Hi! Okay, first of all I'm so sorry this has taken so long to post. But I've got a nice little chapter here for you now, and we cover a fair amount of ground. I really like the way this chapter turned out. The ending is my favorite, real sweet. I'm not really sure what else to say but please enjoy! There should be another chapter up soon that's from Hades' POV that re-examines the Aiakos issue in more detail. :) Thank you to everyone who has been supporting me during this story, I couldn't have done it without you guys! This week's shoutout goes ot: YolandaFriella! Thanks, and please enjoy!

In all my years as a Goddess, I never have and never will find a moment that even comes close to this one. Not even my first prayer and sacrifice could hope to compare to waking up in my darling Hades' arms. That had to be the best morning of my life. Nothing jerked me out of my pleasant sleep; no one was shouting or jumping on my bed. No one was nagging me to get up and get dressed and get to work. Instead there was only silence, save for the quiet sound of Hades' breathing. Slowly my senses awakened one by one and my eyelids fluttered open.

I sat up and stretched, "Morning, agapo."

"Good morning, my anthizo." Hades smiled warmly at me but I could see that he was preoccupied with things. He never had mastered the ability to keep his worries out of his eyes. I wanted to help him but I figured that if there was anything I could do to help that Hades would come and tell me. It was probably just something related to the Underworld.

I smiled up at him, "Ready to head to work?"

Hades blinked a few times, trying to focus on what I'd said. "What? Oh, yes, yes of course."

I kissed his cheek and then stood up, carefully smoothing his peplos. I looked down at myself and then looked back at him. "I think that I'll wear regular chitons while we're ruling. It just seems more appropriate. You're okay with that, right?"

Hades smiled, like a small weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Yeah, actually that would be nice. I love seeing you wear my clothes but you look just as beautiful when you wear your own dresses. And it might be a good idea, not just to keep up the image of the Queen of Hades but in case another God or Goddess comes in, they might not understand why you're wearing my clothes."

"Alright, but on our days off, don't be surprised if you see me wandering around in your peplos or getting a new outfit out of your chest." He smiled and stood up; he offered me his arm and began escorting me back to my room.

As soon as we got back to my room and opened the door we saw Calantha and Styx sprawled out on my bed. They looked up and threw up their hands in mock celebration. "Surprise," they droned.

"What are you doing here? And why are you lying on my bed?"

"Well we were trying to surprise you with a girls' night sleepover but you didn't come back."

"Sorry, I was with Hades."

"We waited for two whole nights. And then Styx couldn't be away from her river so we went back there for a while and then we had to set up the garden for you. And then Styx was tired so I suggested that we come back here and crash on your bed since you clearly aren't using it anymore."

"Well what if we have the girls' night sleepover tonight instead?"

Styx and Calantha exchanged looks. Styx thought of something and excitedly whispered it into Calantha's ear. She liked this and started giggling. They composed themselves long enough for Styx to say, "I suppose we could do that."

I smiled and looked up at Hades. "Is it alright with you if I spend tonight with them?"

Hades did the blinking thing again where he tried to drag himself out of his thoughts. "Hm? Oh, yes, of course. You don't need to ask permission. You're allowed to be with your friends. It's hardly as if we had something planned tonight. And actually this will give me a chance to work out a few things. Little issues arising; and one big pain that's causing all the trouble. I would have felt bad leaving you alone but if you're going to be with the girls tonight then I can rest easy." Hades leaned down to kiss me and whispered, "I'll leave you alone to get dressed today. Come meet me in the Throne Room whenever you're ready."

I watched him leave and then turned back to the girls, who were perched alertly on the edge of my bed; watching and waiting for an explanation. "You'll get details, I swear. Lots of them. But first I have to go meet Hades for work today." As I was talking I was walking around and grabbing clothes out of drawers and pulling hair ribbons out of little boxes. In record time I was able to change into a fresh chiton and pull my hair up into a bun, securing it with a ribbon.

"Oh my Gods," Calantha said.

"Is that . . ." Styx gaped at the peplos in my hand.

"I think it is."

"Lord Hades' peplos?!"

"Later!" I promised, rushing out the door and slamming it, blocking off any further questions. I sighed and leaned back against the wood, savoring the soft chill it left on my skin. I gasped as the door was yanked open behind me, "Gah!" I crashed to the floor, the enchanted carpet doing little to cushion my fall. I stared up into the upside-down faces of Calantha and Styx.

