"What?" Iolaus exclaimed. "What do you mean?"

A laugh, the first sign of emotion in the voice, echoed in the room. "Your journey was more one of self-discovery."

A flash of light filled the room and Iolaus blinked, caught off guard by the man that now stood before him. "Zeus?" he asked, his voice betraying his shock.

The man nodded, "Yes, Iolaus."

"And it was you all along?" he asked. The king of the gods nodded once more. "But you said no god could enter here and keep his powers."

"An . . . exaggeration, I'm afraid."

"And Ares?" Iolaus asked.

The god laughed, "Yes, you did put him in his place, didn't you?" Zeus paused, his eyes growing serious. "Iolaus, the doubt you were feeling at my son's loss was no different from how he felt when he lost you. Ares' transgression merely allowed me to make right what went wrong, and to let you see how valuable you are."

Still confused, Iolaus asked, "Just what do you mean by valuable, anyway?"

Zeus smiled. "You might sometimes discount your own worth during your journeys with Hercules. That you are somehow less than he is, or that you fail him by not always being there." He paused, admiring the man that the fates had destined be his son's dearest friend. "Neither of you are perfect, but together you have the ability to reach for perfection."

"This experience just gave me the opportunity to show you the error in those thoughts, my son. The strength you show isn't simply muscular. It also comes from your heart and mind, it is that strength that my son needs in his life most of all. You aren't the only one who gains from this friendship. But you are the only one who can fill it."

"So you wanted to teach me a lesson?" Iolaus asked, finally following what Zeus was trying to tell him.

The god nodded, "Something like that. All of life is a series of checks and balances. Such is what you and Hercules are for each other."

Iolaus thought for a moment before asking, "But what about Herc? And who else knows about this?"

"My son has seen all that has transpired here, with exception of this last part. He too will now realize the one final wall that remains in your friendship. Other than that, no one knows. Not even Hades knows the whole story." With a twist of his hand, a chalice appeared. "Take this, and give it to Aphrodite."

Iolaus took the offered cup, and looked up at the god. "You did all of this for us? For me?"

"Why should I not?" he replied.

Iolaus shook his head, laughing, "Sometimes I really don't understand Herc's family."

Zeus winked as he said, "Tell you the truth, sometimes neither do I. Now, back to the Other Side with you. It's time you and Hercules returned to your lives."

"Thank you," Iolaus said, turning to leave.

"It's not you who should be thanking someone Iolaus," the old god said before disappearing in a flash of light.

The hunter was relieved to find that on his journey out of the temple the doors were all open and no new challenges lay before him. What he had already seen had given him enough to think about without adding more.

Running out into the daylight, he held up a hand to cover his eyes. He realized that he had no idea how long he had been inside the temple. The jog to where Aphrodite had left him was short, and he arrived there quickly.

"Aphrodite!" he called out, anxious to get back to the Underworld.

A shimmering of pink and the goddess appeared. "At your beck and call, Sweetcheeks." She laughed musically, "And for you, I don't even mind being chariot service for ole Gloom and Doom."

"Thanks," Iolaus breathed. "Here, take this." He handed her the stand-in chalice that Zeus had given him. "Give it to your dad."

Aphrodite nodded, "Cool, little dude."

"Who are you calling little?" Iolaus asked with a laugh.

'Dite grinned. "They say I only bite the ones I love."

As they shimmered out of existence, Iolaus muttered, "Great, a goddess of love who thinks she's witty."

They arrived in Hades' office, and Aphrodite shortly took her leave. "Time for me to get this ugly old cup to daddy. Bye bro," she waved at Hercules. "See ya, Curly." With a flash, the goddess was gone, leaving Hercules and Iolaus alone.

"You saw?" Iolaus asked, unsure what to say.

Hercules nodded. "Yeah," his voice rough. "I still don't understand it all. What happened after you went through the flames?"

The hunter paced for a moment before facing his friend. "Someone tried to open my eyes."

"How, exactly?" the demigod asked.

