Duke had set up a great fire for camp in the middle of the woods once the demands for a break became abundant. Other than feeling slightly lethargic, things had been smooth sailing since Siren’s Cove. Though nothing was quite the same since the encounter as Ajax had pondered over and over what it meant for his siren to take on Trinity’s form. He risked a glance to her, currently assisting in assembling some tents. Even he didn’t know what he felt for her.
He looked away before he could be caught staring but instead his gaze found a close cuddled Alex and Wes, laughing. Wes’s arm looked to be pulling her in further against his body. “Hey…” Ajax went to stand and cool things down.
“Relax.” A hand landed on his shoulder and shortly after the owner sat beside him on the same log.“They’re okay. She’s just teasing him about his siren experience,” Duke assured. “Besides, you know one day you got to let her go. She’s going to be her own person.”
Ajax grunted in response knowing well it was the truth, but that it wasn’t easy as a big brother.
Duke smiled a little before returning to business and assurance.“You want me to take first watch?”
“No, it’s okay. I got it.”
Duke sat there a few moments longer, maybe to check he was certain in his decision or to consider asking Ajax what was on his mind. Duke saw right through him sometimes or maybe his eyes gave away more than even he knew. Either way Duke left his side eventually, saying his goodnights to everyone and reserved a tent.
Ajax regretted it the moment the tent closed up. He wanted to talk it out and sort out his emotions and head.

One by one, they slipped into the tents and dozed off to dream land. Except one. Trinity who didn’t seem to acknowledge him and stared into the fire. He began thinking it was possible she had overheard him mutter her name to the siren and that’s why she ignored him. Ajax cleared his throat. “I’ve got this. You should get some sleep.”
“I’m good.” She got to her feet. “I’m gonna take a walk.”
He didn’t like that reply though with a sigh he accepted it. “Don’t go too far. And don’t be gone too long.”
She spun on her heel to face him. “Well I appreciate your concern but...”
“But you can take care of yourself?” He guessed.
Trinity smiled. “Exactly.” Even he smiled a little. With that, she wandered off into the darkness of the woods.

Not a few moments later, it was Daniel who sat by him with a big yawn wrapped up in several blankets. “I just wanted to tell you there’s some bad mojo around this place. Thought it was a valuable heads up.”
Ajax leaned away to study his face expression and make sure he wasn't pulling any pranks or a bad idea of a joke. But his eyes were heavy, his body was loose and all up, unstable with sleep. “Okay...What kind of mojo?”
“Um...like mass area wise. There's some naked points which we're in now but around us it's kind of...an invisible gas.”
It was all still a little ambiguous and vague for his taste but he felt that was the best Daniel's tired mind could manage to explain. “Okay. Yeah, thanks.”
“It's a feeder. Like it absorbs something from us.”
Ajax facepalmed gently and tried to be patient. Again, it wasn't really helping them what to expect.
“Whatever it is, it’s intelligent. It wants to defend its own function.” When Ian received questionable looks, he went on. “It's not quite invisible. No offense, Daniel.”
Daniel shrugged it off in his many layers while Ajax started to pay this 'mojo' more mind.
“But it looks like it almost has a mind of its own and can adapt to loopholes. It definitely wants a fight.” Ian eyed the darkness in wonder. Maybe even in slight awe but the son of Athena was likely to have a more keen sense of sight. And from what Ajax could gather, a better sense of their next adversary altogether.
“I got to go.” He stood abruptly. “Daniel, mind camp. Ian, with me.” Ajax marched off with Ian on his tail. “Trinity went for a walk.”

