A.N – Don't let the title fool you, we are nowhere near complete! =]

Ooooh new followers and readers! Yay! It makes me excited to see ya'll are enjoying my story, although there might be chances that there's 'too much dialogue'? I'll apologise for that, but the dialogues make the story, hell if I could I would just get people to act it out; it would convey the scenes so much better.

Once again many thanks to the regular readers nikki and Jessica Torres-Robbins and all of you Guests I have no idea how many of you there are, or if you're all the same person, but thanks anyway!

Captain 2damnpretty2die is absolutely awesome and I love her to bits!

Enjoy!

Chapter 17: Complete

Callie p.o.v

"Talk to her"

Before I knew what was happening, Aria had pulled open the door; Terri, who had already been looking in our direction, and Arizona, who had turned around when the door swung open, immediately spotted us.

Shit!

Any thoughts I had were forgotten as I saw the devastation, the distraught and pain displayed all over Arizona's face. Anger took over and I stormed over to Terri, who was sitting on the couch. I grabbed her by the lapels of her jacket and lifted her up.

"What the hell was that?"

"What do you think you are doing Calliope?" Terri's voice was calm, and it irritated the hell out of me.

"Who do you think you are? Saying all of those things to Arizona, it was uncalled for!" My hands tightened and began to shake from all the anger pouring out of me.

"Cal, let go!" Aria's voice was frantic, "What are you doing Callie, let go!"

Terri waved her off before removing my hands from her with ease. "You came to me for help, did you not? I said to her the things that you are unable to."

"This is not what I asked of you. I asked you to help me. Help me understand what was going on, help me help Arizona! You had no right saying those things to her!" I spat at her.

"No right? Then who does? You?" she scoffed at the idea, "Your so called help means to stay silently by her side whilst she spirals into darkness. It's been 2 weeks since Arizona has awoken and what have you done?"

My fists clenched by my sides, I couldn't believe what she was saying to me.

"T, stop." Arizona's quiet voice cut in, and my heart broke. She sounded so small and dejected, and it was all because of her.

"Why should I? She came to me asking for help because she didn't know how to help you. She's afraid and she won't even admit it. What has she really done to help you Arizona? She's done nothing, she's not even trying, and she's relying purely on your bond. She believes that just because you are bonded, you can't be separated, but that's not how to works Calliope. If you don't fight for her, you'll lose her anyway. So tell me Calliope, what does Arizona really mean to you?"

The rage consumed my body at her insinuations, I couldn't believe that she thought that I had given up on Arizona; I would never do that. My vision clouded briefly and I could vaguely register my hand glowing gold as it collided with her cheek. She fell back onto the couch; head dipped and still turned to her right from when I punched her…

I punched her? Shit!

"Callie! What are you doing?"

"Calliope!"

Both Aria and Arizona spoke at the same time; Aria rushed to Terri's side, but was waved away again. I knew that I should feel scared, horrified even, that I had just attacked one of the strongest vampires within a 100 mile radius, and that she could probably kill me with her pinky. But the anger was so strong.

"Don't you dare suggest that I don't love Arizona?!" My voice was low and tainted with pure hatred. "She's my life and I would do anything to protect her. I've been seeking as many answers as I can to help her. I've been by her side, at all times, even when I've been afraid of what she can do, what she has done. I've been there; I'm not leaving her side. I promised her and I'm not breaking that promise. Not now, not ever!" My chest was heaving; I couldn't suppress my emotions anymore. Behind me, I could hear Arizona's low gasp at my confession.

"And what about you? What have you done to help her? You won't even admit your hand in this situation. You failed to help Arizona when the revival was initiated. My mother at least had the guts to admit her faults. She had admitted she was wrong to allow the revival happening, but she's been trying everything she can to help reverse this. She admitted she was wrong for erasing Arizona's memory, and has been trying to help her by helping me become stronger for Arizona. But you? You won't admit to being wrong for not training Arizona the way you did Tim. You are the reason Arizona has all this guilt. You can't even admit defeat, my mother and the prophecy beat you, but you still refuse to back down. You used it to your advantage, and took advantage of Aria. You claimed her knowing that my mother would be unable to refuse." I knew I was being unfair, and that Aria had already explained the truth behind it, but I was angry and trying to hurt Terri.