Iolaus sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "The memories. The trial for the chalice, all of it." He paused, "It was a lesson for us."

Hercules laughed, the empty sound reverberating off the walls. "Always a lesson. When are the gods going to butt out of our lives?"

"Maybe we needed a little sense knocked into us, Herc. I think the whole point was to show us we need to see beyond our self-doubts. You can't worry that you won't always be there for me, and I need to see past the thought that you could be hurt because I'm not good enough."

"Why would you think that?" the demigod asked his friend. "I've never thought you weren't good enough."

Iolaus sighed, trying to explain. "He said that we needed each to see ourselves through the other's eyes. That where we find doubt within ourselves, the other sees strength."

"Who said that Iolaus?" Hercules asked, caught off guard by Iolaus' slip.

The hunter blinked, glancing at Hercules. "Zeus."

"Why would he . . ." Hercules asked, mostly to himself.

"I think," Iolaus said, lost in thought, "he wanted us to see that you need me as much as I think I need you, and vice versa."

Hercules walked up to his friend, "Why would you doubt that?"

"We all have doubts, Hercules," Iolaus reminded him. "Neither of us is any different. Zeus said that we now knew the final wall in our friendship," Iolaus said, shifting topic.

Hercules stood, silent, listening to his oldest friend speak of their friendship. "That we need to accept as much as we try to give," he whispered.

"Something like that," the hunter agreed. "When you're hurting or in trouble, you have to let me try to help, Herc. It's a risk I need to take."

The demigod nodded absently, "And when you're upset, you have to let me see the pain so that I can help you move past it. That's something I need to do."

"Easier said than done, huh?" Iolaus asked, a glint in his eye.

Hercules smiled, "Nothing worth doing ever is."

Before Iolaus could reply, Hades and Persephone interrupted them. "Good, you made it back," the god noted.

"Yeah," the hunter laughed, "just waiting on you two to show back up."

Hades stammered, "Well, it's not . . ."

"Is that a blush I see, Hades?" Hercules asked with a grin.

Hercules' uncle cleared his throat, "Enough about us. That's not why you're here." Hades turned to face Iolaus. "Am I to assume by your being here that you were successful?"

"Yep," Iolaus replied. "Aphrodite left a little while ago to take the chalice back to Zeus."

Hades nodded, "Good. So, it would seem that all that's left is for you," he motioned toward Hercules, "to return to the world above."

"Hades," Persephone's soft voice interrupted. "Why don't you at least let him say goodbye to his family first? And Iolaus, too?"

Turning to his wife, the god asked, "Honey, there are rules about this sort of thing."

"For me?" she asked sweetly, placing a finger over his lips.

Hades sighed and snapped his fingers, with a flash the two men found themselves in the Elysian Fields.

"Hercules!" Deianera called when she saw him appear. "About time you got back," she laughed, pausing when she saw Iolaus. "Iolaus?" She reached out and gave her old friend a warm hug. "What are you doing here? You're not . . ."

Iolaus smiled, "No. I'm not. Actually . . ."

"Deianera, we need to talk," Hercules said softly. Her gaze shifting between the two men, she nodded and took Hercules' hand leading him into the house.

Iolaus was pulled by the sound of laughter just on the other side of the house. When he rounded the corner, his mouth fell open at the sight. In a rolling field sat Alcmene, Erythia and Anya playing with the four children.

Smiling he walked over to the group. "Hello, ladies," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Iolaus!" Anya squealed, jumping up and throwing herself into her husband's arms. "What are you doing here?" she asked, pulling back.

The hunter smiled, returning her emotional embrace, and gave her a quick kiss. "I missed you, too."

Looking over her shoulder, Iolaus saw Alcmene and his mother approach them. "Son? Why are you here so soon?" He could read the fearful emotion that filed his mother's question.

"I came to right a wrong," he said brokenly. "I'm glad to see you so happy, Mother."

He tore himself away from his wife long enough to hug his mother and Alcmene, who whispered in his ear. "It's so good to see you, Iolaus." When she pulled back, she had tears in her eyes similar to Erythia's.

