((Heh, this didn't take as long as I thought it would ...but I'm still sorry for the long-ish wait. ^^; Okay, so umm ...just as a little heads up. I won't have much time to write; *sad sigh* along with school, work, etc. I got a lead role in the theater I'm usually in. *happy dance* But it will take much more out of my writing time. So for that, I'm sorry. *cries* Alright, 'nuf of that!

Laughs4life...Naww, I'm sorry to hear you were sick. Hope you're feeling better, my sweet friend! *cyber huggle* As for Adrian being an *******...yeah, it's okay to call him that! 'Cause, he is. So, no need to excuse your language. ^-^ *meow* Hehe, and if Creon didn't have his thoughts last chapter, he does now. Just to give you a little sneak-peak before ya read ahead.

KPFAN3617...Ya know, I was going to have Hercy do a bit more than choke him to death, but I thought better of it. Since this is only a "T" rated fan-fiction. ;) And oh my gosh, I LOVED that episode! It's probably one of - if not - my favorite episodes within the series. Followed closely behind "The Yearbook" and "Arabian Nights". Oh! And "The Gorgon". I loved Medusa in that one, she was so sweet! Thank you so much; I might just have to take you up on that offer sometime. Mainly with one of my upcoming chapters. (It's a while ahead, so I won't bother you guys with it now.)

Guest...Yeah. I don't know why, but I just see Pegasus as the "protective" type. Even if it's towards Meg. I dunno, it might just be me. *shrugs* And thank you so much! That's very, VERY kind of you. :)

VAH...Hehe; wish granted, my friend. ;D And thank you for all the support!

asuvsuofa...Aww, I'm a sensitive person too! And I'm REALLY glad you gotta kick outta that little dorky line I forced Meg to say. XD And no, thank you sweetheart! Trust me, you all could NEVAH bother me! (Sorry, I didn't read you're review until JUST now. ^^;)

Happy *belated* new year to everyone! Just in case I forgot to mention that in the last chapter. Hope you all have a wonderful day, and God bless ya'll!))

After a completely silent ride home, Pegasus landed on the ground next to the stables. The stallion looked back at his two human friends; he was confused as to why they weren't acting themselves. Usually they were like playful, love-struck yearlings during the rebirth - or Spring, as humans liked to call it. Now, they were quiet, as if in a trance of their own worries and confusion.

While his best friend helped his mate down, Pegasus looked to Phil for some sort of answer.

The satyr shrugged, and then hopped off with a huff. "Okay, I've had enough o'this!"

Hercules and Meg looked down at the goat-man. "Will one of ya tell us what's goin' on?! ...First we find little miss ovah in an alley gettin' ruffed up by some wacko! Then all of a sudden, you decide you're just gonna strangle him to death?!" Phil paused, but didn't wait for an answer. "It's understandable why you were upset; I mean, I was too ...and she aint even my dame! But ...You've nevah lost your cool like that before. Why now?"

Hercules lowered his head, and sighed. "Phil, it's not what you think it is. Okay?"

Raising his hands into the air dramatically, Phil shot back. "Well then, get to explainin' yourself! ...Just tell me and Peg what happened."

Before Hercules could say anything back, Mrs. Korinna came storming out of the villa.

"What is wrong with you?!" She demanded as she all-but slammed into Meg, hugging her tightly. Meg stumbled back, but that didn't deter Korinna. She was trying to sound angry, but anyone could see that she was just concerned.

Pulling back, Korinna studied Meg and noticed the still fading bruise on the young woman's cheek. "Oh my goodness! What happened? ...You didn't start a fight, did you?!" She asked in a very motherly tone. Not letting her answer the question though; Korinna just hugged Meg again. "I was so worried. Don't you ever do that to me again, you nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Sighing a deep breath she had been holding in, Meg lightly hugged Korinna back, but her expression still remained as it did beforehand.

While Phil watched, he began grumbling and turned an even brighter shade of red. Hercules noticed this, and before his trainer could explode again, he beat him to it. "Look Phil ...Meg and I will explain things later, I promise. But right now, we need to talk ...Alone."

Phil's cheeks slowly started to die down in color at this, and Meg cringed at Hercules' tone of voice. Feeling the girl flinch in her arms, Korinna loosened her grip, and looked at Meg's face for her expression. It was so many things, all just piled up into a sloppy mess of emotions. Korinna could barely decipher which ones were which. "Meg?" She asked tenderly, as if asking "what was going on" just by saying her name.

