Thanks for the reviews you guys! We love you! Just because of that, we decided to update early and give you guys somewhat more of a longer, better chapter than before! Enjoy!

(P.S. please don't hate Persephone after this chapter! She's still learning! :) )

She blinked, her eyes opened slowly, what was she feeling? The most unbearable anguish was enrapturing her body, overcoming it, just daring her to move to cause her more excruciating agony. She could feel heavy breathing from a chest, her body moved with it, parallel to the intakes and outtakes of air. She squinted, trying to get used to the soft candlelight in the room, where was she? Where was her mother? Where were her friends? Without moving her head, she scanned the dimmed room with her eyes, it was so depressing… black and blue drapes hung over a non-existent window, silk bed sheets laid limp on an enormous bed fit for a queen. A dark wardrobe sat forebodingly next to the bed across from a huge fireplace that took up most of the opposite wall. What wasn't covered by it was stuffed with shelves and shelves of scrolls… stories that would fill her with delight if she were able to stand up and read them. Candelabras decorated the room with a sinister glow and, from her view; she now realized that she was tucked away in the corner of the large room.

She glanced back to her station and looked up as best she could at the man who was holding her… he looked so familiar to her and so kind, he had a few scratches on his cheeks and his curls hung loosely, framing his face terrifically. His arms were very inviting and she didn't mind at all that she was wrapped in them like a child. He didn't seem like he had any life in him, he was drained. And so cold! His icy fingers were long and white, his whole complexion was ivory. It was as if he had never seen the sun before. The sun! How wonderful would it be to feel the kiss of the rays once more on her skin? It was so chilly where she was and bathing in the sunlight seemed like an option she couldn't refuse. How would she get out of the place she was in, though? She couldn't walk, let alone move her head. She ached from head to toe and she was filthy! What had happened to her?

The man holding her stirred, his eyes opened, revealing two emerald orbs that released the latches of the windows to his own soul. He gave a small, sad smile as she just stared back at him in wonder and innocence.

"Who are you?" she asked.

A shocked expression replaced the one of sorrow as he stared wide eyed at her, "Persephone?"

"Who's Persephone? Why are you calling me Persephone?" she whispered, averting her eyes and still somewhat enjoying the embrace she was in.

The man's icy fingers were placed under her chin and slowly and softly tilted her head up, wary of her pain. She winced and gave a low hiss but let him guide her face to his, "Your name is Persephone. And you are mine." He added the last bit in with a hushed whisper that she could barely hear.

She thought about what he had said for a few moments, "My name is Kore. Not Persephone! That's such a silly name… Persephone." She smiled at him and leaned into his chest, reveling in his arms… they felt so good to her, so right. She belonged in them. And she obviously belonged to him. Was he her husband? How was she not remembering anything?

He shook his head, "You are my Persephone. My sweet Persephone."

"No I am Kore." She said with finality, "Besides, how would you know what my name is?"

"Your mother, Demeter, may have called you Kore when you were younger… But your father, Zeus, king of the Gods, named you Persephone. Demeter didn't like it, but she couldn't do anything about it. The name is an oxymoron to your beauty and light, my love. You have been Persephone ever since you were a little girl." He stroked her hair with his cold hands, enjoying her loss of memory while it lasted.

Persephone stared at him with her bright brown eyes, "If I am Persephone, who are you?"

"I am Hades. God of the Underworld. And your suitor." He spoke to her softly in almost a sing-song voice.

She smiled happily, her voice cracking quietly as she spoke, "So does that mean that we are going to get married?"

Hades smiled, a rare thing for him, she could tell, "Yes. You will be my queen."

Persephone smiled wider, "You mean I am going to be a queen?! Really?"

Hades softly kissed her forehead, "Yes my love. You really are."

He grabbed her tighter to him, trying not to injure her, but stood up, Persephone was lying helplessly in his arms. He carried her over to the bed and put her under the covers. Hades sat on the edge of the bed. He brushed some hair out of her face as he just stared at her intently.

"You need to get more rest. I will come back to help wash your body and clean your wounds. For now, you need to sleep. I promise you will remember more once you wake up. And once you do, we will be able to live in eternal bliss, Persephone. Just you and I."

Persephone smiled and slowly took his large hand into her small one and led it to rest on her cheek, "I love you, Hades. Thank you for taking care of me. Will you love me when you come back?"

