This story was written for fRANkiEGirL61 and Disney101's LAFT Contest. I hope you enjoy!

DISCLAMIER: I am clearly nor Rick Riordan. (if I were, would I be writing this?!?)

He had been coming to this same spot for nearly a week now. He didn't know what it was about her, only that he couldn't get her out of his mind. Some might call it an obsession, but he called it love at first sight. Most people would laugh at the Lord of the Dead, but this was not a laughing matter. He had to do something before this drove him insane.

There she walked, her coffee in one hand, and a book in the other. She had on the most beautiful black dress… She made her way to her usual bench, sat down, and cracked open her book. Every now and then, she'd take a sip of coffee.

Hades sighed and walked away. Tomorrow he would come back and ask her out.

~:~

Hades slipped on his helm of darkness, like he'd been doing the past week. He didn't understand why he was going to these extremes with this woman, but he just couldn't stop.

On the way there, he picked up a bouquet of black roses. He hoped she liked flowers…

The Lord of the Dead walked up to his usual viewing place and sat down to look. The mystery woman was setting on her bench… TALKING TO ANOTHER MAN!

Hades couldn't believe his eyes. With rage fueling his actions, he yanked off his helm and marched up to the chatting couple. "WHY ARE YOU TALKING TO HIM?!?" he asked.

The man looked at the woman. "Maria, do you know him?"

The woman, Maria, said, "No, I've never seen him before." She got up and walked away. The man took one last fleeting glance at Hades and walked away, too.

Hades dropped the bouquet of flowers and walked away, too depressed to do anything else.

~:~

Hades stayed in his little enclave for days replaying it over and over in his mind.

~:~

Finally, the Lord of the Dead decided he couldn't stay cooped up in his room forever so he headed out into the light of a new day.

At the park, Hades sat down on Maria's bench, waiting. A few minutes later, Maria walked down the sidewalk and sat on the bench. She looked up and said, "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I-" and then she looked at him. Her face twisted and she stood up.

"Wait!" Hades called out like a child, scared to death in the middle of the night.

She turned around and said, "What do you want? I know you've been watching me, and I don't appreciate it. So, with that note, I bid you farewell." Maria started walking away.

"Hold on! I really think we have a future!" he called. She just kept on walking. Hades blurted out, "I know Hilter. He's my son."

She whipped her head around. "WHAT?!?"

He realized what he just said. "Uh… I said I know uh… Bitler. He's number one…"

"Okay… well, I really need to go." she walked away.

Hades muttered to himself and vanished into the shadows.

~:~

Hades, full of confidence, marched towards Maria. She looked up from her book, rolled her eyes, and looked back down to her book.

"Maria, if I may call you that, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry about the other day. We just got off on the wrong foot. I'd like to start over. I'm Had-" He thought for moment. He couldn't tell her his name was Hades. She'd probably find it weird and then walk away again. On the other hand, in relationships, honesty is the best policy. "Hades, I'm Hades."

"I'm Maria di Angelo." She said, then glanced up from her book and really looked at him. She smiled and said, "You remind me of Hades, the Greek god. You know, the Lord of the Dead."

Hades smiled, "Yeah, I get that a lot." He looked into her deep brown eyes and knew that they would be together as long as the Fates allowed.

Well, thanks for reading, and I hope you'll review!