Unexpected Love

Chapter 10

Hades
                I lay only barely paying attention to the show, as I lay holding Ava, listening to her breathing deepen, as she falls asleep. I place a kiss to her forehead wishing I didn't have to leave and miss this, miss her. I look over at Cerberus who is laying beside her watching me.
"Cerberus I know you love her as much as I do and I know you will protect her. Just please don't let anything happen bud," I say, and to my surprise Cerberus nods his head at me. He's a lot smarter than I give him credit for, and not just a normal dog. With a sigh I let my head rest against the pillow and drift to sleep holding onto my Angel.

Ava
            I wake up in the living room to Cerberus's three heads licking my face. Sitting up I give Cerberus a pat on his side and wipe my face on my shirt sleeve. Looking around I don't see Hades and start to panic that he's already left. As I hug my knees to my chest trying to calm down, I hear his office door open. Glancing over to the office I watch as he steps out and rushes over, pulling me into his lap.
"What's wrong? Are you ok?" He asks staring down at me.
"She was having a panic attack," someone says from behind him.
"It's ok I haven't left yet," he says standing with me in his arms. As he turns I spot Nancy and Brittney standing in the doorway of his office, smiling at me.
"You just had to go and find yourself an actual real life god," Nancy says grinning at me, as I try to figure out what's going on.
"I went and got them while you slept this morning. I told them everything, and they're going to stay with you till I get back," Hades explains setting me down. Spinning around I wrap my arms around him and give him a quick kiss.
"Thank you," I tell him when I pull back.
"You're welcome Angle," he says with a smile," but while I'm gone I don't want any of you to leave the property at all. I have arranged for groceries to be delivered. Rebecca please come introduce yourself," Hades calls, as an older lady with long black hair, wearing a grey dress suit walks out of the office.
"Hello Ava, I am Rebecca, Hades assistant. Please feel free to reach out to me whenever any of you need anything, and I will deliver it," she says politely with a bow of her head.
"Nice to meet you Rebecca," I reply with a smile. She looks me over, before returning my smile.
"You're not to let anyone in the house except for Rebecca, not even the guards that will be keeping patrol," Hades says looking from me to Nancy and then Brittney.
"We won't hunt," I reply.
"I have to get going Ava. Please stay safe," he says as Nancy and Brittney start a conversation with Rebecca.
"Ok, I will , but you need to be safe too," I tell him feeling my heart ache, knowing he will be gone soon.
"I will Angel. I'll be home as soon as a I can be and I'll come back if anything happens here. I'll text you tonight," he replies, before kissing me and walking to the door. Taking a deep breath I follow him to the door, and watch from the doorway as he climbs into the waiting car. He waves  as the car starts and begins pulling away, I give him a wave and watch as the car drives out of sight. Sighing I close the door and return to the living room with Cerberus.
"I'll be off to get you guys some groceries. Ava, I have your number and will text you when I'm here," Rebecca says, before leaving. Taking a deep breath I turn to my friends fighting back the tears, and before I can manage a sound they rush over and embrace me.
"It's going to be ok hun," Nancy says rubbing my back.
"We're here for you," Brittney says before releasing me and guiding me to the couch. They hug me letting me cry it out.
                      They sit with me, patiently waiting for me to calm down. Taking the tissue Nancy handed me I wipe my eyes and blow my nose, before taking a deep breath. Brittney gets up going into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a bottle of water she holds out to me. Taking the bottle I open it and take a sip, before closing it and setting it on the coffee table.
"Are you ok hun?" Nancy asks, looking at me.
"I will be, it's just a lot is going on," I reply meeting her eyes.
"Well yea, the other day you were just a college student dating a hot guy. Now you're in the underworld dating a the same hot guy who is also the god here,, and he just had to leave to fight in a war. It would be a lot for anyone hun, but we're here for you," Brittney chimes in.
"She's right hun, not everyone would be able to handle all of this. Britt and I freaked out when Hades appeared out of nowhere in our dorm this morning. That was before he even brought us here and told us everything, but we're glad to be here with you," Nancy says hugging me.
"I'm glad he brought you guys, I couldn't get through all this without you," I say pulling Brittney into the hug. After a minute we let each other go, and Cerberus walks up to me laying his heads in my lap.
"I'm ok Cerbie," I tell him petting his heads.
"He's cute for a dog with three heads," Brittney says looking down at him.
"He's adorable regardless his three heads," Nancy says reaching down and petting him.
"I'm glad you think so, I just hope he doesn't scare you when he's in his true form," I reply.
"True form?" Brittney asks.
"I want to see," Nancy says jumping up.
"Cerbie you ok with showing them in the back years?" I ask. Cerberus looks up at me and nods before walking to the sliding door. I let him out and walk with him outside.
"Now guys, he's a sweetheart so don't get too scared ok," I tell them as I turn to face them. I watch as  Brittney swallows and nods, as Nancy smiles at me.
"Ok Cerbie go ahead," I tell him letting my hand fall from his back. Cerbie barks, before shifting into his gigantic form, and lays down beside me. I reach out and pet him, as my friends stare with open mouths. Nancy is the first to recover and joins me beside Cerberus, reaching a hesitant hand out to his side. Smiling I grab her hand and set it on Cerberus who just lays there wagging his tail. Brittney finally snaps out of it and joins us.
"Did seeing him like this the first time scare you?" Nancy asks looking over at me.
"No not really. Hades had already told me he was the god of the underworld, and I remember the stories of Cerberus. I was more surprised at his smaller form when I first met him," I explain.
