Title: Strange Twists

Author: Lady Bard

Archive: Yes

Fandom: Herc/Xena

Pairing: Ares/Joxer, Joxer/Autolycus and a bunch of others

Rating: R for some m/m sex, implied f/f sex violence and some bad words

Disclaimer: I don't own the chars from HTLJ and XWP Renpic does. I'm not making any money off this either.

Warnings: This is a serious story. It has lots of angst and though I think everyone will be happy in the end the journey there will have some unpleasant parts. These will include abuse both physical and emotional. There will hopefully be enough humor and happy parts to make the rest worth it.

By Lady bard
****

Joxer trudged through the downpour wondering just who on Olympus was upset and why. He had no particular destination in mind. He just walked aimlessly. He had no idea where he was. He had a terrible sense of direction. He looked around and saw big trees and wondered how he had wound up in a forest.

He felt dispirited and alone. Xena and Gabby were off gods only knew where... not that they'd want him along. A sad smile tugged at his mouth at that thought, but never touched his usually warm brown eyes. He was incompetent at somethings, well he amended to himself, at a lot of things, but he was not stupid. Why people thought he was stupid was beyond him. He wondered if being a fool was the same as being stupid. He didn't think so, but what did he know?

It seemed that his thoughts were destined to get gloomier and gloomier for he suddenly found himselfthinking of Autolycus. He shook his head in an attempt to dispel the thoughts but it was useless. He suddenly spotted a building ahead and hurried his step. "If I'm gonna get depressed, may as well do it out of the rain," He muttered to himself. His expression suddenly brightened; it was a temple to Ares. He took a second to wonder why a temple to the God of War would be in the middle of nowhere, then shrugged and entered. He thought it might be a sacrilege to shelter from a storm in the War God's temple, but didn't really care. Besides this wasn't any ordinary storm. More than once he'd thought a thunder bolt would split him intwo and those wicked flashes right before them were really something to see. It was because of one of those flashes that he was able to even see the temple.

"Woe! Look at that."

The way Joxer saw it was that if Ares had a problem, then he could come and tell him. Not that Ares had ever paid him any attention before, none of the gods had. Then he thought of the goddess of love and rimaced. Ok, maybe some did, but it was never for any good reason. He felt like the universe'sjoke. He could never do anything right. He was no kind of hero or warrior. The only thing he was remotely good at was music and he only played to cheer himself up. He'd played for Auto before...

He suddenly sat down on the cold floor and wondered for the millionth time what Ares saw in the colorblack. At the moment Joxer found it soothing but normally the color black was too depressing forhim. He reached into his pack and pulled out a leather wrapped bundle and slowly unwrapped it. Inside was a finely crafted lyre. It looked delicate but Joxer knew just how strong it was. Itswooden frame should have made it bulky and heavy, but it was light and easy to carry. Joxer gently plucked at the strings amazed at the instrument's ability to stay practically tuned on its own. The tears he'd been holding back all day came to his eyes and he no longer fought them. He figured he was as safe here as he'd be anywhere and if someone wanted to kill him, he wouldn't try too hard to stop them. There was really nothing for him anywhere.

His fingers absently stroked the lyre strings bringing forth a haunting melody. It was slow and softalmost hypnotic in its sadness and beauty. Joxer saw nothing special in his tune he wasn't really aware that he was playing. The memories came and he let them wash over him.

* * * * *

After the adventure with Meg and the baby that was really a king, Auto and he had continued travelingtogether. There had always been attraction between them but they had never acted on it. Well, therehad been that kiss after the Cleopatra mess involving his brother. At the thought of his brother a shiver ran through him. The thief and he had traveled together after that for a while as well. This time things had been different. Auto had been really nice and considerate. He'd smiled at him a lot and flirted with him. Joxer couldn't help but flirt back. The thief was gorgeous and knew it. He'd even offered to teach Joxer some of the tricks of his trade. Joxer had been dazzled by this good-looking man's flirtatious ways. The fact that he'd always been attracted to the thief didn'thelp. It had been Autolycus who had bought the lyre for Joxer. He'd seen it through the window of a music shop and he'd fallen in love with it. He'd mentioned it to the thief and that afternoon it had been his. He thought now that the thief had probably stolen it.

That night Autolycus had asked Joxer if he could play and he had. He'd improvised and Autolycus hadseemed genuinely impressed. "That's lovely. I'd heard that you enjoyed music, but not that youcould play so beautifully."

"Oh... Well..." He'd stammered, blushing all the while his pale skin making it easy for the thief to see the effect of his words. "I'm out of practice. My father didn't think it was proper for a son of his to be a musician so I had to sneak around to take lessons, but he eventually found out and I convinced myself that music wasn't..." He'd trailed off at that point as an old sorrow he'd thought was buried almost overwhelmed him.

Autolycus had reached out and taken his hand sliding over until their knees had been touching. He'dgently slid his arms around the wannabe warrior's waste and pulled him close. "I'm sorry. I didn'tmean to drag out old memories. You're really good Joxer. I'm not just saying that." He'd foundhimself resting his head against Auto's shoulder believing in his words. Even now, he still believed them. It had been a week since they'd parted company and Joxer was still reeling from events of hismonths spent with the thief.

They'd become lovers, not that night but soon after. He'd been astonished at Autolycus' gentleness,his tender touches and warm sweet kisses. Joxer had felt all the hurt and fear he'd always lived with melt away in Auto's arms. He'd felt cherished... Cared for... He'd lived in a dream forweeks. They'd argued on occasion but Joxer had been able to live with that because he knew that after the anger faded away they would be in one another's arms again. He'd been foolish enough to think that Autolycus was falling in love with him and the thief had done nothing to make him think anything else.

Joxer had not known then that Autolycus really loved someone else and that though he cared for Joxer if by some miracle his lover would come back to him, Joxer would not stand a chance. One good thinghad come out of the time he'd spent with Autolycus, he'd been given back his music. He knew that he was not the best, or even very good, but he could make a living off his playing. He'd been a distraction sometimes when Auto had been doing a job. He'd play for the nobles, guards, or whateverand the thief would slip in and get what he wanted then wait for Joxer to finish his performance. He would usually be paid for his playing though not always, but it didn't matter to him because he justliked music for its own sake and would have played for the joy of it. It also made it easier forAutolycus to do his job. He shook his head at himself and vowed once more that he would not letmusic equal Autolycus in his mind.

* * * * *

He suddenly had a revelation that if he was going to be a musician he could not worship Ares. He'd been a worshiper of the War God all his life. He prayed when things were good, bad, just because he'd lived through another day. Now he had to pray to say goodbye? He thought about that for a while his fingers still plucking the strings of his lute. The melody had shifted from one of sorrow to onenot so sad, but still lonely. As he continued to play he spoke in slow measured tones...

"Ares, you know I've prayed to you all my life. I've tried my best to be someone you could be proudof. I know! It's sort of probably dumb and that ya probably don't care about one lousy mortal but I... I can't be a warrior. I figure you've always known that but it took someone to make me seethat the warrior's path isn't for me. I've always loved music and I've been convinced that I can bebetter as a musician than I'll ever be as a fighter. I guess I just want to say goodbye. I don't know where I'll go from here, or what I'll do but I know I can't keep living like this. See I learned a long time a go that nothing I did would please my family. I was just never good enough!" A note of bitterness crept into his voice at that last statement, but it was quickly gone. "Somewhere in my head I thought that maybe if you noticed me then they'd be proud of me, somehow! Then I wound up meeting Xena and Gabby and hanging with them. I thought I loved Gabby and that I could make her love me but then she and Xena got together and I knew that I would never have her which was alright because I guess what I feel for her... She treated me like a person sometimes and she smiled and she was so pretty but," he sighed. "This doesn't matter. I guess you've always hadbetter things to do than to listen to a poor excuse for a warrior mortal praying to you all the time so I'll go now and won't ever bother you again."

* * * * *

On Olympus, in her home temple, Aphrodite threw an expensive vase across the room in her rage. It was not supposed to go this way. "What are you doing Joxy? You're supposed to realize that you love that dark, tall, dangerous hunk of god. Arg! Cupid!!!!" She mentally bellowed.

* * * * *

On another part of Olympus, the relatively young, very happily married god of love came awake with a start. "Now what's mom done?" He asked himself, feeling annoyance towards his mother. "I'm comingshut up you'll wake up your grandson." That made her stop for though she didn't much like Psyche she loved her grandson.