TRINITY

“I want to show you something.” Ares was before her and without another word, led the way with long powerful strides. She followed her father's figure, curious but obliging. Eventually they halted. Ares gestured ahead where a group of boys were beating on another one. Trinity inspected the scene closer and the closer she got, the more of a pace she grew. It couldn’t have been Sam. The rational part of her brain thought surely not and it doesn’t happen to her or her family, but once she confirmed visual she ran at them.
A large arm caught around her core and pulled her away from interfering. “What are you doing?” She demanded, her instincts pushing her father’s arm off her and trying to get around him.
“I set it up,” he told her calmly.
Her eyes widened in horror as it brought her to a pause and her teeth ground. “Why? He’s not part of your tests! Stop it!” She lunged forward to stop the 6 on 1 assault. Boots and fists all landing into a single man. Again Ares caught her with ease, with no more than a clenched jaw.
“If you want to help him, get through me.” He summoned a weapon as if it had always been on his being and threw it to Trinity.
“Dad!” But he was an irrational mental god that probably thought this some ultimate test, with no regard for human life. “Sam!” Her vision blurred slightly with the pool forming in her eyes. “It’s not even fair! He's only human!”
“Trinity, concentrate.”
“Screw you!” She shoved him hard in the chest and tried getting around his frame. Sam was curled up trying to protect his head, enduring the pummeling with the occasional cry outs and grunts and crack sounds.
Ares swung a sword at her. His blood prompted her to duck and retrieve her own weapon again.
* * *
She unleashed a scream as she struggled beneath the greater force of his sword coming down to her throat and wrath of him. Not only was she going to lose her own life to her possessed father but it would also cost Sam’s life, yet there was no fighting him off. There was no outrunning him. Trinity went for a kick which Ares easily swatted aside.
“Stop it! Dad!” Her muscles trembled as she tried to defend the blade for as long as she could. She turned away from his face. She couldn’t bear to look into his wild foreign eyes as he killed her.
“Trinity!” She turned to see Ajax looking on in shock. “Come here. Trust me.” Even he seemed a little rattled as he urged her to come to him.
“I can’t!” Trinity yelled. Every emotion was piling on top of her uncontrollably. Anger, sadness, frustration. Why wasn’t Ajax helping!? If not her then Sam at least. Trinity wouldn't want a traitor's help. Ares changed the blade's direction and aimed for her heart and she could feel his weight overpowering her. She bit back on it for as long as she could until it came out in a desperate cry. “Help! Please!”
The blade touched her chest and broke her skin which caused her to shout out. A great flash came through and tackled Ares. Just as quickly hands were on her, pulling her up. “Let's go.”
Her legs gave way and collapsed. “I can't leave him.” Her eyes fell on the brutality. A bunch of cowards picking on her brother. Beating him to a pulp.
“I swear it's going to be okay. Close your eyes.” Ajax's voice had a certain urgency and shake to it. How was that expected of her? She couldn't. “Trin, close your eyes.”
She cringed them shut and intended to keep them shut tightly following Ajax's hands that served as a guide. Right up to the point Ares grabbed her legs firmly and dragged her back towards him. “We're not done.” It was like getting pulled by a large hungry predator. She tried to wrestle with him but that was all it was...a failed attempt through denying her fate.
Ajax grabbed her quickly and pulled her in the other direction. “You can't be my daughter,” he spat, ruled by malice and even a cruel smile. His blue cold eyes flickered to the son of Zeus. Trinity kept her grip on AJ's arms and tucked in her lip to stop from crying or screaming.
Ajax freed one of his arms and shot lightning at Ares quickly. It didn't strike but it in order to dodge it, he released his hold on Trinity.
In nothing short of terror and adrenaline, she scrambled back rapidly, Ajax's hand remaining clasped on the side of her arm until she hit his chest. His spare arm caught her back. At that moment there was only woods to see. Ajax exhaled a breath of relief once he was sure the threat was gone then turned his gaze on her.
Trinity couldn't meet it though. She just kept shaking and trembling.
The pad of Ajax's thumb stroked her arm, and truly without him behind her, steadying her, she thought she might be paralyzed laying on the cold ground and trying to get her own grip on reality.
He shifted and wrapped both his arms around her instead. “It's okay. You're okay,” he told her gently. He probably thought she had nothing to be ashamed of while he comforted her. She had everything to be ashamed of. How weak and pathetic she was. Emotional and useless...
A single tear slipped down her cheek and Trinity hugged his arms.

