"Be careful with your words, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten."—-unknown

"Are you sure this the location? Because there's nothing in here, but trees." Derek said to Ares who also has doubt about the place.

And he's obviously correct, there's a lot of trees and for that he asked them to stop for a moment. Ares then pulled out the piece of paper that Delilah gave him. And his eyes glints with amusement when she saw that she drew a big arrow symbol where they should follow it to reach the warehouse.

"Seems like I am the wrong one here. She gave me this paper and she mentioned clearly here that we have to follow the arrow sign that she curved on the tree." Ares informed Derek who nods his head and start to look at each tree. Their eyes beamed because now they will not going to lost in this kind of place.

Ares on the other hand can't believe that she could think about this strategy and he's so impressed.

She's smart girl.— he said mentally.

Ares found the arrow sign and it's pointing to the '' and informed the team. Soon, after an hour or less, they found the 2-storey warehouse that was surrounded by armed men. Derek signaled his team to go to the east direction while Ares and his team to the west.

"Derek I think we can take them easy. There is only one guard at the main door and at the back. Kill everyone on sight, and look for their leader named Jack. That's the fucker that we need to get alive." Ares said to Derek.

"Roger, over and out." and after that Derek informed his team to attack but warned to not make noise. The guy that guarding the main door was being stabbed by Ares — dead. And after that everyone follows until all the guard fell on the ground with wide eyes open.

"Derek my father is on basement. I have to go there." Derek copy that and proceed to the second floor, to find the leader of those f*ckers—-Jack.

"Hades, Dion and Apollo come with me. Lets go at the basement, double time!" He said through his earpiece, before firing his gun at the man that's about to lunge at him.

Ares knows where his father is staying in because of Delilah and according to her his cell is at the far end of the basement.

When they reach the basement, their heart was beating so fast, finally they are going to see their father.

"! Where are you?" Apollo yelled because wheh they reach his cell, he wasn't there, jusy empty bed and a crutches.

But Delilah won't lie to him so his eyes roam the area again until he found a room. He make a beeline towards it before kicking it forcefully. The door flew out and his eyes darkened at scene in front of his eyes.

There he was, His father, chained at the pole, on his knees, brutally whipped.

His back was covered with blood and his head hung low.

"! He's here!" He shouts to them while running fast towards him. He checked first his pulse before unlocking his chain and carefully lay him to the floor to check his injury. His heart crushed again into pieces when he saw his face—- he looks so fragile and grew so much older than his age.

"What happened to him?" Diony asked with worried face.

"They fucking hurt him —— and I will fucking kill them all." Ares said through gritted teeth, but his eyes never leave his father.

The twins couldn't contain their emotions, that tears flow down on their faces like a nile river when they saw his wounds on his back and his figure. He was so thin and looks so malnourish but they are hoping that he's going to be okay.

"Dionysus please check him—- Please." Apollo pleaded. Diony checked his pulse and let out a deep sigh before he looked at Ares intently.

"We need to bring him fast at the hospital." Diony told Ares.

"Is he going to be alright Diony?" Hades asked, fear and pain displayed on his eyes. They just got him and now his life is at risk, again? He cannot accept that.

"His heart beats so slow, the wounds looks so deep that if we didn't bring him to the hospital, he will lose more blood." And just as Diony was done with his explanation a screeching sound of tires abruptly stop at the front of the warehouse. It means that their vehicle is there already.

"Let's go." Ares said.

The four of them worked together to carry their father to get in their vehicle. Once Zues was carefully place at the backseat, Ares seat at the passenger and tell the driver to drive at the nearest hospital.

"MY GOD ARES! Hold your temper! The doctor won't save father if you are acting like a Madman!" Dionysus shouts at him. It's not the first time Ares reacted like this. He goes wild like this with their sister—-Luna.

Ares want to shout back at him but Hades and Apollo intervened.

"Knock it off! Both of you are not helping! Instead to lighten our mood, you two making it worst! You two supposed to be the in-control here not us!" Apollo snapped.

The cool-chilly Apollo De Luca, finally exploded and it's because of his two eldest's immaturity.

"Apollo is correct! If you cannot control yourselves, go out for a while to cool down because your arguing scaring off the people that trying to save our father." Hades stated. His eyes flickered from Ares and Dionysus and waiting for their reaction.

Maybe the two finally realized their illogical actions and just shut their mouth and take their seat. The twins let out a deep sign before they take their seat too.

After an hour of waiting, finally the doctor came out. Removing his mask, he asked for Zues Family.