"Well hurry up!" She snapped but her tone was much quieter. Maybe only half of Olympus could hereher this time. He groaned softly and rose. "Wawrong!"

"Mom's done something and probably wants me to fix it. I'll be home as soon as I can."

"Kay! Luvya."

"Loveya too." With those words he blinked out of his home and to his mother's.

He found her passing and muttering. His eyes widened at the broken glass. His mother loved beauty and that vase had been that. It must be huge if she was breaking things in her home. Cupid knewthat his mother only brought the best offerings home for herself. The rest she either left on hertemples on Earth or used to help poor mortals. His mother was a complicated woman though most only saw what she wanted them to see.

"Mom?" He asked tentatively. "What is it? What's the matter?"

"I, don't, know! That, is why I have called you!"

"Oooohkaaaaayeee. Wanna tell me who this involves."

His mother was in a fine rage, which probably meant death to someone. Most thought her air headed, self-absorbed, cruel... The list went on andon. There were only a few on Mt. Olympus who knew that though she could be self-absorbed and cruel,she was not air headed. His mum was usually kind and caring with a tender heart. She truly loved daddy Heph, which most people could not credit. The god of smiths was lame and could not give momkids, but that was all right with her. With both of them Cupid guessed. Ares was his father, but notmuch of a dad. He kept everyone at a distance accept for mom and Heph. He suddenly realized that hismom had been speaking

"ah oh!"

"And now Joxer has renounced Ares and what in Tartarus am I supposed to do?"

"Can you slow down? What does Joxy have to do with Ares? You know father never pays him anyattention. Since that mess with Dahock he hasn't been paying much attention to anything. It'samazing grandfather hasn't-" "Enough! What do you know of the Dahak affair? It was a disaster if your father hadn't acted as he did then we'd probably all be dead, or slaves. You should go speak with your grandfather and get the whole story from him... I am on the council but I'm just not into the whole war thing. It's really groty. Ok, now pay attention!

I was watching Herc and Iolaus and Ares, then Herc proposed to Iolaus and Ares just started the huge thunderstorm that's raging out there, so I decided it was time for him to get together with his true love you know so I peeked to see what Joxy was doing-"

"Mom! Joxer is my father's true love?"

"Yes! Now let me finish. Joxy was tromping through the woods. I've never met someone with such a lack of direction, but then he got to that little temple in that secluded glade where Arry likes to go when he's really bummed and plopped himself down in the middle of the floor and told Arry that he couldn't like be a warrior anymore cause his true path lay in music. Eewwww! What am I going to do and who made him get that? I mean it's true, but. like it's too soon for him to know. They're supposed to be together. I've seen it and while I'm not as good as Apollo when I see something,especially to do with my job, it's true."

"Mom, I haven't seen anything like that."

"Our jobs aren't exactly the same. You have more to do with romance and puppy love. The types of relationships that help one grow into who they will become. I deal with the real, lasting sort of thing."

"He spent time with Autolycus. I sort of helped them get together. I figured that if Strife was gone and Joxy was alone, why not?"

"Why not??? I'll tell you why because Joxer is meant to be with Ares. Now he's decided that he's not a warrior so Ares can't protect him anymore!!!"

"Maybe it's not time yet. Have you thought of that?"

"It has to be time."

"Why!!!" Cupid was now getting angry. His mother tended to know what she was doing unless she wasangry or jealous, or when she cared about the people involved.

"What makes you think it's time? The fact that Joxy's little blond interest has disappeared andgotten together with the Warrior Princess? The fact that your brother is moping? The fact that without the protection of the gods that little mortal would be dead? Come on mom!"

"Don't take that tone with me! I was doing this way before you were thought up kidooe, so like chill!If I say it's time for something, than it is!"

She could of smacked herself. /oh tarterus. I don't need cupid wanting to get to know arry, not now./ She wasn't quite sure what to do. She along with Hephestus had fostered the belief that Ares didn't care about Cupid, when the truth was that Ares ignored him for his own sake. She felt change on the wind, and hoped it would be for the best.

.***

"Aphrodite!" The voice out of no where made them pause.

"Hey, big bro!" She waved a hand and suddenly Hercules and Iolaus appeared.

"Umm! That was quick!"

"Don't worry love we're safe. Dite, will you marry us?"

A speculative gleam entered her eye. "Course big bro! Can you do me a favor? When? Oooo! It's gonna be great. We can invite the family and-"

"Little sis! I was just thinking a small one with friends and maybe dad. Uh, a favor! What kind of favor?" He had a bad feeling about that and Iolaus was shaking his head in dread.

"Just a tinsy little one! I need you to check up on Joxer."

"Joxer! Why?"

"I'm worried about him. He hasn't been himself lately. He's been depressed and please!" She lettears fill her eyes and stuck her lower lip out in a pout. Hercules laughed a little helplessly.

"Alright Dite. That should be simple enough. We'll go find him and talk to him and maybe get him to travel with us awhile. Will that be ok?"

"That'll be great! You're the best bro! I'll just send you guys to where he's at." She waved herhand in a circular motion and they vanished.

* * * * *

Ares sat back on his throne open-mouthed. He could not believe what he was hearing. He was beingtold goodbye by that... Joxer? Who did that little mortal think he was? He was nothing, nothing! If it hadn't been for Ares then he would have been dead long ago. It was only that Ares had been sort of protecting him. Not that any one knew or anything, or that it meant anything. It's justthat he needed power to keep all the wars going and Joxer was a devoted follower and he needed that. It wasn't that Joxer made him smile or that if he had a bad day he'd just watch the mortal and feelbetter. No! It didn't hurt and he certainly didn't feel betrayed!

The flash of light in his temple, how had Joxer found his way there anyway, made him blink. What wasApollo doing there in his retreat?

* * * * *

"Hello, Joxer."

Joxer looked up startled. "Hello, Apollo. Why are you here in his temple? Should you be here?"

"No, little one, I probably shouldn't be here, but I was entranced by your music. You drew me like a moth to a flame."

"Like a moth to a flame?" Joxer thought but said nothing.

The god continued. "I've come with an offer. Here me out before you say anything! You've just ended your association with Ares, which leaves you at loose ends. I've come to offer my personal trainingto you in whatever area of music you want to study. You seem to have a special gift for playinginstruments, though with your lack of coordination I find that amazing."

Oh yea, thought Ares. Make him go to you by telling him he's a disaster area all on his own. He was but Ares didn't think you gained followers by pointing out their flaws. Although he'd always foundJoxer's lack of coordination and commonsense entertaining, for once, he wondered why Joxer hadn'tsworn himself to Apollo much younger. He'd heard the mortal play before on a poorly made lute andhad been surprised at the sound Joxer had been able to coax from the badly made instrument. He thought he might look into that. There was something very uncommical about Joxer right then andAres wasn't laughing. He leaned forward to watch.

"Ok. I'll go with you," replied Joxer.

"Just like that mortal? You won't even give it some thought?"

"What is there to think about? It isn't like I have much else going for me. I think I maybe would have come to you on my own much sooner if I'd had a bit of encouragement from somewhere. Maybe myso-called friends. Shall we go?"

He should be honored that I'm offering him training. What is the matter with him thought Apollo! Oh well, I'll figure that out later. I'll have three students and that's what matters enough to put on my shows and maybe get my father's attention.

"Alright then! Let's go."

He reached out and took the mortal's hand disappearing with out the flash of light he'd used in hisentry.

Half a second later Hercules and Iolaus walked into the temple expecting to see Joxer and surprised when they found nothing.

"He's not here Herc. Could your sister have made a mistake?"

"I don't know. I guess but we're here so let's take advantage of the cozy little place." The demigod said holding out his arms for Iolaus who grinned and flew into them.

Ares flashed into his woodland temple.

"Out!! I want you two out of here!" The roar did nothing for the demigod who glared at his brother. Iolaus however was a bit taken aback.

"Brother dear; Will you never learn manners?"

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't fry you and that pint-sized little blond of yours!"

"I'm under Zeus' protection and if you hurt Iolaus-" He sputtered to a stop because he couldn't thinkof what he'd do. "Dite asked us to come check up on Joxer who was supposed to be here and obviously isn't! Ares there's a storm out there the likes of which I've never seen before and we don't have automatic transportation methods."

