My shitty update schedule strikes again! Just have a lot going on, and coming up in the not-so-near future will probably knock me back off the wagon again. I have something going on in my wrist, I find out what in a few days. But it it one of a few things which will require surgery and I will end up out of commission for anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks. But as you've figured out by now, my health is just fantastic at any given time. Really saps my motivation to write anything when after 20 minutes of typing my wrist feels like I sprained it.

Sensation had long since left his limbs, save for a painful burning in the tips of his fingers. His ears and nose felt as if he had been scorched by fire, and the cruel wind continued to bite. Pegasus had been forced to the ground, and trot through the snow. He was trusting in his partner's ability to navigate these once familiar streets, made foreign by walls of white. Like his master, his ears burned from the cold. His wings were hugged to his sides, heavy with ice.

"There," Hercules's voice was hard to distinguish over the howling of the wind, but he could make out the words. He focused his eyes on the vague gray shape in the distance and continued towards it. As it grew into focus he realized it was the home of Hercules's parents. He endured the storm and approached the home, and stomped impatiently in place while his friend knocked on the door to the home. He watched the door nudge, and get stuck in the snow. Hercules reached out for the door and pulled it, throwing a cloud of snow into the air coating the already soaked pair before they barged into the small home.
Amphitryon and Alcmene stepped back to dodge the pair who entered the home bruskly, and shook the snow from themselves. Hercules apologized repeatedly while brushing the snow off him, and rushing up to the fireplace,

"Hi mom, pop, sorry for barging in like that. We're just so cold,"

"You're absolutely covered in ice!" His mother said, rushing to where she had been sitting to grab the blanket she had been using it and draping it over Hercules's shoulders. Amphitryon mirrored her, throwing a blanket over the back of the winged horse who was taking up nearly all the space before the mantle. "What about the friend you went to find?"

Her question was answered with silence, and she rubbed her arms uncomfortably before walking up to the storage crate to pull out another set of blankets for herself and her husband. The couple sat back in their chairs before the hearth. The fire caused Hercules's numb hands to burn as sensation returned, the pale skin turning red and irritated from the contrast.

"I... couldn't find her. But she's smart. I bet she ran off to safety," Hercules finally replied, breaking the silence. He dreaded giving Cass the news that he was unable to find her friend, the other oracle. But perhaps the girl had a vision of what would happen to the coast, and fled when she had the chance. Cass herself had manage to dodge death more than once because of her visions. "I want you to come to the villa with me. Well, when the storm slows down a little. We have more firewood and stuff,"

"It's just a storm," Amphitryon rebuked, shrugging his shoulders. "Yeah it's weird. But I've seen weirder. You always make sure your mom n' I are well cared for, we'll be fine," Hercules shook his head, sitting back onto the cool stone floor.

"Something doesn't feel right. I'd feel better if you were at the villa." Hercules replied, getting a whinny of agreement from Pegasus. "Besides, I think Meg would love to see you two. It's been a too long!"

"Then it's settled. We'll come to the villa," Alcmene interjected, hoping to cut off an impending argument. "Besides, it's been too long since I've seen my daughter-in-law," Both men seemed satisfied with her decision, and turned back to the fire. "While we wait, let me get some food heating up," Hercules through about declining, wanting to just get home but knew neither Pegasus nor himself would be up for much more travel in the storm. They would have to wait until morning and hope that by then this freak blizzard had worn itself out. His growling stomach also announced its protest to rejecting a hot meal.

His mother had a better stocked pantry than himself, and gathered a variety of goods to make a simple stew. As well as a couple loaves of bread to eat it with. The foot was set before the fire and the small family gathered closer together.

"How's the city faring?" Alcmene asked, looking out the window in a vain attempt to see any further than the front lawn. Hercules looked away from her, squinting at the bright fire. He was tempted to lie, to tell her the city was well to keep her from worrying.

