Chapter Ten

  In a blinding flash of electric purple light Calla materialized in her Father’s bedroom. Not taking any note of those already present she headed straight for him.

“Get away from me,” Ares said. “Don’t touch me!”

“No,” Calla came closer to him. Her brawny Father was pale, covered in sweat and Ichor soaked the hides around him. “Hecate has done this to you, you need my help.”

“No! I don’t!” He growled and swung his big hand in her direction.

The swing was limp and she wasn’t afraid of him but for him. Ares had no choice but to lie there and allow her to help him he was too weak to do anything else. Even if he weren’t he would not risk harming his unborn Grandchild. “I’m not going to lose you. Lay still, Father.” Calla whispered. “It won’t hurt.” As he made the feeble attempt to swing at her again…

“Grab her!” Daniel shouted to Duncan who was closest to her. Too slow.

Calla grabbed a hold of Ares, her arms wrapping around his thick neck and her slender body pressing up against his hot powerful frame. “I love you,” she whispered.

Ares let out a howl. “No! No!” The God of War tried to push her away but the wound drained him of his strength.

“Calla! Let go!” Daniel screamed. Her arms were around him and her body was glowing, head to toe, with the electric blue energy. It surrounded Ares and worked its way into him as Ares tried to rail against it. “Let go!” Daniel rushed to her reaching out to pry her hands from him. The healing energy acted as a shield that he could not penetrate, trying only caused a painful electric shock.

“Mom!” Nicholas shouted as he appeared in the room.

Ares howled and growled, his massive frame heaved and tossed on the bed as he fought against the healing energy she was giving him.

“What in god’s name?” Colleen whispered as she too appeared in the room.

The gash in his side healed, he felt the skin mending itself and the muscle knitting itself back together. Finally, Ares stopped fighting against it his attempts were only making her weaker and he accepted the gift his Daughter was giving him. Whether he wanted it to or not, Ares’ wound healed, Calla collapsed on top of him. “NO!” Ares bellowed.

“What’s happening? What’s going on?” Duncan demanded.

Daniel ripped her away from Ares and turned her over. Calla’s face was pale but her eyes were open and she tried to smile for him. “Don’t, just stay still and stay with me.” He told her. “Don’t talk.” The wound Ares sustained transferred to her and without Daniel’s power to heal her she was stuck with it. Calla was bleeding all over him. “Colleen!”

“Yeah,” she ran to her parents.

“Don’t!” Ares shouted and sat up in the bed hale and whole once more. “You can’t touch her. Callestah, why did you do this?” He took Calla’s face in his large palms. “I would have healed eventually.” The cold stare on his face turned to Daniel. “Why couldn’t you listen to me?!” He raged. “Why didn’t you take her away from here?!” Ares let go of Calla and stood up. The God of War hadn’t been donning anything under those hides. Naked and lost in his anger, Ares grabbed Daniel by the throat. “You never could do what you were told!” Ares’ dagger appeared in the palm of his free hand.

“Let him go!” Jack shouted reaching for a weapon he didn’t have. This was supposed to be a sit-down pow-wow not a battle so all of them were unarmed. The entire room erupted into a cacophony of shouting, screaming, yelling, finger pointing and accusations. Calla lay bleeding on Ares’ bed.

Heedless of those in the room, Ares slammed Daniel up against the same wall he had taken Callestah against. His lip curled to reveal his sharp teeth and a wolfish grin when the back of Daniel’s head met the stone with a loud thud. His powerful arm brought the dagger back away from his head and then viciously swung it forward intending to plunge it through one of those blue eyes….

Something blew the blade from his hand as though it were no more than an old leaf on a fall day. “Ow!” Ares cried out suddenly looking down to see the flesh of left forearm singed and the look of defiance on the face of his Grandson who was holding a ready fireball in his hand. “Time and again he manages to fuck up and harm your Mother. Why defend him when you’re not even sure he’s your Father?” Ares hissed and tightened his grip on Daniel’s throat. Daniel began to choke and the air in his lungs was fast becoming non-existent.