"He's with Apollo." Ares voice was strangely subdued and his eyes were lowered so the look in them could not be seen.

"He's always been a devoted follower of yours! What's he doing with Apollo?"

Ares looked up, his dark eyes blazing with rage and something else. Something Hercules had never before seen in those eyes---pain. "Learning music because I never pay him any attention, or so he said in his goodbye. I don't think he set out to leave with Apollo but he's gone now." He started outyelling the words at his half-brother but finished in a barely audible whisper.

"Oh! I guess we'll go. Unless you'd let us stay here?"

"Go ahead," and the War God was gone.

Ares decided it was time to do some research and hflashed to his home on Olimpus. He pased around the main room picking up weapons then disguarding them. He finally picked up a sword. and once more flashed out of his temple.

He arrived in a long mirrored hall but unlike most mirrors these did not reflect his image back at him. They were blank as if covered by sheets. He reached out a hand and pressed it against one of the mirrors and it slid aside. For several seconds he stood there contemplating what he was about to do.

Some said it changed you, others had gone through one and come out just as they'd gone in. It was said that long a go his father had entered one and come out the cheating husband and bad father he was. Ares shrugged his broad shoulders and took a deep breath. These mirrors gave you access to the past, present, and the most likely future, but unlike the mirrors where you could view events when you entered one of these glasses, it was said that you lived events, but could not change them. The viewer became an actual participant in whatever unfolded before them. They got to view events with the full range of emotions that the person they were watching had experienced. He tried to tell himself that he could just use a normal mirror and call up the past, but that didn't feel right. He had never been able to understand Joxer by using a regular scrying mirror so now he would try this. He set down the sword he'd brought with him took another deep breath and stepped through the mirror. It closed behind him no longer blank but showing the events ares would experience.

Strange twists 2

He could see nothing the darkness was so deep. Ares wondered what he'd gotten himself into. The darkness started to dissipate and he could see again.

He found himself looking up at a powerful built man. A foot shot out and he found himself sailing across somewhere to slam against the wall. Ares winced and suddenly he realized what must be happening. He was in Joxer's head, feeling what Joxer had lived through.

/ouch! I'll kill the little shit. Wait until I get out of here./ His father had ignored him, yelled at him, undermined his efforts and on occasion threw a fire ball at him, but he'd always been able to fight back. Joxer was beyond fighting back. /The mortal must be about 15./

"When I tell you to do something you incompetent fool, you do it. No back talking, no questions, I made you, I can also kill you."

"You wouldn't bother to do me the favor." Ares somehow knew that the man sneering down at Joxer hadn't heard the young man's whisper.

"You will not associate with that boy again. Do you understand?" Ares felt Joxer gathering himself to agree, but the man was impatient. He grabbed the slender mortal by the neck, shook him, and then punched him in the stomach hard. Ares felt things start to go dark again.

They didn't completely go dark though. The mortal somehow held on. Ares could feel Joxer's will-power as an almost physical thing.

/Amazing. I never would have guessed./

/maybe I am a changeling. Maybe I don't belong here. I'll stop seeing Kam for Kam's sake you good for nothing bastard but not because you say so but because you can hurt him./

Joxer got to his feet and staggered out the door. Ares wondered how he could even move, let alone walk. He didn't look around just walked to a well maintained inn where he was greeted warmly. No one even blinked at his battered condition. A motherly looking woman came over to him, and she gave him a compassionate look.

"Oh dear. What happened now?"

"He found out about Kam helping me with music. He forbade me to see him, and then proceeded to knock me around a bit, Serea. I just can't be like Jett! I've tried. It makes me sick."

"Were you going to even tell me?", the tall, black-haired, green-eyed young man standing before him asked. At the unexpected question, Joxer looked up wincing when he moved too fast.

"That's why I'm here Kam!"

"You look awful. You're puffy everywhere, and you're gonna turn black and blue. Maybe I can-"

"No! You can't try to contact Apollo. Please Kam, just drop it."

"You're going walk away?"

"What can I do? He'll hurt you and your family. I can't just run off with you. I'd be no help. My brother got all the smarts in the family."

"Nah, he just got all the murderous instincts. You don't see me going out with him, do you?"

Joxer laughed then groaned.

"Why are you helping me? Don't you even care I can't see you anymore? You don't even seem upset."

"Where would being upset get me? Would you change your mind? Would you come to one of Apollo's temples with me? No you wouldn't, besides, we aren't meant for one another you know that. Joxer, your destiny is not my destiny."

"Kam, knowing something and accepting it are two different things."

"You're right of course. I was going to ask you to come with me when I left next moon."

"And do what?"

"C'mon Joxer! You know you're a very talented musician plus you could be an above average bard, better than I'll ever be. Just because you let your father fill your head with that... with his beliefs, it doesn't mean that you can't follow your heart, your dreams."

Ares mentally reeled at the emotions he was experiencing. The god had never felt anything so powerful. It was a wild, barely held in check hunger for acceptance. It was a dream he himself had given up long ago, but this mortal had never stopped needing that acceptance or given up on attaining it.

"I'm sorry Kam. Maybe we'll meet again some day." He turned slowly and walked out of the inn into the waiting arms of his brother.

"You little fuck face. Wait until I tell father where you've been."

"Jett please."

"Please what, brother dearest." Jett grabbed Joxer's hair and started dragging him off.

Joxer fought back, but he was no match against his agile and stronger twin. "Maybe I won't tell father. Actually, thinking about it, I better handle this myself."

He raised a fist and slammed it into Joxer's nose shattering the bone. He then slid his right foot in between Joxer's legs and tripped him making sure to release him as he fell. Jett then hauled him to his feet by his hair, and pushed him into a nearby wall. He proceeded to pummel Joxer with his fists only stopping just before Joxer blacked out. Throughout this Joxer never made a sound. Jett suddenly slapped him hard across the face.

"Wakey, Wakey little bro! Wouldn't want you missing any of the fun."

/He sounds just like Strife./ Ares wanted out of this situation. It wasn't because of the actual abuse but the emotions Joxer was experiencing. They hit to close to something buried deep within Ares' soul that he didn't want to remember. This mortal felt too much. Feeling was a dangerous commodity. /Why can't you see that feeling is dangerous little mortal?/ Things slowly started to go dark. This time Ares welcomed the darkness.

When he awoke he was laying on something soft. An insistent voice was speaking, but it hurt too much to answer.

"Joxer. Joxer. Son. Can you hear me?"

"Mother?"

"You have to leave here. You're in danger. I can't protect you from them. Why do you have to be so different? You'd be a perfectly good warrior if your father hadn't beaten you so much."

"What about you mama?"

"I'm a healer dear heart. He won't hurt me too much. It's been over 2 years since that friend of yours left. I think you should do the same."

"Maybe someday father and Jett will be proud of me."

"I hope so honey."

"What will happen?"

"What do you want to happen?"

"I still want to be a warrior. I know I'd make a better bard, but Mom, I want *him* to notice me."

His mother let out a tinkling laugh. "Oh my sweet child. You're such a dreamer. Why would a god notice you? You've been a light in this life I was condemned too."

She made a shushing gesture just as Joxer would have spoken. "No, I don't know why, but you are meant to be just the way you are. Once, long ago, I had a vision that showed you and your two brothers. The others had shown brightly for a long time, but in the end you had out shown them both. Don't give up hope my little one."

"Dad knows about you being a healer but not about the prophecy?"

"Joxer, you must never tell. Go now before they return. My work is done I think."

Joxer rose and left the room. He quietly packed some clothing and food Then went to the chest against the wall. He stared at it for a long time. Placing his little finger against the bottom right corner, he watched in satisfaction as an entire section of the chest popped out. He felt a wave of anger run through him. He looked around the dingy house he'd lived in all his life. The once bright colors were now dull. The roof leaked in several places making the house drafty. Signs of disrepair were everywhere. The fireplaces were chipped and the furnishings were falling apart.

The worse part was his mother. His beautiful mother was very ill, and his father claimed that there was no way to help her. Joxer had always known that was a lie, but he had been able to do nothing, could still do nothing. His entire life he'd been powerless, but now he would escape for his Mother and for himself. Maybe one day he'd be able to come back to help her. She was the one constant in his life. The one person who believed in him no matter how big a klutz he proved to be.