"The ocean... it washed away most of the homes right on the beach. It's... it's why I couldn't find Amara. She lived in this tiny house right on the water. It was just... gone. The snow is getting deep too. I'm worried people's roofs will cave in. Once I'm warmed I want to clear yours. I saw this when I would train in the mountains with Phil. The snow can make the roof cave in. We had a couple close calls before it finally clicked..." He admitted, embarrassed that he and Phil had failed to think of the possibility in the first place. But his own failed experience taught him that others in the city would be ignorant of this as well. He wanted to get back out there, clear the roofs, make sure no family was trapped or worse. But he wanted to get back home as well. What if Meg is still bleeding? What if our roof caves in? He rubbed his face roughly with the heels of his hands, realizing how exhausted he was. "I'm going to go lay down until the food is done,"

"Use our bed," His father replied, gesturing to the small room connected to the center room. Hercules nodded and walked to the room, asleep within moments of climbing onto the bed.

The room was dark, a small sliver of light in the distance. He could see shadows momentarily make this faint source of light blink away. He lifted his head and strained to listen for the footsteps belonging to these shadows. The room was cold, painfully so, making him achingly tired. He looked around him, trying to find anything else in the darkness. The inky blackness surrounded him. The silence broke by the sound of whistling, and he squinted to the doorway, trying to find where the sound was coming from. He tried to lift himself, but his limbs were heavy. So painfully heavy. But he needed to escape this room.

He crawled, slowly, as if he had to swim through the air itself. The cold was bearing down on him light a weight. He hadn't felt this weak in years. It was worse than being under water, it was like trying to swim through sand. He reached out, grasping at the ground, struggling. He heard a voice, little more than a whisper. He strained, knowing the voice. The whisper quickly changed into a scream, surrounding him and drowning out the howling whistle. He recognized the voice. It was his wife. But soon other voices joined hers in a symphony of deafening sound. He looked up, the sliver of light was smaller. He worried he had been crawling away from the door and not towards it. The others, his family, his friends. They were screaming for his help. They must be in other rooms like this one, surrounded by dark and paralyzed by the cold. They needed him.

He strained, trying to pick himself up again. His feet felt as if they had melded to the ground itself. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. He felt the scratch in his throat, the pain in his stomach, the straining in the muscles of his neck. He was forcing air as hard as he could, trying to call out names, promises of help, but he could hardly sigh. Tears built in his eyes as he realized panic was gripping him. The screams were growing quiet. Tired.

The whistling stopped. Shadows walked past the sliver of light again. He was making progress, closer to the light. He could see it was a doorway. He was trapped in some sort of room. Or perhaps outside, and the door was an entryway into shelter. Safety. He could hear the footsteps of what was causing the shadows. It was whomever had trapped him hear. The one, or ones, that had separted him from the others. Holding them captive. Another shadow stepped into the light, and ambiguous shape that was barely humanoid. The shadow grew larger, somehow darker than the pure blackness that surrounded him Hercules could tell the shadow was coming towards him. The shadow stopped before him, the air growing even more frigid, as if the shadow was pulling any heat into himself, and exhaling the wind itself,

"Hercules,"

"Hercules," Alcmene shook his shoulder roughly, and Hercules nearly struck his mother trying to reach for the shadow. He panted, sitting up and then quickly rubbing his eyes. He was aware of a weight over his body, and feared that the shadow had gotten to his mother as well. Did I escape the room? I found Mom, I need to find Pop, Meg, Cass, Ick, Amara. He thought, and realized he recognized his surroundings.

"Mom?" He asked, confused. He was cold, but the weight around him was a blanket. It fell off him as shifted to sit on the edge of the bed, trying to will away the confusion and the fear that was making his heart beat wildly. He could feel his own panicked pulse throbbing in his throat as he tried to regain his senses. "Ugh..." he moaned, finally realizing he was awake. It had been a dream.

"Stew's ready, Pop even went to get some grain for Pegasus from the stables. And don't worry about the roof, the wind is blowing a lot of it right off. Even the deepest point is maybe only thigh-deep. Now come warm yourself up by the fire with some warm soup. It's mostly vegetables, but I had some salted fish I put in, and a little barley to thicken it. A strange combo, but its hot and filling," She paused, nodding towards the window, "The snow is even beginning to slow down."

