Prologue

He was growing nervous about his wife's pregnancy when the time came close for her to give birth. Thinking about raising the child only made him more nervous and scared. He wasn't sure how good of a father he would be, but every night, he would walk around the halls, pondering the question. When he returns to the bedroom, he takes one look at his wife, telling himself why he had married her. The only two questions he had in mind were the two most simplest questions that a new father would ask himself: how many was she carrying and was it going to be a boy or a girl?

This night wasn't any different. He wondered around the halls, lost in thought and tired. He didn't know what to do or how to act when the child was born. When he came close to his study, he slowed down and rubbed is tired eyes. After a short yawn, he opened the door to his office and stopped dead in his tracks in the doorframe. He glanced around the small little room, seeing him and his child playing in the middle of the floor. He likes to keep things neat when it comes to work, but lately, he has been letting that go. When he started to walk again, his left arm brushed against the small sofa he had recently bought.

His eyes were set on his desk that was located in the center of the room. It was only his placed to think and the only place he can go to rest after a long day. When he got to his desk, he cleared the clutter out of his chair and placed them on the desk. Sitting down, he turned on the lamp and got comfortable. After he scooted in the right position, he pulled out the top drawer of the desk and grabbed a list of baby names and a pen.

He slowly placed the paper down on the desk as he rubbed his temples. Giving a heavy sigh, he looked at the names and saw the two he really loved. He was about to circle them when he heard a soft knock on the door. He looked up and saw his wife standing in the doorway, her hand on her overgrown stomach. Although she looked tired, she was smiling. Her baby bump told him that she was ready to give birth. She walked to the chair that was in front of the desk and sat in it. Looking at him with a gleam in her eyes, she spoke.

"The doctor came in shortly after you got out of bed," she started, "you know just to check on the child?"

Hades just looked at her with concern, not knowing what she was going to say next. He laid his pen down and gave her a "go on" look. Maleficent's smile grew as she opened her mouth to continue.

"Well, he noticed that there was another heartbeat," she told him and went on when he didn't speak, "he said that I was carrying twins and it look likes that one of them is not going to survive once they come out into the world."

Hades' mouth dropped as a shocked expression came over his face. He couldn't believe it, but her and the doctor couldn't be wrong. Knowing that she was happy to bear twins, her smile went away as she rubbed her stomach. Tears came streaking down on her face as the thought of losing one of the twins came into her mind. Her husband saw it, got out of his chair, and made his way to comfort his wife. He knelt down beside her and took her hand into his. She looked down at him, trying to smile.

"You know that I will do anything for you and the children," he said, stroking her hand. "The babies will survive, Mal. I will not let them die."

Maleficent gave a small sigh as she covered her face with her hand. She was upset that at the idea that one of the twins will not make it, but trying to make both survive is next to impossible.

"I don't know, Hades," she told him.

"Come on, Mal," he said as he kissed her hand. "You are strong and we both want our children to live fulfilling lives here."

Maleficent removed her hand from her face as she slowly got up. She does want what's best for her kids and she want them both to survive this ordeal. Looking down at her husband, who was kneeling down on the floor, and nodded. Then she felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. She clutched her stomach as Hades shot up.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he went over to her.

"I think they're coming," she answered as she clutched his toga to keep her from falling.

Hades quickly wrapped his arm around her and started to get her to the bedroom, but he couldn't. Maleficent was in too much pain that she had to lay on the sofa. She was already sweating and Hades knew that she couldn't make the trip down the hall by herself. He picked her up as she started to cry. Knowing the pain was bad, he hurried to the bedroom with his wife in his arms and sat her on the bed. He, then, called the doctor back in as Maleficent was crying in pain.

"What's the matter?" the doctor asked Hades as he came rushing in.

"She went into labor," was all Hades could manage out as the doctor rushed over to Maleficent.

