I DREAM OF GENIE

by Rebel8954

Catching his partner's eyes, Hercules mouthed "mighty one" with a teasing glint in his eyes. He started to say something when he caught the warning look Alcmene shot him. Then she gave a similar look to Hades who had covered his mouth with one dark-gloved hand. CHARACTERS: Iolaus, Alcmene, Hercules, Hades, Apollo.

The bazaar was full of sights and sounds and scents. The teeming crowds were taking advantage of the bright sunlight to crowd into the open tents taking advantage not only of the bargains offered but the welcome shade.

Iolaus easily slipped through the crowds. His blue eyes darted from side to side taking notice of the wares being offered by shouting vendors. He gently smiled and shook his head as he silently rejected each offering.

He'd almost reached the end of the street when he saw a row of brightly colored bottles being carefully rearranged by a vendor who nervously eyed the nearby crowd. Casually walking closer, Iolaus studied the bottles of strange shapes and sizes.

"Greetings, kind sir," the vendor softly greeted. "Are you interested in purchasing something unique and different?"

"Well, that depends on how expensive unique and different is," Iolaus grinned. He eyed not only the bottles before him but the more oddly shaped ones in the back of the tent. "All you have are bottles?"

"They're not just bottles," the vendor smiled. "Think of them as packages."

"Packages." Iolaus quirked an eyebrow.

"A package can hold many things," the vendor pointed out. "An attractive and unique package has persuaded more than one young woman to overlook a less than suitable gift."

Iolaus laughed. "Well, that's not the case. I'm just looking for something different for a friend of mine." His eyes flickered over the bottles in front of him then studied the ones behind the vendor. "Can I see the second one from the right on the bottom row?"

The vendor carefully brought the bottle and set it in front of Iolaus. "A very different design. From Persia."

Iolaus scowled. "That's not anywhere near Sumeria, is it?"

"Not at all!" the vendor assured him. "Very very far away."

Iolaus grunted. From his travels in the East he knew better. But the bottle WAS different. The wide base of the jade bottle tapered upwards to an opening of perhaps two fingers' width. White, yellow, and blue swirls crisscrossed the bottle weaving a design that resembled a child's doodle. The jade stopper snugly capped the bottle while the sides of the bottle were textured giving it an almost rough feel. "Well, it's not something that Nemesis would see in everybody's house," he admitted.

"Nemesis?" The vendor frowned. "That's...an unusual name."

"She's a special woman," Iolaus corrected with a smile. He idly turned the bottle over in his hands.

"A special bottle for a special woman," the vendor hopefully smiled. "Ten dinars."

"For a bottle?" Iolaus shook his head. "Two dinars."

"Two! You insult your special woman!" The vendor covered his heart with his hand. "Seven dinars."

"She's special...not stupid," Iolaus countered. "She wouldn't want me spending a lot of money on her." He frowned, setting the bottle back on the display table. "Four dinars."

Slowly the vendor held up five fingers. He silently stared at Iolaus who slowly smiled and nodded. The vendor pocketed the five dinars, and Iolaus carefully put the bottle in his carrysack. As Iolaus strolled through the remaining crowd on his way out of town, he chuckled. "Five dinars for a bottle! Nemesis is never gonna let me live this down. Still...it's for her birthday. And I bet Herc won't have anything as nice...if he even remembers."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hours later, Iolaus stopped by the junction of two rivers where he and the demigod had planned to meet. Not seeing his partner, Iolaus grinned. "Late as usual, Herc." Refilling his waterskin, he hesitated then brought out the bottle he'd purchased for Nemesis' birthday. He gently dipped it in the water and brushed the moisture away. Cleansed of the light haze of dust, the jade bottle gleamed in the sunlight.

"Better clean out the inside," Iolaus muttered. "Wouldn't do to give Nemesis a dirty bottle." He unstopped the bottle then sat back in surprise as a column of mist and smoke erupted from the bottle. Grabbing his dagger, he was on his feet when the smoke disappeared to reveal a small dark-haired dark-eyed woman. "Who...who..." Iolaus frowned. "Where did you come from?"

"From the bottle, oh mighty one." The young woman gracefully fell to her knees and lowered her forehead to the ground. "I am yours to command."

"What?" Iolaus blinked in surprise. Almost guiltily, he resheathed his dagger. "What do you...get up!"

"As you command, mighty one." The young woman rose to her feet but kept her eyes lowered to the ground.

"What do you mean...you came from the bottle?" Iolaus asked. His eyes darted from side to side, senses alert for any other presence.

"I am the genie of the bottle," the woman quietly explained. "You own the bottle. You own me."

"No, I don't," Iolaus protested. "I mean...yes, I own the bottle. But I don't own you." He hesitated. "Genie?"

"Yes, mighty one. He who owns the bottle owns the genie. Until three wishes are granted, I am bound to my owner."