"You've done nothing but pretend that you're better than the rest of us. You pretend to care about us, when in reality, we're all just tools for you to claim the throne, right? You don't care about us at all, you act all high and mighty, and make us all bow down to you, when in actuality, you're just a scared little girl playing with fire, a fire that'll eventually burn you." I spat out in disgust.

"Calliope, stop!" Arizona commanded me, and I obeyed immediately. Terri looked up and I saw that she had a cut across her cheek and lip that was still bleeding. In my head, I felt guilty, but the anger and rage was taking over and I couldn't show anything but that.

"You know, this is your last pass for being so disrespectful towards me. The next time this happens, I can't guarantee what will happen." Her tone was tight and unreadable. I stiffened as I suddenly felt eyes on me and turned to see that Thalia and Clio had appeared and were standing by the doorway. When did they arrive?

"Where is he?" Terri questioned them.

"We've taken them into holding, an underground storage that Mnemosyne has. He has been sedated by Bailey and will be on constant watch." Clio replied, eyes narrowing at the cut across Terri's cheek. Thalia had not moved from her spot and was still glaring at me, sending shivers through me. Terri nodded and dismissed them before turning back to me.

"Your mother isn't as great as you think she is. She's not trying to help you, so much as trying to repent for her sins. You are her salvation, a way to clear her conscience of her past errors." Her voice was cold and calm; I tilted my head in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Mnemosyne had known of the prophecy the moment you were blessed with the name 'Iphigenia', she just didn't know how it would affect her or you. When you first introduced Arizona as your best friend and later girlfriend, she assumed that you would be bonded some time later in the future, and she waved away the thought of a 'sacrifice'. It wasn't until the day Poseidon got attacked that she understood. Tell me Calliope, when did your mother tell you of vampires and our history?"

I was baffled by the sudden question and had to think for a while. "I had always known of vampires, we grew up with them."

"Are you sure?"

I thought about it, and it hit me that I wasn't. I glanced at Aria to see her avoiding eye contact with me. Does she know the truth? How much does she already know? I struggled as I tried to think about what my mother had told me when I was young, only to find the memory missing. She had told us about them one day and, once the shock had passed, we had accepted it as part of our lives. We didn't question it, and it would seem weird to perceive my maids and butlers as anything but vampires. But when did she tell us?

"You don't remember do you?" I shook my head. "Then let me remind you, it was 20 years ago, when you were 15. The day after Arizona and her family disappeared."

I snapped my head up in shock and let out a gasp. No, it couldn't be. She's lying!

"Mnemosyne's sin is that she failed to save Poseidon and Aphrodite, she failed to fulfil her promise and she failed to save Arizona. She made the mistake of erasing Arizona's memory of the hatred and anger towards Hades. She is the one responsible for Arizona's compassion and it is her fault we even needed the revival. Once she had realised her mistake and the truth behind the prophecy, she had starting to prepare you to be sacrificed."

"Y-you're lying!" I was stunned; I refused to believe that my mother knew of all of this. "You're lying!"

"Am I? The moment she erased Arizona's memories, she had started the revival. She told you about us in order to prepare you for meeting us in the future. She needed you to be aware and accepting of us. She needed to repent for her sins against Arizona. She may not have known what the true sacrifice was until you stabbed Arizona, but she was prepared to give you up to Artemis for her mistake. Do you really think that she is unaware of what the revival really means? She knows that Arizona would be tormented by the killings, and that is why she was so insistent that 'Arizona' never returns, to let 'Artemis' have free reign. Why she was so insistent that you learn to accept Artemis and become stronger to aid her. Her so called 'help' towards you is nothing but a façade to hide her mistake. You are her salvation and she needs you to make up for her mistakes!"

I stood there in silence, unable to process what I was being told. Arizona had not moved from her spot since we arrived and was staring at us astounded.