"I'm sorry Korinna-" Meg began as she hesitantly walked over to Hercules. "But this is between me and Herc. And ...we have a lot more to talk about than the three of you realize."

Phil, Korinna, and Pegasus exchanged glances at this. Hercules gently took Meg's hand in a comforting way, and she looked up at him with unmistakable guilt shining in her eyes. He gave her a small smile, trying to reassure her, but she still looked uncertain.

Within a surprising three minutes; Hercules and Meg finally convinced Phil and Korinna into letting them go and talk to one another by themselves. Hercules escorted Meg to the garden for their own comfort, and for the hopeful privacy it would bring.

Walking over to a bench that was placed in front of a small fountain, Hercules sat down. Meg followed, doing the same - only a bit more slowly. When Meg finally sat beside him, Hercules looked over at her, but she remained focused on the ground in front of her. At this rate, we're going to get nowhere. Hercules thought, thinking he was the one who was going to have to start.

But surprisingly, he didn't. "I should have told you something a ...a lot sooner, than just now." Meg said, still not making eye contact.

Herc's eyes widened at this, but his expression soon softened. "W-What do you mean?" He was still thinking about Adrian. Could this be about the deal with Hades? Hercules thought to himself.

Meg slightly scoffed at herself, and shook her head. "I don't even know were to begin." She then moved her head down to her hands, as if it would hide her from the oncoming troubles ahead. She quickly realized it wouldn't, so she sucked it up - a habit she did more often than any sane person should - and looked up to Hercules. The concern in his eyes made her feel even more guilty, but at the same time, it almost brought a smile to her lips. He cared about her; she knew that already, but it eased her bad thoughts at the moment.

"Let's just ...start at the beginning, and move our way down?" Hercules suggested.

Sighing unintentionally, Meg nodded. "Alright. Guess that pretty much starts at this morning." She then rolled her eyes. "Actually, a bit further back than that I guess."

Hercules had almost forgotten about how strange she had been acting earlier that morning. He was confused as to why it would start there, but he wasn't going to stop to ask why. It seemed important to her. "Yeah ugh ...y-you did seem pretty upset after Phil showed up."

"I'm sorry about that. I didn't deal with it like I should have. It wasn't Phil's fault, and it certainly wasn't yours." Meg admitted. "After I heard that man's name ...I don't know what came over me."

Now Herc was really confused, and it was certainly showing. "King Creon?" She then nodded her head, and mumbled a soft "yeah." His thoughts kept pounding against one another. "What does king Creon have to do with it?" Hercules thought aloud.

Meg started wringing her hands together; like Hercules, it was a habit she usually did when she was nervous. "That's what I ugh ...I should've told you sooner. A lot sooner." She paused, and averted her eyes up to Herc's. "King Creon is my ...father."

The last word was barely audible, but Hercules heard it clear as day. And like she expected, his expression matched his thoughts perfectly. He opened his mouth to say something, but all that came out was a bunch of strange babbling noises.

"H-He ...king C-Creon is your f-father?" Hercules stuttered, repeating the answer as if he heard incorrectly. But it actually made sense! Meg had mentioned that she had two sisters named Astraia and Jocasta; which was why the names sounded so familiar. Her eyes and hair were the same color as Creons. And her enslavement to Hades was near the exact same time she ran away from home!

"You're his eldest daughter." He said breathlessly. That's when another thing hit him though, and his eyes widened again. "Wait a minute! Th-That means ...you're-" he trailed off, unable to say it.

"-A princess." Meg finished for him, saying it as though it was the most normal thing in the world.

Herc's mouth dropped. "Meg?! ...Wh-Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Meg stood up, and looked down at Hercules. "Because! ...Herc, I'm still the exact same person you found in a forest, being chased by a smelly, brainless centaur. And it's not like you're UN-familiar with royalty. You're the son of the king and queen of the gods, for your father's sake!" She then crossed her arms over her chest, and spun around, her back now facing Hercules. "I just ...I just didn't want you treating me like some, well ...princess!"

Thoughts were once again pounding against the walls of Herc's mind. Mainly the fact of what king Creon had mentioned earlier. Since his son's have passed; Meg is Creon's oldest child, which means that ...she's the next in line.

"Besides-" Meg began, interrupting Hercules's train of thoughts. "-It's not like I can ever go back. I mean ...the last thing I said to my father was that I hated him, all because he didn't approve of my relationship with the same guy who hit me in an alley-way today!" She then sighed. "...I wouldn't even blame him if he hated me back."