"Do you have a name? And mine is Iolaus...not mighty one," Iolaus corrected.

"I am called Jasmine, mighty Iolaus. But you may call me whatever you wish," Jasmine softly answered.

"No, Jasmine is your name. That's what you should be called," Iolaus quickly interjected. "And my name is Iolaus. Not mighty one or mighty Iolaus."

Jasmine's dark eyes mirrored her confusion. "You are the owner of the bottle. You must be a mighty warrior to have claimed me in battle."

"Ummmm...are you hungry?" Iolaus flushed.

"I do not require food, mighty...Iolaus. But thank you for offering to share," Jasmine smiled.

"Uh...what did you mean...three wishes?" Iolaus frowned. He gestured for Jasmine to sit. As she gracefully folded her body into a smooth line of arms and tucked legs under a flowing multi-colored robe, he sat perched on a nearby rock.

"I may grant you three wishes," Jasmine explained. "Once those wishes have been granted, I am free. But you may give me to another before I have granted those wishes. Or if I am taken from you, I must grant three wishes to my new owner."

"Obviously, the man who sold me the bottle didn't know that," Iolaus muttered. He stared at Jasmine for several seconds. "What kind of wishes can you grant?"

"Anything that is within my power," Jasmine solemnly explained. She casually brushed her braided dark hair over her shoulder. "Do you wish riches? Good health?"

"No!" Iolaus quickly shook his head. "Nothing like that." Suddenly the possibilities were endless. Could he place limits on Ares' ability to start wars? Could he keep people from dying cruel and lingering deaths?

Iolaus jumped to his feet as he remembered being similarly tempted by Dahok...and falling into that temptation. No matter what Hercules assured him, Iolaus still feared he'd given in to Dahok out of his own sense of pride...foolish pride.

Iolaus sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. "I wish Alcmene was here. She would..." His blue eyes widened as he spun around. "No! That wasn't a..." The words caught in his throat as Jasmine's eyes rolled back in her head. Her body spasmed for several seconds before she collapsed onto the ground. "Jasmine!"

"Iolaus?"

Not able to breathe, Iolaus slowly turned around at the sound of the familiar voice. Standing several paces behind him, Alcmene stood staring at the hunter in stunned surprise. "Alcmene?" he squeaked.

Alcmene looked around in confusion. "This isn't the Elysian Fields," she determined. Then she relaxed, a look of gratitude on her face. "Oh, Iolaus. When I saw you, I was afraid you were..." She walked towards Iolaus and wrapped him in her arms. "Iolaus...say something."

"Alcmene..." Iolaus hugged the older woman tightly against him.

Alcmene felt the shudders go through the hunter's body. Automatically, she rubbed his back. "It's alright, Iolaus. Whatever it is...it's alright."

"Gods, Herc isn't going to deal with this very well," Iolaus muttered. He pulled away from Alcmene. "I gotta wake Jasmine."

"Jasmine?" Alcmene suddenly eyed the unconscious woman. "Iolaus! What's wrong with her?"

"Well, I'm not sure," Iolaus admitted. Feeling a surge of energy behind them, he spun around thrusting Alcmene protectively behind him.

"I might have known." The energy quickly formed revealing the form of the Lord of the Underworld. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Uh...Hades. Hello." Iolaus weakly smiled.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hades angrily demanded. "Snatching someone from the Elysian Fields!"

"Well, technically speaking, I didn't..." Iolaus began.

"Don't yell at him!" Alcmene sternly ordered.

"Alcmene!" Iolaus hissed as Hades raised one eyebrow.

"What's going on?"

"Oh, Gods," Iolaus muttered. He looked over one shoulder to see Hercules standing looking down at Jasmine's unconscious body.

The demigod spared a glance for Hades, then paled at who was standing next to this partner. "Mother?"

"Look. I can explain..." Iolaus began.

"Don't interfere, Hercules!" Hades snapped. "Alcmene is going back where she belongs."

Hercules protectively stepped between his mother and the dark god. "Not until I know what's going on," he warned.

Jasmine groaned as she struggled to sit up.

"Hercules, I don't care of you ARE the son of Zeus!" Hades angrily warned. "You have no..."

"Son of Zeus?" Jasmine's voice quaked as she stared at the tall demigod with wide dark eyes. "Then you're...you're...HIS brother." Her eyes rolled back in her head as she fainted, falling limply onto the ground.

For a few seconds, everyone started at the unconscious woman in various stages of confusion. Then Alcmene took charge.

"That's enough!" she snapped. "No one's going anywhere until we figure all this out." She turned to her son. "Hercules, you set up camp and get a fire going. The Gods only know what's wrong with her, and we might need some hot water." She turned to Iolaus. "You start mixing up some honey tea for this poor child." She turned to Hades. "Don't just stand there, Hades. Conjure...something comfortable this girl can rest on." Putting her hands on her hips, she stared at the three silent men. "Now!"