Hercules turned to look towards the window and saw that the snow had indeed begin to slow, and even the wind seemed quieter. The smell of his mother's cooking helped shake off the final dregs of grogginess, and he followed her back into the living room. The small dining table had been dragged closer to the fire. Three places were set, and the steaming hot pot of stew was still resting on the stone just before the fire. Each chair had a blanket or a fur draped over it, except for where his father was sitting with the blankets wrapped around himself, already digging large chunks of bread into the hot meal. Pegasus was sleeping near the fire, close enough to be warm without blocking the entire hearth. Several blankets and other makeshift items had been laid across his body to try and keep him warm, a puddle of snow melt underneath his shivering form.

Hercules took the seat furthest from the fire, insisting his mother take the warmer spot. He ignored her protests while he filled his bowl and hungrily brought thick mouthfuls of the meal to his mouth with chunks of hardened bread. He could feel the warm liquid roll down his throat and coat his stomach, helping break the chill that even the blankets couldn't stave off. It wasn't until he had swallowed the first bite that he became aware of how hungry he was. He had been too busy worrying about, well, everyone, to listen to the needs of his own body. Demigod or not he had the same needs any mortal had.

"Mom, this is delicious!" He exclaimed, his words muffled by a mouthful of food. He had always loved his mother's cooking. He was very fond of his wife's cooking, if not just for the fact that the less-than-cook-savy woman would still put in the effort for him; but nothing could beat the lifetime of knowledge the elder woman have. Or perhaps it was just bias. Regardless, the meal made him feel safe and warm and briefly overcame the anxiety that had been wracking him since leaving the villa.

After the meal, Hercules went to his sleeping friend. He removed the soaked blankets and draped them over the chairs before the hearth to dry. The sudden chill woke the winged beast, who chuffed in annoyance at the disruption,

"You're soaked. Just let me get some dry linens for you. Also, you should move to the other side. You're lying in a puddle." Pegasus chuffed again, and with great exaggerated efford dragged him self dramatically across the floor, neighing in feigned agony before collapsing onto a dry patch of the floor. "Oh cut it out. You know you're more comfortable on a drier spot on the floor," Pegasus snorted, and rested his head close to the fire, "pretend all you like." Hercules rolled his eyes, sitting next to him and giving Pegasus a rough pat on the belly, causing him to kick his leg in a very canine fashion. "The snow is letting up, once you're dry I want to get back to the villa," hercules explained, drawing the attention of both his parents.

"Oh no you won't. You're spending the night. We can go to your place once the sun is up," Amphitryon protested. "And don't even think about arguing with me young man. Meg can handle herself, especially if your friends Cassandra and Icarus are there," Alcmene looked at her husband worriedly, tempted to side with her son. She didn't share his confidence that the others could tend to themselves. Between the knowledge of Meg's miscarriage, and the warning Hercules had given about a snow-laden roof she feared for the trio of friends.

"Maybe Herc is right, maybe we should go tonight," She urged. "Besides, I'm anxious to see our Megara!" She added, trying to make her suggestion seem less fear inspired.

"I'm worried too dear... but I think it's safer to wait until morning. We're no use Meg, or anyone else, if we get lost or injured in this storm," Amphitryon's voice softened. He stood, walking over to his wife to place his hands on her shoulders. "I'm worried too, but I want to make sure we get there in one piece," Alcmene nodded, letting out a deep sigh,

"I'm just so worried,"

"Me too. But they all have each other. If Meg was back at the villa alone, I'd agree with you that we should go tonight. But she has our son's two best friends to watch over her, and I trust his judgment in people. If he trusts them enough to consider them his best friends, then I trust them to take good care of our daughter," He pulled his wife into his arms, rubbing her back with his large hands. Alcmene swallowed, suppressing a sob as she nodded against his chest. He stepped back, gently gripping her chin with his hand, brushing it with his thumb. "And we have each other. We'll all be safe for the night,"

"Oh," Aclmene groaned, trying to shrug him off. "Fine. But first thing in the morning,"

"We can set out," He assured, glancing at Hercules.

"First thing," He agreed, nodding to his parents, wishing morning was not so far away.

I hate the last line, I just couldn't think of how to end the chapter. The movie didn't leave me much to worth with in terms of making a personality for Alcmene and Amphitryon so I tried to do them justice. I hope you like them.