“Let him go!” Nicholas shouted. “Now, Umpa! This isn’t going to help Callestah.” If Mom didn’t love Umpa so much Nicholas would engage him a battle-to-end-all-battles right here and now. “Drop him!”

Colleen reached out for her Mother one more time. “Don’t touch her!” Ares, Morpheus and Thor shouted at her. Not wanting to, Colleen backed away.

Duncan MacLeod jumped on Ares in an attempt to pry his hands away from Daniel’s throat but Ares shrugged him off, no more than a mosquito. The air in his lungs being squashed away and the pressure around his neck, Daniel’s eyes started to close. Calla was bleeding and he couldn’t get to her. Ares was going to kill him before he had the chance. All around him, they were yelling in panic and fear. Eye lids growing heavier and heavier as Ares held him tight to the wall they closed further though he struggled to keep them open.

Suddenly the walls of the cave started trembling bits of dust and sand rained down on them, they quickly turned into pebbles, then stones, and then rocks while she ground shook. A great rush of seawater swept through Ares cave though the shore was a good five hundred feet away. The pressure at Daniel Jackson’s throat eased all at once and he was falling to the wet floor. Ares and Morpheus doubled over howling in what seemed to be great pain. Nicholas and Colleen looked as though they were going to be very seriously ill. “What is it? What’s happening?” Duncan shouted.

“I’ve been asking that question for years!” Jack shouted. “Anybody got an answer?”

Everyone looked around for some form of cover.

As she lay there bleeding and fighting for breath Calla too began to stiffen and appear to be in greater pain. Daniel went to her. Please Dear God, it’s me, Daniel, please just this once and I swear I’ll never ask for anything else again. Please? “I love you and I won't let you go.” Please, Dear God, just a little magick? He rubbed the palms of his hands together swiftly building up friction at first there was nothing but the small amount heat being generated but then he swore he saw a small spark, then another, then another, like fireflies in his hands. C’mon, please, just c’mon! The fireflies ignited into a brilliant blue blaze. “Yes!” Quickly he placed both glowing palms over the wound on her flank it began healing at his touch until it was gone from her and fully on his own side. Calla wasn’t gasping for air any more and her face wasn’t blue. Daniel kept a tight hold on her, rocking her in his arms. “I love you, I love you. Stay with me.”

The room stopped quaking and the wall of water subsided. “Is she all right?” Sam asked from behind him.

“Poseidon is dead!” Morpheus cried out. “They’ve killed him!”

“That’s what all that was about?” Jack said. “This can’t be good.”

“No it’s not,” Daniel said looking down at his wife whose hair was far whiter now. Calla was trying to sit up. “Stay still.” Now she was trying to reach the wound on his side. “No, just leave it.”

“Coley,” Calla croaked. Help your Father.

“No,” Daniel protested as his Daughter came near.

“Let her,” Ares said from his place on the floor. “The danger is passed now, your body abolishes the poison she can heal you without consequence.”

“Ok, Dad?” Colleen asked and reached out for him. “I don’t know what the fuck’s going on here but I expect someone is going to fill us in on everything once we get out of here.”

“Yeah, all of us.” Jack chimed. “Fill all of us in.”

“Yeah,” Daniel agreed.

“Stay still Dad.” Colleen sighed and put her hands on Daniel’s flank. The wound was different, deeper than it looked or so she imaged as she healed it for him. She understood why it afflicted Ares and her Mother so. When she was done she looked up at her Grandfather. “You’re a liar.” Cole accused. “You know that wound would never have healed on you or her.”

“Precisely why I wanted her kept away from me!” He smoldered in Daniel’s direction. “You think I would endanger my Daughter and my Grandson?” Ares scoffed. Turning to Duncan, “Now you see why you must open the Gates of Avalon?”

“I see your point, Ares.” Duncan agreed. “That doesn’t change the fact that they won’t open the Gates for me.”

“What is wrong with you, Highlander?” Ares jeered. “It’s not like I want your help….I need it. I would think you overjoyed at that.”

