A/N: Hey guys I know it took me forever to update but life and writer's block are a bitch. Anyways this is shittily edited so bear with me I just really wanted to try and get posting again before I have to head off to college. And plus I missed Artemis.

"Where did you get your scar?"

"This one?" he asks, running a finger from lip to chin.

I nod, brush a piece of hair behind my ear. "It's okay if you don't wanna tell me though." I tuck my chin into his chest, kiss the exposed skin. "They've kinda already heard enough, I guess." I tilt my head towards the walls, silence in the darkness though he and I both know the 'they' I'm referring to.

He shakes his head, one arm behind it on our spring bed. "It's okay. Figure if I'm gonna die here there's no use hiding it."

And I want to say to him 'Don't talk like that' but we both know it'd be a useless endeavor so instead I ask, "What happened?"

"My dad's not really a good guy," he says, catches my eye here in the dark and I see the sadness in Hades I have always seen; the weight on his shoulders. "I was eleven when this happened- I went out to get water from the well by our house and I accident'ly dropped the bucket comin' in. He got so mad he threw a glass at me and it cut me."

"Oh, Hades," I say, tracing a finger over the scar the way he had before.

"It's okay," he says. "Not the first time somethin' like that's happened, nor was it the last. I'm used to it."

"That doesn't mean you deserve it," I say, stretch my leg out against his and lean in to try and hug him, even though laying down makes it a little awkward. "You should win these Games," I say without thinking. Because to trade one life of violence for another, he deserves better than this. So much better.

He pulls away from my instantly at the comment. "No, Kore."

I let my mouth settle in a line, wanting to explain before he gets mad at me. "Hestia," I say, can't say more than that for a moment, and he nods, he gets it that I still will help him make her win. "But, I just mean...you're so good Hades."

"I'm not a favorite," he says. "No one else wants me ta win."

And that's when I lean in conspiratorially, because how can't I? "Fuck them," I whisper, halfway not caring if the Capital hears me. "I'd want you to win."

Hades smiles, turns to kiss me with warmth. "I think that's all that matters then," he says.

I laugh, kiss him back for all I'm worth.

After we...finished, last night, both of us slept for long hours, woke up for a few stray kisses and close touches before falling back asleep again. But somehow our bodies have attuned to the fake clock of this arena and we are awake again at dawn, lying here gloriously naked and entangled on our spring bed in the comfort of darkness. We've been talking for an hour or two, just little things.

"I love you," he says into his kisses, a warm grin still at the edges of his mouth.

"So you've said," I tease, squeal when he gives a playful growl at my answer and rolls me beneath him completely. He starts kissing down my neck, sloppy noises as he sucks at the skin and I gasp. "Hades, they'll hear..."

"Let them," he murmurs. "I'm sure they enjoyed the show enough last time for a repeat performance."

I blush, still half appalled with myself for suggesting we do something so private before all of Ellada. "Ug, don't remind me," I say with chagrin.

He chuckles. "As far as I'm concerned, it's just you and me, Kore. They can't have this."

And his words make my embarrassment fleeting. "They can't," I agree, lean up to kiss him harder. He mumbles against my mouth, presses my back down into the spring bed with his weight. And it would be a really, really nice thing if only something wet didn't pool against my skin.

"Hades," I say, move him off of me slowly. "There's..." I drag my hand to the side of our spring bed, into the ground of the cave. "...Water."

He sits up all the way now, blinks. I can see his sudden fear even in the darkness.

"Kore, get dressed."

"Hades?"

"Get dressed, Kore."

I don't question him more than that. I reach over to the side to pull on my clothes which are wet and cold and stick to my skin, especially as I tug my leggings on. Luckily my boots are dry- waterproof. The pack isn't far off, my scythe sitting on top of it and its now minimal contents. By the time I strap it on and turn around I find Hades fully dressed, tucking the knife I gave him into the waistband of his leggings.

"They're flooding us out," he says, something we already both knew but didn't want to confirm out loud. "Let's get outta 'ere before it really starts to fill."

