I tear my gaze away from the constellations virtually coming alive in order to help Hades brace for the first time talking to his ex-love interest as everyone leaves, all except for Persephone. I meet her eyes, ready to help her out as I know this is hard for her, but she shakes her head. They have to do this on their own. All I can do is support them.

Both stay frozen, not even looking at each other. I want to jump in and ease the tension for them, but then I'm stunned at what I hear.

Hades sighs softly, looks up at Persephone and gives her a small smile.

"Hello Persephone." He says with kindness. I look at her expression to see her shocked, but then she smiles with this saddened type of happiness.

"Hello Hades." She says and at this moment, although I'm happy for the both of them, a small part of me wants to snap at them for their soft loving eyes. It's ridiculous, I know; why be jealous when there's nothing there.

But there is. They spent years together and although it was complete misery, I'm sure there were some good moments. I know those moments weren't as good as the ones Hades has had with me, but I guess I'm a little jealous at their history together.

Chalk it up to hormones.

"I hope things are going well." Hands says and Persephone smiles, content.

Am I supposed to just watch this?

"I am. Thank you." Persephone says and before she has the chance to say anything else, Hades jumps in.

"I forgive you for walking out." He says, stunning both Persephone and I. However, I no longer feel irritated that I have to silently watch them. Persephone scrunches up her nose a little and frowns. This is about to get entertaining.

"Are you going to make me sound like the one to blame for our past?" She asks and he replies with no shame.

"Yes." And she glares at him. "It's true. I saved you. I loved you. You walked out." He adds and she sighs with frustration, rolling her eyes. "I was mad and hurt. I get that you might have been hurt too for reasons I still can't fathom, but it's all forgiven. I have Leland." He concludes, like things are so simple now. She stares at him, unimpressed until he mentions me, then she seems to agree.

"Cute, but I hurt because I knew how much you cared about me and it made it look like I was really ungrateful." Persephone says, but he doesn't really seem to listen, as he looks at his hands, somewhat fascinated by the veins as he flexes his hands. "Are you even listening?" She asks and he shrugs his shoulders. She grunts and looks at me, as if to ask for help.

So, I put up my hands, reminding her that I'm not to help... remember?

"In all honesty, I'm fine. I can let it go and not cringe every time I see you, hear your name or think of you." He says and looks at her with genuine kindness. "We're good. All thanks to Leland." He says and they both look at me, smiles on their faces, although Persephone still seems ticked off that he bluntly said that she walked out.

"I'll agree to that." Persephone says and I know she's not mad at me for not helping her out with a juvenile Hades. She's cool.

"You're welcome." I say and I can tell Hades wants to get cozy and kiss, but isn't feeling comfortable with Persephone standing there. I think she sees it.

"Well, I'm glad we're good. Since you forgave me, I'll forgive you for being the miserable stone-cold God that you were back then. I'm glad to be part of the painting party. I thank you both. I'll see the two of you later." She says and gracefully walks back up to the Winter Solstice party. Hades eyes go to her for a moment, a slight frown at her words.

I laugh a little, getting his eyes back on me. He grins and as soon as we're alone, he moves in and resumes kissing me, making me laugh again.

Gone is my little case of jealousy, but I'm sure Hades knew because he's a little invigorated. As I was turned on with him being jealous, so was he, apparently.

The Winter Solstice was epic. The constellations blew my mind away and I don't think I can ever get tired of seeing them like that every year like Ares said I would. After the party, Hades had told me that he thought I'd be enchanted, hence why he didn't say anything. Most importantly, he told me that everyone enjoyed my reaction because they remember the first time they were just as enchanted as I had been, but they no longer felt so amazed. It's crazy. How can you not love that scenery?

Shortly after getting back to the Underworld, I started feeling a bit of discomfort here and there. I rested in bed and just had a gut feeling that Hades was right; I'm coming to the end of my pregnancy.

However, Underworld time being Underworld time, our painting party had arrived. It felt like I just got comfortable in bed before they were ready to repaint the baby rooms.

