Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of A Father's Love
By Moon Mistress

Chapter Twenty-Four

Daniel led the way through the Black Palace to the room which held the Chair of Oblivion and the naked fading Hades within it.  “Stupid old man.” Ares huffed as he stood on the far side of the catwalk looking at Hades who was slumped backward in the chair with his head hanging to the side.  The God of War looked down at himself, he’d lost his vest and his gauntlets to the River of Blood Fire and wasn’t about to go over there and pick up Hades to carry him back without some way to protect himself from touching Hades’ skin. “Stay here.” He said to Daniel and Calla.

“Father, you can’t leave him there.”

Ares pursed his lips. “As if I would do such a thing.”  He disappeared through the door only to return a few moments later with a large blanket. “Give me my dagger.” He held his big hand out to her and Calla gave him the jeweled weapon. Taking a deep breath and grateful for the heavy if slightly melted boots still on his feet Ares made his way through the fire, across the broken shards of glass and to the Chair of Oblivion while Daniel and Calla waited on the other side of the catwalk.  Putting a corner of the blanket over Hades’ hand he held it place and cut the rope from one wrist and then the other before wrapping the God of Death in the blanket to lift him out of the horrid contraption and carry him to safety.  Ares laid Hades on the floor. “Come on, old man, wake up.”

Hades didn’t move.

Trying not to touch him Ares bent down to listen for a heart beat and heard nothing. “I think we’re too late.”

“We can’t be too late,” Calla cried. “Who will rule the Underworld? What will happen to all of these souls?” She demanded. “Who will tell me where my Grandson is if he doesn’t wake up?”

“Grandson?” Ares asked quickly. “Danny’s in Poseidon’s Kingdom.”

“Not that Grandson, I’ll explain it later Father.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “If you need me to that is.”

“I do.” Ares insisted. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Calla looked at him skeptically but saw no deception in his eyes or heard it in his voice. Ares didn’t know about Wolfgar but it seemed Daniel did.  “Bring him out.” She said hastily.

“Do what?” Ares asked quickly.

“Carry him out.” Calla said again. “You don’t expect me to do it, do you?”

“You carry him.” Ares said to Daniel.

“I don’t think so.” Daniel shook his head. “You do it.”

Ares grunted. “Fine.” He huffed and picked up Hades dead weight.  Ares carried him through the Gates to where Charon was waiting in his leaky boat.  The first thing the Ferryman did was hold out his skeletal hand for payment. “Pay you?” Ares demanded. “You ought to lick my boots.” He climbed into the boat with Hades as he pushed by the Ferryman. “Take us across.”  Ares held Hades on his lap as the boat slowly made its way to the other side of the River Styx where thousands of souls waited to be ferried across to the final reward.  “Where the hell have you been anyway?”

Charon turned his hooded face to Ares and though no one could see it they knew Charon was giving him a cold stare.

“Almost home, Kitty.” Daniel said happily.

“Almost.” She agreed.

The boat docked and they climbed out. Ares carried Hades to the crag and then through it into the bright sunlight which waited for them along with their friends who had decided not to return until they emerged and were safe once more. 

“Now what?” Ares asked as he laid Hades’ body on the warm sand. “He’s dead.”

Calla got down on her knees beside him. “Uncle? Can you hear me, Uncle?” She whispered. Hades didn’t move or show any response at all.  There was no choice.  Before the men with her could stop her she reached out and traced her bare fingertips across his cheek. “Take from me. Wake, Hades.” She bid softly. “Wake.”

“Don’t!” Ares roared and pulled her hand away but he was too late. “Are you crazy?”

A great deal of her life force poured into Hades through the brief soft touch. With her arm extended outward held by Ares she collapsed over Hades bare body. Ares heaved her off him with one tug and she landed in the sand next to her Uncle. “Calla!” Ares roared as he dropped to his knees. “Calla!”

“Mom?” Nick asked.

Oh dear, God, please…. Daniel thought and picked her up. “Kitty? Honey?”

On the sand Hades’ dark eyes rolled open and he started to groan. “You foolish old man!” Ares thundered. “Look what you’ve done!”

Hades didn’t understand what he was seeing at first all he knew was that he was grateful to be alive and out of that chair which he fully intended to have destroyed now that he knew what it was like to sit in it. “What?”

In Daniel’s arms Calla moaned and then her eyes opened. “Calla?”