Hades raised one eyebrow and waved a hand. A sumptuous iron-wrought bed appeared at the edge of the clearing. Finely woven blankets were piled at the foot of the bed while several soft feather pillows where attractively arranged at the other end. Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against a nearby tree. "Well...my part's done."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Just sip the tea," Alcmene gently advised. "You're very pale. Are you sure you shouldn't eat something?"

"Thank you, kind lady," Jasmine hesitantly smiled. "But I require no nourishment." She took the mug from Alcmene and obediently sipped the tea. "It tastes very good."

Perched on the side of the bed, Iolaus kept one eye on Jasmine and the other on Hercules and Hades who stood at the far edge of the clearing. Neither god nor demigod looked happy as they punctuated their quiet conversation with sharp gestures.

"You just sit quietly while we get all this sorted out." Alcmene soothingly patted the younger woman's arm. She looked over her shoulder. "If the two of you are through arguing, perhaps you'd like to join us so we can decide what to do."

Hercules flushed even as Hades sardonically smiled. He followed the Lord of the Underworld to the bed then stood protectively behind his mother who sat on the bed next to Jasmine.

Iolaus swallowed as they all stared at him. "Well...it all started when I wanted to get Nemesis something special for her birthday." They listened in silence as Iolaus related purchasing the bottle and Jasmine's appearance. "I didn't mean to say what I said. I was just thinking out loud."

"You wished for me to return?" Alcmene's eyes were understanding.

"Well...actually I wasn't sure what to wish for." Iolaus ducked his head in embarrassment. "What I started to say was that I wish..." He suddenly stopped realizing what he'd nearly said. "What I INTENDED was that...I knew you'd tell me what was best, Alcmene."

"You just can't snatch souls from the Elysian Fields!" Hades snapped.

"I'm a little more substantial that a soul," Alcmene calmly pointed out.

"So I've noticed," Hades wryly nodded. He curiously eyed Jasmine. "It seems your little genie does nothing by half measures."

"Do you mean...Mother's alive?" Hercules half-whispered.

Hades shrugged. "All I can tell you is that she's as real and solid as you are."

They silently digested that piece of information then slowly all eyes turned to Jasmine.

"Did I do something wrong?" the genie fearfully asked.

"Uh...no, of course not, Jasmine," Iolaus answered. But he eyed the dark god with concern.

"I think I'd like to hear more about why you're so fearful of my son," Alcmene gently spoke. "Were you always...forced to serve?"

"Oh no, kind lady," Jasmine sadly shook her head. "Once I was free as any spirit. It was my pleasure to bestow wishes. But then...a man asked me to give him his wish...he wanted to be with the one woman whom he truly loved. He said she was forced into servitude and he wanted to free her." She lowered her head. "I didn't realize she was one of Apollo's sacred virgins."

Hades' dark eyes met Hercules', and he winced. "Now I remember." He shook his head. "Not these details. Apollo never told them. All we knew was that someone had...removed one of his sacred virgins from his temple in Athens." He darkly smiled. "If you think 'Dite can throw a hissy fit...trust me. She learned a few pointers from Apollo that day." He stared at Jasmine's bent head. "So he cursed you."

"Yes," Jasmine whispered. "I was given to one of...HIS followers. I would fulfill two of the three wishes before I would be given to another follower."

"Which kept you in perpetual servitude," Hercules grimly finished. "That sounds like Apollo."

"How long has this been going on?" Alcmene indignantly demanded.

"Longer than you want to know," Hades answered.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to know!" Alcmene retorted.

Hercules and Iolaus exchanged worried looks even as Hades eyed the woman with detached amusement.

"Centuries," the dark god finally answered.

"Well, then there's got to be a way to break this curse," Alcmene resolutely decided. "This poor child's been...cursed long enough. Imagine...imprisoning someone in a bottle."

"The bottle!" Jasmine suddenly sat up almost spilling the mug of warm tea. "Where is it? Please...where is it?"

Iolaus spotted it lying next to the river. When he pointed, Hercules strode towards it.

"NO!" Jasmine screamed. "Please, mighty one, do not give me to him!"

Hercules turned in stunned surprise. The girl was clutching at a very surprised Iolaus in obvious terror.

"Jasmine...it's okay. Herc wouldn't hurt you," Iolaus soothed as he patted her shoulder. "He's nothing like Apollo."

Catching his partner's eyes, Hercules mouthed "mighty one" with a teasing glint in his eyes. He started to say something when he caught the warning look Alcmene shot him. Then she gave a similar look to Hades who had covered his mouth with one dark-gloved hand.

"Forgive me, mighty one." Jasmine took a deep breath. "If it is your wish I belong to...him..."

