Ceres waited for Horatio to finish his meal and then asked, "Wheather you use it or not is your choice but... would you object to me retrieving it?" She asked, looking down at her lap.

"... I don't see the harm in that" Horatio agreed, "Better to have it somewhere safe than out in the world I think"

"Good. Cause I was going to go ahead with or without your permission." She declared. If they managed to get that piece back... and Hope didn't want it... Celeste would hold onto it for save keeping. She touched her gem. Hope was so powerful maybe his gem could... Or if he put it on himself he could...

Horatio could only smile at that. With a sign he leaned back and finished his tea. "Thank you Ceres. I'm sorry for disappearing on you for stop long. I didn't think there was anything I could do if I stuck around"

Ceres shook her head, "I forgive you. It's not easy feeling helpless... Just leave a note next time k? And you're welcome. "

"I will endeavor to do so. And on that note, I do not see a reason for me to stick around much longer" he rose to his feet.

"AH! Hey! No." Ceres leapt from her chair and wrapped her arms around his arm. "I-I mean.... Shouldn't you have a rest first? You said you haven't eaten in a week but I bet that also includes a good night's sleep. Please Hope? One nap?"

Horatio gently, but firmly grasped Ceres by the shoulders so that he could face her straight on, "Ceres. You know I love you and I adore spending time with you and the others but there is a reason I do not stay in one place for very long. It only makes it harder to leave when the time comes for me to go-and I always have to go. I defied True Father so that I could find true love and I will not let anything, or anyone stand in the way of my search." he gently rested his forehead against hers, he really was quite tired but he knew he would never get any sleep, "the only rest that I get is in knowing that every day I spend in a place is another moment closer to that goal. But right now... I am making no progress... and I am getting very little rest... and I highly doubt that trying to sleep in this place will help" he was of course, referring to the fact that Ciara, happily married with children, was only in the other room. As much as it joyed him to be around her, it also broke his heart and he honestly wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to hold out for Ceres' sake.

Tears formed in her eyes, "I know you won't sleep but I.... I just don't want you to leave again. What if I never see you again? What if you get hurt and no one's there to help you?" She wrapped her arms around him tightly, "I love you so much, Hope. I want you to be happy but I- we need you too...I'm sorry I can't be strong like you..."

((I'm totally not crying as I write this))

Horatio hugged her back, "If you think I am strong, then you are sorely mistaken" he replied softly, "I am broken Ceres... beyond repair. What you see as strength is merely me trying to survive and only half-succeeding"

"Then when I get your soul gem back, please, consider using it. Become strong, be with her and protect us... Be our Hope."

It had been so much easier when it was just himself. Just Horatio looking out for noone but number one, figuring out his own problems and now... now he had to be strong for his sisters. And he loved them, he really did, but it was putting such a strain on him to try and manage it all. He was afraid he might have to make a choice at some point, Family or Ciara.
And he was afraid of what he might choose.

"I will... consider it" Horatio agreed, "but for now, I should really go..."

"Max get back here!" Eric exclaimed, chasing after the little one. Max raced into the room giggling and once he found Horatio, he made a B-line for the mutant and hugged his leg with the threat of never letting go.

"Oreo!"

"Ok." She wiped her eyes and then blinked looking down. "What's that Maxie? You want Horatio to stay and have a nap with you before he goes?"

"Heh, sorry, he's pretty fast" Eric commented, "You'd think I would be used to it after Pietro"

Horatio became stiff as Max smiled brightly up at him, hugging his leg. Luke, not wanting to feel left out, also came barreling around the corner, "aaaaahhhhehehehehehee!" he giggled, chasing after Max.

Max was one thing, Horatio had been dealing with Max of all ages for decades now but Luke was Ciara's own child and a reminder that not only had he failed in this timeline but that he couldn't leave it all behind yet. He just wanted to leave it all behind. He was Hope after all and if Hope didn't keep moving forward then what was he but just another stagnate human going nowhere?

"Humour the next generation, Hope. Stay a little bit then be on your way." Ceres said

Eventually Horatio didn't have much choice in the matter because when he tried to disappear he only ended up collapsing on the floor, passed out. It was nothing serious, he just had over taxed himself.

Some time later... stuff...

It didn't help that a cute little girl had joined the ranks of *hold Horatio by the legs till he reads us a story before he goes* Ciara joined in as well. She really did care for Horatio, if things had been different...

Ceres pulled Horatio onto the couch and pulled a blanket over him. When he would awake, he'd find a piece of string tied to his thumb and at the end of the string was a bag filled with food and water and a note written in rather bad beral. "Figured you would wake up while we're all sleeping. Here's some sandwiches and snacks for the road. Love Ceres. P.S. Max helped make the interestingly shaped cookies. :p"

It took a few weeks before Ceres gather enough courage to venture back to the well,

"...Wishing Well, if I were to get you that piece of Horatio's soul gem, you must alter my wish slightly."

The well bubbled at her request and inquired, "Speak and we shall see"

"I will only go along with this on one condition... That Ciara and Horatio are together,"

The water chortled, "You cannot have everything, little girl. Ciara is the cause for not only your pain but his as well. This never ending conquest is killing him and will continue to rip your family asunder." the water swirled, showing images of Ceres and her sisters fighting, not only with Horatio but each other as well.

"I've had it!" Horatio's voice echoed angrily from the pond, "I never want to speak to any of you again! I don't need this!" he pulled away from the group and disappeared.

"See? Just look at what you've done now!" Pallas accused Juno.

"Me?!" Juno declared, "You started it!"

The image distorted, Horatio was trying to make his way to another world but it was harder now that he had reconnected with his sisters. He had to drag himself through, their connection continuously pulling him back. Finally he made it to the other side and collapsed, barely able to breathe.
That was when it moved to the image of Ceres, being pulled through to another time her gem reacted poorly, the darkness revolted causing the stone to crack.

Soon Ceres found herself looking at her own face in the magical pool of water, eyes open and lifeless.

Ceres gasped, grabbing her soul gem tightly in her head. She was shocked and horrified. "But-...But Horatio will continue to be drawn to Ciara. He's bonded to her. He won't stop."

"I can convince him of it" the well replied carefully, "to at least settle with being friends and you can have your family"

"No. You can't. He's BONDED. He physically and metally can't deal with being just friends. We mate for life wishing well. Nothing you say will change how he truely feels."

"That's the point though, I won't have to say anything. I will have a piece of his soul stone, I can make him accept it"

"Make him? But I-I... I couldn't do that to him. I would never be able to forgive myself.."