Hey guys! OMG thanks for all the reviews last chapter! I logged into my account Tuesday night, not even 24 hours after posting chapter three, and said "Holy shit." 43 reviews?! I only had 22 earlier! You guys are awesome, love you! Not in a weird way, though. Ahem, now that I've made this awkward, I shall vaguely respond to some reviews. So, general consensus is that everyone is heartbroken that this isn't going to be Pertemis. I'll make a negotiation (of which I am really bad at): I will set this story up as Pertemis and if I'm feeling it, it shall be! Which translates to "okay, you guys win, this story will be Pertemis". Hope everyone is happier now! :) It will definitely not be one of those cheesy Pertemis fics where Artemis is head-over-heels for Percy and "omg Percy, I'm so glad I gave up my oath for you", heart eyes and barf. No. Just... No. It will be more... Sensible, I guess, and probably super angsty! Yay! Hestia's motivation in helping Perseus was just that she overheard Zeus and wanted to help because she's a nice person. I thought I made that fairly obvious, but if I didn't, I apologize. And don't worry, the story will be going slower from this point forwards. I just didn't want to have an awkward time jump in the middle. We'll have plenty of well-placed flashbacks, though! :D Get excited! First hunt flashback, first rescue flashback, and many more! Ok, I think I responded vaguely to everything... I own nothing but please enjoy this chapter! :)

Third Person POV (and so it shall stay until further notice!)

Before the goddess of the hunt could do anything, the man burst into flames.

Perseus and the two children reappeared at Hestia's base. It was a small bakery located in Manhattan. The workers were a mixture of clear-sighted mortals and demigods, along with a sprinkling of immortals that popped in and out. They were used to the comings and goings of Perseus; no one looked up when they appeared.

The young boy, however, was amazed. "Wow! When you said you would get us here fast, I didn't think you meant this fast! How'd you do that?"

His sister shushed him. "Nico, calm down! Maybe he'll tell you if you actually stopped talking."

"Sorry, Bianca," Nico muttered, downtrodden. Perseus couldn't help but smile briefly at their antics. They reminded him of he and his youngest sister, Zoe, before he had to leave. He was the mature one. She was the enthusiastic one. She's no doubt changed by now, though, he thought. But so was he. Would she even recognize him? No, probably not.

Smiling, Perseus said, "It's perfectly alright, children. I remember the first time I traveled using my powers." He chuckled. "And if you thought that was cool, wait until I show you shadow travel."

"Shadow travel?" Nico exclaimed, beaming. Bianca frowned at him, but Perseus couldn't help but note that she too looked curious. "When can you show us that?"

"Not now," the son of Atlas spoke, clearing his throat. The smile slipped away as he went back to business. "We have to deliver you to your father first."

"Our father?" It was Bianca that asked the question. "I'm sorry, but you must be confusing us with someone else. We don't have a father."

Perseus would've face-palmed if he didn't have a reputation to uphold. How could he have forgotten? In the middle of the cafe, he knelt down in front of the siblings. "You know how I just teleported us here, using the fire?"

The two nodded.

"I got that power from a Greek goddess. She helped me when I was forced to leave my family behind. Without her, I wouldn't be here right now. But someone else helped me, too. Your father."

"Our father...?" Nico echoed.

Perseus nodded, his face gentle. "Yes. Your father is a Greek god, and one of the best men I know, regardless of his position. Without the two immortals that helped me, I would've been dead many, many years ago."

"How many?" The boy couldn't help but ask.

The man chuckled. "If I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"But-"

"Don't you want to meet your father?" This shut him up.

Silence followed this question before Bianca spoke up. "If our father is so great, then why hasn't he been there for us?" she asked, arms crossed as she stared down at the kneeling Perseus.

He didn't hesitate before answering. "There's these foolish things your uncle enforces. They are called the Ancient Laws. Because of them, your father wasn't allowed to visit you. He tried once, and the two of you barely made it out alive. He was devastated, but if it meant keeping you alive, he had to stay away."

"Wait, when was this? I don't remember it!" Nico accused. Bianca agreed; she didn't stop him.

