Roarke found his sister and his daughter on the beach, staring at a sky full of purple clouds. He knew instinctively that this wasn't Iris's doing. The council must have lost control. He hoped somebody took over soon.

He shook his head: it didn't matter now. What mattered was that his brother was trying to kill his daughter, and he had no idea how to stop him. He was about to do one of the hardest things he'd ever done: ask for help.

Then he needed to find Ariel and tell her the whole pathetic story. If she didn't already know...still considering the dark looming clouds and approaching thunder she probably did. He should have known that by trying to keep this from her, to protect her, he was just encouraging her to find her own answers.

Could have. Should have. The past was littered with the ghosts of what might have been.

Iris wiggled and then heard the approaching footsteps. She turned her head, and yelled "Papa!" and held out her arms.

Iris

Skye turned, glowered, and then turned her attention back to Iris.

He walked over, and sat down beside them in the sand, and received Iris as she crawled over. "I deserve that."

She smirked, "Glad you agree."

Roarke lowered his head, and looked at the top of Iris's head. She turned her head, and looked at him with a laugh. Skye wasn't going to make it easy for him. "I've tried talking to Sebastian. I can't get it through his head that he's wrong..."

"Look," Skye said, finally facing him, "I've tried, too, and I can't get to him, either. He's got this asinine idea that nobody loves him, and he's put some sort of moral covering on it all by claiming that someone died when Iris was born. I can't talk to him, and being the kind of woman I am, I can't kill him."

She stopped talking and stared out across the ocean to the horizon. It seemed a plane was dipping and diving into the water, like a seagull...must be her imagination.

"What do you suggest we do?" Roarke said, frustrated, "We can't keep vigilance over Iris every day for the rest of her natural life. Sebastian needs to be stopped."

Skye shot a stabbing glance at him. "How much of an idiot do you think I am, Prospero? I know that already."

Roarke frowned, and played a little 'patty cake' with Iris.

"I keep coming back to the kids. That information isn't exactly something you publish."

Roarke scowled, "That's an entirely different matter. Personal. I'll handle it my own way."

Skye laughed humorlessly. "Yeah that's worked so well for you in the past" she stated. "You need to cut out this bull, because this is serious business. It's no longer a fantasy. It's a nightmare. Hades royally scr..." she stopped remembering that Iris was present. "got you at both ends."

Skye looked over at her brother who was mentally blaming himself for all the problems, and then wondering what would happen when Ariel returned. She put her arm around him, and felt his head rest on her shoulder. "Hey, I never said I wouldn't help you. There's gotta be someway out of this."

Roarke felt his eyes sting, as he started to shake with silent grief. The entire thing was totally hopeless. Sebastian was going to win.

"Nothing's hopeless," reiterated Skye, as she felt him shudder with mute sorrow. "Okay, so Sebastian was cooling his heels in the Underworld until his girlfriend pleaded his case before Persephone. I'll just go talk to Hades."

Roarke raised his head to face his sister. "Don't! You know how he feels about you," he warned.

Skye got up and brushed the sand of her shorts. "I'm a big girl," she said patting his arm reassuringly. "If I can take care of idiot ex-husband, I can definitely handle the Lord of the Underworld." She snapped her fingers and vanished.

To her surprise, when she remateriarlized, she was not in Erebus, or any other part of the Underworld. She was on Olympus. Her intent had been to go to wherever Hades was. What was he doing on Olympus?

The room looked like a bad set of some shady courtroom drama. Skye sat as 'Judge'. She looked over to her right, and found Hades in yet another black Armani suit with a red tie. Sky inspected Hades' opponent, wondering who would challenge this guy.

Chryse leaned against her table going over the argument in her head. Initially, Hades was wrong for throwing the Sprites out. If they left the building without permission, Zeus would smite them...easily said and done. She looked over at Hades and smiled, smugly. "Did the wifey enjoy the peep show, Hades?"

He returned her gaze, and said stiffly. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Chryse kept smiling. "But of course not...you did believe that she wouldn't be home for another month."

Hades looked at her shocked, and literally dropped his cigar.

Chryse laughed, jubilantly. "Oh, I'm going to love this job."

Viola slammed her hands on the table. "I hate everything about this job. We just lost all control."

Trinia sat on the desk, taking part from the burned out laptop and putting them into the backup one. "Well, think of something," she whined. The lap top sputtered again.

"I'm trying to," Viola cried.

Clia sat, trying to tune in the island on the old TV. She finally managed a picture. "Girls, the clouds are purple."

Both sprites let out a scream of fright.

Hades paced the floor as he made what he probably believed was a rousing statement; Skye had tuned out an hour ago, and was trying her best not to fall asleep. She hadn't been this bored since her wedding night.

"...and that your honor, is why this MORtal..." He looked over at Chryse, who was using the table as leverage to propel her chair from one end to the other, pausing every now and then to spin in the chair. "should not be allowed to be in charge of such beings." And with that he sat.

Skye mouthed a silence 'Thank God' and looked over at Chryse. "What's your take on this?" Chryse looked up surprised.

Chryse

"Is it my turn already?" She jumped to her feet, her face immediately transformed into a business-like demeanor. She walked over to him, and pointed. "He broke the rules, he kicked the poor creatures out, to fend for themselves against Zeus's anger. And why?" She motioned with her hands. "For his own petty agenda. Is this any way to treat your staff? Is this the act of a responsible god? Well? Is it?" she demanded when Skye said nothing.

Skye reminded her gently, "You can only ask rhetorical questions, Chryse. You have to convince me by the power of your argument." Inside she was wondering - whose side was Chryse really on? If she won the Council away from Hades, wouldn't this only help Sebastian in his quest to destroy Hades? On the other hand...the dead woman had a point.

