Chapter 7: Hephaestus

Aphrodite's POV

After I left Athena, I headed to Hephaestus' palace. When I got there, I just walked in like Hephaestus told me to. Everyone inside seemed busy with Celestial Bronze and other metals. It was also extremely warm.

"Can I help you with something Lady Aphrodite?" A servant asked.

"Where's Hephaestus?" I questioned.

"In his workshop. Just go through the big double doors." He pointed.

The servant took off and I headed through the doors. I saw Hephaestus working on something as a girl stood next to him.

"No Khione, I won't." He said.

"Please!" She whined. "Just because Aphrodite lost her memory, doesn't mean you have to run back to her."

"I've never liked you, you're a whore. Aphrodite has nothing to do with the decision, although she does add to the effect." Hephaestus was cold.

"Ugh!" Khione looked offended.

She stormed away and gave me an evil glare when she passed me. I found it extremely amusing. I walked up to Hephaestus.

"Are you ready to go?" I asked.

"Of course." He snapped his fingers and he was magically clean and in a nice outfit.

We teleported to the outside of the Sunshine Theater and walked in to watch a movie.

"There's something I should warn you about. Apollo owns this theater, so he might randomly pop in during our date." Hephaestus warned me.

"That's okay." I smiled.

"Aphrodite?" Someone said.

I turned and saw a man I didn't recognize. "Do I know you?"

"I'm Tristan. Piper's dad. Remember?" He tried to jog my memory.

I had some short flashbacks of Tristan. They were good memories.

"I'm sorry I didn't recognize you. I've had amnesia for the last few days." I apologized.

"No need to apologize. Get better." He smiled, hugged me, and left.

"Tristan McLean talked to you! What did he say?!" A woman screamed.

Multiple women followed her. I suddenly remembered that he was a movie star.

"He just said hi. I'm the mother of his daughter Piper." I shrugged.

"She slept with him!" The women were starting to crowd me.

They all suddenly left me alone.

"I used the mist. You'll thank me later." Hephaestus smiled.

"Or I could thank you now." I kissed his cheek.

We bought tickets to see The Other Woman.

"You like romantic comedies." Hephaestus shrugged.

We laughed through the whole movie because of the stupidity and the jokes. After the movie, Hephaestus and I took a walk through Central Park.

"I've missed spending time with you." Hephaestus sighed.

"I've been remembering things in flashbacks. Why did you cheat on me?" I dared to ask.

"I thought you were cheating on me first. By the time I figured out I was wrong, you really were cheating on me." Hephaestus admitted.

"In my flashback, Ares was comforting me because you cheated on me. His comforting ended up going too far." I disclosed.

"I know that now. I was just stupid then." Hephaestus looked sad.

I turned him, made him look at me, and kissed him. "We can work on this."

He smiled and agreed. "Okay."

"Aphrodite?" A familiar man asked.

"Who are you?" I wondered.

"I'm you're brother Bob. But you'd remember me as Iapetus." He stated.

I suddenly had a flashback of Annabeth and Percy in Tartarus. I had been watching their love deepen. But in the background, a familiar man was holding a skeleton cat, and he had his name stitched into his janitor suit. It said Bob. I had another flash of the same man, but with an angry look and holding a spear.

"I remember you. A little." I said.

"Good. I heard you had your memory erased the sane way I did. Athena mentioned it to Annabeth and Percy. Maybe you'll remember faster than I did since you have all these people, and you're not dangerous like I was." Bob smiled.

"Thank you." I smiled.

"Of course. I have to go now." Bob hugged me and left with a smile.

I saw the skeleton cat following Bob.

"Come on Small Bob." Bob giggled.

"He's right, you'll be okay." Hephaestus grinned. "But how did he get out of Tartarus? He's supposed to be stuck there with Damasen."

"I don't know, but I like him." I smiled.

"Let's go home." Hephaestus suggested.

"Okay." I agreed.

Hephaestus teleported us back to Olympus, then he walked me to my palace.

"Goodnight Aphrodite." Hephaestus said.

"Goodnight Hephaestus." I replied.

He kissed me and turned to leave.

"Don't go." I grabbed him.

He smiled at me warmly.

"Do you want to come in?" I hoped.

"Sure." He sounded nervous.

He followed me upstairs and down the hall to my bedroom.

"I like what you've done with your room." He stared at the blue walls.

"Me too." I responded.

I pulled him until he was laying next to me on my bed. I tried to fall asleep next to him.

"I love you Aphrodite." He whispered.

"I love you too Hephaestus." I muttered as I fell asleep.

(A/N: Sorry this took so long to post. Every time I wrote it, it didn't save correctly.)