Perseus had hoped he wouldn't have to say this, but he didn't want the kids going to meet their dad feeling angry. "Do you remember when your mom died?"

Nico shook his head, while Bianca nodded slowly.

"You were just a baby, Nico. Your mom died in an explosion."

"They told me it was a burst pipe that she was too close to..." Bianca murmured, realization dawning on her. Nico looked on in bewilderment.

"They wanted you to believe that. Your father had visited earlier that day, and your uncle saw him. To discourage your father from ever being tempted again, he tried to kill you both with a lightning bolt. Your father saved your lives just in time," Perseus explained.

The siblings were silent. Perseus stood, extending a hand out to the shocked children. "Come on, I'll take you to meet your father."

The son of Atlas led the two demigods through the kitchen of the bakery and through the back door. A set of steps folded downwards, and he carefully navigated them to a room hidden underground in the basement. Behind the shelves of baking supplies was another door.

Perseus paused, one hand on the door knob. "Are you ready?"

"Is he really going to be behind that door?" Nico asked meekly.

Perseus nodded. "Yes."

The boy swallowed hard. "I'm ready."

"Me too," added Bianca. Perseus smiled down at the two brave children.

"Ok. Here we go." He twisted the doorknob.

At the cliff

Artemis stared blankly ahead. The man had just disappeared in a blaze of fire. How is that possible? No demigod could do that, and there were no demititans anymore! Who was this man?

Infuriated that the demigods had gotten away from her, as the Hunt was changed with bringing them to Olympus, Artemis threw her bow to the ground in anger. Who did that man think he was? Stealing her prey? He will be brought to justice!

A girl with a silver tiara settled amidst her raven hair rushed forwards. "What are your wishes, my lady?"

The goddess turned her back to the cliff and faced the girl. "Zoe, gather everyone up. We're going to Olympus."

At the bakery

Perseus pulled the door open carefully, so as not to rush the kids or the immortals seated inside the room. Once the door was opened all the way, he ushered the kids through before he too entered.

The room was a pumpkin orange color, creating a warm glow. There was a fireplace without a chimney to the left, around which were chairs and a couch. A table in the middle of the room held an assortment of food, from mac and cheese to brownies. Against the back wall was a medium-sized TV, its screen dark.

Two people, previously sitting on the couch in front of the fire, stood up once the three entered the room. Perseus nodded at the two in a show of respect; the children gawked.

The man was tall, his dark hair tied in a small, tidy bun at the back of his head. His eyes were black as well. If he skin was tanner, he would've looked like an older version of Perseus. As it was, his physical appearance matched that of the two children exactly. He wore a black button-up shirt and slacks, with polished shoes, as if he had tried had to make a reasonable impression upon the two people he could meet today.

The other person was a woman. She wasn't as tall as the man, with soft brown hair that fell to just past her shoulders and warm brown eyes to match. She was wearing a simple dress of red fabric. It reached to her ankles and the sleeves covered her arms to the wrist, leaving her modest and comfortable while still looking presentable. She had opted out of her customary eight-year-old appearance for the meeting; that could wait until the children knew her.

"Lord Hades, Lady Hestia," Perseus greeted, using titles he wouldn't have if it was just the three of them. "It's my pleasure to introduce Nico and Bianca."

The two kids were starstruck, gazing at their father. Hades began to grow uncomfortable with the attention he was receiving, as he was one to normally lurk within shadows. He stood there, scratching the back of his neck, until Hestia shot him a look. Go talk to them, she seemed to be saying. Just say hello.

Obeying the advise of his older sister, Hades made his way over to the wide-eyed children.

"Um, hello," he said, standing directly in front of him. This only seemed to make him taller, more impressive than he already was. The siblings moved their mouths, trying to reply, but no sounds came out.

Perseus attempted to break the silence. "It seems like you broke them, Hades," he chuckled. Hades turned a playful frown to the son of Atlas.

"Oh, don't give me that, Percy! Perhaps I should blame you for their lack of vocalization. Did you not tell them anything?"

"Only the bare essentials," the immortal answered with a small grin. "I must have forgotten to tell them how amazing you are."

Hestia rolled her eyes in the background. "I think the word you want, Percy, is... Oh, what is that word that Apollo always uses?"

