This fic has been on my mind for a while, because there aren't very many good Hermes&Luke fics. I haven't read the Battle of the Labyrinth or The Last Olympian so it might be slightly AU. Enjoy.

I am in a forest. Somewhere near San Francisco. For the first time in a year, he is not within me. He wanted to have a trial separation, to see how he coped away from me.

Trial Separation.

It makes it sound like we're married. Thankfully we're not, as he is my thousand year-old Grandfather, Titan, and is trying to bring down Olympus.

Added to the fact I'm a guy, well, it makes a pretty screwed up relationship, with hi inside my head and that. He isn't with me now, because he wanted to see if he could survive on his own. So for the first time in a long time, I am completely alone.

Snap

My sword is out of its sheath before I can even process doing it. I turn, by battle reflexes that have kept me alive for so long ready and waiting to be used.I don't know what to expect. A vengeful half-blood, coming to avenge one of their siblings' deaths. Or maybe a monster, wanting to do my bidding.

What I don't expect to see is my father.

The nerve of him! Have I not proven I want nothing to do with the blasted Olympians! Have I not shown that I want the Gods' blood spilled across the earth! How dare he. He knows I want nothing to do with him.

I raise my sword and narrow my eyes, going into battle mode. I am prepared to strike. But he doesn't raise a weapon. He just stands there in has blasted red tracksuit and stupid flying shoes, arms crossed, looking at me with the brown eyes that are telling me he cares when he doesn't because he's a God and Gods don't give a dam about their children. For a moment the desperate faces of the unclaimed kids I grew up with flash through my mind. The Gods don't care about them. The Gods don't care about anybody but themselves.

He stares at me, taking in my appearance, my narrowed eyes, my stance, my scar. His lips turn downwards as he makes eye contact with me. For a moment I think maybe he cares but then I remind myself it is just a show, he doesn't care.

"Leave." My tone is sharp. He looks like I've hit him. The pain in his eyes. My resolve is starting to...No! He will not change my mind.

"No." His answer is straight, to the point, his brown eyes intense.

"Leave. Now." I growl. I don't want to see him. I don't want to hear his excuses.

"No. Put your sword down Luke." Pain shoots through me. How dare he use my name! He has no right!

"Go away. I don't want to see you. I don't want to speak to you. I don't want to hear you. Leave." My voice is desperate at the end. The pain in his eyes is wearing me down. He steps forward. I raise my sword higher.

"Don't come any closer!" I spit out, but he moves closers still, so close that my sword is at his throat. He just stares at me, his eyes asking the question. Are you going to kill me? And I should. I've dreamed of casting down the gods, of spilling their blood. But his eyes! My resolve is shaking. So am I. Giant tremors are racking my body. My sword is shaking and as I watch it makes at tiny cut. I drop of Ichor beads at his throat, standing out against the pale caramel of his skin. I raise my eyes to his and I know he can see my indecision in them. In a movement so swift that I almost miss it, he pushes my sword from my hands. It clatters to the floor. I look at it, then at him. In another quick movement he pulls me into a hug.

A hug.

I haven't been hugged in years. His strong arms wrap their way around me, pulling me into him. My head falls into his chest and then I am crying like a baby into his chest. My hands grab the back of his sweater as I sob, sob for the regrets and mistakes that I have made. My knees give out suddenly and I pitch towards the floor but Dad catches me. He sits with his back to a tree and pulls me next to him. My head is on his shoulder and my arms are around him. One of his arms is around my shoulders, the other by my cheeks, brushing the tears away. He says nothing, but draws me closer to him, rocking me gently. He whispers into my ear, comforting me. I am suddenly aware that this is the safest I have felt in years, in my dad's arms.

"Ssshhh. It's okay. It's okay Luke. It will all be okay. Ssshhh. Don't cry Luke. I'm here. I won't let anything hurt you. My Luke. My Boy. My Son." He whispers in my ear. I am suddenly aware that I am not the only one crying. Dad's tears are dripping down his nose and into my hair.

Eventually our tears stop and we sit together in silence. He is rubbing my arm and we are both staring at each other, savouring the moment and each other's faces. The moment will not last much longer. We are enemies in a war that cannot be ended with democracy. One side will win. One will lose. One of us will fall at the end of this, and at the moment I desperately hope my side will lose, because for the moment I am at peace with my father and I don't want him to die.

He takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry that I'm not the best father Luke. In fact, I'm a crap one. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. Please forgive me, Luke." His brown eyes are shinning with tears.

I take a deep breath too. "I'm sorry I'm a crap son. I'm sorry I dragged your name through the mud and killed so many. Please forgive me Dad." My blue eye were shinning with tears.

"There is nothing to forgive" They said, at exactly the same time. And they laughed and hugged, enjoying the moment. Because they knew there wouldn't be another one. The war would separate them forever. So they sat and laughed, prolonging the moment before they would have to separate. The end was unavoidable.

Review. I really value you're feedback because it helps me improve my writing. So if you want me to get worse, not better, then don't review. If you want me to get better you know what to do