“Under different circumstances don’t think I wouldn’t be.” Duncan shot. “Why don’t you believe me? Who told you I could gain entry to Avalon?”

“They will open the Gates for me.” Calla croaked quietly and struggled to sit up in her Father’s bed.

Voices silenced as all eyes turned to her. “What did you say?” Daniel asked.

“I am welcome in Avalon. Tell me what you plan and I will plead your case, Father.”

“You must leave this world,” Ares warned.

“I will stay and fight for my home.” Calla returned. “Don’t tell me ‘no’, Daniel.” She said looking up at him.

“You can’t stay, Kitty.” Daniel said as his eyes began to mist over. “You have to go.”

“Why? I’m not a child….”

“You’re my child,” Ares growled.

“And you’re carrying mine,” Daniel brought some of the clean hides over her to hide her naked body from the view of the others in the room. (Ares did not feel the need for such modesty as he sat naked on the seawater dampened floor by her side.) The palms of his hands cupped her little belly. “You know, don’t you?” Daniel asked Ares without looking at him but Ares didn’t answer. “Calla, Hecate is the Triple Moon Goddess, I know you know what that is I heard you call to her last night.”

“Yes and tonight with Nicholas.”

“You did the…that spell…with,” Daniel looked over his shoulder at his son and got his first good look. Nicholas wasn’t wearing any shoes or sock, no shirt, and his jeans were halfway unzipped. “We’ll deal with it when we get home.”

On the floor, one leg stretched out in front of him and the other knee raised, Ares reached out for her hand. “You’ve done this twice? Invoked her? Why?”

“Yes, Father. To help them and to ease the Darkness in them so that they can bear my presence.”

“Don’t ever do it again.” Ares said sternly. “Not even one more time.”

“Why not?”

No three on a match, Daniel thought to himself. The reasoning behind this favored military phrase was simple enough; upon striking the match in the dark the enemy could see you, lighting the second cigarette allowed him to pick you out and lighting the third allowed him to zoom in and blow your damn head off. “Because she may be listening for you.” Daniel said picking up where Ares left off. “Calla, she may have absorbed Aphrodite.” He said cautiously. All he got was a blank stare. “You’re not following us, are you? I know, you’re tired and your head’s probably a little fuzzy, huh?” Daniel couldn’t believe he and Ares were on the same wavelength, it was just too bizarre to be real.

Calla shook her head. Yes, she was a little tired, the spell, the argument with Daniel, and healing Ares’ deep poisonous wound was taking their toll on her. Still, she didn’t think her head that fuzzy. “What are you babbling about? Mother’s dead.” She sighed.

“Hum, yeah, well.” Daniel cleared his throat. “The Triple Moon Goddess, that’s Maiden, Mother and Crone, right? Well if Hecate has absorbed Aphrodite then that’s two Olympian Goddesses, two aspects of the Triple Moon Goddess and all they would need is a third…” he lead.

“Where they would find such a Goddess? A pure blood Olympian?” Calla scoffed as she rolled her eyes. “They’re all dead, Daniel.”

On the floor Ares let out a high pitched laugh and swiped his free hand across his worn face. “By the Gods, Jackson!” Turning his dark head to look at the man he’d always detested, Ares sneered, “Look what you’ve done to her she really believes she’s one of you.”

Maybe she did. Maybe she just…forgot…she was an Olympian or tried to when she Became Calla Jackson. Unfortunately all of the, wishing, wanting and hoping in the world didn’t make it a reality. “You Calla. You’re the last pure blood Olympian woman and I think you fit perfectly into the Mother Aspect,” Daniel said softly looking down at his hand on her slightly bulging tummy. “Don’t you?”

“This is just crazy talk,” she groused, “Grandfather loved to tell the tale of how Hec—“

“Aa-a-aut!” Ares shushed her, “Not one more time.”

