In honor of Valentine's Day, here is the chapter of love. Thanks to Aravi Velez for your funny review, to Gattius for your review, for favoring my story and me!

Chapter 10: Day 8- Love

Persephone sat in the library for the longest time. She had awakened early before anyone else was awake, though, admittedly she had not gotten any sleep. She had spent all night thinking about what she and Hades had shared the other day. She wanted to hate Hades for kidnapping her and hurting her and her mother. She wanted to believe that he didn't love her, not really, but he did. And she…She almost said it in her mind that she loved him. No, she didn't love him. Did she?

She sat down, she was just confused. She had never felt like this before, never for anyone else. And it frightens her. Persephone leaned against the head of the lounging chair and thought silently. Taking a mental trip back through the days, Persephone felt bad for Hades the first days when she treated him poorly. But then she smiled when she thought of the days when they spent together and were happy.

"Persephone?"

She jumped when someone's hand was placed on her shoulder and she sighed when it revealed to be Hades. "Oh, it's only you."

"I am sorry that I frightened you."

"You didn't frighten me; I just didn't hear you come in."

"You weren't there for breakfast. I was worried."

"I was here for awhile, I suppose I have forgotten the time. Please, forgive me."

"There is nothing to forgive. Why did you come in here?"

She shrugs. "I like it in here. There is a certain peace about this place."

He smiled, "I feel the same about this place. It is the one place where I do not remember about what I must face day in and day out. Do you need anything?"

"Oh no, I just was thinking."

"About what?"

"Everything. Nothing in particular." She didn't want him to know about what she was really thinking.

"Well, if you have no need for anything, then I shall leave you to your thoughts."

"No, wait." She took hold of his sleeve.

"Did you want to eat?"

"No, I just want to talk. Please, sit with me."

Persephone moved over and Hades sat down, asking, "What's the matter? Are you all right?"

"I am fine. I just wanted to talk to you."

"Very well, what shall we talk about?"

"Out of curiosity, how long have you been watching me? That is, before you took me away?"

"Oh, um," he blushed and looking away. "A month."

"A month? And in the month you fell in love with me?"

"No, in a moment I fell in love with you. It just took me a month to finally decide to do something about it." He the whistled and then Persephone's little lizard friend came into the room, immediately coming to her.

" Pelagius!" She scooped up the lizard and snuggled with him, as he purred with delight.

"It was that little creature that made me gain the courage to take you away. When I saw that you had given him affection, I had believed that you could love ugly things, once you saw that they were good. When then…I thought you could do the same for me." Hades started to become emotional. "I wanted you to love me more than I wanted to love you."

"Why?"

"Because it was easy for me to love you, it isn't easy for you to love me. Love has never come easy for me that soon it wasn't a want, but a need. The need for happiness, for friends, for intimacy, for love, for life. I need you."

She felt her heart break as he spoke, poor Hades, to have never known happiness, true happiness. She did not reply for a moment, but then thoughtfully said, "I suppose I need you too. Because you see, we have so much in common. I suppose that we don't belong anywhere but with each other."

Hades laughed, "A pair of misfits."

They both laughed, and unknowingly, Persephone moved closer so she would be closer to Hades and her hand landed on Hades' hand. She would have taken her hand back, but Hades took hold of her gently, turning it over to her palm and tracing the lines on her palm.

"I wonder what these lines mean."

"Oh, I can tell you!" Persephone had gotten excited and held her hand out so they both may be able to see. "Right here, means life. Notice how long it is? That means I shall have a long life. And this one says I am creative."

"What is that strange looking line? It looks almost like an 'H'."

Persephone knew which line he meant, it was a line that was at the side across her thumb, where the 'H' ran off her hand. "That one, I could never understand what that line meant. Now, your turn." She took his hand and looked at it carefully. Hades watched her face and then jumped when she burst with a sudden, "Ah ha!"

"What? What is it?"

"You…are shy."

Hades sighed, relived that it wasn't something horrible. "What else?"

"Oh, and as expected, you shall have a long life. This line, the one that connects life and faith, means that you depend upon faith for your life. Oh, wait." She looked closer at his hand and said, "Look at that."

On his right hand was a strange line, one like Persephone had, but his looked more like a 'P'. "What is this line that connects to that funny line?"

"That? It connects to the heart line. Or love."

Hades looked back at Persephone's hand and noted that her line connected to her love line. Hades, curious, put her left and his right hand together, and their two unusual lines connected. What it meant, they didn't fully understand, but that little bit within told them that it was meant to be.

Hades wrapped his hand around Persephone's, entwining their fingers. Using his free hand, Hades had taken hold of Persephone's chin, and gently making her look at him. He pushed away a strand of hair and, in his boldness, leaned in for a kiss. When their lips met, it was like taking a breath of fresh air.

Persephone felt warmth all over her body, and her instant reaction, not knowing where it had come from; Persephone had her one hand run through his hair and the other had held onto his neck. Hades allowed himself to enjoy the kiss even more by slipping his hands around her waist, feeling the warmth of her body. He had never held a woman like this before, never having something so beautiful in his arms and she was so soft and warm. Persephone wanted to be closer to him, and when she pressed herself to Hades, he realized that there was a problem, whether she had notice it or not. He jumped away the moment she made contact, hoping that he moved in time before she would have been disgusted by him. He only hoped that she hadn't felt his manhood through his pants.