They both grinned widely, their white teeth gleaming in the light. Styx bent down so that her hair was brushing my face.

"Hades usually stops working when Charon brings the boat across the river for the third time. He'll know when that is and will call up the guards to lock up the Throne Room. At that time you can either say good bye and come back to your room peacefully, or I'll pop out of the river and drag you there myself." She stared at me for a good couple seconds.

"You're a little crazy, you know that Styx?"

"Oh, I know." She said, keeping a perfectly straight face.

I had to laugh, she was just too much. "Oh you know I'm just teasing you. You know I love you."

Styx laughed, "I know, I love me, too." Her laughter bubbled out and she wandered back to my bed. Calantha extended a hand and pulled me up.

"Have fun today, Persephone, it might be a long night." She smiled sincerely and sent me on my way, waving after me as I left.

A few minutes later I wandered into the Throne Room and took my spot on my throne. I looked around the walls and noticed something different. Facing each other on either side of the walls were the paintings someone had made of me and Hades when I first met the Judges and we had celebrated with a little dance party. I groaned and felt a blush begin to color my cheeks. It grew darker when I realized that every soul that would enter this room would see this painting. I buried my face in my hands.

"Persephone? Persephone are you alright? What's wrong?" Hades voice broke through my thoughts. His voice was choked with worry and anxiety, and something else that seemed out of place. Gently his hands came to rest over mine; slowly they peeled my fingers away from my face. "Are you alright," he asked again.

Now that I could see him I could identify that something else that was in his voice. His face was filled with deep worry lines and I could see little bags under his eyes; he hadn't slept last night and he was worrying about something.

Panic shot through my heart like an arrow, binding it and squeezing it like a vice. What if Hades had found out about my plans? How would he react? Clearly this upset him; maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all. But what if I was wrong? Maybe it was something else entirely. And if it was something else I can't risk exposing my plan by asking him why he's worried. Through the whirlwind of my thoughts I realized he was still waiting for an answer from me.

"I'm fine," I squeaked in a tiny, choked voice. I cleared my throat and spoke more clearly. "Did you have to hang my painting there?" I pointed to the wall.

Hades sagged with relief and he pulled his fingers through his hair. "I wanted the whole world to see how beautiful you are. Of course that painting could never compare to your true beauty."

"Oh, Hades," I said, leaning in to kiss him. His lips were still soft and strong and the kiss helped me get my mind off of things. "You're just trying to distract me aren't you?"

He kissed me again and then started to smile. I could feel his lips pull upward, bringing mine with them. "Yes, and I think it worked."

"We'll see about that," I said as my fingers found some of his silky locks, "I think I need a little more distracting." Hades' smile grew larger and he pulled me closer to him, his lips pressing into mine more and his hands finding my waist. I could feel myself being lifted into the air when suddenly a very unwelcome noise disturbed us.

Someone was knocking on the door to the Throne Room.

"Maybe if we stay quiet they'll just go away," I whispered.

We had no such luck. A moment later a skeletal voice drifted through the heavy wood. "Lord Hades? There is a man here to see you. He says that Lady Athena requests your personal judgment here in the afterlife."

Hades sighed and I noticed dull sparks of red around the edges of his irises. We both settled back into our thrones but I kept my hand on top of his, stroking little circles on his soft skin with my thumb. "Send him in," Hades growled.

"Now, Hades, please try to be nice him. He is a child of Athena, I know you have a reputation to uphold but try not to be too mean." Hades glanced at me from the corner of his eye and smiled a little as the door creaked open. A thin man in a white working class style of peplos. His sandals were worn and falling apart. He had a short, shaggy mass of grey hair and a weathered, but kind looking face. He strode calmly into the room towards our thrones. He carried with him an air of confidence, but unlike the first guest I had witness, Sisyphus, his was not an arrogant confidence, but the kind of confidence one acquires with frequent interactions with the Gods.

He stopped before us and bowed formally without any hesitation. "My Lord Hades. My Lady Persephone." He waited for Hades permission before he rose again. He looked both of us in the eye and didn't seem the least bit nervous. "I have a message I am to deliver upon my arrival here from my Mother, Lady Athena." He pulled out a small, silk wrapped package from a pocket of his peplos and unfolded it, revealing a small owl. He pressed a small, hidden button and the owl spoke with the voice of Athena.

