Part 19:

Jett arrived in Poteidaia close to midday. Like Amphipolis, the town appeared to be deserted. Growling under his breath, he headed to Lila and Lecter's homestead, not stopping until he was nearly at their door. Hearing the hoof-beats, Lila came out, Sarah, Aimee, and Lennox following her.

"Uncle Jett!" Aimee, a pretty little girl with sparkling green eyes and dark hair called out as she came running over to him while he dismounted from Red Fox.

"Hi kids," he said with a halfhearted smile as they gathered around him excitedly. "Hey, Lila."

"Hi, Jett." Lila saw the look in her brother-in-law's eyes and the smile faded from her lips. "This isn't a social call," she said with a small sigh. "It's getting worse, isn't it?"

Jett nodded. "Xena and Gabrielle want you to come to our village so you'll be safe." He looked down at the three children and smiled. "How would you like to see the rest of your family?"

"Yay! I get to see Andy!" Lennox cried out excitedly. "Let's go!" He ran back into the house, the girls following behind him.

The smile fell from Jett's lips as he faced Lila. "Where's Lecter?"

"Out helping Father in the fields. Jett, you're going to have a rough time convincing Father to leave. We tried to convince him before when everyone else was leaving town but he wouldn't listen to us. We decided to stay behind and help him and Mom out," Lila said with a sigh.

"I know. Can you get ready to leave? I still need to get my mother - and Meg and her girls..."

Lila's eyebrows shot up at Jett's last words. "Sure. The kids can help me get the wagon and horses ready. But... Meg and her girls?"

Jett nodded as he mounted Red Fox. "Long story, Lila!" he yelled over his shoulder and giving her a single wave as he had his horse go off in a full gallop.

"Be careful!" Lila yelled back, returning the wave. She lingered for a moment in the front yard, watching him riding down the road. Shaking her head, she then hurried into the house to start packing.

As Jett approached Herodotus' and Hecuba's home, he saw that Gabrielle's father and Lecter were heading towards the house for some lunch. The two men stopped and turned around to see who was coming while Hecuba exited the house. He had Red Fox come to a halt and he nimbly dismounted the chestnut gelding.

"Hello Jett," Herodotus greeted him warily as he approached.

"No time for small talk, I'm afraid," Jett replied, deciding not to mince words with the older man. "We've got trouble and Gabrielle wants you to come with..."

"You mean that woman wants us to come!" Herodotus growled, rudely interrupting Jett. "This is my home and I'm not leaving the crops to rot!"

Before Jett could say a word in response, Hecuba surprised everyone and spoke up. "Herodotus, stop being so stubborn because you know that the longer that we stay here, the more danger we're in! I'd rather take my chances in dying with all of my family and friends around us rather than trying to survive on our own here! I'm leaving - with or without you - today! Put your stupid grudge against Xena aside and listen to reason for once in your life! It's madness to stay here!"

"She's right," Lecter said. "I'm not keeping Lila and our children in danger any longer. We're leaving Poteidaia today."

"And so am I!" Hecuba angrily added in. She turned around and went back into the house to pack a few things.

Herodotus stared at Hecuba in wide-eyed amazement as she stormed inside the house for a moment before he turned around to stare at the two younger men, who calmly returned the stare.

"Are Lila and the kids getting ready?" Lecter asked.

Jett nodded. "I stopped by your home first. They should be ready to go by the time you get there." He turned towards Herodotus. "I think that Dorie would be very disappointed not to see you with the rest of the family," he said, gazing at the older man intently.

Herodotus' eyes softened at the mention of his oldest granddaughter. "Then I shouldn't disappoint her, should I?" he asked after a short silence. He nodded then and headed into the house to help Hecuba pack.

Lecter grinned at Jett before he began walking towards the barn to get the wagon and two workhorses.

Jett shook his head in amazement. "Well, I'll be damned. Bro actually was right," he murmured as he followed Lecter into the barn to help him get the horses and wagon ready.

With Jett and Lecter's help, Gabrielle's parents were ready to leave quickly. As Herodotus came out with the last of the possessions they were taking with them and put them inside the wagon, Jett took Lecter aside. "Do you have anything in case...?" he murmured.

