Hades never explained exactly what had gone down between him and her father, which left Hebe curious and confused. She insisted upon Hades telling her, but he wouldn't say. Instead, he took her to what could only be described as a dungeon – as dark and dismal as the rest of the place – and locked her inside a small cell. The bars were made of human bones which had been blackened by fire and the lock was one of Hades' own making, held in place by a chain of dark smoke. Only he could unlock it.

"You won't get away with this," Hebe told him through the bars of her confinement. "My father will come for me." Hades merely smirked, as if he'd expected her to say that.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," he said and a cold shiver ran down Hebe's spine as she realized his sinister intent. This was a trap to catch her father. This was what Hades had planned all along. Shaking off her fear, Hebe put on a brave face and said, "He defeated you once. He will do it again."

His expression grim, Hades leaned forward and gripped the bars separating them with his long, spindly fingers. As he peered down at her through the gaps, Hebe's confidence suddenly vanished like the sun at dusk; he was darkness itself, snuffing out her light. Intimidated by his tall frame and intense gaze, Hebe retreated a couple steps and could only listen passively as he spoke to her with great conviction. "Not this time, he won't. I think you and I both know he would do just about anything to save his only daughter's life – including giving up his own."

So that was his plan. He wanted her father dead and Hebe couldn't deny that Hades spoke the truth: she knew her father would do anything to save her. Not just because he was a hero, but because he loved her. Tears started to well up in her eyes, but she kept them at bay. She refused to let Hades see her cry again. Raising her head defiantly, she glared up at him and hoped he could see how much she loathed him without having to say it out loud, for if she attempted to speak now, her voice would surely break. The look on his face told her he knew this, which only gave him more reason to gloat. "I'll let you know when he gets here," he said and stepped away from the bars. "Make yourself at home." And with a flourish, he was gone in a cloud of smoke.

It was only then that Hebe allowed herself to fall to her knees and weep, catching tears in her hands as she buried her face in them. The tears slipped through the cracks between her fingers and dripped onto the stone cold floor. "What have I done?" she said to herself in between sobs. "What have I done?"

Making their way to the river Styx, Hercules and Meg found Charon, the ferryman, and paid him a total of ten drachmas to take them to Hades. Easily bribed, Charon let them board his little ferry boat and took them where they so desperately wanted to go, no questions asked. Meg involuntarily shuddered as they glided across the dark water filled with the souls of the dead. She hated this place more than any other and it wasn't exactly comforting knowing she would one day return when she was no longer living. When Hercules died, he would go to the Elysian Fields, but she had no idea if she would be granted the same reward. Only heroes went to the Elysian Fields and she was just… well, ordinary.

Hercules could see the way her face creased with worry and took hold of her hand to give it a reassuring squeeze. "Hey, it's going to be all right," he spoke softly. "We'll get her back." Meg, however, was not so certain. What if Hades won this time? But she couldn't let Hercules catch her doubting.

"I know," she said. "I just don't like being here, that's all. It makes me think about… death. And… what comes after." Her eyes were filled with an unspoken and inevitable truth as they looked into his. Oh, how she adored those eyes; blue and bright like the ocean. But down here, where the sun did not shine, they were dull and bleak. Demigod though he was, even Hercules could not go unaffected by the Underworld which stole every bit of life it could find; telling those who entered to abandon all hope.

Hercules was afraid to fully realize what she was implying with those words and that look on her face. "What do you mean?" he asked and Meg sighed.

"Until death do us part, remember?" she said with a rueful smile. "That's where it all ends. We will never see each other again after that. You're a hero. You will go to the Elysian Fields and…" she shrugged, "I will most likely end up in the Asphodel Meadows. If I'm lucky."

"Maybe you won't," Hercules said. He was not prepared to abandon hope of at least the possibility of the two reuniting in the afterlife. "Maybe you'll be granted entrance to the Elysian Fields as well?" Meg let out a weak laugh and shook her head.

"I don't think so. I haven't done anything to deserve it." Hercules begged to differ and he needed Meg to understand that, to him, she deserved the sun, the moon, the heavens and all of its stars.

