A/N: Hey, guys! Quick update!

Note: The whole FF crackdown thing is driving me crazy….I just got an Email saying Godbook was being taken down! And then they said "Sorry about that, Godbook is fine." Yada yada. In all honesty, yeah, "M" rated fics aren't supposed to have actual intercourse in them. But there is a solution to this! I believe they can add an "MA" rating. To read those, you'd either have to A.) be logged in, or B.) agree that you're over 18 years of age or whatnot. Really, this has nothing to do with my stories. But after almost losing one that I worked hard on, I thought I'd just give this suggestion…

So, yeah. Watch out for your fics, guys!

NOTE NUMERO DOS!: This chapter does have violence and blood in it. It's a tad bit dark, too. Just a warning! It's still "T" rated.

NOTE NUMERO TROIS!: LAST CHAPTER! Epilogue will follow…

NOTE NUMERO QUATTUOR: There are scenes from both Punishment and EaY that I never put in…they're in this chapter in FLASHBACKS!

Can anyone guess what those notes were, in languages? Each number is in a different language! I used Google Translate. I suck at languages.

I don't own PJO :D

LET THE GAMES BEGIN! Whew, this chapter is LONG! Epilogue will be out soon!

Chapter Ten: Final Chapter

In less than a second, I'm up on Olympus. At least, that was the reality. It felt like an eternity. I am alone. It's dark. What has Hera got up her sleeve this time?

I begin to walk. I'm not in the throne room, as far as I can tell. I'm in a hallway. A long, cold hallway, with no light shining. I put my hand on the wall beside me to lead my path. As I make my way to the end, I hear clattering and voices all too familiar. I begin to run. I swing open the door at the end of the hallway. Dim lights are on in here. I see Aphrodite. She's slumped against the wall, her face bloody and scratched. I run over to the metal bars separating her from the rest of the room. "Aphrodite?" I ask. She doesn't answer. I call her name louder. She doesn't stir. "APHRODITE!" I scream.

I hear a cackle behind me, and I spin. Nobody's there. I slowly turn back to Aphrodite. My eyes begin to sting as water floods them. "No," I say. "She tried to save me, but I was too late to save her…" And suddenly, I see her again. She's moving. Not in reality, but in a memory. It's a new one. I've never seen it before…

"Arianna, you've got to ask him!"

"No way. Besides, why would I want to go with that fish for brains?"

"Because he's cute! And the whole school knows you two secretly like each other!"

This Arianna girl, I assume she was me, when I was in high school.

Arianna blushes. "I so do not. Besides, Zeus would throw a temper tantrum if I did, Delia."

Delia rolls her eyes. "Whatever. You know the winter formal is gonna be great, Athy! Why don't you just ask him. Besides, you two have been…like, acquaintances with each other. Just go together as friends!"

"No thank you. Why do you always pester me about love?"

"I'm the goddess of love. It's, like, my thing!"

Poseidon and I didn't get along when we were in high school, I take it. Either that, or we did, but we denied it.

I sigh. Before I can look at Aphrodite one more time, though, I'm sucked out of the room, away from the dead corpse which once used to be so lovely and showed great jubilance. I find myself facing a different door. I open it. I see Annabeth and Percy, their three kids with them. They look so happy playing, Percy holding Annabeth's growing stomach. I smile for once that day, and walk towards them. Sally tugs at Annabeth's shirt. "Mommy! She's coming for us!" She points at me.

Percy immediately swings Annabeth behind him, pushing back Sally and Luke. Athene bends and picks her sister up, holding her close to her chest. "What are you doing here?" Percy doesn't ask. He demands it.

"I—I…Percy…" I stutter.

"You just stay back! Don't you dare come near my family ever again!" He screams at me.

"Annabeth! What's he talking about?" I ask.

She shakes her head. "You left us, Athena. My own mother. You let your family die. You killed my unborn baby before it got a chance to even live! You're a wretched mother! Now stay away from my children!"

I stare at her. "What?" I ask. I begin to cry once more. I look over at Luke. "Lukey…"

He shakes his head. "You are the worst. I hate you, Arielle! You're not my sister! You're worse than Hera!"