"Lord Hades, I send my son to you because he has experienced much in his life. Like all mortals he has made enemies, friends, created wondrous things and done horrible things that he shows regret for, like any proper mortal. I entrust his final judgment to you because Minos, keeper of the final vote, holds a greatly biased opinion against Daedalus. Judge him fairly." And with that the owl closed its eyes and did not move.

Hades looked over at me. "My Queen," he said. "I believe it is time you make your first judgment of a soul." My eyes widened and I started to protest but Hades gently placed his hand over mine. He leaned in close, his warm breath brushing my cheek and whispered, "Take the gift I offer you and you will see his life. Judge him fairly and consider his role in mortal life." Hades winked and raised his left hand to his chest. He pulled a small glowing orb from seemingly nowhere and held it in his hand. The orb floated gently above his palm as he extended it to me.

I wasn't sure what it was but the look of confidence in Hades' eyes told me that it would be okay. I gently touched my finger to the orb. It was warm, pleasant. The orb dissolved at my touch and the soft light spread over my hand. Hades smiled and gestured to Daedalus, who still stood patiently at the foot of our thrones.

I stepped cautiously down from my throne and approached the man. He bowed again gently and said in a calm voice, "It is a great honor Lady Persephone, daughter of Lady Demeter. My name is Daedalus, son of Athena." I bowed back to him and then he extended his hand, palm up to me. I placed my glowing hand over his, going on instinct, his palm was warm and smooth beneath mine. Scenes from his life began to play before me as if on a screen. I saw the joy on his face as he created useful inventions that helped the people around him. I watched as Minos sought to destroy him and threw him and in son in jail. I was saddened by his grief, so strong that even in his memories it pierced my heart, for his son, who died while trying to escape Minos' prison. I was horrified when I saw him kill his own nephew but I also felt his grief for that action.

"You have lived a long life; you have experienced so many different things." I said, meetings his eyes, which were swirling grey orbs of knowledge, just like his mother's. "What would you wish of your Afterlife?"

"I would wish whatever you should bestow upon me. But if at all possible, I would like to see my son and nephew once more, to apologize for all the wrongs I have done by them."

I thought about things for a moment, and looked around the room. I knew that Hades' palace was in good shape, but whenever I went to visit Styx, or saw any of the fields I saw that the realm was in desperate need of updates and repairs.

"Daedalus, I have reviewed your actions carefully, and it is my decision that you will spend your days working in Hades. You will be in charge of repairing and updating the realm. Workers will be provided and will be yours to command, use them wisely. As for your son and nephew, you may visit them every weekend."

Daedalus' once calm, silver eyes lit up with excitement that he tried to hide. He bowed low. "Thank you, Lady Persephone. Thank you, Lord Hades." And then strode from the room, a little too quickly, as if he were afraid I would change my mind.

I rejoined Hades on our thrones. "So, how did I do?"

Hades kissed me, his lips soft and inviting. "You were wonderful. I think you're bringing some life back to this old place." He laughed a little.

I wanted to be back in his arms again, to feel the power that rested deep within his muscles, to have his breath brushing the back of my neck while he talked to me. I imagined his silky hair brushing my face when he leaned in to kiss me. The way his eyes glittered when he looked at me. I sighed. Oh Gods, I could spend hours getting lost in his eyes.

I guess I must have been daydreaming because Hades voice sounded far away. "Persephone," he was calling. "Persephone? Hello? Anyone home," he asked, his voice light with laughter.

I blinked a few times. "Yes, Hades?"

"You've been daydreaming for hours now. It's just about five o' clock. Do you need to go meet the girls?"

"Oh, I almost forgot about that. Thanks for reminding me." I kissed him before nearly jumping off my throne. I started across the floor and then glanced back. "You're sure you're okay with me spending the night with them?"

Hades had to pull himself out of his thoughts again. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, he seemed pretty worried about something. "Hm? Oh of course it's alright. I've spent years down here alone. Besides I have some work to do, still. Long, complicated, Lord-of-the-Underworld work." He paused. "Don't look at me like that, I'll be just fine. Have fun with my daughters."

"Alright," I said, somewhat reluctantly. "I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good night, agapo."

"Good night, my anthizo." I turned and started back towards my room when I paused again. "Hades?" He looked up again, his eyes gentle and curious. "I love you." I didn't know why I felt like I had to say it but something came over me in that moment, I felt as though this would be my last peaceful moment with Hades; but of course that couldn't be true, but something inside of me just couldn't let me walk away without telling him how I felt.

