Title: When War & Love Collide

Author: Scorpio

eMail: scorpio71@earthlink.net

Archive: WWOMB

Fandom: Sentinel - Herc/Xena

Pairing: Jim/Blair

Rating: R (for violence)

Series: No

Category: AU, first times

Disclaimer: Flat Earth & Pet Fly owns the boys... I just own a set of lock picks... ::grins:: Ask nice and mebbe I'll give 'em back.

Summary: The God of War asks his eldest Godly child for a favor... in doing so, Cupid finds some long lost relatives...



When War and Love Collide
by Scorpio


"Cupid!" Ares, God of War called to his eldest son.

In a shower of gold sparks and rose petals, the blonde haired, white winged vision of male sensuality, materialized at his dark fathers side.

"Yeah Pop?" the younger God of Olympus shifted his weight from foot to foot, a rosy flush colored his handsome face and muscular chest. He was clearly upset by his fathers sudden summons.

Ares smirked at his son in amusement. Even after all these centuries, Cupid was still very transparent to his cynical and dangerous sire. Still, Ares had to admit to himself at least, his son managed to keep him young. It was sometimes difficult to have an eternal optimist around, but Ares would have it no other way.

"You can go back to your bed-warmer in a minute. This is work."

Ares tried to keep his face schooled. While his boy would never actively betray him, the feather head *did* have a warped sense of humor. Ares suspected it was from too long an association with Strife, God of Mischief.

"Work?"

Cupid straightened his perfect clothing and settled a serious expression on his face. He *loved* his job, but Ares was not to be taken lightly. If the God of War wanted the God of Love to "work" than he would have to pretend to not get his jones off by zapping some silly mortal into the throes of love. Dad would never approve.

"Kay. So,... who's the lucky shmuck?"

Ares merely raised one sculpted raven eyebrow. Shmuck? Definitely time to separate Cupid and Strife for a while...

"That guy up there." Ares pointed to a loft area up along the side of the apartment wall. It was open to the rest of the space. Only a banister ringing the edge of the second floor separated it. "His name is Jim. Or rather James J Ellison. He's a member of the City Guard, Elite Division."

"City Guard, Pop? They don't have that any more,... wrong century."

Ares scowled at his son. It was a menacing frown meant to frighten and cowl. Cupid merely found it highly erotic.

"Fine! He's a,... what'cha call it?... Cop. Major Crimes or some such thing." He rolled his eyes trying to recall modern English terms for things he naturally wanted to say in ancient Greek. "He used to be in the US Army. Rangers Division. Black ops."

"And you want me to reward him with true love for being a good killer?..."

Ares snorted at his son. Him and his stupid morals. He should have never let his mother raise him...

"No! I want him to have true love for two reasons. One: he's going to need it, or rather, his soon to be lover, in the near future to survive. And Two: he's a descendant of mine."

This statement earned a look of unadulterated curiosity from his eldest child. Cupid was just like his mom, Aphrodite, when it came to gossip and intrigue. Neither one could get enough.

"Think back. Remember your half brother? Julius Caesar? The terror of Europe?"

Cupid wrinkled his beautiful nose at the memory. His long dead mortal half brother Julius Caesar had been a madman, obsessed with ruling the world. He had, however, been an excellent warrior and general, earning him their father's support. With that divine aid, Caesar had indeed, come close to ruling all of Europe.

"So? What does 'ole Caesar have to do with the stud cop upstairs?"

"Jim Ellison is a direct bloodline descendant of Caesar's. And as such, he's well,... family."

"How can he be? Caesar never claimed an heir."

"So? We both know he left scores of children all up and down the coast during his many raids and battles."

Ares led the way up the loft stairs so that Cupid could get a good look at his long lost relative.

"Caesar captured the daughter of a Clan Chief up in Gaul. He gave her a son. While the conception wasn't the high point of her life, she raised him up right."

Cupid lifted one eyebrow up, the expression spoke eloquently of his attitude on rape. The War God just shrugged at his sons quirk.

"Anyway, Caesar never acknowledged Janus Ellis, but his maternal grandfather, Danik Ellis of Clan Ellis *did*. When Janus was of age, he led his people in a revolt and won them their freedom from his own father. He was named Clan Chief shortly after that."

Ares pointed at the big warrior sleeping peacefully on the bed.

"James J Ellison can trace his family all the way back to Janus Ellis. He's a true blood descendant."

Cupid nodded thoughtfully as he digested this information. He looked at the sleeping man. Slowly, he reached out and touched the mortal on the forehead. Memory and thoughts swept over him in a rush.