“All right,” she said softly, “the story of how she turned traitor—like most of the other Titans—and how he banished her from this world—like most of the other Titans—stranding her on some god forsaken rock millions of miles from here. Some place she could never leave.”

“Looks like she hitched a ride out of exile.” Sam said coming over to the bedside. “How are you feeling?”

“Worn but better,” Calla sighed looked up at Sam. “Even if what you say is true for what purpose would she want me? The Triple Moon Goddess is just a myth.” Calla was still scoffing at the idea but the news appeared to be sinking in. “Hec--Her as the crone, all right, but Mother as the Maiden?” She laughed. “Aphrodite lost her Maidenhood thousands of years ago.”

“What are you and I, and Morpheus, Lord Thor, and even MacLeod here but myth and legend?” Ares asked. “This is one of the reasons Zeus sent her away, so that she could not fulfill this evil prophecy.” Ares shook out his dark head and let out a heavy sigh. “Your Mother, Hecate’s sister, is the Eternal Maiden of Love, you know that Callestah. How could you forget it?”

“Hecate is the Dark Goddess, right? Lady of the Cross Roads? She’s going to absorb you then destroy this planet or destroy it trying to find you.” Under Daniel’s hand and beneath the layers of her skin something in there moved a little hand or little foot perhaps stretching out for more room. Daniel felt a wave of relief the baby was fine. “You have to leave here.”

“No,” Calla said softly as the information continued to sink in. “I won’t go. I won’t let her or anyone chase me from my home. Even if I did, if this is what she wants, she’ll only follow me and I won’t have you to protect me. Or you. Don’t you understand? The Mother Aspect is eternally pregnant, if she absorbs me our son will never be born.” If they were right then the situation was grim and the odds were against them. She gazed down at her Father and tried to sound strong and brave so that he would be proud of her. “I can gain entrance to Avalon and to Valhalla. Duncan will go to the Faery Realm and convince them to join in the fight. Lord Thor, you will have to accompany me to Valhalla.”

“D-do what?” Daniel asked.

Thor, ignoring Daniel’s question, spoke up. “As I’ve been telling your Father, Lady Callestah, Valhalla is only a myth.”

“Have you lived so long that you’ve forgotten your own Father’s secrets, my Lord Thor?” Calla asked. “It is no myth, I know where it is but I need you to help me free the Valkyrie. Will you?”

“It is a waste of time.” Thor asserted.

“It is not.” Calla said to him. “I can help. I can do this.” She said to Daniel. “Please let me.”

“What did the doctor just say about stress, Kitty?” Daniel asked quietly. Staring down at her tired face she didn’t look as though she could be much help, then again, with her, looks were usually very deceiving. “What do you want me to do?” Daniel asked knowing he wasn’t going to win this argument.

“Trust me and wait for me to come home.”

“If you go I’m going with you,” he said in a very assertive tone.

“No,” Duncan spoke up. “You’ll need to stay with them,” he pointed at SG-1, “work on whatever plans you have and get ready to negotiate with several different types of people. That will be part of your role, Daniel. Callestah and I will go to Scotland together, I’ll go to the Faery Realm and she to Avalon. When we’re done we’ll bring them back with us.”

“Then Lord Thor and I will go to Valhalla and do the same.”

“You’d think the two of you had some sort of experience in strategizing.” Ares derided from the floor. “I don’t think this wise, Daughter. You should leave this world.”

“It’s a good plan, Father and you know it is. You will go with them and you will help them plan an attack.”

“You mean defense.” Ares’ sneered. How could she possibly be any help if she didn’t even understand the difference between defense and….

“No, I mean offense.” Calla said and kissed Ares hand. “We must root them out, you know it. Find them, kill them without mercy.”

“What do you want us to do?” Nicholas mumbled pointing at himself and Colleen. Root them out? Kill them without mercy? Did his sweet little Mother just say those things? Certainly not. His Mother shooed flies out of the house in summer and picked up spiders and put them outside in the fall. She never swatted or squashed anything. Still, she did say those things, he heard her, so whoever this bitch Hecate was one thing was certain she was real bad news someone beyond redemption. Beyond redemption, in Callas’ eyes you had to be one really low rotten motherfucker to be past that, hell, she even still held her arms out to Ares after all he’d said and done to her.

