'Being a mother is learning about strengths you didn't know you had, and dealing with fears you didn't know existed.'

Linda Wooten

Aphrodite sighed in relief, as Hera was gone. She was saved.

For now.

She rested her head on her hand, her fingers gently caressing her now blond hair, she was not lying. Yes, she had a boyfriend who was going to turn twenty, and his gift was that she would be staying with him for one more day. No being pregnant.

Aphrodite's thoughts drifted, her heart clenched in fear. He was so similar to Percy. They both had otherworldly and perfect beauty that could charm anyone, Gods or mortal, Aphrodite shook her head no his powers were not increasing, but Aphrodite was sure he was getting more powerful every time she saw him, his aura glowed more brighter.

Somewhere in the back in her mind something triggered. Aphrodite took a deep breath, being stressed was not at all good for her skin.

Gods would notice her odd behavior if she did not go on attending dates, or being giddy. She did not want to attend any dates these few months.

She sighed again, it was past disappeared from the throne room, only to reappear in her palace, the loud click - clack of her high heels echoed in the corridor, as soon she reached her large room, she quietly and as quickly changed into her forest green night gown, put curls in her now auburn hair she then proceeded to put her favorite Olympic organic face mask on. For her last touch up, she put two slices of cucumber on her closed eyes.

She gently laid on her giant heart shaped bed and pulled her silk dark red sheets.

This is Elysium, was the last thought that crossed her mind, before she went into Morpheus realm.

Aphrodite's eyes snapped wide open when she heard her son's scream.

She immediately sat up, the slices of cucumber fell from her eyes and dropped on the floor, she tried to get up but the sheets wrapped her just like a butterfly trapped in her cocoon, with her godly strength she ripped the sheets she got from her bed, but she accidentally slipped on the slices on the floor.

She landed on her perfect face with a loud thud.

She hastily got up, conjured a robe over her and sprinted. She pushed the doors of her room and increased her speed. She was barefooted, she did not even noticed. Her eyes began to tear up. Her heart was in her throat.

Her hair flying, she had not cried for many years. Her son had never screamed.

Her mind drifted when she had set her gaze at him for the first time.

She was having a stroll in the park in the mortal world after her date, when her gaze settled at the wooden basket sitting on the bench, it was beautifully crafted from wood so being a goddess of beauty, she moved to closer to inspect it.

She exclaimed in surprise when she saw a white blanket. Nestled between the blankets was the most beautiful baby she had ever seen. The baby was porcelain skinned, he had a tough of brown hair on the head. She squealed in delight and surprise when the baby opened its eyes, they were a green emerald and forest green at the same time, the baby was a boy she knew the gender as being a goddess.

Her heart melted when he stretched an arm towards her, his fingers closing around her little finger. She hushed him and picks the baby in her arms and made herself comfortable in the bench.

She started cradling him in her arms, so he can sleep, but he was widely awake, she started making funny faces, it always made children laugh. But he looked at her with a confused expression his said, "is this woman cradling me is crazy?". Aphrodite gaped, babies loved her, men loved her, woman loved her, gods loved her. A mere babe was calling her crazy, her annoyed and furious expression didn't scared him. His perfect face, kept her from flinging him.

Aphrodite gave up and started humming a lullaby charm speak dripping from her voice, this trick worked his eyes closed as he fell into deep slumber.

She was sure this baby was a demigod by his aura, but the aura was unfamiliar then a minor god but the aura was also strong for being only few months old and he was intelligent, may be Roman one.

He may think her shallow. But she had made up Her mind she will keep him no matter what. He was special. And this perfection could only belong to her.

A word left her lips as she brushed his hair "Jayden." She said softly.

The palace was silent now.

"JAYDEN," she cried at top of her lungs. She could barely recognize her own voice instead of melodious, it was terrified one.

She stumbled over her gown, but she got up again. She could not loose him.

After millions of years she reached his room.

The doors flew apart.

She heard a scream, but it died down as soon as it started.

She saw no one in the room except her son, she sighed in relief but it was replaced by a panicked one, when she saw her son's forest and emerald green eyes, they were frightened.

He may have a nightmare, but never before he had a nightmare. These changes were too sudden.

She rushed to her son. Her arms wide open, before he could utter a word, she welcomed him in her warm, loving embrace and buried his head in her chest.

