"Wake up, sunshine."
Felix rubbed his eyes before they shot open when he realized who said that. His arms automatically tightened protectively around Sophia, who was still fast asleep. Hades was standing before him, a smile on his face than Felix knew all too well.
"I see you found your love," Hades started, walking closer to him and kneeling down. He reached out to Sophia, but Felix slapped his hand away, giving him a warning glare.
"Don't touch her," he growled at Hades.
"Now I understand why you and my son are so smitten with her, she is a real beauty," Hades said, ignoring Felix's glare. "her magic is rather strong too, I never encountered a mortal with that much power before."
"What do you want?"
Hades stood again, walking around a bit and looking at Pan, who was asleep on the other side of the fire before turning back to him. "Isn't it sweet? Your girlfriend and best friend coming down to the Underworld, risking their lives just to save you. I wish I had friends like that… oh wait, I rather not have those."
"What are you talking about?"
"You see, I didn't really appreciate the whole escape thing you did, so now you have to be punished for what you did." A grin formed on Hades lips. Felix held Sophia closer to him, putting his hand protective over her head, that was still resting against his shoulder, as if he could hide her from Hades. "This is the fun part, because this heart split thing she suggested really work. Many people have tried it before you, but sadly all of them failed."
Felix raised his eyebrow. "You just said that is worked."
"It does work if I don't mess with it," he whispered, holding his hand beside his mouth as if he was telling a secret. "because when I mess with it, it doesn't end well."
Felix clenched his jaw, really not wanting to know what Hades has planned for them.
"So I'm going to give you a choice. Option one," he held up one finger. "you tell Sophia and Peter to leave the Underworld without you. She will be save from me, she'll be with her family and you don't have to worry about her because my son will take care of her." He held up another finger. "And option two, you ignore my warning and split her heart."
"What exactly happens when we split her heart?"
"You know the saying 'all magic comes with a price'?" Felix nodded. "Well, you pay the price."
Felix clenched his jaw, he was getting sick of Hades tricks. Why couldn't he just tell him what this price was instead of spinning a whole tale around it?
"And what is this bloody price," he snarled, getting impatient.
Hades laughed darkly, enjoying his anger. "Half a heart can't leave the Underworld, so she has to stay here with you. But you know that you can move on from this place, to a better or worse one and the funny thing is," Hades kneeled down before him again and Felix was sure he was going to punch him again. "with half a heart you are alive, you can't move on to a better place if you're not dead."
Felix made a move to punch him but he caught his fist. "Oh I know that trick of yours now, but I'm not finished yet. Even if you find a way to leave this place with half a heart, she still has to pay the price of splitting the heart. It takes double magic; splitting the heart cost magic, putting one half in you and the other in herself cost magic as well. The price is double."
"Than what do we have to pay with?" Felix asked, his voice low and careful. He really didn't want to know.
"You two are still young. Well, physically you are still young," Hades said, standing up again and letting go of his fist. "I'm sure that when you get out of here you eventually want to marry her and maybe start a little family." He didn't like where this was going. "It's funny don't you think? A Lost Boy from Neverland marrying a Princess from the Enchanted Forest who have an age different of at least four centuries. If you never went to Neverland you wouldn't have even met her and if-"
"Just tell me the stupid price!" Felix yelled, tightening his arms around Sophia even more. He already knew Hades had put her and Pan under some kind of spell so they wouldn't wake until Hades was gone. He knew his Sophia and she may be a deep sleeper, but she would have woken up by now.
"Straight to the point than. Where was I…" Felix growled lowly, wanting very much to strangle that demon. "oh yes! The little family. As I was saying, you probably are not really thinking about that right now, but one day you probably want to see a little version of yourself and Sophia walking around the house, calling you 'papa' and 'daddy'. Most people want that and maybe you don't like children, then this won't be an issue for you."
Felix felt like he was going to throw up, and if he could he would held Sophia even tighter against him, not wanting this for her.
"The price is your first child."
Before Felix could say anything, do anything, Hades was gone and he felt Sophia stir in his arms. He closed his eyes for a second, feeling the anger fade and being replaced by sadness.
"Felix, what's wrong?" Sophia asked him, her voice still sleepy. He loosened her embrace, knowing that's why she thinks there is something wrong. He always holds her tightly when something's wrong.
He debated if he should tell her the truth or not. It was probably best if he told her the truth, that she couldn't bring him back unless she wanted to stay down here with him and having to give up their first child if they ever found a way back. But he didn't want that for her, he didn't want her to have to choose between him and her family. If she left now than she would be save, just like Hades said she would be. She eventually would move on, have a child with someone else and not having to give it up.
As much as it hurt him it was the only way. She had to leave or she won't be happy. All he wants is just for her to be happy. He hated this, hated it so much.
He took a deep breath before speaking. "Hades was here," he started, keeping his eyes closed.
"What?" What did he want?"
"He gave me a choice."
Sophia moved in his arms, but he still kept his eyes closed. "Felix, look at me," he felt her soft hand on his cheek. "Look at me, Felix. What did he tell you? What choice did he give you?"
He finally opened his eyes, meeting her green ones in an instant. "You can't leave," he said quietly. "if we split your heart you can't leave this place."
She stroked his cheek with her thumb, giving him a gently smile. "Well find a way. Caligo can get us out of here."
