Small Twists of Fate

Chapter Thirty

Hades shook his head as he wrapped his arm around Persephone's shoulders. All the kids were either asleep or watching to make sure the babies didn't need anything in the case of Jess, Harriet, and Sammy.

Honestly, Hades didn't know why the kids were always so determined to help if either Harry or Mali needed anything but it gave him a semi-alone moment with his wife before she had to go back to Boreadon so he wasn't complaining.

And yes, it was a 'semi' alone moment as the other parents who lived in the Underworld were in the den as well.

"Should we be worried that the kids are being so quiet?" Mollie asked.

"Eh, they've got Pain and Panic with them," Hades said. "Those two may be moronic but they're good with the kids. At the very least they won't do anything that would get Mali hurt."

"I mean...he is right but at the same time, I've heard that silence with toddlers is that silence is a dangerous thing," Persephone said after giving Hades a slight look. "And we've got three toddlers who don't exactly mind getting to what they call 'insanity'."

"And they've got us between their room and the door," Hades said.

Milah opened her mouth to respond but just as she did, three high pitched screams could be heard making their way to the adults.

"Mama, mama!"

"Papa!"

"Jess? Harriet? Sammy?" Mollie asked as the adults sprung to their feet to see the aforementioned toddlers rushing to them; Harriet holding Harry in her arms.

"My darlings, what's wrong?" Milah asked as she bent down to wipe away the tears that were streaming down Jess' cheeks.

"We...we were in Harry and Mali's room...and we were playing with Pain and Panic...and these monsters appeared!" Jess sobbed. "Harri wanted to fight them..."

"But then they made Pain and Panic go to sleep and I just grabbed Harry after the monsters knocked over his crib! I didn't want him getting hurt!" Harriet said.

Harry cooed from Harriet's arms, as if to agree with his sisters' story.

"Wait...where's Mali?" Hook asked and everyone paused. Hades did a headcount of the kids and shoved down all the curse words he thought of as he realized Hook was right. There was a child missing. His child was missing.

"Hook, Milah, Steph, with me," Hades said, tossing a sword to Hook and Milah. Where he got the sword, no one seemed to question but then again he was living with pirates. Swords would have been easy to come by. "Smee, Mollie, watch the sunspots. I don't know who these 'monsters' are but they're not getting my daughter."

"Right behind you Hades," Hook nodded.

Milah bent down to look at her daughters. "You listen to Captain Mollie and First Mate Smee, okay? We'll be right back."

"We'll look after the girls and Harry, Milah," Mollie promised as she gently took Harry from Harriet's arms; Smee herding the girls deeper into the den. Thanks to the cavernous walls of the Underworld, they could still hear a bit of what was going on including Hook's laughter as he drew his sword.

"Honestly James, only you would get a kick out of this," Milah's voice called but the unsheathing of her own sword could be heard.

"Now really darlin', do you really think I'd turn my nose up from a fight? Especially a fight with Maleficent's goblins?" Hook's voice called back to his wife.

Jess bit her lip and pressed closer to Smee. "Is Mali going to be okay?"

"I'm sure the little Lady will be just fine," Smee said as he gently rubbed Jess on the back. "Don't you worry Mistress Jess, knowing your parents the fight will be over in no time and they'll be back here with quite the story to tell."