"He's just going to retrieve the bottle." Iolaus tried to uncurl Jasmine's fingers from his arm. "He won't keep it."

"He won't?" Jasmine loudly whispered, fearfully eyeing the demigod.

"I promise," Hercules assured her with a gentle smile. Realizing the genie was watching him closely, he carefully picked up the bottle and brought it back to the bed. He gently laid it between Jasmine and Iolaus and stepped back.

"What will Apollo do if the curse is broken?" Iolaus asked.

Hades half-smiled. "Most likely nothing. He's probably forgotten about it by now." Then he shrugged. "In any case, if the curse if broken, he has nothing to say about it."

"As long as he doesn't realize what we're doing and try to stop us," Hercules pointed out.

"It seems simple to me," Alcmene shrugged. "Jasmine was prevented from fulfilling the three wishes that would set her free. All Iolaus has to do is use the other two wishes."

"Mother...could I speak with you for a moment?" Hercules asked.

Alcmene took the mug from Jasmine's hand. "I'll get you some more tea, dear."

Hades waited until Hercules followed his mother back to the campfire, then grabbed Iolaus' arm and pulled him away from the bed.

Jasmine fearfully watched, but settled back on the bed clutching her bottle when the hunter made no protest.

"I hope you have some idea of the damage you can do," Hades hissed. "You have no idea what havoc those wishes have caused! They stopped almost two centuries ago...probably when the last follower of Apollo's who knew about the bottle was killed before passing it on."

"I'm not intending to cause any problems!" Iolaus hissed, jerking his arm free. "But...I can make things right." He hesitated then looked away. "Can't I?"

Hades smothered a curse. "The road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions," he grimly advised. He grabbed Iolaus' arm in a grip that couldn't be broken. Glancing over his shoulder, he called, "We'll be back."

Hercules watched in sudden alarm as his partner and the Lord of the Underworld disappeared. "Hades! Hades! Bring him back!"

Jasmine sat up, looking around in fear. "Where has he gone? Where has he gone?"

Alcmene rushed to the genie's side and put an arm around her.

"Hades!" Hercules shouted. Then he stumbled backwards as he felt a somewhat gentle shove against his chest.

"I said...we'll be back," Hades' voice eerily floated around them.

"Hercules! Stop shouting!" Alcmene firmly ordered. "You're scaring Jasmine."

"She's not the only one," Hercules muttered.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Iolaus anxiously looked around, then grimaced as he recognized the River Styx. "You know...I'm alive."

"True," Hades half-smiled. "But this is as private a place as any to talk. I'm afraid your little genie would take any discussions about wishes literally."

Iolaus folded his arms across his chest and waited.

Hades walked to the edge of the Styx and stared into the dark murky waters. "What would you wish for, Iolaus?" he quietly asked.

"Why?" Iolaus demanded.

Silently, Hades pointed to the river. "What would you wish for, Iolaus?" he quietly intoned.

Slowly, Iolaus joined the god at the edge of the water. "Not to have given in to Dahok," he whispered. "If I could change that, I would."

"Would you?" Hades quietly asked. "Would you indeed?"

Iolaus watched in stunned surprise as the dark water cleared. He could see himself being tempted by Dahok...tempted with power...tempted with the possibility of helping mankind...tempted by the lies that were Dahok's very essence. This time, however, he turned away from the evil god...turned and walked away shaking his head in firm denial.

Iolaus smiled then frowned as he watched Dahok stalk a grieving Hercules...the demigod driven half-mad with his own guilt and loss...watching as Dahok tempted Hercules with the promise of restoring Iolaus to life...tempted him with the power to help mankind against the whims and cruelties of the gods...watched as Hercules eventually gave in to Dahok thereby never reaching Eire to prevent that green island from being drenched in blood by the evil Morrigan...never reaching the Norseland to prevent the death of one of the few gods who favored mankind...never returning to Greece to help a sad jester from another world find freedom and happiness...

"NO!" Iolaus shouted at Hades. "He wouldn't do that! Herc would never give in!"

"Half-mad with grief and guilt," Hades solemnly intoned. "He sought death many times...at sea...in foreign lands...turned away from those seeking his help." He finally turned his dark eyes to Iolaus. "This is what would be."

Caught within the power of the god's dark eyes, Iolaus took a deep breath. "Then I wish the whole Dahok mess never happened!" he shouted. "That we never went to Sumeria!"

"Is that what you wish?" Hades coldly asked. Raising one hand, he forced Iolaus to stare into the waters of the Styx.

Reluctantly, Iolaus watched as Gilgamesh drowned the Sumerian desert in blood...seeking the warrior whose heart would bring Dahok into their world...leading the Sumerian armies further away from their homeland...until they were pitched in battle against the Greeks led by the King of Corinth.