He reached into the secret compartment and counted out several coins. He could not believe the amount of dinars his father had stashed away. He suddenly realized that he was crying and forced himself to stop.

"No, that's not the way Joxer. You have to grow up now and stop acting like a child." He wiped a hand across his eyes and closed the compartment once more. He wondered who had made this chest. You couldn't tell there was a secret compartment. It was amazing. He smiled as inspiration struck him.

"Thank you father!" he whispered, "You gave me the perfect plan. It's so simple. I can't believe I didn't think of it before. All that I am I'll hide away in a secret place just like that little chest, and then, I'll focus all my energy on being the best warrior I can be. Effort has to count for something, doesn't it? If it doesn't then I'm in trouble."

Ares could not believe what he was witnessing. All that quick wit and bright intelligence gone to waste in a futile quest to gain his attention. In his millennia of life, he'd never known anyone to be so persistent. He suddenly knew what it was like to feel for someone else. They were alike in many ways. Joxer was truly brilliant. Ares didn't understand how Joxer had managed to keep up the foolish persona for so many years. Then Ares thought about it a bit more and realized that the only time Joxer actually acted foolish was when he was around other people. That didn't quite seem right. Ares couldn't figure out what he was missing. He told himself he would think about it some more later as things slowly went dark again.

When he became aware of things, he was outside the mirror, blank once again.

"Did you learn anything Ares?"

"Poseidon?"

"Yes, I felt the activation of the mirror, and I knew that it was time to try to fix the mess that Zeus, Hera, Hades & and I made.""mess?" Ares questioned."Yes, come with me and I'll tell you what happened."Ares reached out a hand to his uncle a bit apprehensive after what he'd just experienced. Poseidon patted the hand Ares held out to him and whisked them away in a flash of blue/green energy.

Seconds later, they reappeared in Poseidon's home under the ocean. Ares looked around marveling at the beauty surrounding him. Everything around him was in shades of green or blue. He'd rarely visited his uncle yet each time he did it had the same affect. The home seemed to be built of one huge peace of coral. The depictions on the wall were of sea creatures of all shapes and sizes. Partitions seemed to be made of groups of sea shells glued together.

"I don't have all day Ares." His uncle's voice held the power of the waves in it, deep and rolling yet gentle and soothing.

Ares turned slowly. His dark eyes meeting his uncles bright one's. "I'm ready."

/Somehow I doubt that, but we'll see. It's about time this ended./

"What do you know about your parents relationship?"

"They can't stand one another. Father continuously cheats on her and she retaliates by making everyone else's life unbearable. Oh yes, and let's not forget he's a terrible father, at least where I'm concerned. His baby Hercules can do no wrong and as for ATHENA and Artemis.:."

"What if I told you that the reason your father cheats on your mother is to save all our lives. That the reason your mother behaves the way she does is so that the mortals we have under our care do not loose respect for her and so that the Gods, if they do not respect her, at least fear her?"

"Uncle Don, I think you've been living under the sea to long. Maybe you should spend more time on Olympus."

"Somehow I didn't think it would be so easy. They've hurt you too much for you to believe me, and even that is so you'd be strong enough to do what you must. Let me show you how things unfolded, ok?"

Part of Ares wanted to get away from his seemingly crazy uncle but a greater part wanted to hear this implausible story. A part of him wanted to believe it. It wouldn't magically fix things, make the centuries of neglect go away, but maybe it would make it easier to let go of some of the bitterness.

"I'll listen, Uncle."

"No, I told you I'm going to show you how things happened. Look towards the back wall."

Ares did as he was told noticing that the coral on that wall was different, translucent and even as he watched, it shimmered with the Blue Green aura that characterized his uncle. Figures slowly took shape. It was his parents and his two uncles Hades and Poseidon.

As he watched the figures began to move and speak.

"What a mess! How are we ever going to fix this.?" Zeus asked his older siblings.

"You've been elected to be in charge. You figure it out." Hades lounged against a half shattered pillar.

"We've got to fix Olympus up and renew our power sources before we can even try helping those poor Mortals that survived our clash with the Titans." Hera said, a sadness in her voice, that her son watching over a millennia later had never heard before.

"Well, here's the solution. You and Wonder King over there get married."

"We what!?" The two in question asked together.

"She and Hades love one another, man. Don I can't keep them apart."

"We have to do this," Hades said his voice barely audible.

"Don't I get a say in the matter."

"You know you'll do, it, if for no other reason than to help the mortals."

"I hate it when you're right, Don."

Poseidon directed a small flicker of power towards the Wall jumping things forward. Hecate and Hestia were standing on either side of their sister.

"I don't like this, Hera," Hecate, Goddess of Magic said. "I sense no good of this union."

"Oh Hecate! We do not love one another but we respect each other and care for one another. It isn't what I would have wanted but we're out of choices right now. Can you think of something better? Will you marry him?"

A snort of laughter from her other side made her turn towards her other sister. "Hera dear, Hecate and I are past our prime."

"Nonsense." Hera shook her head in denial, making her long flowing hair billow out like a halo.

Hestia, goddess of Hearth fires shrugged. "We can't change things now." Her small form contrasted greatly with the dark smoky voice issuing from her mouth.

"No matter, what will be will be. You look lovely sister." Hecate's no nonsense tone made the watching Ares grin.

He had to admit that his mother did look lovely. She wore a gown the color of snow, her hair bound loosely in a pearl clasp. On her feet, she wore a pair of sandals that exactly matched her dress.

"I won't bother with a silly veil. Come on my groom awaits."

The wall flickered again. It now showed Zeus standing between Hades and Poseidon.

"I don't know that we're doing the right thing. I've spoken to Hecate and she seems unhappy with our plans, but she can't think of a better one."

"Then we must go on as we've begun," Hades murmured.

"You look great little bro. White looks good on you. You should grow your hair a little."

"Don, and just how am I supposed to do that with power so low? We depleted everything defeating father and those titans of his."

Ares tuned the conversation out and watch his father and uncles. They all looked so young. His uncle Poseidon was the one least changed. His uncle Hades was missing the sorrow lines around his eyes. As interesting as his uncles were, it was his father that held his attention. His hair was much shorter and he looked almost innocent. He reminded him in some ways of Hercules. The thought of Hercules brought a frown to his face.

"Uncle, I have things to do. Can we move this along?"

Poseidon sighed a little. Ares was always the most difficult to deal with. He had so much of his parents in him. He was tired of the secrets, of the cruel treatment they had inflicted on the bright child that had become the bitter cynical War God standing before him. He wondered how this mess would turn out. He wondered if they'd done the right thing. He shook his head. /We did do the right thing, but sometimes, watching the young ones, I don't know. Do you two even know how close this is to ending?/

He also felt annoyed. "I was trying to ease you into what happened but I guess I'll just get right to the point. What do you know of the Halian mirrors?"

"The what?" Ares started feeling lost, and didn't like it one bit.

"Let me rephrase that. What do you know about the place where I found you?"

"It's different than a scrying glass." He began hesitantly. "I've personally experienced that you can relive what you see with out effecting it. I've heard that you can see the most likely future.:." He trailed off. "I don't know much more than that."

"None in your generation does. We wanted it that way. The Halion mirrors are very powerful. Once, there was a time those mirrors could show the best course to take under any circumstance. Now they do what you said and not much more than that." He smiled a bit sadly, then continued.

"But they are very important in the history of our family so I wanted to see what you new. Don't fidget Ares sit down. This is going to take a while."

"If I'm going to be here awhile can I at least get a drink?" His lower lip was beginning to stick out in a pout. His dark eyes lowered a bit.

The god of the seas concentrated and a glass of nectar appeared in Ares hand.

"Can you dispense with the theatrics and just get to the story?"

Ares didn't mean to snap but he was on edge. He'd been on edge all day. It was all Joxer's fault, Ares decided. He'd been perfectly fine until that silly, ridiculous mortal had just walked away from him.

/You're also afraid to gain understanding./ He thought to himself, disliking the fear that was clawing at him:

/What if what I learn changes things? What will I do then? I just won't think about it now. I'll consider things later. Joxer... my parents... everything later. Right now I'll just listen to uncle Poseidon and then maybe go work on some wars./

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Ares, what is it? We don't have to see it all tonight, but I'm positive it's time you new the truth. The best thing to do would be for me to gather everyone and let the Halion mirrors explain things. I'm sure if everyone takes turns understanding can be gained in a couple centuries" A twinkle had entered the usually stern eyes.

