Title: A Weekend at Home

Author: Black_Wingedbird

Rating: PG (Violence)

"Class dismissed," Chieron announced dejectedly to the small group of young cadets. The centaur was cutting the lesson short by a few minutes because he had noticed they were no longer paying attention to him. He couldn’t blame though, them for he was young once too and full of the same unbridled enthusiasm. Chieron was sending the cadets home for the weekend so that he may catch up on the constant plague of paperwork that need to be done. There was no way he could concentrate with a campus full of rambunctious teenagers. He didn’t know how they put up with each other sometimes.

At Cheiron’s dismissal, the cadets were out the door so fast it seemed they moved as one. Jason, Hercules and Iolaus were together as usual, leading the pack of students away from the academy and talking excitedly about their plans for the weekend.

"So Jase, what do you have planned for the weekend?" Hercules asked his friend, the prince of Cornith. The three traveled side by side down the dirt path.

"I don't know. I’ll Probably be stuck training to be king."

"We're real sorry to hear that, Jase," Iolaus said sarcastically as he walked beside his friends, "sittin‘ in a palace and learning how to eat properly must be hard.” Jason elbowed him but Iolaus kept talking. “Me and Herc are gonna have some real fun this weekend.”

"Please spare me," Jason said, rolling his eyes. “Killing things and making fires does not count as fun.”

“According to who?”

Hercules decided to step in between his friends before things got too far. They had come to the well-traveled fork in the road, the one that sent Jason to his destination and Hercules and Iolaus to their different one. "We'll see you Monday, OK?" Hercules asked. “I promise we can have a testosterone match then. Right now we got to get a move on if I am to be at mom's house by dark."

Jason grabbed his friend‘s hand and shook it quickly in goodbye. "Yeah, sure, you two go ahead and have fun. Say hi to Alcemene for me." Jason smiled at his friends as they turned and headed down the thickly vegetated path, laughing at some small joke between them. He was jealous of his friends for this one reason; they got to have all the fun. He sometimes wished he could be 'normal' and not have the responsibility of a kingdom on his shoulders. But he also knew that his friends admired him too. Iolaus often tried sucking up to him in hopes of gaining status among the women and Hercules had his share of jealous remarks too. In the end, he supposed they rightfully envied each other.

~o0O0o~

As Hercules and Iolaus walked down the trail to their hometown, they were busy perfecting the stories they would tell the other cadets when Monday morning came.

"Well I caught a fish half the size of me," Iolaus boasted as he gestured with his hands, "he put up-"

"Iolaus," Hercules interrupted, "that isn't very big."

"OK, fine. It was half the size of you. Anyways, he put up a good fight, but I got him in the end."

Iolaus was interrupted by the sound of laughter to his right in the woods. “Iolaus. You're still full of it I see," Cradus said as he stepped out of the shadowed woods. A few more of the Lowacks appeared behind him.

Hercules and Iolaus stopped to face the band of thieves and stood defensively. Iolaus was familiar with these thieves from his earlier days but that didn’t make the street gang less dangerous. Normally, Hercules would have stepped to his friends' defense in a heartbeat, but he knew the Lowacks were Iolaus's business and decided to let the younger blonde take care of it. Playing the part of Iolaus’ protector now would do nothing to increase Iolaus’s confidence.

"What do you want, Cradus?" Iolaus asked as Hercules could almost see Iolaus’s physical act of putting on his tough act for his former partners. Iolaus stepped in front of Hercules without fear.

"Oh, nothing much. Just heard from your friend's mother that you two were coming home for the weekend and we wanted to invite you to our little gig tonight,” Cradus stated matter-of-factly, but Hercules knew that this group really had a thirst for danger. “Whadda ya say, for old times sakes?”

“I can't do that anymore guys, you know that.” Hercules could feel his friend’s embarrassment at the memory of getting caught last time the gang was together but silently praised the front he was putting on.

"Can’t or wont?“ Cradus snapped. “Oh, that's right. Daddy's boy can't steal; he has to be a warrior. He’s going to an academy to be a great fighter. Well don't let us stop you. We‘ll see how far being honest gets you Iolaus." With that, Cradus turned and went back into the woods, flanked by his entourage.

