Title: After the Twilight

Author: Kate R.

abelard950@aol.com

Disclaimer: The Gods belong to themselves, Wes and co belong to Joss

Rating: PG-13 to R in most parts

Pairings: Ares/J (So far)

Summary: the gods adopt Wesley after the twilight


After the Twilight
By Kate R.

Prologue: Strife's Friend

"Hi Uncle Ares," Strife called as he came in from school. Ares looked up from the book he was reading and waved. He glanced down and then did a double take seeing the other boy behind Strife.

"This is Wesley, uncle Ares," Strife said. "I was hoping eh could stay for dinner? Please?"

Ares thought for a moment reaching out with his power and gently 'reading' the boy.

"Yes, he can," Ares, said. "Go on up and play until dinner is ready, okay?"

Sure, Unc," Strife called dragging Wesley up the steps behind him. Ares very quietly stood and walked into another room where his older children, the ones who were actually his, were ding their homework.

"Strife has a guest," he said. "Be nice."

They nodded and so he set his book to the side and walked to his study. His personal office o study as it would be called on the mortal plain, had his maps and such set out for the wars he had to start and the ones it was far past time to stop. He was amazed though how things were working now.
Amazed and disgusted and determined to fix it. He chuckled wondering what Strife and his friend were getting up to but figured he could ask the house later.

After all, the temple did tell him everything.

OOOO

Upstairs, Strife was leading Wesley past a door that was slightly ajar and when Wes stopped to look inside, Strife held him back.

"We hafta be real quiet," the by said. "Grandpa Dis has been sick since the Holocaust thing. Uncle Ares said it was too many people dying and it overloaded him. He's been like he is now for a real long time."

"Oh," Wesley aid quietly. He waited until Strife was walking a little ahead of him before he quietly peeked into the room where he saw a man lying on the bed looking feverish and really as sick as Strife said he was.

"Hi," Wesley said as he stood next to the bed and took the man's hand. "I'm not real sure how to make you feel better but I always imagine someone taking care of you when you're sick is having someone sit and talk to you. My name is Wesley and I'm here with Strife. He invited me to dinner. I've never been invited to dinner before. I've never really had a friend before. My father doesn't like me doing anything not related to studying. He gets real mad but mommy told him I had to be allowed to do something or I'd never survive in the real world. Strife invited me and I'm here and you look thirsty so lets try this..."

Wesley reached for the glass of water sitting by the bed and carefully brought it to the man's lips. He helped him drink it like his mommy helped the vampires drink sometimes if daddy was cruel and the man swallowed automatically. "That's better," Wesley said. I think anyway. You have to drink
while you have a fever or you get dehydrated and that's not good" Wesley continued to babble bout things until Strife came looking for him. "I hope you feel better," he said as he scrambled after his friend. "It was nice talking to you."

As the two boys left the room, a man with dark hair and eyes stepped out from behind the curtain he'd been hiding behind. "I'll be damned," he said to himself. "Ares is going to love this one."

Joxer the mighty had been helping Ares since the twilight and everything. He'd sat with him while he tended Hades after that bout and damn World War II and the Nazis because Hades had been getting better again before the Holocaust. Joxer shook his head. He and Ares had taken care of him and now, Ares had the kids again and Joxer looked after Hades while Apollo took care of other things. What he'd just seen though went beyond anything Joxer could do: Hades had actually settled at the boy's touch. He didn't know what it was about the kid but Hades had settled and was resting.

"What is it Joxer?" Ares asked when Joxer realized he was there and realized he must have summoned him.

Joxer sighed. "Strife's friend got Hades to drink the water," Joxer said. "He just came in and started talking and Hades actually settled. He was having a restless day, and the kid just touched his hand and started talking and Ares, he actually settled down and drank the water. Who is that kid?"

"His name is Wesley," Ares said. "And he's Strife's Friend."



Chapter 1: Awakening

"Hi Unc," Strife called. Ares smiled and waved as Strife came in with Wesley. To Wesley's father this was his after school job. Of course the man was a nut case forcing a ten year old to look for a job but Ares had been willing to give him one. Wes was to read to Hades for two hours every day. He was paid 6 pounds an hour and that was more than minimum wage.

"Go ahead up Wes," Ares said. The young human scampered up the steps moving quietly and Ares realized fearfully. He looked at Strife as if asking him if he knew and Strife gave a huge sigh.

"Abuse, Unc," Strife said. "His dad and all his dad's co workers. All they do is put him down. He gets quieter everyday and I don't know how to fix it."

On days like this Ares knew Strife was between remembering his old life and forging his new one. He remembered things like Ares was Unc and that Ma disliked him. He remembered Joxer and he remembered Cupid. But he'd also forgotten so much. Ares sighed and walked up the steps to check on Wesley to see what progress he was making and found him reading a book that had some hard words. He sighed and walked back down stairs leaving the boy to his reading.

"The demon alsa...alsca..." Wesley was fumbling on the words and sighed. He'd never get this word right and if he never got it right he'd never be able to have dinner. He sighed miserably. He wanted to do things right but it never worked. He was a failure, a worthless, wretched little failure.

