An hour later, Hercules sat across from Megara's secretive smirk, watching her work through the top-line menu of a new restaurant that had opened up overlooking the upper level of Thebes. She seemed particularly fond of the salmon today. It was interesting to watch her preferences shift now that he had gotten to see past her baseline. She hadn't much liked fish a month ago. Both of them had reason to smirk as they snuggled close in the booth.

Megara had her list out and traced the top candidates with her finger. "Harmonia is at the top because it fits into multiple categories, appeals to tradition while restarting the line on a high note, and calls out the continuity of sacrificial love since the beginning."

"When you put it like that, she needs to be called Harmonia."

"Hold on, we still have to decide if we should leave it for Megarion."

"He doesn't even have a girlfriend yet; he can catch up later. We got here first."

"True, but we still have other options," Megara looked up from the list to scan the restaurant, concerned that someone would find them.

"I already paid ahead," Hercules reminded her gently and rested a hand over hers. "If we have to leave, I'll get us out of here so quickly they won't even get to the table."

Megara took a deep breath and sighed; then she ate one of her quail eggs. "Thanks… so, I think Melina or Melite would also be cute… I feel like we're already going to call her honey or honeybee as an endearment."

"So we can keep it as a nickname, but maybe it's just for us."

Megara nodded sagely. "We can embarrass her for decades."

"Or maybe she'll like it because it's special."

"That's if she's more like you, which she hopefully will be. If she's more like me, she'll be such a sour nightmare."

"That's only if she's constantly agitated by bad people," Hercules countered. "We'll make sure nobody hurts her, so she won't have to be sour. You're a sweetheart when you're allowed to be one."

"And you're sweet all the time, so it would be nicer if she were like you. It might even be nice if she looks more like you so she's not such a Theban."

"Are you kidding me?" Hercules tapped his chin. "What girl wants a face like this? It works for me, but she'd hate me if I passed this down."

"You take after your mother and Hera's fine, she looks elegant." She reached up and stroked a fingertip along his nose and smiled. "And so do you."

Hercules smiled. "You always know exactly what to say."

"It comes from knowing exactly how I feel at all times. Thank you for that, by the way."

Hercules sat up straighter. "I'm just glad you let me past your walls. I don't know what I'd do without you. I was already so lost, I thought life was hopeless."

"You?"

"Well, yeah! I was working so hard, but nothing was good enough for my father. I kept giving it my all, and every sign pointed to glory and success. By any measure I was aware of, I'd become the greatest hero in the history of the world, but my father still treated me like he took pity on me for thinking anything I did measured up. I thought, if I'm not a true hero, has there ever been one? Have we all just been a pack of pathetic wannabes, or is it just me?"

Megara's eyes widened, unable to comprehend such a reality.

"I know," Hercules nodded at the unspoken sentiment in her expression. "But it's true. I was just telling Phil I wanted to give this whole thing up because I was so sick of working every day following wall-to-wall schedules and doing whatever suited him for nothing. I felt like an idiot who got duped into the biggest waste of time possible, and people were secretly laughing about it."

"You always came across as so happy to help and like it was all you wanted to do with your life."

"Don't get me wrong, I like helping, but come on… even if you're doing something you like, you want some kind of payoff, right? You were a performer; you know what applause is like. Well, if you got the biggest applause of your life, but your director said it just wasn't that great, wouldn't it be confusing and frustrating?"

"Yeah." Megara leaned her cheek on his shoulder. "But now you know you're the True Hero generations have prayed for. You're more than any of us deserve."

Hercules wrapped his arm about her waist and tentatively brushed his fingertips along the outer curve of her belly. "Thanks to you. It was you that pushed me that last mile to the finish line."

"If you were measuring that race in miles, I can only imagine how far it was."

"Ugh, I don't even want to measure, but I thought I'd be running forever! Still… it was worth it since it led me to you." He lifted her slightly out of her seat so he could kiss her.

Even in the embrace, Megara shifted uneasily. That was when he broadened the scope of his awareness to include several shrill voices.

"I know he's here! Gorgo said he was, and she's the best Herc-spotter in Thebes!"

That was the loudest and most coherent of the chorus, but there was no mistaking what was up. Hercules ended the kiss and sighed.

"Malaka," he mumbled. "Can't even get through a nice dinner with my wife."