The harsh words caused Iolaus to blush and he began walking again before Hercules could see and comment. The Lowacks knew very well that Iolaus's father wasn't kind at all, especially to his 'runt of a son'. When the general would return home from his long wars, Iolaus took to the streets in a learned effort to avoid him. That's how he first ran into the Lowacks, the town gang. They took Iolaus in without judgment and quickly found out they truly needed him and the thieving skills he possessed. The group had rarely been caught because of their well thought out plans, but the last charges against them were big. Iolaus had been the only member of the gang to be apprehended because while he was an expert pickpocket, he was no match for five armed guards. It was Iolaus’s mother who knew that her son had just got caught in the wrong group of friends at the wrong time, so she pleaded with the magistrate to let her son go on probation to Chieron's Academy. The magistrate eventually agreed, having a son himself, and Iolaus had been sent away to better his life. This was Iolaus's first trip back home since that fateful day.

"I'm proud of you, Iolaus,” Hercules spoke up as he followed Iolaus down the dirt path. “I remember a time when you would have went with them in a heartbeat. Your parents will be pleased," he said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, maybe," Iolaus said, doubtfully. As a rabbit darted across the path without a reaction from the hunter, Hercules knew that his friend was still mulling over the encounter. Neither of the teenagers talked about their feelings very often and Hercules decided to let Iolaus have peace with his thoughts.

They had just reached the edge of town when Iolaus spoke again. "So Herc, how big was your fish?" he asked, returning to their previous conversation.

~o0O0o~

They walked and bantered as usual until they reached Hercules' house. It had grown dark and the air was cooling. Crickets began chirping, unseen in the tall grass that surrounded the small and cozy house. The sun was low on the fields, casting long shadows behind the teenagers.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow right?" Hercules asked as they stopped at the front gate.

"Bright and early," Iolaus said with a small grin as he turned to leave in the direction of his house.

"In that case I'll come by to get you because I know how incapable you are of getting up early by yourself," Hercules laughed.

"You might be surprised!" Iolaus yelled back as he kept walking.

Iolaus walked a few more minutes through the cool night air to his house. He stopped before he went inside, noting the was the dark house seemed to have an unsettling sense of dread clinging to it. There was one room lit by candlelight, and a weary brown war horse tied out front hung it’s head and swung it’s tail at a lightning bug. 'Great,' he thought, as his father’s bulky shadow crossed in front of the window. Iolaus could here the shouting from where he stood. “Well, let's get this over with,” Iolaus muttered through a sigh as he unwillingly approached his house.

His hand found the familiar doorknob and he opened the door before he was aware of his actions. "I'm home," he muttered, just loud enough for them to hear. He looked down and counted the muddy footprints on the otherwise clean floor as he continued on his way to his room, hoping neither of his parents would notice him.

"Get back here, boy!" General Skoraus ordered, his previous argument forgotten. "You got something to say, you say it right!"

"I'm home," Iolaus repeated, louder and military style like he knew his father liked. Standing his ground with his back to his old bedroom, Iolaus looked the general in the eyes and tried to look stronger than he felt.

"Don't you get an attitude with me, runt," Skoraus threatened with a pointed finger, advancing towards Iolaus. His sword clanked against his armor and his steps were heavy and purposeful.

Iolaus stood his ground, knowing already that a fight was unavoidable and argued, "I'm not the one with the attitude, am I? I don't start arguments every time I come home, do I Mom?" Iolaus asked, only glancing at the forlorn woman in the corner. His mother remained where she was, shaking her head with sad disappointment from behind the general.

"Do not drag your mother into this, runt.” He emphasized his point by giving Iolaus a hard punch to the stomach. “You don't even know what we were talking about."

Iolaus winced in pain as he bent forward but did not cry out. He remembered very well the punishment for voicing pain. "What do you have to say now?" the general threatened with a dangerous glint in his eyes.

Iolaus could not find his voice, much less his breath and instead turned and went for the door. He hated leaving his mother but realized that he was the cause of his fathers aggression. If he left, his father would calm down.

He had gotten through the door before his father realized that Iolaus was actually going to leave the house. "You get back here, boy!" Skoraus yelled after him from the doorway. Iolaus found himself biting his lip against the throb in his abdomen and ache in his heart.

