"How have you become so wise about such negative topics?"

"My mother was a Psychiatrist. She specialized in combat PTSD, but also helped with sexual assault cases in the military. Then as a teenager, my father and I were living in Athens. I had befriended a Greek girl. She was smart and sassy. She loved life." Jenna's eyes sparkled at the memory, then darkened. "Unfortunately, some tourists caught her out late one night and raped her. She committed suicide the next day over the shame. After that, I dug out all of my mothers books and read them. I wanted to understand my friends choice."

Jenna looked over at Acheron. "Ever since, I try to volunteer in trauma support services. It just seems right."

"Perhaps you have found your new calling in life?"

"Maybe, but knowing about it all does not really help me deal with my own trauma any faster. I think I should do that first."

"I understand. But, I am not kidding about the calling. I think most of the Dark Hunters would appreciate having someone like you to talk to. If you are interested, I can put you on my payroll and you can go to school for your degree when you are ready."

"Artemis will definitely hate that."

"That just makes it all the more perfect!"

"You are wicked! But, I like it."

Jenna stood up and readied herself for bed. She went into the restroom to wash. Ash materialized some modest pajamas on the bathroom counter for her, then called Tory to tell her he would be out all night and not to worry.

In the restroom, Jenna turned on the shower to wash before going to bed. But, as she removed her clothing, she looked into the mirror spread across the wall. She saw all of the scars across her skin for the first time. She had seen some as she dressed in the hospital, but there had been no mirror. Now, she was grateful that there hadn't been.

Tears welled in her eyes again as the memories of her abuse rushed to the front of her mind, drowning out all of the others that she had absorbed since. Getting into the shower, Jenna scrubbed her skin raw under the scalding water, trying anything to remove any trace of those men left.

Her hands scrubbed across her abdomen with soap and she found herself once again begging her body to heal.

Please. She begged. Please give me another chance to be a mother.

Jenna had been in the bathroom for a long time with the shower running. Ash knew she should not be alone in her grief. So, he used his powers to turn the water off without going into the room. When she did not respond, he called to her. She did not answer.

"Jenna, do I need to come in there?" Still no answer.

Acheron cracked open the door to see that Jenna was silently sobbing in the bathtub, her knees pulled up to her and her arms wrapped around. In that same protective position she had when she slid down the door when she arrived. He materialized a large towel to wrap her in, as well as gloves for his hands.

His stomach churned to see the damage done to so much of her body. They never intended for her to survive. It was amazing that she lived through it at all. The scars showed evidence of several emergency surgeries before she gained her demigod status, attempts to repair her broken jaw, shoulder, collar bone, both legs, and organ damage in her abdomen. She had whip marks all over her back and legs. Burn marks on her softer parts of flesh such as her inner arms and thighs, stomach and breasts, even the bottoms of her feet.

She had every right to fall apart. Her skin was raw and red from her attempts to scrub the memories away.

He carefully wrapped the towel around her and pulled her out of the tub and let her cry against his chest. Once her crying slowed, Ash asked her about Deimos. Her lips tugged at the corner.

"Thank you for bringing him to me." She said raggedly as she tried to stop crying. "I really wish he was here now." She paused and pulled back. "I really hope that I can still reach him in my dreams while Zeus keeps him locked away."

"Do you know how it is that you can do that?"

Jenna shook her head no. "I can't think of anything from anyone's lives that fully explains my strength in dreams. It is not from any of my grandparents that I know of. I can only assume that it is because I am from two different pantheons. Like Katra, I am stronger for it. Or maybe just sheer need to help me process everything."

Ash nodded as he accepted those as possible answers. Then, left her to gather herself together once again.

As Jenna came out of the bathroom in her pajamas, she found Ash sitting in a chair off to the side. The look in Jenna's eyes showed that she was still worried about sleep. But, she so desperately needed it.

"You are safe."

Jenna finally drifted to sleep.

Acheron watched her for a bit. Once he was sure that she was fully asleep, he called for Madoc.

"What is this unexpected call for?" The Dream Hunter flashed into the room. Like almost all of the Dream Hunters, Madoc was tall with dark hair and light blue eyes. For centuries, Madoc was one of three leaders of the Oneroi, Dream Hunters. There were several changes that happened in the wake of Noir's attacks on the group. Yet, Madoc was still one of the gods in charge.

Acheron gestured toward Jenna as she slept in bed. "I need to know about her."

Madoc frowned as he looked at the woman before him. "What exactly is it that you want to know?"

"Can you enter her dream and see if she is safe?"

Madoc looked at Ash. He was puzzled, but did not ask anything. He simply nodded his head. But, then nothing happened. His face twisted into a scowl of confusion. "I can't enter her dream. Who is she?"

Ash took a deep breath of relief.

"Acheron, I don't like being left in the dark. Tell me what is going on." Madoc pushed.

"The short story is that she is a demigod with a lot of secrets that need protecting. From what I can tell, she has some strong control over her dreams. Yet, the one time that I was able to get in, so did a few of Noir's demons."

Madoc hissed at the mention of Noir's name. Noir had killed the other two members of the Oneroi leadership. He also tortured Madoc and left him for dead. "What does Noir want with her?"

"I don't know. And I don't know the how the demons were getting in either. All of the Skoti that had joined him returned or died right?"

Madoc tilted his head as he looked at her. Her hair was black but her eyes were closed. "Does she have Oneroi blood?"

Acheron shook his head. "No, her control in dreams is from something else."

"Then how did you get in at all? Her defenses are stronger than I have ever seen."

"She was being tortured at the time." Madoc's eyes narrowed at the Atlantean. "It is a long story."

"I will see what I can find out." Madoc nodded and left, only to return a couple of hours later.

"Back so soon?" Ash had stretched out in the chair with his legs crossed in front of him and his head leaned back against the wall.

"Aren't you bored watching her sleep like this? Far more entertaining inside the dreams, not out here."

Ash's lips slid up into a smirk. "You can't get into her dreams remember? Besides, I am fairly certain she is with Deimos right now. I don't need to witness that." He chuckled. "And, I am still not used to you openly admitting to emotions again. I don't expect you to talk about things being 'entertaining' or not." Zeus had taken emotions from the dream gods for centuries over a prophesy, though he blamed it on a joke that had never been played. What an asshole.

"What do you mean she is with Deimos now?"

Ash raised is eyebrows. "Just what I said."

Madoc scowled. "Seriously? Well I'll be damned. Didn't think anyone could tolerate let alone tame the Dolophonos." He shook his head.

"So, about the girl. Apparently, M'Ordant had kept a close eye on her. No one has been able to enter her dreams since she was a child. Now, what do you know?"

Acheron was not surprised by Madoc's news. But, he needed the confirmation. "All I know about her dream capabilities is that she is strong as hell. She killed the demons that showed up all by herself. Somehow, she has managed to reach out and pull Deimos into her dreams while he was bound by Hephaestus's cuffs. And that was all before her demigod powers were unlocked."

"Damn."

"Yeah. But, we need to know if the demons are still getting in. I am hoping that now she is healed, her defenses are back to full strength. But, if they have another way…" Ash shrugged.

Madoc nodded, it was not a pleasant thought. "Only time will tell. If they don't show up again, great. If they do, hopefully she will tell you. I will check on her from time to time, just to see if her defenses hold."

"Thank you Madoc."