Chapter Seventeen
A/N: I do not own anything other than my OCs when they come out to play. Everything else belongs to either Disney or the Greek Myths!
*chuckles* Okay, so I did not mean for this fic to be my fluffy one but that's the way things turned out. I'm not going to lie though, it is a nice respite from the other three fics being the more angsty ones. There will probably be a bit where angst comes into play but for now, it's fluff!
danifan3000: yeah I guess that is kinda ironic now that you mention it :D
AmethystDragon14: Yay! I know, how fluffy was that chapter? And I loved writing the baby shower, plus at least Hera got a rattle with both Steph and Hades' colors on it. Could have been worse! And thanks :D
OceanBlueSeaEyes: So glad you liked it! Oh yeah I could totally see Athena doing that :D And yeah, Mal's got two proxy big sisters…and a big-ish brother on the way ;D
twilightgirl587: Thanks! For how mermaids give birth, I have no idea (side eyes Disney for not at least implying such a thing for the third Little Mermaid movie). And aww, that's a great idea for the onesies!
BriarEvans: A baby Mal is coming, promise!
Katt Kiki: I'm sure it'll be soon!
Isabelly Silva Sousa: I can definitely promise that there'll be alternating chapters between Auradon and the Isle :D
IWantColouredRain: I'm so glad you're enjoying it! As for what Hades gave Hercules, it was on further review, a 'sucker' that looked like a skull with spikes at the top.
Hope you all enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think! :D
Hades sighed as he focused on his paperwork. Tried being the operative word. He'd just finished talking with Demeter on the portal as Persephone had an appointment to look over the baby. She had had those what felt like once a week for the past month but Hades could understand Demeter's worry.
And that was probably the strangest thing he'd ever thought in his life. But he did. Because the child Persephone was carrying wasn't just Demeter's grandchild but they were also Hades' child.
The last thing I want is for my child to be harmed just because of the crime of being related to me, he thought, pushing the paperwork away. Gods, I can't even focus on my work! Maybe a break will do me good…a spar with the Hooklings always clears my head!
He shook his head, more than slightly amused with how his life had changed in only three years. He never would have thought that sparring with young girls would clear his mind or even be something that he would enjoy. But now? He wouldn't trade it for the world.
He would also never admit that to anyone out loud who wasn't an ally. Because the last thing he wanted was to put a target on the girls' backs.
"Unca Hades!" Harriet called as Hades walked into the den.
"Hey there Harriet, what's going on?" Hades asked as Harriet rushed over to him.
"Mama's sounding weird! She sounds like papa did the time Jessie accidentally hit him in the nose with her head!"
"I didn't know he was behind me when I leaned back!" Jess called as she rushed up. "But she's right Unca Hades! I think mama's hurt! Or the baby's hurt!"
Hades' eyes widened. "Stay here," he told the girls before pausing. "Where's the third sunspot?"
"With her mama," Harriet said and Hades nodded. Okay, that meant Sammy was probably wherever Mollie and Milah were…which was the next question on his mind.
"Where's your mom?"
"In her room."
Thank you sunspots! Hades thought as he nodded once more and rushed over to the parental Hooks' bedroom.
"Sammy, darling, can you please go with Harriet and Jess?" Hades heard Mollie's voice as he walked in.
"But…Harri would want to know what's going on with the baby," Sammy said softly. "Is…is the baby okay mama?"
"Everything okay?" Hades asked and Mollie looked over at him, slight relief evident in her eyes.
"The baby's coming!" Milah groaned from her spot on the bed before Mollie even had a chance to answer.
"Oh…oh!" Hades exclaimed. "Alright, what do you need?"
"James!"
"…That makes sense now that I think about it. Okay, where is your wayward husband?"
Milah took a steadying breath. "He and William went to check on The Jolly Rodger but they said they'd be—."
"Milah?! What's wrong?" Hook asked as he came rushing in. "Panic's lad, the one Jess is allies with, he said something about you being in pain?"
"…We can wonder about why Virgil went to get you later," Hades said. "Apparently your baby's coming. We need someone to get Anastasia Tremaine—."
"Unca Hades? There's a pretty woman with red hair at the door," Jess said as she poked her head in."
Hades sighed and looked at Jess. "Jess, how did you know we needed Anastasia Tremaine for your mama?"
"I didn't! Virgil said he was going to ask Henry to get her while he got papa!"
"…We can talk about you apparently setting up your own crew at three later then," Hades said. "I'll get Anastasia. You all get Milah comfortable."
Not waiting to hear a confirmation, he made his way to the front door and opened it to see a rather confused Anastasia Tremaine. Though that might have been because of the red-haired boy by her side.
