Zeus, King of the Gods and relative idiot, snuck a look at Skye's papers. "Sister, dear. Are you sure you want to do this?"

She pushed him back. "Stop breathing down my neck, and don't call me 'dear'."

The mighty God frowned, and the smell of ozone began to build as he prepared a lightning bolt. Hera pulled him back with an angry hiss. "What have I told you about interfering in public relations?"

He thought for a moment, then answered. "Do it when they aren't looking?"

Hera groaned and led him back to their thrones. Athena approached Skye. "Your mother is the proper person to reside over this court. Since she is...unavailable," the goddess failed to completely restrain a smug look, "I am the next most qualified judge."

Skye stared at the Goddess. "That may be so, Thena, babe. But I'm the one wearing the robe. When was the last time you studied law? I heard you last gave a few pointers to OJ Simpson's lawyer."

"That was a fluke," she huffed. "You're still so...mortal." Athena curled her lip in disgust and walked away.

"And you are such a bitch," she called back. She turned around to see Hermes smirking at the exchange. "You found that funny?"

"Athena. Some of the gods are just so arrogant, they're just begging to be knocked down a peg or two..."

Skye rolled her eyes, annoyed. "Save it, Hermes. This is more important than stealing Athena's shield. Or whatever you're planning." She stared at the docket in front of her. "You know in a mortal court, I would have to excuse myself because I'm related to Roarke."

He laughed. "You're related to half the room. Believe me - around here, it's all relative. You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Hermes harrumphed loudly, waving his caduceus for attention. "The court of Mount Olympus is now in session. The honorable Judge Antonia Sterling presiding. All rise..." he winked, "That is to say, 'stand up', you half-wit nature gods..."

Sky just banged the gavel several times, and shouted, "Silence! Those who want to socialize, the cocktail party is at the Necropolis. Folks are just dying to get in."

One quarter of those assembled left, and she shook her head. She had thought at least that the Olympian locals would know that 'Necropolis' meant 'cemetery'.

"Show time," she said with a smile.

Angel walked along the edge of the Session hall roof, looking below at the deities and demigods.

Michael crouched down to hear better.

"You're not going to tell me what you've decided, are you?" Angel glared at him, with her arms crossed out in front of her, tapping her foot impatiently.

He looked at her. "I'm afraid not."

"You're afraid not?" she repeated, with exasperation. "For weeks, you've been worried about this one moment. I personally think it's because you still don't know about that promise you make Scathach...BUT that's just me. After all I did give up a nice lucrative gig with Andrew's department, so I could advise you."

"Where you this noisy on Earth?"

Michael

She glared at him. "Yes! I was this noisy on Earth. Well? If you're going to go through with this, you might as well get it started." She sat down, her back to him.

Michael frowned. "I take it that you're a little upset with me."

She snorted. "Your grasp of the obvious astounds me." She stopped as she spotted a pile paper moving of it's own volition through the crowd. "What the h..." she stopped herself, blushing as she felt Michael's stern gaze. "What's with the walking paper mound?"

Michael sighed deeply. "The attorney for the defense."

Chryse found Roarke holding a distraught Ariel. "Hi, guys, sorry I'm late...geez, Ariel, I kept the island from becoming a water park, have a little faith."

"Hades has Iris and Halli!" she exclaimed.

"Oh," she frowned. "Yes. Well. Actually, we knew that. Viola, too," Chryse added apologetically. She shot a hard glare at Skye.

"Why are we here?" Roarke demanded crossly.

"To get your kids back," Chryse said, "obviously." She put her papers down, and pushed her dark hair behind her ears. "This would work out so much better if technical gets that laptop with Viola's program in it working again. Who thought that Zeus would get so pissed off that he'd take a shot at a computer?"

Roarke leaned close to her. "You are making me very annoyed." His words crisp, clear, menacing.

She smiled. "Ooooh, you're gorgeous when you're mad," she sighed. "But, babe, don't distract me..."

