Waking up without you

Zeus watched as his great granddaughter hit the floor first, and though he tried to fight it, Arei follow close behind her. Zeus knelt beside Jos's collapsed body and took his time brushing her hair away from her face, revealing her delicate features. "I do apologize for this, my Dear, but I can't let my brothers' treachery go unpunished. If taking you from him is the least I do, then he should consider himself lucky. He turned his attention to Arei as a cold snarl curved his lips. "And as for you... Had you and your brother been such great hunters, then maybe you would have recognized me in that horrible Inn." He smiled, "But no, you were both too fixated on your debauchery you didn't even suspect..." He lifted his hand a motioned. "Grab her and hurry. I'll take him."

Peg frowned as he stepped out of the shadows leading Andromeda by the hand. "Was that really necessary? Is any of this?"

Zeus sent him a glare. "It is and you will do as I say, remember you work for me." He bent and tossed the cloak over Arei's massive sleeping body, before lifting him into his arms. He nodded toward Jos's sleeping form. "Make sure you don't drop her."

Peg nodded as he undid his suit and handed each piece to Andromeda. Oncenaked, he lifted Jos into his arms. "I'll shift outside. It will be less conspicuous that way."

Zeus nodded, "Fine. Meet me at your brothers' cabin after you drop her at her dwellings." He ordered before disappearing.

Peg sighed as he sent Andromeda a sad frown. "I'm sorry I drug you into this."

She smiled weakly, giving his arm a squeeze. "It's not your fault. Had you lied and Zeus found out, it would have been both our asses..." Her gaze dropped to Jos's sleeping face. "After all it was both us Arei had confided in. I do hate this is what he's chosen to do with the information."

Peg nodded. "I'm sure had he not walked in on Persephone's baby news tonight; after he, Poseidon, and Hades had agreed to father no more children, he wouldn't have been so angry and vengeful."

"That's hardly her fault." Andromeda said, brushing a strand of hair from Jos's face.

"No... but you heard what he said..." Peg let out a heavy breath and glanced around the hallway. "We better be going before someone notices us."

She nodded and led the way toward the back staircase of the palace. "What are the likeliness that this is going to start a war between your father and uncle... uncles?" She asked.

He glanced back at her. "I wish I knew the answer to that..." He lowered Jos's body to the ground then laid down himself. "Slide her on my back." Once Andromeda had done what he asked, he sighed. "Again... I'm sorry for this..."

Andromeda nodded. "I'm sorry, too. I know it's hard for you to betray one of your brothers... especially Arei, but he will understand." She straddled his body holding Jos tightly and waited. His body began to shift and within seconds she was straddling the winged horse while balancing Jos's limp body on it's back. "Ready when you are." She whispered to him and the horse sprinted into action.

***

A sharp pain radiated through Arei's head as he patted the bed to his left where Jos usually chose to sleep. When his hand only met cold fabric he patted the other side, still not finding her. He shot up in the bed and quickly grabbed hold of his pounding head. "Ugh!" He growled. His eyes searched the bed and then the room in the dark morning light.

"You'll not find her." Peg's voice said from the corner of the room.

Arei's eyes quickly moved toward the voice. "You! You had something to do with this?! YOU!?!" He fought against the pain as he pushed himself up from the bed.

Peg unfolded his legs and climbed down from his perch atop the stool. "I didn't have a choice... I didn't want to hurt you or the girl... but Zeus ordered it."

Arei gritted his teeth as he straightened his massive frame and glared in his younger brother's direction. "Where is she?!" He commanded.

Peg walked over to the small kitchen and filled a glass with water from a pitcher. He handed it to his brother as he stomped over to him. "She is in her... cave... Andromeda is there with her incase she wakes before you." He sent his brother a skeptical look, "I have to ask, though. Why is she living in such... conditions?"

Arei frowned, draining the glass and placing it back on the counter. "It's her home. She already lived there when we found her." He didn't waste any time as he stomped toward the door and pulled it open.

Peg followed close behind him. "I really am sorry about all this, brother."

Arei nodded making short work of the beach that separated his and Jos's home. "I don't blame you. It's my fault. I shouldn't have told you or Andromeda what I did. I should have known you would have felt obligated to report it to Zeus." He didn't bother knocking as he pushed open the door to her meager dwellings. "Jos? Are you in here? Are you awake?" He asked as he walked toward the bed."

Andromeda, who had been sitting on the bed brushing a hair from Jos's still sleeping face, shot up as soon as she heard the two men walk in. She ran past Arei and flung herself into Peg's arms. "You're here already!" She pushed him out at arms length. "And you're not hurt?"

