Choosing Family

Chapter Three

It had been a month since his call with Persephone and Hades had not heard a single thing from his wife. Granted, he was sure that she was busy with preparing to relocate to the Isle for six months. But it would have been nice to talk to her.

However, his attention had been diverted about five days before Persephone was due to return. The threat of Maleficent and the worry about his relationship with Persephone were both driven from his mind by the worst possible fear.

"What do you mean she's sick?" Hades asked, glaring at Panic as he emerged from the lower level of the Underworld. Sure the saying was don't shoot the messenger but Hades was sure that saying didn't apply to worried fathers.

"S-She's w-warm to the t-touch—"

Hades got up and walked over to Mal, frowning as he touched her forehead. Mal didn't seem bothered by the touch or by the warmth but Hades was. This didn't seem right. Granted, Hades had rarely been among mortal babies. Gods didn't get sick after all.

Oh gods, what was that saying Apollo used to say whenever he was blathering on about something medicinal? Hades thought as he paced back and forth around his lair. Sweat a fever?

"Panic!"

"Y-Yes?"

Hades glared at the stuttering demon. He hated to do this but he had no choice; if he couldn't remember Apollo's advice, Hades knew he might make whatever Mal had worse and not better. "I need you to go and get Yen Sid. Don't tell him why, only that I need him."

"Yes sir!" Panic said, not stuttering for the first time that conversation and ran off. Hades sighed and shook his head. What had his life become that he was reliant on Panic for help?

At least the wizard would be intelligent enough not to blab the fact that Mal was Hades' all over the Isle. The lone non-villain understood secrecy better than most of them.

I'll have to keep in contact with him. He's been supposedly helping other kids born to magical parents deal with being unable to use their magic. If any one would need assistance with that, it'll be the daughter of a God and Maleficent, Hades thought as he began to walk around his lair, bouncing Mal in his arms as a way to keep himself calm. Mal, meanwhile, was as cool as a cucumber; babbling away. It was probably just a bug after all. There wasn't a month that went by on the Isle where some snot nose rat wasn't sick.

But Persephone's words kept echoing in his head, like an ominous warning. Babies don't have their own immune systems.

"Pain!" Hades bellowed, needing to keep his thoughts in order before he began thinking about other parts of that conversation .

"Coming, your most lugubriousness!" His purple minion called as he ran in. Hades couldn't help but smirk at the title, it was nice to be respected by someone.

"What medical supplies came in the latest shipment from Auradon?" Hades asked, turning to Pain. He didn't want to risk confusing him by using the nickname, even if he hated giving that place any kind of respect by using its proper name.

"There weren't any," Pain said. "At least, not any that were useable and the ones that were were swiped up by anyone who was able."

"What?!"

"I might have been mistaken!" Pain rushed to amend his statement. "I'll go check right now!"

"You do that!" Hades growled and his remaining minion rushed out of the lair, leaving only Hades and Mal, the later of whom broke the silence by giggling.

"You're going to get tired of me yelling at them at some point you know?" Hades asked but only got a bit of mindless babble in response. "How are you so happy? Being hot to the touch like that would cause any other baby to scream their head off, that I'm sure of."