At the mention of Adrian, Hercules had a strange desire to just go down to the prison, and finish him off. But by Meg's saddened tone, Hercules remained were he sat. He could tell just how ashamed she was, and how much she really didn't hate her father. She was just trying to convince herself that she did; but even the ever-so ignorant Hercules could see through that. He stood up, and walked up behind Meg, wrapping his arms around her. "He actually mentioned you in our conversation today - well, not your name of course - but ...by the way he was acting; I can tell you now, he misses you a lot more than you think. Maybe even more than you miss him."

Meg spun around to look at Hercules, the shock in her expression almost making him smile. "...Really?" She asked, almost pleading, and not even trying to convince him that her hatred for her father still remained.

Nodding while pulling her closer, Hercules smiled wider. "Yeah." At another thought; Hercules' smile turned into a small smirk. "And you know ...I'd bet just about anything that he'd be more than happy to allow us a special visit back to the palace. I mean ...you are one of the only three princesses of Thebes. So, it is technically your palace too."

At this; Meg bit her bottom lip nervously, thinking her options through. She only seemed to have three though. It was either; go to the palace and having a 50 percent chance at Hercules being right, go to the palace and have her father up in an uproar of disaster, or ...just not going at all. "Y-You're absolutely sure about this?" Meg finally questioned.

It was halfway between twilight and dusk, and Creon had been pacing ever since Hercules left; it was his thinking method. His two daughters, Chariton, and Therapon watched from a distance. They knew not to interrupt unless it was absolutely necessary, or important to what he was thinking about.

Creon kept mumbling words to himself, words no one else in the room could make out clearly. Like that morning, his hair was in disarray from running his hands through it so many times, and he had disregarded his crown and robe somewhere in the room.

"I just-" Creon finally began; everyone in the room looking to him. "I-I I just didn't even think of that one thing. I thought of everything else! ...And the one thing I didn't is-" he then trailed off with a sigh, still not moving his attention off of the ground. No one made a sound; although Creon wasn't a frightening man, his split personality came out during times like these, and it wasn't pleasant.

And although no one said anything, they could see that his expression turned into anger. "How can some ordinary girl win his heart? ...He could have possibly ANY woman he wanted, and he chooses a commoner ...over a princess?! Who in their right mind would-"

"Your grace?" A timid guard by the door interrupted, shaking in his armor as everyone - except Creon - stared at him in horror. King Creon's face turn blood-red, and he spun around to look at his guard. "WHAT?!"

The guard started stuttering, and looked to his right, then back to the king. "Y-Y-You have a ...v-visiter s-s-sir." He said, gulping mid sentence.

Rubbing his temples roughly, Creon gritted his teeth, and answered back. "Tell whoever it is that I am in NO mood to discuss politics right now, and that it will have to wait until the morning!"

"B-B-Bu...But-" The guard tried explaining, but to his relief; the visiter came forward. "...I'm not here to discuss politics, Creon." Hercules said confidently, smiling; hoping it would lighten up the claustrophobic atmosphere in the room.

Gasps escaped, and quiet - but still noticable - comments escaped from behind Creon. The king only stared wide-eyed with his mouth hung open. Finally composing himself a bit, the redness soon left Creon's face. "Oh ...H-Hercules? I ugh, I wasn't expecting to see you back so soon."

The hero nodded. "Yes, I am sorry for coming with no other warning. But I wanted to bring something back up from our conversation earlier today. If ...that's alright with you, of course?" When Creon slowly nodded, Hercules continued. "Well ...first, I would like you to meet the girl I told you about."

Before king Creon could say anything towards that; Hercules went back to the door to address someone hiding in the hallway, everyone assuming it to be the girl.

"Herc, I don't know if I can do this." Meg whispered, feeling sick to her stomach.

Hercules knew she was just nervous, so he pulled her closer and kissed her forehead. "It's gonna be alright, I promise." Everyone heard him say as he guided the girl into the room.

Everyone went wide-eyed when they saw Meg come out of the shadows. Meg's eyes instantly caught with her fathers, and her mind went blank; she couldn't even hear or see anyone else in the room, just him. But she did turn when Hercules said something.

"I ugh ...don't think I have to introduce her to any of you?" Hercules questioned, feeling Meg cling just a tad bit closer to him when she saw Creon take a step towards them. Astraia and Jocasta were also on their feet now, looking as if they were face to face with a ghost.