“I had to do it,” she mumbled before her eyes closed again.

It took a few moments but Hades hauled his aged body to his feet as his mind cleared. “What has she done?”

“Saved your wretched life!” Ares growled as he cocked his fist back.

“Umpa! Don’t!” Nick shouted.

“She didn’t…she didn’t touch me, did she?” Hades asked with sudden alarm.

“She did!” Ares countered. “You don’t deserve to live after setting Kanan free!”  Unable to take his frustrations out on the object that was causing him such annoyance Ares punched the crag and the entire mountain rumbled.  Everyone stepped away from it fearing it would fall. “It’s all YOUR fault!”  He shouted at Hades and then tried to get his anger under control as he wheeled around to look at Calla in Daniel’s arms.  She was as limp as his detached penis.  He looked at Daniel with tears stinging his eyes. “Do something Jackson!”

“Do what?” Daniel countered.  Even if David was still healthy they couldn’t return what she’d just lost in her attempt to keep the balance between Life and Death. David.  Maybe they could. If he woke up if he wasn’t dead. Maybe.  Daniel disappeared from the beach with Calla in his arms only to reappear in the infirmary of the SGC.

“Dad.” Coley said as she looked up from David’s sick bed. “Mom!”  She stood up quickly. “What happened?”

“She touched Hades.” Daniel grumbled. “I know you don’t have much magick, Cole, but can you help her?”

“I don’t know. I’ll try.”  Colleen did what she could to summon what magick remained in her in an attempt to heal her Mother but felt it was little use.  Some healing power passed to Calla but it was almost as though she was blocking the attempt to help her. “Come on, Mom don’t do that. Let me help you, please, let me help you.”  She laid her hands on Calla, one on her head and one over her heart.  “Take it,” she begged, “please, we can’t lose you.”

In Daniel’s arms Calla coughed and then woke up.  “Kitty?”

“Hello, my love.” She said groggily.  “Hades?”

“Is gonna live thanks to you.” Daniel said and laid her on the bed next to David.

“Good.” She whispered. “Good.”  He had to live. He had to tell her where Wolfgar was.  Her eyes lolled in her head and then focused on the old man in the bed next to her. It took a long moment before she recognized him. “David?”  She looked up at Daniel. “What’s happened to him?”

“It doesn’t matter. Let him go.” Daniel said softly and then kissed her forehead.

The beds were close together close enough that she could reach out and touch the dying man’s hand. She would not let him go. She understood why David had tricked her. Courtly love was not it was cracked up to be.  Calla wrapped her hand around David’s allowing more of her life force to escape her body and pass into David.  The monitors started going crazy and little alarm bells went off as David started convulsing in the bed.

“Mom, stop.” Coley cried and tried to break the hold Calla had on David’s hand but Calla wouldn’t let go until she was satisfied that David Jackson would continue to walk the Earth. Unlike Hades whose gray hair and weathered face had not returned to normal David’s old body healed itself and he was once more young.

She’s got a heart big enough for the whole world.

The worlds rang in Daniel’s head and he knew they were true. She had enough love for everyone all he could do was hope that he had enough for her.

Within minutes David was sitting up and looking around as the medical staff came rushing into the room. Scared and confused he looked over at Calla and Daniel. “Callie?” he mumbled. “Danny what the hell’s goin’ on?”

“She should have let you die.” Daniel grumbled.

David recoiled from his brother’s angry voice as it all began flooding back to him.  “Maybe.” He muttered.

“I brought her here so Colleen could help her not so she could save your miserable neck.”

David nodded. “I ain’t worth it, Callie.” He whispered. “What’d you do that for, girl?”

“Move! Move please! Get out of the way!”

Nurses, doctors and technicians gathered around them. They bent over here with stethoscopes and blood pressure kits as they hooked her up to the monitors. Daniel stood back, holding Coley’s hand with his heart in his feet.  “If she dies, Davy, if she dies because of this…”

“I’ll off myself Danny you ain’t gotta do it for me. I told you I never wanted to hurt her.”

Fate had a crueler destiny in mind for Calla Jackson and would not let her die so easily.  Within the hour she was awake and talking. By nightfall Daniel took her home very mindful of the gray hairs that suddenly popped up in her head.

End of Chapter Twenty-Four
Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of a Father's Love
by Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
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Epilogue