Updated: 29/1/2022

Chapter 16: Priorities and Comfort

Apollo had been back for three months, and he was starting to get back into the swing of things. Even though he hadn't gone back to his old ways. He wanted to make Jason proud as well as Meg who he still kept on visiting.

But one thing he had noticed was that Artemis had been unusually quiet in the Council meetings and had been actually avoiding him. Which he couldn't figure out why. As she was warm to him and joking with him when he regained consciousness.

But he was still trying to get himself back to normal he couldn't find time to figure out what was wrong with Artemis. Even through her behaviour was concerning.

He sighs there was just so much going on. His promise to Jason MUST be kept. He wanted to stay in contact with his kids. He especially wanted to keep in contact with Meg and help her out if she ever needed it. It was just a lot if he added Artemis into it.

But he didn't need to be concerned, did he?

But that was when the dreams start.

He sees Artemis begging their Father not to punish him and then beg to help him. Which she was denied.

Next was her sneakily sending help and her switching frequently between her two forms but also her older forms as well.

He saw her watching over him. Her hearing what he said about her abandoning him and not remembering clearly. The pain in her eyes made his heartbreak.

He saw her terror at times when he nearly got killed. And saw her scream when he plunged the arrow into his chest. He saw her giving him some of her strength to survive.

Then the nightmares that followed all those near-death experiences. He saw she got little sleep and kept waking up from nightmares about him dying or not forgiving her.

He saw his sister in a desperate situation.

But she was the one to pull him away from Chaos from joining the Python in fading from existence. Even though he saw he had his Godhood back he was in bad shape. She had pulled him free and flashed him to Olympus and nursing him back to health. Neglecting her health in favour off his. Using the Mist to cover her state up.

All these dreams came over a matter of days. And made him rethink his priorities. Yes, his promise to Jason, Meg and his children were important. But so was his sisters health. Both physical and mental. He was sure they would tell him to take care of his sister.

Which after the last dream he had to make his number one Priority. As she wasn't sleeping or eating. But she was pulling on her powers to cover herself. And it was wearing her down. Her anxiety was through the roof.

She needed him.

He had to be there for her like she had been silently with him for months.

Apollo decides tonight he would go too her and gentle but firmly get her to open up to him and provide comfort. If she let him. He would basically force her to accept his help.

He flashes too outside her Camp. Making as light as entrance as he could. The Camp was dead silent. All the Hunters being in their beds but one.

Thalia Grace.

"What are you doing here Apollo?" she asks.
"I am here to see my Sister and not you or any of the others are going to stop me", Apollo says boldly.

Thalia looks at him for a minute like she was reading him.

"You're here to help her", Thalia states.

"You know?" Apollo asks.

"ALL the Hunters are concerned for her welfare after all it is not like her to be so quiet or distracted. She nearly got pieced seriously by an arrow today!" Thalia tells him.

Apollo looks at Thalia in concern.
"It nicked her arm. She said she would clean it up. She went to her tent, and we haven't seen her for the rest of today", Thalia informs the worried Sun God.

"Then I better see her. Make sure we aren't disturbed", Apollo orders her.

"If you can help her, I will do whatever you want", Thalia declares.

"I will do my best", Apollo promises.

He starts to walk to his sisters tent. He hoped she would accept his help. As he gets to the door, he hears soft sobs and whimpers.

He opens the flap to see his sister on the floor crying into her knees. She was hugging them. The sight broke his heart.

Especially since she didn't seem to have sensed or heard his arrival.

Apollo goes over to where she was on the floor and slowly lowers himself to her side and puts out his arm and wraps it around her gently. Pulling her close to him.
"Shh Little Sis. I'm here. I'm ok. You're ok. I'm here", Apollo murmurs too her.

She shudders and Apollo was surprised she doesn't shrug or push him off straight away. He softly talks to her trying to get her to come back to the present. Her sobs start to lesson but her face stayed buried in her knees.

"Arty why didn't you come too me when I returned?" Apollo asks softly.

"Couldn't…", she whispers so faintly Apollo almost didn't catch it.

"Why?" Apollo asks gently.

She just shakes her head. He sighs.

"Arty please look at me? Or yell at me for calling you Arty and Little Sis", Apollo tells her.

She shudders.

"What is it Arty?" Apollo asks trying to coax her to talk.

"I didn't think I would hear you say those annoying nicknames again", Artemis whispers.

Apollo's heart constricts as he hears that. He needed to give her the comfort she needed. He gently coaxes her to lift her chin. His heart breaks seeing the dark circles under her eyes and the fact her eyes were red from crying pulled his heartstrings.

"Arty I will NEVER leave you. Your stuck with me for the rest of our long, long, long lives until we both fade", Apollo tells her firmly.

"But you were human and could di…", Artemis chokes on the end word.

"I would never let that happen. I hate seeing you suffer Sis", Apollo tells her.

"I keep seeing it. You're blaming me. You dying over and over again. You fa…fa…fading. Falling into Ch…Chaos…", Artemis cries.

Apollo pulls her into a tight comforting hug.

"Shh Arty I am here. Your brother is here safe and sound. YOU saved me. You were with me the whole time I was banished. You never left me. I DON'T blame you. I could NEVER. You're my twin and my other half. The times when we are forced apart make me feel like something was missing. It is you I am missing. I love you so much. You're the most important person in my life. And nothing in the world or Universe can change that Artemis. Never in a billion years. I swear on the River Styx, the Black Stone and the Creator", Apollo vows to her kissing her forehead swearing the biggest oath he could make.

Artemis buries her face in Apollo chest soaking up the comfort he was offering. She was too tired to keep up appearances. She just wanted the nightmares and the pain to stop.

Apollo holds her close making sure she was positioned just above his heart so she could hear his heart beating to convince her he was alive.

"I'm alive. I'm here. We're together again. You and me against the world", Apollo whispers repeatedly.

Apollo sees the ichor on her sleeve and moves one of his arms to take a look at it. He sees a nasty cut. That must be what Thalia told him.

"Let me heal this Arty", Apollo says softly.

She nods tiredly. She actually had forgotten about the cut altogether.

Apollo lets his powers flow through him and heal the cut so there wasn't even a scar there.

"Come on Arty time for us BOTH to have some much-deserved sleep", Apollo coaxes her.

She clutches his shirt tightly.

"Please stay", Artemis begs.

"Not going anywhere", Apollo promises and helps her up and to her bed.

He helps her in and lays down beside her and pulls her towards him.

"Sis tomorrow we start with getting you healthy again. You're my number one priority and so is your health", Apollo tells her gently.

Artemis nods tiredly she didn't want to argue with him. He had come to comfort her. When she thought she should be trying with him.

"How about we help each other? We each become the others number one priority and we become the others source of comfort?" Artemis suggests getting sleepily.

"I like that idea. Us together", Apollo confirms.

"Us together", Artemis confirms closing her eyes and snuggling into her brothers chest as he held her close.

"Love you Arty. My Big Sister. Always", Apollo says softly deciding to call her Big Sister just this once.

"I love you too and I may be your Big Sister. But need a Big Brother at the moment", Artemis replies starting to drift off.

"Well that you can get", Apollo says with a wide tired grin.

But she doesn't hear him she had drifted off into the most peaceful sleep she had, had in months. For the first time in a long time, she felt peace.

Apollo drifts off seconds later and also into the most peaceful sleep he had, had in months and for the first time in a while he felt like his and his sister's relationship was stronger than ever.

And nothing would change that.

As they were each other's top priorities.
And they were each other's source of comfort.

Always…

Author's Note: What do you think? Please Review:)