Peg shook his head smiling down at her reassuringly. "Big brother is nothing like the rest of the gods and demi-gods, he would never intentionally hurt or harm someone he cared for." He nodded to the bed where Arei had taken her place and was now cradling Jos's limp body in his arms. "How long do you think it will take to wear off her?" Peg asked.

Arei frowned, not taking his focus off Jos's sleeping face. "I'm not sure." He turned to Andromeda. "Could you stay with her for a while longer? There's somewhere I need to go..."

Andromeda nodded. "Yes, no problem... it's the least I can do after all this."

Arei turned his attention to Peg. "I would ask if you wanted to join me, but I'm not sure if I can trust you or not..."

Peg frowned, "I did what was required of me. The job is over now..." His eyes moved to Jos. "The damages have already been done."

Arei narrowed his eyes but didn't ask. "Fine, you can explain that shit once we meet up with Ry. He should be here by now."

***

"My turn!" Peg said as Arei tried and failed to wake the sleeping giant. He unfolded a wing and ran the feathers under Ry's snoring nose.

Ry began snorting and groaning as his hands fought against the tangled bed sheets. His drowsy eyes scanned the still dark room as he shot up and growled angerly. "Who the hell is bothering me this time of morning!"

Peg laughed as Arei stepped into Ry's line of vision. "Us!" Peg belted out gleefully.

Ry narrowed his eyes. "What the hell are the both of you doing here?"

"Screwed up business of the Gods..." Peg grinned.

Ry groaned as he pushed himself into a sitting position. "You are too cheery for this time of morning." He said as he plucked a cigarette from a half empty glass of whiskey before emptying the contents of the glass into his mouth. He arched a brow as Arei and Peg both cringed in disgust. "What? Don't tell me the two of you haven't ever done the same." They both shook there heads in unison, still making disgusted faces. "Oh well... your losses..." His eyes searched the floor before he bent over and searched the other side of the bed, his bare ass facing his brothers.

"Where are your pants?" Arei asked walking away from the bed and the sight of his brother's ass. Peg followed also adverting his eyes.

Ry moved to lean over the foot of the bed and glanced around there as well. "Well... that's what I'm looking for..." His eyes roamed around the rest of the room. "Seems they are gone..." He stood and pulled a bag out from under the bed. Sitting the bag on the bed he pulled out his wallet and flipped through it. "Well at least it was only a pair of pants this time..." He mumbled as he pulled out a wrinkled pair of trousers and shirt.

Peg arched a well-shaped white brow. "This happens often?"

Arei shook his head. "You have no idea..." He searched the room for his brother's boots. "Looks like they've taken your shoes as well."

Ry shrugged. "I'll have to stop by the cottage at some point today..."

Arei shook his head again. "How is it you can be such a complete mess with your personal life, but still father's favorite."

Ry arched his brow as he glanced over to Arei as he first pulled on a sock then thought better of it and pulled it back off, tossing it back into the bag. "Been to the palace I take it?"

Arei nodded. "It was quite eventful. I'll tell you all about it once you sober up some."

Ry nodded, "Understandable..." He tossed the bag over his shoulder and made his way toward the door. "Breakfast first then talk..."

Peg's nose snarled even farther as he watched Ry down another tankard of ale. "This couldn't possibly be your idea of a breakfast!" He pushed the plate of hotcakes he'd ordered to the side, his appetite lost.

Ry shrugged, "It's a real man's breakfast. You wouldn't understand."

Peg arched a brow. "Though as compelling as your case my be, it does little to tempt me."

Arei laughed for the first time since waking up. "I almost forgot how amusing it was to spend time with the two of you together." A wistful smile curved his lips. "Jos will love it."

Peg frowned. "About that... I... I... wouldn't put too much hope into things going back to how they were... last night..."

Arei narrowed his eyes. "And why is that?"

Peg's frown deepened and he looked away. "You know I'm not allowed to say anything about my jobs for Zeus."

Arei grabbed the front of Peg's ruffled white blouse and pulled him up from his seat as he stood. "What have you done to her?!" He growled.

Peg threw his hands up in surrender. "I didn't do a thing! I swear it! But the flower Zeus used can have several side effects... including memory loss."

"Fuck!" Arei bit out as he dropped his brother back onto the chair. He flopped down into the chair running his hands roughly through his hair. "Fuck!" He growled. He reached across the table and grabbed Ry's half empty mug, turning it up and emptying it before Ry could protest.

Peg swallowed hard. "This is going to be a long day..." He turned and held his hand up for the bar maid. "Day drinking it is then, ale for the three of us and keep them coming." He called to the robust woman.