I see you in everything

Percy walked through Olympus. It was before the awards celebration, and a majority of the demigods were walking around Olympus, either talking with their Godly parent, or enjoying the feasts.

But if there was thing that captivated Percy, it was the gardens on Olympus. Only a few of the Gods actually tended the garden, only a few nature nymphs and naiads here or there, but it reminded him of Central Park, which ironically was only a short walk away from the Empire State building, which happened to be where Olympus was.

But the gardens there were stunning, and they reminded him a little of her.

The roses stood at attention, an osiria rose in bloom. It's duality of red and white reminded him about her dual personality, aloof and guarded one minute, and then in the next cracking jokes and a master of sarcasm.

The anemones were beautiful, a poetic mention of the sacrifice that Artemis made of him so that her Huntresses would still have some place to call home.

The lilies taunted him, reminding him that she was a virgin Goddess, And that he would never have a home with her.

But the amaryllis reminded him of her splendid beauty. Her yellow-silver eyes that sparkled like the moon, her luscious auburn hair that she typically held in a ponytail, but when down cascaded like a waterfall of red. Her smile that blinded him like the sun, and her infectious laugh that drew his heart ot her.

The trees around held the promise of the forest, the woods, of her sacred home in the wilderness.

It was almost as though she was talking to him through the gardens; that she was qall around him even if she wasn't actually there.

Thunder peeled overhead, and a shower started. He didn't know that it could storm on Olympus, but even the lightning reminded him of her. Fast, devastating, a force of nature. As quickly there as she was gone.

But the rain also took on her personality in the form of her tumultuous personality. Calm and gentle one moment, like when she was trying to show him how to properly use the bow and arrow. And then in the next moment, she would rage and pour when it came to people misusing their power; when men took advantage of drunk women, when her father forced her into situations that she didn't want to be in.

But even for the fact that she was like a storm, he never wanted to stop thinking about her.

In the air around him, a breeze chilled the air, causing him to look up at the moon far above. It was only a waxing crescent, but that didn't diminish its beauty, kind of like Artemis herself. Even if she wasn't perfect all of the time, didn't that just add to her humanity?

It wasn't as though she boasted (often) about her achievements and prowess, and Percy himself never felt as though she was anything less than a normal person, regardless of her godly status.

"Artemis, you're going to need to get up soon, my legs are going to fall asleep!" Percy joked as he stroked her hair.

"Five more minutes, pillow boy!" She said, snuggling into his lap. He smiled down at her and laughed.

"Alright, five more minutes, but after that i'm going to grab that earth destroying bow you have and aim it at the moon."

She turned to him and stuck out her tongue. "You'd have to aim it first, and even if you managed that, we both know that you'd end up hitting the ground beneath yourself. Try a better threat next time."

They stayed like that until the end of the night.

Percy's heart quickened a beat at the memory, and he let out a deep sigh.

"If only you could be with me, right here and now." silence settled around him. The nymphs had long since left, and he was left to himself in the garden.

"I guess you thought that i would leave you? Silly boy."

He gasped, the voice on the wind catching his senses as though it were spoken from the lips of an angel. He turned this way and that, but she was nowhere to be seen.

"As long as i'm not actually having a conversation with you, i suppose that it wouldn't register that you're talking to me, wouldn't it?

A couple of minutes is what he said, of you talking in my presence is what would alarm him that you were conversing with me. But if i'm the only one talking, then it would hardly let him know, right?"

That was his silver beauty, incredibly intelligent, maybe not as wise or creative as her sister, but still as xyresic as ever.

"Thank you for the compliment, you're very kind."

He looked back towards the moon. Of course that she would have her eye on him from her chariot. It had been a long time since she had done so, since before the battle against Kronos, although their relationship had been blooming then.

"I'm going to make this short, but i need you to go to Apollo before the awards ceremony. I can't officially tell you anything, but i need you to trust me. Just ask yourself; if the stars say that you can't be with me, are you going to obey?

"I must go now, but please talk to him, the ceremony will begin in a half an hour, and you have to talk with him before then. I-"

Her voice cut out, perhaps her father had actually heard their conversation. But she wouldn't have urged him to talk to her brother unless it was urgent.

He had seen the God of the sun hanging out near the feast, clearly looking to enjoy the festivities, and began a fast walk towards where the God was, but not before grabbing some laurels and hyacinths from the garden, it would be better to have some ammunition when dealing with the God.

Apollo was drinking, but it was clear that the alcohol wasn't effecting him as much as the demigods around him, a testament to his godly resilience.

"Ah, Percy, just the boy i wanted to see! I was about to go on a walk, won't you join me?"

It was clear, both by the tone in his voice and the squint in his eyes that he didn't want to be denied, which was fine, since Percy needed to talk to him anyways.

They took off, and soon were walking by the gardens that Percy had started in, though they quickly passed them by.

"So, i'm going to need you to do me a solid. I'm kind of in a tight spot since i gave you and your friends the way to the physician's cure, so Zeus is going to, well let's say that i won't be in any position of power for a while, which let's be real here, you really don't want.

"I've got something to say first though, and it's that there will be no help in your predicament. My hands are tied. If you so much as speak a couple of sentences to my sister, i have to kill you. Plague is a nasty way to die. It's too bad that you can't kill gods with Plagues, ichor destroys viruses the instant it enters the bloodstream.

"Anyways, if you help me out a little bit, maybe divert the blame off of me, then i might be able to help out in some small way. Can't really take sides you know, but the ancient laws say that i have to pay my debts to mortals as i see fit, so really it's a win win for both of us."