The man was a good man. A decent and honorable man. He was a man haunted by his dark and deadly past. He was a man desperately in love. Love unrequited. He was also,... A Sentinel! Oh shit!

Cupid pulled his hand back, careful not to wake the beautiful mortal. He watched Jim settle into his blankets a little as he processed what he had just learned. Finally, he turned to his father.

"Ahh... Dad."

Cupid turned to his father. He *had* to tell him,... but he was just a tiny bit afraid of the reaction he might get. Ares *was* the God of War and Violence after all.

Ares didn't say anything. He just made that expression that, quite eloquently said, 'spit it the hell out already'. Patience was not a virtue known to the War God.

"Um, well,... this guy's already in love. It's unrequited, but it's the real thing."

"Yeah, so? I knew that already. I'm not *totaly* stupid. It's the unrequited thing that has to go. They gotta get together before it's too late. And let me tell you, the way they are going on their own, that could be never."

"Oh." Cupid took a deep breath and marched bravely into danger. "Well,... the other thing is. Jim is a Sentinel."

Cupid tried not to flinch back and waited for his father to explode into violence. When nothing blew into dust around him, he risked a glance at his father. Ares was giving him his patented, 'well duh!' look.

"And your point is?"

How does he get so much sarcasm into one little sentence? Cupid figured he might never know.

"Well, if I zap Jim, it could screw with his Sentinel abilities and all."

"What? You mean, like wipe them out entirely?"

"No, not really. Nothing can truly take them away. They are a part of him." Cupid shrugged with a sensuous grace. "It just might mess with his control over them. I mean, he has to keep them fine tuned or they will drive him nuts,... any messing with his brain could knock that delicate balance outta whack."

Ares left hand came up to stroke his well trimmed goatee as he thought about this a minute. He ran different scenarios in his devious mind. Cupid recognized the dangerous sparkle in his dark eyes and groaned inwardly. Ah oh.

"We'll do it anyway. We can always come back to fix any problems that might come up."

He turned and walked down the steps, leaving the winged God of Love to hurry after him. Striding around a corner to an enclosed room, the God of War silently walked through a set of glass french doors. Cupid followed.

Lying on the futon turned bed was a smaller man. He was just as beautiful as the sleeping Sentinel upstairs, but in a different way.

The Sentinel was a large muscular man with chiseled features and glowing smooth skin. Beautiful as a statue come to life. This man, however, had delicate features that were breath taking. He had a halo of living brown silk for hair and his golden skin was covered in soft little curls running in an enticing pattern down his chest. Cupid whistled in appreciation.

Ares smirked. "I know what you mean. Tempting, ain't he?"

Cupid nodded mutely. Slowly, he reached out and touched the sleeping man's forehead, in a echo of his earlier touch to Jim. Memories and thoughts flowed over him. However, unexpected emotion rushed over him in a wave. Cupid hissed and pulled away.

He rolled his eyes. It's never easy working for Dad. He always expects sooo much, but this was ridiculous. Did he purposely *search* for these two just to annoy him?

He turned to his father. The God of War was looking at him expectantly. Cupid blinked as he realized that, no, his father *was* serious about these two. He sighed.

"Dad, this guy is in love with Jim. They *both* love each other, but they don't know the other one feels the same." He sighed again. "And you're right. They will *never* admit it to the other."

Cupid shook his head. "Stubborn mortals." He muttered under his breath.

"I know. That's why I want you to zap them with your Love juice."

Cupid grinned at his father's favorite expression to describe his powers.

"You don't get it. This guy is an empath. A *powerful* empath. The talent is latent right now, but if it gets loose, he'll be one of the strongest empaths in the world. My zapping him could do that."

Ares merely shrugged.

"How did a mortal come by such powerful gifts? The Sentinel I can understand, after all, he's a descendant of yours."

Ares pointed to the young man sleeping before them. "So's Blair."

"Huh?"

"Blair Sandburg is the descendant of one of *your* grandsons, my great grandson."

Cupid blinked in total surprise.

"One of *my* children?" His eyes got very round, innocence and excitement pouring from his very being. He was very appealing in this state and Ares had to clamp down on his divinely inspired libido.

"Yeah. One of your mortal daughters gave birth to your grandson Iolaus. You remember Iolaus don't you? He followed my half brother Hercules around righting wrongs and bedding half the populous of Greece."

"Iolaus..." Cupid whispered the name as a flood of memories washed over him. It had been years since he had last visited his grandson in the Ellusion Fields. He smiled gently,... Looks like he would have interesting news for his next visit.