"Let him go, Skoraus," came a quiet plea from behind him. The general turned, and his eyes met with the watery eyes of his wife.

Giving in to her with surprising ease, he muttered, "He'll be back when he gets hungry." He cast another glance out side and saw nothing but darkness and his haggard horse.

Iolaus pulled himself together as he stomped over the dirt path towards town. His long days of hunting had implanted a detailed map of the wilderness into his young mind. Iolaus didn’t need to look where he was going anymore, he could feel it. 'I should be used to this by now. Happens every time we meet,' he thought, wiping a tear of frustration away from his face. Being hit never hurt him physically as much as it hurt his feelings, causing the anger and loneliness to blossom within him.

He had gotten his temper under control and was nearly out of breath again as the torches of town became visible. He headed towards them with hopes of wandering the streets until dawn when someone called his name.

"Iolaus! You came after all!" Cradus said, stepping out of the shadows of the woods and into the moonlight.

Iolaus wasn‘t in the mood to play. "I‘m not here to see you," he mumbled as he kept walking.

"Oh, come now, Iolaus.” Cradus jogged a few steps to catch up. “One more time. What do you got to lose?" the thief asked, placing an elbow on Iolaus's shoulder to stop him. "I could really use your help."

"Really," Iolaus replied sarcastically, turning to face the older teenager.

"Of course. You have talent Iolaus, I can see that. I don't care what your father says."

Iolaus took a step backwards and studied at his old friend. He had learned to resent how Cradus used his feelings of failure against him to lure Iolaus into the Lowacks gang. Long ago it had felt right, he had a family with these guys, but now…what had changed? They obviously still wanted Iolaus to be with them and his father so obviously still did not. What would it hurt, to run with his old friends again. He would only be here for the weekend. And he was not stupid enough to be caught like last time. His training from the academy would ensure that.

"Ooh, looks like he laid into you again, didn't he?" Cradus crooned as he poked the fist-shaped bruise beginning to form on Iolaus‘s abs. Iolaus’ breath caught from the pain but he remained silent as the gang leader continued, "Why don't you join us tonight, Iolaus. Vent some anger. Live a little… again."

Iolaus hesitated a little more before giving in. Cradus was right, what did he have to lose? One more time can't hurt. "What‘s the plan?" he asked as Cradus breathed a sigh of relief.

~o0O0o~
The tavern was full tonight. All the waitresses were busy with drunken men and the bartender could hardly tell who got what drink. Everyone was happy. And careless. Excellent conditions for a robbery.

'Perfect,' Iolaus thought, watching a coin purse nearly fall from a man‘s uncoordinated fingers. 'This job will be a piece of cake.'

Carefully, the Lowacks and their guest star made their way to the dinar box behind the counter. A few members of the gang gathered around a pretty blonde waitress and began to flirt with her. More headed to the bar to distract the man already bust handing out ale to customers. Iolaus and Cradus carefully and nonchalantly walked to the heavy box at the end of the bar. Iolaus glanced around before resting his hands on the box. His heart was pounding but that was not unusual. The adrenaline raced through him spreading welcome feelings of power and control. Cradus stood in front of him and kept watch while Iolaus expertly picked the rusty lock. It opened easily form the tampering hand of an experienced thief and Iolaus reached inside and removed the large sack of dinars.

'So far, so good,' he thought as he shot Cradus an assuring look. After stuffing the sack in his vest, he closed the box. He was proud that the hit had gone down so effortlessly. He and Cradus started to leave, bumping into staggering drunks as the rest if the gang followed.

Once outside, they all breathed a collective sigh of relief, taking in the cool air. "Man, was that easy, or are you just getting that good?" Cradus laughed, patting Iolaus on the back and causing a cloud of smoke to billow from the shorter man‘s vest.

They broke into a run to take cover in the woods as Iolaus answered, "It was too easy! I could have done that blindfolded!"

"Done what?" came a familiar booming voice, stopping the group just short of the cover in the woods. Standing in front of them and looking very large and angry, was General Skoraus.

Iolaus's heart skipped a beat as the rest of the gang scattered and fled into the woods, leaving only him and Cradus. He hadn’t really expected them to stay anyway. He was a little surprised that Cradus was still beside him.