"Iphicles...no...NO!" Iolaus tried to close his eyes, but Hades used his power to keep them open. Helplessly, Iolaus watched as Iphicles fell beneath Gilgamesh's blade...watched as the Sumerian king drank the blood from Iphicles' open gaping wound...seeing the sky turn an orange-red as Dahok possessed Iphicles...who turned to face his grieving demigod half-brother...

"Stop it!" Iolaus shouted, finally able to close his eyes. "Just...stop it!"

Hades stepped back, allowing Iolaus to fall to his knees. "The road to Tartarus is paved with good intentions," he repeated. "Remember that." After a moment, he held out one gloved hand. "Come on. I'll take you back." He grinned. "Before my nephew storms the Underworld looking for you."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Hercules, stop pacing," Alcmene urged. "You're making ME nervous."

"They should have been back by now," Hercules grunted. He hesitated, then resumed pacing. "From wherever they went."

"He truly cares about...Iolaus," Jasmine half-frowned.

"Very much," Alcmene assured her. "They've been friends since childhood."

"He IS different from...the other one," Jasmine shyly acknowledged.

Alcmene stared at her pacing son. "I think you should be more concerned about what Iolaus could wish for," she pointed out. "He has such a caring heart."

Hercules reluctantly nodded. "And he wants to help so many. He's going to think...BIG."

They all looked up as a sudden burst of energy heralded the reappearance of Iolaus and Hades.

"Iolaus! Are you alright?" Hercules demanded, walking to his friend.

"Yeah, Herc. I'm okay." Iolaus weakly smiled.

The demigod frowned, pushing between his partner and uncle. "What did you do to him, Hades?"

"Herc, he didn't do anything to me," Iolaus reassured him, putting a hand on his arm. "He...just showed me a few things. That's all."

Amusement clearly showed in the dark god's eyes as the demigod turned away. He almost pitied Ares the next time the God of War attacked his nephew and pet mortal.

"Herc...can I talk privately with Alcmene? Just for a few minutes?" Iolaus hesitantly asked.

Hercules automatically nodded, noting his friend's pale face and subdued manner. "Are you sure you're okay?" he quietly asked, putting a hand on Iolaus' arm.

The hunter smiled reassuringly. "Yeah. I'm fine." He turned and held out his hand to Alcmene. "Take a walk with me?"

Alcmene smiled and took his hand.

"Iolaus!" Hades called out. When the hunter stopped without looking back, he continued. "Remember what I said about the road."

Glancing over her shoulder, Alcmene saw Hercules grimly staring at an increasingly irritated Lord of the Underworld. "Hercules! Hades!"

Both god and demigod looked at her in surprise at the sharp tone in her voice.

Alcmene noticed how Jasmine had slid down into the bed as though to protect herself.

"No fighting. I mean it," Alcmene ordered. She slid an arm around Iolaus' waist and led him into the nearby forest.

Hades half-smiled and leaned against a nearby tree. Folding his arms across his leather-clad chest, he asked, "So what did YOU get Nemesis for her birthday, nephew?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"Tell me what I should do, Alcmene," Iolaus pleaded.

Alcmene, sitting on a fallen tree trunk, watched as the hunter paced back and forth. She was reminded of how Hercules had paced while waiting for Hades to return his friend. Hiding that smile, she looked at the ground. "What do you want?"

Iolaus grunted. "Hades asked the same thing," he muttered. "I saw what that would do."

"Iolaus...come sit here," Alcmene urged. "I can't even think while you're pacing like that."

With a sigh, the hunter sat at her feet. He idly played with the blades of grass around him. "I can't change anything about Dahok," he admitted. "What happens in its place is too...awful." He suddenly looked into her blue eyes. "I could bring you back. Herc misses you so much. And Jason, he's teaching at the Academy, but it's not a substitute for you. And Iphicles, he's so lonely...well, he and Jason are getting closer 'cause Jason's at the Academy. But, they all miss you and you could..."

"Iolaus!" Alcmene put a hand on his shoulder.

"Alcmene, coming back's not a problem!" Iolaus continued. "I mean, I've done it enough times. It doesn't hurt or anything."

"That's because your time hadn't come." Alcmene gently shook his shoulder to get his attention. "Oh, Iolaus. Thank you." She gently placed a kiss on his forehead. "You don't know how much it means that you'd even consider such a thing." Brushing back his blonde hair, she continued. "But my time here is over. And though I miss all of you so much...I'm content."

"You were in pain," Iolaus realized. "Before you...died. I could change that."

"No." The words were soft but firm.

Iolaus looked away, desperation in his eyes. "I could...bring back Herc's family. Deaineira and the kids. He'd be so happy to have them back. And Rena! I could bring her back for Iphicles!"

Alcmene silently sighed, trying not to smile. Sometimes Iolaus had such a one-track mind. "Iolaus, I've heard about what would make others happy. But nothing about what would make YOU happy."