"Is Hades bringing the girls here?" Roarke asked, obviously trying very hard to be patient.

"Well...that's the plan...I think... You see, we're working out the legalities of the original deal. If we win, then getting the girls back is...hopefully, easy. Easier. Legal." Chryse grinned weakly.

"We?"

"Did I mention I'm your lawyer?"

"What do you know about law?" Ariel asked, her brow still knotted in worry.

"I used to watch 'Street Legal' all the time. I can do a great Cynthia Dale," she assured them.

In front of the judge's podium a flash of fire appeared with a strong whiff of sulfur. In it's wake was Hades, looking harried. His black suit was wrinkled, his tie spattered with what looked like dried pablum. Down the back of one shoulder was a dribble of baby spit-up. "Is this gonna take long," he said crossly, "I'm a little bit busy..." Spotting Skye behind the bench, he gave her a hurt look. "It didn't have to come to this, sweetheart..."

Skye had a deal of her own in mind for Hades, but not until she'd helped her brother straighten out his life. She smiled apologetically at him. "A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. No hard feelings?"

His expression hardened. He tossed a fancy scroll at her. "Here's the original agreement. Signed in blood. You can do DNA testing if you want. The kids are MINE."

The last word didn't sound nearly as certain or intimidating as he'd meant it. Kids were harder to look after than it appeared... "Let me know when you need me again. I've got Barney roasting by an open fire in 10 minutes."

Skye stopped him. "The oldest kids might be yours, but Iris never was."

Hades shrugged. "I was never yours to begin with either, and that didn't stop you."

She smirked. "Touché."

He turned to Ariel. "That kid goes through diapers like nothing I've seen. Those things are deadly. I'm shipping them to Ares to use as weapons..." he disappeared as he'd arrived, still ranting about diapers.

A thunderous roar sounded throughout the courtroom, bringing everyone to a sudden halt. The crowd stared at the smoking hole in the center of the floor, then stared at Zeus, who was looking rather pleased with himself. "Hades, cease this impertinent rabble," he commanded, his voice deep and authoritive.

The hole in the floor expanded as Hades emerged through it, less dramatically than his first appearance. He stared at the hole, then at his brother. "Damn, what crawled up your butt and died?"

Hermes walked carefully around the new entrance to the Underworld. "He basically means 'Produce the kiddies.'"

Hades crossed his arms and sulked. "Fine," he said after a while, and snapped his fingers. Halli appeared in front of the court, holding Iris. With a squeak at her proximity to the gaping hole in the floor, she turned around and ran over to the waiting arms of their parents.

Skye glared at Hades. "All of them."

He glared back, still angry with her. "I have no idea what you mean."

She smiled. "Don't do this. You already have him where you want him. Do you want me on my knees?"

He thought this over and smiled, devilishly. "That sounds like a fair deal..."

She smirked. "Later."

He gave her a long look and, satisfied that she meant it, Hades snapped his fingers. The ceiling broke with a clasp of thunder, and a deafening scream as Viola dropped in the court, halted from falling into the Underworld by the cord still tied at the feet. She recovered, quickly. "Damn, that's the last time I go bungee jumping."

Roarke ran over to the girl. "Vi?"

She turned and smiled, nervously "Happy belated birthday. Bet you never expected it to be me." She gave him a look over. "Boy, you got old....but still cute as ever." She shot a look at Hades. "Hey, Uncle....ya mind?"

Hades pushed her so that she swung away from the hole. With a snap, the rope broke, and she landed on the floor with a thud, sliding a little from the momentum of Hades' push.

From high above.....like the roof:

Angel continued to pace the vault ceiling. "This is honestly annoying. How do lawyers do it? This constant babble."

Michael was planning. "Did you bring the fire of Albatross?"

Angel nodded, holding the bottle. "Brought the whole shopping list. Won't do any good if she doesn't remember any of the training, Mike."

"Have faith, Angel," he commented.