Happy Wednesday, readers! I don't know guys, this is a wild guess, but I think you'll like this chapter. Enjoy!

8

Try everything, Captain.

"I don't plan to do anything else." I remove the blade from its paw and run towards the pillars having to dive, just barely making it before Cerberus can get me.

Now it's out for blood.

I lean back against the pillar, clutching the knives against my chest trying to figure out a way to buy myself enough time to run. I hear the hissing of the snakes intensify and I look up to see them wrapping themselves on the pillar. I feel movement on the column and I realize that Cerberus is trying to bring it down.

I move to the next one and a few seconds later with a resounding boom, the pillar crushes onto the floor.

"Come on, think." Three heads, six eyes and that's without counting the dozens of snakes covering all of its body. If I could somehow get on top of it and try to blind it, but it's so damn tall! And that's assuming I somehow avoid all the snakes on its back. I can't walk on its blindside because it has 3 heads, which means it has no blindside!

I scream in frustration because other than making a wild run towards the window that I know I'm not going to get to, I don't think there's anything else I can do. I don't know what awaits me once Cerberus eventually catches me, but I have to try everything.

I close my eyes and try to channel all the energy I have left into my legs, hoping that will be enough to reach the window.

"Okay, okay." I adjust the grip on the knives and look around the pillar to try and see where exactly the beast is. It's standing diagonally from the where I'm hiding behind, waiting for me to come out. "Here's to nothing,"

I go to take a step forward when I hear the warrior scream from several women. I see a rope tie around its left head, then another one on its right and another one on its middle head. I follow the rope across Cerberus' back to see several Amazons trying to restrain it.

Then in a flurry of movement, I see Hebe run towards one of the pillars with a sword in hand and push herself off of it towards Cerberus' back.

Huh, being able to do that would've made everything easier.

She's not going for its back though, she's going for the tail. She cuts off the snake's head and it falls to the ground. The head of the snake is the size of my foot.

I stand in shock as the Amazons continue to tie rope around its legs and body, using the pillars to put their feet on and pulling every time Cerberus tries to fight the restraints.

"General! Captain!" Aella yells, looking around for us.

I step from behind the pillar still holding the knives against my chest and feeling the most confused and happy I think I've been during all my time here.

"How did… When di – What?" I shake my head and I look up to Cerberus looking at me with an angry desire to tear me apart.

"Where's the General?" Aella asks not even acknowledging the beast.

"She crossed. She did it. How are you here?"

She smiles at me and looks at the other Amazons. "After you and the General crossed we decided to follow you just in case you needed our help. We weren't sure if we were in the right path because we never saw you. We were considering walking back but we heard the roar of the monstrosity." She says giving Cerberus a disgusted look.

It starts jerking its head and trying to jump and loosen the hold of the ropes.

"Aella, it won't hold for much longer." Penthesilea tells her pulling down harder on the rope tied around Cereberus' middle head.

She nods and looks at me. "It's time for you to go, Captain."

I look at all the Amazons, all focused on their task but looking at me with an encouraging smile.

"What about you?" I ask concerned that they won't be able to escape Cerberus once I cross. "Come with me. That way we'll all be saved!"

Aella shakes her head. "No, Captain. We all talked it over. Our purpose on Earth was fulfilled and now, our purpose in the Underworld has as well. There's nothing left for us in the land of the living."

She looks at the window, Themyscira on the other side and unshed tears make her eyes shine.

"We are grateful to the Gods for making the island our home, but now it is time for us to move on. Go, Captain. Make sure you live a fulfilling life. Good luck."

She stretches out her hand and I take hold of her forearm and she does the same with mine.

"Thank you for everything. Thank you all for everything. Good luck to you too." I look at them one last time before I walk towards my exit point. I take those steps towards the window and I feel like I'm floating. I stand in front of it for a few seconds and then jump through it.

"The pain she's in is physical, but there are no wounds for me to treat, Your Majesty. I will do research with the other healers to see if we find something on the effects leaving the Underworld has on one's body, but right now other than giving her something to allow her to rest, there's nothing I can do." Epione says regretfully.

Mother looks at Antiope. She's squirming under the sheets, unable to quiet whatever plagues her mind and body. "I understand. Thank you, Epione."

She leaves to bring whatever it is that will allow Antiope to rest peacefully while they search for ways to ease her pain.

