Author's Note Pt. 1: Hello all! Nyx here, back with two chapters! Chapter 14's AN was replaced with a chapter so don't miss that one!

Chapter 15

Percy POV

Moaning, my eyes were blinded as the light filtered through a terrace. I shielded my eyes with one of my hands, surprised to feel resistance on the other. As I slowly got my bearings, I became acquainted with the room I was in. I was in Artemis' palace, and it has really been awhile since I was last here, I could even see the dust on my desk. Looking down, I saw what had caused resistance on my left arm, Artemis had fallen asleep on my arm. Her auburn locks draping and cascading down the sides of her beautiful face and pooling around my arm. I gave a light chuckle as I slowly slid my arm out from under her head before sitting up. It took a whole 5 minutes for me to get up, the fatigue really got me good. I cursed under my breath as I cracked my bones, groaning as I felt them pop.

My bare feet dropped on to the cold marble floor, realizing I was in nothing but a shirt and pants. I quickly wrapped around my bed, pulling Artemis up from her sitting position and slowly laying her down onto my bed, tucking her under the covers. I pushed back a stray lock of hair behind her ear, my fingers grazing the side of her cheek.

"I love you," she whispered in her sleep, and I stopped dead in my tracks. Artemis had feelings for someone? Tears started to well up in my eyes and I did my best to disregard what she had said. Wiping them away with my cuffs, I pulled a cup of coffee from the enchanted tray on my bedside table. Blue coffee, of course. I took the stool as well from the side of the bed and propped it onto the balcony, watching the sunrise over the Manhattan skyline. With Hestia's blessing, I summoned a slice of NY Pizza.

'The old Lord of the Skies shall rise,

Forced into war, world's possible demise,

The assassin and the moon, love shall bloom,

But heartbreak can bring forth their doom,

Once more, the world will fall into endless slumber,

Only their love will help escape eternal slumber.'

Those words rung repeatedly in my head. Being part of a great prophecy is never fun, especially if this is your third one in a row that can either kill you or prepare you for your next great prophecy. I exhaled a deep breath I didn't know I was holding before having another sip of warm coffee.

"Percy?" A voice rang out, and I looked over to my bed. Artemis hadn't seen me yet and she looked frantic in my bed, her gaze scanning the room before they fell into mine. Pools of sea green met silver nuggets.

"Hey," I said before returning to my coffee. "Where did you want me to send your hunters?" My eyes casting back into the view down below, trying my best not to replay the words Artemis had mentioned a while back. How I wish she had said those to me instead. I heard a faint rustle of clothes and a snap. Looking back, I saw Artemis smoothening out her tunic and hair, my bed neatly fixed with blankets folded.

"Oh yeah, where did you send them to begin with?" She asked, flustered. I figured she was beating herself in her head, being caught sleeping by a male in her own palace. But then again, this was a normal occurrence back then 5 years ago for her.

"Sent them to HQ, it's somewhere between the overworld and the underworld. Though they won't recall their encounter with me, so maybe think up a story they can believe in? I don't have any plans yet of revealing myself to anyone but you." I said as I continued drinking my coffee.

"What do you mean just me?" She said with a snicker before walking over to me, plucking out the coffee mug before taking a sip. "Still with the whole blue vibe thing I see."

"Well you are my best friend, plus I don't have a place to crash in while I'm busy doing work in the overworld, ya know." I said playfully as she handed me back my mug.

It was always like this. Our banter always seemed to be close to a relationship, but things never developed into something more because of her oath.

"Freeloader," she grumbled before leaning over the railing. "Do send my hunters to my cabin in camp. I'm going to assume that they have simply been in a comatose state?"

"Yes, but of course, Hecate has handled the healing process. They'll be good as new once they wake up from their sleep." She nodded in understanding.

"Where are you off to now?" She asked.

"Back to HQ, send your hunters to camp then help Phoebe get acquainted." Her face seemed to shift to one of irritation at the mention of the titaness, but I didn't pay it too much mind. "How about you?"

"Probably look for more leads about Lycaon's pack," to which my eyebrows furrowed in worry.

"Are you sure you'll be fine alone?" I had asked.

"Of course Percy, I've been a goddess for a long time now. I think I can take care of myself." She answered with a smile. Even if she didn't mean to, she just continues to lift my mood and brighten my day. I smiled back.

"Yeah, you're right. But just in case, here." I said before standing up and walking over to where my equipment hung on a mannequin. I took a hold of one of my nighthawks, a charm was snapped on to one of its holsters. Taking it off, I handed it to Artemis. It was a wolf's emblem made of Lunar Silver, its sides elongating to change the form of the charm into a wearable bangle.

"What's this?" She said before wearing it on her right wrist.

"It's a gift duhhh, I haven't seen you for years meaning I missed some of your birthdays." I said nonchalantly. She had blushed at the thought before whacking me on my right shoulder. "OW! You are so ungrateful, hmph."

"What does it do though?" Her fingertips fiddling with the etchings of the wolf.

"You'll find out in due time, but for now keep it on you at all times, okay?" I mentioned before beginning to strap on the rest of my equipment, the ample rest enough for me to manage a day.

"Oh, well. Thanks." I guess it is still difficult for a god to set aside their pride to thank a mortal.

"Thank you as well," I said as I finished strapping up before heading back to the balcony.

"For what?"

"For nursing me back to health."

