I'm out of town this weekend dancing and competing and such. Therefore earlyish chapter for you all beautifuls.

BTW I've been working on a new story since this one has about five to six chapters left comment and tell me if you wanna hear what it's about.

I have officially made it to the stairs in the pitch black of night. I know I was on the eighth floor and my room is on the fourth. I have a lot of very cautious walking to do.

I slowly grab the railing and ease my way down the stairs.

I can't tell if my eyes are closed or if the darkness is really just that endless.

I think about what's just happened. How everything has just happened.

How dare he threaten me? How dare he demand I become his girlfriend?

How did I let him?

I feel myself itching to cry. I won't let tears flow. I have too much already. I can't cry over this stupid silly little thing.

"You think that?"

I turn around, nearly losing my balance. I grasp the railing before I let myself flop backwards. A familiar pink glow burns my eyes, and I know who's talking to me.

"Mom?" I ask, "What are you doing here?"

"Darling you're almost hopeless." She says appearing in an almost military like fashion, the way she stands as I have when lined up.

If there has ever been a fashionista general she'd be it. Intricate handmade buttons on a dark navy coat. Stark white slacks with golden tassels looped around at her hip. Golden epaulettes reflect in a lovely way.

"Almost?"

She sighs. I didn't think the beautiful could be as unhappy as she looks. I used to think a lot of things that conflict with the way I feel now.

"You called for help so now I'm here." She says walking toward me.

I huff sadly taking a seat on the steps cupping my face tiredly, "Mom."

She sits beside me, "I know. I know." She says putting one arm around me and placing one hand on my shoulder.

"I can't believe... I can't believe anyone would do that."

My mom sighs deeply, "Piper?" I look into her exquisite face, "Are you going to take this?"

"What?"

"Are you just going to take this sitting down? Are you going to let him bully you into a relationship?"

I give her a strange look, egging her on to continue. But she doesn't, she waits patiently for my answer. I speak with my heart, not my brain, "Of course not."

"I was beginning to worry about you Piper. Bellona and I have never been on happy terms."

"Because you're only sleeping with her husband."

Mom rolls her eyes, "In Greek mythology, my gods you think she'd give it up by now. Ares, or Mars if you will. Hadn't even met her yet." She changes her demeanor, "Piper, answer me truthfully. Are you... Ashamed of me?"

I let my heart speak again, "Yes."

She nods, "Good."

"Good?" I ask.

She looks sadly at her shining boots, "My dear, I'm the Goddess of Love. Do you know what that entails?"

I meet her eyes again, "Love is a broad enough word."

"Explain."

"It can mean friendship, partnership, family... Family."

She nods, "My love cannot be shared with the people who need it most." She takes my chin and looks upon me kindly, "My children. Everyone should know a mothers love."

"Then why don't you?"

"Zeus would never allow it."

"How about Jupiter?"

"He wouldn't allow it even more. You forget, Zeus is far more forgiving than Jupiter."

"That's saying something."

"You Demigods go through so much because of us. You were born from love and yet are shown nothing but cruelty, sometimes from the moment you're born. You work, and work in hopes of pleasing us. Yet you get no contact from us. You try to earn us honor and why? For all you know we don't care."

I look into her despairing face again, features melting, I wonder how she'll look when she finds out what I think beauty is, "Hope." I say, "We do it because we hope, that someday you'll bless us. Or send a smile. Even the smallest sign.

"One time, at camp, in April a rainbow shone. The Iris campers all gathered outside and held hands. They laughed, and smiled until the colors faded away. They were crying when it was gone but that's because they were so happy. Their mother smiled at them. Even for just a moment.

"That's why we fight. The hope of a small gift."

She touches my hand lightly, "I'm here for you not the other way around, dear."

"Right." I sigh, "So what do I do?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Not exactly."

"Kick his sorry ass into Tartarus."

"Mom!"

"No one messes with my little girl, none of them. You know you can beat him. So do I. The Gods will enjoy such a duel."

"Wait you'll see it?"

"Of course. What do you think we've been doing on Olympus?"

"I don't know, maybe something helpful?"

Mom laughs, "Come on, this is Zeus we're talking about. The guy who knocked up half of Athens. At once. You think he's productive?"

I sigh, "Well, how do I kick his ass?"

"You challenge his authority where he simply can't refuse a duel."

"Is that even legal?"

"Yes, completely. It just hasn't been done for thousands of years."

"Mortal years or these years?"

"Which do you think?"

"... Right."

"You can defeat him."

"How can you be sure?"

"You've made it this far haven't you? With just your strength. Now it's time to use some wit, passion, power. Anything you can. I'm with you, and so are your friends."

My eyes light up, I can feel the lightness around me, "They're okay?"