"Awesome," Perseus stated, his eyes sparkling with mirth, a sight rarely seen. "The word is awesome."

"Yes, that's it! Hades, Percy means to say that he forgot to tell them how awesome you are."

The god of the dead puffed out his chest. "I am pretty awesome, as Apollo would say." The three immortals all cracked up with laughter at this statement.

The two kids watched with bemusement. Are these really gods?

Nico had to ask. "Are you really a Greek god and goddess?" He blurted out. "You act more like some kids I used to know."

The three immortals were silent for a moment, staring at the small boy. He curled into himself at this, wondering if he was going to get in trouble. Suddenly, Hades laughed. "You're probably right, son. Glad you're talking."

Nico furrowed his eyebrows. "So you are a god? And you're Hades?"

The god of the dead stilled. "Yes, I am a god. And I am Hades. Have you heard of me?" He was nervous; the other Olympians have given him a bad reputation for years. Would his children be disappointed? Would they hate him? Everyone waited with bated breath to hear what Nico would say.

Finally, he exploded, "Awesome!" He was beaming, his teeth flashing in the cozy lighting. "You have mega XP!"

The three immortals stared at the child while his sister rolled her eyes, muttering something under her breath. "What?" Hades asked, confused.

"Mega XP! You're super powerful!" Nico repeated, gushing.

Seeing that her brother's explanation did little good, Bianca said, "It's this game he plays, called Mythomagic. It has different characters from Greek mythology, and apparently Hades is powerful."

Still very confused, Hades simply said, "Ok..." No more questions needed to be asked. That would only serve to confuse him more.

Nico was still rambling about how powerful the Hades figure in his game was, with Bianca rolling her eyes or jabbing at him every few seconds. Neither Hades nor Perseus seemed to know what to do now. Hestia stepped in, the motherly figure of all-knowing superiority.

"Why don't we all come sit by the fire?" She suggested.

"Yes, I like this idea very much," Hades responded instantly, thanking his sister telepathically. She always knew what to do. He gestured for his children to follow him to the couch where he and Hestia had been sitting earlier. Hestia took a seat in a chair to the right of the couch. Perseus sat to the left.

As Hades and his children caught up on the doings of their lives in the past several years, Hestia turned to Perseus. "How was your mission?"

The son of Atlas made his face remain impassive. His eyes told a different story. "It would've been fine, but there were more people there than I had accounted for."

"What do you mean?"

"Artemis and her Hunters were there."

The goddess of the hearth gasped. "They were there?"

Perseus nodded grimly.

Hestia swore in ancient Greek. Nico and Bianca were, thankfully, too absorbed in getting to know their father to hear what the normally reserved goddess said, but Hades glanced over with a raised eyebrow. She paid him no mind. "Did she see you?" Hestia asked, on the edge of her seat.

Perseus furrowed his brow slightly, wondering why his patron was asking with the intensity in her voice. "Yes, but I had my hood up and-"

Hestia swore again, causing even Perseus to look at her in shock. "Artemis is going to tell Zeus that she saw a mysterious man kidnap two powerful demigods! And if you don't come before them willingly, you'll be hunted down. One of her wolves probably caught your scent and everything. You'll be done for!"

"I evaded them before, I can do it again!" Perseus argued hotly.

"She won't stop, Perseus. And if you do manage to avoid capture again, no good will come from it. Artemis will be rejected from Olympus, becoming bitter that she failed twice to fulfill her immortal purpose. Then she'll have millennia to look for you. The longer you hide from her, the more determined she will get. Besides, you can't fake your death this time. They don't know your name, so Hades won't be able to cover for you."

It was Perseus's turn to swear. "What do we do then?"

Hestia shook her head in defeat. "The only thing we can do without causing a war. You surrender to Artemis."

The son of Atlas opened his mouth to suggest something else, anything else, but Hestia stilled in her chair. Her eyes gained a faraway look associated with a summons to Olympus. When she mentally returned to the basement of her bakery, she locked eyes with Perseus. "The Olympian Council has been called to order."

Hey guys! Hope you liked this chapter! Next will be a regular update on Wednesday! See you then! :)