[[Author's Note: So this chapter will be good. I'm hoping if you have any questions about what I'm putting in this chapter please let me know.

Also I'd like to note that some of these ideas were sparked from another Fanfiction I read. I will change them so they do not follow the other author's ideas but I will not take full credit for the invention of the idea. It will be in my own words with some of my own twists put in but I AM NOT PLAGERISING (I just cannot for the life of me find that fanfic and give the author Credit for spurring the idea in me creative little head) curse my lack of memory.

Mesopotamia is my own character. I came up with his idea so if someone else created their own Meso character… I had no idea about it. This Meso is my own brilliant Idea.

Anyway, sorry this has taken me so long… A lot has happened mostly writers block… But I'm determined to finish this story! 3 Enjoy

Uh, what else can I ramble on about…? Hmm… I'll think of something. Nope. Enjoy the next chapter~

With Love

SaraHerrin]]

Chapter Three

Tales of The Past

The expanse of the kitchen almost loomed around the pair sitting silently at the table. The air was tense and thick, it was almost like invisible jell-o holding the two men in place. The curious brunette's emerald eyes watched the dark forest green eyes of the Turkish man across from him. It was more than obvious that Sadiq was wrestling with his emotions trying to fight back and remember what tormented him so. Heracles figured that he was trying to remember the correct order to put his thoughts. After all Sadiq was very, very old. The thought of that almost made the Greek man laugh, but he refrained himself.

Again meeting his gaze the Heracles couldn't help but feel sorrow watching that vast emotions swim past his beloved's eyes. Each passed with their own fleeting moments in the Turks eyes; Pain, regret, happiness, anger, bliss, tranquility and so many more. With a big heavy sigh the emotions gave way to resolve. Sadiq leaned forward and finally turned his gaze up on the long haired Greek.

"If ya haven't guessed by now, then I might as well tell ya… I used teh be in love wit'chur mother." Sadiq began.

A nuclear bomb went off in Hera's heart. Pain rocketed through his veins as Sadiq's hurtful words sunk in. It was confirmed, the Turk only really cared for Hera because he was his mother's child. Sure he had guessed at that, but the possibility of that truth being false gave him the hope he needed to deal with all of Sadiq's, unusually sexual antics. But now… There was nothing. Now Heracles knew all Sadiq cared about was the sex they had. Despite wanting to cry and lock himself in the Parthenon, Heracles remained calm, wearing the perfect poker face.

" . . . I never knew how she felt towards meh. To be honest I sometimes thought she did like meh. But then other's I was never really sure." Sadiq paused then cracked a soft smile, "I guess I should start from the beginning with some details rather than vague descriptions…" He shook his head, smile broadening. "I'll start from when I met'chur mom." Heracles wasn't sure if it was a trick of the lighting but he could've sworn he saw something devilish in the Turkish man's expression. What ever it was it gave Sadiq a dark edge and it was intoxicating.

"Let me think now… I guess I was no more than a youngin when I met her. A pre-teen. Yeah Gramps introduced us. Oh, uh Mesopotamia was what lots'o people called 'im. Now, to put this inteh perspective I was not yet a country back then. I was just learnin' the ways of livin'."

Heracles did smile then, "Old Wooly-face? A child? That's a lie, you were born old and will die old." The tease was understood and was returned with a slight chuckle and a shake of his head. That devilish smirk showed up again on the Turks face, and Heracles had to contain his enjoyment. Had he not really wanted to know the truth about Sadiq's past he would have slid into his lap and placed kisses all over him. But no. Heracles had too know the truth.

"Laugh all ya want brat, but it's true. I was a child when I met'chur mother. A pre-adolescent child," an obvious shudder ran down his spine, Heracles couldn't help the smile, "Anyway, Meso came into my room, I was loungin' on my hammock doing something stupid no doubt and he told me we had company and too look nice."

Hera was about to interject something but refrained from commenting and let him continue.

"… teh say I listened, would have been a lie. The old man looked at meh with a raised eyebrow, walked over and with hardly any effort flipped me onto the floor. Damn ass, knocked the wind right outta'me. I was not pleased in the least but I knew better than teh argue with him after that. I grudgingly got myself ready to meet our, oh so special guests. Meso was scary.