And just as he says it the Gamesmakers, suckers for a little bit of irony that they are, send a swell of water rushing from the mouth of the cavern behind us. It's fast and harsh and mocking. I imagine them laughing like Gods in the safety of their simulation room, looking down on us like we are simple toys to play with. We are, to them. They can always get new ones of us if we drown. No big deal.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Hades shouts, grabs my hands and makes a dash for it towards the trap door.

We climb the slope just as waves lick at our heels. Water covers up to my knees within the next moment and it's not cold this time. It's hot and the force of it is strong.

"Oh Gods!" I hiss, give a small cry as it burns me even through the fabric of my leggings. "Hades!"

He shoves up to the ceiling above him and the trapdoor gives way, water rising up his shins. And then his hands are on my waist and he's pushing me above ground, instant relief from the flood. It surges higher just as my body hits the grass up top and Hades curses, swaying with the flow of a man-made current.

"Kore, I'm slipping!" he says.

I get my bearings and catch my breath. Dig my toes into the earth and grab his hand, haul him up the rest of the way out of the cavern which is difficult with just one hand. I curse my broken wrist but somehow manage to get him to safety miraculously despite its limits, rushing water beneath as we roll away from the trapdoor in a tight embrace.

And this is the moment where I know our little world all our own has been torn apart; no more stories in the darkness. We are in the arena, fighting to the death once more.

"Fuckers," Hades says once he manages to catch his breath again. "I hate those bastards."

I laugh, stuttering out a breath here and there. "Are you burned too bad?"

"Naw," he says, wiggles his leg next to mine. "I can't feel my dick though." Blinking, I turn to him and he grins brightly at my shock. "Joking."

"Good," I say with a roll of the eyes. "We wouldn't want you to lose that."

"Certainly not," he says. "We've still got use for it."

I accept the kiss he offers then with a snicker, move to stand and pull him up with me. "I think they really wanted us dead."

"They wouldda flooded it when we were otherwise...incapacitated if that were the case," he says, drawing his eyebrows together in thought. "I think they just did all of that for dramatics. Guess they really did enjoy the show, then."

And I hear Prometheus in my head: love that boy if you want to live and I sigh, because, as always, my mentor knows best. "Come on," I say, taking hold of Hades' hand. "Let's get some water and then head for higher ground."

"The mountain?" he asks. "You think that's safe? It might be a death trap if the rest of this place is any indication."

"Maybe Hestia's there," I say. "Maybe she went with your original plan to go there after you lost her?"

And because we have no better bets, he isn't apt to argue.

We don't find Hestia, not at first.

What we do find, however, is that Artemis' aim is as dead-on as ever.

We're climbing up the face of the Olympus modeled mountain when the attack happens. After filling the canteen with water from the stream, we followed it back to the edge of the mountain, looked up and found the easiest trail on the west. It's a jagged face, but there are firm enough ledges that you can climb with minimal injury if you know how. All of my years of climbing trees when young and playing with Plutus back home come in handy. Hades isn't as skilled and slips a bunch like he did that first night we camped in that tree together.

I keep him righted several times and he gives a shaky laugh of apology. It slows us, but not too much. Only when we stop for breath do I hear the bow string pull.

Hades takes and arrow to the shoulder and there's a sudden tear in my cheek so wide I'm almost positive I could stick my tongue through it and use it as a second mouth for a moment.

Both Hades and I end up laying on the ground after the injuries take. "Maybe if we play dead they'll go away," Hades murmurs, and I grip tight to my scythe.

"Not likely," says a familiar voice, feral sort of lilt as she walks into view. "Should've known it was you two idiots by the way you didn't take cover. And by sparky's gangly limbs."

"You shot us," Hades says then, sits up and looks at the arrow sticking out of his shoulder.

"Only to maim, not to kill," Artemis says, looking dangerous and beautiful as ever. "I'm saving that for Zeus."

"Who?" asks Hades as I sit up, rotating my broken wrist which I landed on wrong and may have re-fractured. There's blood gushing down the side of my face and it stings but I'm so focused on Artemis and how she'll answer, the newly haunted look in her eyes.