Athene nods her head in agreement. "You were never the older sister I wanted. I was glad when you ran away! You were so bossy and rude, Arielle! You wanted everything for yourself!"

Sally crosses her arms. "You stink." She says simply. "I can't believe I ever let you play dress up with me!"

"You heard my kids. Now leave! We never want to see you again!" Percy yells once more.

"Annabeth! Please, I never did anything you're saying! I don't even know what you're talking about!" I sob.

Annabeth puts a hand on her stomach. "Go," she says. "Go back to plotting with Hera. I'm sure the world could use more damage, right?"

I'm gone once more. This time, I see Artemis and Apollo. They look just as I left them outside. Artemis, with her arm bandaged, and Apollo, holding his head in agony. Another memory infiltrates my thoughts.

"Athena! Be careful! You're nearing your due date and I won't have you falling down!" Artemis yelled at me.

Apollo grabbed my hand. Helping me into the truck, I smiled at him. "Thank you, Apollo." It's just the three of us. "Where are we going?" I asked as Artemis started driving off.

"Well, I figure that Poseidon's annoying the Hades out of you right now." Artemis begun.

"Yes, but how did you know he was more than usual?" I asked.

"Hmm, well first off, I'd be annoyed if Hera decided to impregnate me and claim Poseidon the father. And secondly, even if you don't have the normal mood swings and hormones, I can tell you feel that he's being too clingy and protective." She said, turning out of the neighborhood.

"Well, of course," I said.

Apollo turned towards me, as he was sitting in shotgun. "We're getting ice cream! My treat! I know pregnant ladies love ice cream! And there's this cute little shop I found! They have amazing flavors! They have sunny day sorbet, my favorite!"

Artemis, too, grins. "I rather like their shining moon mango. I think you'd like the—"

"Do they have moose tracks? No, wait! What about mint chocolate chip! Ooh, I know! I wants some Superman ice cream! It's amazing! Poseidon just took me to get some as we passed a UDF the other day!" I squealed, excited.

"Yes, they do! I was going to suggest the Cherry Vanilla, but I guess Superman is good as well," Artemis stated.

"Gosh, you two are the best! You know just what I wanted!" I said. Man, I sounded like a kid.

"I always looked at you like a sister," I say, walking over to Artemis. "Artemis?" She doesn't look up. "Arty…"

Her head snaps up. "Don't call me that! You're not my sister! I don't care about you at all! You left my brother and I here, waiting!" She shrieks. "And you never came back…ever! And you helped Hera!"

Apollo looks at me with disgust. "Why was I ever nice to you? You stabbed us in the back. We have no home now, Athena."

"Not you two, too! What's with everyone today?" I ask as tears spring to life again.

"You! Take a look in the mirror, Athena. You're no loving goddess anymore. You've unleashed much more wrath than even Minerva has before." Artemis states glumly.

"Look at the earth, Athena. You've destroyed it by helping Hera." Apollo adds.

"What? No!" I cry. "I'm here to defeat Hera!"

"Oh, save your babbling for someone who cares." Artemis complains.

And the next thing I know, I'm face to face with Jack. Or Poseidon. I can't tell, as my eyes are watery. I run to him, hugging him tightly as I cry into his chest. At least there's somebody here who doesn't (out of nowhere, may I add) hate me. As soon as I touch his hand, a flashback springs to life.

"Athena! Athena What do I do? She won't stop crying!" Poseidon called.

I took the baby out of his arms. "She's hungry," I said simply.

"Well…I can't do that!" He laughs.

I looked at him strangely. "Of course you can! I've already gotten her bottles made." I said.

"Oh…" He looked as if he were blushing.

I rolled my eyes at him, shoving him back a bit. A smile was on my lips as I said, "I knew you'd act strangely. I'm not breastfeeding her in front of you, salt head."

He began to laugh. "Alright, where's her bottle?"

"In the fridge!" Aphrodite yelled, walking in. "Ehmagawd. I totally thought that was regular milk last night. It was like, three AM, and I was soooo tired, so I just took it and opened it! And then I drank it and was all 'eww!' Gods, what are you feeding her?"