"Do you still think your mother is so noble and righteous now?" Her tone was smug and I felt the anger at her attitude return in waves.

"You know nothing of my mother and I refuse to believe you! You're trying to make yourself look better and I'm not buying it. This isn't about my mother, it's about you and Arizona and the way you've been treating her!"

Her eyebrow arched in amusement, "I believe it was you who brought her up."

"That's not the point! The point is that you're hurting Arizona! You're being unfair and to be honest, a total bitch!" I was struggling to reclaim the upper hand in our confrontation. "Arizona is doing this for you, and you're throwing it back in her face. This isn't helping at all."

"So you would rather I let the issue go and let her continue to be rampant and uncontrollable. A, what was the word you used? A 'killing machine', a 'tool' for my reign? You would rather I accept Artemis' free reign over Arizona's body and mind?" Her tone was amused and she was fucking pissing me off.

"That's not what I'm saying at all! You're supposed to be helping her, not blaming her. It's not her fault, she doesn't want this, and she was never given the choice!" I was getting hysterical, Terri was being so difficult and I was losing control over my emotions.

"And I was? You make it seem like I wanted this."

"M-maybe you didn't, but you're not helping now." I was losing this quickly, I knew that Terri was against this almost as much as I was, but seeing Arizona look so defeated killed me. I couldn't just let Terri get away with it.

"So how do you expect me to help? Stand by twiddling my thumbs until she finally breaks down and comes begging me for help? Or wait until she destroys herself with the unbearable guilt and stress that comes with suppressing herself whilst lying to you? Or perhaps you wanted me to ask your mother to erase her memory again?" I was speechless, I really had no idea what I had wanted to happen, but I knew this wasn't it. "Tell me Calliope, how did you want me to help? Arizona needs to hear the truth some time, and seeing as you're less than forthcoming, I took the pleasure of informing her." The emphasis on the word 'pleasure' was unexpected; she didn't look like she was enjoying this at all. In the back of my head, I knew that she was hurt and distraught at what Arizona had become, but I didn't want to admit that she cared about Arizona that much. I didn't want to admit that I was wrong about her.

"Calliope," Arizona's soft voice cut through my internal musing, "Calliope, look at me." I continued to glare at Terri, "Calliope, please" Her pleading got my attention straight away. I had never heard Arizona sound so desperate or sad. "We need to talk." My heart dropped. "Please, I owe you the truth, so please. Come with me." She held out her hand and looked at me so earnestly, I was powerless to reject.

She smiled when she felt my hand in hers and led me out the door, but not before looking at Terri sombrely, "I'm sorry". I'm not sure if she was apologising for my actions or her own, but Terri simply nodded and waved us away.

I guess it's time we talked.

Aria p.o.v

I couldn't believe what just happened. Callie completely lost control and attacked Terri. I knew that Callie didn't exactly like Terri, but I didn't think she'd ever attack her like that; it was basically a death sentencing. I'm glad Thalia and Clio didn't apprehend Callie for that, they had arrived shortly after the punch and I swear I stopped breathing. I wasn't sure who I was going to help, Terri or Callie, they were both important to me, but Callie took it too far this time. I looked at Terri who had just sat down on the edge of her desk, cheek still bleeding. Why isn't she healing? … Oh…

"Hey T?"

"Hmm?" She absentmindedly replied, still staring at the floor, deep in thought.

"You hungry?" I asked hesitantly. Her eyes shot to me and she tilted her head, quite adorably, innocently in question.

"Whyyyy?" She dragged out the last syllable playfully, drawing a smile from me. It was times like these that I wondered how she could be so ruthless and cold towards other people, how she could be so commanding as a leader and yet so adorably childish when she was with me. It seemed that I was the only one that had yet to receive any of her anger or fiery temper, she was always so playful with me, and it reminded me of a child. It warmed my heart that she was so trusting of me that she'd let her calm and cold mask drop and be her 'real' self around me.

"You're not healing. You've been pretty tired these last couple of days, and you haven't been feeding. You've been too preoccupied with training us and researching Arizona's condition."

