Hello all you lovely peoples, this is a little story i wrote to expand on some aspects of the Gods and Goddesses i feel aren't normally explored, original plan is a three-shot, however i am not against expanding it some more, as i have a few ideas to do so.

Special thanks to Jade4813 for beta-reading. be sure to check her out if you are a Smallville fan or like the new flash series.

Artemis was having a bad day.

Aphrodite was going about her Centennial "get Artemis laid-athon" and throwing all sorts of demigod "suitors" at her. After being told about the wonderful benefits of having a love-life for what felt like – and probably was - the millionth time, she returned to her camp, only to find her womaniser of a brother trying to hit on her hunters and her Lieutenant attempting to lead them away.

Now she was marching to fulfil her duties as the moon goddess, after finally getting her idiot brother to leave her hunt alone. Approaching the throne room on her way to her chariot, she heard giggling from inside. Thinking it to be Aphrodite flirting with one of her suitors ('wouldn't be the first time' she thought in frustration) and decided to sneak in to break them up, lest that weak male of a half-brother Hephaestus decide to pull another off his pranks.

However, when she entered she did not see Aphrodite or any illicit relationships. Instead she saw Hestia, in her adult form, staring into her hearth, the firelight casting a golden glow on her cheeks. As well as giggling like one of her youngest daughters of the hunt. With great curiosity, Artemis moved closer to her to see what she was laughing at.

In the image she saw her Uncle Poseidon, Still in those Gods-awful Hawaii Shirt and trunks, interacting with a human female. However the woman seemed to be annoyed for some reason. As she got closer she realised why. "I'm sorry sir" the woman said to her uncle, quite annoyed by his attempts to seduce her. "But I'm afraid I have no interest in you, I suggest you try someone else" and walked away from the bar. Poseidon sighed dejectedly and immediately turned to try his luck with another woman.

Artemis suddenly felt the room glow with a brighter intensity as she saw her Eldest Aunt explode into a new fit of giggles, and to be honest, her laughter was infectious. The "Big Three" had sworn to celibacy about as sincerely as a wolf swearing not to eat a carcass laid in front of it, so to see them fail in their oath-breaking was highly amusing to her. At the same time though, she found her aunts behaviour highly disturbing.

"H-he's b-been trying for a w-while on that g-g-irl" Hestia spoke through her giggling. "And h-he's not understanding that she's not inte-interested in men" she broke down into a full blown laugh. Artemis could hardly believe her eyes as she watched her eldest aunt, normally so calm and humble, acting like the 8 year old whose form she so often assumed.

"Why is this so funny to you?" Artemis spoke incredulously. "Your brother, my uncle, is trying to break the oath of no children and you're acting like a small child" Artemis was angry that her Aunt was so cavalier to such blatant disregard to the safety of Olympus. Angrily, she stormed off to fulfil her duty as Goddess of the Moon.

Before she reached the exit however, she heard something which stopped her in her tracks. "Then how should I react to my brothers being unable to stop their own destruction?" Artemis turned around and saw The Goddess of the Hearth had transformed into an old lady. She spoke with a pained voice unrecognizable from her previous happy tone.

"I can see it happening," Old Hestia continued as the room around her grew colder "It's 'when' not 'if' they break it" she summoned a flame idly in her left hand "and when that happens" the light flickered, and Artemis could swear the room got colder, "how many families do you think will be…" the light vanished "…extinguished."

Artemis looked on the eldest god with surprise and sympathy "Hestia… I am sorry, I didn't know" he spoke with a more subdued tone and, to her surprise the 8 year old Hestia was back. The Huntress could feel the heat return to the room "but surely theirs something we could…" she began to speak but her fellow Goddess stopped her with a smile.

"Its fine Artemis" the Hearth Girl spoke, her pained voice now replaced with her usual cheery attitude "it just with the way things are, what else is there to do?" she sighed and returned to tending the flames in the centre of the room. Artemis went to speak but, feeling awkward for causing the sudden outburst, decided to leave the throne room, tending to her duties and pondering Hestia's words.

thanks for reading and please do not hesitate to leave your opinions.