The doctor mumbled as he spread Maleficent's legs and told her to push. Hades walked into the hall and closed the door. He turned his back towards the wall of the hallway and once it had touched it, he slid down. He could hear his wife's cries among his own. Knowing that she wanted him in there, he couldn't bear to watch her suffer. It had felt like an eternity and finally he heard a soft cry of a child followed in suit by another. He slowly got up and walked back into the room, seeing Maleficent holding two young infants in her arms. The doctor grunted as he left the room, leaving the two alone. Hades looked at him as he passed him then looked back at his wife.

"What's-"

"He's mad because the twins came three weeks early," Maleficent said before he had finished his sentence, "Now come over here and hold your daughter."

Hades gave a small laugh as walked over to the bed and sat down. Maleficent handed him a pink blanket that was unusually light and as he looked down, he saw his little girl, breathing heavily. He wanted to cry, not knowing how to react to his daughter being so small. Maleficent smiled, holding the other infant in her arms tightly. For once, she was happy that the twins came out safely. Looking at her husband, she asked him a question.

"What should we name our son and daughter?" she asked, smiling.

Hades looked at his wife with a slight smile as his daughter wiggled in his arms. He thought for a moment before he spoke to her.

"Our son shall be named Zephyr," he said slowly, as he looked at his son all nestled in his mother's arms then, looking at his little girl, he continued, "and our daughter shall be named Kara."

Maleficent smiled gracefully as she kissed the forehead of her son. As she did so, Hades got up with his daughter and walked over to the bedroom window. He looked down at his daughter as tears began to fill up in his eyes. Knowing that she wasn't going to make it through the night, he wanted to help her. So, he did the unthinkable. He placed a hand on his daughter's forehead as he hummed a lullaby. Kara didn't make a sound as a small light appeared on her body, indicating that her father had given her half of his immortality. Kara gave her father a small smile as they went back over to the bed.

Maleficent looked at her husband with tired eyes as he sat back down on the bed. She didn't know what he had done, but she wanted to know.

"What have you done to Kara?" she asked gently.

Hades gave a slight sigh as he let Kara play with his fingers. He didn't want to respond because he didn't know why he had done it.

"I gave her some of my immortality," he replied quietly.

Maleficent was shocked by what she just heard. She knew that their daughter wouldn't make it, but her husband had just given up half of his immortality. A tear slowly came down her face as Hades looked at her with a worried look.

"Mal, what's wrong?" he asked as Zephyr began to cry.

She wiped away the tear and gave him a heartfelt smile. Before she spoke, she hushed Zephyr, softly touching the skin of the newborn. Then she looked up at her husband and touched his arm.

"I'm happy yet worried," she replied and when he gave her a questionable look, she responded by saying, " I am happy that you had given Kara half of your immortality just to save her life, but I am also worried that she'll live a longer life then her brother."

Hades stared at Maleficent for a minute before looking down at Kara. She was sleeping soundly in his arms and as he touched her tiny hand, Kara gave a small cry. Then he looked at Zephyr, sleeping in his mother's arms. Maleficent pulled her hand away to adjust Zephyr's blanket. Then she looked back at Hades with pleading eyes. Giving a little sigh, Hades got up and walked over to the single crib. He gently placed Kara in the crib, tucking her in. Then he walked back over to the bed, kissing Maleficent before talking Zephyr into his arms. Once he had safely got Zephyr into his arms, he sat down on the bed and hummed the same lullaby as he placed his hand on his son's forehead. The infant gave a soft cry just as his sister did, making him feel guilty.

After a moment, Zephyr fell asleep in his father's arms. Maleficent smiled a bit at the two before she fell asleep. Looking over at his sleeping wife, Hades slowly got up and over to where Kara was sleeping. He gently laid his son right beside his sister and kissed both of their foreheads. Smiling, Hades walked back to the window, thinking on how he would be living as a mortal. He was still feeling guilty, but he had to do what he needed to do to save his children. Crossing his arms, Hades tried to think of a way to help his children become what they should be in the future. Giving a sigh and a slight shake of the head, Hades went to the bed and crawled in. It took him a few minutes, but he eventually went to sleep.