Chapter 10-

"So this is where you hide when on Olympus." Percy plopped down on the bench beside Dionysus and he started, shocked.

"Aren't you supposed to be on the verge of dying" he questioned, watching as she twisted a flower between her fingers.

"I should be, but I'm not." She shrugged "Unlike popular belief, I didn't have a choice between life and death." She rolled her eyes and threw the flower down into the grass

"Oh, but you did." He countered quietly, watching her "You're fatal flaw just prevents you from making the obvious choice."

"Death is the obvious choice" she questioned, turning to look at him in confusion.

"For you, it is." He paused "You've been through a lot in your few years of life." Percy shook her head, grinning wryly at his comment.

"It's been more than a few for me." She sighed "To tell what Hera did will also be to tell what he did to me." She pulled a leg up to her chest and Dionysus turned to look at her.

"She used him as her anchor point into your brain, didn't she?" he questioned, sighing as she nodded. "This life is cruel to you."

"I'm not ready for the world to know what happened. The fear, it's so ingrained and I'm not ready."

"Persephone," Dionysus sighed and wrapped an arm around her "You are stronger the any god or demigod I know." He kissed the top of her head and she sighed.

"You know, if the demigods at camp knew you were so soft hearted, they'd overrun you in a heartbeat."

"Ah, so I guess it's best if they do not know, huh?" he grinned as she drew back. "Have you heard the Alice in Wonderland quote?"

"What?" she looked at him like he was absolutely crazy and Dionysus grinned.

"Let's just say it's an answer to the question that is ever spinning through your brain." He paused "You're mad. Bonkers. Off your head…But I'll tell you a secret…All the best people are." He paused and another voice spoke behind them.

"I personally like a different one." Apollo grinned at them "You are a terribly real thing in a terribly false world, and that, I believe, is why you are in so much pain." Dionysus stood as he walked up and Apollo nodded to him.

"Persephone, may I speak with you?" Apollo questioned, watching as Dionysus waved and walked away.

"Yeah?" she stood and he motioned for her to follow him.

"I've learned in my life that you never have as much time as you think you have." He sighed "The past few days have reminded me of that."

"Apollo-" she started.

"No, don't." he looked at her, begging her with his eyes "You see, I'm in love with you Persephone. I think I have been for a really long time, I just never realized it. I can't go on hiding from it and I know this may ruin our friendship, but I don't care because I don't want to live a life that's fake. I want it to be real, oh so real." She watched him as he said this and when the last word had been said, she stared into his eyes, watching the colors flicker anxiously within them. She knew what she was doing. Reaching up she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly.

"I love you too." She murmured, watching as a grin formed on his face and he smashed his lips to hers.

Xxx

They walked through the gardens, hands laced together as they talked with one another. Percy leaned her head against his shoulder and Apollo wrapped her hair around her shoulders.

"They're not going to let me live with you once they realize we're dating." She murmured as they stopped, she wrapped her arms around his neck and he set his on her waist.

"You're almost eighteen, right?" he questioned, watching as she nodded in reply. "We'll just wait until then, okay?" he rested his forehead against hers and Percy sighed, closing her eyes.

"I hate secrets." She murmured. Apollo kissed her forehead and pulled her into a hug.

"Me too." He murmured, breathing in the scent of her hair. "It won't be for long." He murmured, eyeing the trees around them.

"We have a council to get too." Percy murmured after a few minutes. Apollo drew back a little and ducked his head, kissing her slowly.

"It's going to be alright. I love you and I won't let anything happen to you." She sighed as he kissed her forehead before letting go. "Let's go."

Xxx

"Are you ready?" Dionysus had been excused from the council, allowing Hestia to take his place so that he could be with her.

"I don't know, I-" he stopped her before she could continue.

"Percy, it's alright. Nobody is going to hurt you, we'll protect them. We'll protect you." He paused "Just start at the beginning and take as long as you need." His wife stood near them and she offered a warm smile.

"Don't worry Persephone." She murmured, rubbing the demigods shoulder. Percy nodded and jumped up and down a few times, unable to stand still. "Dionysus." His wife gave him a warning look and he nodded. She was telling him to not let them push her. The god already knew the council cared too much to do so.

"okay." She sighed and he nodded at her, pushing the door open and leading her into the chambers.

They'd made it so that each of the gods was in their human form, sitting at tables that formed a semicircle around two chairs in the middle. It was made to seem less intimidating and Percy thought it was very thoughtful of them.

Dionysus guided her to the chair with a hand on the small of her back. The moment the two were seated, Zeus addressed her.

"Speak the truth, only the truth, and nothing but the truth." He droned the words, knowing she wasn't going to blatantly lie to them.

And so it began. A long afternoon in which the secrets poured out and the gods listened carefully. At some point, Dionysus put a hand on her knee to stop it from shaking. Nobody had a dry eye by the time they reached how everything linked to Hera. Percy had a glazed look in her eyes, having described everything she had experienced. Reliving it all, it was as horrifying as the moment it happened.

More is hopefully (fingers crossed) coming tonight!