She touched her cheek and stared at her fingertips covered in blood, as if just realising the situation. "Nah, it's fine. I already fed last night, remember?"

I narrowed my eyes and placed my hands on my hips, "Teresa Ryans" I growled out "You need to feed!"

"Ooooh, full naming me?" She replied playfully, trying to evade the topic.

"Nah uh, we're not doing this. We can do this the easy way or the hard way." I stated resolutely, crossing my arms to emphasise my point.

She narrowed her eyes at me, and the next thing I knew, I was being tackled onto the couch behind me.

"Oh god! Uncle, uncle! S-stop! Please! I give, I give!" I cried out in between laughter. She tickled me mercilessly and I had to cry uncle. She finally stopped her assault and looked down at me.

I took notice of our intimate position and blushed. She was laying on top of me on the couch, arms on either side of me head, supporting herself up, face inches away from me. I looked away embarrassed.

A gentle hand took a hold of my chin and turned my face back to hers. "I'm serious Ariadne, I already took too much last night, and it's not good for you." Her voice was soft and warm, a complete 180 from her passionate and fiery self when she was with Arizona and the smug and cocky person she was with Callie.

"But you're not healing right now." I replied in an equally soft voice.

"It's because Callie used her power, so it's just a little slow right now."

"Her power? Oh, her hand had a gold aura when she struck you right?" she nodded. "That was her power? Cool. But that's not the point, if you feed, you can heal faster. You're already weak, and any more injuries will set back your recovery."

"Aria-"

"Well if not from me. Please from someone else then!" I was determined to get her to feed.

"I can't…"

"What? Why?" This was news to me, she had always fed off of other people and packs, so why was this different. Is she blushing?

"Because…" she sounded hesitant.

"Because?" I pushed.

"Because I've marked a bride." I knew she had already, but it still didn't make sense. She must have caught the confusion, because she sighed deeply, looking off to the side before continuing.

"It's like having a mate. I should only feed from my mate, unless I'm heavily injured and they're not around to feed from. It's like … cheating on them. It's not right." I felt my blushed return tenfold. "I mean not everyone follows the rule, some vampires have mates that they spend most of their time with, but still feed off of others, but with heirs, like me, it's good to be able to set an example of monogamy. Or something… My father never was clear, and he wasn't the greatest example considering my mother was a whore. Though he does have one specific person he feeds from all the time. And-"

"So feed." I cut her off before she started to ramble again. It was cute and all, but sometimes frustrating. Like now, I was trying to make a point and she was distracting me with some new history.

"Aria, you didn't hear a word I said did you?"

"I did. Now feed from me." She stared at me stunned, and I giggled before pulling her head to my neck. "I'm serious, you may have taken a lot from me last night, but I'm fine. Really, I'm not just trying to placate you, I really am. It doesn't even feel like you fed last night, so just do it. You're already so close to recovering, you won't need to do this so much after you've recovered right?" I felt her nod against my neck, so I tilted my head to give her more space.

As her fangs sunk into my neck, I felt no pain. It started to happen after her third feed; the pain no longer came along with her fangs. She had explained that I had fully adapted to my vampire status and so no longer felt that pain. It was still interesting to me, I could feel her fangs and feel her feed, but there was no pain, if anything, I could feel small amounts of pleasure rush through me.

Whilst she was feeding, I thought to my conversation with Callie earlier on.

"We're just friends and we just slept"

"But you're disappointed right? You wanted something to happen"

"Terri proposed when she claimed you and you accepted."

Was that really how it was? That we were essentially married now? She had said that she 'marked a bride' and that was similar to having a mate. So we're mated? She couldn't feed off of others because she treated me like a mate and didn't want to what? Cheat on me? Would I feel cheated if she had sought others for feeding? I tried to imagine her feeding from Thalia or Clio, and the image of them receiving Terri's gentle touch, feeling her breath on their necks, of Terri giving them this 'pleasure' sent a huge feeling of uncomfort throughout my body. Was I jealous?

