It hadn't been long after the incident involving Minthe that Persephone gave birth to her child. It had been a huge ordeal, but overall had gone smoothly.

Hades had sent for Artemis and Eileithyia to assist his wife during childbirth and they had promptly told him to wait outside the room. Hades couldn't help but pace back and forth in front of the door as the minutes ticked by. He was worried something would go wrong. Of course, neither his wife nor the child would die due to them being immortal, but he still had the worry that perhaps his wife would give birth to some sort of monster. He wasn't sure how he would feel if. He was forced to throw his own child into Tartarus.

Fortunately for him, he wasn't made to wait long. When the door had opened, Hades stopped his pacing and tried not to let the two goddesses before him know just how worried he had been. Artemis smiled at him knowingly, but said nothing.

"Congratulations, Lord Hades," Eileithyia said calmly, "your wife gave birth to a perfectly healthy daughter."

"You can see her if you want," Artemis continued, "When she grows older and decides to lead a life of celibacy, send her to me. She's always welcome in my hunt should it interest her."

Hades eyed Artemis suspiciously and she merely laughed in reply. The two goddesses allowed Hades into the room and took their leave. Hades stood in the doorway for a moment, watching his wife look fondly at the child in her arms. He imagined this is much how Demeter was when Persephone was born. At that moment, everything seemed perfect. Hades smiled and tapped lightly on the doorframe to let Persephone know he was there.

She looked up and smiled at him with the biggest smile he had ever seen.

"You don't have to be afraid," Persephone said, laughing softly.

"Who said I was afraid?" Hades asked, walking closer and sitting in the chair next to his wife's bed.

Persephone laughed again. "There's worry in your eyes."

Hades simply shook his head in amusement. His wife could read him like a book.

He stared at the child in Persephone's arms before she said, "Do you want to hold her?"

Hades wasn't sure how to respond. Persephone just smiled and handed the child to her husband. She told him how to hold her without injuring her and watched as Hades became entranced by the child. He simply stared at her, afraid he might wake her by speaking or hurt her by moving.

"Her name's Macaria," Persephone said at last. Hades looked at his wife and smiled again. He knew the name meant "blessed." Persephone felt that this child was a blessing for the two of them and Hades agreed.

Macaria's situation had been a tricky one for the gods. Since she was born in the Underworld, she was technically bound there. However, Persephone didn't want to be separated from her child just yet and pleaded with Zeus to make an exception. She felt that the child should stay with her and spend just as much time on earth and in the Underworld as she did. Zeus agreed to the terms, but also made it clear to Persephone that once the child grew to a mature goddess, she would live permanently in the Underworld. Persephone tried to argue the point, feeling as though earth would be a far more suitable place, but Zeus had the final word and Persephone was forced to agree to these conditions.

When it was time for Persephone to leave the Underworld for the summer, she felt bad taking the child with her. Hades had grown fond of his daughter, a fact that made Persephone very happy, but now she was taking his daughter away from him for six whole months. Hades assured her that he would fine and that he would eagerly await their return.

On the journey from the Underworld to the fields in which Demeter resided, Persephone introduced Hermes to her daughter and for the first time in centuries, Hermes seemed to actually be happy for Persephone. Ever since her marriage to Hades, Hermes had always been distant, but upon realizing how happy Persephone was, Hermes concluded that his grudge was pointless and he should be happy for his friend.

When Hermes had left Persephone with her mother, Demeter was thrilled. Naturally, she threw a fit about Zeus's orders on Macaria's living conditions. However, Demeter was thrilled to have the child around while she could. She made a point of taking Macaria from Persephone every now and then so Persephone could relax. As much as Persephone appreciated her mother's sentiments, she hated being away from her daughter for very long. She finally understood the devastation Demeter must feel every winter when she herself was in the Underworld with Hades.

One afternoon while Persephone was relaxing by the river with her daughter in her arms, Apollo had decided to pay her a visit. He sat beside her with a smile and said jokingly, "This one yours this time?"

Persephone laughed and replied, "Trust me, I've learned my lesson of doing favors for Aphrodite." She was silent for a moment before stretching out her arms slightly and saying, "Would you like to hold her?"

Apollo took the child from Persephone and held her close to him. He smiled again and said, "It feels different holding her. There's a stronger feeling of love coming from her than there was from Adonis."

Persephone was silent for a moment, reminiscing about her time with Adonis. She never felt motherly love for him. She felt obligation and then companionship.

"She is very much loved," Persephone finally replied.

Apollo handed the child back to Persephone and asked, "What have you named her?"

"Macaria," Persephone replied.

Apollo chuckled. "How poetic."

"You would know," Persephone laughed.

"If you weren't holding a child, I would push you in the river for a remark like that."

Persephone laughed again and Apollo couldn't help but smile at how beautiful Persephone was. She radiated happiness and perfection. She had the life with Hades he always wished she would've had with him. He knew he shouldn't have been bitter, but he was. He would never let Persephone know that, though.

The two sat by the river for a while, talking and laughing. Persephone told Apollo about the incident with Minthe, which got her a laugh.

The sun was just starting to dip behind the horizon when Demeter came by and took Macaria from Persephone. Persephone protested at first, but was soon convinced when Macaria started crying. She gratefully handed her daughter off to Demeter to look after and once Demeter was gone Apollo gave Persephone a look of bewilderment.

"What?" Persephone said after a few seconds.

"She didn't insult me or give me a dirty look," Apollo said in amazement.

"Sure, but she all but ignored you."

"I must be making progress on getting her on my good side."

Persephone laughed at that, "I highly doubt it."

Apollo chuckled again and stared out into the river. The sun had disappeared and the moon shone in its full glory off the water's surface. Apollo thought about the time he spent with Persephone in the past; how he might have been her husband now had she not found Hades first. Looking back on it, his rivalry with Hermes seemed pointless. Neither of them had won Persephone's affection in the end. Would she have even chosen one of them anyway had she not met Hades? The whole ordeal upset Apollo terribly, but he knew he couldn't let it consume him. She was happy. That was all that mattered.

Persephone poked Apollo in the arm and he looked up at her.

"What are you thinking about?" She asked seriously. She knew something was on his mind. She always knew what he was feeling. Apollo stared at her concerned face for a few seconds before forcing a smile.

"Let's go swimming," he said.

Persephone's expression change from concern to confusion. "What? This late at night?"

"Why not?" Apollo countered, "Your mother has Macaria. It's not like it's cold or anything. Learn to take some risks."

Apollo flashed her one of his charming smiles before disrobing and jumping into the river.

Persephone laughed and covered her eyes. This wasn't the first time Apollo had done this, but she wasn't quite comfortable with the idea that somehow someone could find out about this.

"Really Persephone," Apollo said as he swam up to her and pulled her arm away from her face, "You act as though you've never seem a man before."

Persephone stuck her tongue out at him and stood, dusting herself off.

"Well if you think I'm about to disrobe and join you, I'm afraid you'll have to be terribly disappointed," she replied. She caught herself staring at Apollo slightly longer than she should have and shook her head. "We're not young and stupid anymore, Apollo." A smile formed on her lips before she added, "Well, maybe you are."

"I take offense to that," Apollo said in a mock seriousness.

"Point is, I can't be doing things like this with you anymore. I'm married."

Apollo shrugged his shoulders and turned away from Persephone. "Suit yourself. If you change your mind, I'll be here."

Persephone shook her head in amusement and turned to walk away from Apollo. As much as she would have enjoyed a late night swim with him, she was afraid of the implications that could follow. Someone was bound to find out and gossip. She just couldn't risk it. Not when the scars from her previous affair were still so fresh.