Author's Note: I'm going to be gone for a couple days to Thorpe Park to celebrate my birthday with my family soon. I thought it would be a good idea to post this chapter now, whilst I still have it in my notebook. Read, Enjoy, Review!

Contemplating and Dreaming

The plane ride had been like being back in Hades, for Kronos. He was stuck in Economy Class with Atlas for some time, whilst Rhea and Erin got to enjoy the full privileges of First Class. It was unsurprising to him when Rhea told him that it had been Zeus who had given her the tickets. His son may have been the one to grant the Titans clemency but it didn't mean he had fully forgiven his father for his transgressions. It might not even have been his idea. Kronos was fine to get the end seat to the left side of the plane. He was hoping to have the row to himself when a teenage boy and his little sister showed up.

"Hi. These are our seats." The boy said. Kronos was forced to stand up and let the mortals get to their seats.

"Why don't we get to sit next to mummy and daddy?" The little girl whined.

"I told you. There was a mix up with the seats" He replied. They were both blonde but the girl's eyes were brown, whilst the boy's were blue. The boy reminded Kronos of Luke Castellan and he quickly turned back to his magazine. It was a bunch of nonsense about celebrities but he like the women in bikinis, as air brushed as they were.

The Titan Lord was very confused about how he felt about the fallen demi-god. At the time, it had been a necessary sacrifice. But after his talk with Rhea, he wasn't sure. She accepted him the way he was but she had a way of making him want to be a better person. Kronos got out his journal. He started writing out all the feelings and emotions he had only ever let Rhea now. His new therapist had recommended keeping it for self reflection. His former one was in a hospital, recovering from his attack after she had tried to get him to speak to a puppet. He had thought about pulverising his second one but he had grown to just accept that he needed help.

"What are you writing?" The little girl asked, peering over her brother. She had the window seat. "Are you writing a story? I like stories."

"Rose, leave the man alone. Sorry, man. You know little kids." The boy was a bit embarrassed.

"It's fine" Kronos purposely wrote in the ancient language of the Titans. He didn't like English much. Normally he would have kept it much more private but there was not threat that either of these mortals would understand his writing.

"Sorry. You have nice handwriting. I've been practising mine all summer. Can I show you?"

"Rose, he doesn't want to see it. Just go back to looking out the window."

"We're not in the air yet."

"Having fun over there?" Atlas asked. Kronos' nephew was to his right, in the middle column.

"Shut up before I shut if for you" He threatened. Atlas' eyes hardened.

"Things are not the same as the old days. I'm not going to let you boss me around any longer, uncle. I've stood by you since the beginning. I understood that I failed. I let that stupid Perseus Jackson trick me and I was right back to square one, holding up the sky..."

"Atlas... Atlas. Can we not talk about it here?" Atlas had practically been yelling at him by the end of the speech. People were staring and the last thing Kronos wanted was a scene.

"Fine" He grumbled.

"Is he okay?" The little girl, Rose asked.

"He's just... stressed" Kronos said.

Sometime after, Atlas got moved up so first class because he broke the chair and it would have been hazardous to give him another economic seat. Kronos swore under his breath.

"Um... swearing is bad" Rose said. The innocence of the girl shocked Kronos. He had known too much pain and sorrow. His world had always been consumed by power. He had seen each of his children when they were born once, save for Zeus. They had been beautiful. Every one of them. Hades might never know the pride he felt when Kronos saw his first son. He had almost changed his mind about the consumption. Almost.

"So what? Are you going to tell his mummy?" The boy asked.

"No. Your sister is right. Sorry." Kronos replied. The rest of the night he watched a movie. He remembered nothing. The food was tasteless but it was nice to get something in his stomach. He was craving those McDonalds chips. 'Finger lickin' good. Wait? That was the Burger King slogan. No, KFC.' He damned the mortal's need for fast food restaurants. He and the boy had to get up a few times to allow Rose to go to the loo. After the first time, she at least went by herself. But at night time, the night mares came.

