I hate to do this to you guys, but there's been another change. Don't worry! It isn't big at all. It's just that this fic is going to be in three parts. It will all be in this one fic, though, so you won't have to go looking for it or anything! Right now, you're still in Part 1. You'll know when you get to parts 2 and 3, and if you look at the chapter titles, you'll now see a 'P1' on chapter 1, signaling the start of part 1.

Another thing: these two stories wont be the only demigod love stories we're going to write. If you check out our author profile (which you can find by clicking our name) you'll see a timeline for this story and the other stories in the same 'verse.

I'll be writing a few, and Whitney will be writing a few- so if you like this, there's a good chance you'll like my others! While some on the list might not be posted yet, you can still follow this account to get updated when we do post them- and I promise it will be as soon as possible.

While you don't have to read them of course, they're going to be rather helpful in the latter parts of this fic, since they will tell the stories of characters introduced in parts 2 and 3. All of those characters will be gathered together to create a story similar to the way The Heroes of Olympus is set up. We're even going to write a few Demigod Diaries!

-xxx-

There's no easy way to describe dying, or being dead, unless, well, you've been dead. And I doubt many of you have been. Dying was… it wasn't really painful, as I didn't have time to register the pain. It happened almost instantaneously, but it wasn't a good feeling in any case. But being dead- it felt… almost empty, rather like I was falling and being pulled in a certain direction, but I wasn't sure in which direction I was supposed to be going, and it was like my thoughts were dulled- it was hard to really think of anything.

For some reason, I didn't go through the normal channels- I didn't ride Charon's ferry, I wasn't judged by the ghosts, and I didn't go to Asphodel, the Fields of Punishment, or even Elysium (not that I had really expected to, my death was entirely un-heroic.) I awoke in the Underworld standing on the bank of the river Styx, black sand sifting around my feet when I shifted. Charon was paddling closer and closer, so at first I thought that I was waiting for him, but suddenly, it was like an invisible rope was pulling on me. I was taken past everything- all the way into Hades' kingdom, Erebus. It was strangely beautiful, with glittering gems and florescent plants contrasting the darkness. There were two thrones- one silver, one bone, the latter on which the Lord of the Dead sat. Emilie's father, I had to remind myself. Looking at him up close, I could see the resemblance. When the invisible cord deposited me in front of the thrones, I fell to my knees in front of Hades himself, who paid me no heed. He either didn't see me, or more likely, just didn't think I was important enough to warrant his attention.

I was suddenly encased in a clear bubble, which was completely solid, and didn't break, no matter how much I pounded on it. It was completely clear, almost plastic-like, and my fingers made no marks where I touched it. A few moments after being enclosed in the sphere, I slipped into a semi-unconscious state.

-xxx-

The vision started while I was 'asleep.' I don't know how, but I knew that what I was seeing was happening at that very moment. It shouldn't have been, as it seemed like I'd been in the Underworld for a long time, but I suppose I didn't have the best perception of time as a ghost.

Emilie and Pollux had just reached the top floor of the Empire State Building- not the mortal top floor, but the top top floor, Mount Olympus. The doors slid open with a ding, but they just stood there for a moment, uncomprehending. There was a haunted look in their eyes, and they appeared dazed, with still-slick blood drying on their hands and a few spots on their clothing. My blood, I realized. The doors started to slide shut again, but then Pollux blinked a few times, clearing his eyes, and gritted his teeth, an angry look on his face. He stepped forward and caught the doors before they closed.

"Emilie," he said, his voice cracking. She looked up at him, and her eyes were red. She sniffled, and wiped her nose on her sleeve. He was still holding open the elevator, so she shuffled out behind him. They turned to each other, and he held her gaze, "Ready?"

She nodded, "I'm fine. Well, no, I'm not, but let's get this over with."