But he thought she did, mistaking her disappointment as disgust. "I am sorry. Please forgive me." And then he disappeared in a flash.

Persephone sat there, so still, not believing of what had just happened. She kissed Hades, and she liked it, liked it too much that when he left her, she felt terrible. Why did she feel terrible? She felt like crying as rejection flooded through her, making her wonder what was wrong with her.

Why did he look so repulsed? She fell forward upon the chair and started to silently cry. She didn't care if the furniture would have tear stains, Hades would have to live with it, considering how he has treated her.

"Child, what's wrong?" Hecate kneeled next to Persephone, rubbing her arm in a motherly way.

"Hades, Hades had kissed me."

"That is wonderful! But why are you crying? Did you not enjoy it?"

"Oh no!" Persephone quickly interjected, "I did very much enjoy it. But, but then he left me." She sat up, allowing Hecate to come and sit next to her. "He jumped away from me and ran away, as if he was disgusted with me. I am so confused, more so than before."

"How so?"

"I came in here to try and understand my feelings for him, and now, I am more confused than ever."

"How could still wonder about that? I can see that he is the earth and heavens to you. But you want to keep it hidden, but I can see through you."

Persephone turned from Hecate. "Oh, no. I am not in love."

"I didn't say that you were." This made Persephone blush. "Why deny must you deny your love?"

"Please, do not mistake me, it would be nice to be in love, but, that reasonable side will always be in your mind telling you that you are likely to have heartbreak. And after this, how can I know that Hades won't break my heart?"

"Hades would never do that. You seem to forget that he has never been around someone like you, someone who has so much light and innocence, that it throws him off. And it would not be a cliché to love him, and I know that you do, and if love was an illness, then you would have it bad. I have seen how you been grinning when you see him, and that is a grin of being in love."

Persephone almost said she was, but then she retreated and said, "No, this will not be so. I have a mother to think of, and she would not like it to have loved."

"You are a woman now, a woman who can make your own choices. It is all right to be in love."

Persephone got up and went to the window, and there was a poppy flower, full in bloom and beautiful. Persephone picked it, and looking into its dark center, and even without having the flower by her nose, she could smell the aroma; sweet and had a scent that reminded her of this dark kingdom. Surrendering, she softly said, "Well, at least out loud, I won't say that I am in love."

Hecate heard her and went to her. "The best kinds of loves are the ones where you don't even have to say it at all, but Hades needs to hear it. He needs to hear you say that you do love him, or else he too will doubt you. Go to him, he is in the throne room, pouting like a little boy."

Persephone laughed and hugged Hecate. "Thank you!"And ran out.

Persephone ran right into the throne room, seeing Hades sitting on his throne, staring off into space, not seeing Persephone entering.

"Hades."

He didn't look at her when he said, "I took something from you that of which I had no right to take. I am always taking from you and never really deserving of any of it."

"What? Do you mean my kiss, or my love?"

Hades awakened from his state and turned to Persephone. She walked a few steps toward Hades and continued, "What if I wanted to give you all of my kisses, and all of my love? Would you turn me away?"

He stepped down from his throne and went to her with open arms. "Oh Persephone, if I could, I would never let you go. But it would be me that of whom I would be turned away. I have no right to love you, but I am honored that you would dare to show me even the smallest amount of affection."

"Stop this. No more shall you speak ill of yourself. I will not allow it. You are not unworthy of love. Hades, let me love you the way you deserves to be loved."

She pulled Hades' head down to her and this time; she ignited the kiss, throwing Hades off. Pleasantly surprised, he pulled her up in the air closer to him, so Hades was standing straight but also deepening the kiss. He needed to her close to him, to feel her lips against his, not feeling disgusted with himself, he could kiss her without fear, he could tell her that he loved her and expect her to love him back.

They pulled back, and Persephone looked into his eyes, just in time to see a tear fall from his face. She, still in Hades' arms, kissed away his tear and kissed his cheek. When he opened his eyes, she saw that his eyes were a brilliant blue, a blue that would stay that way forever. Persephone had warmed his heart, brought out his soul to the light and saved him from damnation.

Hades set her down and went to his knees, and held her hands, with the look of complete adoration as he asked, " Dearest Persephone, my light, I have waited so long to ask you this, will you be my wife?"

Persephone went to her knees, still holding his hands and said "Yes."

She nuzzled her head into his neck and whispered back, "I love you."

Hades held her close, never wanting to let go of her, whispering in her ear, "I love you."

"Listen, why don't we get married today?" Persephone exclaimed.

Hades chuckled, "My dear, there are still things to be done; you would need to be fitted for your dress, there has to be a party the day before. We shall marry the day after tomorrow. All right?"

She pouted but nodded, making Hades laugh and kiss her forehead. But in honesty, she didn't matter, as long as they could be together. Forever.

Thank you to FlyingFan for favoring my story and following it, and thanks to Muse of Fanfiction for following my story. Happy Valentine's Day!