Kronos knew Ares claimed not to dream. That was because he had no conscious. He was just a blood thirsty, lustful being. But Kronos wasn't afraid to say he dreamed. And in this particular dream, he was falling. By the time he collapsed, he was in Tartarus. He woke up yelling for Rhea. There were grumbles from a few people who he had woken up. The boy next to him woke with a start too at his yelling.

"Are you okay, man?" The boy asked. Kronos was breathing deeply. Where was Rhea? Where was he?

"Where am I?" He looked all around.

"you're on a British Airways plane to London."

"Okay. Where is Rhea?"

"Who?"

"My wife"

"I... I don't know." Kronos breathed in and out. He tried remembering where his wife might be. He remembered going to the airport with her... getting on the plane... splitting up. She was here after all.

"Are you going to be okay?" Do you need medication or something?"

"I'm fine. It was just a nightmare."

"Okay. I'm Tony by the way. I hope you get some sleep." He didn't though. Two nights in a row with little sleep. [Somewhere far away, Kronos was beating up Phobetor, the god of nightmares. He could be doing this and be on the plane as gods and Titans could be in many places at once]

The car ride to their new home was long but it gave Kronos the opportunity to have a much needed rest whilst Rhea drove. When they got to their new home, Rhea woke him up with a kiss.

"Gross!" Erin yelled. "Get a room."

"We will shortly" Kronos hardly looked at the outside of the new home. It would never compare to his former palace so he didn't want to even bother. They entered their new house. They walked through the hallway and into their new living room.

"It's not exactly our old palace, but it'll do" Kronos said.

"I'm sure you had plenty of time to decorate Tartarus" Erin rudely commented.

"I was only saying"

"As was I"

"You were being impudent!"

"Good. It was what I was going for"

"Erin. Kronos." Rhea spoke softly but it was all she needed to do to get their attention. She had that level of authority.

"Why don't you tell your daughter to show some respect."

"Please tell the former Titan Lord that he has to earn my respect."

"Would anyone like me to bake some cookies?" Atlas blurted out.

"No!" Kronos and Erin yelled, snapping their heads to look at him for a brief moment. Then they resumed back to glaring at one another.

"Ooh. A start off." Atlas commented. "Who will win? The former Titan Lord or the only existing demi-titan. Tune in to find out." He commented.

"Shut up Atlas" Kronos snarled, without looking his way.

"This is ridiculous!" Rhea fumed.

"Tell me, former Titan Lord... were the Titans so poor that you had to resort to cannibalism?" At this point, Atlas burst out laughing. Rhea held her temples and Kronos' jaw gaped open. Then his amber eyes burst into gold molten.

"Erin, go up to you room immediately." Rhea said evenly before Kronos could yell out in rage or wield Backbiter.

"Fine" The teen shrugged. "But I'm picking my room first."

"Not if I do first!" Atlas said, on her heels shortly after.

"Kronos, hunny... breathe." Rhea said, holding his face softly.

"Breathing"

"Please try to be patient with her. I'll have a talk with her but you could have handled that better."

"I'm not used to people being so..."

"Impudent, as you put it, towards you?"

"Yes. When I ruled the world, I was feared and respected. Things have changed."

"But my love for you certainly hasn't. I'm going to cook for the mean time."

"You... cook?" A smile crept on his face.

"I know, right." Rhea's laugh filled his ears. "Times have changed but even I still don't cook. I'll just whip something up from thin air, shall I?" Then she headed to the bathroom.

"I believe the kitchen is over there."

"I knew that."

Perhaps with a wonderful wife like Rhea, he could get through his new punishment unscathed. But her daughter would be another challenge altogether.

Author's Note: As I was typing this, even I was wondering what the point of writing out his experience on the plane was. But I think it was some good character building. Please post reviews with well wishing Happy Birthday messages. Lol.