AN: This oneshot happens during chapter 11 of The Future in the Past: The Last Olympian. If you haven't read that, I strongly recommend you go read that first, or most of this won't make sense at all.

I made this for a challenge proposed by the author Starlight Silvernight.

Let me know what you thought of it. :)

Oh and by the way: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

~Jezebel Raewin

The Comfort of a Brother

Hermes averted anyone and everyone's eyes as he left the reading room. He didn't want to hear anything, he wanted to be alone. His body was on autopilot as he walked, while his mind was thinking a thousand things a minute. Right now, his poor may was sitting at home waiting for Luke, who would never return. Well apparently, he would return, sometime in the future, only to be able to bathe in the Styx. Right now, Luke was safely at Camp Half-Blood, strengthening his skills. Luke was, no is, Hermes pride and joy. No matter what he would do in the future. No matter what his precious May had learned.

Hermes went about his daily business like this, thinking the same thoughts over an over again. He tried not to dwell on some things, but the stronger he tried the harder it was not to. Eventually, after seeing to everyone's shipment needs, Hermes found himself under a tree in one of Olympus' beautiful parks. He sat there, feeling utterly alone. Not sure what to do now. He needed to know how it was all going to turn out; he needed reassurance.

Just then, a golden light appeared and grew brighter and brighter. The warming air around Hermes told him that Apollo was coming to see him. He watched as his brother slowly formed.

"Hey, Hermes," Apollo said with a smile. Hermes just looked off in the distance. "Hey, man, can we talk? Let's go back to your place for a bit. Come on." Apollo grabbed Hermes arm and pulled him off his feet. Hermes let his brother lead him while he tried to think of what to say.

"Look, Herm," Apollo said, once they were in Hermes' room with the door closed. "We've got to get you out of this funk. I have a few questions for you, but I want to know whats wrong."

Hermes took a deep breath, then let it out.

"Do you really want to know whats wrong?" He asked. Apollo nodded. "It's not a happy story..."

"Who needs happy right now? Besides, the story isn't over . . ."

"Until the Oracle sings." They finished together. Apollo smiled and Hermes chuckled weakly.

"Alright, so here goes. You know how your Oracle never changes bodies anymore?" Apollo nodded. "Well, May wanted to try. She wanted to help." His voice was full of pain and sadness. "She didn't take my warnings seriously. She could see through the Mist really well." Hermes blocked everything out except the memory.

"So, I brought her to camp. And at first it seemed to go okay, but then, something went wrong. Horribly wrong and she's been insane ever since. She has episodes where she'll see Luke's fate. A horrible fate. I couldn't do anything, damnitt, Apollo! I couldn't do a thing! Do you know how hard that is? Watching your son grow up with this woman you love who's gone insane? And not being able to do a damn thing!"

Apollo just sat there, taking all this in. Hermes dissolved into sobs - heart wrenching sobs. After an entire minute of this, Hermes felt Apollo wrap him in a hug. They stayed like that for a while. Apollo murmured soft words to his brother while he let it out. Apollo tried to think of that happening to someone he loved dearly.

"Hermes," Apollo said quietly once Hermes had stopped his sobbing. Just when Hermes thought he'd cried himself dry, he could still feel the traitorous tears leaking out silently down his cheeks. He barely heard Apollo, but some of the words made it through his bubble. "Hermes, I don't think I could or will ever understand what this feels like. But, man, just know that I am always, always here for you. I can't believe you didn't tell me sooner. Why didn't you?"

"I-I just," Hermes took a shaky breath. "I just didn't want anyone to know. It was my fault." He said, the steady stream of tears coming out a little stronger now. "I should never, never have let this happen. And then, when I saw Luke at his house, I lashed out. I-I, I-I c-couldn't believe that s-stupid prophecy."

Hermes looked at his brother and best friend. "What prophecy?" Apollo cocked his head, making him look like a comical puppy. Hermes tried to smile, but even inside it didn't work.

"I'm sure it'll come up again in the blasted book," Hermes said glumly.

"Brother, I want to hear it from you."

"I don't want to go into the details. But it told me how my favorite son is to die. It told me he would be against the gods."

"We can still stop this, Hermes. We won't let it get that bad." Hermes let out a harsh laugh.

"I'm afraid I've already made it worse."

"You still love him don't you?"

"Of course! He's still my son. I love all of my children." Especially Luke. Hermes added as an afterthought.

"Then there's still hope. I don't know about you, but I want to keep uncle P from having a hernia. There's any number of ways to make sure things like this don't happen. We can talk to Percy and Annabeth, get as much information as we can to find out what really happened to Luke. We can talk to Athena for help on formulating a plan! We will NOT let this go." Apollo ended with his fist in the air.

Hermes looked at his brother, he tried to smile again, this time he felt his mouth barely respond. He managed a grimace.

"Are you sure it will work?"

"A hundred and ten percent."

"Then I guess that's all we can do for now," Hermes sighed and leaned into his brother for support. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Apollo."

"Hermes without me.

Not a pretty thing to see.

He needs me too much."

Hermes managed a laugh and Apollo smiled brightly. Hermes knew he would be forever grateful for the comfort of his brother.