Terri must have sensed my uncomfort, as she drew back and looked at me with worry painted over her face. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"

I studied her face for a little while. The cut across her cheek had healed up perfectly, leaving behind smooth, pale skin, that my hand had subconsciously reached up and began stroking. The cut across her lip had also healed, and I stared at her lips intently. I could still feel her body over mine, face so close to mine, my neck still tingling from her fangs, and I pulled my bottom lip in, biting softly.

"Aria?"

Ah, fuck it. I snaked my arms around her neck and pulled her lips down to meet mine.

Finally.

Callie p.o.v

Arizona led me to our room in silence; I was terrified at what was to come. She opened the door and I entered behind her, heading straight to sit on the edge of the bed. When she closed the door, I gestured for her to join me, but she shook her head adamantly and remained in front of the closed door.

"We need to talk." Her voice was low and hesitant.

"So you've said."

"I don't want to do this to you." It was a pleading tone and I was completely lost as to what she was saying.

"Do what to me?"

"The burden of my guilt and despair, the suffering of the pain and helplessness, and the fear of darkness and the monster. I can't ask you to take on any of that, I won't, and it's not fair of me to do that." She started pacing in front of me, hands shaking from… fear? Anger? I didn't know; all I knew was that Arizona was troubled by something.

"You're not asking, I'm offering. Hell, I'm not even offering exactly, it's more of a demand. I'm demanding that you share your burdens, your sufferings and your fears with me. I want to help you." I stressed to her; I needed her to know that I needed her to share everything with me.

"I can't, I won't. It's too much; I can't do that to you; never to you Calliope. I love you so much and I would rather not have you at all than have you experience all the insecurity, doubt, devastation and horror. It would be too much for you to bear and it would break my heart knowing that I was the cause of it." Her voice was trembling and I paled.

"W-what are you saying Arizona?" No, she couldn't be suggesting what I think she's suggesting. She can't do that to us.

She stopped her pacing and stared resolutely into my eyes, "I'm saying that I want to break our bond." Her voice was calm and there was no doubt in her tone.

"No." I was stunned, after everything that's happened, I wasn't about to give up.

"What?"

"I said no!"

"Calliope-"

"No! You don't get to talk, it's my turn now!" her mouth snapped shut, and she stared at me wide eyed.

"I lost you once, 20 years ago, and I barely survived it. Do you know how I spent the first 2 weeks after you disappeared?" she shook her head weakly; "I locked myself away in my room, crying and screaming for you to come back. I barely ate or drank anything; my father had to break down my door because I almost died. I thought you had died and I wanted to join you, I wanted to be with you no matter where you were. I tried, but my father saved me. I'd spent 5 days in the hospital recovering from malnourishment and my suicide attempt. I barely survived Arizona." I closed my eyes at the memory, and could feel tears welling up behind my closed eyes, the pain of that time returning.

"Calliope, I never-" her voice was full of guilt, and I could see her blue eyes watering.

"I barely survived it last time. I won't survive it again. I've waited so long to be with you again, I can't lose you Arizona. I don't care how bad the pain or suffering is, but if it's hurting you, then I want to share that burden. I want to take away your pain; I want to make you feel nothing but happiness. I want you to feel as great as I do whenever I'm with you."

"Calliope, I want that too, but you're so innocent. You have nothing to do with this war, and I don't want to drag you in. You could live out your life as a normal person, a doctor at SGMW like before. You shouldn't have to get involved." Her tone was desperate, desperate for me to understand her point of view.

"If you're involved then so am I, it's as simple as that." She looked so conflicted. I knew she loved me and wanted me by her side, but she was afraid of hurting me. I walked up to her and I took her hand, placing it on my heart. "Do you feel that Ari? It beats only for you." She stared intently at her hand, as if trying to see directly into my heart. "But it's breaking; it's breaking because you don't want it. You're rejecting me and it's breaking my heart." The tears that I had tried so hard to hold in finally fell, and I couldn't stop it no matter what.

Her free hand curled into a fist and clenched tightly by her side, her breathing was harsh, eyes closed tightly, teeth ground together, pain painted all over her face and I could see she was still arguing within herself. "I… I can't protect you Callie. I can't guarantee that you'll be safe and unharmed… I… I need to be able to protect you." It was spoken so low and raspy, in a quivering voice, that I barely caught it.