Hades mind drifted and he heard the child reading. The voice that had soothed him before was back. Had been coming every day and reading words to him and it sounded nice but the child was sad and now he was getting strong enough to feel it. And to make sense of the words. Child he knew. The person was a child. A lonely child who was struggling so very hard to read the words right and Hades had heard things wrong but he knew the boy was reading from a book. It was not the child's fault the books had been changed.

"Alsa...Alsca..." he heard and then felt the abject misery.

"Alzakar," he himself whispered. "The Demon Alzakar."

"Thank you," Wesley whispered. "The Demon Alzakar rides a terrible midnight horse and eats his victim's en-ent-rals..."

"Entrails. And no, he doesn't. He rides a hound and chases the things that eat entrails. Alzakar is not a demon. Alzakar is a surfeit. He worked for Bacchus monitoring demons to be certain they did not get out of control. When did that book get changed?"

"A while ago," Wesley said. "Are you awake?"

"Getting there, little one," Hades said to the child. "I'm getting there. Thank you."

"For what?" Wesley asked.

"For leading me back," Hades told him. "For bringing me back to life."

"Oh," Wesley said. "Okay. You're welcome."

Hades chuckled then and sighed. "May I have some water?" Hades asked.

Wesley nodded and got the glass for him and helped him drink. Hades then drifted back to sleep and Wesley finished the book chapter. He walked back down stairs to where Strife was waiting and Ares gave him a message from his father.

"He said you have to stay out tonight," Ares said. "Do you want to stay here?"

"Can I?" Wesley asked. Ares nodded and told Strife to show him to one of the guest rooms.

Strife led Wesley upstairs and Ares looked at Joxer.

"They want us to take him," Ares said quietly. "I got the feeling reading that man he'd just as soon Wesley not ever come back. Maybe I should arrange that?"

"Can we take another child?" Joxer ask.

"We'll make room," Ares returned. "I will not subject that child to abuse until he dies if I can settle it by taking him."

"Okay," Joxer said going to think on a room for the new boy, as he'd already come to think of Wesley. Once Ares decided something like this that was it. It was decided and as he was the leader until the last of the Big Three woke up, no one was going to be stupid enough to argue.

Ares got them all fed and off to bed and then went into his study. He heard Strife wake up an hour or so after bed and chuckled. Tonight, since it was Friday, he would let them get up and play. He was quietly working when he felt the new pattern move with fear to…Hades' room? Why was he going to Hades' room?

Ares sat thinking when he suddenly heard a scram form Cupid: "DADDY!"

Ares ran up the steps, skidding into the room to see Demeter cornering Wesley about to slap him. Ares bellowed her name but she ignored him, drawing her hand back to slap the boy. Ares moved forward but he had no need to.

Someone else got there first. "What in the hell do you think you are doing Demeter?" the voice growled. Everyone just stared at who had caught her arm.

"Hades?" Ares finally asked.

"In a moment, Ares," the God of the Dead said as he looked at Demeter cowering before him.

"He was not disturbing me, Demeter," Hades growled. "I called him to me because he had a bad dream. The only person here who disturbed me was you."

"But, Hades you don't need the disturbance of your rest," Demeter began.

"I was not resting, Demeter," Hades growled even colder than he had before. "I was hurting. Too much hitting me with no one bothering to help bar Ares and Joxer. He has helped me just by being here. You can leave this room now, Demeter. And you can stay out of it."

She backed up and left the room and Ares then looked at Hades.

"This is Wesley," Ares said. "I think you've met him. He'll be staying with us now."

"I am aware," Hades said as he looked down at Wesley. "Thank you, little one. For helping me. Now, I will help you. Ares, he is my Son now. That is what he is to me and what he shall be to those of us who are left."

"Yes, Dark Uncle," Ares said. Wesley looked up at Hades and felt an odd touch as Hades laid a hand n his shoulder gently.

"You are my son," Hades said. "You will be new Death. Thanatos had one of the most important jobs and now, so will you." Wesley looked up at him in awe and Hades chuckled. "Yes, my son, you are important. And nothing will ever change that." Hades then took Wesley's hand "Now, tell me about yourself? You are my son and I would like to know all that I can."

"Okay," Wesley said and sat on the bed by him as he had returned to sitting as well. Ares escorted the others out of the room then as well and looked back one more time. Yes, Wesley would be fine now. He would be just fine.



Sunnydale, California, 15 years later.

"It would be now," the man muttered to himself as he debated silently. If he stopped to save the boy, he would have to take the boy with him to
gather souls. He had come up here to get a good take off jump. He could go form the round but tonight was a beautiful night and he yearned to fly into the sky faster. He'd been up here, about to grow the wings, having removed his shirt inside, when he heard Angel and Xander on the next roof and he heard the fight with the other demons and had heard, juts a moment a half second ago scream Xander's name. He saw the name flash on the list and blink meaning he could save this one. If he did, though, Xander would be his assistant for the night. Damn, did h really have a choice? The boy was one of the warriors here. Not a very good one being blinded by hate and prejudice but he fought the good fight. Even if it was for selfish reasons.