"Uncle! No, I don't want another trip through one of those things. Wait a second. Zeus did go into one of those things? The whispers are true?"

"Yes. What whispers?" He felt a bit alarmed. Only the four of them, Hecate and Hestia new the truth.

"I heard some of the Muses talking when I was much younger. They didn't know I was listening. They were trying to figure out just what had happened to make things so different. I didn't understand much of what they said"

"That's alright then. Shall we continue?"

Ares took a deep breath. He had a strange premonition that this would change everything. "Ok, Uncle."

"A lot of this next part I can't show you but there is something I want you to see." Poseidon once more sent a flicker of power at the corral wall and other images appeared. It was Hera, queen of the gods holding something in her arms. "You and your sister Eris."

Ares eyes were riveted on the picture in front of him. "She looks like she cares for us. She's smiling."

"They cared very much."

Zeus entered the chamber where his wife and children were.

He grinned a distinctly un-Zeus like Grin. "They're beautiful, Hera. A boy and a girl?"

"Yes, Ares and Eris."

"I've been back from the fates an uncooperative lot if I've ever seen one."

"What did they say?"

"They said that the future of the children is unclear,.. THAT they can see little... They told me to enter one of the Halion mirrors."

"I don't like that. I sense great change coming from this and not for the better." The words were preceded by a shimmer of red energy heralding Hecate's arrival.

"Sister, there is much that none of us like that we have done and must continue to do for our survival as well' as that of the mortals in our care." That was more like the father Ares new. It was clear for all to see that Zeus temper was about to snap his eyes flashed blue fire at his elder sister.

"Can you be more specific, Hecate? Should we make this a full meeting? Should we call the others?"

"No, in the end this must be. Zeus is right but there will be so much suffering. I wish I could give you a clearer picture but all I've seen is much death and distruction. I am not the enemy. I wish to help but there is nothing I can do. The thing is no matter what happens many will be hurt. I think there just aren't enough of us."

"We could make some of the nymphs and driads more like us, couldn't we?" Hera suggested hopefully.

"No, that would be tampering with the natural order of things.

"Hey how about mortals!?" Zeus suggested excitedly. "They're much more like us and they can handle the change."

"Some can, but what's to say that they wouldn't abuse it? No, I don't mean to be an alarmist, but I needed to share my fears with someone. You will need Don and Hades to aid the two of you in activating the mirror while I monitor and generate a field to protect us from whatever happens. I will also be the main channeler of energy."

"It almost makes me wish I'd studied more of the magical arts!" Zeus laughed.

"What? you who have control of air and light like no other has before you, or probably ever will." Hera's teasing was gentle and Ares noticed a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. He wondered if they had been growing to care for one another.

"I'll leave you two. Speak with our brothers and let us see if we can't get this done within the next couple of moons, eh?" Hecate said her lips quirking up in a smile.

As Hecate flashed out, Ares noticed that his father was grinning back at his mother almost against his will.

"Hera, you are a great lady. It is good to know that I will always be able to count on you to make me smile."

"I hope that's not all you want to count on me for. I have work to do in my own right, not just to be your queen and I know we'll have some hard decisions ahead. We'll have to make them together."

"Of course. It's just that right now laughter is a very precious commodity and I want all of it I can snag."

"Would you like to hold the twins?"

"If you're sure I won't hurt them or anything." He smiled tenderly as he held out his arms.

Hera started to sit up but Zeus gently pressed her back down. He then took both babies out of her arms and hugged them.

"You're both so special. Do you know that? Soon we'll have lots of little baby gods running around for you guys to play with."

Ares gaped in astonishment. His father had never spoken to him with so much feeling, even when he disobeyed orders or went off in a tantrum to start a war.

"Over the next few months I'd find your father talking to either or both of you at all hours. It was the strangest thing.

This is the part I can't show you, or even talk about. I don't know what would happen to me if I did. We took an oath that binds the six of us to silence, where the Halion Mirrors are concerned. We left enough knowledge so that if someone stumbled into them, or went looking for them, they'd have a vague idea of what they were getting into. All I can say is that we cent your father through the mirror and he came out."

"Really, Uncle! I'm so shocked!"

"Be quiet!" Poseidon ordered harshly. The memory of those frantic years running through his head. "What your father saw was the distruction of our world. He saw you and your sister dead. There were others not yet born there too, all dead.. The mortals were all dead as well. He was gone for days, trapped in that horror, unable to leave until it was over. We had a great family life. Everyone got along. There weren't nearly all the factions there are now. You and Eris held the positions you do now, but you also held Apollo's and Artemis' as well. Your father was a faithful husband and a wonderful father, but in the end it didn't save us, or our world."

"Gone for days? I was only gone a few hours."

"You only experienced a few hours."

"You mean, time runs the same?"

"Yes, for the most part, but we didn't know that, we new very little of the Halion mirrors at the time."

"Did you take the time to study them?"

Poseidon opened his mouth to speak and felt a searing pane shoot through him. "I told you that I can't talk about it." He whispered. He realized that his mind had still been running through the frantic plans they'd come up with after his brother had come out of the mirrors and recovered enough to tell them what he'd seen. Not the plan they'd settled on, but plans which included the Halion mirrors.

He gathered his strength once more and put the mirrors out of his head. "Never mind what we did or didn't learn. The thing is that we put your mother in one of those things next. We wanted to see if we could stop it somehow, Change what Zeus had seen. This time..."

He took a deep breath, unable to go on for an instant. /I didn't know reliving this would be so hard./

"Your mother came out much faster than your father. We just wanted certain questions answered not something as broad as the future of two children."

"What did she learn?"

"She learned that the survival of both Gods and mortals rested on the shoulders of three demigods and three mortals. She learned that one of those demigods would be your brother, one your daughter, and The third your nephew. We were clueless about the mortals. The only certainty was that the six would be born around the same time."

He walked over to the coral scryer and lay his hands on it. He couldn't face any more of this. Ares would just have to come to him if he wanted any more questions answered. Slowly he set the images he wanted Ares to see, then turned to his nephew.

"I'm leaving Ares. Here you will see all that I can show you. If you need me, and it doesn't have to be tonight, you know where to find me."

Ares watched in a half-dais as his uncle vanished. Then he turned to the scrying glass wondering what other surprises were in store for him this night. He didn't think he could take much more.

The six figures looked terrible. He could barely recognize them. He noticed his parents, each holding a baby, not so much babies anymore. He and Eris looked to be about six.

"I think we've drawn all we can from the Nymphs and Driads, any more and we'll start decimating them," Hestia began.

"Unfortunately, they're so fragile. The elements are even rebelling against our treatment," Hestia continued.

"But at least things are slowly recovering and it is that rebellion that is slowly helping our power come back." Hecate added quietly. The usually blustery goddess subdued to say the least.

"We have to make plans, and soon. I don't care the cost! I. Will. Not. Have. My. Children. Die the way I saw!" Zeus exploded.

"He's right. What I saw gives us hope. It's an awful path to walk, but we must! My poor twins. The road will not be easy for any of us but in the end I saw much joy," Hera said resolutely.

Suddenly Ares saw the creation of the family he new. His uncle Poseidon looked angry and tired, and Hades eyes looked sad and his parents... They did not look with contempt on one another but they seemed hard and they had not even decided on a plan. Hestia and Hecate were solid supportive presences in the background.

"This isn't going to happen over night. The first thing is the children. What are we going to do with them?" Hades asked.

"We can give them to the muses. When they are older, I will come train them in whatever they need to know. Right now we must attune them into their power, but not activate it, that will happen when it must."

"Hecate's right. If we can't be parents to them. The muses will at least insure them a bit of joy."

"Hera just how much did these key mortals and half-mortals change?"

"Along with Ares, they stopped the distruction of our world. I assume you fathered some of them."

"But that would mean.."

"Yes dear. You would have to make children with others besides me."

"Hey, he could be the slut of the gods." Hestia grinned. That seemed to dissolve the growing tension and they all laughed.

There was a slight blurring and Ares saw himself and his sister with Hecate.