"How is this possible, Mother? No one has escaped the Underworld in millennia." I sit on a chair next to Antiope's bed and take her hand. Her squirming lessens.

Mother stands at the foot of the bed, looking at Antiope. "I don't know. That is a question for her to answer. But what I do know is that Antiope is not one to do things without a motive. There must be something, a reason she fought to come back,"

I nod. "Yes, that's what I was thinking too. I think she's on a mission. To do what? I can't even begin to imagine,"

Antiope's squirming intensifies and she starts mumbling under her breath. I stand up and put a hand on her shoulder and try whispering calming affirmations in her ear, but it does not work. She wakes up with a start and tries to sit up, only for her to feel the pain again and collapse back on the bed. She looks disoriented and Mother touches both of her feet. Antiope locks eyes with her.

"You are home, sister. You are safe. Epione should be back any minute now with medicine that will allow you to get some rest."

It takes her a minute to process what Mother is saying but she exhales and seems to relax. Her breathing is a bit shallow, the pain on her chest preventing her from taking a proper breath of air.

"Diana, is he here?" Antiope asks me.

I look up at Mother confused. She shakes her head. "Who, Antiope?"

Is she referring to Bruce? Does she know he's waiting for me outside of the cloak?

My question seems to answer hers and she turns her head and starts shaking it. "He didn't make it then." She moves slightly up and groans at the pain the small movement causes her.

"I don't understand, Antiope. Who didn't make it?"

She looks at me with sadness in her eyes and takes my hand. "He was supposed to come with me. That was the plan. He wanted more time with you,"

My eyes widen and I shake my head. Those words. Only one person has said those words to me. I tighten my hold on Antiope's hand and a desperate tone takes hold of my voice.

"Who said that to you?! Antiope, please,"

She swallows and her next words are punch in the stomach, "Steve."

I feel like everything starts crumbling around me. He was trying to find his way back to me? He was coming and the fact that he's not here... It feels like he just died all over again.

"He gave me a message for you." Antiope says bringing me back from my world of pain.

"What? What did he say?", I ask through my tears and I focus on every word that's about to come out of her mouth because they are, in this moment, the only thing that might stop me from completely falling apart.

"He wanted me to tell you that he tried, that he loved you and that he was sorry,"

I can't contain the cry that escapes and feeling like I need to be out in the open right now becomes overwhelming. I stand up, with my hand covering my mouth and walk towards the door.

"Diana," Mother reaches out for me but I shake her hold on me and run. I run through the streets of Themyscira and inevitably, I draw attention. It's only early in the evening and so much has happened since I arrived this morning. I wonder what else is in store for me in the next three days.

Not being able to take everyone's eyes on me, I jump high over the streets and land on top of the tower, where all the precious weapons are stored. I look around and decide to go to the cliff I stood on when Steve's plane broke through the cloak. I jump once again and when I land close to the edge, I scream with the pain of knowing that he tried to get back to me and now, he has to suffer a fate worse than death. I fall on my knees, shaking so bad that I have to wrap my arms around my middle feeling that if I don't, I'll shatter into a million pieces.

"Oh, Steve. What did you do? What did you do?"

This time I get to feel the full force of grief. Back in the hangar the initial pain of grief was converted into anger. That anger helped me end Ares' wrath upon man's world, but now with immediate danger not present, I am left to feel every single tendril of pain grief has to offer.

I'm thankful no one comes looking for me. I need time alone to come to terms with the fact that now Steve is truly lost to me forever. And the pain is made worse with the realization that I could've gotten him back in the first place. I don't even get the comfort of hoping he'll have a peaceful afterlife.

I sit on the edge of the cliff, legs dangling, hands tucked under my thighs. I watch as the sun sets and the orange lights bathes the whole island, the beauty of it calming my pain a little. The tears are still streaming silently down my cheeks and I wonder how many tears can one cry before they run out. I've been crying for 100 years and they don't seem to come close to running out.

I consider standing up and walk to the confines of my chambers, but I seem to be unable to move, my whole body weighing me down. I close my eyes as the orange light reaches my face and the warm rays wash over me.

I hear the soft footsteps of someone walking in my direction, and I know without having to turn around or opening my eyes that my Mother has decided that I've been alone enough time. She sits down on my right and says nothing, allowing me to guide her into comforting me. I keep my eyes closed, but bring my right hand from under me and hold it palm up for her to take. She takes it and I feel her bring it to her lips and kiss it.