The man named Wesley sighed as he ran towards the edge of the building and then jumped. His wings exploded out and he dove down, wrapping Xander in his arms and pulling them up. He looked down at Angel, telling him mentally he would take care of Xander for the night. He felt Xander shift so he looked down briefly to get the boy into a more comfortable position.

"Woah," the youth said. "My first flying lesson. Pretty wings you've got there Wes. Do you use them all the time?"

"Only when I'm doing my real job," Wesley said as he landed them briefly so he could get a better grip on Xander. "I'm sorry but you'll have to accompany me tonight. I have to many to gather to take you home."

"What do you mean?" Xander asked as he looked at the black wings tipped with fire colors with longing.

"I have to gather those who are ready to die," Wes said. "My father, Dis Pater, cannot gather and judge and my Aunt Celeste cannot get everyone so I have to get those on this list."

"Okay," Xander said after a moment of thought. "Where do we go first?"

"Death Row," Wesley answered as he took Xander's hand and began to flap his wings. He lifted them both, his god powers making Xander float and Wesley taking his hand enabled him to fly and they were soon at a prison somewhere and walked to death row where here was a serial killer about to die.

He saw Wesley as something terrifying and Xander knew that had to do with who and what Wes was and the man's own guilt.

Once that soul was gathered, Wesley again took his hand and they flew again. This time going to a children's hospital and Xander swallowed his grief as Wesley gathered 4 children who had been badly burned in a fire and then walked to the terminal ward where there two more who had cancer and 1 who had A. I. D. s.

"It's time to go home now," Wesley aid and Xander saw through the children's eyes that Wesley appeared as the thing they dreamed death looking like. He gathered each soul and turned them over to Charon, with a coin for the crossing, who was waiting for them and he took the children to his skiff to ferry them across the Styx. Wesley smiled as he saw the children pain free and Xander understood he was not there to hurt, he simply was.

"Wesley," Xander asked as they were flying once again.

"Yes, Xander?" Wesley asked as they were on a short break.

Wesley had taken care of most of the list it was just that Xander enjoyed flying so much Wes did not want to take him home quite yet. He would have them both back in Sunnydale by dawn though.

"Why can't you save the people marked to die by vampires? I mean, they shouldn't die like that and stuff."

"Ah, Xander," Wesley sighed. "Death comes for everyone. But, I will tell you this secret now. Vampires are and always have been a population control. They were made to cap the population and take it down if the numbers got too high for the ecology of a place to sustain them. This whole planet has gotten badly over populated. That's why vampires have been attacking more and more and with less discrimination than they did before. I would think starvation would be a slower, more agonizing death than being drained of blood. At least that is relatively quick. Uncle Ares cannot have the skirmishes and battles anymore because there are too many innocents so we use Bacchus' children to take some of them out and then, once a battle can tae place with no children being hurt, Ares will set up several skirmishes that will further reduce the population. The world is out of balance, Xander. We're trying to fix it."

"Like the guy on death row? It wasn't his night but he was guilty and his appeals were getting ridiculous?"

"Yes," Wesley said. "I go in once a week and I take one or two people who are truly guilty. Father has requested that when I get the energy levels up where they belong I imply tag all the guilty souls and take them at once. I will get there eventually but I've only being doing this actively for ten years. It takes time to get the power levels up to where I can do that so this will be a bit more than most. I am on the Hellmouth because it feeds my powers and because I have to make sure the vampires do not lay waste to the town."

"Huh?" Xander asked.

"Okay, I said they are a population control and they are. Sunnydale is not a town that is good for human life. The vampires are hard wired to fix that so they would go after all the humans if they could so that the town would be made safe again. It could be erased. However, Ares says we need some of the people who life there so in time, perhaps we can move the people off the Hellmouth but until that time, the Bacchai have to be monitored."

"Oh," Xander said. "Okay."

"Shit!" Wesley cursed suddenly and Xander found them suddenly hovering above an accident scene. Wesley landed and told Xander to wait for him while he went to gather the souls. Xander watched as Wesley gathered a baby and a three-year-old and he stared as he saw the tears. Xander looked for the driver of the other car and he stared as he recognized his father.

"You son of a bitch!" Xander mentally screamed.

Wesley sighed and shook his head, showing Xander the marks on his father's soul. "When he dies, Xander," Wesley said. "He will have cause to regret every action. Including those he did to you. Uncle Ares and Father do not take kindly to those like him. Not at all."

Xander was a little mollified but he was still angry. While Wes was walking him to school so he wasn't late, Xander looked at him, just before he flashed out to get some rest.

"Who is Dis Pater?" Xander asked suddenly.

"Look him up," Wesley said as he gave Xander a recharge to get through the day. "See you tonight."

With that, Wesley, Death Incarnate, vanished in a flash of light and Xander walked into the school, ready to meet his day head on.

After all, if Wesley could gather souls all night and research all day, Xander could surely get through his classes. He hoped.



END PART 3