"You saved my life, remember?" he said, squeezing her hand tighter. "That's pretty heroic if you ask me."

"Or just crazy," she said and they both chuckled at the inside joke.

"Well, in case you don't…" Hercules went on, "I'm going to ask to be relocated to the Asphodel Meadows. Deal?" At last, she smiled.

"Deal."

The boat pulled up by Hades' grand abode and they made sure to thank Charon before they got off, which he seemed to appreciate, claiming that Hades never thanked him for his services. No surprises there, Meg thought, knowing Hades wasn't exactly the grateful type. They ran up the stairs as fast as they could and stormed through the doors leading into Hades' throne room. "Hades!" Hercules called out. "Show yourself!" The room was empty and quiet; the only sound was the echo of their own voices as they demanded Hades to come out and face them. At long last, he did, creeping out of the shadows like he was one of them himself.

"Well, if it isn't Megara and Hercules. To what do I owe this great pleasure?" He acted as if they were visiting him like old friends, but they wouldn't have it.

"Oh, stop it!" Meg snapped at him. "You know why we're here."

"Where is Hebe?!" Hercules asked and felt a sickening sense of Deja vu. He had been through the same thing once before, but this time he was more desperate. "Let her go now!" Unfazed by the hero's attempt to appear commanding, Hades merely rolled his eyes.

"Relax. I'll take you to her, all right? Follow me." He motioned for them to come with him and the couple hesitated, but only for a split second. They didn't trust Hades, but if they wanted to get their daughter back, they didn't really have a choice.

They followed him down a spiral staircase which led them to a different part of the Underworld. "Listen, why don't you stay here and I'll go get her for you?" Hades said, but didn't bother waiting for a reply before he wandered down an aisle and Hercules and Meg figured it was best to wait, even though it was killing them.

Hebe had stopped crying and was now sitting in the corner of the cell with her knees pulled up against her chest to keep herself warm. She shuddered every now and again and wished she had a blanket to wrap around her shoulders. The sudden appearance of a shadow on the floor made her start and when she looked up to see who it was, she was thoroughly disappointed to see it was only Hades. "What do you want?" she asked, disinterested.

"I said I would let you know when your father got here, didn't I?" he replied and Hebe looked up at him again, almost in disbelief.

"He's here?"

"Yup. And so is your mother."

"She is?" Knowing what Hades was planning, Hebe didn't know whether she should feel happy about it or not. The only thing she knew for sure was that she desperately wanted to see them. Hades gave an exasperated sigh.

"Yes, that's what I said. Now, are you coming or what?" He removed the lock and the cell door swung open, waiting for Hebe to leave. In one swift motion, she leaped to hear feet and started to break into a run, but Hades stopped her before she could even take one step outside her cell. "Not so fast, kiddo. You didn't think I was letting you go that easy, now did you?" He glanced down at her hands and feet and Hebe followed his gaze only to see that he had placed shackles around her wrists and ankles. Though they were nothing but smoke, they were very heavy and when she tried to break free, the shackles only tightened. "Yeah, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Hades said and received a scowl in return. "Just stay close to me and you'll be fine." He started walking and Hebe was tempted to stay right where she was just to defy him, but she soon found that the shackles forced her to follow Hades like a dog on a leash. He was making her bend to his will, because he could. Because she had given him permission to. Hades was right: she was just another gullible would-be hero.

They walked back down the aisle towards the spiral staircase and Hebe kept her eyes open for any sign of her parents. They were standing at the foot of the stairs, looking more anxious than she'd ever seen them. "Mom! Dad!" she exclaimed and their faces lit up at the sight of her.

"Hebe!" they both called back and rushed to meet her. Hebe tried to run to meet them halfway, but once again, the shackles prevented her from doing so and she winced in pain when they tightened around her ankles. Hercules and Meg immediately stopped as soon as they saw what was happening to their daughter.

"Hebe!" Meg gasped in fear. "Hebe, are you okay?" She knew what it was like to be in those shackles.

