Chapter 24

"If you want me to be happy, don't make promises you can't keep!" He exclaimed.

"What makes you think I can't keep this promise?" All I could feel was the anger rising in my veins, just like the heat from before.

"You were the one who said gods can only do so much, you can't protect every poor soul there possibly is." He still refused to look me in the eye.

"Adam, I said we can't help every poor soul, your my husband, so you have priority. I can promise you that you won't lose your happiness, I fought you for your happiness and I'm not willing to let you choose to not have it."

He just stood there. Silence filled the room faster then the sudden chill. I felt my heart aching and anger flashing but nothing was more severe then the fear, none of those emotions belonged to me. "If you decide to let me help, support and love you. Then you're more then welcome to join us in our home, because that's where I'll be... with our children." He still remained silent.

Finally I gave up waiting for a response and joined everyone in the living room. On the floor, allowing the twins to use him as a jungle gym, laid Helios with a large smile spread across his face.

"I suppose you like children?" I sat on the couch and watched as he sat up trying not to knock one of them over.

"Obviously. It's been a while since I've been around small children but I do love them." He moved Owen to the side so he could sit up straight.

"Well, they are impossible to resist." I smiled. "What's left at the house anyways?" I looked to Eros who was sitting in the chair staring out the window. Helios lifted his foot nudging Eros leg, shaking him from his thoughts.

"What?"

"I asked what was at the house?"

"All of your stuff and all the furniture besides the cribs. He just brought the cribs, his clothes and their clothes." His eyes saddened while they scanned the room.

"Would you mind helping me pack? At least the twins clothes, Adam can worry about his own clothes."

"Trouble in paradise already dear?" Helios smirked at me as Eve grabbed his hair to help her stand up.

"Like you don't already know." I rolled my eyes.

"We can pack their clothes as soon as Tyler and Braxton wake up." Eros sighed as he stood up to walk to the kitchen.

"Those two already left." Jefferson walked from the hall.

"When did they wake up?" I picked up Eve as I stood up leaving Owen to continue playing with Helios.

"Earlier this morning. They said they had some stuff to do for the school and the patrol stuff." He yawned plopping on the couch where I was sitting just a second ago.

"Well, should we get packing then?" Eros chuckled.

"I guess so. Helios, dad, can you two keep an eye on these three in the time being?" I handed Eve to my dad sitting in his reading chair.

"Three?" My dad looked at me curious.

"Yeah, Eve, Owen and little Jay over there." I smirked.

"Fuck you." Jefferson raised his hand flipping me off. I couldn't help but share in laughter as I heard Helios full hearty laugh fill the room.

I took a deep breath and followed Eros into the nursery. Two air mattresses covered in blankets filled the floor. Eros grabbed the one blocking the closet and tossed it atop the other.

"They don't have much that fit them right now. Do you want to take all of it or just what fits them?" He started opening the drawers to the dresser inside the closet.

"I guess just what fits them. I'll come back for the rest later." I sighed as I reached up and grabbed the bag off the top rack.

We packed the clothes in silence, I still felt angry with the conversation I had with Adam and I was pretty sure Eros knew of it. The rest of the afternoon was calm, we packed everything that needed to be packed. No one dared enter Adams and my room since we all knew just how he felt. I was carrying the bags on my back as I ran to the house while Eros drove his truck with the twins inside. As I approached the house I finally felt relief, I wasn't sure if the relief was from the fact that I was alone, or the fact that I was finally home, or both. I walked inside and saw everything was the same except a bit of a mess in the kitchen, dirty dishes that had been sitting in the sink for the time I had been gone. As far as I knew this place had been empty for the last four months. I walked upstairs into the nursery that felt empty. I heard the door open as I began unpacking the clothes into their dresser. I walked downstairs to see Adam slowly walk in.

"Adam?" I walked towards him. He was scared and jumpy as he looked towards me.

"I was hoping that we'd get a moment alone before they get here." He said as his eyes scanned everything in the room.

"And?" I crossed my arms and sat on the back of the couch close to the stairs.

"I wanted to apologize.. I wasn't in my right mind when I snapped at you like I did.."

"I know you weren't. That's why I told you I'd be here. Needs a little cleaning tho." I looked at the dust collecting on the picture frames.

"Yeah.. I was going to cover everything but I couldn't find the strength to come back in here after.."

"So are you going to be join me in our home? Or should I just get back to unpacking the twins clothes?"

"I don't know.. I just need to take it slow. I can't just come back here and expect everything to be the same as it was."