"I know they think of me as cold hearted but I love you both very much. I wish I didn't have to do this. It's a crime, but in the end it will make you both happier and keep you safe. I just can't imagine what this will do to you." Ares saw a faint shimmer in the air and then he and his sister collapsed.

"It's done." Zeus and Hera shimmered into view.

"They'll have no pleasant memories of us to contrast with what we must become?" Zeus asked.

"Not one. When this is over, if it's ever over. We can restore their childish memories. It will be very easy." Hecate said as soothingly as she could.

"Will they want the memories?" Zeus asked.

"I don't know. What they must do... What he must do is hard, the hardest job we've got and the mortals that come to our temples to talk and play with him will move on and their descendants will forget and hate him."

Ares watched his parents holding on to each other. He couldn't believe what he was seeing... What he was hearing. It seemed impossible, yet in some deep corner of his being, he new it to be true.

The images came faster now. Athena's explosive entry into the world... His father spending the night with Leto... The births of Dite and Heph... Hermes birth... Then almost too fast for the eye to catch the births of Hercules, Xena, Autolycus, Iolaus, Gabrielle and Joxer. Then they stopped.

For the briefest of instances Ares was frozen. It was all too much for him to handle. He needed to get out of there and without another thought he found himself in his rooms on Olympus. He knew he had a lot of thinking to do, but not tonight. He forgot all about the wars he'd been about to encourage and drifted off to sleep. His dreams were of being a small boy and laughing with his father. Then of reaching through a wall of fire to someone, silently begging them to hold on.

* * * * *

Joxer sat on a bench nibbling half heartedly on a thick slice of bread dripping with honey. He stared silently into the fire. Unable to become interested in what his new god was going on about, he tried to pretend intense concentration.

"Joxer, I'm a god. do you truly think you can fool me? You aren't even looking at me. Why don't we continue this tomorrow, hmm?"

Joxer's eyes snapped to the blue ones in front of him. "I'm sorry. It's just been a long day. I guess I'm tired and my mind is wondering."

"That's alright. I'll send someone to show you to your room."

Joxer gave an absent-minded nod and Apollo left. What could have been a few minutes, or hours later, Joxer wasn't sure. He heard a vaguely familiar voice call his name.

"Joxer? Joxer! Is it really you?"

Joxer came back to himself with a start. Eyes slowly rising to meet a pair of green eyes looking anxiously at him. "K-k-kam. I never thought I'd see you again." Then the thought came to him, /his eyes are as green as Gabby's./

They were both unable to move, the years falling away. Kam remembering his last sight of his first love, battered and bloodied, bidding him fair-well in the mistaken belief that he was saving his family. Joxer remembering the kind gentle young man that had taken the time to teach him cords and finger positions. Remembering that maybe in time he could have loved this person that now stood before him. Then they were in one an other's arms, laughing and crying and both trying to talk at the same time.

"Oh Joxer, I have so much to tell you. Come on, I'll take you to your room. Father says you're going to train with Rayna and me." As he spoke he gently tugged on Joxer's hand, bringing the young man to his feet.. Kam looked Joxer up and down not expecting the wave of desire that ran through him. It was easily controlled, but it surprised him with its existence.

They walked through several halls turning left and right several times. Joxer was totally lost by the time they reached his room. He stood open-mouthed in the doorway.

The first thing to catch his attention was the soft looking bed. Then his eyes jumped to the marble fire-place which took up one wall. The chest for his clothing he saw had the likenesses of instruments carved in it. There was also a table and a comfortable looking chair. Joxer pointed at them. Looking a question at his former teacher and friend.

"For when you compose. This is a huge place. I'll show you around tomorrow. You can meet Rayna." The green eyes took on a dreamy look just then.

"Kam, Apollo's your father?" Joxer asked quietly.

"Yes. I couldn't tell you before. It was my own way of protecting you."

Joxer opened his mouth to speak but Kam silenced him with a shake of his head.

"No Joxer. Please, don't say anything. I'm well aware of the years of suffering I caused you and it tears me up inside when I think about it. Remember I told you that you had another destiny to fulfill?" Joxer nodded, feeling numb.

"Well, that time's almost here. Did you know your mother was once a seer with great potential?"

"Yes! She gave it all up so that my brothers and I could be born. She said my father could never know of it. She said that I had to be the way I was, that she couldn't understand it. I had to leave. They almost killed me after one of their raids because I wouldn't... Wouldn't kill a child. Jett tortured a child to death and sacrificed it to Ares. A child, Kam!"

"Shhhh! You're safe now. I somehow don't think Ares was very pleased."

"You know him," Joxer breathed.

Kam wondered at the gleam in his friend's eyes.

"Joxer?"

"Ummmm!"

"You look great, but you need new clothing."

"Yeah!" The mention of Ares name had made him remember his childish dream of gaining the attention of the God of War.

"I think we have a lot to talk about. I hope we can be friends again. Why don't you go through that door and clean up and I'll get you a light meal? Then while you eat we can talk, do a bit of catching up."

Joxer suddenly noticed the small door to one side and walked over to it opening it and staring. His mouth slowly dropped open, a state with which he was becoming accustomed to being in.

There was a bathtub the likes of which he'd never seen before. It was sunk into the ground and it was huge. Kam gently lead him over to it and showed him how it worked. He also showed him the valve to open and close the drain. He then proceeded to show Joxer an array of different bath soaps, explaining to him that when he decided which one's were to his tastes only those would be brought to him. Then he walked away with a smile leaving his friend to bathe in peace.

Joxer filled the tub with steaming water, amazed that he didn't need a fire to heat it. He sniffed the various little jars of soap and settled on one that smelled like the sun and spring. It reminded him of walking with his mother through the gardens when he was very young. It reminded him of the best times with Xena and Gabby, of Auto, of laughter.

He didn't linger in the tub though his body screamed for him to do just that. Instead he efficiently washed his body and hair, thoroughly enjoying the sensual feel of his soapy hands gliding over his skin. He pressed the lever that released the water and rose from the tub. He reached out a hand and grabbed a huge fluffy towel hanging from a hook on the wall and dried himself. He wandered out into the bedroom and found a wool robe laid out for him to wear. He slid into it and sat to wait for Kam.

Kam returned a few minutes later with a bowl of fruits and more of the bread smothered in honey he'd been eating earlier. Joxer hesitantly smiled at him and motioned for him to sit and share his light meal.

Kam sat and they made short work of the food. They stared at each other an uncomfortable silence growing between them.

"I don't want things to be like this between us Joxer. I cared, still care very much for you."

"I'm sorry. It's been a long time since someone's wanted to get to know me. Why don't you tell me about this Rayna that's making you all dreamy."

Kam laughed and started telling Joxer about the shy dancer that had stolen his heart. Joxer told Kam about Xena and Gabrielle and some of the trouble he'd gotten into. He felt no need to make things up knowing Kam would see through it. He slowly told Kam about Auto and finding him in the arms of the god of Mischief. The conversation flowed much easier after that and before they new it dawn had arrived.

"I'm sure father was going to test your knowledge today, but he won't now. It's dawn. I had things to do myself but they can wait."

"Oh good! I can sleep. I'm so tired."

"If I'd had the few months you've had, I'd be tired too."

Kam gave his friend a hug and slipped out of the room, shutting the door behind him. Joxer quickly fell asleep wondering what his new life would be like, wondering what tomorrow would bring him.

Strange Twists 3

Ares slowly rose up through the layers of sleep that enfolded him. His mind felt fuzzy as if he'd gone on a drinking spree, but he new he hadn't.

/Why do I feel like something earth shattering happened last night?/

He tried to focus his memory but found it hard too. He gave it up and just lay in bed, waiting for the memories to return. He turned his head to the left to gaze out the floor to ceiling window and winced when he realized he'd slept the morning away.

/Now Father will have at me for missing that stupid meeting where nothing would have been accomplished anyway./

It was the thought of his father that brought the previous day's events back in a rush. He remembered Joxer's fair-well and departure with Apollo. He remembered finding his baby brother with that blond of his in his forest retreat. His rash decision to experience Joxer's past through those mirrors and his uncle waiting for him when he came out.

He remembered Joxer's father's cruel treatment and his vow to do something about it. Everything else could wait. He wouldn't have him killed but-

"Strife!"

*****

Strife was at that very moment comforting a very upset Autolycus.