"I'm fine, mom," Hebe reassured, although the pained look on her face suggested otherwise. Hades stood behind her and placed his cold hands on her shoulders.

"I gotta say, you've raised one hell of a daughter," he said, speaking directly to her parents. "Why, she's got her father's daring courage and her mother's unparalleled beauty." He used one finger to lift Hebe's chin up and that was when Hercules had enough.

"Don't you dare touch her!" he yelled out in rage. "I don't care what kind of deal you made with her, just stay away from my daughter!" Hades did no such thing, but kept his hands firmly in place on Hebe's shoulders.

"Oh, so you know about our little deal?" he said, raising his brow in surprise. "Ain't it funny how history repeats itself? Like mother, like daughter." Hebe glanced up at Hades in confusion and saw that his gaze was fixed on her mother. Something was going on here. Something that was beyond her knowledge.

"What?" Hebe asked and looked to her mother for answers. "Mom, what is he talking about?"

Meg suddenly found herself at the center of attention and the question her daughter had posed gave her pause. She knew she would have to tell her sooner or later, though, and right now she wished it would have been sooner. Then maybe she could have prevented this. "I'm so sorry, Hebe," she said, eyes full of sympathy and regret. "I should have told you long ago. I once made a deal with Hades to save a man that I loved. I sold my soul to him." For some reason, she had expected her daughter to be angry that she'd kept it a secret, but Hebe was not angry. Instead, she returned the same amount of sympathy that her mother had just bestowed.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked in search of a reason.

"I was ashamed of my past," Meg explained. Ironically, she felt more ashamed of herself in this very moment than ever before. "I thought… I thought I was protecting you. But now I realize that I was only protecting myself." She had been selfish as well as foolish to keep it a secret. Hebe was her daughter and she deserved to know.

Hades, who had been listening to Meg's confession with little to no interest, was eager to move things along. "Well, you live and you learn. That's how it goes. The point is from now on, your sweet little daughter belongs to me and there's nothing you can do about it." He had no qualms rubbing it in their faces. In fact, he reveled in it. As he'd expected, though, Hercules was not giving up without a fight.

"We'll see about that," he countered, going in for an attack. Unfortunately, Hades was faster.

"Easy there, Wonderboy!"

With a snap of his fingers, Hades had transported the four of them to a place that was very familiar to Hercules who, in the middle of his run, came to a grinding halt once he realized where they were. "I wouldn't be so rash if I were you," Hades said and Hercules's eyes widened in fear.

"No," he whispered, shaking his head. Hades had taken them to the precipice above the vortex of souls. He was standing right by the edge with Hebe beside him, but not for long. The next thing she knew, Hebe was lifting off the floor and she was seized by panic as she found herself floating away from her parents. She tried to reach for them – tried to crawl her way back through the air – but an invisible force was pulling her back and she was sent to hover right over the vortex.

Hercules and Meg were forced to watch their daughter slip further and further away from them and they knew what would happen if she fell into the green waters below. Then there would be no getting her back. Hades remained completely apathetic as he mused aloud: "Now, I don't know if you remember this; correct me if I'm wrong, but… didn't we have a deal?" he said, speaking directly to Hercules. "Your life in exchange for Meg's, but still you walked out of here and threw me into the river of souls instead. But this time you're going to hold up your end of the bargain. That is, if you want your daughter to live."

Hercules watched his daughter struggle against her bonds, to no avail, and felt the fear she expressed in her eyes as though it were his own. "Dad?" she said, begging for his help, and how could he refuse? He was the only one who could save her now. Resolutely, he started to walk towards the edge of the precipice, but Meg caught him by the arm.

"Hercules!" Her eyes were pleading. She didn't want to lose him. Not like this.

Hercules grabbed hold of her small hands as though they were a fragile bird. He wished he didn't have to do this, but there was no other option. "Sometimes heroes are faced with difficult choices," he said, just as he'd told Hebe after the fire, then shook his head slowly. "But this isn't one of them." Placing a hand on her left cheek, he leaned down to kiss the other. "I love you, Meg." As the words left his lips, a tear rolled down her face, which he gently wiped away with his thumb. Turning his head, Hercules looked at Hebe and saw the pride and joy of his life – his greatest treasure. "I love you both. You're my two brave girls." Now it was his turn to shed a tear, but not of sadness, but of love. "You're my heroes. That's why I have to do this."