"Me-Megara?" Creon asked, almost to make sure he wasn't just seeing things. She saw tears welling in his eyes, and that seemed to be all the encouragement she needed. Meg nodded, feeling her own tears start to glisten her eyes.

That was all the conformation he needed as well. He raised his hand, as if to touch Meg's cheek, but instead; Creon tackled her into a hug. Hercules's smile widened to full capacity when he saw Meg hug her father back with just as much force; she wasn't even trying to hold back her crying, and neither was Creon. "I don't hate you." Meg whimpered as Creon lovingly weaved his fingers through his daughter's hair, and shook his head in disbelief. "-I'm sorry ...I'm so sorry."

They reluctantly pulled back, and looked into each other's eyes. Simultaneously, they laughed when they saw just how emotional one was towards the other. He wasted no time into wiping his daughter's tears away, not even fussing with his own, before kissing her forehead.

Meg's smile grew as he held his lips there. He still remembers. As a little girl; whenever she was upset, he would always wipe away her tears, and kiss her forehead like this. This was the man she remembered looking up to, and loving as a child, not the one who was always bitter and depressed towards everyone because of his wife and sons' deaths; he seemed so pleasantly different from the last time they spoke.

-Flashback-

During a mid-summer night; the sound of Zeus raining his thunder down upon the Earth rattled the windows of the palace. The sound was soon followed by five screams, the running of tiny feet, and a mixture of calls for their parents.

"Mamma! ...Papa!" Before the couple who owned the abode could even clear the sleep from their eyes, the door to their bedroom squeaked open, and five sets of eyes begged for permission to enter.

Henioche was the first to sit up. Before she could ask why her children had awaken at such a strange hour of the night, another clap of thunder answered her question. From what she could see in the darkened room, the five flinched with fright, and barreled towards her and her husband not a moment sooner.

Once Her husband, Creon lit a candle; she saw her two sons wrapped tightly against her frame, and her three daughters clinging to their father.

Haemon was their eldest son, being eight and the leader of "the pack". Lycomedes was the second at seven years old, and was the most shy and timid of the bunch. Then there was Megara, although only five, she's the most headstrong and stubborn person in the entire family. Next was Astraia, being four and the little "drama-queen". And last but not least was Jocasta; the youngest at three years old; and like Lycomedes, she was quiet shy as well.

"What on Earth is-" Creon began to say. "Make him stop!" Haemon cried out.

"Who, sweetie?" Henioche asked softly while weaving her fingers through her son's golden hair. "Zeus! ...He's mad at us, momma." Lycomedes answered.

"...Now, why would Zeus be made at you?" Creon whispered, cradling Astraia and Jocasta in his arms while Megara hid her face against his chest to hide her tears.

"...It's all Meg's fault!" Haemon accused bitterly, glaring at his little sister.

Both Henioche and Creon's attention was now on the sobbing girl. Henioche motioned for Creon to hand her Astraia and Jocasta. Once doing so; he pried Megara's hands from his waist, and slid her onto his lap. "Megara?" Creon questioned.

"...I didn't mean it!" She cried hysterically.

"What didn't you mean?" Creon asked as he placed his hand under Meg's chin so he could see her face. Her violet eyes, the same color as his own, were now red and filled with fear. Wiping her tears away with the back of her hand, Meg tried to stop crying, but her breathing continued to get caught in her throat.

"It's okay, honey ...Just tell us what happened." Her mother said as she played with her daughter's auburn locks.

"I-I ...I said that-" Meg began, but before she could finish, she started crying again. "I said that Zeus was stupid! H-He could stop this war, and then you wouldn't have to go away!" She blurted out, clinging to her father even tighter. "Now he's going to smite us, and it's all my fault!"

Henoiche looked to her husband sadly. He was leaving tomorrow morning, and while everyone was upset about it, Meg was definitely taking it the hardest. She loved her father more than just about anything, and she would tell any person who asked her with pride. Megara invented "daddy's little girl", and although he wouldn't admit it out loud: Meg was Creon's favorite too.

Pulling Meg closer to his chest, Creon rocked her back and forth. "Hey now ...it's not your fault because Zeus isn't going to smite any of you."

Meg nodded her head to this. "Yes he is!" She mumbled against the fabric of Creon's tunic.

"No...he's not. And you wanna know why?" Creon said with confidence as he gently pulled her away so she could see his face. Haemon, Lycomedes, Astraia, and Jocasta watched as they listened intently. "I had a talk with Zeus." Creon said, and Megara's eyes widened.