The mischief god had been stunned when his uncle Hades had told him that he couldn't stay dead. Hades had told him that there was no one that could do his job properly. Strife didn't understand it all but it was something about the lack of direction for mischievous impulses. Apparently the world was a bit crazy, was brimming with uncontrolled violence and petty acts of cruelty, too many for even Ares to control.

He'd also been thrilled because that meant he could be with Autolycus once more. He'd seen the state of depression his lover had fallen in after his death and had ached to do something about it. He'd been pleased when the thief had taken up with the wanna be warrior because Autolycus had been more himself. Then he'd realized that he couldn't just break them up so he'd gone to wish them well, but instead had been swept into strong arms and kissed breathless.

Autolycus had been almost savage in their loving. Strife had honestly tried to resist the thief reminding him of Joxer, but Autolycus had been past reason. He'd babbled something about how he cared for Joxer but didn't love him. He'd said something about maybe growing to love Joxer in time but now Strife had been given back to him. Then had wrapped him in those wonderfully strong arms and Strife had been lost. He'd returned Auto's words of ever lasting love and forever and they'd reaffirmed their bond.

That had been a week a go. Now the euphoria of their reunion had worn off a bit and Auto's conscience was back, with a vengeance.

"What have I done Strife. He trusted me... Let me:.."

"Shhhh," Strife said soothingly, not wanting his lover to get going again.

"Ya couldn't of done nothin'. Ya care for him don't cha? Ya didn't set out to hurt him, right?" Autolycus nodded glumly.

Strife ran a distracted hand through his hair making the already spiky mess even spikier. "What do you want to do? How can I help?"

"I gotta find him. Maybe if I talk to him. Explain to him that I never meant to hurt him."

He could feel his friend's anguish as an almost physical thing beating at his mental bariers.

"I could help you find him. Give me a sec to see if I can track him. He's one of Unc's most devoted followers and it's hard to track him. Don't look at me like that dude. It's posed to be a secret that Unc kinda keeps him protected so like everyone pretends they don't know."

Autolycus could no longer hold back the snort of laughter. "Ares the mushball."

Strife gave a sigh then returned his thief's grin with a mischievous one of his own. Then closed his eyes and concentrated on Joxer and gasped, his eyes popping open in shock.

"What's wrong?" Autolycus asked, fearing the worst.

"He's like totally open.... unprotected... I tracked him with out any effort." He wondered if something had happened to his uncle and reached out in Alarm and felt that wild spark that always said Ares to him.

"Strife!"

"I'm comin, Unc!" Strife mentally screamed back his pounding head making him a bit upset.

Autolycus had risen and was holding his shoulders with both hands. "Are you ok?"

"Unc bellowed and I was like totally unshielded, so it kind of hurt. I gotta go see what he wants, but if you want I'll drop you where I felt Joxer. Maybe you guys can work things out, or start to. Don't think ya can do it in one sitting. He's like majorly hurt. All fragile... I never seen nothin' like it. Kind of like the guy. It'll work out. You'll see, Auto."

"Ok, that would be nice. You'll come back?" He had this fear that he'd wake up one morning and Strife would still be dead.

"Always." He slid his arms around Autolycus and dropped him outside one of Apollo's temples then went to see what trouble he could cook up for Ares.

*****

Autolycus wondered where to start his explanation then decided finding

Joxer first would probably be better. He slowly walked up to the temple doors and pushed them open not knowing what to expect and froze at the sight of his former lover.

Joxer stood in a pare of loose trousers and a green shirt. The clothing set his form off to perfection. He held an instrument Auto had never seen before fingering the string with a light purposeful hand.

"That's good, Joxer. Now you have to relax a bit and we're in business."

Autolycus felt his mouth hang open in stunned amazement. There, standing before him, as though he had no where else better to be, stood Apollo, God of the sun, and undisputed musical champion. The god was smiling warmly at Joxer, approval oozing out of him in waves.

"If you say so!" The thief found himself surprised at the power that light tenor still held over him.

"Oh, I say so. Now we take a break. I think there's someone here that wishes to speak with you. If you need me, I'm a prayer away, ok?"

Joxer smiled one of those warm rich smiles that could melt stone. Autolycus saw the sun god respond to that smile with one of his own. Then Joxer turned and did a double-take.

"Auto." Joxer kept his voice without inflection with a great effort, the smile sliding from his face.

A part of him wanted to throw himself at the thief and another part wanted to throw the thief out. He did neither just looked at him impassively.

"Joxer we have to talk, or I have to talk. I'd like you to listen to me. Can we go for a walk?"

"No, but you can follow me and we'll talk somewhere private."

Joxer lead him down a wide carpeted hall and through a door then pointed to a comfortable looking couch. He took a chair across from him placing a low table between them.

"Would you like a drink?"

"No. That's alright. I owe you an explanation Joxer. I don't really know where to start." His voice broke a little on the last phrase. The thief found it difficult to breathe. He realized suddenly that he was on the verge of tears. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Joxer I really care about you. He was dead!! I wasn't expecting him ever to come back. Oh gods! I'm so sorry. In my own way, I was starting to love you. You're an incredible man. The things you've survived... Please. I don't expect you to instantly forgive me, or for things to just be ok." He took a deep shuttering breath and continued. "I just want a chance to be your friend, to be there for you."

"I walked in on you. You were all over him. You didn't... weren't thinking of me then. The look on your face... Gods, Auto." Joxer couldn't continue for the tears streaming down his face. Silent sobs rocked his body and the desolation he'd been holding back all day with studies swept over him.

Autolycus had tears running down his own face. He shook his head and held out a hand to Joxer. Joxer turned away.

"Go p-please, Auto, I can't see you right now. I really want you to be happy: I'll forgive you in time. I've always wanted what I saw between you. It's like what Xena and Gabby have. You 're both real lucky. Go and enjoy that."

"If you need me just... just call Strife ok?"

He didn't wait for an answer but stumbled out the door. He had no idea where he was going only that he had to get out of there.

Suddenly a pair of arms were around him. "Bad?"

He turned and buried his face in his slender lover's neck.

"Oh Strife. He's so broken. It's like I was the last straw or something."

"C'mon love. I just saw Unc and he gave me an assignment that should cheer you up a bit."

"Do you gotta steal something?"

"Nope just torture Joxer's dad a bit. Wow, does Unc have it out for this guy."" That brought a grin to the thief's tear streaked face and they left together.

*****

"Ares, I'd like to see you in my study."

Ares contemplated ignoring his father. Then did it again. Heard his uncle Poseidon's voice in his head, "They loved you very much."

He quietly rose to his feet and sauntered towards his father's study. He forced his breathing to stay even. He kept his step light, his head straight. He felt like a child being taken to task.

He made it to the door and stopped. He slowly lifted a hand to knock.

"Come in, Ares!"Ares slowly entered the room. He felt as though he were standing in quicksand, like whatever he did, or said:.. Wouldn't be right... Wouldn't quite cut it... It never had and eventhough he now had some answers, now had a better understanding of why. He couldn't quite make himself forgive the centuries of emoational neglect.

"Where were you?"" v The voice was as inpassive as ever and Ares wanted to hit him. /How can you do this? I don't know that I could be so strong. Why couldn't you take the time we would have had as a family?/

"I was sleeping. I had a long night. I was..." I was discussing something with Uncle Don."

"Oh?"

/He turned out so much better than we ever hoped. He's so strong and brave./

"It was business. You know how that goes."

Ares had the overwelming urge to figit.

"I need you to work with Hercules on a problem. Do the two of you think you can manage that?"

"You need me to do what? Have you spoken with your precious Hercules?" Ares face had twisted into a mask of rage and hatred so intence that Zeus feared, but wasn't sure for who or what.

Zeus closed his eyes and sudden Hercules and Iolaus were standing before him.

/I'm so tired. When this is over... If we survive... I'm going to take Hera away somewhere and see if there is anything left to salvige of our friendship if not our marrage. I wonder where... when... did this sheraid turn to reality./

Hercules stood stiffly before his father and brother. He took in the anger on Ares face and the blankness on his father's and wondered if there were any *normal* members in his godly family.

"Do you two think that maybe you can work together with out attempting to kill one another? Because I would be very pleased if you would make the attempt. There is great danger coming to our world and we must work together to stop it."

