AN: My gum, school has started already! And with fanfiction as a boost, I have come back to present to you the next chapter! Thank you so much, everyone, for reading this and commenting alongside it. I dearly hope that you will find this to your liking.

He was twisted in an elastic haze, so that no matter how he moved, he couldn't get free. He couldn't see, couldn't speak, and the pressure weighing him down to the ground nearly suffocated him. He turned blindly and thought for a moment that he saw Vanni, and as he reached his hand out to her, her figure came out in full focus. As if his eyes were lifted away from water, he saw the outline of another figure, Apollo, sneering down upon him as he struggled. Apollo's hand shot out from nowhere, but instead of clasping on his throat, his deathblow was toward Vanni instead.

Hera heard a soft moan interrupt her dreams. When she woke, she stared around blearily, confused on how she was on the hard floor of an obviously dirty room, with a single goat hair blanket over her silk clothes. However, once her eyes found the bassinet, her mind cleared, and she stood up to inspect the baby.

The baby was lying fast asleep, his little fist clutched over the layers and layers of blankets Hera had put in, secretly hoping he'd smother to death. However, watching the little baby's half-open mouth breathe softly, she felt a twinge of remorse. It wasn't Aristedes's fault his father was a monster with an overdose of testosterone.

However, when she removed the right amount of covers, she could tell that it wasn't the baby who moaned. She turned around again and nearly tripped over Dane. Stepping on him would not be a nice way to repay his efforts from last night.

His condition disturbed her. His pallid face had a sweaty sheen, and his breathing as irregular as the flutter of a hummingbird's wing. Hesitantly, she laid a hand on his forehead and recoiled immediately. It was hot and wet with perspiration, and Hera, accustomed to the cool marble brows held by gods and goddesses such as herself, was frightened.

It must be a fever frying the boy like strips of bacon in a skillet. She wondered vaguely how he had attained it. Of course, it never occurred to her that being locked in a small room with a colicky baby and separated from all he held dear would affect the health of her subjects, but then, she was a goddess.

"Boy. Wake up." She nudged his shoulder with her foot, but he didn't stir. A feeling of unease stole in her stomach. Sighing, and biting her pride where it hurt, she addressed him, "Dane. How…are you sick?"

His lack of words (for once) jolted her into a panic. She bent down, unheeding that her dress was sure to be dusty by the time she stood again, and lifted him up by the shoulders. She had never really spoken to Hades about the subject of death; how did she know if a human was sick? Or dead? Since she had so little contact with the humans on Earth, she was wholly inexperienced.

Well, his heart was beating. That had to be some sort of sign. Looking up, she cried, "Hermes!"

In only a matter of seconds, the winged god buzzed in curiously. That was the upbeat about being a goddess. When you asked, you got it.

"Is something wrong with the baby again?" he asked shortly.

"What do you mean 'again?'" she asked, dumbfounded.

"Your little prisoner went to look for me before. Seemed like the babe had a bad case of the diaper and the boy had no idea what to do, especially with the—"

"Silence, Hermes," she commanded, and he fell quiet apart from a few mumblings. "Can you tell me what's wrong with the boy?"

Hermes looked down and exclaimed, "Dane! Well, I was wondering when he was going to drop from the sheer exhaustion of it all. I told him little boys aren't meant for child rearing, but then—"

"How is he?"

Hermes swept one professional look at him. "Considering he's pale, sweaty, and barely moving, he's certainly had better days. He's sick all right."

Hera hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is it a killing sickness?"

"Probably not. Just the combination of nerves and homesickness, which to me, is frankly silly. Why hope for home when you have Mount Olympus? Now, if you were to seek my opinion, I'd suggest that you buy some of that medicine in a village down there. We don't have any."

"And why not?"

"No use for it, that's what."

She threw a calculating look at the messenger god and said in the voice he knew so well and loathed, "Hurry and take some from the nearest village and come back here."

"What? I have errands, you know. Poseidon just had his triton polished, and it's up to me to deliver it to him via airmail. I just don't have time for that sort of thing. And not only that, but you've already made me bring the kid all the way down from Mount Olympus. And during the party too!"

She shot him such a disgusted look that could have froze Hades ten times over that he was reduced to a nervous mumbling. "Fine. But I can't guarantee he'll recover completely, especially if you're keeping him in this tight cage," he warned before flying out of the window.

Hera watched Hermes go before looking down at Dane again. She couldn't help but feel confusion flit in her mind. Why was she taking so much trouble to save a little boy who had lied to her? Why was she helping a human, one who was merely expendable?

After centuries in time, Hera, is your heart melting? Is it beginning to beat?

AN: Hmm, I think I like this chapter! Don't worry, if this is feeling sort of 'drag,' I am definitely putting it up a few notches next chappie. I just don't want to rush Hera and Dane's relationship, is all. And for you Apollo lovers out there, he's going to show up much more than usual. Again, thank you for reading. Kudos to your reviews!