Author's Note: I B ALIVE. It's been a hectic week. And a friend has been pressuring me to write a fic for her, so I've neglected this a bit...Okay, a lot. Shut up.

Disclaimer: Again, don't own anything, but the writing.

Summary: Persephone is back in the Underworld, and Hades is reluctant to speak with her, but even he can't avoid the confrontation forever.

Once in Erebus, Persephone was immediately ushered into her lounge by the attendants, who made it necessary to tell her that Hades was busy at the moment. So she went, rather annoyed at first, but a single glance of her room changed that.

It was truly charming. Hades had the area redone in a Turkish, Persian, or Arabic décor, Persephone couldn't tell which. But it now had a lovely allure to it. Intricately designed tapestries covered the walls, her divan had been decked out with Oriental cushions, and covered in the most beautifully colored fabrics.

A soft smile rose to her lips. Oh Hades, is this your way of apologizing? She was most certain that it was.

And with that she decided to change into the gown given to her by Nyx. Once she had changed, she did indeed look more like a Queen of the Underworld. The state of dress contrasted with her features wonderfully. Just one final touch, she thought to herself. And then walked down the hall hidden by a Turkish tapestry in the far corridor of the room to her garden.

Upon entering, she showed no signs of being deterred from her course. Which, consequently, was to pick a few of the Narcissus flowers which had been her original cause for imprisonment here. Using a black ribbon that she had brought with her to tie them together, she made herself a little bouquet to carry around.

And deciding that this was satisfactory, she went off to see Hades, making sure that none of his attendants saw her on the way, because she knew they would prevent their confrontation.

Hades was in his throne room, waiting for the imminent visit of Persephone's. He knew well enough to realize that she would discover the truth from her Mother, and no doubt demand answers.

And then she came. Hades was, to say the least, surprised. Persephone, in this recently added garb, was even more beautiful than she had been the first time he had seen her. She lightly stepped over to him, smiling gently and fluttering her eyelashes just barely. One would never even guess that she was in a state of fury.

But Hades was not fooled. For Persephone had brought with her the bouquet, which was introduced earlier, and Hades knew that this was in order to spite him.

"Hades," she said, deciding that it would be useless to beat around the bush. "Tell me...Why did you have to fool me into staying here with you?"

Hades had prepared for this question, and answered without hesitation, "I didn't want to risk your refusal." It was the truth, after all.

Persephone, still calm, asked in turn, "And why is that?"

"I had hoped the answer to that would be obvious enough."

Her smile, while it hadn't disappeared, became slightly forced, which told him that it was indeed obvious. "Then, why didn't you at least try to win my heart, rather than making me hate you all the more?"

Hades stayed silent now. What could he say? He himself didn't know.

After a short pause, Persephone cut in. "Are you going to neglect answering me?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly."

At this, Persephone's composure was lost. "You weren't thinking clearly?!" She all but cried out. "I'm trapped here, because you weren't thinking clearly?!" Unable to remain in the room any longer, she dashed out and into her quarters, where she fell onto the bed in tears.

Hades though, hadn't had any time to react, to apologize, before she had gone, and was left to sulk on his throne.

The rest of her time spent in Erebus consisted of Hades sending her gifts to try and make her smile once more, and her rejecting them. When, finally the day of her departure to the Overworld was upon them.

Persephone, for once this stay in Erebus, was overjoyed. She had made sure that all was prepared for her leaving.

The one occurrence she hadn't expected though, was Hades coming to bid her farewell that morning, and with good reason, considering that he hadn't been to see her once since their quarrel when she returned.

Their conversation this time had begun simply enough, Hades asking how she was, despite being able to know by simply looking at her. It wasn't until she was exiting the room before he said anything important, in the quietest voice possible...

"I'm sorry for everything."

Persephone, however, showed no signs of hearing him, and continued to Charon's boat. And once more they crossed Acheron, and once more she was in the world above.

The second reunion with Demeter was as amazing and disastrous as the first. Where tears of joy, for seeing her lovely daughter, and tears of pain, for knowing there was little time left together, were mixed in beauty and horror.

"Oh Kore! Dearest child! Once more you have returned to my arms!" And in saying these words, Demeter pulled her daughter close and embraced her.

Persephone returned the embrace, for the short time that it lasted, because not long after, Zeus was before them.

"Father!" The joyous cry floated off her tongue, and Zeus smiled warmly at her.

Then his loud voice came, "Kore, I know that you must miss your Mother dearly, but I regret that I must tell you something of utter importance."

Hearing this, both Persephone and Demeter both knew that the conversation would be a private one. And Persephone mutely followed her Father down the long, bright halls of Olympus.

Once seated, in a quieter area of Olympus where only nymphs went by, Zeus began to inquire Persephone of her engagement to Hades.

"No...The ceremony hasn't taken place yet..." She pensively looked down to a glass of perfumed cider in her hands, given to her by some passing nymphs.

Zeus watched her for a moment. "Then you will be married upon your second return?"

"I suppose so..." She murmured before glancing up at him.

Zeus simply nodded, then sat back and stroked his beard. "Very well," he finally replied. "You may go, but before you leave...I can see that you are angry...Perhaps you should think about why?"

Persephone didn't understand, but smiled in reply anyway, and left for the meadows.

Now Persephone sat in the middle of a bed of flowers, braiding a crown of flowers together. But she hadn't forgotten what Zeus had told her.

She finished the flower crown and placed it on top of her new friend, the nymph that had given her the cider mentioned before. They both smiled brightly before Persephone began another crown for herself.

It was among these peaceful surroundings that she realized that it was pointless to be angry at Hades, since she didn't even mind living in Erebus. And it was among these thoughts that another, unexpected one emerged. Did she love Hades?

She immediately tried to shake it from her head, keep in mind that she tried. Unable to remove it, she decided to contemplate it. It was clear enough that he loved her...

Persephone sat there, thinking of the sighs expelled on his behalf, of the curiosity that he was the cause of, the tears that she had wept when he had dared to betray her. And she decided that the answer was clear enough for her as well.

I love him.

So what would she do now? Would she be secretly pinning after him in her time here? Would she tell him when she came back to Erebus?

She decided that the only option there was, waiting for fate to take it's course.

And now, there was only the matter of the waiting game.