"Breast milk." Poseidon and I both chanted.

Aphrodite's eyes grew large. "OH MY ZEUS! I DRANK ATHENA'S BREAST MILK! OH MY ZEUS! OH MY GODS! THAT'S SO SICK!"

Poseidon and I laughed at her. Aleeka began crying again. "Don't worry, dear. I won't let Auntie Aphrodite ever steal your food from you again!" I hushed her.

I'm back to reality—if this CAN be called reality—in a second.

"What the Hades? Get off of me!" He shouts, pushing me. I'm slammed against a wall. I look into his green eyes, and I begin to sob even harder.

"What are you doing? Jack!" I scream. It's horrible. He won't move, he just keeps me pinned against the wall, hollering and yelling at me. Cursing me, telling me what an awful person I am. "Please, Jack! You're hurting me! Stop slamming me into the wall!" I beg. He keeps shouting. Soon, he says something that I know Jack—or Poseidon—would never really say to me—or Athena. It still hurts.

"You dirty little whore! You're supposed to be a maiden goddess! You keep reminding me that we're gods! Why don't you act like one, then, Arielle? I bet that kid isn't even mine!"

If being pushed around and hit by him wasn't enough, now he puts a dagger in my chest. "Wh—what? Jack…you know it is!" I say. My crying has worn down. I'm tired and hurt. I'm too hurt, emotionally and physically, to cry anymore, or do anything to stop what comes for me.

"Liar," he snarls. "You know you're a—"

"SHUT UP! SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!" I scream. He's taken aback by this. But soon enough, I'm up against the wall again, my arms pinned flat by his hands.

I shoot up. Was it all real? I look at my wrists. No bruises from Jack. It seems it was all a vision of some sort. It was horrible! I can't help my bite my lip as I try to focus on where I am. It's hard to see anything, with it being so dark, here, too. Then, I see an outline of a woman. She's tall, four times my height at least. And then I notice the crown on her head. Hera.

Hera snickers, walking to my side. "You thought right, Arielle! Or should I say, Athena? Yes, I prefer that."

"What did you do to me?" I scream at her.

"I just showed you your worst fears! Your best friend dying. Your daughter and family rejecting you. The ones you called sister and brother wanting nothing to do with you! You're afraid of turning evil and helping me! And Poseidon…well, that one speaks for itself. You're afraid he hates you."

"I am not!" I say.

"You're not as strong as you think, Athena." She says. "You may be tough Arielle, but you still have your fears! You're afraid of Poseidon, aren't you? You know you are!"

"Why would I be?" I shout to her.

"Because, you know that you two are enemies. It's unnatural for you to have such strong feelings towards him, isn't it?" She's suddenly gone, but reappears soon after, on the other side of me. "You're afraid that he'll resort back to his natural instincts when it comes to you—arguing, shouting, disagreements! But you're more afraid of Jack, yes?"

"Wh—what do you mean? I…" I pause. "I love Jack! He's my best friend!"

Hera cackles. "You think that, don't you? But, oh! Hasn't he gotten upset with you? Tired of you?"

"No! No, no! Stop this! He loves me too!" I yell, covering my ears with my hands. "Stop torturing me! It won't work!"

With a strong force, my hands are yanked from my face, and pinned on the ground. But she's not touching me. "Oh, Athena. Don't you get it? I'm not torturing you! I'm showing you the truth! I'm saving you the pain!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Athena. Athena, Athena. You poor, poor child. You've always loved Poseidon. Maybe not romantically, but certainly as a friend. Did you really like arguing with him every day?"

"How should I know? All I know of my past is what the gods have shown me and what I've read in myths! How can I be sure that you didn't contort it to how you want? How do I really know, Hera?" I ask.

"Athena, join me! And I'll give you the world! No more fighting between us. No more arguments or hatred. If you help me, I'll give you your every wish. Poseidon will be all yours! Aphrodite will be with you once more. Artemis and Apollo, your dear brother and sister, will be happy with you again!"

I disagree. "While you were trying to torture me, you showed me how they would react if I agreed! I'm not helping you!"