He shook his head, feeling tears prickle his eyes. Why did he always feel so emotionally around her? Not that he minded feeling vulnerable around her. It was nice to have someone he could be vulnerable around. Still, he wasn't used to it.
"Even if we find a way there is another price." It hurt, he just didn't want to tell her, didn't want it to be true. Like Hades said, they were too young to think about these kind of things. yet, here they were.
"You know you can tell me," she said gently, combing her hand through his hair a few times before trailing down his neck and settling it on his shoulder. It was a way to comfort him that she came to know a while back. He smiled slightly at how well she knew him.
He swallowed the lump in his throat. "Hades said that the price would be our first child." He looked down, not wanting to see her reaction. "I don't want to do that to you. I don't know if you even want to have kids later and it's crazy to talk about it now, but I don't want to take that away from you."
She was quiet and he held his breath. "Do you want to have children later?" she asked eventually.
"Doesn't matter what I want."
She put her finger under his chin, lifting it so that he was forced to look her in the eye. "Do you?"
A lump formed in his throat again. He hasn't really thought about what he wanted, but if he was honest with himself he quite liked the idea of a little one running through the house. He knew he would be scared as hell for all kinds of things, but if he just blocked that out and pictured his future he saw Sophia beside him and perhaps a little version of them as well.
"Maybe in the future," he found himself whispering. Sophia smiled at him and started combing her fingers through his hair again.
"Then Hades won't take that away from us." She let her forehead fall against his.
"We can't stop him."
"Of course we can, we have his son on our side."
Felix snorted. "As if that demon is going to help me."
She laughed softly. "While you were gone he changed quite a bit. He'll help us."
"Just hope you're right."
"Guys, sorry to break your sickening sweet moment, but I think we have a problem," Pan said from behind Sophia. They both turned their heads to look at him. "my magic doesn't work, it's different down here."
"What about yours?" Felix asked Sophia as he looked back at her. She sat back a little, trying a few things with her hand but nothing happened.
"Mine doesn't work either," she said in confusion.
Felix clenched his jaw, knowing fully well that this was Hades doing. "You two have to get out of here."
They both looked at him in shock. "We're not leaving without you," Pan said, surprising him.
"Plus we can't contact Caligo without our magic," Sophia added.
"That was my choice, you could either leave now or pay the price," he said, trying to convince them to leave him here. No matter how much it hurt him this was best for all of them. This way Sophia didn't have to worry about her future and even though Hades hadn't threatened Pan yet he was sure he would at some point if they stayed.
Sophia cupped with his cheeks, turning his head so he was looking at her directly. "We are not leaving without you. We haven't come this far to lose you again, okay? If we leave this place it will be the three of us, no one stays behind in this hell hole."
"She's right, Felix," Pan said, kneeling down beside them. "I'm not leaving this place unless you are right beside me when we leave. We'll figure something out, we'll defeat Hades. We're not one of his chess pieces he plays with, we are his enemy and we're going to do everything in our power to get that demon off his throne if he keeps standing in our way."
Felix swallowed and nodded, knowing that there is no way he could change their minds now. Why did he have to get such a stubborn girlfriend and best friend? "Well, than I might now a way to send him that exact message."
"No, I'm not going to kill them," Caligo repeated for the millions time. "and no, I'm not going to hurt them either."
Buddy still didn't look convinced and kept his head on his stomach.
"What else do you want me to say?"
He heard a laugh and looked away from Buddy, seeing Violet looking out the window, waving down at him. He rolled his eyes and crossed his arms.
"Can you please get off me now?"
Buddy breezed and closed his eyes as if he was going to take a nap.
"Don't you dare fall asleep on me."
No reaction.
"How can I convince you to let me go?!"
Buddy opened his eyes and turned his head, lifting his lip.
"You want food?" he asked, raising his eyebrow. "You gotta be kidding me."
Buddy gave him a very serious look.
"Fine, I'll get you a carrot cake. Can you get off me now?"
Buddy stayed in place.
"And an apple pie."
At that Buddy lifted his head and stood. Caligo immediately crawled out from under him and stood as well. He was about to approach the house when Buddy grabbed his hood and pulled him back. Caligo growled in annoyance and waved his hand. An apple pie and carrot cake appeared on the ground in front of the creature who was looking very delighted.
"Don't tell Sophia I gave you that," he said before waving his hand again and teleported himself inside Henry's room. Both Henry and Violet jumped when they saw him leaning against the door with his arms crossed. "It's rude to shut people out, you know?"
"Sorry, we didn't want to waste any time," Violet said in defense, turning back to the book as if nothing had happened.
"What do you have so far?" he asked Henry, ignoring Violet.
"Why should we tell you?" Henry asked, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair. Caligo searched his eyes, seeing almost no fear in them anymore. That stupid horse is ruining his reputation.
"I want to free the Author just as much as you do."
"Prove it."
"How the hell am I supposed to prove that?" He was beginning to get a bit frustrated.
"I think I know something," Violet said dramatically, turning around slowly on the office chair she was sitting on. A wicked smirk and mischief eyes were on her face, something that really unsettled him.
A/N: Thanks for reading! and please leave a review. they really help me write and not hearing much from you makes me a bit unsure about this story, so please, please, please review.
Score:
Sophelix: 3
Sophia & Caligo: 2
Caligo & Buddy (Calicorn): 2