"Lord Hades," she said. "I wasn't aware that you had child minions now."
"Virgil said that Jess' mama needed help and to get Lady Tremaine!" Henry said, looking rather proud of what he did before pausing. "Did…did I get the right Lady Tremaine Lord Hades? Mama says there's three of them."
"In this case, you got absolutely the right one," Hades said and Henry beamed with pride. "I've got a new mission for you kid, go keep Jess, Harriet, and Sammy in the den for as long as Lady Tremaine here needs."
"Aye Lord Hades!" Henry nodded and rushed past the God into the lair. Most kids would have been afraid of the stone walls and the reputation of the Underworld in general but not Henry.
He was just happy to get to play with Jess…and not have to see his mama upset. She'd been fighting with his papa who wasn't a papa. Henry didn't understand how a papa couldn't be a papa but his mama said not to say anything to Captain Hook because it could get papa not papa in trouble.
"Henry!" Hades heard Jess squeal as she saw him. "Wanna spar?"
"No fair! I wanna spar too!" Harriet pouted.
Sammy shook her head. "I'll spar with you Harri," she said softly as Hades made his way back to Milah and Hook's bedroom with Anastasia. He knew the sunspots would be okay on their own for a while—at least until Anastasia kicked him, Mollie, and Smee out as to provide privacy to the Hooks.
"Ah, I see it's you again," Anastasia said, a small smile on her lips as to show the Hooks she was merely teasing. "Will there be any comparisons to cannon balls this time?"
"I was only trying to comfort my wife!"
"Poorly. You tried to comfort her poorly," Anastasia said as she set her bag down. Thankfully, Milah was already lying on the bed in position so it was easy enough to check to see how far along she was. "Milah, I've got good news and bad news."
"What's the good news?" Hook asked.
"It looks like it's going to be a quick labor," Anastasia said. "Though that might also be the bad news. You're almost fully dilated, you'll need to push soon."
"And on that note, I'm going to go make sure the other sunspots don't destroy the Underworld," Hades said. "Smee, Mollie, you coming with or staying here?"
"I'll…" Smee said but paused and looked over at Hook.
Hook shook his head. "Go on Smee. Something tells me Milah's not going to want a crowd for this."
"You'd be right!" Milah exclaimed, groaning as the contraction went through her. "James, you're doing the next one if we have another child!"
"That's what you said last time love," Hook said with a small chuckle as Hades, Smee, and Mollie left the room. "I think you've proven that's not possible for me to do."
Hades shook his head and closed the door. "Better the sunspots don't hear that," he said as Smee and Mollie looked at him quizzically.
"Lord Hades…I've been meaning to ask…" Mollie said, her voice soft as they made their way to the den and their sparring children/wards/random VKs. "Why do you call the kids 'sunspots'? I…I know it's what you called Hercules…"
Hades sighed and shook his head. "I know it's what I called Hercules, you're right. However…and if you repeat this to anyone, I…well I don't know what I'll do but it won't be pleasant. But with the kids…I call them 'sunspots' because I can tell that they're one of the few parts of your lives that's filled with sun. And considering we know what the sun is like…it's a compliment. A small bit of sun on our overcast Isle."
"I can see that," Mollie said with a small smile of her own. "And don't worry, I won't repeat anything you said. And I'm sure William won't either."
"Of course I won't," Smee nodded and smiled as they entered the den. Both sets of kids were hard at work sparring their partner, and it was clear that Jess had been training Henry on the side. How else could he be able to almost match a Hook in skill when it came to the sword at such a young age?
"Watch your footing Sammy," Mollie called as the adults sat themselves down on the sofa.
"Yes mama," Sammy called back.
Huh…Virgil must have gone back to wherever Vanessa lives after he got Hook, Hades thought. I should have him over more, technically he is my nephew and the cousin of my unborn child…wait…how would he be related to Ursula's squidling? Would he be cousin or half-brother? Considering Vanessa is still technically Ursula just as a human? You know what, no, we're not thinking about that, it is too complicated and I still don't know how to feel about the fact that Panic is technically family. Though I do wish I could see Posideon's face when he learned one of my minions was his son-in-law.
"I hope they're doing alright in there," Smee said softly after a few minutes. "I…I remember when the Captainess was giving birth to young Mistress Harriet—."
"Smee, I'm sure they're doing just fine," Hades said, giving the First Mate a look. After all, if the girls were paying attention, they might have questioned why Smee only mentioned Harriet if she and Jess were twins.
"Oh, oh right," Smee nodded, catching on.