I tightened my grip around her hand, and chanced a step closer to her. "I don't need you to protect me. I just need you to love me."

She looked at me with clear blue eyes, tears streaming down her face and raised a hand to my cheek. "I do, I do love you. I love you so much and I am so so sorry Calliope." Gently, she began to wipe the tears away; studying my face with such intensity I felt my heart begin to speed up.

"Please don't hide from me again, don't leave me again. My heart couldn't bear it. The pain and suffering from your burdens are nothing compared to how it would feel if you left me. I would die." My voice trembled with my emotions, I needed Arizona, there was no doubt about that, but the thought that she wanted to break our bond, it was devastating and I thought I would die right then.

"I-I don't want you to be afraid of me." I knew that there were still other things that needed to be addressed, and no better time that now I suppose.

"No Arizona, I'm not afraid of you! I saw what you had become, and yes it scared me, but I knew it wasn't you."

"It was me, it was all me; 'Artemis' and 'Arizona' are both me, and there are no excuses. I'm a monster Callie!" she was sobbing, and it hurt so much.

"You're not a monster, I swear it. I wouldn't, couldn't love a monster. I know deep down that you don't want to kill anybody, but there isn't a choice. You did it to protect me, to protect Terri, to protect your family. How could anyone as loyal and loving as that be a monster? I may have been afraid, but it was because I didn't understand. Hades is the monster, he uses children and young women to feed from and changes them all into mindless tools, he is the monster, not you!" It was true, I didn't understand at first, but seeing everything that Hades has done, everything that he has caused, I knew that he needed to be stopped, in any way possible. Even I couldn't stand what he represented. He was a symbol of greed, of insanity, destruction and pain.

"But you… You're reaction when I killed that little girl… You were horrified and today, with Graham, you couldn't even look at me" I winced. It was no surprise that Arizona was so insecure about my feelings, ever since she had awoken I had been cautiously stepping around her; unfamiliar with the way 'Artemis' carried herself. She had surprised me with her nonchalance at killing so many children and her effortless torture of the man, but it was because I was so used to a gentle and loving Arizona. Maybe it was my fault that she was hiding from me, maybe Terri was right and I should've tried harder.

"I'm sorry Ari, but you shocked me. You were. You are so different from how I remember you, from how you were when we first reunited. I needed time to adapt to the change. You were right about one thing, it is a necessity to become this cold and ruthless person in order to beat Hades, and I'm sorry for making you doubt that. Hades will not hold back nor will he have any remorse for killing anyone. You need to fight fire with fire, and using 'Artemis' is the biggest chance we have at this."

"Calliope… Do you really mean that?" Her voice was so small and insecure; I could feel tears gathering again.

"God, I do. I'm sorry for making you feel so insecure about what you were doing, I'm sorry you thought I was so afraid of you, I'm sorry for believing Erica and I'm sorry for stabbing you!" I choked on a sob, I had yet to apologise for that day, and the memories and feelings it brought up threatened to bring me to my knees. "I love you and I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you. If you'll let me?"

"I love you too. I love you so much Calliope, god I'm so sorry. I love you. I promise. I promise I'll never leave you, I promise, I promise. No more hiding, no more lies, I swear, I'll tell you everything." She pulled me into a fierce embrace and we held on tightly to each other, tears streaming down our faces. "I forgive you Calliope, I forgave you the moment I felt the blade enter me. There was nothing to forgive; you were scared and just trying to protect your mother. I would never forgive anyone for hurting or scaring you, even if that person were myself. I'm so sorry for everything!"

"I'm not going anywhere Ari, just trust me. Trust me to fight by your side." I pulled back slightly and she grabbed my face with her hands.

"I do, I trust you with my life, with everything that I am." She pulled me into a heated kiss and I felt my body respond immediately. I knew straight away that this was the feeling I had been looking for. Every time Artemis kissed me, there was something missing, but this? This was everything, and it sent shivers straight to my core. This was the Arizona I loved, and right now, it was just about Arizona and I, about our love and nothing else.