She shrugs. "Suit yourself. I could give you everything you've ever dreamed of, Athena."

I shake my head at her. "What are you doing? Hera, look around. The world is in turmoil. People are scared, Hera! And the gods aren't doing their duties because you've taken away their power!" I tell her. She isn't fazed.

"I don't care, Athena. You see, Zeus never respected me. It's about time I get my revenge."

I nod. "Alright. Do it. Fight me, then. Winner take all." I snap at her.

"Oh, alright. To make it fair, I guess I shall turn myself mortal, too. I don't want a perfectly good fight wasted by only lasting mere seconds! After all, I could just smite you."

I watch as she pours some of Hecate's potions into her hands. soon, she's shrunken down to my size and is clearly mortal. "What's your rules, Hera?"

"Well, I guess the only one would be…" she trails off.

"What? Tell me, Hera. Don't want to get disqualified and not know why." I say.

"No calling other people. We're going to finish what we started, here and now."

"Fair enough." I agree. "But you started this, Hera." I tell her.

She grins. Setting her staff down, which has a crystal ball placed on the top, she runs towards me.

(With Percy, Percy's POV)

We all stare expectantly at the top of the building. I sigh. "Lady Athena, please be alright." I whisper.

My father, however, isn't praying. He's jumping around like a lunatic.

"Athena! She's been up there an hour! And she hasn't called down! I'm going up there! No way am I letting some psycho ladyhurt her! Oh, gods! What about the baby!"

Chiron chuckles at Poseidon. "Baby?" he asks. "And you shouldn't be jumping like that with a concussion, Lord."

"Yes, baby! Again! AGH! I HATE YOU, HERA!" he screams at the sky.

Chiron leans towards me. "What has your father been drinking? It's never good to enrage a goddess, much less one that controls all powers right now."

I shake my head and shrug. "He's just smitten over Athena." I pause. "Gods, that's the worst thing I've ever said. My dad and my mother in law….it's just gross!"

(Back to Athena/Arielle POV)

I hold my head as I get back up. She was stronger than she looked, I'd have to give her that. But years of street fights, killing, and defending myself had taught me a lot.

I immediately remember the first time this had happened. Glass…marble….granite. It was everywhere, then. It looked no better now. History really can repeat itself, I learn. But this time, I won't die.

Her face is badly messed up after I've punched it in. I can't help but grin in amusement. She, however, doesn't think that fact that she's spitting blood is funny. I find myself pinned on the floor. "I'm going to make you pay for that, you little brat!" She screams. She grabs the crystal ball and sucks in energy from it.

"No fair! This was an even fight, and you said it!" I say, trying to get up.

"Oh, but haven't you already guessed that I lied?"

I'm plummeted back into dark parts of my mind.

I see Poseidon again. "Help!" I call out. He ignores me. I see Aphrodite, Artemis, Apollo. All of the Olympians. "Please, anyone!"

As I walk closer, I see that they're all pale. My stomach drops as I race over to Aphrodite. Now I see that their arms are holding up their bodies, chains wrapped around their wrists, connected to the wall. They're dangling a foot off of the ground! I look at her throat. It's been slit. My hand covers my mouth as I see golden and red blood mixed together, dry on her throat. "Help…me…" she whispers hoarsely.

That catches me off guard. "You're alive?" I ask. "You're alive!" I cry in relief.

"A...the…na…help me." She babbles.

"Yes! I will!" I run around the room. I find a small axe, and running back over to her, I chop the chains that hold her up. She falls onto her stomach. I flip her over, throwing the axe aside. "Aphrodite! Talk to me! Please!" I shout.

Her eyes pop open. "Athena! Run! Look behind you!"

I'm back in reality once more. Hera's snickering again. "It hurts, doesn't it? Seeing your best friend die! Let's look at another scenario, shall we?"

I'm running away from Hera. I find myself in a small room. I hear a groan. Snapping my head around, I see Poseidon on the floor.

"What happened?" I ask, worried.

"Athena…" he whispers.

"Poseidon! What's wrong? What did she do to you?"