"What's the matter boy, cat got your tongue?"

Neither youth could come up with an explanation Skoraus would believe, Iolaus confessed. "We robbed the inn."

"Well then, you can go give it back, " Skoraus ordered, spinning the boys about face and adding a rough shove.

"I will," Cradus eagerly volunteered. He snatched the bag from Iolaus and before heading to the inn, shot his friend a sympathetic glance.

"I see you have a friend," Skoraus growled as he glared at his son. "We‘ll see about that. Come on, let's get home." He gave his son a shove. “I’ll decide on your punishment along the way.”

"Whatever," Iolaus retorted, wishing the words back into his mouth as soon as they slipped out. He didn't know why he had said it, he just did. Maybe it was the tenacious part of him that always had to get the last word, or just the fact that his tongue was too tightly connected with his mind. Either way, Iolaus immediately regretted his verbal slip-up as his father's fist connected with his cheek.

"Don't ever talk back to me like that boy! Your mother was worried sick after you took off earlier and I’m the one that has to drag your worthless hide back home! Now you have the nerve to talk to me like that? And after you stole, too. You aren't even old enough to have business in there!" he emphasize by pointing back to the inn.

Iolaus managed to hold his tears in as he gently rubbed his cheek. His father continued disciplining him through shouted anger as Iolaus followed his father home. Iolaus let his hand fall away from his face as he turned his pain into anger and began to stare at the general’s back. Iolaus wished thoughts could kill. In the moonlight, his father looked even scarier. Iolaus kept his mouth shut. He wouldn’t have been heard over his father’s ramblings anyway. He had heard this lecture so many times that he could lip sync it in time with his father. He no longer listened to the words, just the voice that had been full of pride once, long ago when Iolaus was still too young to be classified as ‘small’.

Once they reached home, Skoraus went in the barn, Iolaus at his heels as a dog that fears it’s owner but grovels anyway. In the house window, Iolaus saw his younger sister looking at him. He turned his head so she would not see his embarrassed blush, but realized it was too dark anyway. He felt degraded. He knew he looked it.

"-Are you listening to me?' Skoraus said as he stopped suddenly, causing Iolaus to nearly run into him.

"Sorry," Iolaus yelped as he jumped back.

Iolaus was sure his father growled while he ordered, “You will stay out here and clean the barn while you think about your actions tonight."

"Yes, sir," Iolaus mumbled as he moved to get a shovel. He was being let off easy. He wondered if his mother had anything to do with it but doubted it. She rarely intervened when Skoraus was involved, and Iolaus never blamed her. There were no doubts that the general’s punishment would not stop at with his children and Iolaus had sworn long ago that he would not tolerate his mother getting hurt at the hands of anyone. He understood loyalty very well and saved it for those that truly mattered.

Sighing, Iolaus looked around the barn. His favorite dog, Rocky, crawled to his side in a comforting gesture. The scrawny little mutt was as tenacious as he was, and always up for a good romp through the woods. Iolaus smiled softly as he pet the dog’s dirty, soft fur. A pair of lean draft horses watched him with soft eyes. A cow was secured in the corner and she too held more understanding in her face than Iolaus felt a four-legged animal should be able to. He had known the animals for years. Like his father’s cruelty, they too had endured the years.

Iolaus sighed again as he slid the shovel under stale hay. The motion caused pain to flare in his side but he ignored it. There was no one to offer sympathy anyway.

~o0O0o~

Hercules walked down the sunny dirt road, fishing pole in hand and song on his lips. This morning he and Iolaus were going fishing and camping out in the woods. Iolaus hadn't shown up this morning so Hercules was now on his way to his best friend's house to get him and drag him out of bed if need be. He and Iolaus had been planning this trip for a while and were looking forward to it. They each enjoyed the solitude of the forest and Hercules took pride in watching Iolaus put his extraordinary tracking skills to use there.

He could now see Iolaus's house, somewhat smaller and more rundown than Hercules’s own home. General Skoraus was often away from home to battle in wars, and Iolaus was at the academy so there were no men to look after the upkeep of the house. Usually when Iolaus or his father were home, they mended the old house as best as they could. Hercules often helped out and was fed lunch in return for his hard labor.