They turned towards Olympus, but what they saw made them both gasp. In the early morning light, and crisp air, the city was glittering and alive. It looked like an ancient Greek city, except, well, here today, with pristine and white marble, accents of gold and blue. Torches and fires made the city glow thirty different colors, from bloodred to indigo. Dotting the mountain were multilevel palaces, with white-columned porticos, gilded terraces, and bronze braziers, like we had at camp, just like, a million fold. Roads wound up the mountain, leading to the open-air market that was already set up and bustling with gods, dryads, and satyrs shopping for goods, things like discount ambrosia or magical hair pieces, at the many colorful tents. Parks and gardens littered the mountainside.

The gardens were in full bloom- honeysuckle, jasmine, and roses in colors I didn't even know existed, glowing vibrantly. The vision was so real I could smell them- sweeter than anything I'd ever encountered. It made me long for things I never knew while I was alive. The streets were full of people- I couldn't tell whether they were demigods or gods or nymphs- riding on chariots or being carried on sedan chairs by Cyclopes. Music seemingly drifted from everywhere, the soft voices from the Muses holding a concert, reed pipes and lyres. An amphitheater was to the right of the city, built into the face of the mountain, with a hippodrome and coliseum on the opposite side.

Pollux and Emilie were still gaping at the city. I knew Pollux had seen it before, but having just seen it for myself, I knew that it would floor anyone- the second, third, hundredth time they saw it. Something seemed to jolt Emilie out of it, and she tugged on Pollux's arm. They wound their way up the mountain, occasionally stopping to ogle at the sights, but they eventually made it to the most elaborate and ornate palace of all- the hall of the twelve Olympian gods. The two of them stood in the courtyard in front of the gleaming sliver gates. The gates swung open without them even announcing their arrival. Taking a breath, they strode into the throne room.

The thrones made a U shape, like the cabins at camp used to, long before Emilie and I first arrived. I could figure which thrones belonged to whom, based on order, and what they were made of. Demeter's was woven apple branches, Dionysus' was flowing grape vines, Apollo's was solid gold, Artemis's silver, my father's a seat you might see on a deep-sea fishing boat. Zeus, extremely large, was sitting on his marble throne in a pinstripe suit. My father was sitting next to him in his normal Hawaiian shirt. His expression was grim, and I felt as if he knew what had happened, the general idea, at least, if not the whole story.

Apollo was mortal-sized, leaning on the foot of his throne, Artemis standing a few feet away, her arms crossed. In the corner were three goddesses- Hecate, Hestia, and one other I didn't recognize. She wasn't one of the major gods, I didn't think.

Apollo was the first to notice Emilie and Pollux when they walked in, or at least, the first one to react. Pollux was still wearing a guarded look, while Emilie just looked lost. Apollo had a grin on his face- had he been a part of this from the beginning?- but it faltered when he saw that it was only the two of them. He stepped forward, and looked between them, and then around, his voice faltering when he said, "Where's- where's Elena?" He looked around, as if expecting me to suddenly show up, and say, 'Surprise! Sorry I'm late!' or as if they were hiding me.

He asked again, his mouth dry, "Where's Elena?" He looked distressed, "Elena!" he called once more in desperation.

Suddenly, and angry look stole over Emilie, "Can't you feel it?" she snapped at him, "She's dead!"

He froze, and narrowed his eyes, "How could you let her die?"

Pollux's nostrils flared in anger, "How could we let her die? She was our friend! And she was murdered by someone with a grudge and a bow."

Apollo stared him down, his face betraying nothing, but his eyes burned like the sun, harsh and unrelenting, "Listen up, demigod-"

"And who else here has a bow?" Emilie shot at him, "And perhaps, an old grudge against her father?" They'd never gotten along, but this proved an opportunity for them to really duke it out. He looked at her, offended. He was starting to glow in anger, and I knew that if he changed into his godly form, and she didn't look away, it would blind her.

"Me? You're accusing me?" he said. I'd told Emilie about what he'd done, earlier. She only said something along the lines of 'I told you so.'

"Silence!" Artemis commanded, her voice ringing clearly across the room, despite her childish appearance. Everyone- Zeus, the goddesses, and my father- who had only looked pained the entire conversation- looked at her. "I killed the girl."

The room was in a shocked silence. I had long since guessed that my friends hadn't seen my murderess, either by her escaping or shielding herself from their eyes.