"I understand that but I can't keep staying at my dads. If he had a larger house it wouldn't be an issue."

"I know- I gotta get out of here.." Without any warning he ran out of the house. My instincts told me to run after him but as soon as I hit the door I was lashed back.

"What the hell?" I stood up and tried reaching my hand out with no success to getting out. "Adam?" I yelled. I looked at the door frame and saw there was some writing on it. I ran to the kitchen and grabbed a knife, I ran back and scratched out the door frame and was able to stick out my foot. After tossing the knife into the sink I ran outside to see Eros truck coming in the driveway.

"Hey, whats the matter?" Eros asked as I searched for where Adam could have run to.

"Adam was just here." I began panting.

"No he's not.. Jefferson is still at your dads with him. I just spoke with him, Adams still in the room."

"No, Adam was just here, he was standing in the living room, I talked to him for a few minutes." I realized his scent was nowhere where he was and felt anger build. "If that wasn't Adam, who was in my house?"

"Maybe Poseidon is still messing with you?" Helios said as he got the twins out of the backseat.

"That's it. When I leave to see Chaos, I'm stopping by Poseidon's domain. I'm going to figure this out." I huffed grabbing the baby carriers and carried them in.

"When are you leaving?" Eros asked grabbing one of the cribs out of the back.

"As soon as I can I guess. I wanted to figure stuff out with Adam first but maybe I should get this done sooner." I sighed placing the twins on the floor.

"Maybe I'll help the witches and you can ask Eros or your dad to help with the kids since Adam." Helios came in behind Eros with the other crib and followed Eros up the stairs.

"I'll figure something out. I feel bad since they've all been watching them for the last four months. Maybe I just need to take a day or two and just enjoy my children. That wouldn't be a problem would it?" I followed them upstairs after I got the kids out of their car seats and held one child on each hip.

"It shouldn't be an issue at all. I'll be able to handle everything else." Helios placed the crib down in front of the window.

"Here, hold them for a second." I handed the kids to Helios and moved the cribs, one on each side on the window.

"What about Adam?" Eros stood back and looked at the furniture.

"If he wants to come home, he can. I've made that a point when I last spoke to him. As for now, you and everyone else that stuck around, you're finally free to do as you please. You don't need to stick around, I guess." I felt myself shrink. I didn't want Eros or anyone else to leave but they had no reason to stay, they could build their own lives and not worry about us any more.

"..I'm sorry, what?" Eros stopped and looked to me.

"Well, you have a family of your own. I don't want to continue holding you back."

"My children are grown and my wife and I got divorced. You guys have become my family." Eros pulled me in for a quick hug. Owens giggles filled the room as I felt relief.

"Thank you Eros.. that means a lot to me." I pulled back and looked around satisfied.

"Now, I want to go look at my bed. I feel like death." I laughed as I followed Helios downstairs.

"The house is going to need a bit of cleaning." Eros laughed behind me.

"Yeah.. Helios, can you take those two outside so I can clean. Eros, join them or me but I'm going to be speed cleaning." I walked over to the back door and opened it seeing the yard work needed to be done as well.

"I'll help you, I'll clean the upstairs." Eros ran back upstairs as Helios walked outside.

"Have fun." Helios started lightly hopping, making the kids start laughing.

-

"Rae?" I heard after dusting the last picture frame.

"Yes?" I looked around and saw no one but Helios and the kids playing outside. "Helios, did you call my name?" I shouted to him.

"No, did Eros?" He shouted back.

"Did I what?" Eros snuck up behind me causing me to drop the duster.

"Did you call me?" I bent over, about to pick it up when I heard someone call my name again.

"Someone just did, it wasn't me though." Eros began looking around as well.

"You heard it too? Where is it coming from?" I stood back up and placed the duster on one of the end tables.

"I think it's coming from out front." Eros said as I walked towards the door.

"Hello?" I opened the door and walked out, looking around.

"Can we talk for a minute?" I finally realized someone was yelling from the end of the drive way, it was Adam.

"What are you doing? Come inside." I called out as I walked towards him.

"I can't.. I just can't go near there yet.." He seemed to shrink where he stood.

"Why not? You were standing in the backyard when I talked to you one time when I was gone. You can at least approach the house." I stopped when I realized he was standing in a puddle.

"Renae! Get away from her!" I turned to see Helios running towards me. As I turned back I looked to see Adam shift from himself into a woman. Specifically a water nymph.