Hades squeezed her hand softly, "I will love you until the stars have no shine left. I am yours eternally, Persephone. And you are mine."

"I like being yours. It feels so good to be wanted, don't you think, husband?"

He stuttered, unsure of his response, "I am not yet your husband, my love. And you are not yet my Queen, but very soon we will be. We will be one."

She smiled softly and gave his hand a soft squeeze, "I already see you as my husband. I don't think I will be able to wait. Why can't we be married now? I want a husband to comfort and love me… and share my bed."

Hades was in shock at the very bold words chosen by his love, "Very soon we will be able to do all those things which you desire as long as you go to sleep. You need to rest your body through the trauma that you have gone through. We will discuss more once I come back, now sleep."

She closed her eyes, "When you come back, will you marry me, Hades?"

He never answered as he walked out the door, too shocked to respond.

Persephone sighed as she opened her eyes, she really did need a nap, and she was glad Hades had told her to rest. She direly needed it. She felt so much better—

Hades!!

HE was the reason she was in this mess to begin with! He kidnapped her! Memories flooded her brain, as the day flashed through her mind.

Just then, a door opened and right on the very threshold was her kidnapper in all his morbid glory. He smiled at her, unaware of her new-found knowledge she had gained back, he walked up to her and sat on the edge of the bed like he had previously done a few hours before. He helped sit her up against the head board of the bed, careful to not hurt her anymore than what she was already experiencing. He had brought a tray of food with him and he set it down on the bed.

"You need to eat, my love." He ran a thumb over her swollen cheek, tenderly.

"No." Persephone said, abruptly.

"What's the matter?" He asked, surprised at her coldness.

"You."

"Me?" he asked, removing his hand from her face, "Did I do something wrong?"

A bitter laugh escaped her lips, she tried to calm down but her anger was boiling, she had never felt so much hatred before. Despite her pain, Persephone grabbed the tray and dumped the food all over Hades.

"DID YOU DO SOMETHING WRONG?!" Her hoarse voice screamed loudly, "NO YOU JUST KIDNAPPED ME, THAT'S ALL!! YOU TRICKED ME INTO THIS WHOLE MESS AND NOW YOU DARE TRY TO BE NICE AND FEED ME?! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY! I WILL NEVER MARRY YOU! I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU!!"

Hades stood up, heartbreakingly slow, "And I love you." He whispered.

He bent down to pick up the food that had spilt onto the floor from her tantrum. He piled what was left onto the tray and slowly walked away. Before he left the room, he stopped and looked back at the woman he was so desperately in love with,

"I will always love you."

Persephone held her firmness until the moment he left the room. She screamed out in pain, what was wrong with her? She had never really ever gotten upset with anyone until Hades came into her life… what was she turning into? A monster? With uncontrollable rage? She was supposed to be happy, have a life full of sunlight and cheerfulness! How did this whole thing happen?? …Rhodos! It's her fault! Persephone would not have been in this mess if it wasn't for Rhodos! She was the one who had dared her to do it, challenged her to do it! To take Hades necklace… now he was obsessed with her!! Persephone quickly got out of bed, trying her best to ignore the pain, and once her feet touched the cold ground, she collapsed into its chilling grasp. She yelped and tears poured down her face, making her even more of a mess than she was before. It was Hades fault that she was hurt! If he hadn't taken her in the first place, she wouldn't have gotten hurt and eaten alive by savage beasts! Where had she gone anyways? Was the Underworld some dark hell pit? Would she walk out of her bedroom and be once again trapped in the hunger of those monsters that had already tried to ravage her before?

Feeling liquid run down her stomach, she looked towards the awkward feeling, a huge open gash, a bite of human flesh was torn from her stomach and red liquid was bubbling and pouring out of her. She felt the red substance, it was warm and was the purest red she had ever seen… it shined and almost… glittered?

"Persephone!" Hades ran into the room and scooped her up into his arms, cradling her against his chest as he brought her back to the bed, "I had closed this wound up, because you got out of bed, you ripped it. Be careful--" he murmured softly as he broke a piece of thread with his teeth and worked it into a needle.

"What are you going to do with that?!" Persephone asked, tears running down her face again as she cowered away from the sharp point in his hand.

"Shhh…" Hades cooed, feeling her forehead, "I have to help you heal and the only way we can do that is to stitch this back up."

Persephone looked up at the hand on her forehead, "What are you doing?"