Meg gave a nod of understanding and reluctantly let him go. She had to accept that this was their only way out. Hercules had cheated death once before – he couldn't do it a second time, but his sacrifice would ensure their daughter's safety. Hercules walked up to the edge where Hades was waiting for him. "Do I have your word that Hebe and Meg will go free if I stay?" He had to make sure before he did anything else, or his sacrifice might be in vain.

"Yes, yes, they'll go free and I won't bother either of them ever again. You have my word on that," Hades promised. "Either way, I knew you would do the right thing," he said, smiling triumphantly. "Heroes are so predictable."

"And did you predict this?" a voice as loud as thunder echoed, making Hades' eyes grow wide in fear and shock. Hercules, on the other hand, welcomed their new company with a smile.

"Father!" he exclaimed as a wave of relief washed over him. Zeus had arrived to help them and he was accompanied by Phil and Pegasus. Pain and Panic were also with them, poking out from behind Pegasus's hind legs.

Hades rolled his eyes and groaned. "Ugh, I really hate these Deus Ex machina moments," he muttered to himself, then put on a grin and spread his arms in a welcoming gesture. "Zeusie! How are ya, big brother?" He moved to give Zeus a hug, but the king of the gods put a hand up in front of his face, forcing him to take a step back.

"Save it, Hades! Let my granddaughter go!" Hades turned his head to look at Hebe and then acted as if he didn't remember she was there in the first place.

"Oh, her! Hey, you want me to let her go? Fine…" It seemed as though he were about to give in, but it didn't take long before he reverted back to his sinister self. "I'll let her go."

He snapped his fingers and in the blink of an eye, Hebe was free of her chains and falling headfirst towards the water below, screaming. This was it. She was plummeting towards her death – of this, she was certain – and there was nothing she could do to stop it. So she closed her eyes hard, accepting her fate, and hoped that her parents would forgive her for what she'd done.

Time seemed to pass in slow motion, but eventually she hit something, although it wasn't the water. It wasn't wet and she could still breathe. Instead, it was hard and solid, yet soft at the same time and her hands instinctively grasped the familiar mane of hair to keep herself steady. She opened her eyes one at a time and found Pegasus looking back at her. "Thanks, buddy," she said, petting his neck, and he replied with a happy whinny, as if to say "you're welcome". Flapping his wings, he carried them back to the top where her family received her with a warm embrace. Meanwhile, Hades was having a hard time keeping his cool and he cursed himself for his own stupidity.

"Of course! How could I forget about the winged horse?" he said, hitting one palm against his forehead in frustration.

Hercules and Meg inquired about their daughter's wellbeing and Hebe assured them that she was fine. Meanwhile, Hades tried to sneak off and pretend as if he'd done nothing wrong. "Well, looks like everything turned out all right, then. No harm done. I'll just leave you guys to it and we can catch up some other time, kay?" Zeus was quick and yanked him by the shoulder to stop him from leaving.

"Not so fast, Hades. There's something I need to discuss with you." Hades knew exactly what Zeus wanted to discuss and he would do anything to avoid the subject.

"Is it about Persephone again? Please tell Demeter I meant no harm, but you've got to admit, she's a little overprotective."

"This is not about Persephone!" Zeus cut him off with a roar. "You broke your promise to never go near Hercules and his family, and for that, you must pay!"

Hades smiled knowingly. "Right. See, that's where you're wrong. I never went near any of them," he said, gesturing first to himself and then to the family in question. "It was your granddaughter who came to me." None of them would be able to argue with that.

"Except when you took her with you to the Underworld," Zeus countered and Hades conceded with a nod.

"True, but by then she'd signed this contract…" He procured the scroll out of thin air and practically shoved it in his brother's face, "… giving up her autonomy and giving herself to me." Zeus batted the scroll away from his face.