Lecter nodded. "Yes, I still have my sword from my time in the army. I'll make sure I bring it along in case we get attacked by highwaymen." He watched as his father-in-law headed back inside the house and began closing all the window shutters. There was a pause and then he said, "You just be careful on the road."

"Don't worry. I'm always careful. I'll see you all in a couple of days," Jett said as he mounted Red Fox.

Hecuba hurried out the door, clutching a small package in her hands. "Jett, wait! I made you something to eat."

Jett took the parcel from Hecuba with a tiny smile at her thoughtfulness. "Thanks. Now you all better get going and have a safe trip."

"You too," Hecuba said and she walked over to the wagon.

Jett nodded and waved to the three before he had Red Fox go into a full gallop.

It was late in the day when Jett arrived at the hilltop overlooking the village his mother now lived in. His eyes hardened and he cursed softly when he saw smoke rising up into the sky. He reared Red Fox up and then galloped down towards the village. As he rode into the devastated village center, Red Fox grew nervous from the lingering smoke-filled air and his ears lay back against his head as he whinnied.

"Easy, boy!" Jett said, reaching down to pat the gelding's neck in reassurance. His eyes flicked over to the left and he saw the badly burned body of a man lying on the ground. His heart leapt into his throat at the gruesome sight. "Oh no! Please, no!" he muttered as he had Red Fox race towards his mother's home on the opposite side of the village, cursing himself for not getting there faster.

As Jett rode up to the house, he saw that the main gate had been destroyed. He had Red Fox carefully walk around it and came to a halt when he saw the remains of his mother's home. One figure stood before it, and Jett saw to his relief that it was Jezda. He leapt off the horse and ran over to her. "Mother! You're all right," he said as he hugged her.

Jezda only stared at the smoldering remains of the house and whispered over and over, "Tout allé. Tout est allé..." All gone. Everything is gone.

Jett moved back so that he held his mother gently at the shoulders. He didn't like the blank look on her face nor the dullness in her dark eyes - and when she lapsed into her native tongue like that... "Mother, do you know who I am?" he asked urgently, barely managing to suppress the urge to shake her back to reality.

Jezda blinked as she stared at Jett, the blank and dull expression in her eyes slowly fading away. She reached up to gently run her fingers down his cheek. "Un de mes bébés... Vous êtes Jett..."

Thank the Gods, he thought and sighed as he pulled her close to him again. "Yes, Mother. I'm Jett. Do you know what happened?"

Jezda raised her head to look up into the sky and shivered against her oldest son. "Fireballs from the sky. Some died. Some managed to escape and left," she replied - this time in her softly accented Greek, to Jett's infinite relief.

Jett continued to hold her against him, wondering why she didn't leave with those who managed to escape. "Mother, I came to take you to our village. You'll be safe there."

Jezda shook her head. "No one is safe, my son, from the wrath of the Gods. All is lost."

Jett ran his fingers through her hair. "I promise that you'll be safe there." He raised his head to look at the smoldering remains of her home again and frowned. "Mother, where's Agatone and his wife?"

"Gone."

"Gone? Do you mean that they're dead?"

Jezda shook her head. "No, just gone. I told them to leave, and they left two days ago."

Jett nodded but he knew that Hemes' nephew and his wife had to be dead. They were too loyal and never would leave Jezda behind to fend for herself when there was trouble, especially trouble like this. She must've seen them get killed and she was still in shock, he thought silently. He looked up at the sky and then back down at her. "Mother, we have to leave here. Do you need anything?" he asked softly.

Jezda slowly withdrew from her oldest son's embrace and walked over to Red Fox. "I have nothing left. The Gods took it all. Help me up, son, and let's leave this place."

Jett joined his mother and carefully helped her onto the horse, then got on behind her. "YAH!" he yelled and Red Fox galloped off in the direction that would eventually take them to Meg's place.

They did not look back at the smoldering remains of the village.

Hercules, Iolaus, White Dove, and Aphrodite walked down the road that led towards the village their friends resided in troubled silence. There was a sudden flash of blue-white light beside the Love Goddess and Ares appeared next to her with a huge scowl on his features.