"Checking your body temperature. Seeing if you have a fever or not… I'm making sure you will be healthy and heal quickly."

"A fever? That's what mortals get and they die from it! How can a goddess get sick?"

Hades frowned, "When you are in the Underworld, you are subject to all the hardships humans have. You bleed. And you can get very sick."

"Will I die?" Persephone looked worried as she furrowed her brow.

Hades removed his hand, "I would never let you die. I would let Zeus die and go to Tartarus before I would allow you to die and go to the Elysian Fields." He said seriously, looking her in the face, almost sadly.

Persephone bowed her head, she was still very upset at him… but how could she be rude and cold to a man trying to help her back to her normal state and a man who was desperately and frantically in love with her? He would soon rather have Zeus die than she? It would ruin the world… but he would do it. She believed him. Hades set the needle down and took a dagger out of his belt. Afraid of what he would do, Persephone flinched as he took the little knife and grasped what was once her dress with his other fist. He ripped it open at the stomach so he would be able to more fully work better and more effectively stitch up her open gash without the material getting in the way.

"Drink this." He set his knife down and pulled out a small vile of liquid that looked oddly recognizable, "It will help with the pain before I sow you up."

"Wait… is that Hephaestus'--" Hades silenced her.

"Yes, this is what I have left of the potion I had made for him. It will be just enough to help you. Drink it."

Persephone eyed him warily but did as she was told. She made a sour looking face which gave Hades a few soft chuckles as he watched her face turning into different expressions, "You know," Hades said, "If you had plugged your nose, you wouldn't have tasted it."

She glared at him, "You think you're so funny, don't you? Just leave me alone. Why can't you leave me in peace and take me back to my mother?! I hate it down here! And I hate you too!"

Hades frowned and looked away, "I can't let you go. Don't ask me again." He picked up the needle he had prepared and brought it to Persephone's huge wound.

"Do you feel that?" Hades asked as he threaded through some of her skin. Persephone had made a wincing noise.

She shook her head 'no' but it looked as though she was in severe pain. Hades kept going, trying to end her agony. Perhaps the potion didn't work?

"Your hands are freezing cold! Next time you try to work on my wounds, put some gloves on!" She breathed.

"But you don't feel any pain?" Hades looked up at her, pausing in his work.

Persephone shook her head 'no' once more. After several more minutes of tedious work, Hades had finished the last stitch and cut the thread with his knife. He smiled at her, obviously he was pleased with his handiwork, but Persephone wasn't convinced, and she decided she would make him so miserable that he would want to take her back home.

She sighed in annoyance, "You've ruined my dress! This was one of my favorites and you ruined it!"

Hades stood up after putting the needle and threads back into a small wooden case of intricate designs, "You did that to yourself by leaving my side. It was ruined long before I got to you."

Persephone looked away, "If you hadn't kidnapped me in the first place… I would still be at home and I wouldn't be hurt… and I wouldn't be with you!"

Hades stood still, taking her abusing words with solemnity, "I see."

She whipped her head around, "You see? You see what? You seemed more than willing to argue at the council yet you won't even tell me what you think? Aren't you annoyed with me? With my temper? Why won't you yell at me?!"

"I have told you what I thought of you. You are beautiful when you argue and when you are a mess. Your brown eyes are like crystals when you cry… beautiful weeping crystals. How can I be annoyed with you? I love you, I always will. And I could never raise my voice to you, you're too fragile, you don't deserve such treatment." Hades whispered, quietly.

Persephone was very annoyed by now, she was determined to push his buttons and she knew exactly what they were, "Apollo wouldn't have let me get hurt. He would have saved me long before you did."

Hades was as still as one of the statues the mortals made to represent the gods, his face was stone dead and his eyes were glazed over, dark and cold, "Think what you what to think. I tried my hardest to rescue you, obviously it wasn't enough," his voice was strictly monotone, "that 'boy' you think you love is hardly worthy of you. You would have a miserable life with him, I guarantee it."

"How would you know?! I am miserable with you, but I am happy with Apollo! He's not a child! He's twice the man you'll ever be!" She smirked at Hades' anger seeping through his cracks.

Hades set the empty vile into the small box, and quietly put it away in a satchel type bag that was at his belt. He was very calm and serene by this time, "I love you Persephone. And very soon you will be my queen and I will be your king."

He left without another word, he had won the argument, and Persephone realized that she never would.