To my reviewers:
Emily: Glad you liked .
CjMUIvR-01: Her dreams haven't gone away, she's just gotten used to them. I'm going to bring them back thought don't worry and I'm gonna be getting back into the Hades and Helen things.
LordLanceahlot: Glad you liked it too .
IheartRU!: Details like that would have turned it from a romance scene into pure smut, and that was the LAST thing I wanted. But I'm glad I conveyed it the way I intended! And thank you so much for your kind words D I want to be a novelist one day as a side-job so the kind of stuff that you said is very encouraging. .
Colorguard: Thanks . Please keep reading!
I was not sure how long we slept for, I was only aware that when I awoke I was still in Herc's arms. I shifted onto my side, wrapping my arms about him and hugging him close, taking care not to wake him. My night had been filled with nightmares, Zeus's voice screaming in my mind that Herc had simply mistaken lust for love. I hugged him tighter at this, wondering if my decision to lift our relationship to the next level had done naught but shatter it. I refused to cry or let my eyes water, simply forcing the dream to the back of my mind.
My tight squeezing must have been a little more than I had intended, for Herc awoke and looked at me earnestly.
"Meg? You okay." He asked drowsily. I smiled, not letting on that I had been plagued by nightmares again.
"I'm fine!" I said with a laugh, snuggling closer to him. I heard Herc hum with satisfaction, his hand running along my bare back sending chills down my spine. "What do you want to do today?" I offered.
"Hmm… I dunno, what about you?" He pulled me away slightly so we could look at each other.
"Lets go to the garden together. I always love that place" Despite everything that has happened there recently. A snide voice reminded me. "What do you say?"
"Sounds great to me." He answered softly, kissing me soundly. After we broke the kiss I slid to the edge of the bed and got up, finding myself something to wear and slipping it on. I turned around and Herc followed suit, but was having some trouble fastening his toga. I laughed and went to help him.
"There you go." I pat him on the chest. "What would ya' do without me." I smirked.
"Well I don't want to think about that." He said with a roll of his eyes.
"Too pathetic to think of." I said teasingly and began heading for the door, purposely walking somewhat slow with a smug grin pursing my lips.
"Hey!" He shouted after quite a delay. "And where are you going?" He asked, running up behind me and wrapping his arms around me.
"To get something to eat. I'm starving!" I replied.
"Me too." He replied. We walked into the kitchen to ask what Jason had planned for breakfast, and the group of us ate together in the den. Kemper, as always, got a plate as well and ate with us, and once in a while a startled shout was heard when Kemper would lick someone's foot to eat a piece of fallen food.
"So, have you two picked a date when you want to get married?" I asked, smiling happily.
"First day of winter." Jason replied, lacing his arm around Alex's shoulders, causing her to lean towards him and close her eyes, sighing happily for a moment before looking up at him and giving him a quick kiss.
"Oh! That's coming up soon!" Herc noticed.
"Yeah. But we want to keep it small, so there not as much planning involved. Besides, neither of us knows a lot of people outside our families." Jason explained. I talked with Alex about the wedding some more while Herc and Jason decided to plan a hunting trip as a bachelor party of sorts.
"Meg?" Herc asked, after Alex and Jason had left the room. "Do you uhh… wanna go for a walk in the garden?" he offered. "I'll make sure nothing happens, I promise." I laughed at the seriousness in his tone.
"Sure! Let's go!" I felt rather good that morning, despite my fears. Herc seemed relieved at this, and I gave him a short kiss before taking his hand and standing up. We walked to the garden, which wasn't far, and walked hand-in-hand, with my head leaned on his shoulder and his free hand loosely draped around me.
"Why why, if it ain't my favorite couple!" I knew that voice immediately and spun around so fast I nearly caused Herc to stumble.
"Hades!" The both of us snapped at once. "What the hell do you want now?" I hissed bitterly.
"Geese babe, I thought you would have figured it out by now! Guess not, I musta' over estimated you two! Okay babes, s'like this: Hercy here offered his life to save yours chickie-poo. Well he became all immortal so I couldn't kill him or take ya cause the deal wasn't breeched. Well, now that he ain't immortal the deal is valid again. I've given it a while for you two to figure it out! So I'm here to finish this deal, I ain't being cheated. And don't think 'bout making another deal I'm taking back my half of the bargain." Hades sneered, approaching us.
Herc pushed me back forcefully, causing me to stumble and fall. I looked up as he stood his ground against Hades.
"Damn it Hades! The deal was completed! You ca-" I was cut off as Hades moved past Herc and grabbed me by the throat in one swift motion. I clawed as his hands futilely.
"Meg!" Herc screamed, the sheer horror in his voice was enough to frighten me.
"You bastard Hades," I managed to choke, in a voice that was barely a whisper.
"Sorry nut-Meg." Hades said, as Herc threw punch after punch that merely phased through him. I began kicking, in some vain attempt to get Hades to drop me.
"Meg!" Herc screamed, as he grabbed me and tried to pull me, but Hades' grip was far too strong and he was unknowingly only strangling me faster.
"How does it feel Jerkules? To watch your future die before your eyes!" He hissed. Every thing at that point began to grow fuzzy as he tightened his fingers, I fleetingly gasped for breath. Hades and Herc became just blurred figures, and everything around us faded into blackness.
"H-herc…" I gasped, straining to even exhale.
"Meg! Meg no!" He screamed, trying over and over to free me, but despite his strength he could do nothing.
"Hades! You son of a bitch, drop her already." An unfamiliar voice screeched.
"Persephone?" I hit the ground hard at this point, and Herc gathered me into his arms. I coughed harshly and looked up as everything came slowly into focus.
"Hades what the hell!" Hades blanched, the first time I had ever seen him afraid.
"P-Persephone…" Hades stuttered.
"Stop fooling around with mortals, one of them Zeus's son!" She sounded exasperated.
"Meg? Meg are you okay!" Herc had been trying to talk to me and I shook my head slightly and looked at him.
"I'm fine." I choked. Herc was holding my tightly, and picked me up as he stood up and ran, leaving the arguing Hades and Persephone behind. "Herc I'm okay." My throat was sore, but other than that I was already feeling better. I was a tad shaky and I knew that if I tried to stand my legs would feel like gelatin but nothing serious.
When we arrived at the villa Herc placed me down on the bed and I sat up, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head against his chest.
"Gods Meg when will we be left alone…" He whispered, his voice cracking and as I looked at him I realized he was crying.
"Herc?" I asked, worried about him.
"Hades keeps trying to kill you, my father hates you, I'm always afraid when I leave I'll come home and…" He trailed off as a sob broke his voice.
"Herc don't worry so much. I can take care of myself." I replied with a playful nudge, trying to cheer him up.
"But what if that happens again? And now we know why Hades can get away with this! What he said was true, the deal was never finished…" He began crying again. I had never seem him cry like that before, all I could think of was to hug him tight.
"Herc I'm fine now. Don't worry." I tried to laugh, but I frowned as this brought him no comfort. "I'll be alright. I wonder what was with Persephone… but she saved me and Hades seemed to want to do what she said. So try not to worry and enjoy yourself alright?" I asked with a sly grin, placing my hand on his cheek.
"Its just… ever since that night I've seen you suffer so much with nightmares and multiple attempts to kill you. It just seems ridiculously unreal. I can't lost you!" He said, grasping my arms and shaking me slightly.
"You won't lose me!" I yelled, my hearting beating fast. "I promise you that!" I myself nearly started crying at that point. My whole life I had waited for my knight in shining armor to come and sweep me off my feet to live happily ever after. I found my shining knight, but it seemed happily ever after was not to come. Hades seemed to be winning with that.