"Nice of you to join us," Iolaus mumbled.

White Dove glared at her husband, who shrugged his shoulders.

Ares merely raised his eyebrow at the smaller man before dismissing him with a derisive sniff and turning his attention back to the road.

Hercules shook his head and sighed, his eyes briefly meeting Aphrodite's. The Goddess made a face and rolled her eyes. She then made a 'his nose is out of joint' gesture. Hercules' lips twitched briefly in a slight smile.

"I saw that!" Ares growled, turning his head towards the blonde Goddess. "Keep your opinions to yourself!"

Aphrodite's blue eyes widened innocently as she returned the War God's gaze. "Who said I was like offering my opinion? I'm so stating the cold and hard facts, Bro. It's not my fault you totally struck out with the warrior babe lock, stock, and barrel again!" she ended with a giggle.

"Just shut up!" Ares muttered, his fists clenching together.

"Ooo! Way harsh with the grody 'tude," Aphrodite replied, still giggling.

"What? Wait a minute! You saw Xena last night?" Hercules asked, coming to a halt in the middle of the path.

Ares stared at his half-brother with contempt in his dark brown eyes. "Is your brain stem so tiny that you have a constant twenty-second time delay before you comprehend the most basic of sentences?" he asked. "Yes, I saw her last night."

Hercules' eyes narrowed, but surprisingly - and to the others' relief - he didn't rise to the bait. "What for?" he asked calmly. "Is she all right? Where is she?"

Ares' eyebrows rose up. "Wow. Three questions in a row. I'm impressed."

Before Hercules could retort a response, Aphrodite stepped between the half-brothers. "Both of you take a chill pill like RIGHT NOW! See that tree over there?" Long, delicate fingers waved in the direction of a very large tree a short distance away from the group. "It's so gonna become your new best friend - in more ways than one!" To emphasize her words, gold sparkles began shooting from her fingertips. "Now, are you two like gonna play nice or do I have to get rough?"

Ares glared down at Aphrodite. "Not worried about your idle threats." A tiny bluish-white spark emitted from his index finger and hit the ground with a sizzle.

"IDLE THREATS, HUH? I'LL SHOW YOU IDLE, YOU BIG GROUCH!" Aphrodite yelled, reaching back to throw a pink fireball at the War God.

Ares grinned wickedly as a fireball appeared in his own hand. "Bring it on, sis!" he crowed.

White Dove and Iolaus exchanged glances, reached out, and pulled Aphrodite aside before she could make the first strike while Hercules grabbed Ares and held the God's arms behind his back. "We don't have time for this!" he snarled angrily into Ares' ear as the God tried to pull away from his grip.

Aphrodite pulled herself away from Iolaus' and White Dove's combined grasp and ran her fingers through her curly blonde hair as she glared at Ares. "Big Bro's right - we don't have time to argue," she said. "Besides-" she added in as she snapped her fingers and restored her outfit and hair to pristine condition, "- the Warrior Babe's back home safe and sound anyway."

Ares felt Hercules' grip relax and he pulled away from his half-brother. "She is?"

The Love Goddess nodded. "Yeah! I did it myself!" She didn't mention the reason why Xena got home via Godly means as she turned her gaze towards Hercules and added in archly, Some mortals don't mind using an easier mode of transportation when the sitch calls for it!"

"Can we just get out of here?" Iolaus asked in a weary voice, watching as Hercules rolled his eyes heavenward.

"Fershure, Curly! Let's like blow this Popsicle stand already!" Aphrodite agreed cheerfully and she began walking down the path, the others following her with the exception of Ares, who stayed in the spot that he was standing in, glowering at his sister. He looked down at his open hand longingly.

"Don't even think about it, Bro!" Aphrodite trilled, not even bothering to turn around to glance back at him. She giggled as she looked up at Hercules and asked him a question.

Ares growled low in his throat as his fists involuntarily clenched together. His nostrils flared as he closed his eyes in a struggle to keep his temper and he jogged forward to catch up with the others.