"Hmm. Do I need to show just how irresponsible he is?" she smiled slyly. "Or just prove that I could run it better than he did?"

"Are you saying that you don't have any biases?" Skye asked, hoping that this might reveal whether Chryse knew anything about Sebastian or not.

Chryse waved off the question as if it were frivolous to what was going on. "Of course I have biases," she snorted. "Everyone has biases. But my biases are tilted heavily in favor of those who put the well being of others before themselves," she sent a dark look to Hades. "Look at the Roarke case," she began, stopping at a gesture from Skye.

Hades, who had started to rise in protest, sank back in his seat with a smug look at Chryse.

Skye looked down at the docket on her desk. The Roarke case. She began to smile. Maybe Chryse wasn't on Sebastian's side after all. "We must concentrate on the case at hand. Do you have any further arguments?"

"Your honor. Not only has Hades endangered the lives of the Sprites that were put into his care by the Fates, but he has also endangered Fantasy Island, with his reckless behavior. If you grant me custody of the Sprite Council, I will ensure fair working hours, paid vacations, benefits..."

Skye's attention was fully engaged when Chryse talked about the island being endangered. "How is Fantasy Island in danger?"

Hades snorted, "Benefits."

"Shut up," ordered Skye. She turned to Chryse and asked in the deadly serious tone that she used when she desperately needed the answer to a question: "How is the island in danger?"

Chryse sat on her table and started. "The Sprite Fantasy Council was installed by the Fates when Hecate lost control. The Fates decided to 'cut the threads' of all good writers, or generally they'd find them in 'Want Ads'. The Sprites would be in control of those on the island. Zeus was furious at the idea, so he proclaimed that if the Sprites ever showed their faces outside of the building...he'd kill them. If he couldn't kill them, then he would cut off their power, thus destroying the island from within," she paused. "Basically without the Sprites, the island with become the next Atlantis, and I think you'll agree with me: I just can't see Roarke doing the backstroke." Chryse smiled, convinced that she had won.

Skye banged the gavel. "I find in favor of Chryse. Mostly because your speech was better. I've got to get back to the island. Case dismissed. Chryse get that island back on-line."

"Now wait a minute!" Hades protested. "Appeals can be filed with the Royal Olympian Clerk of Athens," she yelled back at him.

Hades glared at Chryse, and shook a finger that sparked flame at her. "This isn't over, sweetheart. Not by a long shot."

Smiling sweetly, Chryse opened her briefcase and held up a large brown envelope. "I have pictures, Hades. By the way: Nice butt."

After the God of the Underworld had stomped ominously from the courtroom, Skye stood up and removed her judge's robes. "Chryse. Now that you're in control, can you do me a favor...?"

Chryse smiled broadly. "They're already expecting you." She stuffed the envelope back into the briefcase, and prepared to leave. "My advice: bring Kleenex." And with that she left.

Outside the courtroom, Hades caught up with Skye, slipped an arm familiarly around her waist. "I don't know why you sided with that chit of a mortal, sweetheart, I really don't. If I promise to do better..."

Skye tried to remove his hand from her hip, and it slipped to cup the curve of her bottom. "Hades," she began warningly, but he moved his hand back to her waist. "The decision is made. You lost."

"If you say so, darling."

She frowned at him, "Don't call me..." Her eyes widened as his fingers started tracing up her spine, exactly like the dream she'd had after she first died... Skye started backing up. "Like I said...appeal to the clerk of Athens," she said, shaken, and ran down the hall.

Hades smiled, smugly. "She likes me."

Harry ran to the beach, and stopped when he reached Roarke still sitting on the beach, with Iris. "Sir," he said frantic trying to catch his breath. "There is a 30 foot blue dragon in the wine cellar. He's already consumed most of wine and the bottles." He was shocked by the nonchalant look on his employer's face. "Sir, Scotty won't be here for another week with fresh supplies. I think you should be taking this a little more seriously."

Roarke looked up at him, angry at the interruption, at the noise, and the very fact that his entire existence was based on an island that he hated with every fiber of his being.

Now it would soon be a watery reminder of something that would forever be lost to him because of one lousy deal, an oath that would forever haunt him. The thought came to light as he noticed with every wave the water creped higher.

Then suddenly the wind shifted. The color of the sky turned back to normal, as did the surroundings of the island. The water retreated, as more of the beach could be seen. Roarke watched the action around him, as everything appeared back to normal. He rose, and set Iris on his hip. "Harry, I do believe that everything is going to be fine."

Iris looked over his shoulder at the black looming thunderclouds. "Boom booms," she yelled excited.

Roarke and Harry turned around, and looked as the clouds seemed to be pouring onto the skyline. "On the other hand," commented Roarke to Harry. "I think I'm totally screwed."

Skye turned a corner, and spotted three cloaked figures standing next to a door. She stepped closer, and tried to recognize the hags. "Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos, what are you doing?"

Fate - Atropos

Clotho took her by the arm. "Answers to your questions are through this door," she chanted.

"For all your questions will be answered this night," added Lachesis.

"For to stop Sebastian, you have to find fault with this oath," finished Atropos.

"I just have to find out what was wrong with the initial deal?" asked Skye.

All three looked at each other, and groaned. "I can't believe you're related to us," shot Clotho.

"She was always Mother's favorite," whined Lachesis, disgusted.

Atropos sighed. "If you can force Hades to action, you will find the one who has kept 'reality' going in the lives of her father, her sister, and the island. For the oath of blood goes more with the sacrifices guardians make for all."

Skye's eyes grew wide with excitement. She opened the door and ran in.