Anya took Iolaus' hand, "Here, come see your son." Leading him to the blanket, Anya stopped and picked up the small child, handing him to his father. "He still looks just like you."

The hunter smiled softly, his eyes bright. "He's still perfect," he whispered.

He looked up when he heard a small voice cry out, "Unc'l 'Olus!" Seeing Ilea running toward him, he gave his son another squeeze before reaching out to pick up the small girl.

"Hello, sweetheart." He smiled, hugging the girl tightly. He looked down when he felt two pairs of arms around his waist. "And hello to you two!" He grinned at Aeson and Klonus, ruffling their hair. "Still causing mischief?"

He turned when he heard Deianera's approaching laughter. "Those two? Never." She laughed again before adding, "You would never guess who their father and uncle were."

"Yeah, well," Iolaus faltered, his words dissolving into a mock giggling fit when Ilea tried to tickle him. He continued to play with the kids while Hercules went to speak with Alcmene about their leaving.

Soon the time given to them by Hades was almost up, and while Iolaus snuck off to speak with Anya, Hercules led the children back to the house. "Are you going away again, Father?" Aeson asked.

The demigod nodded. "I'm afraid so. I have to go back with Uncle Iolaus."

Sucking in his lower lip, Klonus ran into his father's open arms. "I'll miss you, Dad."

Hercules sniffed against the sudden surge of emotion that enveloped his heart. "I'll miss you too, Klonus," he said into his hair.

Letting his son go, he turned to see a large set of blue eyes looking at him. "Don't go 'way, Daddy," Ilea said. Pulling his daughter into a fierce embrace, Hercules released a shuddering breath.

"I'll be back before you know it, Sweetie."

He was still holding his crying daughter when Deianera walked into the room. "Time for bed, children. It's time for your father to leave."

As the parents put the three kids to bed, Iolaus finished saying his goodbyes to Anya and his mother. Giving Erythia a kiss on the cheek, he said, "I'll see you soon."

"Not too soon, I hope," his mother said with a sad smile. "I lived a long life, my son. It's your turn now. Be safe."

"Goodbye, Iolaus," Alcmene said, giving her adopted son a hug and turned to take Erythia's arm and lead her away.

When Iolaus turned back to Anya, she was holding their little boy. Taking the infant from his mother's arms, the proud father held the small bundle and made cooing noises to calm his cries. When he looked back up at Anya, she had tears in her eyes. "I never thought I'd be able to see that," she said quietly.

Leaning his head down, he kissed the baby on the forehead gently. "I've missed you both so much," he whispered. Meeting his wife's teary gaze with one of his own, he added, "But I'm glad you're both so happy here."

"One day we'll be together again, my love," Anya said, her smile brightening. "Until then, keep us in your heart."

Iolaus nodded, handing the baby back to his wife, "Always."

With a shimmer of light, Iolaus and Hercules found themselves once again standing in Hades' office. "All done?" the god asked with a smirk.

"Thanks Hades," Hercules said.

The god nodded his head, and the next thing the two men knew, they were standing in a room in the Corinth castle. "Herc?" Iolaus asked. "Does this mean it's over?"

The demigod nodded, "It looks like it."

"This is something I definitely do not want to do ever again," the hunter said. "Although it was nice seeing Anya and the baby."

"Well, it wasn't called a trial by fire for nothing," Hercules commented.

Iolaus nodded, laughing. "Yeah, but it wasn't you jumping through fire last time I checked."

"Iolaus?" Jason's voice called from the hallway. "Are you finally back? We've been looking . . ." The former king's statement was cut off when he entered the room and saw Hercules standing there. He paled, asking "Hercules?"

The demigod nodded, a relieved smile on his face. "One and the same."

"When? How?"

Iolaus laughed, "Really long story, Jase. Why don't we get into it over dinner?" He rubbed a hand over his stomach absently, "I'm starved!"

Hercules put an arm around each of his friends' shoulders. "That's the Iolaus I remember," he said with a laugh, leading them from the room.