Pollux broke the silence with a horrified, "You killed her? But this quest was for you!" She gave him a terse nod.

"How could you? I'm in love with her!" Apollo said, and my heart skipped a beat. Or, as much as it could with me being dead. There was no reason for him to keep up the act after I was dead. So it wasn't an act, after all? He had loved me?

"Orion, it was for Orion," she said, her chin pointed upwards in defiance.

"You cannot kill my daughter in an act of retribution that should have been settled thousands of years ago!" my father said suddenly, bringing his trident down to slam on the floor. Emilie and Pollux flinched, but no one else in the room seemed phased at all. The three goddesses in the corner were looking upon the conversation with great interest.

"I apologize, Uncle, but as my sister Nemesis once said, 'An eye for an eye.' I do not expect it to happen again."

My father sat back in his chair, which creaked under him. His eyes tossed like the raging seas, but he didn't speak again. I could feel the ocean radiating from him, and it wasn't calm.

Zeus looked at her for a long moment, and then said, "Very well, my daughter. See to it that it doesn't happen again. You have been sated."

She nodded, but Apollo protested, "What- Dad- you can't just let her off so easily! I was going to ask-" he cut himself off with a scowl.

"Apollo," Zeus chided, "Your sister is right. You did kill her favored mortal."

The room was silent once more, neither of my friends daring to speak. Artemis said lowly, to where only the gods, and apparently, me, could hear her, "My only regret is not making you kill her, like the way you tricked me into killing Orion," she said haughtily, a final blow. He just looked at her, and walked out of the throne room. She looked at his retreating back with an expression of almost… regret, but it was gone almost instantaneously.

She turned to my friends, "My bow?"

Pollux walked over to her, stiffly, and placed it into her outstretched hands, the bow still caked in blood from where, I assume, they had tried to resuscitate me. She gave a nod of thanks, and vanished in a wash of light.

-xxx-

Sometime later, I suspected, since it was hard to keep track of anything in the underworld, I had another vision. It was in real-time, as well.

Emilie and Pollux had made it back to camp, and had to tell everyone I was dead. I didn't see any of that, but I assumed it happened, since I was seeing my own funeral. I don't know how they'd gotten my body back to camp- but it could have been any way from the magic of the gods (although I didn't know which one) to Argus picking them, and my body, up. I was wrapped in a sea-green silk shroud, presumably made by Percy, (and I suspected, Annabeth, since it looked beautiful and Percy is not known for his skill in arts and crafts,) which was embroidered with a trident, the symbol of our father.

Everyone was camp was present. Some more dry-eyed than others. Lou Ellen was sobbing in Alex's arms, while he just looked up at the sky. Even Clarisse looked a little remorseful. Percy was standing in front of everyone, next to Chiron, holding a torch to light my shroud. He looked miserable.

"I- she was really great, okay?" he said, and a few people sniffle and nod, "She was the best sister I ever had." No one corrected him about the fact I was the only sister he had. "And I'm going to miss her. We all will. She was brave and-" he got choked up, and lit the shroud. It went up in flames, and he went to the back of the crowed, where Annabeth was standing, holding out her arms. He went to them gladly. She chocked back a sob, and buried her face into his shoulder. He stared at the ground, his eyes red, as my body and shroud went up in golden smoke.

I remembered meeting Annabeth. In the first few days of camp, when she was assigned to be my Greek tutor. She'd laughed at my awful translations and told me, "You're almost as bad as Percy!" It was a lot funnier later. I hadn't really known Percy well before I was claimed- he was the famous Percy Jackson, a living legend. He'd always been nice, and funny, from what I'd seen of him, but I'd known Annabeth first. She seemed to be taking my death pretty badly, but I knew she'd get over it. She had to- people died every day.

During the entire burning of my shroud, Emilie was pointedly looking anywhere but at my body. I didn't blame her. She didn't normally go to this type of thing, but she'd made an exception for me. If she ever came down to visit her dad or anything, I'd have to thank her. If she could hear me in this bubble.

Pollux had become really good friends with us over the course of the quest, and he seemed to be taking my death badly, too. He wasn't crying, but his face looked red, like he had been.

