*Four Days Later*
Evie felt Thanatos hold her hand tighter. He smiled down at her, “Don’t be nervous Evie, it really is your parents and I promise they’re as sweet as you remember.”
His words soothed her, and she looked to Kore who’d insisted on holding Thanatos’s hand. She joked to the child, “Traitor.”
Smiling Kore looked up to Thanatos, “Look like me?”
He nodded matching her smile. Knocking on Angelica’s door, Thanatos heard Evie inhale deeply. Shortly the door opened, and Evie’s dad Glenn looked at her teary eyed.
“Evie…” They wanted so badly to hug one another, but as they couldn’t they stared at one another lovingly. “Thank you for bringing her home Thanatos.” He nodded and Glenn’s eyes traveled to the other side.
“Hi...I’m your granddad.”
Ever the precocious child, Kore released Thanatos hand and ran to her grandfather.
“Kore, you can't-” Evie’s mouth dropped as she watched Kore hold onto Glenn’s legs. “I-”
She looked up to Thanatos who appeared just as shocked. Glenn wasn’t and instead reached down to pick up the child. “You all come on in, Angelica and Nyx are waiting for you.”
Thanatos suddenly for some reason felt nervous to see his mother’s soul. Feeling Evie tighten her grip on his hand, he looked down at her. “Don’t be nervous Thanatos, it’s really your mom and I’m sure she’s as sweet are you remember.”
He chuckled, his blue eyes dancing. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
After walking into the house, Evie found her mother and Nyx in deep conversation. Kore sat on Nyx’s lap, playing patty cake with her grandmother’s hand.
“She’s beautiful,” Nyx said, tears in her eyes, “Thank you for allowing me to see her. I’m glad you’re well.” Nyx looked to Evie, “I’ve truly missed your presence around Magical Fall. Welcome back.”
Evie blushed. “It’s amazing to see you, your majesty.”
Angelica eyed her daughter. “You’re nervous why?”
Evie's lip quivered. “I keep thinking this is all a dream. You, dad, my little family, Romulus and his…. I missed you all so much.”
She looked up to Thanatos, who wiped a tear from her face, and kissed her cheek.
“Did you do what I asked of you Grim Reaper?”
“Halfway.”
Confused, Evie watched as Thanatos pulled a box and opened it, presenting Evie with the black diamond ring inside. She quickly looked to her mother remembering it belonged to her. Angelica smiled.
“It’s not much, but it’s wrapped in love.” Thanatos slipped the ring onto her finger.
“No changing your mind now Poppet.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, kissing him deeply.
“I couldn’t even imagine it.”
Angelica chuckled, “Now that we got that out the way, you two sit down. We need to talk.” Angelica pointed to Kore. “My granddaughter is a powerful child. I can feel it exuding from her.” She pointed to them. “But you know that already. My question is…how much do you really know?”
Thanatos sighed, “Hades came to visit me.” Her eyes widened, “He said that Kore and Adam were powerful enough to kill all the Gods at once.”
“Is that even possible?”
Thanatos shook his head yes.
“Apparently their power combination was never meant to exist, but Apep changed everything around, making them super powerful…and me…able to destroy the earth.”
Evie's lips parted, “Why didn’t you tell me?
“He visited me the same day we had our talk, and then um…” He rubbed the back of his neck and Nyx smirked.
“And you too were spending the night making up.” Thanatos coughed and avoided his mother’s eyes. “Thanatos you’re a grown man, and you two have a child together, do you really think I don’t know you two have sex?” If Thanatos could have disappeared from the conversation, he would have. Instead, he changed the subject.
“Anyway, he said that I needed to control my anger. Evie was able to absorb some of the souls from me. They don’t harm her or Kore.”
“They won’t harm anyone you have a positive tie to. They feed on your anger, not your happiness.” Angelica couldn’t help but smile at the fact that she’d been right. Her daughter looked positively happy “Evie however is your Soul Tie…if I had to guess she could keep them at bay more than anyone.” He nodded his head in agreement, “Now…there’s one more thing.” Arching his brow, Thanatos looked to her.
“You need to protect the children. If Hades is coming to warn you, then he’s has if not almost has, chosen sides. Between that and the imminent death of the Gods, Zeus isn’t going to take this sitting down.”
A chill ran up Evie’s spine. “Do you really think he would come after them?”
“I think anything is possible, so be smart and be prepared.”
Looking to one another, they nodded. “We’ll make sure to warn Romulus and Derrick too." Thanatos looked to his mother. “There’s actually something else…mom, dad died.” Nyx’s face softened, and he could see her eyes glisten.
“How?”
“Saving Kore. He jumped into the line of fire to keep Apep from killing her and draining her powers.”
Nyx's lip quivered, “H-He did that?”
“He also helped infiltrate Apep’s lair. Without him, I would have never been able to find them. Listen, I can’t tell you what to do either way, I just need to know the answer. Do you want dad’s soul here with you? I could provide you both housing as well. I just need to know your decision. I plan to send his soul for reincarnation today, I’ve avoided it long enough.”
Nyx looked at her son, unsure how to respond. She knew what she wanted to say, but she also didn’t want to hurt him. As if he could hear her thoughts, Thanatos spoke.
“This has nothing to do with me. I will still bring Kore to visit you both. He saved her after all. He may have been a lousy father, but it is my hope he can be a great grandfather.”
Hearing her son’s words, Nyx agreed to allow her husband to stay with her. As Thanatos grabbed his daughter, and they along with Evie stood to leave, he heard Angelica call to him.
“Protect them Thanatos. They’re as much of your salvation, as you are theirs.”
-------------------------------------------
After dealing with Cybrus soul, Thanatos invited his two favorite girls to a picnic. Kore sat under her parents on the blanket. A little face full of content, she stuffed her mouth with more fruit. “Hey, now slow down.” Thanatos chuckled, taking some of the fruit from her hand. Her face reddened and he saw her eyes blacken. “No go Kore. Daddy said no stuffing your face and I mean it. You could choke okay?” Her eyes returning back to their normal green color, looked to her shoes.
“I sorry.”
He pulled her to him. “That’s okay. No more angry face?” She nodded, her smile returning. Watching the entire interaction, Evie couldn’t believe how quickly Thanatos took to being a dad, and even more so how quickly Kore took to him having that role.
“I told you, you would be a great dad.”
He leaned down and kissed her. “Only because I have you to help me along the way.”
The three fell into a content silence, and then a small storm brew into Thanatos pale eyes. “Evie, can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
“Did Apep-” She shook her head feverishly.
“He wanted to wait until we got married.”
She heard him sigh in relief. “I didn’t want to ask, and I need you to know it would have no bearing on how I feel about you. I-I just didn’t want you to have to go through healing that pain alone.” His words formed a lump in Evie’s throat, and she smiled at how loving and thoughtful, the reaper of death really could be. “Now-” He smirked, “You need to talk to Romulus, he’s been calling me all day asking if he could plan our wedding.”