"Stab…blood…hurts so much…" I look down to see his chest bloody and red.

"No!" I shout. "No, no, no!"

"Don't bother, Athena. You have to—" groan "defeat Hera!"

I shake my head. "What about you! And Aphrodite! She's—she's dead! And so were you! But now you're here and…it's so confusing! One minute I'm in the throne room fighting her…and now I see you and Aphrodite almost dead!"

"Athena! She's back!"

Hera's now laughing like a maniac. I grab her right arm, twist it completely, and slam her on the ground. We're not strong enough to send huge chunks of granite flying like the last time, but we have broken all the glass thrones. Great idea, replacing them with glass after our last battle.

Thinking she's finally unconscious, as I slammed her on the floor hard and head first, I put my hands on my knees. Then, a shard of glass pierces my stomach, just enough to make me bled horrendously. Just enough to kill the baby, but only harm me if I get help soon. I fall to the floor, the glass locked in place.

Hera stands. Towering over me, she laughs. "I've done it once again! You're not match for me, step-daughter. I will always win, and you will always lose. And so will your precious baby,"

That was it. I may have only known about this child for a few days, but I was already ticked enough that I had to face this crazy lady again. She had no business killing my children! Crawling over to the broken glass from the throne, I see Hera begins to walk away. I pull the shard out of my stomach. Grabbing a solid piece of marble, a chunk that had been placed in the side of a throne, I hurl it towards her. I see it hits her right on the temple, knocking her to the ground. She's still breathing, I see. But she's very unconscious. I scream in pain, only then, as I let my emotions best me. Tearing off my shirt, I wrap it quickly around my stomach, leaving me with a bloody white undershirt on. I run—the best I can, with a gaping hole in my stomach—to grab the orb. I throw it on the ground.

The crystal ball shatters, making more glass on the floor. But this glass releases things—things that look like spirits. I feel energy pound straight into my chest, penetrating my heart. I don't know what happens next, but then I see ten Olympians are around me, grinning happily. Aphrodite runs to me. Squeezing me tightly, she squeals. I shriek in pain, falling on the floor as I did moments prior. This time, however, I smile a little, as I bring Aphrodite down with me.

I then see, I, too, am a goddess again. Dressed in my white gown. My hair, back to its normal self. But at pressure builds on my stomach from Aphrodite clinging to me, red liquid soon makes its way through that, too. She backs away, and then Apollo is at my side, chanting something. His hands are ice cold on my stomach. I feel sharp pain, causing me to groan. His hands are bloody, but he's smiling. Then, the pain is gone. I stand once more, as Aphrodite waves her hand across my stomach, ridding the stain from the material. "It's part of the job," She shrugs.

I shake my head. I begin to laugh. "You—all act as if this is nothing!" My eyes begin to water. "I did it! Finally!" And once more, I'm holding Aphrodite tightly, as if my now immortal life depended on it. "I missed you so much!" I say to her.

Pulling away, she squeals. "Oh my gods! You're alright!"

I see somebody is at my side. Poseidon is, and he grabs my arm gently. "You saved them, Athena." He says.

"That she did," Zeus booms. He smiles at me, opening his arms. "You have made me proud, daughter." I run to them, enveloping my father in a hug. I have only done this a few times, as Zeus never was the touchy-feely guy when it came to his children.

Artemis smiles at me. "You did well, Athena. I'm eternally grateful that you've returned our powers."

"What are you going to do about Hera, father?" I ask, letting go of him.

"She'll be put back in her place," Zeus assures me.

By sunset of the next day, Hera is put back in her quarters. The gods have already fixed the throne room, thanks to the help of Hephaestus and I. Zeus declares there to be a feast, in which every god and goddess—except Hera, who he says will be facing his wrath—will be invited to. Even Hades and Persephone are to come.

As I walk into my quarters, I feel as though I'm in another's shoes. It's so strange; it's so different. I'm like a stranger in this place. I have my friends back, I have my life back. I love it, being a goddess again. I love knowing everybody is safe; just some things, I know I'm not allowed to love anymore. I change into more formal of a dress, one Aphrodite has laid out for me. As I walk out to the large dining room, I help a few servants set the table. "Oh, Lady Athena! You look lovely today!" On says. Then, she adds, "I don't want you to get your beautiful evening gown dirty! Please, let me escort you back to your room! It is no place for a goddess to set a table!"