"I want to inform you that he's out of danger but he needs rest because of his wounds and also of his severe malnourishment. But you don't have to worry. We also checked his left leg and it needs time to heal and hopefully he would be able to walk again, but I'm encouraging you to have him some Physiotherapists as it will help his fast recovery."

"Can we see him?" Dionysus and Ares said in unison. The doctor nods his head but told them not to wake him up as he needs more sleep for his health. The four say yes like a lost puppy and happy that their father is out of danger.

As they enter the room, their eyes fixed at Zues who has IV tube attached to his arm while his leg was on cast.

He looked in so much pain while sleeping and that hurts them more. Like they are being stabbed by knife through their heart.

"I don't know how much suffering you've been through but I promise you that you will never get hurt again Dad." Ares said while tears running down to his cheeks.

Dionysus hold his father's hand as well and said how he missed him and happy that they will be together again.

"I fucking missed you Dad and I promise that I will stop making troubles, just please open your eyes." Hades murmurs at the end of the bed while staring at Zues. His hand caressing his father's leg and if only he could take all his pain—- he would take it.

"Dad I love you and I never stop even I knew that you left us, and now that you're here, you don't know how happy I am right now that I promise you that I would be serious in my studies from now on. Just sleep for now but open it when you're strong, alright?" Apollo said to Zues, before he kissed his forehead. Ares and Dionysus touched by the twins' words toward their father that they gave them a warm hug to comfort and calm them down.

"He will be alright." Ares assured Hades, while Dionysus do the same to Apollo.

"He's been through a lot but we will help him forget it and replace by good things only, right brothers?" Ares added.

"Yes." The three said in unison.

"Ares I think you can go home and the twins. I will stay here to watch father." Dionysus said to Ares who looks so exhausted. He needs also to change his clothes because it's covered with blood.

"But—-." But Diony cut him off because he really needs to.

"I know you don't want, but Ares you have to. You are covered with blood and you have to go home to make sure that our 'little one' and Eros are okay." That seems reasonable for Ares that in the end he says 'alright' and look at his father one more time before he exits the room. The twins follow him after they also say goodbye to their father.

Meanwhile, Eros and Luna were both sleeping soundly at the couch while the TV was still on. Delilah was half sleep when she heard some footsteps.

'It must be Ares.'—- she mentally said.

She has mental debate if she will follow her heart to get out and talk to him about Zuzu or just stay on the couch and sleep because of her paining body and tired mind.

But she chooses the first one and put her slippers on and went to Ares' room. Eros have toured her around the house so she knew already where his room is.

While walking, her legs started to tremble.

What if the mission went wrong?

What if Zuzu didn't make it?

But she kicked those questions to the farthest part of her mind and walk hastily towards his room.

She let out a deep sigh before knocking, but there's no answer and decided to knock again. Soon, she heard the heavy footsteps and when Ares open it, her eyes widened in shock because Ares was half naked and just covering his lower torso with a towel that hung so low on his hips.

Her eyes averted from his body and look at his eyes, that are so intimidating, making her regreted her decision to come there.

But she cannot.

She needs to know what happen to Zuzu.

"I-I am s-sorry, for disturbing you, j-just I want to know if you able to save Zuzu, did you?" Delilah asked. Her hands are fidgeting while she absentmindedly bit her lower lip because of her nervousness.

Ares grabbed her arm softly to usher her inside his room.

"Yes. He's fine and in the hospital right now." And once those words came out from him, Delilah's eyes widened as she wrapped her arms around Ares's body because of her excitement and joy.

She's so happy and she couldn't contain it.

But Ares stiffened.

He didn't expect this at all and his body reacted to her soft and tiny body that he couldn't fight not to wrap his arms to her.

Her smell drives him crazy that he snuggles on her neck and inhale her sweet scent, that she soon realized and look at his eyes intently.

Their eyes stared at each other like they have no power to fight back— like who will yield first at their staring contest.

Until....

Until Ares wrapped his hand at her thin neck and smashed his lips on her lips.

And like a hungry predator, he didn't give her a chance to get away. Delilah on the other hand can't think logically and open her mouth for him, accepting his experienced tongue to explore her mouth.

Until both of them cannot breathe and let go but without staring away from each other.

For a moment, Ares stare at her face like she's the most beautiful thing in his world but then changed all of the sudden.

"Leave—- get out of here." He coldly said before rushing to his bathroom and slammed it shut, vigorously.

Leaving Delilah in shock and —- hurt.

Like she felt like she's the most ugly and unlovable person in the world.

He kissed her, showing her that she's really appreciated and then dumped her like she's kind of dirt.

With tears flowing down on her cheeks, she get out of his room and close the door slowly before she walk to her own room, and cry.