"Malaka is right." Megara threaded her fingers through his hair and pressed the side of her thigh against his. Her hand closed around a knife handle, and she whispered, "Can we get out of here?"

The voices only escalated while the restaurant owner tried to shoo the women away.

"It's going to be fine," Hercules whispered in what he hoped was a soothing voice. He set his hand on hers to try and ease it off the knife. "Hold onto your food."

Megara only tensed, not wanting to relinquish her weapon.

"Don't let yourself get all wound up," Hercules reminded her. "It's bad for you two."

That got through to her.

Megara piled the plates together and let the knife rest on top.

Hercules pulled her onto his lap, and just as the first of the shrieking teens rushed up to them, he willed them away.

"Cut it a bit close that time," Megara murmured.

Hercules set the plates out on the table beside the bed. "Don't worry about it. They're learning how deeply not into that kind of behavior I am. Besides, they saw me take you away. I'm pretty sure after a few encounters like that, they'll realize I'm a one-woman kind of guy."

"You do realize that will just inspire some of them to graduate from stalking to murder, right?"

"Let's see them try that. You're the scariest thing alive when someone comes at you."

"Not for much longer," she reminded him. "This little belly might be cute now, but give me a month or two, and I'll be an unwieldy toad. Nobody will be scared of me then."

"So you've never heard that pregnant women can get really cranky? I'm kind of interested to see how that affects you. As long as it's not directed at me, I'm sure it'll be a sight to behold."

"You're not even a little worried I'll direct it at you?"

"If you do, it'll probably be because I deserved it. But I'll try my best not to end up in that position. I'd rather do everything I can for you and Harmonia." He reached over and got an olive for her so he could pop it directly into her mouth.

When she was done with it, Megara said, "That's it, that's her name now. Hearing you say it makes it clear to me she has a name, and that's going to be it."

Hercules sighed. "I'm actually relieved we picked one so quickly. All that strategizing was starting to make me nervous."

"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to make you nervous… But it was an important task, giving her a name she could be proud of for a possible eternity. The two of you have to be really careful how you set yourselves up for that."

Hercules paused to make sure he'd understood her correctly. "You mean we're all going to, right?"

"There's not much good in my background. I'm already ruined. Plus, we have to prepare for the eventuality that I never become a goddess. Then you'll have to focus on our baby."

"Our children and you will all be with me on Olympus someday, and I'm not letting go of that." Hercules stubbornly fed her the remainder of the olives piled on the plates.

Megara was too busy eating for a while to respond.

A thought occurred to Hercules, and suddenly, he knew how to avoid any negativity for the rest of the night.

He dropped the last olive down the front of her dress.

Megara made a gratifying squeak of surprise, and he chuckled.

"Whoops…" He reached between her breasts and took his time fishing the olive out from where it had fallen.

"You… that was on purpose."

"What? Of course, not, I was just distracted by your beauty." Hercules retrieved the olive and suggestively rolled it between his fingers. "But I don't think you want to wear that dress with olive oil down the front of it, am I right?"

Megara eyed him with one brow arched. "More and more devious by the day…"

Hercules shrugged. "I've got a good teacher." He moved her dress lower and made a tsk noise with his tongue. "Mm… it left a trail. I'd better clean that up for you."

"You are incorrigible."

"But you're still going to let me do it."

She did.

He had her writhing and moaning under him in seconds. She'd grown in the last couple of months, and he was here to enjoy it all. While her skin had always been soft, her early-stage pregnancy had made her pinker and more sensitive. He could tell she might be a little sore, but he didn't hear any complaints when his lips lingered even after he'd cleared her of all traces of the olive.

"I thought you were helping me get clean," Megara remarked through chattering teeth. "I think you're just making it worse."

"Aw, do you need more help?" Hercules unwrapped her from the dress completely. "Some of that olive oil probably got on the dress. We'll have to be careful so it doesn't stain."

Amusement shone in Megara's eyes. "What a delightful fiend I've corrupted you into."

"How can I be a fiend if this is so heavenly?" Hercules asked, and this time, he got her to laugh instead of holding it in.

Megara curled her knees up and hooked one over his shoulder. "How can I resist a man so adept at wordplay? You're so full of surprises."