Iolaus didn’t have a big family. Since he spent most of his time at the academy, he rarely saw the family he did have but Hercules never heard his friend complain. He knew Iolaus and his father did not have a close relationship. Iolaus’s mother was a kind, quiet woman who seemed to only speak when spoken to. Hercules had always felt sorry for her, though he never understood why.

As Hercules approached the house, he saw a familiar brown dog loitering around the barn’s doors. He knew this dog very well and was happy to see it. “Rocky!” Hercules smiled as he called to the mutt. “Whatcha doin’ boy?”

The dog turned at the sound of his name and began wagging his tail furiously. He broke into a light pant that seemed to put a smile on his face. Rocky bounded joyfully to Hercules then immediately dropped to his belly at Hercules’s feet in a submissive greeting.

Hercules pet the dog gently. He always hated seeing this loyal beast throwing itself to humans’ mercy. “Come boy,” he encouraged with a clap of his hands. “Where’s Iolaus? Go get him.”

Instantly the dog was up again and bounded back across the short distance to the barn, turning to glance at Hercules before disappearing inside.

'What is he doing in the barn now?" Hercules thought as he approached the barn and stood in the doorway.

Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the roof and spotlighted the dirt floor. "Iolaus?" he called into the barn. He was answered by a falling bale of hay that landed a few feet away from him with a soft but powerful thud. He looked up and Iolaus's blonde head peeked over the loft edge at him.

"Herc?" Iolaus asked, squinting. "What are you doing here?"

"No, the question is, what are you doing here? I thought we were supposed to be fishing now." Hercules could barley make out a dark bruise on Iolaus's cheek and asked more seriously," What happened to you?"

"What? Oh, it's nothing," Iolaus said, turning his head. "I got in trouble last night and dad's making me clean the barn. I'm almost done though. You go ahead. I'll catch up in a little bit," Iolaus said as he disappeared from the edge.

"No, I'm not going by myself. Now get down here and talk to me." More hay fell to the floor.

Hercules heard a sigh. "Okay, fine. I'm coming. Hold on."

As Hercules waited for his friend to descend, he observed a pair of horses and a cow who were studying him with more intensity then animals had a right to. It was beginning to creep him out. Finally Iolaus appear at the top of the ladder and began to make his way down. "You know, Herc, you don't have to check up on me. It's no big deal, really. I-" Iolaus yelped as his foot slipped off the ladder’s rung, sending him plummeting to the ground.

"Iolaus!" Hercules cried out as he ran to catch his falling friend.

Iolaus landed on the dirt with a sickening thud just as Hercules arrived. "Iolaus, are you Okay? Come on buddy, what did you hurt?" He kneeled down next to his friend, barely noticing that Rocky was at his side.

Iolaus rolled onto his back and grabbed his left shoulder with his right hand. "Oh, man," he hissed painfully. “That really hurt.”

"What's going on in here?" Skoraus boomed as he appeared at the doorway. Rocky scampered into the cow’s stall and watched the proceedings from between her knobby knees.

Iolaus struggled to sit up. “I just fell.” he announced as if he were suddenly okay.

“Have you finished cleaning the barn?”

“Almost.”

Hercules couldn‘t believe his ears. Couldn‘t the general see that Iolaus was in pain? "He needs a healer," he said, getting up.

"That won't be necessary." The general said with finality as he walked heavily around the barn, inspecting the work Iolaus had been doing. The horses stomped nervously.

Hercules looked at his friend and lowered his voice. “Can you move your arm?” he asked. Iolaus glanced to his father before shaking his head. Hercules grew more frustrated. " I'm going to get the healer," he announced. “His arm is dislocated.” Hercules stood and prepared to argue.

"Off with you then," Skoraus said with dismissal.

“Stay here, I’ll be back shortly,” Hercules told Iolaus. His eyes locked with Iolaus’s for a few seconds, conveying sympathy and confused anger at the same time. Then Hercules jogged outside, his destination known and urgent.