“Go home and take care of your Wife.” Calla said to him. “You go home and care for you Daughter.”

“You’re not going to shut us out.” Colleen said. “Oh no! We’re in this too.”

“No you’re not.” Calla insisted and looked to her Husband for back up.

“In for a penny in for a pound?” Ares asked no one in particular. “What do you say, Jackson?”

“Annie will watch over Lilly, they’ll be fine.” He watched the disbelief spark up in Calla’s eyes. If she was staying then they were all staying and that meant staying with her. “I want Colleen to go with you. Nick stays here with me. All right?”

“No, it’s not all right.” Calla whispered. “You’re their Father, make them go home.” He just sat there looking at her and ever so slightly shaking his head. “Who will guard Annie? Someone has to stay with her.”

“They’ll come down to the SGC for as long as necessary.” Jack said and couldn’t believe what he was saying. He was actually going along with this? He was going to stand here and say ‘ok’ to having his godchildren risk their lives? Yes, yes, he was.

“Father?”

Ares looked around and saw the expressions on their faces. Grudgingly he gave in. “It would appear we’re out numbered. It’s best that they stay and do what they can.”

“Ya hear that?” Coley asked planting her hands on her hips. “Besides I haven’t been to Scotland yet. I hear it’s nice.”

“I don’t like this.” Calla said to everyone. “Not one little bit.”

“You still gotta live with it, Mom.” Nick said. “We’re staying.”

“Looks like we’re all going to Colorado for a while.” Ares mumbled as he rose to his feet and then crossed the room to dress.

Pregnant, alone, and cast away from the side of the man she loved, Enya didn’t stop running until she hit the water. She ran down the shoreline still supporting her big belly with her hand and climbed in the small power boat Ares kept hidden in a small lagoon. Enya revved the engine and headed away from him and Daniel Jackson.

The sea was tumultuous today, though the sky above was bright and blue, the water below turned and spewed white caps. Sharks swam near the boat and she saw several dolphins and other fish breaking the water as though they were running from something. Suddenly a huge wave churned up from Poseidon’s depths Enya hurried to turn the small boat into it. Holding onto to the wheel and crouching behind it, she held tight while the wave scooped up the boat making it viciously rock side to side. Salt water soaked the deck and the woman on it as the wave crested then powered its way past. Standing up she looked back as it headed toward Ares’ island.

Ares Ex-Consort had no idea of where she was going—though she did know she wasn’t heading back to the island—or what she was going to do once she got there all she knew was that she wasn’t wanted at home any longer. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she resumed steering the boat and wishing she’d never met Daniel Jackson or his bitch wife Callestah. Wishing she’d never fallen in love with Lord Ares knowing, in his eyes, she was nothing but a cheap imitation of his Daughter.

The air around her turned cold and suddenly all was engulfed in glowing pink light. “I’m afraid, that’s all you ever were to ol’ Ares.” Hecate quipped as she stood at the bow of the boat looking at the woman who looked so much like Aphrodite’s Daughter. “He must have searched far and wide for you,” she said appreciatively. “All he did for you and you betrayed him.” Hecate shook her lovely honey-blonde head. “He hates that.”

“Who are you?” Enya asked cutting the motor, the boat was still in the water.

“Ah, where are my manners?” Hecate cooed strolling toward Enya with a cold smile. “Call me Hecate though I suppose I look much more like Aphrodite, don’t I?”

“I don’t know,” Enya gasped. “Aphrodite is dead.”

“Was.” She turned around in circles, the skimpy waves of pink organza which covered her flowed around her buxom body in a soft caress. When she spoke again her voice had a very harmonious tone. “Do I look dead, hon?”

“No,” both of Enya’s arms wrapped her bulging midsection. “You are the woman who wounded my Lord, I should kill you.”