"That doesn't surprise me, you were obsessed with Greek mythology when we were in middle school," Brittney says, smiling at me.
"I was, I always found it fascinating," I reply. Cerberus closest head turns to me and licks my hand, before returning to his smaller form. Standing he takes a few steps before looking back at us, waiting for us to follow him. Smiling at him I follow him back inside with Britt and Nancy right behind me. Hearing my phone ringinin the bedroom, I rush to get it hoping it was Hades.
"Hello," I say managing to answer the phone before it goes to voicemail.
"Yes hello Ava, this is Rebecca. I'm at the store right now, and was wondering if there was anything specific you would like me to pick up or any allergies I should be aware of," Rebecca replies.
"Oh, um no allergies, but could you pick up more fresh fruit, cereal, and some snack please, along with anything else you think we'll need. I haven't had a chance to see what all Hades has in the kitchen."
"Ok I can certainly do that. Do you need any personal hygiene products?"
"I do need a razor and shaving cream. Oh, could you also get me some face wash please?"
"I will pick all that up as well. I will text you when I'm there," Rebecca says, hanging up. I add her to my contacts before returning to the living room to find my friends talking quietly.
"Ok what's going on, why are you two whispering?" I ask, putting my hands on my hips.
"It's nothing hun," Brittney says looking at her lap.
"We were talking about what you might do after this war is over," Nancy answers.
"Oh, I haven't even thought about that yet," I reply walking over, joining them on the sectional.
"You should hun, you can work through it with us if you want," Brittney says looking up at me.
"Thanks hun. I love Hades and want to stay with him and Cerberus, but what about you guys, and school," I reply, fidgeting with my hands, stoping when Cerberus approaches me laying his heads on my lap, looking up at me. Smiling at him I pull a hand out and pet him.
"So stay hun, Britt and I will always be here for you, and I'm sure Hades will let us come see you whenever you want. As for school, you won't really need it if you stay here with Hades, but even if you really wanted to finish it you could do so online," Nancy says, smiling at me.
"I agree, besides we could always have Hades build us our own place and stay here with you til we can find hot gods for us," Brittney adds with a laugh.
"You know he actually once mentioned that he may know some guys he could introduce you too," I reply smiling at them, happy to have them here with me.
"So it's settled, you stay here with Hades where I know you'll be happy," Nancy says.
"Yea, I'm not leaving Hades. Thanks guys," I reply hugging both of them.
"Ok enough of the sappy, show us around the gorgeous house," Brittney says jumping up.
                    After giving the, a tour of what I had seen, we explore the rest of the house together. We take the stairs to the right of the bedroom, flipping the light up we climb up the stairs. At the top is a landing with  two gaming computers sitting on polished metal desks. To our left is a short hallway with four doors. Opening the door on our right we find a guest room, the next room on the right is another guest room, and the first door on the left is a bathroom. Stepping up to the last door I poke my head in to find the makings of a nursery. Shutting the door real quick, I turn and go back downstairs as soon as many thought whirled around in my head. Was Persephone pregnant when she died, if so Hades lost more than just his wife. Feeling my heart break for him I go into the master bathroom, locking the door behind me. I splash water on my face trying to calm down. Wiping my face I hear Nancy knock on the door, I dry my. Face and open the door, going back to the living room.
"I'm fine guys really, it just caught me by surprise," I say sitting down. Nancy and Brittney share a look, and come sit with me.
"We're here if you want to talk about it," Brittney says.
"Thank you, but I'm ok for now. Did you guys bring anything with you?" I ask pulling my phone out as it dings.
"Yea our bags are in the office," Nancy answers, gesturing to the office.
"Ok you guys go ahead and get settled in the rooms upstairs. Rebecca's here, so I'll put everything away," I reply smiling as I finish reading Rebecca's text.
"Ok we'll be back down soon," Brittney says getting up. I answer the door letting Rebecca in as my friends disappear upstairs.
"Thank you for getting everything," I tell her taking one of the three bags from her.
"It was my pleasure. Where are your friends?" She asks stepping in.
"Oh they're upstairs getting settled in," I answer, leading the way to the kitchen.
"Oh ok, I'm glad Hades brought them here so you aren't so alone. I would just like to say thank you, Hades hasn't been himself for a long time after he lost Persephone, and you brought him out of it," Rebecca says, setting her bags down on the counter.
"I'm glad I could do that. He's truly an amazing man. I feel so bad for him and everything he's lost," I reply setting my bag down.
"You saw the nursery didn't you?"
"I did," I answer opening the fridge.
"Persephone found out she was pregnant right before she had to leave to bring spring in. I don't think he's been upstairs since he's lost her. He even stopped playing his games that he loved to play so much. He got her a system just like his to try and get her to play with him, but she had no interest," Rebecca tells me as she opens cupboards.
"Wow that must have been really hard on him. Maybe I'll try and get him back into gaming, and he can teach me," I reply, putting the milk and eggs away.
"I think that would be good for you and him," Rebecca says, smiling at me, "I have to get back to the office. I'll leave the rest up to you. If you need anything just give me a text," she says picking her purse up and heading for the door.
"Ok thank you so much," I tell her as I follow her. After she leaves I head back into the kitchen, and finish putting the groceries away. I carry the last bag into mine and Hades bedroom to put all my hygiene items in the bathroom, and as I reach the bottom I am surprised when I find a bikini in the bottom with a note on it.