Skoraus watched with amusement as the demigod continued left. He made his way to his son, who was now panting in pain. Iolaus barely heard Rocky‘s low grumble from the shadows. "Clumsy runt, can't you do anything right?" the general yelled as he delivered a harsh kick to Iolaus's midsection. "I give you one honest job to do and you go and get everyone feeling sorry for your theivin‘ hide!" he delivered another kick.

Iolaus was breathless but defenseless with only one arm. The violent disturbance to his ribs sent fire through his shoulder and black spots were beginning to dance at the edge of his vision. He panicked as he could not get enough air into his lungs.

Skoraus and Iolaus both prepared for the next blow when, for no apparent reason, Skoraus turned and left, slamming the barn doors closed behind him.

Iolaus would have breathed a sigh of relief if his lungs had been functioning properly. 'I have to get out of here in case he returns before Hercules,' he told himself, using his fear to motivate his abused body to move. Tears of frustration threatened to fall as his lungs burned. The ache in his hurt a lot less now. Iolaus noticed it was numb and hung limply at his side and didn’t know if that was good or bad. Slowly his lungs filled with dusty air and he had enough control to stand. Iolaus felt like a half-dead insect that thrashed around on the ground before someone was kind enough to finish the job.

Rocky came out of hiding and joined Iolaus in his attempt to leave the barn. A small smile crossed Iolaus’s face when he felt a warm tongue in his palm and heard a soft whimper of empathy.

Carefully, he and the dog made their way out the back of the barn.

~o0O0o~
"But he was right here, I swear!"

"Yeah, right. Well, if he returns, let me know," the healer said skeptically as he headed out of the barn.

"But…he…" Hercules attempted, but couldn't think of an explanation himself. 'What happened to Iolaus?' he wondered. Inside, the four-legged occupants of the barn looked at him with an eerie calmness. Outside, Hercules saw General Skoraus disappeared into the house. ‘Iolaus, can't you do anything I tell you?' he thought before heading outside. It was starting to rain. 'Well, I guess camping is off,' Hercules sighed, trying to let the rain wash away some of his confusion.

He decided to head back to his house. Iolaus would be okay and would find Hercules when he needed him. Hercules decided that his friend must just be embarrassed over his injury. The general set a tough act to follow, and Hercules thought the man was too harsh at times. Funny how Iolaus turned out so totally opposite from his father. Hercules was thankful for that and could only hope that Iolaus would come around soon. He had been walking for a few minutes when someone stepped out in front of him on the path.

"Hey, buddy," Cradus greeted with false enthusiasm as the rest of the Lowacks fell in behind him. "You seen our partner Iolaus around? We need to give him his share of last nights loot."

"I’m looking for him myself. What do you mean, partner? He told you he wasn't with you guys anymore." Hercules said, confused. He wiped a drop of rain before it fell off his nose.

"That's what he told you, but we offered him protection from his father and- poof! - He's back!" Cradus said, grinning. Hercules thought he looked like a drowned cat.

"Protection? What do you mean?" Hercules asked, growing more concerned for his friend. Why hadn’t Iolaus came to him for help?

"Oh, come on, you're his best friend now. You can't see that his dad beats him?"

Goosebumps traveled up his arms, but Hercules wasn‘t sure if they were from the weather or his surprise. "No, I didn't know," Hercules said quietly as the pieces began to fall together. All those times when he would make a sudden move and Iolaus would flinch, Hercules had thought he simply caught his friend off guard. 'Guess he’s also not as attracted to door ways as he says,' Hercules thought with regret, remembering the bruises his friend often showed up with, chalked up to being clumsy. How could such a superb hunter be that clumsy in his own home? Then noticing the bag Cradus was holding, the rest of the puzzle came together. "So let me guess, he took you up on your offer last night, and you got caught." Hercules said. 'This just keeps getting better and better,' he thought sarcastically.

"Something like that, yeah. Look, when you see him, tell him we're looking for him, okay?" Cradus asked. He and his gang melted back into the woods silently.

"Yeah, whatever," Hercules mumbled as he too continued home. 'So, the bruises he was sporting this morning were probably from his dad after he got caught,' Hercules thought as he turned on to the path that led to his house.

