Update: 18/1/2022

Chapter 2: Artemis Gets Very Sick: (1)

Artemis groans she felt terrible. She had been feeling off for weeks and now she could barely move. She knew she had been using too much power on making sure Apollo was safe. But she couldn't help it she HAD to keep him safe.

But now her head felt like it was split in too. She felt sick and had stomach pain. Her eyes were sensitive too light and she might have a temperature.

She felt the call of a Council meeting but she didn't care and couldn't move. She felt that bad. She was trying to sleep but nightmares plagued her mind.

"Artemis!" a voice calls through her Temple.

Artemis groans she wanted to tell the voice too go away but she really didn't have the energy.

"Artemis! What is wrong?" a voice asks near her.

Artemis opens her eyes wincing at the light. She sees Hermes looking at her worriedly.

"Go away", she says hoarsely coughing.

"I am getting Athena and Hestia!" Hermes declares flashing away to Artemis's painful moan.

Minutes later Artemis felt three presences near her.

"Artemis dear what is the matter?" Hestia asks.

"Leave me alone", Artemis coughs curling up in pain.

"Get Asclepius", Athena orders Hermes who nods and flashes away again.

Artemis flinches at the light.
"Please stop doing that", she rasps.

"Artemis can you tell us what is wrong?" Hestia asks softly trying to touch the Moon Goddess but something blocked her.

Suddenly Asclepius arrives with his bag with a winded Hermes in toe.

"What is wrong?" Asclepius asks.

"Artemis looks sick. She is flinching at light and coughing", Athena tells him.

"Ok I'll see what I can find out", Asclepius says going over to his Aunt but is pushed away by an invisible barrier, "What the heck?" he mutters, "I can't get too her"

Athena tries and she couldn't get past it either.

"I have never seen anything like this", Athena states frowning.

Artemis groans at all the noise as the pain worsen. She felt the need to throw up. Sadly she didn't have anything to throw up in so it went over the floor.

The others grimace.

Hestia waves her hand and cleans up the mess.

"Artemis what do you need?" Hestia asks gently to the sick Goddess.
"I want Apolly. Get me Apolly", Artemis whimpers starting to cry.

Everyone frowns who would she call…then it hit them. It had to be Apollo.

"He is not here at the moment. He will be a few more days", Athena tells her regrettably.

"Apolly. I want Apolly", Artemis cries as she was sick again.

"Aunt Artemis can you allow us to approach or just me I need to assess you", Asclepius asks his Aunt.

Artemis shakes her head whimpering as she curls up in misery.

"What do we do?" Hermes whispers.
"With that barrier we can't get anywhere near her", Asclepius states.

"What do we do then?" Athena asks.

"Just keep an eye on her and get Father here quickly", Asclepius advisers.

"Is that all we can do?" Hestia asks looking at the sick Moon Goddess worriedly.

"I am afraid so as I don't know what is wrong with her yet. Unless that barrier comes down we can't help her. Just try to get her to eat or at least drink too keep her fluids up", Asclepius tells them.

They all look at the sick Goddess and they hoped she would get better by herself. As with that barrier up they couldn't approach her.

They needed to get Apollo here.

And fast…

Two Weeks Later

It had been two weeks since they found out Artemis was sick and she was getting worse and they could do nothing to help her with that barrier up. Hecate told them that barrier was from Artemis herself and unless they can get her to drop it they can't help her.

Many Goddesses were trying to coax the sick Artemis to drop the barrier or eat or drink but it wasn't working. Hestia, Demeter, Athena and even Hera, Aphrodite and Persephone were trying their best. With Aphrodite even trying to charmspeak Artemis into dropping the barrier but it wasn't working.

Poseidon and the others were trying to get Zeus to stop Apollo's punishment and get him here to help Artemis fast. But Zeus was being stubborn even though he had seen the state his daughter was in.

But it looked like Apollo was coming back as he defeated Nero and has slayed the Python. He was currently on his way to Olympus with his friends.

The Council had gathered to greet them. Persephone and Hestia had volunteered to stay with Artemis.

Apollo looks around the Council room looking for his sister to find not only Hestia's seat empty but his sisters as well.

"Where is Arty?" Apollo asks worriedly.

"She is sick Apollo", Athena tells him.

"Sick?" Apollo asks frowning.

Zeus interrupts, "Apollo you have defeated the Triumvirate and the Python and have earnt your Godhood back"

"Thank you Father", Apollo says.

Zeus pointed his hands at Apollo and Apollo glowed gold as his powers flooded back to him. He felt complete again but yet different. After all the lessons he had learnt on this quest.

Apollo was trying to figure things out while the others got awarded. He heard Meg get partial immortality. But that didn't matter as he felt like someone needed him. Someone was calling out too his soul.

