-Addie-

"You cannot stay here forever, love."

I clung to him, and he gently led me to a stone bench. We were just outside my home, the home I grew up in. It was a bright night, the moonlight streaming down in soft waves. Firelight came from Rome, the city lit up beautifully. We were in front of the stream that ran through our property, just beside the fountain that was home to some water nymphs. They looked upon us sadly, and I turned back into his chest. We always came here when I dreamed about him. It just reminded me of how much I lost.

"And why in Hades can I not? It is my dream! At least here I can do as I damn well please," I sniffled against his chest.

"I am glad you still dream, Addie."

He lightly placed his fingers under my chin, tipping my head to meet him. He placed his lips on mine, savoring the contact. I felt him; I actually felt him. His lips were soft but slightly chapped as they had always been. My heart and body melted at the touch, and I kissed him back with all my might. Why did they have to take him from me? Why did he and my brother have to die? His hands were in my hair, holding me to him. I could feel the calluses on his hands, there from years of using his sword. His rough hands were brushing my skin, sending delicious shivers throughout my entire body. Almost two thousand years, and I still got butterflies from him. Tiberius always held me like I was the most precious thing in the world to him. It made me feel so loved…something I had not felt in some time. He shifted me so I was on his lap, my legs hanging from him and the bench. His hands were at my neck and my waist, pulling me as close as possible.

"Please tell me that you are real," I breathed against his lips as we paused to catch our breath. Our foreheads were touching, and Tiberius was slightly out of breath like I was. He did not say anything; he just held on to me tighter.

"Addie, what are you planning?"

We had never really talked much in our dreams, so maybe this was just a way for my consciousness to deal with everything that had gone on. He held me in his lap, his hand in both of mine, his arm wrapped around my body. I rested my head at the crook of his neck and shoulder. I had never felt safer than I felt in his arms. He was my rock.

"I cannot do this anymore, Bear. I am finished. I have found an out, and I am taking it. I can save my half-brother, and I can shut the doors. That will give them a chance against Gaia. I can die, the curse will be broken, and maybe, just maybe, they will let me into Elysium-"

"You know Ares will never let that happen, Addie. They will never let us be together. The cursed never make it to the Isles. But then again, you should have never been cursed," he finished sadly. He pulled on a lock of my hair, the wave springing effortlessly from his fingers.

"What am I to do, Tiberius? I cannot do this anymore, I'm not..."

"You are strong enough! You fight," he said simply, meeting my gaze. "Addie, you are the kindest and compassionate person I have ever met. You do the right thing, even when it hurts you the most. You are so selfless, so brave. You have a larger role to play, my love. Someone like you is not meant to have a fate such as yours. Life has put you on a difficult path, a path not many could travel on and survive. To be their slave, to die miserable and unappreciated... that is not your fate, Euadne. Fight it, and become what you were always meant to be."

"And what's that?"

"A hero, Addie. A hero beloved by all. You deserve to have someone who cares for you as you care for the world."

I looked at my hands, my heart sinking in my chest. I felt his lips touch my forehead. I wrapped my arms around him, attempting to crush him into me.

"I had that. I had you," I said quietly. I was crying again, slow tears falling down my face.

He crushed me to him, and he kissed my forehead again. My brother made me feel strong, but Bear…he made me not feel weak. Because of who I was, I was not allowed to show weakness. My brother and Tiberius saw, but that was it. No one could stay strong forever, and Tiberius reminded me of that. You had to have support, friendship, to be able to make it in the world.

"I don't think I can do it. I'm not strong enough, Bear. I miss you so much," I said despairingly.

"I miss you too, Addie. Leaving you was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. Watching what you have been through… There were times I was so angry. I was angry at you, for what you did. But I understand," he added, smiling at me. "I would not have done anything differently. I would have given my life over and over, to be stuck in the pits of Tartarus forever, if that would let you escape from the fate you are now trapped in. But I know you are meant for more."

I felt something pull at me, and a nagging pain erupted in my head. I reached for it instinctively, but Tiberius grabbed my hand.

"Addie, look at me."

I did, his eyes piercing me. He looked so anxious, so worried. He pulled me to him, whispering quickly in my ear.

"I don't have much more time with you, Addie. They are calling you," he said into my ear. He picked me up in his arms as he stood, then carefully deposited me in front of him. He held my face in his hands, his thumbs tenderly rubbing my cheeks, brushing the tears away. "I wish I could have forever with you. Trust your instincts," he said, his eyes searching my face. "You'll know what to do when the time comes. Believe in yourself, and be happy, please. For me, Addie. Fight for the right thing, for your freedom and life. Find happiness, and live, live for me. Don't give up hope."

