Hey everyone. Mac here with a brand new chapter of The natural laws of attraction. I'm terribly sorry that I haven't been able to update this story lately but I'm sure all of you know how chaotic life can be. That combined with the lack of muse that has befallen upon me, all I can ask for is that you, my fans, don't expect weekly, biweekly, or even monthly updates to this story. I know I promised in the beginning to try and make this update as fast as possible but please just accept the fact that there will be updates when updates are ready. Writing too fast can completely destroy the writing and I only want the best for you guys. Wow that was a long rant. As before, all rights and royalties belong to the fabulous Mr. Rick Riordan. For without him, none of this writing would be coherent and available.

Chapter 3: Road to Recovery

Apollo P.O.V (Present time)

I stood in my temple watching over the twice Hero of Olympus and wondered how he managed to hold on that long. All the drama, violence, coupled with being a teenager, it was a wonder he was still in one piece. I felt massive sympathy for the child that lay in front of me; no child should ever have to bear the weight that he bore. He went through the hardest of strife's yet always managed to somehow walk out with no more than a couple scratches.

I was drawn away from my musing when I saw a figure wrapped up walk in, sit by Percy's side, and take his hand. I knew by the complexion of the skin that the person was female but she was hiding her godly essence from me. Whoever wanted to visit Percy did not want to be known. After all that transpired at the meeting, I grew wary that it could be Athena disguising herself only to take Percy out.

"Ahem, visiting hours are over. Please leave," I said warily hoping that it wasn't someone with ill intentions towards Percy.

"I will visit for however long I want, whenever I want," the voice said smoothly yet with what seemed like a frosty edge towards me. I grew scared that it was Athena so I summoned my scalpel which grew into a 3ft long golden sword. The person sitting in the chair just chuckled and said, "are you going to kill me Apollo? That might not be the wisest move."

I knew at an instant that it was Athena. No one would use wisdom like that. I started to raise the sword to strike when another figure walked in and sat opposite to the first. I wasn't surprised when the god of the sea walked in; after all it was his son on the bed but he looked at the other person and just smiled knowingly. Even with me being the god of prophecy I couldn't figure this one out.

"Excuse me Uncle but why are you talking to Athena? You hate her and its known that she is out for Percy's blood," I tried to reason with Poseidon but both he and the mystery figure laughed.

"Oh nephew, you have much to learn about concealment. You very well might have just killed one of the most important people and not even be aware that it was your own sister," Poseidon chuckled away. I stood in horror at the sight before me now. Artemis was the mystery person. I almost killed her and invoked wrath where wrath shouldn't come from.

"I have some questions for you Artemis. Why are you here is the first of many," I said, relieved that it wasn't someone to kill him... yet. I was still wary of her being the notorious man hater that she is, apart from father and for some reason, Poseidon. She removed the hood and the enchantment fell. The first words out of her mouth were words that I thought I would never, EVER, hear my sister say:

"Don't tell father that I'm here," she said void of emotion. All I could do was nod in agreement. If I couldn't tell father, it certainly meant that something was afoot and that she was scared. When she saw me nod, she said words I had never even thought about in thousands of years, "I think the prophecy that you spoke eons ago was about me."

I couldn't take it. I started to laugh on the ground. How could my sister be so silly! She can't love anyone. She vowed herself to never love and to be an eternal man hating goddess. To think that she is a chosen half of the prophecy I first produced was something that I couldn't even fathom contemplating. "Sister, what do you even mean? You are a cold hearted..." I didn't finish that statement as a silver arrow was lodged right at the apex of my thighs; a warning shot.

"I swear Apollo, if you finish that sentence, that arrow will not only hit where the sun doesn't shine." I gulped because it was well known that Artemis never went back on her word. I slowly got up off the floor and looked her seriously in the eye. The tension between us was sky high (no pun intended) and was only broken when Poseidon coughed. We both turned to him as awaited what he had to say.

"Why must you two always have a fight whenever in proximity? Geez, you two are as bad as Athena and I fighting. You are siblings and Olympians to boot. Show some respect towards each other and get along! Hades knows it wouldn't kill you to be kinder towards each other. Grow the hell up," he finished with a sigh and I realized that he was right. We had been fighting for too long but its not me that has the issue. It was her that needed to accept that men were as capable as women.

"Whatever. Will Percy be alright Apollo?" she asked tentatively. I suddenly saw the care and compassion in her eyes and was instantly reminded of what happened millennia ago when she showed the same emotion for Orion. I felt compelled to tell her that he would turn into another Orion but I stopped when I saw Poseidon gripping his trident and a voice inside of me telling me that it was the wrong thing to do.

"Eventually, he will be fine but for the meanwhile it is safer to leave him like this. He is sleeping and is away from all the pains and burdens he bears every day," I say knowing that it is just as bad in his head while awake as he was asleep. What I witnessed next was by far unbelievable to me: when Artemis released Percy's hand, he started savagely thrashing around. When she took his hand once more, the movements stopped and he calmed down.

"Apollo, what is the meaning of this? Why does he need me to hold his hand?" she shouted at me and I flinched once more. What has gotten Artemis into such a mood that she would be all calm and almost caring for Percy to absolute livid? There are two possible solutions; one being that she was pregnant which would never happen and the other being that it was her time... But to suggest that last one to her would result in me definitely not being able to sire any more demigods for the next millennia.

