"Ow ow ow ow ow!"
Ares hopped on the spot as he tried to remove the splinter from his foot.
He was a much different Ares from when he last walked along this path,for one thing he was taller. He was better dressed now, he was stronger and he was pretty sure he was smarter too. But now was the hard part, now was the real test. He'd travelled from one side of the world to another and been on more planes than he could name, but he'd never been more scared than this moment.

He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, upon opening them he found himself in a now very familiar place, over the past few weeks the Merkebah had felt like a second home to him and he was learning more about it every day.
Ares walked forward slowly, making his way past shadowy shapes and muffled conversation until he spotted an all too familiar doorway. Thinking nothing of it, he passed through and walked briskly through the room beyond. Before him, he saw a couple of small chairs and an open fireplace, Ares took a seat at the lefthand chair and closed his eyes again. Opening them to find himself on the material plane again.
Now he waited, had the changes come here too? Was he even welcome? He began to stand up getting ready to leave when a voice rang out from the kitchen.

"Don't think I didn't hear you sneaking in! You beter not be getting mud on my floor, I only cleaned it yesterday! And don't think you can just swan in and lay about, there's work needs doing! If you want any supper, bring me some wood for the stove so I can heat this Shepherd's pie up!"

Ares smiled, he'd always wondered about that sixth sense of hers but now he knew he was where he belonged.
He may have changed, Elmo may have changed, even the world may have changed. But Mum was still the same as the day he'd been shooed out 4 years ago.

Ares was home, and it felt good.