"More and more every day," Hercules replied, eager to show off how well he remembered how to spoil her with firm massages to her rounding curves. "I never really let myself indulge in dreams of what I'd do with you beyond fleeting images… but now the ideas are clearer, and I know you're open to it, so…" He stroked a line from the crest of her belly down between her legs, where he lingered.

"Don't tell me you've been dreaming of this."

"It's better than the other things I could've been dreaming of, don't you think?" He smiled, but he knew she'd heard him talk in his sleep. She would know nightmares still plagued him, but now she'd be equally aware of how he managed those moments of weakness. Hopefully, she'd be happy to know it had something to do with her.

Her eyes softened. "Poor Wonder Boy… I have those dreams, too. But this is a much better alternative." She dug her fingers into his hair and pulled him closer. "You've been so sweet so far, but it's not enough until I have you."

"I live to serve." Hercules had become adept at freeing himself from a tunic, which he'd become more accustomed to wearing now that he'd settled into more of a civilian life. It was so much easier than unclipping his armor and yielded swifter rewards.

In no time, he'd united with Megara, and she was keening with pleasure. She was already tired, either from the day's excitement or from carrying a demigoddess who demanded almost as much from her as her divine father did. Thus, he was gentle with her, watching as her skin shifted to an endearing shade of pink and she emitted a series of sighs that heralded sleep.

He could have easily focused on nothing but her sweet sounds were it not for the approaching chariots he heard. They didn't keep going on the road toward Attica or the Corinthia. Instead, they hastened up the hill toward Hercules's own home.

Nobody did that without good reason.

This had better be a good reason.

Megara's eyes opened in alarm. Malaka. She'd heard it, too.

"Don't let it bother you," he whispered.

From under heavy lashes, Megara regarded him with the last shreds of her sanity. "I don't want to leave you with that… It could be serious…"

"Maybe it will be, but I'll handle it. Just… take what I've got to offer you and rest. I'll take care of whatever's out there, but only if you're satisfied."

Megara chewed her lip, then tightened her grip on his hair. "If you're sure…"

Hercules bowed his head and kissed her. The first raps of a stick against his gate startled him into releasing faster than he'd expected to, with his ears trained on any hint of what would come next.

Friend or foe? Ill omen or good news?

Megara sagged against the pillows, her energy spent.

Hercules rewarded her with several small kisses dotted along her face. "Sleep," he whispered.

Before he went downstairs, Hercules cleaned everything and sent their used dishes back to the restaurant.

Outside, the messenger was calling for him.

Whoever it was should know better than to be that persistent. He'd get to it when he got to it.

It was such an uncommon occurrence to get a messenger who wasn't there solely to leave a letter that he didn't let down his guard. Before he left her side, he wrapped Megara snugly in all their blankets and donned his armor.

He appeared outside the house, behind the person who was attempting to gain his attention. It wasn't a trap. Instead, he had discovered a courier from the Theban palace.

"Good evening," he bid the messenger in a low, authoritative voice. "Do you bring word from King Creon?"

The man whirled about, stunned. "It is from Prince Megarion. He bids you to join him two weeks hence as guests of honor a this coronation. You and your wife, the princess that is."

"Is Creon dead?" Hercules asked, hoping that meant he was in the clear from having to do the honors himself.

"His Highness will take on duties as an advisor for his son upon his coronation. I was told to reassure you that this is as punishment for the incident with Hecate."

Hercules gladly accepted the invitation scroll from the messenger. "Tell the future king we are thrilled on his behalf. I will confer with my wife, and we will let him know as soon as we reach an agreement. Do you want some water?"

The messenger shook his head.

"I'm heading to the Speedy Pita right after this, but thanks for the offer."

Hercules was relieved he didn't have to entertain the messenger. It gave him more time to think of what he'd say when Meg awoke. He willed himself back into bed and kicked off his sandals. He rested the invitation on a table beside the bed and moved his bundled-up wife, still asleep, to lean against him.

He wouldn't read it until she was awake, he told himself. He knew what was in it; after all, he didn't really need to see it.

As curious as he was, Hercules decided to set the letter aside and wait for Megara to awaken so that she could read it along with him. There was only one way he could think to contain himself. He unwrapped Megara from her blanket cocoon long enough to slide in behind her, then joined her in dreams.