Iolaus looked at her in surprise. "But those things WOULD make me happy."

"You had a family, too, Iolaus," Alcmene pointed out. "Don't you want them back?"

Iolaus stared at the ground in front of him. His fingers nervously tore the blades of grass into shreds. "It was so long ago," he finally muttered. "Like...they belonged to some other man." He took a deep breath. "I don't know if I could handle being with them again." He closed his eyes. "It hurt too much when I lost them."

Alcmene sadly smiled. "Just like it hurt Jason...Hercules...Iphicles...and YOU when I died," she quietly pointed out. "Just like it hurt Hercules when he lost you. Just like every loss hurts."

Iolaus half-laughed and brushed the back of his hand across his eyes. "You know Herc's been kind of...well, over-protective, huh?"

"I've noticed," Alcmene wryly agreed. At the surprised look on Iolaus' face, she innocently shrugged. "Hades isn't all THAT cold and distant. Even he likes a good home-cooked meal sometimes." She smiled at the snicker from the hunter. "And in return, he lets me check up on my family. Just don't let it get around, hmmm?"

"I won't," Iolaus promised. He half-grinned. "So, I guess wishing that Zeus and Hera stay on good terms is kind of presumptuous, huh?"

"Somehow I don't think the gods would appreciate the subtleties," Alcmene smiled. "They probably wouldn't like it that you exercised that kind of power."

"But they can," Iolaus rebelliously muttered.

"Do you want to be a god...like them?" Alcmene questioned.

"No." Iolaus shook his head. "I've seen that job. Don't want it again." His eyes darkened with painful memory. Then he laughed. "And Herc would be real upset if I wished he'd stop worrying about me dying again, wouldn't he?"

"He most certainly would," Alcmene smiled. "Besides, I don't think there's any creature THAT powerful." She took a deep breath. "Iolaus, whatever you decide...you'll do it with a kind heart and the desire to help others." Alcmene leaned forward and gave him a tight hug. "You always have."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun was two sunwidths from setting when Alcmene and Iolaus returned to camp, hand-in-hand. Jasmine hadn't moved from the bed where she protectively huddled with her bottle. Hercules sat next to the campfire idly tossing small pieces of wood into the flames. Hades stood leaning against a nearby tree, looking bored.

Iolaus hesitated, then dropped Alcmene's arm and walked past his partner to Hades.

Hercules stood and took his mother's arm. He glanced down at her only to see Alcmene silently shake her head. "I've no idea what he's going to do," she admitted.

Hades silently watched Iolaus approach, noting the look of determination on the mortal's face.

"You're going to take Alcmene back once I've completed the wishes, aren't you?" Iolaus quietly demanded.

"If not sooner," Hades answered, his dark eyes flickering over Iolaus' shoulder at the demigod.

"Let them have some time before you do that," Iolaus requested. "Just don't take her away before...Herc can talk with her and...Look, as a favor to me, okay?"

Hades' dark eyes half-closed in thought. Truthfully, he was inclined to do it anyway. But it never hurt to have someone owe him a favor. He slowly nodded. "Two sunwidths' time," he agreed. Then, seeing the position of the sun, he quickly amended. "Or moonwidth." He coldly smiled. "Whichever applies."

Iolaus agreeably nodded. "One more thing. Whoever owns the bottle...owns Jasmine. Right?" When Hades nodded, he slowly frowned. "Whoever owns the bottle...owns Jasmine...and gets the three wishes. Right?" Hades nodded a second time. Iolaus hesitated, then took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's do it." Turning, he saw Hercules staring at him in concern. He flashed a smile at his partner to reassure him.

Hercules smiled as Iolaus climbed onto the wide bed and sat cross-legged facing Jasmine. He sat his mother on the side of the bed, keeping one hand protectively on her shoulder. Hades silently stood on the other side of the bed.

Iolaus silently reached out a hand to Jasmine for the bottle. She obediently placed it in his hand and sat back.

Staring down at the bottle in his hands, Iolaus quietly spoke. "I thought about a lot of things to wish for." He glanced at Hades. "But Hades showed me it was a lot more complicated than I thought. Changing the past...altering time...changing what's already happened...well, things could have been a LOT worse."

Hercules stared at his best friend in sudden alarm then at Hades with shocked comprehension. Hades calmly returned the look but raised his eyebrows in silent meaning. The Lord of the Underworld managed not to smile when the demigod looked away.

"And Alcmene made me see that just because I want something, it's not always the best for...others," Iolaus continued, looking at the woman who'd been a mother to him. He looked apologetically at the demigod. "I realized you'd be upset with some of the things I thought about wishing for...that I was maybe being selfish in thinking I knew what somebody else would want."

