Updated: 18/1/2022

Chapter 3: Nightmares: (Artemis: 1)

Artemis bolts up right in her bed panting and tears falling down her face. When she slept all she could see was Apollo dying by Nero's hand. And that had happened over 3 months ago. Still she couldn't sleep even knowing he was a God again.

She didn't want to lose her brother. She didn't know if she could survive it. Now seeing him die again in her nightmares she couldn't take not seeing him. She hadn't wanted Apollo to see her weak. But maybe if she was quick he would never know she had seen him.

She quickly leaves a message for her hunters before flashing to Apollo's temple. She walks in and silently creeps up to his bedroom. She feels tears fall as she sees her brother in his bed sound sleep. But was he asleep or dead? Her mind wasn't thinking clearly. She started to tremble with soft sobs as she slipped down his wall and wrapped her arms around herself.

She just told herself she would collect herself then leave. He would never know she was here. That she was weak. But she couldn't shake the dream out of her mind.
She whimpered as her memory of the nightmares come back as she sobs. She wondered when her nightmare would end…

Apollo was dreaming he had been back to being a God for 3 months and he hadn't seen his sister once. He didn't know what was going on. He didn't know what to think. He dreamed of his sister and she looked different tired and distraught. She also look fragile. Which she should never be.

Suddenly he feels emotions of terror, agony, panic, pain and more terror. He bolts up right knowing they weren't HIS emotions. There was only one person it could be. But he hoped they weren't her emotions. The amount of terror in those emotions would drive someone insane.

He hears soft sobs looking up he sees a figure huddled in the corner of his room. The figure was trembling and he could hear sobs and whimpering. He knew who it was without seeing her face. He had known that presence since before his birth.

"Artemis?" Apollo asks softly.

She whimpers trembling. Apollo gets out of his bed and slowly approaches his distraught sister. He kneels down to her. Trying to see what was wrong. And why she felt so much terror.

"Arty?" Apollo asks gently, "What is wrong Sis?"

Artemis looks at him and Apollo saw her red rimmed eyes and she had tears falling fast. He could tell she was only half seeing him. Her mind was somewhere else.

"What do you see Arty?" Apollo asks softly.

"Your dead. I couldn't save you. I lost my protector. I lost my brother. I lost my best friend. I lost my big brother. I lost my other half. He's gone not coming back. He's not coming back. Gone. Dead...", Artemis stutters out crying.

Apollo was shocked she felt like that. She was trapped in those thoughts he would need to help her. He couldn't allow his sister to suffer. And the fact she said he was her big brother showed just how bad she was.

He gently picks up her hand and puts it over his heart.

"Feel that Arty? It is me your BIG Brother. Feel my heart beating Arty? I'm right here. I'm here in front of you. Come back to me Little Sister. I'm not going anywhere", Apollo coaxes.

Artemis clutches his shirt above his heart still whimpering and crying.

"You're here?" Artemis asks looking lost.

He hated that look on his sister. She should never look lost.

"I'm here I'm not going anywhere. I love you too much to lose you Sis", Apollo tells her softly.
"But I left you alone", Artemis whimpers.

"Shh you did what you could. I know you were always with me Arty. You always come through for me", Apollo tells her.

"You died", Artemis states whimpering.

Apollo holds her hand above his heart tightly.
"I never died Arty. I will never leave you. We're twins Artemis and nothing can break us apart. We're yin and yang", Apollo says gently.

"I lost you", Artemis states tears still falling.

Apollo now pulls Artemis into his arms. Wrapping them around her and pulling her close.

"You never did. And you never will. I'm here now. Everything will be alright", Apollo says soothingly.

Artemis sobs gripping onto him tightly. She puts her ear over his heart as she sobs into her brothers chest.

"We're the Archer Twins. We will ALWAYS be together", Apollo croons to her.
"But I have pushed you away", Artemis cries, "You died"

Apollo just rocks her back and forward saying words of comfort. He had never seen his sister so distraught. He wondered what triggered this. He puts a hand to her forehead and she was freezing. And she was not dressed in much to keep her warm.

"Bugger", he mutters worriedly.

He picked her up and carried her to his bed. He gets in and puts Artemis in his lap and wraps blankets around her cold figure.

"Arty can you tell me what bought this on?" Apollo asks gently kissing Artemis's forehead comfortingly.

"Nightmare", she stutters out.

"What was it about? Talking will help", Apollo coaxes gently running his fingers through her tangled hair.

"I saw you die. I watched you over your quest and in my nightmares I see how you almost die as actual dying", Artemis whispers trembling.

"Shh Sis. I didn't die Artemis", Apollo says gently.

"I am afraid I'll wake up and you…you won't be there", Artemis whimpers burying her face in her brothers chest he could feel her tears.

Apollo's heart clenches for his sister. He could feel terror radiating from every part of her. It must have been too much for her to stay away any longer.

Apollo kisses her forehead.

"I swear on the River Styx I won't leave you alone Arty. I swear I won't die or fade on you", Apollo swears to his sister.

"Promise?" Artemis asks sounding like a small child.

"Promise. You my little sis. I could never leave you", Apollo coos rocking her gently.