"I suppose I'll have to work with Xena and Gabrielle as well? I'll do it but I don't like it, nore will I take my orders being contradicted. I'm the god of war and I'm going to assume we're at war?" Zeus Nodded, "Fine!" Ares continued, "You make sure your baby boy understands who's in charge! If he wants to join in."

With those words, Ares left and his rage carried him all the way back to his rooms. It allowed him a bath... Gave him the ability to deal with wayward warlords... Then abandoned him. He felt shaken and alone and wasn't quite sure what to do, or who to turn to. In desparation he went to Hestia. She would know what to do. She would help him as she'd helped his parents long ago.

Strange Twists 4

Hestia was lounging on her favorite couch when her nephew Ares showed up. She knew instantly something was different. The fact that he was there would have been enough to alarm her, but the dark circles under his eyes and the way he glanced around as if afraid of being followed told her she should be afraid.

"Child what is it? Why do you come here?"

Ares was suddenly doubting the wisdom of his visit. He felt confused and unsure. He doubted everything, yet wanted so very badly to believe. What could he say? How could he explain to her that he understood the sacrifices they had all made and felt unworthy?

"I don't remember, you know?"

"Remember what Arry? Talk to Aunt Hestia."

"Can you call Aunt Hecate too?"

"O...k... Can you tell me what has you upset?"

"The mirrors." He felt all emotion leave him. He knew he sounded flat but it was the last little bit of protection he could find.

Hestia flinched and called Hecate then Poseidon because she knew Ares was close to him. The two summoned appeared and quickly took in the situation.

"I told him all I could. It's time. The others have decided to be born so I didn't think we should wait."

"Don, Have you spoken To Zeus and Hera?" Hecate asked, concerned over how this bit of news would fly and ignoring his ill-timed stab at humor.

"No, no I have not. I will though."

"Good, because I certainly do not want to be the one to tell them that things are starting to move." Hecate said sourly.

/In some ways, she's the most changed,/ Hestia thought sadly.

Her always serious sister had become bitter and withdrawn.

"Ares, it's all true. If you'd like I can give you back your child-hood memories." Hecate said, a long absent gentleness in her voice.

"No, I don't want them. I * can't* afford it now. If I'm going to have to work with the 'wonder children' I'd like not to dislike them more than I already do."

"Xena's your Daughter, Ares."

"So what Uncle Don!" He jumped to his feet agitatedly. "I have nothing to show for all my years of being War but hatred and disdain from the mortals and my family. Please give me a bit of leeway. Do you know what else? The only mortal that I tried to protect, because he believed in me with every fiber of his being, left me. He left me for Apollo."

By this time he was breathing heavily, his dark eyes were flashing and he was trembling.

"I don't want to do it any more. I don't want to be War. Please... Please..." Tears were running down his face and his earlier trembling had increased.

/Zeus! Hera! Hades! We've got one Tartarus of a problem brewing here./

/What is it?/ The trio replied.

/Your Son is having a break down, so if the parents amongst you would appear and bring Hades too?/

/Don, the jokes are not cutting it./ Zeus sent back, half laughing.

/I'm sorry. Hurry!/ Then Poseidon suddenly gasped as Ares collapsed.

On the other side of Olympus, the trio being summoned felt it. They popped in, various states of alarm evident by the expressions they wore.

"What happened here?" Hera asked, all the motherly concerned she'd been forced to sublimate finding its way to the surface..

Poseidon took a deep breath.

"I found Ares last evening making use of one of the Halian mirrors. He'd decided to check on the past of one of his warriers. The same warrier that left him for Apollo. I believe what he learned may have shocked him. He came out dazed. I asked him what he'd learned and whisked him off to explain to him the history of our family."

"Why, may I ask, did you choose that moment to enlighten him?"

"I don't know sister. It just seemed right."

They watched as Ares suddenly leapt to his feet screaming "Noooooooooooo!" in one long anguished cry. Then he launched himself at the door, being halted by a forcefield thrown up by the half dozen Gods in the room.

"I do believe we need a healer."

***

Joxer lay curled up on his bed shaking from reaction. He couldn't believe Autolycus had come to see him, to apologize no less. He felt exposed and hurt. He'd tried so hard to keep it cool and had failed so badly.

"Joxer?" The Sun God called gently. "Do you need to talk?"

"It hurts!"

"He's not for you. I'm sorry."

/Apollo./

/Father?/

/Come to Hestia's. We have a bit of a problem, we need your help and hurry, would you? It's an emergency./

/Kam, childling, would you come watch out for Joxer? Bring Rayna if you'd like. It's about time they met. Don't you think?/

/I'll be right there./

"I need to go. Kam's going to come to you. Don't argue. I don't want you alone." Then leaned forward and brushed his lips across Joxer's, flashing out with the contact, leaving a stunned Joxer behind.

Joxer still sat, a bemused expression on his face when Kam knocked on his door. "Come!" The door slipped open and Kam entered, a slender young woman on his arm.

"What happened old friend?" Kam said, holding out his arms to Joxer, who slid into them.

"He came to say sorry. S-s-said that h-h-he, said that he might have fallen in love with me but..." Joxer took a deep breath as Kam's lips covered his own.

"Ssshhhhhh." A gentle voice murmured in his ear. "You don't have to be alone tonight. Kam and I were going to come to you in any case. We did not want you to be alone after *his* visit."

"You don't even know me." Joxer tried to say, but Kam was not allowing him the time to talk.

"Shh, dear one. This is about you feeling good."

"But...but..." Joxer started.

Together, Kam and Rayna drew the hurting Joxer to the bed, sliding his clothing off along with their own in one easy flow of motion. Joxer sighed, a deep contentment settling over him as hands and lips gently stroked and nibbled the most sensitive spots on his body, bringing him to a gentle climax. He reached out to them and gave back to them some of the tenderness he'd been shown. Much later, they fell asleep in a tangle of limbs.

***

Apollo stared in amazment at his wild-eyed brother.

"Ummm!" He started wondering if he could disappear. "What happened here?"

"You're the healer. We were hoping youcould tell us?" Poseidon questioned.

Apollo kept telling himself, /he won't bite/, as he reached out a hand to lay it on Ares chest. His eyes all but popped out of his head.

"He's not there. He's retreated into himself. I want answers!"

The Gods and Goddesses in the room looked at one another.

"All right son. I suppose we owe you that much."

Hera looked at the healer for a long time. "Will you take care of him? He's very fragile, and believe it or not, we need him to survive."

"I've always known that. Just because the two of you seem to hate him for some reason, it doesn't necessarily follow that we all do. For now, may I lay him in your guest room Hestia?"

"Of course."

Apollo gently lifted the now catatonic Ares into his arms, taking him into the indicated room. he set him on the bed while conjuring up a cup of tea to make him slide into a natural sleep. After making sure Ares drank the tea by triggering his swallow reflex, he tucked him into bed and went to find some answers.

***

When Apollo returned to the main room he was told to sit. "You might want to drink a cup of soothing tea because you might be shocked by the things you will learn. You realize that's a big part of Ares' problem? Don't you? He's in shock."

"Yes Hera, I do."

He called a cup of tea to his hand and drank it while the elders in the room took turns explaining things to him. By the time they were done, he felt as if there were no solid ground for him to stand on.

"Oh, by the Light. I'll take care of him Lady Hera. I swear it to you on my life. I'll take him somewhere he can recover, at least a little."

"I was hoping to be able to count on you. Will you be able to give progress reports? We don't know how long we have. If he doesn't want to be War then maybe he can practice music, or healing, or..." She sighed, "He'll have to pick up the mantle of War once more, eventually."

"Don't worry. I think I know what will help. One of his warriors decided to follow a different path."

"Joxer isn't much of a warrior, but he has a warrior's heart. Do you think he can help?" Zeus asked.

"I don't know Father, but we can try. We can change his appearance a bit so that Joxer won't recognize him right away."

"I guess it'll have to do. It's almost dawn! Would you like to rest here awhile?"

"No thank you Hestia. I'd like to get him settled in before the magnificent trio awakes." He replied, a grin lighting his features.

"Your son is a good vocalist and so is his young woman."

"Joxer can play anything from any time period. It's amazing. I'd better be going. Thank you for being honest with me. I'll do my best not to let you down."

"Try to get some rest." Hera said as they all rose. Apollo went into Hestia's guest room, scooped up Ares and vanished, leaving behind a subdued, but slightly more hopeful, group of gods.

END PART 4