So, once I was decent enough we made our way to meet our guests. In the front hallway two women, erm young girls sat together on our bench. One with dark skin and short dark brown hair and the other paler skin and long light brown hair. Yes, Your mother and Gupta's mom." He paused with a smile, "even back then I thought your mother was beautiful~ In fact I fought myself to keep my jaw from dropping," he sighed dreamily before continuing. "'Neway, Meso wanted your mother and Egypt to take me out with them. They were older than me and already were countries or well rather, empires. They showed me around their homes and began to teach me how to be a country or empire, though I didn't really know that at the time." Sadiq shook his head at the old memory. "I guess meeting your mom was the best thing that ever happened to me. When I first saw her, my entire world lit up. Before her, it was me and Grampa Meso and miles and miles of empty space."

Heracles raised a brow at that. Sadiq sounded sappy. That never happened. It almost, no, it stung to hear the Turkish man talk that way about his mother when he loved him so desperately.

"With their close guidance I slowly began to create a civilization. I always looked forward to their visits, more so your moms than Gupta's. Now, don't get me wrong, Gupta's mom was beautiful but she wasn't really my type. She was definitely one of my closest best friends. But Hera, yer mom…" the older man sighed gazing off past Hera. "Yer mother was absolutely stunning."

The Greek's heart had already broken, did he need it to shatter now? Hearing the Turk man he loved so dearly talk so openly and so dreamily about his mother! Not wanting the other too see his expression Heracles put his head down on his arms, almost hoping Sadiq would notice and comment but he didn't. The Turk continued.

"Her deep chestnut hair was done up in braids around her head with golden laurel's to hold the strays back. The bulk of her hair was long down her back. The intricacies of her braids must have taken her a long time to get together… But she'd always just say it was nothing… Her eyes were the deepest green, emerald oceans that held so much knowledge… "

"I know what my mom looked like…" scolded Heracles, trying not to sound as bitter as he felt. "Tell me what my mother did to make you such a horrid beast on that day!"

"O-Oh righ'… Well, Let's see… I was just abou' an adult. Righ' before I became the Ottoman Empire. Anyway; I loved your mom and thought she loved me too. We could spend hours doing nothing together but walkin', or talkin' or even lounging out under the beautiful sky." Sadiq stopped and chuckled a little before continuing, "In fact it was almost routine, one day when I didn't show up yer mother stormed my house until she found me, lying on my floor keeled over. Hera, I swear yer mom tore apart forests until she found me. It was scary, whenever she was on a mission she would stop at nothing. She would be so determined to do whatever it was she was doin' 'nething else was but dust in the wind or an ant beneath her foot. She found me lyin' on the floor and nearly made me cry with her yellin'. She was little over zealous when things didn't go according to plan. It wasn't until after she'd done her ragin' that she realized I was sick.

"The best part was I had tried to be there, hence why I was on the floor. But my stomach rolled and did flips when I got out of bed. So, she spent an entire week at my house nursing me back to health. We'd talk or my favorite she'd tell me stories about her gods and goddesses. I loved hearing her talk about them, the love triangles between them or the just straight out drama of it all. My favorite story would have to be how Zeus, Hades and Posideon took down their father. I tell you, Hera. I can tell you that story without a single flaw." Sadiq paused and drank from his glass of water.

Heracles listened intently to the fluctuations in the older man's voice as he talked. With his head buried in his arms he felt like he could relax, mostly because his feelings couldn't be seen or read in any way. The mention of the Gods brought a smile to his face. He himself could remember his mother telling him that story, it was also his favorite. It was probably the top because of how his mother told it, her actions to help enhance the story and how she would change her tones to fit the characters. Heracles could not deny that she could tell the story phenomenally.

"We spent that whole week together, and despite my being sick she lay beside me in my bed making sure to nurse me back to health. Feeding me her silly remedies for illnesses… Though she couldn't quite figure out what was wrong she tried everythin'. Hera, I tried about a dozen different combinations of who knows what. After a week went by I did get better though.

"We started staying over at each other's houses and gradually our relationship grew. We would kiss under the stars, beneath a large tree, it didn't matter so long as we were in each other's arms. She was a fantastic kisser…"

Movement from across the table caught Hera's attention, he peaked over his arm and saw that the Turk was feeling his lips as though feeling them would bring back the memory better of the female lips that were pressed against them before. The Greek's stomach rolled. Were his kisses no good compared to his mothers? Damn her. She clouded the mind of the man he loved. It wasn't fair. Taking deep calming breaths he fought against the tears that threatened to fall from his eyes. No. I won't cry. He scolded himself.