-xxx-

I would have thought the burning of my body would have set my soul to rest and given me respite from the visions, but apparently the visions didn't care about giving me peace. I spent my time alternating between random bits of visions that I sometimes didn't remember, but mainly, I just sat there, watching a moping Hades. Occasionally he wasn't there, but for the most part, he was.

One vision, which, like all the others, occurred that very moment, was a lot more upbeat. Emilie had gone back to her activities, somewhat, (she went to as many as she had normally, and that wasn't very often,) but she was still dragging herself around. At that moment, she sat on the porch of the big house, orange camp shirt and shorts, with a white bandage on her arm. She didn't look particularly pained, but also like she hadn't planned on moving any time soon.

Pollux was leaning on the railing next to her, half in the shade, drinking from a juice box. His hair was a mess, and he looked like he'd just gotten in a fight with Gaia- he was smeared with dirt and grime, a stick still lodged in his curly hair. Suddenly, a man ran up to him, and pulled him into a kiss. He let out a muffled, "Mmmph!" as he fell backwards onto the porch floor, with the man on top of him.

Emilie jumped up, her eyes wide, "Paris?" she cried. He sat up, bringing a dizzy Pollux with him.

"The one and only. I haven't seen my husband for a little over a week!" he said with a slight frown, "I've let him have his fun with his friends- but regardless, it is time for him to come home with me."

A little over a week? Which meant I'd been dead about a week, I calculated. It hadn't felt like a week, but then, I wasn't exactly feeling much nowadays.

"Actually, Paris, I sort of... like it here. We're building a city. Where we can... live. Together. If you want," Pollux said, with a firm expression that was given away by the blush in his cheeks. He was looking anywhere but at Paris, who's face lit up at that. He pulled Pollux in for another dizzying kiss, then jumped up, pulling up Pollux behind him.

"I thought you would never ask, my love!" he said. Then, calling behind him as he dragged Pollux off, "Good bye, Pollux's friend! We are off to finish what we started before you and the other girl discourteously interrupted!" Pollux's face flashed a deep scarlet, his eyes wide as he mouthed at Emilie for help as he was dragged away, though he didn't put up much of a fight. Emilie grinned widely at him, waving him off, and I smiled inwardly. Finish what they'd been doing- finish this time.

Mr. D stepped from the shadows, where I hadn't seen him before- or where he hadn't been before. It was difficult to tell with these gods. Emilie knew he was there, though. Her body tensed slightly. I didn't think that 'thing' with Mr. D had been settled yet. She could sense things in the shadows- even if she wasn't so great at shadow traveling. She'd run into more than a few trees and fences in her time- a few times with me. She'd only successfully done it once that I knew of- and she'd slept for days afterwards.

She asked suddenly, "Isn't he a mortal? Who let him into camp?"

Mr. D rolled his eyes at her, as if the answer were completely obvious, "I did."

"What?" she whipped around to look at him, but he was looking off into the distance where Paris and Pollux retreated, with his arms crossed. He'd placed his can of Diet Coke on the porch railing earlier, where it was collecting condensation.

"Neither of you had been annoying lately, since Eleanor's-"

"Elena's," she corrected automatically. He just waved her off.

"Whatever- death. I was starting to miss it."

She paused, then narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "…did you do that to make him happy?"

He stiffened, "I did no such thing," but her eyes brightened, and she seemed to hum with energy, grinning as widely as she had when Paris had dragged Pollux away.

"You did, you did! You do- AGAHH!" she screamed, startled, when a massive hellhound bounded over, practically pouncing on her. Mrs. O'Leary was barking, and licked Emilie up one side, covering her in saliva, making her hair stick up in tufts at odd angles. She glared at the hellhound, and tried to skirt away from her, pushing her back, as Mrs. O'Leary tried to sniff her. Emilie really didn't like dogs, even though hellhounds absolutely adored her and thought she was the best thing since pink rubber bison.

Following her, out of breath, was first year camper- from the Athena cabin, I believe. She cried out in relief, "Mrs. O'Leary!"