"The Demigod from Enas who killed my brother," she says, stance as immobile as stone. "I'm gonna rip his throat out with my teeth."

"Well first could you get this arrow outta my shoulder?" Hades asks, glances to me and his eyes widen. "And get Kore a bandage!"

"Do I look like a nurse?" Artemis asks, shakes her head when we stare up at her and then sighs. "I got a better idea." She puts her fingers to her mouth then, whistles shrill.

From the other edge of the cliff face we sit on comes a small body, dark curls and twinkling eyes. "Hestia," Hades breathes, and his cousin rushes to him with joy.

I look up at Artemis as the two embrace, open my mouth to say something, anything, but she beats me to it. "Come on, Kore. Let's get you patched up."

"I'm sorry about Apollo."

The moment I say it, regret takes over.

Artemis and Hestia have a small camp set up here in the hollows of the mountain. It's quite obvious Apollo used to be here with them too- there's a pallet of leaves and grass that must have been his sleeping place, and it's got a peacock feather lost in the mix, a few broken arrows.

I want to ask what happened, how Hestia ended up with the twins, how Hebe died, how Apollo did too, how they even got here. But I can tell just offering condolences has upset her.

Mouth in a straight line, Artemis says. "Whatever," and finishes covering the wound on my cheek with the medicine from my pack, instant heal into a puckered pink line.

She offered to use some of her own- the stuff that she got from the cornucopia during the Pantheon- but I said that she could save it for now and use the stuff Hades and I have. After she's done using it on me she tosses it to Hestia who's just finished digging the arrow head from Hades' shoulder, seals the wound with the medicine.

And then, just as Artemis watches his skin seal closed, she sighs, lets the grief show. "I'm sorry I shot you guys."

"It's okay," I say.

Hades nods, though I can still see his unease and suspicion in the gesture. Mainly I think he hasn't shoved Artemis off the side of the mountain yet only because she's been taking care of Hestia. That takes away from the fact he doesn't trust her and that she shot him. And I strongly suspect it's also a little because he knows how mad at him I'd be if he killed my friend.

"I thought you were the Demigods again.," Artemis explains, wipes a hand down her dirt-stained face.

"Is that what happened to your brother? They attacked?" Hades asks, and when I throw him a dark glance he shrugs, a kind of 'well what was I supposed to say?' gesture.

"Yes," Artemis answers him, tired tone. "They came up this way for Gods know what reason. We were scouting and Zeus, he got a hold of Apollo before I could help him."

"We gave him a funeral," Hestia says then. "We made sure he had flowers to go off with, like back home, Hades. I showed the sign of respect. I kissed my hand and held it up, and so did Artemis. I mean, with her own hand, not mine," she blushes.

"That's good," Hades says, pulling his cousin into a soft embrace. "Really good."

"Bet those Capital pricks hated us for it," Artemis smirks, but there is no humor in her expression. There is only malice and vengeance and loss. "I hope they all choke on his blood."

And when I look at her, I know that Atlas is cursing and throwing in the towel back home. Because Artemis no longer wants to win. I knew it all along, that the moment one twin left the other was sure to follow. But that doesn't mean she isn't still fighting for now, and as I glance to Hestia all curled and innocent in Hades' lap, so happy to have her family back, I know that what I ask Artemis next is a reasonable request.

"She could win," I whisper, touch Artemis on the shoulder softly. It seems to shock her from all her grief, the familiar feel of me. She blinks startled eyes, follows my line of sight to a giggling Hestia as Hades tickles at her ribs. "She's good."

Artemis is silent a moment before she nods. "I couldn't save Hebe or my brother," she says. "But we can save her."

"I think Apollo would be proud," I say.

She smiles at me sadly. "He wouldn't be anything, Kore. He's dead."

I look back at her and want to weep. "But are you in?"

"On one condition," she says.

"What's that?"

"I get to kill Zeus," she answers. "He's mine."

"Deal," I say, and when we shake on it, I know it's a pact that will be sealed in blood.