Hades told me he forgot your bathing suit, so
I thought you might like this in case you want
to go swimming.
                                   Rebecca :)

Smiling I toss the bathing suit on the bed and return to the living room, as Brittney and Nancy come downstairs. I look up at them to see them in their bikinis holding towels.
"Go get your suit on, let's go enjoy the pool," Brittney says adjusting her sunglasses on her head.
"Yes please come join us," Nancy adds.
"Ok fine," I reply turning and going to change.
                 Several hours later we were exhausted from splashing each other and swimming around, and were relaxing on the beach chairs. Nancy gets up and goes inside only to come back, handing Britt and I each a bottle of water.
"Oh thanks hun," I tell her taking the bottle and lifting my sunglasses up onto my head.
"You're welcome," she replies before handing Brittney hers. I notice Brittney smile from the corner of my eye as she takes the water, as I rest my head back. A second later I hear a camera click, and looking up I see Britt holding my phone as she takes another picture of me.
"What are you doing?" I ask.
"Oh nothing just took some pics and am sending the, to Hades," she says before putting my phone back down by my flip flops.
"You what!" I shout jumping up and taking after her.
" I thought he might like a peek of what he's missing here," she squeals back at me as she runs around the pool. Nancy jumps from her chair running around the other side of the pool to help me. We both catch Brittney at the same time, and loosing our balance we all fall in, as Cerberus barks at us. We come back up all laughing as I push my hair from my face.Nancy puts her sun glasses back on, before handing me mine, as Brittney tries to untangle hers from her hair.
Climbing out of the pool I walk over and pick my phone up, and she indeed did send him two pictures of me lounging by the pool in my pink and purple bikini. Just as I'm about to send him an explanation he sends me a text.

Oh that's not fair Angel. I do like the bikini, and
might have to have you model it for me when I get
home. 😉
                                                                                                                                          We could arrange that, but it was Brittney who took
                                                                                                                                           and sent those. How is everything there?
It's going good, we're organized, and I hope to be
home within a week, two max.
                                                                                                                                                                                                     Ok just be safe hun
I will be Angle. I have to go for now. I'll text you
tonight before bed. I love you.
                                                                                                                                                Ok, I'll talk to you later, and I love you too ❤️😘

"I'm going to go take a shower and figure out dinner," I tell my friends before going back in.
                      I stand in the kitchen stirring sauce into the noodles, when Nancy comes in wearing pajamas shorts and a tank top. She looks into the pot I'm stirring before she opens and closes cupboards till she finds the dishes, pulling down three bowls, and grabbing forks from the third drawer to my left. She sets them down next to the stove, and leans against the counter.
"What else needs to be done?" She asks.
"Nothing the chicken is ready and I'm just going to put it on top in each bowl," I tell her grabbing one of the bowls, and filling it. She nods her head, taking the bowl from me and sprinkling chopped chicken on top.carrying the bowls  out to the living room we find Brittney scrolling through movies.
"No chick flicks," Nancy says sitting down.
"Yes, please no chick flicks," I tell her as I hand her one of the bowls, and take my seat.