Mom smiles, "Yes, dear, although they're still shaken with your disappearance. Jason especially."

"Don't tell me that."

"Why not?"

"It's hard... Thinking about him. Us."

"He loves you darling. Cupid made him see that."

"Cupid?"

"Yes. It's a long story." I nod, "It's getting late."

"Hold up. How do I challenge him?"

"Lay your sword in front of him. He'll know it's a declaration." I smile up at my mother, "It's time to go."

"I have to stumble my way back."

"Just close your eyes." She says. I've learned to obey the Gods in the time of my being a Demigod it's almost gotten me killed quite a few times. But never totally. Just a broken foot, and hypothermia...

I close my eyes and hear the shouting of Shane's commands, "RISE AND SHINE SLEEPING BEAUTY! TIME TO KICK YOUR ASS INTO GEAR! MOVE IT MOVE IT!"

I gracefully slide out of bed and into my clothes. No time is wasted as I slick my hair back into a pristine bun in the back of my head, not a hair out of place. Socks on, sneakers on and double knotted.

I'm the third person to make it into the Hall. I form a third line beside my comrades, standing at attention.

Shane stands tall and ready, as usual. Airs eyes flick to me for a moment, taunting me for an answer. I stare forward as my fellow soldiers file in.

Squirm is in line directly behind me.

"WE'VE BEEN GOING SOFT ON YOU WEAKLINGS. RUN ME TWENTY MILES! GET A MOVE ON YOU WORTHLESS MAGOTS."

We run, Squirm falls back after the first seven miles. I don't let up my sprint until the sixteenth mile. I switch from sprint to jog only because I can't breathe fast enough to propel my feet that quickly. I'm close to the front with Shane, Air, and a boy name Felix who's Shane's age.

"FASTER YOU MEANINGLESS OAFS! CLUMSY PANSEYS!" I speed up again as he shouts this. The Gods are with me, or at least my stubbornness is. My determination. My fiery anger. All of these things are traits of Ares. I hope he'll bless me for embodying him in this moment.

Twenty miles under my belt and I refuse to pant like a wild animal. While my stomach churns with emptiness I will it to keep its composure. That doesn't stop me from spitting and downing three bottles of water with the other recruits.

"Good... job... McLean." Greg compliments.

"Yeah... great... running... Fly... taught you... well." Evan laughs collapsing in the dewy grass. The sun has yet to rise. It is perfectly dark, allowing to mask my secret intentions.

"How'd... you do... that? You holding... out on me?" Squirm asks.

I shrug, "I just did it."

"Taking advice from a shoe company." Evan smiles.

"You bet."

"Hey guys, you all are okay?" Cody asks timidly.

"We ain't dead." I answer.

"Which means we're peachy." Greg responds.

"You might want to stretch a bit before conditioning. You have a long day ahead of you."

Damn straight.

Conditioning is a literal breeze. The wind moves through me helping me through each exercise. It's like nothing matters anymore. Like today is my do or die.

Scratch that. Today is my do or die.

The sunrise fills me up, everything adds to my strength, to my confidence. I'm not afraid, and I'm certainly not going to back down.

As soon as I finish my breakfast I take a deep breath.

"McLean?" Evan nudges me.

"Yeah?"

"You look ready to do something stupid."

"I am ready to do something. But it is not at all stupid." I say standing up. I walk to the head of the table.

"McLean." Shane acknowledges my presence. Air gives me these eyes that read like a novel. "I knew it." They say, "Let's make this special yeah? I'll make it known you're mine unlike the others."

I put out my sword and slam it onto the table in front of me.

The room stops. Air looks at it amused. He wants to laugh. Everyone else holds a mixture of shock, curiosity, awe, and even judgment.

"What is this McLean?" Air chuckles.

"I knew you were stupid but you must be much more idiotic than I thought, if you don't know what this means."

He stands up, looming over me at six foot two inches.

"Brave little sprite are we? What makes you think that you can even challenge me?"

"Anyone, at anytime, can challenge a leader or leader in training if the accuser see them unfit for the position they hold. And I see you as unfit."

"This is a joke right?" He smiles at me as if to say, 'Kitten, we can work this out.'

"This is completely serious." I respond stern faced.

"Air," Shane stands up, clearing his throat. "I'd hate to tell you this now. But you can't back down. You must accept any challenger to your authority otherwise you'll be striped of it immediately."

Air's eyes flash panic for the slightest moment. But I catch his panic and hold it in my heart. He's afraid I'll win.

"Well, then I obviously accept."

Shane nods, "To the Coliseum. It seems we have a duel."

I take up my sword and walk back to my seat, "See, not dumb." I feel the realization of what I've done, "Absolutely mental."