Eventually she found the will to move. It was never a matter of strength, she always had that but what she experienced was made to break her. It’d do the same to others too, crush them from the inside out if they allowed it to plague each other for a long time. So far in the line of strategy all he could think was teamwork and protect each other from their personal terrors. Even when Ian said there would be consequences to interfering in another person's fear.

Ajax returned to camp and was not pleased to see Daniel had fallen asleep on the ground during his shift. They were lucky nothing came for the camp. He let it go for now and sat on the log returning to his post like normal as he let them sleep. Trinity probably didn't want people asking her what happened and Ajax wasn't in the mood to explain the new threat either.
She took a seat on the same log as him but kept her distance in silence. “You sure you…”
“I’m okay, I’m just not interested in rest at the moment.”
He understood so he nodded without a word. Though, he started to get a little light headed. Ajax blinked several times and sat a little straighter but it wasn't going away. “Do you have some water?”
“No but I can grab you some.” Trinity moved to get him some water.
His head spun and he felt sick in his gut. He was getting worse by the second it felt. The color was draining from his face and energy leaving his body and he was burning up like he was in the desert. A fast spreading infection was plaguing his body.
“What the hell?” He heard as his eyes began to fall closed. Ajax snapped them open but he couldn't focus on anything. He thought the blur was Trinity. Some warm liquid ran down between his nose and mouth and touched his lips. “Ian!”
There was some rustling around between the two.
“Okay. Hold him. He's going to faint.” The words were rushed before the rest of the sounds turned into a hum in the background. Trinity had him. He could let go for a while.

* * * *
How long had he been out? Did Alex see him? The night was still dark and the flames still touched the sky. What did he miss? “Take it nice and easy, buddy.” Ajax still felt like he had a bad flu, but with Ian's help he sat up using the log as a brace. And he still felt overheated like he could cook something with it just resting on his skin.
This was the karma or rather consequences Ian warned about.
He looked to his other side where Trinity was already propped watching him with concern, her wound from the father her horrors imitated, patched up. The patch was tainted red. “You feeling better?”
She scoffed and looked off. Of all things why did she have to scoff? Trinity turned back to him pressing a cold face washer to his head until he took it. “I must be feeling super compared to you. You shouldn't have entered my...hell.”
He turned to Ian with a glare. Ian shot up his hands innocently and jerked away. It was never discussed not to tell Trinity, but now she'd blame herself.
“I had to do something. I couldn't just watch it,” he told her honestly. Even having full awareness of the consequences now, he'd do it again if he had to. He couldn't watch that kind of pain. That suffering and injustice.
She shook her head slowly in disbelief. “You're impossible.”
He smiled slightly and thought he saw Ian nodding rapidly from the corner of his eyes.
“So on that note, do you want me to take watch now?”
“I've got this.” “I've got this.” They said in unison.
Ian snorted back some laughter. “See you guys tomorrow then. Or rather in a few hours.” He retreated to his tent.
While distracted, Trinity placed a wet towel on the back of his neck. “It'll help you get a bit more comfortable.”
He rested his head back on the log enjoying the simple bliss a cool damp towel gave him. He turned his head towards her allowing himself to stare and not care. Adrenaline wore out closely followed by a crash so he waited expectantly for her to KO.
“You alright there big boy?” She asked with amusement.
Ajax nodded.
“Not falling asleep are you?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head. “Mm-mm.”
She chuckled. “Uh huh. Just resting your eyes?”
“Hm,” he agreed. Right before darkness took over.