I laugh at her. "Please, I insist. I've been rather bored here, without much to do but read and strategize."

They all look at me as if I've caught a disease. "Lady Athena, are you sure you're alright?" The girl asks. "You love to read and strategize! It's what you live for!"

I shrug, taking a pile of dishes. "Now, I think we may need another set of plates. Every god and goddess will be here!" I say to her.

"Yes, Lady Athena; but you really don't have to help!"

I shake my head at her, smiling. "Like I said. I insist."

At the feast, I smile as Aphrodite grabs my hand and leads me to sit next to her. Artemis is on my other side, scolding her brother for eating without everybody being here yet. Zeus walks to the end of the grand table. "If I may have your attention, please!" Zeus booms. Every god turns their head to look at the ruler of the gods. "As you know, Athena has made it back safely and restored the world its peace. Tonight, we feast! To Athena!" He says, raising his glass of nectar.

"To Athena!" Everyone chants. And like that, they're back to their own thing.

"Oh, Athena! Look at all this mortal food! I never thought we'd have so much of it!" Aphrodite swoons over the meal.

It's late at night. Every god has gone their own way once more; Hades and Persephone back to the Underworld, Olympians to their quarters, and minor gods back to wherever they were before. Except me. I sit outside in the gardens, looking upon the pond that reflects Artemis' moon. Beside the pond is a meadow of daisies, and that is where I sit. I put my fingers in the pond, and watch as guppies swim up to them and start to nibble on my finger. Laughing, I let them have their way as I lay back. Swirling the water around, the guppies swim away hastily, yet come back once I stop. I can't hear the fish in the pond, but I know Perseus or Poseidon could. It'd probably sound something like, Lady Athena! Your fingers are delicious! Just thinking of that, a giggle escapes my lips. I shake my head.

How will I be Athena, when all I've known is Arielle? All I know from being a goddess are memories Hera tortured me with. Myths I've read. Hearing from Percy and Annabeth. But I can't see myself doing any of that! I know I did, but it's strange to think I really did. I know Arielle Jackson. I don't know Athena, goddess of wisdom and battle strategy.

"Have you heard?" A voice speaks from behind. I don't get up, I can recognize it as Poseidon's.

"Heard that tomorrow, Hecate's potion will be in effect? That I'll forget everything of my life?" I ask. It's more rhetorical than anything. "Yes, I have. And so will the other gods. They'll forget everything, starting with high school. And we'll be back to the way Olympus is supposed to work."

"And you and I," Poseidon says, "will once more hate each other." I can't help but laugh. Laugh from annoyance, laugh from anger. Mostly, it's a laugh of humor, though.

"Yes, I suppose we will!" And I begin to laugh even louder. "Oh, look at us! None of this was supposed to happen," I say. The guppies are still around my fingers, swimming between and nibbling them.

"Well, it looks like we won't have to worry about that, then." He says.

I shake my head. "No, we won't. But, Poseidon," I say.

"Yes?"

"It's best that we don't remember. It was fun, I'm sure. But we have duties. And duties—"

"Come first." He mimics. "Yeah, I remember you would say that all the time."

Sitting up and taking my finger tips out of the pond, I grin. "I am the goddess who knows best."

Walking over to him, I place a kiss on his cheek and head inside.

Maybe starting over won't be so bad.

A/N: Alright! That's the end!

Sorry about the whole Hera/Athena fight. I couldn't really write it well, as I did it before and it seemed much too…redundant. And I hate redundancy, especially in series. That's why I put in the mental torture! Hehehe! Heh…mental torture. Not fun.

I am rather pleased with the ending! Tell me what you think!

Now, I have a MAJOR question for y'all…

Epilogue or no epilogue?

I think the ending there would be good, but let me know what you think!

This was tons of fun to write!

I love feedback almost as much as Aphrodite loves love!
~Suzie