"I love you, too, Persephone. I love you more than anything and anyone I have ever known; I will never love another even a fraction as much as I love you." His eyes burned with a deep passion.

I blushed a little at his deep confessional and turned to hurry back to my room so that Styx wouldn't come after me. She was small but I had no doubt that she would be strong, especially if juicy details and secrets were on the line.

Sure enough when I cracked open my door and peeked inside I saw Styx staring back at me with wide blue-green eyes. Startled I jumped back.

"Welcome," Styx whispered eerily, reaching out and grabbing my wrists. She dragged me inside and shut the door. "Please sit down," she said in that same eerie voice.

"Please stop talking like that," I pleaded.

"Okay," she chirped.

I just stared at her. She was a strange little naiad that was one. "Shouldn't I get a cheerful welcome back? You want me to share my secrets with you, don't you?"

"Sorry!" Styx yelled. Then she threw herself at me, capturing me in a large embrace. "Welcome back, Persephone! I'm so glad you're home!" She smiled widely at me and I had to laugh.

"Hello, Persephone how was work today?" I finally noticed Calantha. She was sitting in a chair in the corner of my room; she had a book open in her lap and looked as though she had been here for a while.

"Hello, Calantha. Work was fine; I got to judge a soul today. His name was Daedalus, very nice man."

"Okay enough about that! Time for 'Relationship Jeopardy'!" Styx was dancing around excitedly, holding up a big poster with different categories and number values.

I stared at Styx, then at Calantha, who shrugged. "It was either this or let her spy on you and rifle through your things. I figured you would prefer this." I nodded. "I know it seems crazy, but she's always like this. I've learned its best to just play along until she gets distracted."

"The categories are: Nicknames, Did you say . . ., Gifts Galore, and Tell us a secret! So, which category would you like to start with? Pick your poison!"

I grimaced at Styx's choice of words but decided to go for what was probably the easiest category. "Nicknames for 100, please."

"Alright," Styx tore off the '100' sign and then read the question that was printed on the board. "Does he have a nickname for you?"

"Yes."

"Yay," She squealed. "Let's move onto the 200 point question! What's his nickname for you? What's your nickname for him?"

"Well Hades likes to call me his 'goddess' or 'anthizo' but I guess I just have one nickname for him. I call him my 'agapo.'"

"Next question: why were you wearing his peplos?" Styx grinned at me with a certain evil glint in her eyes.

Absently I wondered how a girl who had pink hair and always looked so adorable and innocent could be so horribly evil. I quickly dismissed the thought and tired to come up with a decent response.

"Well," I was drawing a blank. "It started at first when I didn't have anything else to wear, so I borrowed some of his clothes-"

"Why didn't you have anything to wear?"

"Well I was in his room, and I didn't have my dresser so I decided he wouldn't mind too much if I just-"

"Why were you in his room?"

"He had brought me back there the night before. And then that morning-"

"Whose idea was it to go back to his room?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Mine, I guess."

"Oh," Styx raised her pink eyebrows. "Looking for a little 'alone time' with Lord Hades, eh Persephone?" I blushed horribly. "I knew it!" Styx did a little victory dance for having discovered a big secret.

"Nothing happened," I assured her. "We just talked is all." I was desperately trying to figure out a way to stop Styx's dance. Luckily Calantha did it for me.

"Do you love him?" I looked over to see Calantha looking at me with soft, curious eyes. The red irises filled with a mix of emotions, fear, nervousness, and perhaps, hope?

"Yes," I said, meeting her eyes. "I love him more than anything in this world. He is the most precious thing to me in my life." I started to say something else but caught myself and kept quiet instead.

"Have you told him," Styx asked, dropping the game-show attitude, and thankfully her little dance, and adopting a more serious tone.

"Yes, I have actually. Very recently in fact. The other night when we were in the garden, I told him I loved him as I was falling asleep in his arms. That was the first time I had said it." There was a soft chorus of "aww" from the girls. "And then today, as I was leaving, I said it again. He said it back, without any hesitation."

The girls seemed satisfied with my response because for a while we sat in silence, absorbing all that had been said, and thinking, about everything and nothing in particular. Then Calantha broke the silence. "Persephone? What happens after you leave? And don't play dumb with us, we all know that sooner or later you're going to have to leave the Underworld and return to Olympus where you belong. What happens then; are you just going to abandon us? Pretend like we never existed and cut us out of your life?"