Emilie glared pointedly at her from where she'd taken refuge behind Mr. D, who was watching the entire thing with resigned amusement. She glared at him too, for good measure.

See, Emilie doesn't like dogs. She really doesn't like dogs- the bigger they are, the more she doesn't like them. Ironically, the hellhounds love her- she smells like home or something. Nico thought it was really funny- he'd sat there petting 'the big scary hellhound,' as he'd put it, while she'd refused to talk to him for the next week.

I'd thought, since they were hellhounds, shouldn't she like them? I'd asked her about it, once, but she'd just given me a look, and said, "I guess that means you should like water snakes because their name starts with 'water,' right?" That shut me up fast, shuddering. I really didn't like snakes.

-xxx-

Some of the flashes I'd seen were of Apollo. They hadn't made much sense, as it was usually only for a second or two, but he hadn't seemed very happy in any of them. He always looked like he was getting bad news. But, for the first time, I saw him clearly. He was standing in front of Emilie, in a clearing in the forest. She was sitting on a hollowed-out log, drawing pictures in the dirt with a stick.

"Listen. I love Elena," Apollo said, facing her. His arms were crossed.

"Loved," Emilie told him quietly, as if she was talking about her distaste for the weather. She was still staring at the ground, and I got the feeling this was the first time they'd seen each other since Olympus.

"What?"

"You're talking like she's alive. She's dead. It's not healthy to keep talking in present tense."

"She... is," he agreed after a moment. He had a pained look on his face. "But, as a daughter of Hades, you should know that not everyone who dies stays dead."

"Well, yes, they do. Usually. Dead is dead, what part of that don't you understand?"

"Orpheus, Dionysus. Both examples of people who brought the women they loved back from the dead."

"Orpheus failed," she snapped, with a sour look on her face. I don't think she liked the Mr. D reference.

"He almost succeeded."

"But they were all mar-" he cut her off.

"Yes, I know."

"I don't think... I... you wouldn't."

"I would."

She stared at him for a long moment with wide eyes, "Oh my gods."

"Yes," he said impatiently, "So do you agree to help?"

I wanted to scream at them. No! Whatever they were planning on doing to bring me back probably wasn't going to come for free. (What was that one old saying? Beware Greeks bearing gifts? I snorted. No, but ironically, that referred to Troy, a place where I spent most of my last days.)

She looked pensive for a moment, but then said slowly, "Yes, but it's going to cost you."

He breathed a sigh of relief, although it was barely noticeable, "Anything."

"Now?" she asked. Apollo shook his head.

"Tonight. I have… something to do first. Can you get us into the Underworld?" She nodded.

"Alright."

-xxx-

Sometime after that vision- although not to long after- I had another of Apollo meeting with my father. It wasn't very clear, it seemed to come in bursts, and occasionally, the image would shimmer like it was underwater. I couldn't hear what they were discussing, but my father seemed somewhat unhappy at first- that may have had to do with the whole 'dating his daughter' thing- but as the conversation went on, his expression grew more weary than anything else, his anger seeming to fade. Finally, he nodded reluctantly, which seemed to brighten Apollo's mood.

-xxx-

So far, all I'd been seeing were visions of the present, glimpses of what was happening in the outside world at the moment, but this felt different. I was seeing something of the past. It was so hard for the dead- for me- to focus on anything, I could hardly remember anything of what I saw afterwards. All I knew was that I saw vibrant red hair, that I couldn't possibly let Apollo make the deal, and that what I had seen was important- and it left me with a feeling of impending dread.

-xxx-

I'd been sitting in my little bubble, watching Hades sigh into an Iris message for a good bit of time, when the doors of the palace swung open, to reveal Apollo and Emilie side by side. The skeletal guards bowed slightly towards her, seeming to grin with their fleshless faces. She looked at them with wide eyes and furrowed eyebrows, but I could tell she was slightly pleased. She looked pale as usual, her long dark hair glinting in the dim light. But next to her… Apollo was standing, his back straight, looking ahead at Hades. Apollo looked… Pale. The color seemed to be draining out of him, all the vibrant colors seemed to be fading. Fading. Where had I heard that before?