"Iolaus...whatever you wish for..." Hercules suddenly found himself struggling for the right words. He took a deep breath. "It won't be for any selfish reason. I know that. You've NEVER done anything just for your own selfish reasons." Looking at his best friend, he tried to express with his eyes what he lacked the words to say.

Iolaus gratefully smiled. Then he looked down at the bottle in his hands. "Part of what I'm doing IS for selfish reasons, Herc. I don't want this power. I don't want anybody else to have it either. I want it to end." He took a deep breath, feeling both Hercules and Hades tense in anticipation. "So I wish for Jasmine to never be forced to fulfill another wish; to do so only if she wants to do it." Remembering Jasmine's reaction to the last wish, Iolaus watched the genie with concern.

The young woman's eyes rolled back in her head and golden sparks flew from her body shooting skyward to disappear in the waning sunlight. Then she opened her eyes, looking at Iolaus in stunned surprise. She slowly stretched as though easing cramped muscles. Bending forward, she lowered her forehead to the bed in front of Iolaus. "Thank you," she murmured through tears.

Alcmene slowly rubbed Jasmine's back with soothing strokes. Hades covered his mouth with one hand although the rest of his face remained inscrutable. Hercules proudly squeezed his friend's shoulder.

"There's a third wish," Hades remarked after a few moments.

Wiping her face, Jasmine sat up. "I am yours to command, mighty one."

Slowly Iolaus shook his head. "Never again." Taking a deep breath, he placed the bottle in Jasmine's lap. "My last wish is for you to own the bottle for all eternity."

Jasmine stared in shock at the bottle in her lap. As she reached for it, there was a blinding flash of light.

"NO! NO! NO! IT'S NOT THAT EASY!"

"Apollo," Hercules growled as he stepped between the appearing God and the bed. He was surprised to find Hades at his shoulder.

"Actually, I believe it IS that easy," Hades commented. "You placed no restrictions on who would own the bottle...only on what the ownership entailed."

Iolaus silently stood at Hercules' left shoulder, tensely watching the angry god. Alcmene wrapped her arms around Jasmine as they knelt on the bed.

"Let it go, Apollo," Hercules urged. "Jasmine never intended to take what was yours. She was deceived as well."

Apollo's blue eyes flickered towards his half-brother. He didn't even bother to look at Iolaus.

Hades took a step forward. For a long moment, the Lord of the Underworld and the God of Light stared at each other...darkness and light measuring each other.

"Aggghhhh...she's not worth it!" Apollo finally snapped. He glared at Hades. "I won't forget this interference." Then he glared at Hercules and Iolaus. "And I won't forget the two of you either."

The God of Light started to disappear then suddenly reappeared with a loud laugh. Catching both god and demigod off guard, Apollo threw a bolt of light towards Jasmine.

"No!" Iolaus yelled as he dove to protect both Jasmine and Alcmene with his own body. The golden burst of energy struck him in the back. Dazed, he fell atop both women.

Hercules whirled back towards Apollo, grabbing the blonde god by his vest. Rage clearly shone in his deep blue eyes as he hit his half-brother with all his strength.

Apollo screamed as he was thrown backwards towards the river. His hoverboard flew in the opposite direction and was easily caught by Hades who stared at it with amusement.

Apollo emerged from the water, snarling in the demigod's direction. As he walked out of the river, Hercules silently held out his hand in Hades' direction.

Silently, the Lord of the Underworld handed Apollo's hoverboard to his nephew.

"Iolaus...Iolaus..." Alcmene frantically patted the hunter's cheek. She uneasily glanced at his furious son. "Iolaus, you need to wake up now. Hercules needs you...before he does something he'll truly regret."

"Please!" Jasmine fearfully reached for Hades' arm. "Stop them!"

Hades watched as his nephews angrily circled each other. "I don't think so," he shook his head. "Hercules hates it when the gods interfere."

Alcmene threw the dark god a look of complete frustration. Then she returned her attention to Iolaus who was moaning and trying to open his eyes.

"You like games? You like playthings?" Hercules angrily growled. He held the hoverboard in both hands. Using all his strength, he snapped the board into two pieces then casually tossed them aside. "Maybe it's time I used YOU as a plaything, Apollo. Maybe you snap just as easily."

Apollo uneasily looked past Hercules towards his uncle...who calmly returned the look with a bored expression.

"Hercules! Don't!" Alcmene shouted. "No one's been hurt!" She glanced down to see Iolaus struggling to sit up.

Ignoring his mother, Hercules again grabbed Apollo by the vest. Headbutting the blonde god, he smiled in grim satisfaction at the blood which began flowing from Apollo's nose.

Dazedly shaking his head, Iolaus focused on his partner in time to see the demigod draw back his fist. From the expression on Hercules' face, Iolaus knew the demigod wouldn't hold back this time.

"Herc! No!" Determined, Iolaus leapt towards his partner, managing to wrap his arms around the demigod's arm. "Don't!"