"Oh well I didn't really do much. You've really did get stronger for the past 5 years. You've changed." She said with admiration evident in her eyes. "I'm happy you're all better now compared to you 10 years ago."

"And it's all thanks to a special moon goddess." I said in a murmur. I saw her tense before relaxing. She had walked up to me, her silver eyes staring into my soul, making my knees buckle. The scent of walnut and cinnamon hitting me like a truck.

"If they send you out on another dangerous mission, come back alive okay? I don't know what I'd do if I lose you a second time." Her eyes began to water. I brushed a tear away.

"Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise." I said to her reassuringly before pulling her into a hug.

"I have something to say to you when you get back," she whispered into my ear. If I could, I would've turned into jelly. Her voice sent goosebumps down my spine. Before letting go of the hug, she gave me a quick peck on the cheek, disappearing right after in a ray of moonlight.

I stood there for a few minutes, processing all that's happening. My hand came up to my face to cherish the feeling of her lips on my cheek. Butterflies were going wild in my stomach and a grin slowly creeped its way up into my face.

Double checking that I have everything, nighthawks on their holsters, my belt bag around my waist, vambraces strapped to my arms, and Skia twirling around between my fingers. I stepped up on to the railing, throwing myself down and diving straight into Manhattan. As I reached terminal velocity, I willed black electricity to wrap around me before I disappeared in a crack of black lightning followed by a roar of thunder. That will for surely piss off Zeus.

Artemis POV

I love him. I really do. I've made up my mind and that was final. I, Artemis, one of the maiden goddesses of Olympus, has fallen for a boy. No, he was more than just a boy, he was my hero. Five years after his disappearance gave me all the reinforcement to prove to myself I did love him, and I wasn't going to pass off the offer of having my own happy ending, something that I know Zoe would love for me to achieve.

I had teleported away right after the kiss, straight into my throne. A faint blush remained on my face as I slowly regained my composure. No one was there except for Bessie the Ophiotaurus and Hestia, a fellow maiden goddess. She was tending to the fire, morale evident in the small flame, but a bit better than what it had become during the previous council meeting. The bright flash of my arrival alerted her of my presence, surprised to see me in such a happy mood.

"This is the first time I have ever seen you this happy, Artemis." She said with a light chuckle, her hand prodding the embers of the hearth with her fire iron. I leaped off from my throne, shrinking down from my Olympian height to sit by her.

"Yes, it has been awhile." I said gazing into the embers. As if on cue, the flame had risen to be that of its normal height, Hestia raising an eyebrow in surprise. Before realization dawned on her, her eyes meeting that of mine.

"So, I am going to assume that your arrival here at such an early time of the day means you have something to speak to me about, yes?" She asked as her suspicions began to make sense to her. Her gaze casted themselves down onto the silver bangle that my hand began to fiddle with.

"Yes, actually. How does one revoke their maiden's vow?" I blurted out, before I could even catch myself. The words echoed throughout the throne room, thankfully, no one was around besides the two of us. As the words registered into her, she gave me a knowing smile.

"Being a maiden does not mean you are decreed not to fall in love, my dear." She had said reassuringly before proceeding to tend to the hearth again. "Being a maiden simply means to not bear fruit with another."

I took a bit of time to process it. I could've been loving him this whole time, spending my days more with him. How could I have been so naïve. "But what if that is what I wish to do?" My voice, barely a whisper, and this caught Hestia by surprise. Her 4 year old form flickering before taking that of a 30 year old. She was beautiful, to say the least.

"He changes the people he encounters, does he not?" She said as she gently rubbed the pithos sitting beside her. It was Pandora's box.

"Yes. He really does." I said smiling.

"Only time would provide the answer to your questions, my dear." I nodded in understanding before standing back up. I wasn't as content as I would have wished for with the interaction, but I felt lighter having lifted that off my chest. "The hearth will always have a seat for you, Artemis."

"The hunt to you as well, Aunt Hestia." I disappeared with a flash, aiming to reappear back into my cabin in Camp Halfblood.

Third Person's POV

Hestia remained in her seat by the flame, tenderly arranging the coal. She had casted her eyes over to one of the thrones, to her right. A baby pink colored throne was what her eyes had set on.

"It would do us best if you do not interfere, Aphrodite." She had voiced out. A huff was her response before the air on the throne shimmered to reveal the goddess of love.

"Why would you think I would touch on their relationship?" She said cautiously.

"I never said anything," had been Hestia's retort.

"Then there's nothing to worry about, Hestia. Their love is too pure for me to mingle on, and I have ceased from making young Perseus' love life harsh. I had made a grave mistake for matching the two of them with that daughter of Athena," she grumbled, regret evident in her face.

"But alas, that is not true. If it were not for that, we wouldn't be here at this exact moment. There is nothing to cause you to feel regret, it is what fate has decreed." Hestia said.

"You truly know how to make someone feel better, don't you Hestia?" Aphrodite gave a light chuckle, her laugh felt like music to the ear. "Let's just see where this story takes us." She had disappeared in a puff of pink smoke.

"Everything will fall into place." Hestia said to no one in particular, before her form shimmered as well.

Author's Note Pt.2: Hi guys! Nyx here! I really appreciate your reads and reviews (tho reviews really get me going the most so don't forget to drop one whether it be comments, words of encouragement, or ideas because they would really help a lot when making chapters). R&R!