"Y-You did? ...What did you s-say?" Meg asked as her father readjusted her into a more comfortable position.

"I asked Zeus if he would talk to Ares about this nasty war. But ...Zeus might not be able to convince him, so to make sure you're all safe ...I have to go and help. Do you understand?"

After thinking her father's words though for a moment, Meg nodded sadly. "Good girl." Creon said, wiping her tears away, and kissing her lovingly on the forehead. "Now ...it's not nice to call people, OR gods stupid. And especially if it's the king of the gods."

Meg nodded again, and looked outside at the raging storm; letting out a small sigh. "I'm sorry I said you were stupid, Mr. Zeus. I ...I was just angry that you were taking my daddy away, but ...I understand now."

Less than a minute later - and as if answering to her apology; the rain and thunder slowly ceased, only leaving the evidence of the storm against the windows. The eyes of the five children widened, and Meg looked to her father in wonder. He smiled at his daughter with an "I told you so" look as he guided one of her loose curls behind her ear. She giggled happily at this, showing off the loose gap of the first tooth she ever-so bravely pulled earlier that morning.

You'd think Creon hadn't seen anything cuter in his life as he chuckled back, and playfully blew on Meg's neck, making her squeal with laughter at how it tickled, and because of the funny sound it made.

Henoiche nearly smiled ear to ear at the display her husband was showing, and thought of joining the fun. It wasn't like anyone was really all that tired anyways. "...PILLOW FIGHT!" She yelled as she jumped off the large bed, grabbed a pillow, and started whacking the first thing she could aim at.

Everyone remaining in the bed screamed playfully, and quickly scurried off to grab their own pillow. Within seconds the children made their direct targets which ever parent that was closest, and the opposite went for Henoiche and Creon. Feathers flew all over the room, but no one seemed to care.

"Where do you think you're going Lyco, huh?! Think you can get away from me, Haemon?!" Creon teased while grabbing his boys, and tossing them back on the bed so they couldn't run away.

While Creon got the boys; Henoiche managed to get all three girls onto the floor, and switched from a pillow, to a tickle fight. She gasped mockingly. "I think someone's been stealing sugar! ...Was it you, Jocasta?!" The three-year old squealed as her mother tickled her sides. "Or was it you, Astraia!?" She then moved over to do the same to the little blond.

Henoiche noticed Meg had regained footing, so she stopped to grab the five-year old. "No! ...Heres the culprit! I should have known it was my little nutmeg!" Meg laughed, trying to bat her hands away, but she was delightfully trapped within her mother's grasp as she showered her with kisses.

Creon finally let go, pulling Meg out of her thoughts; and the moment he did, two people began running towards them. "Meg!" Astraia and Jocasta yelled as they barreled into their sister.

"Uph!" Meg grunted as the two nearly brought her to the ground with their hugs. But she honestly wouldn't have cared a bit if they did; they were sisters after all. You're allowed to be rough when you have siblings.

The three laughed as Meg embraced them just as tightly. Then Astraia - being the complete "girly girl" of the family ever since the moment she was born - suddenly pulled back with her mouth hung open. "No ...way!"

Smirking, Meg raised an eyebrow. She hadn't seen her sisters in almost three years, and they still acted as if they saw one other just yesterday. "What?"

Astraia then smirked deviously at her big sister, darting her blue eyes back and forth between Meg and a certain hero. Jocasta giggled when she caught on to what Astraia was insinuating.

Meg just rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hold back the blush that suddenly took over her cheeks. That was enough of an answer for Astraia though, and she squealed. "I knew you had it in you! ...I just never thought you could be such a sly little fox."

Shaking her head, Meg laughed. "Oh, sweet ...little Astraia. I believe I was the one who taught you how to do such things; if I remember correctly. Speaking of which; I believe someone's been listening to their sister's advice for once." Meg hinted, gesturing towards Chariton.

Jocasta and Meg laughed when they saw Astraia's cheeks turn red. Thankfully for Astraia; Meg directed her attention to their youngest sister.

"And would you look at our little Jocasta! ...She's not a baby anymore, she's actually turning into a beautiful, young woman." Meg complemented almost sadly, taking her sister's hands. Now it was Jocasta's turn to blush. Looking her up and down for a moment though, Meg could only think of one thing. "Gosh ...you look just like momma."

The three girls smiled sadly, but Meg was quick to change the subject. As all this took place though; our famous hero decided to have a talk with king Creon on another matter.

((Cliffy! Mwah-hahaha! I'm so evil, aren't I?))