When I woke up, I found myself in the arms of my mate. Arizona was deep in sleep, but her arms were still tightly wrapped around me as I laid my head on her chest, listening to her heartbeat. My neck was still tingling from finally completing our ritual and I felt my whole body tingle with satisfaction and excitement. Perhaps we should have had this conversation sooner? If it meant that we could officially seal our bond, then I should've asked Terri to confront Arizona sooner.

Talking of Terri, I owed her an apology. If it wasn't because of her, then I wouldn't have been able to finally have this heart to heart with Arizona. Not to mention what she did for me after Arizona had dragged me out of the room.

*Flashback*

Terri nodded as Arizona apologised.

"Do you want to know what happened with Arizona that night?" I could hear Terri's voice echo in my head, and I mentally said my answer hoping she would pick it up.

"Yes, but how?"

"I will show you." Terri's voice was strong and powerful as it rang through my mind, God she's so strong.

"Show me?" I replied confused.

"Just relax and don't fight me…" She trailed off in a gentle manner.

"Don't figh-" I gasped as images of the night Poseidon was attacked played through my head. The look in Hades and Erica's eyes, the fear of Aphrodite, the anger of Poseidon, the moment Arizona was attacked in the park and sired, the confusion running through her head as the 'voice', my mother Mnemosyne, spoke to her barely conscious self before erasing her memories, her fear and frantic panicking when she woke up in Terri's home. Everything played through my head. And I finally understood Arizona's, no Artemis' hatred of Hades and my mother.

"Do you understand now?" Her voice was exhausted and strained.

"How did you do that?" I was amazed at her ability, and stunned by her choice to show me.

"I've seen into her mind. The day after she woke up at my house, I peered into her mind to find out who she was and what happened, seeing as she had no clue. And after Mnemosyne recovered her memories, I had a look at her nightmares as she was feeding from me. I saw her memories and her past." She explained softly, it was a side I wasn't used to and I felt extremely guilty for everything I had done to her.

"I didn't know vampires could do that, I thought you could only communicate through thoughts, or is this a royal bloodline thing?" I was perplexed by this sudden new ability, I didn't think that even my mother, who controls memories could do this.

"I'm the daughter of Zeus and a relative of Theia, the greatest mind manipulator to have ever existed, you'd think I would have picked something up. I asked her to train me when I was younger."

"Can my mother do this?"

"Not exactly, she controls memories, but she doesn't have the ability to transfer them like this. She'd have to be present and have some sort of contact. Like I said, I'm related to Theia and a very diligent student." Her voice was getting more and more strained as we conversed.

"Are you okay? You sound stressed" I was genuinely concerned for her health; she was helping me even after everything I had done to her just moments before. She didn't have to do this, and I would be forever in debt to her.

"Just tired, it's very draining," I could feel her voice wavering, "and besides, you smacked me with that amped up fist of yours." She was teasing me, even now, and it brought a smile.

"Thank you."

…

"Terri?" her presence had suddenly disappeared from my head and I was worried that something had happened to her.

"Sorry, Aria's calling me. She's looking at me weirdly now, I'm signing off!" And her presence disappeared completely, leaving my slightly bewildered at her goodbye. 'I'm signing off'? What the hell?

*End Flashback*

I wasn't too proud to admit that I had read Terri completely wrong and that I was really guilty of misjudging her character. She was smarter than I had given her credit for and Aria was right for defending her. She had waved off my thanks, like it wasn't necessary, and I now understood what Aria meant when she said that Terri was selfless and a better person than I had made her out to be. I knew that I owed her a proper apology and thanks face to face.

Arizona groaned in her sleep and shifted slightly in her position. Her arms tightened around me as if to make sure I was still there and she buried her nose into my hair, pressing a soft kiss to the top of my head. It made me smile at how adorable she was being. This was the Arizona I had met back in Seattle, this was the one I missed waking up with, and this was the one that I had completely fallen in love with.

Yeah… I owe Terri a lot.

A.N: The calm before the storm perhaps?