Chapter Eight
"Bath, really?" Hercules asked.
"Oh yeah, its really lovely here," Xena told him on the phone.
"Xena, I'm stuck here with two eight year old girls, they've spent over a thousand dollars on clothes, they've consumed massive amounts of candy and can't calm down, they have me in a horrendous dress you would never put me in and your make up all over my face." There was a sudden flash and an angry looking Xena appeared.
"You let them in my make up?" Xena asked. "This lipstick was fifty dollars, oh no you are not wearing my Chanel number five are you insane! "
"Me?" Hercules asked. "Your daughter and her friend are the insane ones yell at them."
"No, you're the adult!" Hercules stared at her. "Give me your credit card."
"What?" Hercules asked.
"Your credit card now." Hercules sighed.
"Would you like my visa, my American Express I still have that, or Eurocard?"
"All of them except American Express."
"Don't max it out please, I'm begging you, allow me that, don't max out." Xena disappeared and Hercules groaned. The sound of cash registers filled his head. He turned and bumped into Eve. "What?"
"I need a new dress."
"We just bought you a new wardrobe, how can you possibly need a new dress already?"
"Yeah mom says when you ask that I should just ignore you and hold out my hand because you'll eventually see that asking a girl a question like that is stupid especially when she's been deprived of fashion as long as I have." Hercules sighed.
"I swear you think I was the only one who went to work around here, why is it always Hercules can I have money from your wallet and never spend my own." He pulled out his wallet it was empty. "Damn it Michelle."
"That's okay you already wrote me a check all you have to do is sign it," Eve told him holding up the check and his pen. Hercules groaned and signed it.
"Thanks Father." She kissed his cheek and left.
"For that much money, I'd appreciated if you called me Daddy, if I'm going to be forced to spoil you like a Daddy's girl." Eve grinned.
"Well than Daddy's girl needs more money, that's why I wrote out this second check." Hercules rolled his eyes and signed it. "Thanks Daddy." Eve hurried out.
"Wait a minute don't you have access to your mother's accounts!" Hercules yelled after her, but he knew she was already gone. Michelle skipped in with ice cream on her face.
"Daddy?"
"Yes sweetheart?" Hercules asked.
"Can I play with your wallet, Marlene and I are playing store."
"Okay, here you are love." He gave her his wallet and went to clean himself up when he came downstairs Michelle was paying for pizza with his american express card.
"Michelle!" He fumed, but in the end she got her way as usual.
"I can't believe he let them get in my chanel number five," Xena muttered as she rotated her shoulders preparing to practice near the River Avon and afterwards she planned on returning to the spa and enjoying the hot springs alone and than a nice massage to relax her muscles. She was well into her routine when she felt another sword hit hers. She opened her eyes having been visualizing the fight in her mind as she moved. She was not surprised to see Ares.
"Ares," Xena growled.
"Xena." Xena was on the defensive, but she suddenly switched to offensive. Ares was glad to see she had lost none of her skill as they fought. Sparks flew causing the small trees around them catch fire. The fires spread so fast that it actually lit Bath and Bristol on fire.
"Looks like its time to get out of here." Xena swore as she looked around called all the remaining Gods to help make it rain and save all the people that now found themselves trapped by fire. It took them all collectively to control the weather, had Zeus been alive he could have done so in mere seconds, but he chose his own fate when he attacked Xena.
"Where is he?" Hercules asked angrily looking at the damage early that morning.
"Back in Vietnam, he only came because I was alone. He knew he had caused enough havoc when the fire was burning to hot to be put out by normal human means." Xena was absolutely disgusted with the casualties as she watched from Beckford's Tower. Bristol was not as bad, but still architecture was ruined and lives taken in both beautiful cities.
"Ugh, I don't want you going out of London alone anymore, it clearly isn't safe, none of us." Xena nodded.
"Don't go fighting him on your own or we'll have a set back in our plans. If he wants to play cat and mouse, let him think we're the mouse and when the time is right he'll find himself caught in the mouse trap." Hercules nodded just barely containing his anger. "Come on we need to help."
"That bastard is going to pay before we lock him up again," Eve commented as she watched mother wrap somebody's arm.
"Yeah he will," Xena commented. "Use your power on the children." Eve nodded.
"Thank you." Xena nodded to the person before she sent them on their way. A little boy's leg was hurt, and Xena ran her hand over it without a second thought as well as the mind of the mother.