Something was pulling me, pulling me away from Tiberius. The pain my head increased, but I refused to let go. I would not lose him again.

"I'll never leave you, Addie. I love you with all my heart and soul, always. That will never change," he whispered quickly. He crushed his lips to mine, and I could feel the panic behind them. Someone ripped me from them, and I screamed his name, desperate to have him next to me again.

I was engulfed in darkness, so I closed my eyes, concentrating on memorizing what had just happened. I wanted to permanently seal it in my brain. The way his lips had felt, the way he tasted, the way he smelled. What if I never got to see him again?

"Euadne?"

I opened my eyes, and I was in a massive penthouse, one overlooking the city of Atlanta. Don't ask me how I recognized it, because I have no idea. I was sitting on a white leather couch, and I felt beads of moisture running down my cheeks. Was I really crying? I hastily wiped the tears from my cheeks, taking a deep breath to compose myself. I looked up, and Apollo was staring back at me, an uneasy look on his face.

"Are you okay? You were not responding to my summons."

"I'm sorry," I said thickly. I cleared my throat, taking one more deep breath. "I'm fine. It was just a dream." I still saw his eyes, eyes that held the same desperation I felt was in mine.

"Addie, where are you at? I can barely feel you."

I opened my mouth to tell him, just as I was commanded, but I stopped myself, pain erupting once more in my head. That was the worst thing about this job. I could stop the pain if I just followed orders, but when two of the god's orders clashed? Well, that simply sent my head into a death spiral.

"I-I cannot..." I managed to get out. I placed my head in my hands, trying to figure out a way to follow both of my orders.

Apollo came and sat beside me, placing his hand on my arm. Instantly the pain vanished, and I breathed out a sigh of relief.

"One of us must really want your whereabouts to be kept quiet," he muttered to himself.

I laughed, although it was a very weak one. I turned towards him, and I was locked in his gaze. I could not look away. His thumb rubbed soothing circles on my arm, and I felt my heart drop. He was looking at me with regard, and I felt a blush on my cheeks. I looked down, hiding my face from him.

"Ares has been pitching a fit. No one has claimed to have given you orders, and he is quite angry. However, Athena kindly pointed out to him that you could not leave Olympus or Manhattan on your own, so someone must have given you orders. I attested to that as well."

"So no one is calling me back?"

"For now, no. Zeus managed to calm my idiot brother down. You know how he gets where you are concerned."

I nodded my head, but shame washed through me. I felt the blush on my cheeks deepen. Apollo was one of the few gods who knew everything that happened, including the really ugly stuff. He did not find out until after it had all happened, but he was still kind and supportive, which meant a lot to me.

"I would not count on that for long, however," he added, making a point.

"Is that why you wanted to contact me? To warn me?"

"Yes, but there was another reason as well. Whatever it is that you need to get done, I would do it quickly. Ares is not one for patience, and I have a feeling this is deeply important. I-I also wanted to check on you. It took you so long to respond, and I cannot sense where you are at. I was worried."

"Thank you," I murmured back to him. "I'm fine. I haven't been hurt or anything."

"Sometimes, it's not the physical pain that causes the most damage," he reminded me softly. I looked back up at him, a thousand thoughts flying through my head. "Addie, if there is anything you need, you know all you have to do is ask, and it will be yours."

I bit my lip, Gaia's words coming back to me.

"Actually, I have a question," I began. He looked expectant, but curious about what I wanted to know.

"Why does all the council have control over me, not just Ares?"

I have never seen a god blanch, but I did right then. Apollo looked like someone had just sucker-punched him in the stomach. I have also never seen a god speechless.

This was a dream of firsts, obviously.

I narrowed my eyes, instantly suspicious. If there was no truth to what Gaia had said, then he would have told me. I know he would have.

"Why would you want to know-?"

I felt like I got punched in the side, and I was thrown off the couch, lying in a painful heap on the floor. I grunted in pain and then sat up. My ribs felt bruised, and a long bloody cut opened up on my arm, my blood dripping to the floor. Apollo appeared beside me and began healing the open wound.

This was a dream, and I was getting physically hurt.

That meant someone was physically hurting me in real life.

"Go," he snapped, but it was not harsh, it was worried. "We can talk later."

I felt myself get pushed from the dream, but I was struggling to wake up. There was awful pain erupting in my head. Rocks and dust fell all over me, and I could hear Percy yelling along with Annabeth. The rock wall I had made was gone, and above me stood the largest spider/woman I had ever seen.

Apparently, Arachne was not dead. Oh, goodie.