She says nothing and I say nothing because there simply isn't anything to say. Eventually it turns dark and Mother softly nudges me with her shoulder.

"We should go back."

I nod and stand up. We start making our way back and I keep my head down almost physically unable to lift it. I feel Mother rub my back comfortingly. I'm about to ask her how one lives with the pain of knowing that someone you love will suffer the worst of punishments because they tried to get back to you, when much like earlier, the earth shakes.

We stop and I snap my head back up and stare at Mother. I see on her face the same expression I expect she sees on mine: confusion. We turn towards the ocean and the earth shakes again. A swirl appears again, but this time is not in the sand, it's in the sky. In that moment the position of the swirl makes sense. Antiope came through on the same spot she died in and now, up in the sky, in the same place Steve's plane crossed the cloak, the swirl grows bigger and bigger.

My eyes widen at the realization. "Could it be…?"

BOOM

An explosion and a burst of light come from the swirl and then I see. Something, someone falling from the sky. Suddenly with newfound energy I start running and jump from the cliff towards the falling body.

Please, please let it be him.

It feels like I'm moving in slow motion as I come closer and closer to the falling body. It's hard to identify any particular feature that might confirm who this is because of the darkness. But then the body turns towards the moon, the light hitting his face and my heart almost stops.

I dive so now I'm under him and I grab him and turn so that I fall back first into the ocean. We hit the water and I wrap my arm around his chest and kick the water to bring us up to the surface. I start swimming towards the shore and I see in the distance the moving balls of light. Mother must've called her guard and they're coming with torches to illuminate the beach.

My feet touch sand and with the next wave I push his body onto solid ground. I lean over him, but I can't really see his face clearly since it's so dark. Soon enough, the Queen's Guard comes close enough for the light of their torches to illuminate his face.

I gasp and my hand goes immediately to check his pulse. I feel the pulsing blood push on my fingers and I can't help but smile.

"Steve. Steve, please open your eyes. Steve!" I shake him and his eyes snap open. He coughs and looks around before his eyes lock with mine.

He stares at me for a few seconds and says, "Wow,"

I laugh and cry. I touch his face, because he's here and I need to make sure he's real. "Steve! You came back! Why would you risk yourself like that? I never wanted that for you!"

He sits up and places his hand at the place where my neck and shoulder connect and with his thumb, rubs my cheek. "It wasn't enough. I just – I need you. I love you."

"I love you." Dammit, again with the tears!

He looks surprised at me. "You do?"

I laugh at his confusion. If only he knew. "Yes, I do."

He nods and his smile grows wider. "Good, 'cause it would've sucked if I made the trip all the wa – " He gasps and looks down at his arms and legs, then he starts violently patting his body. He starts screaming in pain. I lean back, eyes wide, caught of guard.

"Steve!"

"Diana, it's happening to him too. What happened to Antiope. Bring the cart! Now!"

I look back down at him. Mother's right. He's relieving what killed him. The burning.

Oh no. What do I do?

Steve is screaming in agony looking for the source of heat, but he won't find it. I try holding him but he can't comprehend what's happening and whatever I say it probably won't reach him. I do the only thing that comes to mind. I move behind him and wrap my arm around his neck, putting him in a chokehold.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I promise you we'll find something to ease your pain. I have to do this." I start tightening my grip around his neck.

He starts clawing at my arm, not understanding what's happening. I keep repeating that everything is going to be okay until I feel him become limp on my arms. I release my hold on him and lay his head on my shoulder. I kiss him on the temple and hug him against my chest.

"We should move him now, before he wakes up again." Artemis says to me.

I nod, but I can't bring myself to let go of him.

"Diana. He's here and he's not going anywhere. We have to move him before he wakes up and finds himself in excruciating pain again." Mother tells me kneeling down next to me.

"Yeah." I look up at Artemis and Phillipus and they lift Steve gently off my arms and onto the stretcher. I quickly stand up and follow them getting on the cart next to him, refusing to be separated from him any longer.

100 years is enough time apart.

AN: Praise the Amazons and their perfect timing! I know this is not exactly the reunion you guys wanted but there's going to be one, don't worry! See you Friday for more!