"Yes, Iolaus." Ares also grinned at the memories of the golden hunter. His own great-grandson. As far as Ares could tell, the only fault the young mortal had had, was his deep friendship with Hercules.

"Apparently, he fathered a girl child named Naomi on one of his trips east." He smiled at his eldest son. "They kept that name alive in the family for centuries."

Cupid smiled. It was one thing to help out a nephew (even though it was a few centuries removed made no difference), but it was something else entirely to help out a grandson (once again, the distancing centuries didn't phase the God of Love). He had to help these two men be able to accept their love for each other. They would both be so happy together.

In his excitement at having his long lost great (infinite number of greats - all dropped for convenience) grandson returned to him, he forgot all about his reservations to zap the two mortals.

"I'll do it."

Ares smiled at his eldest child. Cupid marveled once again how extraordinarily beautiful his father was when he wasn't angry about something. And when dealing with the God of War, that was rare.

"Step back a little." Ares shooed Cupid into a corner.

"Huh? Why?"

"Well, I know you are invisible to mortal eyes, but you'll still *feel* it when 200+ pounds of freaked out Sentinel comes flying through the door. So move."

"Huh? How do you know the Sentinel is going to come in here all freaked out?"

Ares rolled his eyes at his doubting child.

"Just trust me. Step back and get ready to do your thing. I'll get the Sentinel in here and you can zap 'em both at once. Kay?"

"Yeah sure." Cupid eyed his father skeptically.

Ares got a thoughtful look on his face. One that made Cupid nervous.

"Hey Cupid. Remember Dahok?"

Cupid shivered violently at the thought of the madness caused by the evil alien God.

"Yes. Unfortunately."

"Yeah,... me too."

With that, the God of War reached down and touched the sleeping man on the forehead. Ares memories were turned into dreams, and Blair got to visit the horrifying day when an Amazon Bard sacrificed herself and her evil demi-goddess daughter in the fire pit in Ares own temple. That act of bravery had stopped Dahok,... for awhile, but it had permanently traumatized everyone present as well.

Blair sat straight up in bed and screamed in unholy terror. His heart raced with unsurpassed fear. Sweat poured down his face, plastering his curls to his neck.

Jim flew through the doorway, his face a mask of fear at what he might find. Blair saw him, some small part of his brain recognizing his Blessed Protector, and literally flew into his arms.

Jim held onto Blair tightly, senses scanning to see what had frightening his Guide so badly. He thought for a second that he smelled steal and roses, but the scent of his Guide in his arms quickly drowned that out. He turned his attention to the bundle of shaking Blair in his arms.

"Shhhh,... you're okay now. It was just a dream. You're safe now. Shhhhh."

Jim petted Blair's hair in an effort to soothe and comfort.

Cupid shot his father a black look of anger.

"I can't believe you did that to him." He hissed.

"It got the Sentinel down here, didn't it? Do your thing, Cupid. Zap 'em good."

Cupid spared another few seconds to glare at his smirking father. He had half a mind to turn everything in Ares temple from jet black and blood red to pure white and pale green for what he just did to his grandson.

Finally Cupid rolled his eyes and stepped forward to the two mortals. Gently, he reached out and placed a hand on the head of each man.

The God of Love took a deep breath and then released his powers into the two beautiful men before him. He soothed and calmed them. He gentled the memories of the dream of Dahok in Blairs mind. He opened their hearts and set free their shared love. He blessed them.

Slowly, Cupid removed his hands and stepped back. His face held a gentle smile. He was no longer angry at his father. It was not in his nature to *feel* anger, and the two men he had touched brought his gentleness to the fore. He *loved* his job.

Cupid looked up at his dark father. "It's done."

Ares smirked.

Cupid glanced back at the two mortals just in time to see Blair lean forward and kiss Jim. Jim hesitated for a second in shock, but then he kissed Blair back. Cupid basked in the waves of love and passion that poured from the two. It was beautiful.

"Cool."

"Yeah. Thanks kiddo." Cupid flicked his eyes up towards the God of War just as he dematerialized in a shower of red and gold sparks.

"No problem Pop." Cupid then disappeared as well. After all, Strife was currently waiting at home in bed all lonely for him. That would never do.

Jim Ellison and Blair Sandburg, oblivious to the divine visitors they had had, continued to explore their newly found love. Hugs and kisses soon led way to more physical demonstrations. It was an exciting night at the Ellison/Sandburg residence.


END: When War & Love Collide

scorpio71@earthlink.net
thesleepydragon.com/nesting/scorpio.html