Then it hit me. The prophecy had said, 'Apollo will fade,' perhaps it hadn't meant die, but instead that he would travel to the underworld, where, 'death's wife,' Persephone, lived several months out of the year. I felt instantly better. Apollo glanced over at me, and we locked eyes. I tried to speak- tell him that he shouldn't do it, but I knew he couldn't hear me. For the first time in however long I'd been in the Underworld, I took notice of my appearance. I gasped. I was wearing a white, Greek chiton, and my black hair was so long as to touch the middle of my back.

Hades sighed at the message once more, then said, "Business awaits, my dove, I shall see you shortly," then waved his hand through the mist. "Wives," he said, shaking his head. "They wont live with you, and don't want to live without you."

Emilie and Apollo exchanged glances. Emilie took a hesitant step forward, and then knelt at her father's feet, "Father," she said, "We have come with a request."

"Daughter," he said, and Emilie looked up, like she was a little dazed he was speaking with her. I knew the feeling, "I know why you're here."

She looked startled, startled enough to interject, "You do?" Hades looked slightly amused with her outburst. She quickly tried to cover it up, saying, "I mean- you do, father?"

"Why do you think I kept her so close to me for these nearly three weeks? It hasn't been for my sake," he glanced lazily in Apollo's direction.

Apollo stepped forward, "I came to ask for her soul to be returned to the living," he met eyes with Hades, two kinds of fires burning intensely. After a moment, Hades relented, apparently satisfied with what he saw.

"There will be a price," he said.

"That was to be expected," Apollo nodded. I was yelling, and hitting on the bubble, slamming my fists into it, but no one was paying me any attention. They were focused on the deal.

"For one day," Hades held up one pale, slender finger, "you shall be mortal," he pointed to Apollo. Apollo paled, but he didn't say anything, "and I shall have complete control over your Olympian powers, for whatever use I should want them for. Including the sun chariot."

Apollo fished the keys out of his pocket, and tossed them to Hades, who caught them gracefully, "Deal."

"You must swear on the Styx."

Apollo looked me in the eye when he spoke, disregarding the look of despair on my face, "I swear on the Styx that Hades, God of the Underworld, will have complete control over my Olympian powers and immortality for one day in exchange for the life of Elena Westlie."

Hades droned, "I swear on the Styx that the Elena Westlie will have her life returned to her in exchange for the Olympian powers of Apollo, the God of Light, for one day."

Hades waved his hand, and my bubble popped, dropping me on the ground. He vanished, leaving us alone in the throne room. Upon feeling life return to me, I met Emilie halfway, enveloping her in a bone-crushing hug.

"Don't you dare die on me ever again," she told me, fiercely. I laughed, but she mumbled about how it wasn't a joke.

"I'll try not to," I smiled at her. She seemed tired.

"But what's... is there something wrong?" she asked me, her eyes searching mine.

I paused, thinking about how to continue, "It's- I had a dream, that's all. It's probably nothing," I shook my head. She reluctantly released me. She mumbled about giving us some privacy, and wandered off.

I walked over to Apollo, who had been watching us with a guarded expression. We stared at each other for a moment. Looking back, I wasn't sure who moved first, but suddenly, I was in his arms, he was holding me tightly, his face pressed into the crook of my shoulder. He loosened his grip on me, then he kissed me. I put my hands on either side of his face, his arms still around my waist, and he whispered, "I love you, I love you, I'm sorry, please don't ever leave me again."

"I won't," I promise him, "I wont. I love you too, I'm sorry."

We stay like that for a few minutes till Emilie peeked her head in, and said, "Guys? I think now would be a good time to go."

-xxx-

So Elena is alive again! Although Apollo is temporarily mortal. It's only for a day, however, so it should all be fine, right?

I just want to thank you guys for sticking with our stories, even when they get really lame or weird.

Okay I know the updates are a little wonky (I'm terribly sorry about that, really) but it's just that school and, well, life just keep getting in the way. Hopefully there will be another update before too long.

ALSO, if you guy want a little more detail on why Artemis killed Elena, read the story A Man of the Stars, which is on this account!