"But there is more, isn't there? It's come to my attention that your two little minions are responsible for starting that fire – at the behest of you."

There was a short pause where Hades tried his hardest not to give himself away by bursting into raging flames, but he did steal a disapproving glance at Pain and Panic who cowered beneath his stare. Zeus must have made them reveal everything they knew about his deal with Hebe. "What?" Hades said with feigned shock and disbelief. "Come on, why would I do such a thing?" After all, Zeus had no reason to trust two insignificant imps who were basically made to deceive people. But there was one person he would trust who also happened to know the truth.

"It's true!" Hebe said. "He admitted it to me just before." Hades shot her a sideways glance.

"Shut up, you little brat," he muttered, even though he only had himself to blame for telling her the truth. If he'd kept quiet, maybe the odds would still be in his favor. Wearing a grim expression, Zeus turned to face him once more.

"Hades, you know the rules: as Lord of the Underworld, you are forbidden from interfering with the course of nature. You cannot take a mortal life for your own personal gain. Therefore, this contract…" He took it from Hades' grasp and ripped it in half, "… is not binding. You thought you could get away easily through a loophole, but not this time." Hades was busted, but worse than that… he was done for. "You leave me no choice, Hades. I hereby banish you to the depths of Tartarus… for all eternity."

Eternity was a long time, but it was nothing more than what he deserved – what he had agreed to. Hades was prepared to accept defeat, but surprisingly, there was someone who decided to vouch for him despite everything he'd done. Hebe took a step forward. "No, wait!" she said and everyone turned their heads in shock. "Please don't banish him."

"But Hebe…" Zeus was beyond confused. "He deceived and used you!"

"I know," she nodded. "But I'm willing to give him another chance." She looked at the god in question, who was just as confused as the rest, if not more so. "You're right, Hades. I'm just another gullible hero. But I'm also a forgiving one." She turned back to her grandfather. "Think about it. If you banish him, you have to find another god who's willing to replace him and…" She paused to glance around the dreary space, "… live here. No offense," she added, to which Hades responded, "None taken."

Hercules and Meg looked at one another and wondered if they were dreaming, but continued to listen to their daughter's wise words. "It's tough running the Underworld twenty-four-seven," Hebe said and actually felt a bit of sympathy for Hades. Come to think of it, she would probably be bitter too, if she was forced to do his job. "I suggest you give him some time off every now and then. He works so hard."

"Finally!" Hades exclaimed, happy to get some recognition for once. "Someone who appreciates my work!"

Hebe grabbed hold of Zeus's arm and gave him a pleading look. "Please, grandfather." She could tell how conflicted he was, but ultimately, he realized he had no choice but to yield.

"Oh, how can I say no? Very well," he said. "You're free to go this time, Hades. But this is your last chance and if you don't keep yourself in check, you know what I will do."

"Fair enough," Hades replied with a shrug.

"You can thank me later," Hebe told him and she unexpectedly received a small smile in return.

"Sure, kid. I guess you're not so bad after all."

No one else knew quite what to say, which resulted in an awkward farewell. "Well then…" Hercules said and placed his hands on Hebe's shoulders to lead her away from Hades, "… I guess we'll be leaving now." He couldn't wait to get back aboveground. The rest followed his lead, including Pain and Panic who were trying to escape the punishment they knew awaited them for spilling the beans. Unfortunately, Hades caught them by their tails.

"Not. So. Fast," he said once the heroes were gone. "Give me one excuse as to why I shouldn't reduce you both to ash?" He procured a fire ball in his free hand to match his now red and yellow hair and his little henchmen begged for mercy.

"We're sorry!" they said, bursting into tears. "Please forgive us! We'll never disappoint you again!" Hades merely rolled his eyes. They were pathetic and he would be stuck with them for the rest of his miserable days. He couldn't wait to get some of that time off.