"Where is Arty?" Apollo asks/demands as he realises it was Artemis calling to him.

"She is very sick Apollo", Athena tells him.

"And this barrier prevents us from helping her", Hermes adds.

"We don't even know what she has!" Hera states.

Apollo's eyes widen at the mention of the barrier. He knew what it was.

"She keeps calling for 'Apolly' which we assume is you", Athena informs him.

"That is me", Apollo confirms, "She only calls me that when she is scared or sick"

"She has been sick for maybe 3 weeks. She keeps coughing and throwing up. And she hardly eats or drinks", Athena adds.

Apollo needed to get too her now.

"I'll meet you at her Temple I need to get supplies", Apollo tells them flashing to HIS Temple.

He picks up everything he could possibly need. Since she had been eating or drinking or so they said he might need to put an IV in which he grimaces at. Artemis hated needles. You would think an all powerful Goddess wouldn't be. But she was.

He grabbed as much nectar and ambrosia as he thought he might need and flashes too outside of Artemis's Temple.

He lets himself in and sees Athena, Hermes, Demeter, Hera, Aphrodite, Asclepius, Persephone and even Hestia there trying to smooth a whimpering Artemis who looked in worse shape than he thought with the silver barrier shimmering around her allowing none too pass.

"Everyone back up your scaring her", Apollo tells them as he starts too feel his sisters emotions.

"We NEED to get too her Dad. She is worsening", Asclepius replies.

"And I WILL get too her. Back. Off", Apollo growls his eyes glowing as he felt the need to protect his sister climbing.

They all nervously step back as they felt Apollo's power come over them and the way his eyes flashed made them shutter.

Apollo slowly approaches the barrier and raises his hand and his hand glows gold. As soon as he touches it his hand passes through it much too everyone's shock.

He slowly approaches his sick sister who was curled up on her couch barely conscious.

"Arty can you hear me Little Moon?" Apollo asks softly kneeling before her prone for.

Her silver eyes open. They were bloodshot and Apollo could see the pain in them.
"Hey Little One", Apollo says softly gently running his fingers through her hair.

She subconsciously leans into the touch.

"Apolly?" Artemis rasps hardly believing he was here.

Maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.

"I'm here and I'll get you well again. I need to check you over Arts", Apollo tells her softly.

Artemis whimpers but lets Apollo examine her as she trusted him even if he was a figment of her imagination. And she would ALWAYS trust him.

Apollo swears softly. Artemis wasn't good. She had started off being run down. Which had turned into pneumonia. She had a high temperature of 106. She was dehydrated. And he could tell she wasn't really with it.

"Ok Arty I'm going to have to but an IV of nectar and fluids into you", Apollo tells her with a resigned sigh.

Artemis whimpers hearing that.

"I won't hurt you Arty you know that", Apollo assures her getting everything out.

He sets up the IV and gets the needle. He gently picks up Artemis clammy hand and swears seeing she was so dehydrated her veins weren't showing properly.

"Please don't…", she rasps in tears.

"Easy Little Moon it is just me and this will make you feel better", Apollo assures her.

"Please…", she begs.

He gently talks too her trying to get her attention away from what he was going. He gently inserts the needle in and fixes it in place.

"Good girl", Apollo praises her.

Artemis still was in tears her eyes looked feverish.

"Lets get you cleaned up huh?" Apollo asks her gently.

Artemis weakly shakes her head and tries reaching for him. Apollo knew what she wanted. What she always did when she was scared or sick.

"Ok Little Moon a cuddle first to let those fluids work. THEN I get you cleaned up", Apollo compromises.

Apollo moves her into his arms wrapping the comforter around her. Holding her close to his chest. Running a hand soothingly through her hair.

"Sleep Sis. I'm here and will watch over you", Apollo promises.

Artemis curls into her brothers arms and drifts off into feverish sleep.

"How?" the group of watching Gods ask.

"How what?" Apollo asks continuing running his hand through his sisters matted hair.

"How did you get past the barrier first off all", Athena asks.

"Because I am her twin. The barrier is Artemis's defence for when she is vulnerable. And can't defend herself. Only I can get past it", Apollo explains.

"What about the IV?" Asclepius asks.

Apollo sighs, "Arty is scared off needles. Always has been. She gets worse in her weakened state. Sometimes I can't be as lucky as today"

There were still questions going through the others minds. But they decided it could wait for now. Everyone left Apollo too it but Athena, Hermes and Hestia. Who talked quietly too each other.

Apollo's senses suddenly caught the fact his sister temperature spiked.

He swore.

"Hermes! Fill up a bathtub with cold water and hurry!" Apollo orders.

Hermes doesn't question it but disappears to do what Apollo asked.
"What is wrong?" Hestia asks.