Artemis feels the warmth of her brother. She could hear his heartbeat. He was alright. He was alive. He was here. She hadn't lost him.

"Arty how long has it been since you have had a full nights sleep?" Apollo asks gently as he looked worriedly at his sister.

"Months", Artemis whispers.

"Months?" Apollo asks worriedly.

"I can't sleep. I see your death every time I close my eyes", Artemis reveals to him, "I am scared to sleep because of nightmares"

"Oh Arty I should have seen this", Apollo tells her ashamed he hadn't seen his sisters suffering.

"Not your fault", Artemis whispers.

"Why don't you go to sleep Arty? I'll protect you. If you start having a nightmare, I'll smooth you through it or wake you up", Apollo suggests gently.

"I can stay here?" she stutters out hopefully.

It hurt him that she didn't think he would let her stay here.

"Of course. I would never turn you away. Never. You can come to me anytime day or night and I'll help you", Apollo promises her.

"Really?" Artemis asks looking into the caring eyes of her brother.

"I swear on the River Styx", Apollo vows.

A rumble of thunder signals his oath.
"Thank you Big Brother", Artemis whispers snuggling into his chest.

Apollo's arms tighten around her. She had never called him Big Brother.

"Your my Little Sister you don't need to thank me", Apollo says softly.

"I love you brother", Artemis whispers honestly.

Apollo feels tears in his eyes. She hadn't said that to him ever.
"I love you too. Always. Now sleep I will watch over you. I will protect you", Apollo says gently.

He starts to hum a song and Artemis relaxes in his arms. He felt her drifting off to sleep. He continues to hold her. When she started whimpering he would gently hush her and hum a song again and she would relax.

She slept a long time. But he didn't care she obviously needed it. She looked a lot better when she awoke. He thought she would leave immediately but she didn't she just curled back up in his arms. Content to just be in his presence.

He promised himself that he would never leave her again. And he definably will make sure he wouldn't die on her. He knew it would break her.

He continued looking after her the next few nights. When she went back to her camp he didn't expect her to come to him again but she did. She would crawl into his bed and snuggle into his chest. He would feel her tears. And he knew she had, had another nightmare.

He would whisper words of comfort in her ear and tell her how much he loved her. That he would protect her. That he was alive. He would also either put her hand or her ear over his heart so she could either feel or hear his heart beating.

She would stay with him every night. She could actually sleep when she was with him. He kept his promise waking her up when she got too distressed. He wasn't even mad that she kept coming to him he just opened his arms for her to crawl into his bed.

She felt loved by her twin and was letting him help.

But she had to stay with her hunt for a few days and she couldn't get away. Her nightmares returned. She knew she needed Apollo. The Council was going to happen today and she couldn't wait for comfort till after.

What would she do?

Apollo was worried his sister hadn't been to see him is a week. He knew that Zeus had her hunting some monsters and she couldn't get away. So he was worried her nightmares would return. They had been getting better. But he was still worried for her.

He knew he would see her at the Council meeting. But he so desperately wanted to see her privately first. But that was not an option.

So here he was on his throne trying not to look worried as he waited for Artemis. Before everyone got there, he sees his sister come in. She looked tired and weary and jittery. He wanted so much to go to her side but he knew she wouldn't appreciate in front of the council.

But to his shock and those there. Artemis came to him and looked at him pleadingly and nervously. And slides into his lap. He immediately places his arms around her to keep her steady as she leaned back on him with her ear over his heart. A familiar position these days to them.

Everyone was looking at Artemis shocked she was showing weakness. But Apollo was more shocked.

"Are you alright?" he whispers to her in concern.

"I missed you", Artemis replies snuggling into his hold.

"I missed you too. Did you sleep?" Apollo asks softly.

"It is getting better. I just need you", Artemis replies pressing herself closer to his heart like she always did.

"You have me. Always Sis. Your NEVER getting rid of me. I love you. Your nightmares will get better", Apollo says softly, "I can promise you that"

"Thank you Brother. I love you too. You already make my nightmares better", Artemis tells him.

"Good", Apollo says kissing her forehead.

Everyone was looking at them shocked. Everyone was there now looking at the Archer Twins.

"You want to stay in my lap?" Apollo asks gently.

Artemis nods.

Everyone was shocked at how Artemis was acting. Only Hestia looked unconcerned with the twins suddenly show of affection. She was happy they were close again.

Apollo just raises his eyebrow at them in amusement.

"Why don't we start this meeting then?" Apollo asks amused.

"Ahh. Yes lets…", Zeus starts.

Artemis found she no longer cared what other people thought. And she didn't care how she looked. It just mattered her brother was always going to be there to chase the nightmares away. She was glad she went to Apollo those weeks ago. If Apollo hadn't woken and found her and talked to her about her nightmares and comforted her she would have probably gone insane.

Now she knew she could always count on her brother. And that he would never turn her away like now in the council meeting with her curled in his lap on his throne.

She was finally able to feel some peace. For the first time since the nightmares started she had hope that she would always have her twin, her brother, her other-half, her saviour, her protector by her side…Always…

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