Upon leaving the Underworld, Hebe was greeted and dazzled by the sun, which had thankfully not set. It warmed her cold skin and she closed her eyes to take it in fully, breathing in the sweet spring air. She had been afraid she would never get to see the sun again or smell the sweet scents of the earth and the sea, but now it was like she was experiencing it all for the first time – like she had been reborn. Rebirth was a good thing: it was synonymous with growth and change – both of which were things Hebe considered herself to have gone through these past few days. Hero rule number eighteen said that you needed to learn from your mistakes and boy, had she learned from hers!

Opening her eyes, Hebe turned to face her parents. "I suppose I owe you an apology. I was only trying to do the right thing, but I had no idea what I was getting myself into." Hercules and Meg understood her perfectly and told her that she owed them nothing whatsoever. Meg pulled her in for a hug and cradled her as if she were a baby once more.

"If there's anyone who should apologize, it's me. I'm really sorry, Hebe. I was selfish to keep the truth from you. If I hadn't, none of this would have happened."

"It's okay," Hebe said, hugging her mother back. "I forgive you." Pulling apart, they laughed at the fact that they both had tears in their eyes and Meg dried the ones on her daughter's face before tending to her own. Those who watched the emotional scene were also moved to tears, including Pegasus, animal though he was.

Hercules placed a hand on Hebe's shoulder. "I know you said you wanted to train to become a hero… But I don't think you need it. The truth is you don't need to beat up monsters or save the world to be a hero." He paused to look at his own father and Zeus, knowing where his son was going with this, gave him a smile of approval, encouraging Hercules to continue. "A true hero's strength comes from his – or her – heart. And your heart is one of the strongest I know. I'm proud of you, cherry blossom."

"We all are," Zeus concurred and then quickly changed the subject to a more urgent matter. "Now, let's get you back on that stage. They're waiting for you." Hebe raised her brow in surprise.

"They are? I thought they went on without me."

"Not on my watch. I called for some backup," Zeus winked at her. He had it all under control.

Backstage, Alexa, Alcmene and Amphitryon were anxiously awaiting Hebe's return. Thirty minutes had almost passed. If she didn't show up now, it was game over. Meanwhile, Serafina did everything in her power to get on with the show, trying to convince Ms. Penelope that Hebe wouldn't come back. Ms. Penelope stayed true to her word nonetheless, but now that there was only a couple more minutes to go, she was starting to think maybe Serafina was right.

Hermes and the Muses finished playing yet another song and it was with a heavy heart that Ms. Penelope prepared herself to tell them that the time was up. It was just in that moment that Hebe came running up behind them, followed by her family. "I'm here! Ms. Penelope, I'm here!" she announced and her teacher's face lit up with joy.

"Hebe! You came back! Are you all right, dear?"

"I'm okay now," she said and proceeded to hug Alexa and her grandparents, who were also thrilled to see her. The same could not be said for Serafina.

"Oh, come on!" she exclaimed. "The time was up! Are you really going to let her perform?"

"You bet I am," Ms. Penelope told her firmly. "And if you're against it, you could leave, young lady." After that, Serafina didn't dare speak another word. Ms. Penelope clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "All right, places everyone! We're good to go!"

Knowing that their presence backstage was no longer wanted, Hebe's family wished her good luck before they left to reclaim their seats. The girls moved into position while Ms. Penelope went in front of the curtain to reintroduce them to the audience. Alexa grabbed hold of Hebe's hand. "I'm so glad you're okay," she said, smiling.

"Me too," Hebe answered, reciprocating the smile. They heard Ms. Penelope's voice on the other side, followed by a round of applause. The curtain rose, the music started and as soon as she started to dance, Hebe was home.

After the girls had finished their performance and received a standing ovation, the moment they had all been waiting for arrived. The representative from the Athenian Academy of Performing Arts made her way to the stage, scholarship in hand. The anticipation was palpable, as if you could touch it with your bare fingers. Hebe and Alexa were holding each other's hands so tightly that they nearly stopped their own blood flow.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the representative spoke. "I hope you enjoyed this recital as much as I did. Thank you, girls, for a wonderful performance. You were all outstanding. However, there is one of you who shone a little brighter than the rest. Someone with great talent, skill, passion and dedication – everything that we at the AAPA are looking for in a new student. That said, it is my great pleasure to present to you this year's winner of the AAPA scholarship, and the scholarship goes to…" The pause was unbearable and the only thing Hebe could hear was the loud beating of her own heart. The sound drowned out all the rest and so she didn't hear when the representative spoke her name. It was up to Alexa to nudge her shoulder and shake some life into her. When Hebe looked up from the stage floor, she saw her family standing up and cheering for her and Alexa pushed her towards the center of the stage to receive the scholarship.