"You tell me why he doesn't deserve this," Hercules angrily growled.

"Because he didn't kill anyone," Iolaus gently murmured. "Herc, don't start a war we can't win."

Suddenly shocked by his actions, Hercules threw Apollo aside. He stared down at his partner's worried face then turned as Alcmene slid a comforting arm around his waist. "Iolaus...oh, Mother. I'm sorry. Forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive," Alcmene sniffed as she hugged her son tightly.

Hades waved a hand restoring Apollo's hoverboard to its original condition. "I think you need to leave now, Apollo," he advised in a stern tone of voice. "Before I feel it necessary to reveal this...incident to the other gods." He coldly smiled. "And I assure you, they'll probably love hearing how you've been defeated."

Apollo stared into his uncle's cold dark eyes and scowled. "Like I said, I won't forget this." He disappeared in a brilliant burst of light that nearly blinded them.

"Sore loser," Hades grumbled, painfully rubbing his eyes.

"Is it true?" Jasmine whispered. "I'm free?"

"Yeah," Iolaus relaxed with a smile. "At least...that's what I wished for." He glanced at Hades. "And from Apollo's reaction, I'd say it worked."

"Why did you interfere?" Hercules curiously asked his uncle.

Hades cocked his head to one side. "Let's just say I was tired of mortals making stupid wishes, nephew."

"I'M FREE!" With a tinkling laugh, Jasmine jumped to her feet. "I'M FREE! I'M GOING HOME!"

Alcmene sat back with smile as the genie happily bounced on the bed. As the girl bounced higher and higher, she began to dissolve into mist and smoke.

"HOME...I'M GOING HOME...OH THANK YOU THANK YOU, MIGHTY ONE!"

"Iolaus! My name's Iolaus!" the hunter shouted. But he smiled when Hercules chuckled.

They heard the genie sniffling against the tears. "I'm going home. Thank you, Iolaus." The jade green bottle slowly levitated and moved through the air until it rested in Iolaus' hands. "For your friend's birthday."

"You're welcome, Jasmine...and thank you." Iolaus watched in awe as the mist and smoke drifted towards the treetops then shot eastward...towards Persia and home.

Still keeping one arm around her son's waist, Alcmene pulled Iolaus into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you," she whispered.

Iolaus hugged her in return, trying not to blush.

As they separated, Hercules looked at first his mother, then at his uncle. "Hades..."

"I promised Iolaus you and Alcmene would have two sunwidth's time together," Hades coolly interrupted. "Or in this case..." He squinted at the setting sun. "Two moonwidth's time."

Hercules looked at Iolaus who refused to look at his friend. "What did you promise in return, Iolaus?"

"It doesn't matter what he promised." Hades permitted himself a rare smile. "This is a freebie. It was worth the look on Apollo's face." He ruefully rubbed the back of his neck. "I've wasted enough time here. I'm behind on my work. In fact, I might be a while before I return for Alcmene." He saw the look of surprise on his nephew's face and mentally smiled. This would be worth it for the look on the demigod's face. "Just so you don't worry about something going wrong, Hercules. I know how you worry about such things. It'll probably be dawn before I have a chance to return."

"You know, I think I'll do some night hunting," Iolaus briskly decided. "Haven't had a chance to do that for a long while. I need to sharpen up my skills."

"Don't be ridiculous, Iolaus," Alcmene protested.

Iolaus shook his head, raising a hand to cut off whatever Hercules was going to say. "I've had my time with you, Alcmene," he gently spoke. Leaning forward, he gave her a hug and quick kiss on the cheek. "I love you," he whispered. "I'll be back before dawn."

The hunter turned away before Hercules could speak. He jumped when Hades put a hand on his shoulder. "I think I know of something worthy of your skills as a hunter," the Lord of the Underworld decided as they disappeared.

"Hades!" Hercules shouted. He looked at his mother in surprise when she chuckled under her breath.

"We'll be back." Hades' voice eerily echoed around them. "You worry too much, Hercules."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The sun was just peeking over the horizon when Iolaus and Hades returned. They saw Hercules and Alcmene standing next to the river in a tight embrace. The hunter and god exchanged silent looks before Iolaus walked towards them.

Alcmene broadly smiled as Iolaus approached. She opened her arms and Iolaus hugged her tightly before turning away.

"You two watch out for each other," Alcmene sternly ordered.

"Yeah." Iolaus wiped his eyes before turning back around. "We will."

"We always do, Mother," Hercules gently replied. He started to say something else, then looked at Hades. "Thanks."

Hades silently nodded and held out a hand for Alcmene who gently took his hand. As they disappeared, they heard Hades' voice. "What's for dinner tonight, Alcmene?"

Hercules' eyes widened in shock. "Iolaus...did I hear..." He stared at his partner in confusion when Iolaus collapsed in laughter.