"After a year or so of our relationship like this, I was never sure of what it was like. I had to know personally what she thought of me. Also, this was all before I ever wore a mask. I cleaned myself up and made my way over to her house. Once there I knocked and waited for her to answer. When she did, damn I don't think I'd ever seen someone look so beautiful. But she looked Ravishin'. I told her so, I believe with a blush on my face and went in. Hours went by, we laughed and talked then finally went out to dinner. I was a ball of jitters by now. During dinner I asked her, "Athena, I have to know… What am I too you?" She looked at me and smiled, touching my hand comfortingly. 'Sadiq, you are the most fun, charming and delightful man I know!' My heart leapt, 'Athena,' I started, 'I love you…' After I said the words I hid my face. She laughed softly, pulled my face close, gave me a kiss and said, 'Sadiq… I love you too. You are my world.'"

"If she loved you so much why didn't you just marry her?" Heracles snapped finally. Hearing the loving and endearing tone in the Turks voice was too much to handle, after all this time of hearing it grate on his nerves Hera could not take it any longer.

"Because she broke my heart, the next day…" Sadiq responded without a missed beat, and obviously not taking the hint of Hera's pain, which only seemed to add to his anger, the Greek stood and nearly stomped over to the fridge. He didn't really want to eat anything but it gave him something to look at other than the lovesick Turk.

Heracles hated hearing the pain in Sadiq's words but that didn't stop him from feeling furious about hearing the man pour his emotions out about his mother. Was he nothing? Of course not, just a fuck toy to satisfy the libido of the older man. Without looking up he urged Sadiq to continue. While he himself continued rummaging through the contents of the fridge that he really didn't care about.

"Next day, I went over teh 'er house… You know teh surprise her 'n all. I had some flowers and attempted to make that baklava stuff you guys are so fond of. I got to her house and was welcomed in. I went to find her in the back. And…" The Turk's voice cracked. Heracles looked up from his mindless rummaging and looked over at the man he idolized.

A gloomy shadow fell across his eyes. And he could've sworn he saw a tear roll down his cheeks. Another twang of pain pulled on his heart. Closing the fridge he walked over to the older man and his brows furrowed up in worry. Sadiq looked so old, frail. It was scary seeing him so vulnerable. Heracles began to think if he had touched him, he would snap in half. So hurt. Had his mother really caused him that much pain? Heracles knelt down before him and with worried eyes looked up at him. Sadiq's normally vibrant eyes were distant and glossy with pain and tears.

"That damn bastard Rome had her in his arms and himself all over her." Sadiq's tone was harsh infuriated and violent. The expression on his face matched his tone. "I stood and watched a moment before calling out to her. She jumped as did Rome and looked at me. No sign of remorse on her face. I asked her what she was doing and she told me matter of factly. Anger bubbled up in me and I attacked him. Rome. And well… Your mother watched and actually cheered him on. I-I don't know what I did to her, but she just kept stabbing me with the knife of her betrayal."

"She cheated on you?" Heracles questioned softly, resting his head on Sadiq's knee's in an attempt to comfort him but also as a child listening eagerly to a story. "You killed her because she cheated on you?"

"No. It helped but it's not why I killed her. I killed her out of fear for my own safety… I had no idea she had a child. Even after she tore my heart out and the openly flaunted she was datin' Rome I still loved her. Then when he turned on her, she let him do as he pleased to her for a while. He beat her and conquered her. Leavin' her his slave and made her watch as he himself slept with others. He tortured her and would beat her ev'ry time she did somt'in' against him. Most of the time it was wantin' to see me, where she would beg me to save her. I refused to see her every time. I couldn' bear with it. I knew I would crumble back inteh her lap if I saw her in person again.

I would listen to her pleas for help from the other side of meh door. I never told her I was there, but she knew. Finally she got the strength enough teh take back control leavin' Rome in the dust. Not long after he began teh disappear from teh world. Not that I really minded. I despise that man."

Heracles didn't know what to say he just looked at Sadiq then away. He felt bad for what his mother did but he loved his mother no matter what the Turkish man said.

"Sadiq…" he said quietly, just looking up. Mustering up all the honest feelings he could. He just sighed, and said the only thing he could. "I'm sorry." He leaned forward and they sat in silence. Neither wanted to talk anymore, just enjoy the closeness of their bodies.