"Ma'am your son is just fine, he's lucky." The boy stopped crying as she winked at him. He smiled back and accepted the sucker she pulled out of her pocket. The woman took her son away confused. By the time the media got to them they had moved. Finally it got to the point that no one could see them unless they needed medical attention. The hospitals were already swamped and the other destroyed.
"Mommy!" Michelle exclaimed. Xena hugged her happy to see her after look at so much destruction. "I made you a flower out of paper so you could keep it forever."
"Oh thanks darling, I love it," Xena told her kissing her cheek. Eve frowned behind her, but didn't say anything.
"I made you one too Eve," Michelle told her handing her a red flower while Xena had gotten the blue. Eve smiled at her.
"Thanks Michelle, what do you say tomorrow we have tea together just you and I since its Sunday." Michelle nodded her head vigorously.
"Have you been a good girl for your Aunt?" Xena asked.
"Yes, Marlene and I were very good."
"Marlene is still here?" Hercules asked appearing the door.
"Daddy!" Michelle got down out of Xena's arms and went to him. He hugged and kissed her.
"So about Marlene, she's still here?" He asked.
"No, she just went home," Aphrodite told him looking exhausted.
"Oh Xena can you do me a tiny favor."
"I suppose you did suffer," Xena told her as they all went into the sitting room and Heinz brought in some tea. Xena noticed her house looked a total mess, and that there were more maids than usual.
"Cool, look I've got this son in Japan, he's growing really fast, can you take care of him until he's you know done."
"Aphrodite what's wrong with you taking care of him, you had him." Aphrodite made a face.
"Not intentionally." Xena laughed.
"Oh I should have suffocated by now you make me laugh too hard."
"Mommy can he stay please," Michelle begged. "I always wanted a brother."
"Dite for starters why won't you take care of him?" Aphrodite sighed.
"He's bad as hell, gets into everything, I figured if anyone could keep him in check it was you and Hercules."
"Oh, Dite, your so nice."
"I know right." They laughed. "But please can he stay, I promise I'll take him every two weeks."
"How long is it going to take him to grow."
"Oh just a few years."
"I guess we'll take him than," Hercules told her.
"Wait how old is a few years?" Xena asked hitting Hercules for agreeing without all the facts and without them consulting on it.
"Oh just a mere eighteen, and than just a few more years of helping him find his way you know, I'm hoping its fashion."
"Now see what you did," Xena said to Hercules.
"My bad."
"Don't be mad at my big bro he falls for it every time, I know he does."
"Well where is my cousin?" Eve asked.
"Oh he's not born yet, and he's just a kicking away too, it'll be a few months."
"Oh I knew it," Xena said as they all threw up their hands in exasperation. "Why is this one so special anyway besides the fact he's growing fast."
"That's just it he's growing fast, none of the others except Cupid did this, granted Cupid was even faster and I had him within the month, but he'll be a few more months, its already been a month now and he's kicking." She showed them her small rounded stomach and they could see him kick.
"Wow," Michelle said.
"So who was the lucky guy?" Eve asked.
"Some ass, normally I give the kid to their fathers, but one he didn't want him and two this one is definitely a half-god."
"Better with us than definitely," Xena commented.
"You guys are great, see I told you they would take him Michelle."
"Yeah, now you young lady can go help the maids clean up this mess you made." Michelle made a face and poked her lip. "Oh don't even try it I'm not your father. I won't fall for that." Michelle persisted though like Aphrodite had taught her. Aphrodite had simply explained to Michelle it wasn't that she could get around Xena, it just took a little longer to break her.
"Awe mother don't make her clean up," Eve said breaking.
"Eve, don't fall for your sister's trick, she thinks if she holds out long enough she'll get her way, but I know better." Michelle's lip began to tremble.
"Oh Xena she's going to cry don't make her clean up," Hercules told her hugging Michelle whose lip was still trembling as her eyes got wet and she cried.
"Oh mother, I'll clean up for her," Eve said.
"Yeah, I'll do it," Hercules told her. Xena frowned.
"Your good little girl, but no its not going to work on me, you march upstairs and start with your room this instant or no dessert no matter what anyone else says." Michelle slowly walked upstairs still looking very sad. They all pleaded with her, but she refused to change her mind. "No, she can't run all over all of us. And Eve I had hoped you would at least stay strong unlike Hercules."
"No, I'm afraid she's got me wrapped around her fingers on all matters except you." Xena shook her head.