"Lord Hades, is Captainess Milah going to be okay?" Henry asked, having lost his sword while Hades and Smee were talking.
Hades nodded. "I'm sure she'll be just fine kid. Though having a kid's no picnic for mortals."
"…What's a picnic?"
"Oh right, mortal three year olds," Hades said, shaking his head. "Forgot they develop slower than Godlings."
"I have a feeling that even Godlings wouldn't know what a picnic was at age three, Hades," Mollie said with a small chuckle.
"Eh, you might be right there," Hades said with a shrug.
"Oi! Is no one gonna answer Henry's question?" Jess asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's a picnic?!"
Hades couldn't help but chuckle at how intense Jess was. "A picnic, little captain, is where people eat on the ground and sit on a blanket from what your Aunt Steph has told me. Apparently they do it all the time across the bridge."
"…Why would you want to eat on the ground?" Harriet asked. "Sounds like a good way to get your food stolen."
"Yeah," Sammy nodded and Hades would go to whatever the Godly equivalent of his grave was before he admitted it out loud but he felt his heart crack as he heard that.
These kids were too young to have to harden to the Isle, Hades thought. Sure the food's better than one might expect had it been any other ruler than Ariel and Eric but even so, there's limited supply.
"Lord Hades?" Anastasia's voice came from around the corner, pulling Hades out of his rather depressing thoughts.
"Yes?" Hades asked, getting up to talk to her.
"Do you have something I could use for a blanket?" Anastasia asked, keeping her voice down as to not attract the attention of the kids, who thankfully had gone back to sparring as they saw Hades walk off.
"A blanket? We might have something…Milah's delivered the baby?"
"She has," Anastasia nodded.
Hades couldn't help the smile that pulled at his lips. "We don't have an official blanket, Steph was going to bring one over when she comes back from Boreadon, but we do have some towels, would that work?"
"Anything would be preferable," Anastasia said. "I just don't want the little one getting too cold before he's had a chance to see the world."
Hades nodded but then paused. "'He'? So Hook finally got his son."
"Yes, and he was quite annoying about it too," Anastasia said, shaking her head as they went to go get the towel. One towel later, they were back in Milah's room; Anastasia quickly swaddling the baby and Hades watching the whole thing in interest.
You know, in the event that he would have to swaddle his own child at some point.
"So…any names picked out?" Hades asked, holding back a chuckle at the wisps of dark hair coming from the baby's head. Seemed like the Hooks were going to be a family of dark haired pirates—though there was nothing wrong with that.
Milah chuckled, sweat still shining on her brow as she pushed some of her hair out of her eyes before taking her son from Anastasia.
"We're naming him after my father," she said. "Harrison. And his middle name is going to be shared with the man who never once doubted that he was going to be a boy."
"Milah?" Hook asked, tilting his head.
Milah chuckled once more. "James, my love, did you honestly think we wouldn't use your name as our son's middle name?"
"…I mean I wouldn't be so vain to assume…I'm not Gaston after all."
Hades snorted. "That's not a low bar to clear, you know. Speaking of that man, you know he got Madam Medusa and a Bimbette pregnant? Seems your son's going to have a lot of compatriots."
"Yes, well, I'd rather we not talk about Gaston's exploits around my son," Milah said. "Harry's only a few minutes old, he's got plenty of time before he has to deal with all of that."
"…Harry?"
"James, you don't honestly think we're just going to call our son Harrison the whole time do you? That's not very Isle like or pirate like."
Hook nodded and smiled as Harry cooed softly. "You're right love, after all have you ever heard of a Captain Harrison?"
"…There's Pirate King Elizabeth Turner…"
Both Milah and Hook turned to give Hades a look, a look that clearly indicated that his input was not appreciated.
"I think I'll go let the Smees and the sunspots know that you've had the baby. Do you want them descending on you right away or you want me to try to hold them back?"
"Hold them back please? At least until Anastasia has finished up here," Milah said. "Thank you Hades."
"Of course," Hades said. "And congrats Captainess, looks like you've got another fine member of your crew."
"And soon he'll have a playmate in your son or daughter," Milah said with a small chuckle.
"Who knows? They might even end up together!" Hook added.
Hades rolled his eyes. "I'll thank you not to pair my child off before they're out of the womb, Hook," he said as he walked out of the room.
"And I'll thank you not to pair our son off on the day of his birth, James! What is this, the 1400s?" Hades heard Milah scold as he walked off and the God of the Dead couldn't help but chuckle.
Sure he was still on the Isle and sure the sky was still constantly covered with clouds…but for today at least, the Underworld seemed a bit brighter.