*******

“Hey,” his sister called softly waking him from his slumber. Ajax’s tired eyes lifted to her blue ones reluctantly so she could continue. He yawned out. Alex was standing and fidgeting before him, glancing beside him then back to him. “We got to go.” She gestured off then spun on her heel to help pack up with the others. Their camp was already ¾ of the way stripped down. Somebody could have woken him earlier to help.
Ajax found his neck a little stiff and cramped up from sleeping with it cocked to the side too long and only when he lifted it, did he find the blonde mane snuggled into the crook of his neck. Trinity and he must’ve melded together nicely with his cheek on top of her head last night, or as Ian had brought to their attention, technically a few hours ago.
While he never claimed to know Trinity, he took notice on some of her oddities like how she wanted to be treated as woman and warrior, and despite some overheard banter and pride, needed rest and support like anybody else. Ajax’s perception of her didn’t waver in the slightest when he saw her confronted with her fear even when she thought it meant weakness. Ajax kissed her head gently.
“Hey, we got to get up. We're moving.”
Trinity stirred awake then drew away from his body. At that moment he had also realized how the right half of his body had been kept significantly warmer where she had her own body placed.
“So I guess we both lose that one right?”
He yawned again and stretched out, this time through a smile. “Guess so.”

They sat around the lounge area enjoying the merriment where close family had joined the Valis' for Christmas. Susanna, Abel, Andrew, Duke, even Thunder and even Zeus. Alex was glowing as she teared off the wrapping to her present, practically giddy about it. Her smile and excitement had never changed towards Christmas, and her happiness always made him happy. He felt a smile touch his lips as he caressed his wife's shoulders who was sat on the floor, situated between his legs. Ajax couldn't be more proud and content with his family.
Zeus looked rather stiff at the mortal festive, but he was still smiling warmly and enjoyed seeing Alex enjoy herself.
Alex pulled out some accessory for her pet. “Look Thunder!” The hawk squawked in response which Alex chuckled at.
He leaned forward whispering into the soft blonde hair. “Is that from you?”
“Maayyybe.”
Alex then revealed a pair of boxing gloves. Ajax smirked by her ear. “I'm thinking yeeesss.” Trinity shrunk away coyly because it tickled her. “Now that bird will never shut up. How are you gonna make it up to me?” he purred suggestively, which made her laugh and lean away. Ajax grinned.
“You already did your job cowboy.”
The comment drew attention to her round stomach. Ajax experienced a moment's shock..darkness...then his heart just soared with love and more pride. What wouldn't he do for his child? He was going to be there 100% for his baby. He kissed Trinity's head and inhaled her scent. The whole atmosphere had him feeling grateful and affectionate for what he had.
Ajax got up from his seat and pulled Trinity up with him. “Follow me.”
“You guys aren't leaving already are you?” Alex looked startle and ready to pounce on them if they took one more step without explanation.
Duke chuckled but wrapped his arm tighter around her for security measure.
“No, I just want to talk to her. Is that okay?” He rose a challenging brow.
Alex laughed and blushed a little from embarrassment. “Okay.”
Ajax playfully rolled his eyes and led Trinity into a more quiet room. The baby still felt like new and exciting news to him. Like it did to kiss her: like it was the first time again. “I'm gonna be a good dad,” he said between frantic kisses. “You know that right?” He pulled back enough to look into her eyes.
Trinity smiled a stunning kind and pulled him in to kiss her again. “The best.” She pecked his collar bone once, and he could feel her smile on his skin before she nuzzled him.
He hugged her and didn't want to let go. There were pressures and stresses at the back of his mind but he promised himself now he would be there for his family and protect them.
“Sorry to interrupt.”
Ajax turned to Daniel. Why and how the hell did Daniel get here? His brows furrowed in confusion.
“Alex with Duke? Am I not good enough?” Daniel broke off in a gasp. “Oh my god, you knocked Trinity up? That's impressive. Did it take a lot of work? Did it take a lot of work?” The first question was to him then the next seemed directed at Trinity. Ajax held her hand tightly so she didn't go for the attack while pregnant and he shifted in front of her defensively.
“The hell are you doing here, Daniel?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“You're in a dream.” Daniel leaned against the bench. “This is your paradise but in the real world, we need you. You can have this as a reality Ajax if you just snap out of it. It will be bumpy along the way but you can have a big happy family for real.”

#TBC