"Zeus come in. Let's talk, you and I, as we should have as young men. You seem to need someone to talk to and I can be ultimately discreet which is what you need. We'll have a drink and talk and I'll see what I can do to help." Hades says pulling his brother into the room. He realizes now that he and Zeus could have been much closer but hated each other too much when they were young men.

Persephone yawns pointedly at her husband. "I'm exhausted and I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late." She leans over and kisses Hades' cheek as he's sitting on the sofa.

"I shouldn't be long, darling. I'll be in soon, I promise." Hades smiles at his wife's retreating back. "She's lovely. I can't believe she actually fell in love with me. I'm lucky you know. I didn't think she would she was so feisty at first."

"I'm not so lucky. Hera hates being in the same room with me, let alone the same bed. She said something years ago about wanting to have more children, but clearly she didn't mean with me because all of the children she's borne since then have not been the product of our marriage." Zeus' anger is visible and palpable in the air. Suddenly the air is cooling and it feels as if a storm is rolling in.

"When was the last time you were physically intimate with Hera, honestly? Remember I'm your brother whatever you say to me stays between us." Hades asks as he pours himself and his brother a very large tumbler of ambrosia.

"I don't even know if I can remember. It's been so long since we were intimate by design. The last time was probably 250 years ago when I accidentally walked in on her just getting out of the shower in our suite. Her hair was wet and she was just wrapping a towel around herself when I walked in. She didn't have that towel on for long. I didn't know she was in there. I didn't even know she was still using our bathroom. That was the last time and it was hurried and rushed and fumbling. It was the way I promised I would never be with her after the first time. Everything has changed; nothing is the way it was supposed to be. This isn't how we said our life was going to be, but I don't know how to stop it from going down this path." Zeus says in frustration and then downs his drink in one go. "Give me another."

"I don't know if I should give you another one. You're in enough of a state now without having any more to drink. Listen the only thing you can really do now to fix your relationship with Hera is to tell her exactly what you've told me. Try and get her to remember what the two of you had in mind for your relationship when you began this journey. She's forgotten how good the two of you can be together. She can see glimpses of it sometimes, but for some reason right now it's not enough. Remind her of everything you can be together. Will she still be up right now?" Hades asks quietly. He secretly hates seeing his brother this way. Hera is a harsh woman.

"She probably will still be up, but I'd hate to interrupt her. She's such a private person." Zeus says quietly. He doesn't want to confront her.

"By the gods, man! Are you king of the gods or not? This is why this relationship has fallen apart: you're scared of her. Stop it! Don't be scared of her one more minute! If she's still up right now then go to her right now and talk to her. You owe her and yourself that much at least. I watched the way the two of you looked at each other when you were young and I want to see that in your eyes again." Hades is frustrated by his little brother. "Do you want me to walk with you?"

"What? No, I don't want you to escort me to my wife's room. I can get there on my own, thank you very much." Zeus says firmly. Zeus feels pressured and yet he knows if he doesn't have Hades go with him he won't see Hera and this situation will continue on.

"I want you to actually go though. Don't put it off for another time. Go talk to her while you've got all these thoughts rolling around in your head. They might help you tell Hera what you need to tell her. I'm walking you over there. Come on, let's go." Hades says standing up. "I'm just going to tell Persephone where I'm going or she'll be nervous if she can't hear my voice." Hades gently pushes the door to the bedroom open and whispers, "Persephone I'm just walking Zeus back and I'll be right back."

"Alright, darling, don't be long. It's cold in this bed by myself." Persephone answers sweetly.

"That was an invitation to join her if I've ever heard one. You should have taken the opportunity while it was there." Zeus teases his brother. Hades doesn't read people as well as Zeus tends to.

"Hmm," Hades says absentmindedly. "I'm sorry I wasn't really listening."

"Clearly not. Persephone pulled the classic line of the bed's cold and I'm lonely here all by myself and you turned into a giant pile of goo. She really does have you wrapped around her little finger. Go back to her if you want. We're not far from Hera's room and I'm not going to chicken out now." Zeus says as he watches his brother. Hades' eyes are filled with thoughts of Persephone.

"I'm not backing out now. I'll be the one to knock on her door if I have to. You have to do this or you'll regret it forever, Mr. Immortality. I don't understand why you're so nervous to talk to her anyway." Hades says as he slings his arm around his brother's shoulders. Suddenly he feels close to his brother as if they could have a real relationship without all the malice which at the moment doesn't seem like such a bad idea.

"Sometimes I think my preferences have changed. I never used to think about men the way I do now. It scares me. It makes me wonder if that's why Hera pulled away, if somehow she knew that I was changing and it made her wary. Still if I had to pick between Hera and anyone else I would still pick Hera, even now, even when things aren't going well." Zeus' feet have subconsciously carried him to Hera's door as they have so many nights before this, but before he'd just lean against the door wishing he could go in, but not having the courage to knock, hoping she would sense his presence and open the door.

"Wait does that mean you've been sleeping with men, too? Is this her room?" Hades asks tentatively. He doesn't want to break into his brother's thoughts.

"Yes, it is. I've stood here so many nights wanting to talk to her, but I could never bring myself to actually knock. Yes, I have been sleeping with men, but it still doesn't feel the same as when Hera and I are together." Zeus sighs heavily.

"Well, you're going to talk to her tonight whether or not you knock because I will knock for you if I have to and I'm going to wait right here until you go in, too." Hades says firmly.

"Oh, that is such an older brother thing to do. Alright, I'm going, you don't have to push." Zeus grumbles as he lifts his hand and knocks gently on Hera's door. "I hope no one's in there with her."

"I'm glad one of us is omniscient. I checked before I walked you over here. The last time I checked on her she was, in fact, crying with her head down on her vanity. If I hadn't pushed you to do this tonight you never would have, so don't yell at me. She still loves you. That is very clear to me at least." Hades says with a tinge of anger.