Hades is out in the hallway, supervising their artistic visions. I can hear the murmurs and I look over at the two hellhounds sitting by the door of our bedroom, listening, tilting their heads. Hades put them in here with me as to leave our guests alone. More like not freak them out. Not that the Gods are freaked out by hellhounds.

Uh, I'm bored.

At that moment, my babies tell me they're bored too as they kick my stomach like they're having a wrestling match.

"Hey, relax." I say, rubbing my stomach. "You're not kicking your way out of me." I add, rubbing until they stop kicking. Reyna glances over at me and turns away from Ghost. For a while the hellhounds haven't been around me as if they fear hurting me. Ridiculous, I know. Reyna sits by the bed, but won't let me scratch her head. Ridiculous.

I look at the door, hoping Hades will walk in, but I know he's watching everyone like a hawk. It's not that he's anti-social; it's this discomfort of being social with people in the one place where he's supposed to be the most comfortable.

Oh wait, that is being anti-social.

Reyna whines and at that moment, my bodily discomfort hits like a wave. This better not be Godly contractions, going into Godly labour. I don't want to deliver my kids with everyone painting just out on the other side of those doors. Reyna approaches and placed her muzzle on our bed, her strange eyes on me with excitement and concern.

Oh, fuck. Am I going into labour?

"Hades!" I shout and a few seconds later, he walks in as his usual self, but with a bit of worry, slamming the doors behind him. At that moment, as he approaches the bed, I feel fine. Maybe it's his presence helping to calm our children with his sexy short black hair, styled messy but classy, black dress shirt with rolled up sleeves tucked into black dress pants sitting on his hips, a stylish classic black belt and black leather shoes.

Fucking damn gorgeous.

"Since you're biting your lower lip, I'm guessing you're fine." He says, sitting on the bed next to me, a hand gently rubbing my stomach. I grin at him, a hand on his and the other combing through his hair.

"You're fine." I say with this stupid grin that makes him smirk.

"What was wrong?" He asks me and Reyna whines. He looks down at her and it seems he already knows. Hades looks back at me, worried. "Is it our children?" He asks and I sort of nod, getting serious.

"I think I'll be ready to go into labour pretty freakin' soon." I reply and the worry in his chilled blue eyes deepens. I know he's excited, but he's as nervous as I am. Neither of us really know what to expect.

"I'm here and you have your friends out there that I know would be more than willing to help." He says and I tilt my head, finding it sad that he referred to them as my friends rather than our friends. Maybe that's his way of saying they only like me. Maybe he kinda wishes they were his friends too. Or maybe he just doesn't have a need for friends, like me back in my old life.

My old life that isn't even that long ago. It's still there, up there, knowing I'm down here and waiting for me to pop back up some day. I wonder if my parents want me to visit. I haven't had contact with them for a while. They don't even know I'm ready to pop.

"Leland?" Hades asks and I realized that I had zoned out from anything he was saying. "Are you having contractions?" He asks me and I shrug my shoulders.

"Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I know what the Hell is going on with my body." I snap and he smirks. Damn I can't stay mad at him, even though that smirk infuriates me.

At that moment, there's a knock on the door and Hades glances over his shoulder with a sharp warning glare. I can sense it's Artemis, so I smack him, getting his attention. My frown is enough to tell him to stop getting all territorial and let her in. When she knocks again and he just stares defiantly at me, I sharpen my frown and point to the door. He gives up by getting up with a grunt, opening the door and stares down at Artemis.

"Well, can I come in or are you trying to scare me away?" She asks and I throw my pillow at Hades and he glances my way, his jaw clenched. "I think Leland wants you to invite me in." Artemis adds and he grunts, gesturing her to come in.

Artemis walks in with this fierce stature, but then she softens when she sees me in bed, my stomach the size of a mountain.

"How are you holding up?" She asks and I sigh. She smiles as if my sigh is all she needed. "The babes must be on their way." She says, sitting on the bed where Hades sat. Now he just looks grumpy, closing the door as if to discourage others from thinking they can visit me.

"I think they're getting ready." I say and she must know I'm nervous. She places her hands on mine and smiles softly.