"Calantha don't say that. You know how much this whole experience means to me. You all have touched my heart in such a way that nothing, and I mean nothing, could ever make me forget you." Calantha still looked unsure; suddenly she looked years older, and so very lonely, curled up in her chair, alone in the corner. I went to her side and opened my arms to her. Slowly she stood and allowed me to wrap her in my embrace. I led her over to the bed and we sat down, her cradled in my arms, like a daughter. Styx came to sit by my side, my other daughter.

"We don't want you to leave, but we can't make you stay. We won't," Styx said her voice more solemn and sad than I had ever heard it. "I've heard what people say. If you go back to Olympus, your parents will never let you leave their sight, much less return here. And it's hardly like we could go live with you. This is our home."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you girls tonight," I said. "I need to know anything and everything you've ever heard, myth or fact, about staying in the Underworld. Anything and everything that comes to mind."

And so the girls told me everything they knew or had overheard about the Underworld, specifically about how the souls are bound to the land. For a while nothing useful came up, we started getting tired and desperate, a dangerous combination. And then Calantha said something that sparked a wild idea.

"I remember seeing an entrance ceremony once. The soul was judged and then they said that they would like to remain here, instead of indulging in one of their remaining lives, because every soul is granted three lives. Well they were shown to their final resting spot, it happened to be Elysion, and they were immediately given some food of the Underworld and told they would be forever bound to this land. Anyway then they,"

I interrupted, "Wait, they ate the food of the Underworld and became bound to this land?"

"Oh yeah," Styx said. "Since the realm of Hades is an enchanted realm they have a lot of specific rules. Since Lord Hades isn't exactly rich in magic he enchanted the soil here. Anyone who tastes of the fruit of the land, which is really the only food there is, everything comes from the land one way or the other, or if they drink of one of the rivers, which I don't advise, most of the rivers are cursed in some manner, then they are forever bound to this land and can never leave. Of course it's different for Gods but the more food you eat the stronger the bond to the land."

"So if I ate something from this land then I would have to return here! Even Father would have to agree to that!" Joy instantly infused my face. I turned to see that my companions were less than enthusiastic. "What's wrong?"

"If you eat too much, you cannot leave at all."

"But if you eat too little, the bond can be easily broken."

"Even if you overeat by just a single seed, the strain on you would be too strong. You physically could not exist outside of the Underworld."

"Then what do you suggest," I asked.

They exchanged glances. "I would say it's best to eat the seeds of a fruit," Styx said. "I was around when the Gods were making all the rules. I think I remember Hades eating twelve of something, and there was a lot of red and pink fruit present. I think each thing represented a month. Hades ate twelve of something and was forever bound to the land. But the pull on his body is weak enough that he can still return to Olympus for the solstices."

"Well that's certainly a good start. I'll have to work hard, however, if I'm going to get a fruit to bloom here in time. I have a feeling Hades is going to try and send me home soon."

We were silent for a moment and then we all started to talk again. This time about lighter subjects, and soon we were laughing and having fun; we played games and shared stories, just like a mortal sleepover. Before we knew it, it was late and we were all tired. Rather than send them wandering back to their rooms I let the girls sleep in my bed again.

At the end of the night I had Styx and Calantha curled up together in my bed, taking up most of the space but leaving enough room for me. I went over to one side and tucked Styx in first, gently kissing the top of her head.

"Goodnight Styx," I whispered. She mumbled something in her sleep and then smiled and whispered the name of a guy she had read about.

When she first tried to describe him all she had been able to say was 'Oh. My. Gods.' Even now she mumbled his name and then whispered, "So hot. Someone catch me!"

I chuckled quietly to myself and then moved on to tuck Calantha in. Unlike her friend she did not talk in her sleep and lay peacefully as I tucked her in and kissed her head. "Goodnight Calantha." I turned to shut off the light and found the door slightly ajar. I poked my head into the hallway and saw the slowly retreating form of Hades down the hall. I wondered how much he had seen and what it had looked like to him.

I closed the door and shut off the light before I turned back to the girls. Looking at them I realized what it must have looked like to Hades. I knew because it felt that same way to me. These weren't just some friends I had made while I was here in Hades; these were the girls who I was so close with that they had turned into my family. These were my daughters.