She stroked his beautiful silky brown hair. They were even better than hers. She ignored his struggles, but it took all her godly strength to keep him there. "It is alright baby." She gently cooed, "mum is here."

After few more minutes, which seemed like a few seconds to her, she let him go. And admired his handsome face, he was not hers he knew as she had told him few weeks before, he was fifteen now she will sent him to Camp half blood when he reaches sixteen. But he had suspected already that he was not her son.

"Jeez, mom you scared me."

"I scared you!YOU scared me." She huffed. For a minute she considered his statement, she conjured a mirror that was the size of a dining plate.

Her loud shrill scream would be hurt by whole Olympus, if her palace walls hadn't been sound proof, she doubted that they would have contained her voice.

She was a total mess.

Her hair was tangled like tree roots and had cucumber seeds in them, along with her face. Her eyeliner was ruined because of tears black smudges all over her eyes, the mask was destroyed and stick to her hair and skin and lips, her lipstick was smudged, the mask was dripping, she ran her fingers all over her face, she wanted to claw her face it was not hers. Her nails scratched her cheeks making it look even more uglier. She was sure her nightgown was ripped too.

She conjured a few creams and started to clean her face.

By the time she was finished, she had turned to ask Jayden that she looked perfect or not, he had already fallen sleep, his face covered by the blanket. She gritted her teeth angrily.

"Baby" he didn't move, "Jayden."A nerve twitched in her temple, "get up."She shook him. He fit up and rubbed his eyes little."Why did you scream?"

"Omph, Ihant anifbhdare."

Aphrodite gave him a look that immediately opened his eyes. "I had a nightmare," he said clearly. Aphrodite calmed, he must be reading to many horror books or practicing too hard.

Nothing to panic then.

She sat down on the edge of the bed. "Do you want me to sleep with you, honey? She knew the answer was no. He was sleeping alone since she took him, he liked to sleep alone. Even as a child he had never cried.

To her astonishment, at first, he looked like he was going to shook his head, but then he nodded.

Too many surprises today.

But She always wanted to sleep with her darling. She gently pushed him down and pulled sheets to his strong jaw. She proceeded to same with herself. He looked quite disturbed and didn't protest when she buried him on her chest. He was very private. She didn't want to make trouble for him by asking more questions. Her heart twisted, what if he started hating her, she would fight the world to keep him happy. No one was good as him, he was a god, better than Zeus. She would make him one, he may not be her husband, but her son. May be her husband could be Percy.

"Goodnight, honey."

A muffled voice came from under the blankets.

Her eyelids began to feel heavy. She was in the world where only her son and she existed.

Happy. Safe.

She closed her eyes relived. A small smile adorning her face.

Yes, gods often see her as a vain self-absorbed goddess that is obsessed with fame.

Let them think that, She was that, anything to keep her son with herself.

No one was going to destroy her perfect world.

At that time Aphrodite didn't knew that her world was already shattered after the day she decided to adopt the baby.

Jayden eyes were closed, but his mind was awake and was in the recent past.

Jayden was sleeping but as soon as he felt a foreign presence he woke up, the smell of jasmine and roses made him mentally frown, but kept his eyes close as the presence did not attacked, it was just standing in front of his sleeping form, watching him sleep. After some time, he felt and...

started caressing his cheek, it took all of his self control to not crush that hand. The hand was cool as soil on winters, as soft as newborn leaves.

After a while it did not stopped, it just slowed its pace. Unable to stop himself he opened his eyes.

He regretted not opening his eyes earlier.

It front of him was a woman who was kneeling, her face was beautiful and got some features that were similar to his, her hair brown and tangled like tree roots. Her dress woven from blades of grass, her skin as white as quartz. Her eyes... they swirled in green and black, as deep as the crust of the earth, and gave the impression of her being all-seeing.

Her hand stopped caressing, her lips stretched into a serene smile.

Jayden screamed.

He opened his eyes, she had than disappeared, he shifted so he could breath. Who was she? How had she entered his room? Why was she here?.

He shook his head and willed himself to sleep. It was a nightmare. It has to be a nightmare.

Her mother looked so similar to that women when she had charged in his room.

He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Unknown to the pair of sleeping son and mother. A pair of solid green eyes narrowed to slits. After some time the eyes closed.

And vanished with their owner.

Faqeera

Will be update soon.