“You could try,” she huffed, “but I’d hold off for a few minutes if I were you, sweetie. Do you love him? Ares, I mean, not Daniel.” Aphrodite asked.

“Yes,” Enya admitted. “Ares doesn’t love me. I don’t love Daniel, I never did.” No she never did want Daniel, she never really cared about him at all. All she wanted was to get back at the little bitch who’d usurped her place in Ares’ bed. Fucking her sleeping husband was what happened to come to her angry mind. So, while Ares pummeled away at Callestah’s hot holes, she took Daniel Jackson into her own. What difference did it make that he was asleep? Either way, she never meant to conceive a child from it. Ares was nothing short of furious when he discovered her secret.

“If I were to tell you that you could have Lord Ares, all to yourself, throughout Time, what would you say?”

Enya cackled. “Someone would have to kill that bewitching bitch first. She’ll always hold his heart.”

“Yes….someone….would.” Aphrodite/Hecate said thoughtfully as she reached out to stroke Enya’s big belly. “And that this could be taken care of as well? What would you do for all of that?”

“What do you want?”

Aphrodite smiled. Both she and Hecate wanted their respective revenge on Callestah and this one was willing to help them get it. “You know what they plan, don’t you?” Enya nodded. “Tell me. Help me and when the time is right I will give you all that you desire including the love of Ares.” She invited.

“And this?” Enya asked pointing to her belly. The confused Immortal woman had never been sure how she felt about the baby she was carrying. She didn’t want to raise it, Ares wouldn’t hear of the idea anyway! “You will make sure she knows?”

“This is Daniel’s child? Yes, I will make absolutely certain Callestah knows.” Aphrodite batted her lovely blue eyes at the smaller woman. “Neither you or Ares will ever be bothered by this child…. and….you will have all you desire for all Eternity. Ares will love only you.”

“Done.” The two women shook hands and disappeared from the little powerboat.

Standing on the shores of Ares’ island it was very easy to see that the Oceans were greatly dismayed by the loss of their King. The tidal wave which washed up earlier left deposits of waste and debris on the island. Starfish along with several fish, huge mounds of seaweed and other sea creatures washed up on the shore and left stranded. Calla and Colleen picked up the live ones and tossed them back into the sea. The Merpeople were swimming around, wailing inconsolably, one of the mermen saw Ares standing on the shore and swam closer to give him the news regarding Aphrodite.

“You’re sure?” Ares asked as he knelt at the shore.

“Quite sure, my Lord Ares. Aphrodite has turned traitor and Hecate is here.” The merman responded. “Will you bring our Lord to us? So that we may give him a proper farewell.”

“Morpheus and I will retrieve his body and bring it to you.” Ares agreed. The merman swam off to deliver the news to the others. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the shoreline for the next few days.” Ares mumbled rising to his full height once more. Looking back at his own shoreline home, Ares waved his hand in the air and the great boulder by the entrance rolled into place and covered it tight. Not much would be getting in or out of there until Ares returned. “Where’s Enya? Someone has to clean this up.” He looked around at the disheveled sand and debris.

“We saw her running…..that way.” Daniel pointed off to his right. “When we first got here. What is going on with you two? She was completely distraught.”

“Enya!” Ares bellowed. “Enya! Come to me now!” There was no answer and no small auburn haired pregnant woman made her presence known. Ares growled harshly. “Bitch,” he hissed.

“Father you must go after her, find her. She’s pregnant with your child.” Calla reminded him sweetly.

The growl grew louder and Ares’ eyes smoldered at Daniel who backed up a step at the sight. “I’m better off without her.”

“Father!” Calla gasped bringing his attention back down to her level. “She’s served you well and long, surely she deserves better and so does your child.”

The smoldering in Ares’ eyes turned into a flame of rage, yet he did not yell when he spoke. “She betrayed me. If you knew the truth you would not defend her.” Ares said through a tight set jaw. “Let’s go, we’ve a war to plan.”

End of Chapter Ten
The Cradle Will Fall
Continue to
Chapter Eleven