Apollo turned towards Percy.

"Alright, thanks for hearing me out. If you speak up on my behalf when the opportunity arises, i'll help you out when it comes around to you."

He made to leave, but Percy spoke up.

"I'll help you, but make no mistake,"

The God looked at the mortal and saw the determination in his eyes.

"I will find a way around death. I may not have the physician's cure, but i won't lose. Even if i have to be reborn a hundred, no even if i have to be reborn a million times, i won't give up hope. As surely as i know that i love Artemis, i know that she holds the same flame for me. And given the fact that she is my hope, where would i be without her?

Tell your father, tell everyone on Olympus if you have to; Tell them that Perseus Jackson will overcome the challenges that keeps him away. That I will do everything in my power to be with her. Not because I am strong, but because she is my strength, and without her I am the crumbling sand. She holds me together, she is my solace, and my guide through darkness.

"I'm sure that you can understand where i'm coming from. Oh, and these are for you."

Percy pulled out the laurels and hyacinths that he had been holding behind his back and handed them to the stunned sun God.

Apollo looked at the flowers, and then at the man in front of him.

"Gotcha boss."

Suddenly, Percy was alone again, Apollo gone like dust on the wind, and the demigod wondered if he would die when i entered that ceremony.

Either way, it mattered not. He was remake himself over and over again. His soul was bound forever by silver and no lengths would keep him away for long.

Once in the grand hall where the council would meet and discuss the events, Percy couldn't keep his eyes off of Artemis. His soul sang, she was the only reason that he was here. Her glory shone throughout the room, along with all of the other Gods, but Percy had eyes only for her.

She was graceful, she was there, she was shining like the moon high above. Her silver chiffon dress hung to the floor, her hair in an elaborate braid crowned with flowers. Her moonlit eyes scanned the room with caution until she saw him, and then they looked bittersweet to him.

He finally tore his eyes away from her when Zeus appeared with a clap of thunder (no pun needed, literally thunder followed his arrival), and commenced the meeting. In the throne room with him were the seven (minus Leo) and a couple others, chief among them Nico and Reyna.

He hadn't been blasted to smithereens the instant that the god of lightning had entered the hall, so he presumed that Apollo was waiting on whether or not he actually helped him.

The seven were talking about their quest, and when Jason mentioned Delos, Zeus stood up and interrupted his son.

"Is it true that my Son, whom has promised the physician's cure a secret from mortal eyes, gave you a way to the cure?"

His eyes glinted with a dark mirth, his smile curved like a wicked sword, and Percy knew that he had to intervene.

The raven haired man stood up. "I was given a challenge from the Sun God, and when I completed it, I demanded that he give us the way to the physician's cure as equal compensation for the task."

Zeus's eyes glared at the demigod with hatred for a moment, before settling on Apollo.

"And what was this task?"

Apollo looked cool as he brought out the flowers that Percy had given him that day.

"This bouquet was the recompense for the physician's cure. Laurels and Hyacinths, the eternal symbols of my loves. I thought it fitting that though i could not save my loved ones, Perseus' gift reminded me that i could save others."

Zeus knew that he could not punish Apollo in front of all of the lesser gods that lined the edges of the area, especially not after such an emotional display.

The story resumed, with the occasional intervention, but afterwards all was quiet as Zeus contemplated the events that had taken place.

"Jason Grace, come forward."

The Gods had conferred amongst themselves for long enough. His friends were each given gifts that befit their roles in the war, whether it was given higher control over their powers, promises of battle training worthy of a god, curses lifted, money and/or property.

"Perseus Jackson." Poseidon called his son forwards, and the child of the sea approached the council.

"You were a great asset, and you went through much, not many people have made their way through Tartarus by themself-"

A grunt could be heard from Nico, and Percy allowed himself a smile. Nico had done the trek, and he had nobody but himself to draw strength from. He was much stronger than Percy was.

"-but in light of your accomplishments it has been decided that you shall choose your own reward. Any one thing from any God or Goddess here, and be it unreasonable in their eyes they can decline it."

Zeus intervened on his brothers words, "I didn't like it, so we set it to a vote, and Apollo was the tie-breaker. Just know Jackson, anything extremely unreasonable from me and i'll strike you down where you stand."

Percy looked around the room. Zeus sat at the center of the hall, regal and poised. A look at Zeus showed that he was disgruntled, but otherwise content. He knew that i couldn't ask to see his daughter.

Poseidon sat beside him, looking a little angry at the threat, but he looked like he couldn't do anything about the situation.

Ares sat next to Poseidon, looking upset, but then again, when didn't he?

Demeter was busy eating cereal.

Hephaestus had a wry grin on his face as he tinkered with something that was metal.

Aphrodite eyed Percy with interest, having known of his situation for a while.

Dionysus was next in line, and looked bored, but he clearly knew that something was about to go down.

Hermes looked like Percy should get a move on and figure out what he wanted already, he had things to do.

Hera surprised Percy when he turned to him. She smiled and tapped her left hand with her right, and suddenly he felt a familiar weight in his hand.

When he looked at Apollo, the god threw him a thumbs up.

And Artemis?

She was doing her thing, which was basically doing nothing at all and simply being amazing at the same time.

It was time.

"I've made my decision." Percy announced to the gods. A few of them let out breaths that they had been holding, the demigods not knowing what was going on.

He had one shot at this.

Perseus Jackson strode over to Artemis and got down on one knee.

"Artemis, will you marry me?"