The representative handed over the scholarship and Hebe took it into her trembling hands. She was still trying to grasp what was going on. Was this real or was it just a dream? "Congratulations, Hebe," the representative said and clapped her hands, letting Hebe take the center stage alone. Everywhere she looked, people were clapping; her family, Alexa and the other girls – even Serafina, albeit with less enthusiasm. The applause eventually faded and Hebe realized she was expected to make a speech. She looked out over the crowd.

"Wow, um… thank you so much," she said, turning to the representative. "I don't know what to say. To receive this scholarship is what I've always dreamed of and it's truly an honor." She meant every word of it. She had reached her goal. And yet… "But I can't accept it."

There was a unified gasp from the audience and she was met by several confused glances, including from her parents. "No?" the representative gently asked. "Why ever not?"

"Dancing is my greatest passion in life," Hebe said and paused for a moment to look to her right where a very important person was standing. "But if I can't dance with my best friend, then I don't want to dance at all." There was no hint of sadness in her voice as she renounced her right to the scholarship. There was only joy, because her dream would mean nothing if Alexa couldn't be there to share it. The girls smiled at one another (Alexa with tears in her eyes) and made a silent pact: nothing was ever going to tear them apart.

Hebe handed the scholarship back to the representative who was evidently moved by it all. "Very well," she said. "As you wish." Serafina took the opportunity to make a move.

"Does that mean you'll give it to someone else?" she asked, looking at the scholarship she so coveted.

"You know what?" the representative held the scholarship close to her chest, as if she were afraid Serafina would make a grab for it, "I think I'll hold on to this for another year." With that, she left the stage and Serafina looked as though she'd just been insulted.

"Tough luck, Serafina," Alexa said, although she didn't feel particularly sorry for her. Serafina's cheeks flushed red with anger.

"Oh, just shut it! It's not fair! This was my best performance yet!" Hebe knew Serafina was hardly expecting it, which was why she wasn't surprised when the sulking girl flinched at her touch.

"Sometimes we lose even though we do our best," she said, passing on her father's wise words. "Don't worry. There's always next year." Serafina shook herself free from Hebe's comforting hand.

"Save it, Hebe. You're so weird, you know that? Some of us would kill to get that scholarship and you turned it down!" Hebe merely shrugged.

"I guess I realized there are more important things in life. Things that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world." Her hand instinctively found Alexa's and their fingers intertwined and she knew she had made the right decision. Serafina, unable to understand, simply rolled her eyes and left the stage like all the rest.

The audience was leaving too, but some family members remained to congratulate their daughters, granddaughters, nieces and cousins on a great performance. Hebe's family was right below the stage to receive her with hugs and kisses aplenty. The warmest hug and the softest kiss she received from her father, along with a look of great devotion and admiration. Fifteen years ago, Hercules had made a similar decision; renouncing godhood in favor of a life with someone he loved. Now he saw himself in his daughter, feeling prouder than ever before. "Well done, hero," he said and received a warm hug in return.

"Thanks, dad. I love you."

"I love you too, cherry blossom."

That was the day the Muses proclaimed a new hero; one whose memory would live on shining bright amongst the stars, and her name was Hebe.

THE END

A/N: And they all lived happily ever after... probably ;) Well, my friends, that was the end of this story. Thank you so much to anyone who's reviewed, liked, followed or even just read this story! It's been a dream of mine for some years now to write a proper sequel for Hercules and now I finally have. I certainly hope you enjoyed it and that the ending was satisfying :)

See you next time!

- QuinnOfConeyIsland