The sky was darkening to match his mood. Up ahead, he could see his house lit up and inviting through the pouring rain. Hercules shuddered from both the cold and the thought of what Iolaus had to endure every time he came home and his father was there. Hercules realized now that when they were little, Iolaus almost always had a bruise or cut somewhere on him, and Hercules never questioned it. 'I must admit, he covered it up excellently,' Hercules thought. Iolaus was always in a good mood and had more energy than he could handle. 'I guess that's how he coped, he covered it up and tried to forget about it." Hercules thought. He passed the wild bushes that lined the path about 20 feet from the house.

He didn't know what made him stop. Something intangible gripped him and Hercules halted, feeling an urge that something was nearby. He heard a soft cry that any other time he would have mistaken for the wind. A flash of lightning lit up the sky and Hercules could barely see a form lying behind the bushes. He went over to them and separated the branches. He was met with a mouth of teeth, then that quick the bite was over and was replaced by a warm tongue. Hercules recognized the wet dog as he pulled his hand back, inspecting the bite wound. “Gods Rocky, it’s only me,” he murmured. Then Hercules saw what the dog was protecting. Unconscious behind Rocky, lay Iolaus.

"Iolaus!" Hercules yelled above the pouring rain. He bent down after getting no response and picked up his friend. Rocky danced around, barking excitedly and adding to the urgent voices in Hercules’s head. Iolaus's skin was icy and his shoulder length blonde curls dangled as Hercules carried his limp body towards the house.

Hercules banged on the door for his mother. In a few seconds, Alcemene appeared at the door. She quickly assessed the situation. "Bring him in," she said, almost visible transforming into ‘healer mode’ and stepping aside so Hercules could pass. He headed for his room with Iolaus. Alcemene shut the door after the dog slipped inside and together they followed Hercules.

Hercules gently laid Iolaus on his bed and Alcemene stepped around him. "We need to dry him off and get him warm," she said. "Will you go get a pot of water on the fire?"

Hercules was out of the room as soon as the last words left her mouth, but Alcemene didn't notice. She bent to take off Iolaus's vest and noticed some dark bruising on his abdomen. She gently felt the area and found some cracked ribs under the bruises. Iolaus moaned and only then did she get a good look at his face and the bruising there too. Iolaus did not awaken and Alcemene began wondering what happened to the witty youth. She grabbed one of Hercules' nearby shirts and gently began to wring out Iolaus' dripping hair.

Hercules returned with the hot pot of water and set it on the floor next to her.

"Now go get a blanket from the closet," Alcemene ordered. Iolaus' heartbeat was strong, but his fingers and toes were starting to turn blue and he was covered in goose bumps. Hercules returned and Alcemene took the blanket from him and put it over the pot of water. The steam quickly heated the blanket and Alcemene removed it from the scalding steam before covering Iolaus with it.

As the steam rose, the goose bumps shrank. Alcemene went back to drying Iolaus's hair and asked, "What happened to him?"

"It's a long story. You know how I went to his house this morning?" With a nod from his mother, he continued, "Well, I got there and he was cleaning the barn because he said he got in trouble last night. When he came down the ladder, he fell and- dislocated his arm!" he suddenly remembered, looking up at his mother.

Reaching down, she felt the shoulder closest to her and found the joint to be out of place. "Okay, come here. I'll need you to hold him down while I relocate it. It will hurt him, but it has to be done." Alcemene said as Hercules moved to Iolaus's head and placed his hands on Iolaus's chest. Alcemene took Iolaus's arm and glanced at her son then quickly snapped the shoulder back in place. Iolaus groaned and tried to turn away but did not awaken.

"That wasn't so bad," she admitted, more to herself. "Please continue."

Hercules forced himself to continue with his story. "I, uh, I noticed he had the bruises on his face and I went to get the Healer as his dad came. When I got back, no one was there. I was coming home when I ran into the Lowacks and they told me Iolaus was with them last night."

This did not surprise Alcemene. She knew Iolaus hung out with the local gang before meeting Hercules. They never hurt anybody, just stole things. All the kids in that group were poor and just trying to survive and she felt sorry for them. They each had got caught a few times, but Iolaus was on his last chance. That's when he went to Chieron’s Academy and met up with Hercules. Alcemene knew Iolaus had a good heart and would be a good friend to Hercules. He had even stopped stealing and was turning his life around, until last night.