"I'll be here if you need me." She says and grins. "I did help my mother to deliver my brother." She adds and it makes me smile.

"One day, someone is going to have to tell me what is the truth and what is the exaggeration in each myth. It's driving me a little crazy." I say with a slight laugh that makes her smile.

"We will. Plus, it'll be great stories for your children." Artemis says with a grin.

At that moment, that wave of discomfort hits and I grimace. She holds my hands tight and Hades approaches, worried. They watch as I go through the wave of pain, waiting it out. It isn't badly painful, but it's definitely annoying. Hades sits on the other side of the bed and being close to me eases the pain, making it fade. As I relax, Artemis looks at Hades with an inquisitive expression in her eyes.

"What?" Hades asks, recognizing the same thing that I did; Artemis is thinking.

"I know you'd want to be by Leland's side during the birth of your children, but now I see it's essential. Being by her side eases her pain." She says, which means only one thing and she says it before I do. "I'll deliver the babes." She adds and Hades wants to argue, but knows he can't be in two places at once. He knows it's more important to be supportive in my time of need.

"Is it nearly that time?" Hades asks and Artemis looks to me to answer that question. I'd say she believes so, but I'm just a pack of nerves, unable to focus. She squeezes my hands, her stare sharpened like a hunter. I calm down and focus.

Just like how I figured I'm having twins, I figure that the time to deliver my babies is soon.

"I think I'm delivering before the paint in the children rooms is dry." I say and she nods. I glance over at Hades who tries to hide his enthusiasm because of the worry on my face. I frown and he hides it better.

"You'll do perfectly fine, I'm sure." He says and I disregard his statement and look to Artemis. She smiles and taps my hands before getting up, pulling back my blankets and apparently getting things ready for me. I glance back at Hades who closes in and wraps an arm around me. "A mother is stronger than any fierce creature. A mother is brave and nothing gets in her way. A mother fears the worst and protects with all her being. You will be a wonderful mother and this won't be a problem for you." Hades whispers into my ear, his breath warm and moist. I can feel his lips by my ear, placing a very soft kiss, almost like he doesn't want Artemis seeing him being so loving.

I lean against him, totally touched by his encouragement. Both his arms wrap around me as if he is beginning to no longer care if Artemis sees how intimate we are together.

Artemis places at the end of our bed some towels and a small table with a pan of warm water. She has also placed some towels on our bed to protect our sheets. She has pretty much thought of everything.

Earlier, I was thinking of my parents, but now I'm thinking of my mother. I think I would like her here just for extra support. It's weird because I feel like I'm just freaking myself out. The Goddesses were telling me not to worry about pain, but it's not just the birth that makes me nervous. It's being a mother. It's raising these kids who are going to grow quickly out of infancy and childhood. I don't know how to raise Godly children. I don't know what they'll need. What the Hell am I going to do?

Hades tightens his arms around me, sensing my tension. We are both new to Godly parenthood. We are both nervous and unsure.

But there's no time to be nervous when the painful wave hits.

I'm delivering a little sooner than I anticipated.

I feel the muscles contracts in my body involuntarily, preparing to push out my children. I grip Hades' arms and I close my eyes, feeling my children move around, as if ready to slip and slide out of me. So not as funny as it sounds.

"You're not helping yourself, Leland. Relax and the birth will take care of itself." Artemis says, helping me to get into a better position to deliver my children. I open my eyes, a little stunned, but it's what I need to hear. She brings my gown up to my knees so only she sees what's going on down there. I appreciate the privacy, but nothing really eases the fact that Artemis stares at your cooch waiting for babies to pop out.

I brush it off and focus on what she had said. I had to relax and just let it happen; not hold onto my anxiety. I take a deep breath and exhale, sort of telling my kids that I'm ready and they better not kick me on the way out. Most importantly, don't make a fuss for Aunty Artemis.

Oh, can she be their God mother? Is there such a thing among Gods?

"Great, Leland. Stay relaxed. You're dilating." She says and I try not to stress out as I feel my kids deciding who should be born first.

Dear Gods.