"From my experience, something connects you two but I have no idea what it could be. Maybe you were right about being part of the prophecy-"

"Which I am," Artemis interrupted me. I seethed slightly but continued,

"but maybe he is just needing to hold onto something or in this case someone, due to all the emotional release," I finished feeling confused myself with Percy's condition. To see him holding my sister's hand made me wonder if what she said about the prophecy was the truth. All I knew was that unless I wanted to be impaled with the trident, I should keep my mouth shut.

Artemis P.O.V

As I sat in my chair holding Percy's hand, I couldn't help but feel some kind of connection deep down. It was like a warmth spreading through me and I didn't know how to deal with it. Should I embrace this feeling of comfort and joy or should I stick to what I have stood for since I was born? I was broken from my musing when I felt someone laid a hand on my shoulder. I was about to tell Apollo off once more until I noticed that Poseidon had risen from his seat and had come over to me.

"Artemis, I need to know. Will this turn into another incident much alike Orion or will this be different?" I felt embarrassed and ashamed now that he mentioned it. I should never have killed Orion but what he did to my hunters was truly a horror to behold. I realize now that bringing him to Olympus to face his crimes would have been much better for the council but I acted upon impulse and just killed him point blank. The hunter's testimony was enough for me to kill on sight but that did not bode well for me on Olympus when the deed was done.

"Uncle, I feel utterly ashamed and embarrassed to say but I feel funny when around Percy. I feel warm, happy, and completely comfortable and that scares me. I have never felt this way before and I feel very nervous but somehow being with Percy makes me feel safe and secure. What is going on with me?" I pleaded and he just smiled at me.

"Niece, I believe that is the feeling of attraction. The question is, do you let this feeling take root in your heart or do you just ignore it?" Why did my uncle have to be so damn wise at times like this and have such persuasive ways?

"I... I... I want to...to try but I'm scared," I admitted and started to leak tears. Its a good thing Apollo walked away otherwise he would have been making fun of me and started making crappy haiku's. Poseidon just moved over beside me and looked at me like my father never did and told me something that I would remember for the rest of my days:

"Fear is something born out of hidden desire and built up emotion. Harness that power, and you will know the path you must walk," he said in a tone that reflected his true age rather than the middle age man he appears to us all as. What he said though did give me plenty to think about over the next few months but it was right here, sitting beside Percy in Apollo's temple that I started untangling the words of wisdom that I had been presented with.

I must have been sitting beside Percy all night lost in thought because the next thing I know is that the sun is rising and Poseidon is no longer in the room. I was about to stand up and stretch when I heard Percy mumble something incoherent while I was in the motions of rising but as soon as I sat back down, his hand tightened around mine and I felt my heart soar. From that moment on, I knew something was definitely there between us but I think that I'm going to let fate steer this chariot.

"What were you saying Percy?" I asked him seeing as it might have been important but he then made me reconsider all thoughts that I had about him.

"5 more minutes mom," he said in a sleepy tone, not bothering to open his eyes, "can you also please close the blinds a bit? Its so bright, Apollo must be somewhere near."

"Well so the hero prevails now doesn't he?" I said trying to show as much compassion as I could muster but it was no easy task seeing as I have hated the gender for as long as I have been alive along with the fact that he thought that I was Sally. I would be honoured to be her seeing as she was an amazing woman for a mere mortal; I clearly see why Poseidon loved her so much and why it hurt him so bad when he had to leave.

In a flash, Percy's eyes snapped open and his face visibly drained of colour; as if Hades walked in to a psychiatric ward wearing his helm of darkness but I know that wouldn't deter Percy. He was the reason that Hades helped us and made us see the error of our ways casting him out. Anyways, Percy quickly yanked his hand away from mine and the warmth that I didn't realize was flowing was abruptly stopped and I already longed to hold his hand once more. Holy Hades, what is making this change so fast?

"L-L-Lady Artemis! I'm so sorry! Please don't turn me into a jackalope!"he said in a fevered tone that felt as if a dagger were carving out my heart slowly. 'I guess he didn't feel the same way' I thought to myself in a way that made the moon completely disappear from the human's eyes. I quickly shifted into my more natural persona and started to explain what happened at the last meeting when he was put to sleep. Of course I didn't say anything about the night before but I feel as if he somehow knows something happened as I tell the tale.

"So what happens now? Will the gods grant my wish to kill me or must I trudge on?" he replied after I was finished. I was aghast that he still wanted to die after all of that.

"No young hero. Us gods do not want to see you perish so soon by those who believe in you the most. However, there is something I neglected to tell you about," I said getting a bit edgy.

He raised his eyebrow slightly and in the calmest but most terrifying tone I ever heard asked "what is being hidden from me? Please tell me."

"Its about Athena. Her trial begins in 15 minutes."

A bit of a cliff-hanger for you guys to think about but I promise that the next chapter won't take over a month to write. Next chapter will definitely be the trial but I can tell you guys that some major things are going to be coming down soon. Please remember to hit the favorite button, the more that you guys do that the more I feel inclined to write. Also reviews are nice too. Whether it be short and sweet or a complete onslaught of criticism, I want to hear your opinions.

Mac… Out