"…but you cant' tell anyone because it would embarrass him. They said his dad beats him and Iolaus only hung out with them to get away from his dad. They got caught last night and I know his dad did this to him."

Alcemene looked at her son, astonished. Why didn't she see it before? Every time the bouncy cadet came over, he was banged up. He always claimed he was clumsy or had just gotten into a fight. 'So that was only half the story. Poor thing,' she thought, 'you're safe here.' She removed the blanket, steamed it again, and spread it out over the still body as Hercules continued, "And I found him in the bushes out front. Will he be okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Yes, he'll be fine. He's already warming up, and he should be awake in a little while. When he does wake, we'll need to wrap his ribs."

"Why?"

"They’re cracked," Alcemene said flatly with hatred building up for Skoraus. How could he do this to a child, especially his own? She realized Hercules was also soaking wet and said, "Oh, look at you. You need to get dry too before I have two sick sons," she smiled. 'Iolaus might as well be my son, Hercules and I are probably closer to a family then what he was born into,' she thought as she watched Hercules gather some of his clothes and head into the wash room.

Alcemene got a rag and began to dab at Iolaus's forehead in hopes of bringing down his slight fever. She gently brushed aside some unruly curls and gasped in surprise as his crystal blue eyes blinked open. She instantly saw the pain and confusion and comforted him, "It's okay Iolaus, you’re safe. Just relax a minute okay?"

Iolaus nodded but tried to sit up anyway. He groaned as he put weight on his injured left arm.

"Now just wait a minute Iolaus, you've got some cracked ribs we have to wrap," Alcemene informed him as she helped the cadet sit up.

"It's okay, I'll be fine," Iolaus protested, panting as he avoided her worried gaze.

'How many years has he had to down play his injuries to prevent anyone seeing him in pain?' she questioned herself as Hercules returned. "No Iolaus, you're not fine. Now let us wrap those ribs."

"Hey, Iolaus, how 'ya feeling?" Hercules asked, stepping next to his friend.

"How do I look?" Iolaus asked, the spark of humor returning to his eyes as his brave front grew stronger.

"Pretty much like you always do," Hercules teased back as he moved behind his friend to help him sit straight. Iolaus tried to position himself but winced at the movement of his arm. He looked up and met the watchful gaze of Alcemene. She said nothing, hindering to Iolaus' pleading gaze.

Alcemene began tightly wrapping Iolaus's ribs with a roll of bandage and several times she saw Iolaus wince but never cry out. As she was finishing, Iolaus's stomach growled and the young man looked away. "Iolaus, when was the last time you ate?" Alcemene asked.

After thinking for a minute, he was about to answer 'yesterday morning,' but Alcemene interrupted him. "Well if you have to think about it, it's been too long. Stay here with Hercules while I go get you some stew." With that she turned and headed for the kitchen, leaving the two cadets alone.

"Herc, sorry to make you guys go to all this trouble…" Iolaus started, but was cut off by Hercules.

"Iolaus, knock it off. You know you're welcome here anytime, especially if you're hurt. You know, you're welcome to stay the rest of the weekend, too."

"Yeah, I guess we never got to go fishing, did we?" Iolaus asked, cracking a smile.

"No, we didn't. Hey, was this your plan all along, because you knew I would catch a bigger fish than you?" the demigod asked, returning the smile.

"Ha! In what life would that be?" Iolaus laughed.

"One of these days…"

"Yeah, I'll believe when I see it."

"Yeah?"

Yeah!"

"Come on then, let's go!"

"Okay, after you!" Iolaus challenged, jumping down from the bed.

"Iolaus, I was just kidding!" Hercules called after him.

Iolaus made it to the door when Alcemene appeared and stopped him. "Where are you going?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We’re going fishing," Iolaus stated simply.

"No you're not, young man, you're going to get back in that bed and rest until lunch is ready. Now go!" she finished, pointing to the bed.

Iolaus debated an argument but folded under Alcemene's caring gaze. "Okay," he mumbled and turned back to the bed.

"This is gonna be a long weekend," Alcemene and Iolaus both said together. Then they cracked a smile as Hercules began to laugh.

Finis

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