," he hissed. Strife saw it as well and he outright snarled. Those bastards abused children. They would pay for it.

"Hey, you two wanna come help us entertain Bliss?" Cupid asked Wes and Dawn. Dawn looked at Spike who nodded. Giles knew he was out of his depth. Of course, Spike himself was going on Blind Instinct here.

"They won’t win," Spike said to himself. "I won't bloody let them."

(end part 3)