"Her temperature spiked to 109. I need too cool her down", Apollo replies cradling Artemis in his arms as he gets up, "Athena come with us with the IV pole and Hestia bring the nectar and ambrosia I have in my bag"

They move to do his orders. Apollo rushes Artemis too her bathroom where Hermes had filled the tub with cold water.
"Sorry Arty this is going to be uncomfortable", Apollo mutters.

He decides she couldn't go in the tub alone. So he climb in and puts her in his lap. Allowing the cool water to go over his sister. All but her head.

She whimpers and whines at the cold.

"Shh Arty this is for your own good", Apollo smooths her.

"Out. Out…", she mutters.

"Sorry Little One but your temperature is too high even for a God", Apollo replies.

"Apolly make it stop. I want out. Out", she whines crying.

Apollo kisses her forehead trying to ignore her pleas. He had always been weak too her pleas but he needed to be strong for her own good.

"I am sorry Little Moon but you NEED too cool off", Apollo replies.

Artemis cries she wanted out she felt both hot and cold.

"Hestia the ambrosia", Apollo orders.

Hestia quickly hands a square too Apollo.

"Arty eat this and we might be able to get you out of the tub quicker", Apollo coaxes her.

Apollo helps the weakened Artemis too eat a couple of squares of ambrosia. Using all his powers to coax her into eating them.

"Out now?" Artemis whimpers.

Apollo's hands glow gold and he winces her temperature was still high.
"A little longer Arty", Apollo tells her.

As he saw her tears he had an idea and became too sing in Artemis's ear. His singing seemed to smooth her.

Finally after another hour her temperature had come down enough for Apollo to approve her to get out of the bathtub. He was cold too. But that didn't matter.

"Lets get you dried and into a proper bed", Apollo murmurs softly to the drowsy Goddess.

He has her dried and in some clean clothes pretty fast and up her in her bed. But she refused to let go off him.

"Ok I can get the hint", Apollo says with a small chuckle

Artemis curls into his chest holding on tight. Apollo makes sure she doesn't dislodge the IV he didn't want to go through putting it in her again.

Apollo watches as she falls asleep and he prays too the Creators that it would be peaceful and that she would get better soon…

A week and a half went by and it had been good and bad. Bad as Artemis's temperature kept spiking forcing him to put her into a cold bath again. And that one of her feverish nightmares had made her dislodge the IV which he had to put back in much too her distress.

But he hadn't left her side once. And finally she began to get better but still clung to him. He found out a lot in her feverish state.

And he wanted to hurt himself when he realised Artemis had blamed herself for him getting banished and for not helping him. And she was afraid he hated her. He found out just how bad his getting banished three times hurt her.

He tried too smooth her and tell her it wouldn't happen again and that he could never hate her. But it her condition he realised she couldn't really comprehend it.

So he just stayed close and continued to comfort her till she was in the right mind for a talk…

Artemis winced as she came around.

What had happened?

Suddenly vague memories flooded through her mind off her being sick and Apollo coming and caring for her. She remembered not wanting to let him go.

"Welcome back Arty", a voice murmurs.

Artemis blinks opening her eyes too her brothers piercing blue eyes.

"Apolly", she mumbles.

"Your back with me?" Apollo asks softly.

She nods and looks around and grimaces seeing the IV in her hand.
"It's ok Little Moon we can remove it soon", Apollo promises.

"You have been here all this time?" she rasps her voice rough after so long being sick.

"I have", Apollo confirms.

Artemis felt warmth fill her as her brother confirmed he had been here the whole time.

"Hungry?" he asks her hearing her stomach rumble.

"Yes", Artemis replies.

Apollo smiles at her, "That's good. Hestia will make you some soup. But have some ambrosia first"

Artemis nods and follows his instructs and eats a few squares off the godly food. As she sees Hestia coming in with a bowl of soup.
"Feeling better?" she asks.

"Yes", Artemis replies.

Apollo helps her sit up leaning on his chest and lets her slowly eat the soup. He was pleased she was able to eat it and keep it down.

"I see you have your appetite back", Apollo chuckles.

Artemis nods and leans back still exhausted.

"I am glad your ok Arty", Apollo says softly kissing her head.

"Thank you for caring my Sun", Artemis whispers snuggling up too his chest.

Still allowing her brother too see her weak.

"Always"

"I love you", Artemis murmurs starting to fall into a relaxing sleep.

"I love you too. Always. And when your well we are going to talk about not letting yourself get this bad", Apollo scolds her.

Artemis hums as she falls asleep.

Apollo WAS going to have a talk to her about a lot of things. But at least she was now out of the woods. She would be fine maybe in a week or two.

But he wasn't going to leave herself till she was fully recovered.

And Artemis even asleep wouldn't have it any other way…

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