I apologize in advance for the short chapter. I'm trying to follow the original RW to the best of my ability, as requested
HaileyBaileyOne: I'm quite flattered actually you think this story should have more reviewers… thank you! And I'm glad you think my Hades is in character, he's the most fun but the most difficult because just how distinctive his personality is, it is easier to notice flaws. I hope you enjoy this chapter too!
Kayleighcroz003: I am glad you enjoy this story so far, and I hope you continue to enjoy everything to come!
XV13: Wow… thank you I'm happy to hear you enjoyed RW. I was so young when I started it I look back and cringe at it. But it's still always nice to know someone enjoyed it. I abandoned it because people were OOC, the writing was poor, and there were plot holes and just gaps that don't make sense so the rewrite is an attempt to make it cleaner. I plan to follow RW to the best of my ability, I'm actually rereading RW as I write to make sure I maintain the important plot points and events. I hope this rewrite continues to earn your approval!
I sat outside. After years of having my time in the outside world limited by a cruel god, sitting inside made me feel tense. The phantom smell of sulfur still stung my nose, and I couldn't convince myself to stop my rapid breathing. I had yet to sit and think about everything, I had been far too exhausted the previouis night to let more than passing thoughts shift through my mind. I looked up to the sky, looking for the stars that used to bring me comfort on the nights I would manage to sneak out, or return from duty later than demanded. But they sky was still obscured by smoke and dust. I sighed, wanting to enjoy my freedom but these fears would not be so quickly forgotten.
Hades was right, and every part of me knew it. If Hercules had made a deal, his soul for mine, than Hades rightfully owned one of us. And he seemed to have laid claim to his choice. Would I never be trulely free? Was he only letting me remain on Earth so I would taste freedom and forever pine for it after he claims his prize? I was mortal, and even Wonderboy couldn't change that fact. Hades wouldn't let him rescue me from death a second time.
A sudden wind brought the smells of the burning city to my nose. During my internment I had always found comfort in the smell of a wood fire, it reminded me that a place outside the underworld existed. A place where fires brought comfort and warmth, that they were places where people gathered to cook food and share stories. But as I looked upon the wreckage of Thebes, the smell of the destruction wraught by the Cyclpops it no longer reminded me of pleasant things.
I looked at my fingers, flexing them, as I reflected how I had tried to reach for Hercules in my last few moments only succeeding in a few twitches of my fingers. I had wanted to see him just one last time. Then he rescued me, in every possible way. How could I ever show him my gratitude, or repay him for what he did to me? Even if it is just for a mortal lifetime, he freed me from my enslavement, brought be back from the dead, rescued me from myself. I had very nearly destroyed his life, and he had saved mine. I didn't deserve him. But that didn't mean I wasn't going to enjoy this. A smile finally tugged at my lips.
"What are you still doing here?" I thought I reognized the voice, and looked up to see a familiar face.
"Oh. Joy." I muttered, looking up to see Helen approaching.
"I said what are you still doing here,"
"You're acting like you live here and I'm an intruder,"
"What are you doing here!" She repeated, clenching her fists.
"I got drunk and passed out," It wasn't a full lie, but I doubted this petulant girl would believe me had I told her the full truth. "Would feel rude simply leaving without saying goodbye,"
"I'll tell him you said bye. Get out,"
"This isn't your home or does Hercules have a wife no one knows about?"
"I'm his future wife, you'll see! I run his fanclub, attended every play, been there at every store I have all his merchandise! I'm his greatest fan! We're destined to be together! I love him!"
"You sound delusional…" I muttered, raising a brow at her. "Obsession and love are slightly different,"
"Oh and you're not obsessed? Miss brooding around his front gate."
"I'm gonna go," I was not in the mood to argue with a hormone fueled obsessive young adult and stood to head inside the villa, but I was cut off with a suddent blunt pain to the side of my head. My vision flashed with color, and I squinted to try and clear it. I had been knocked to the ground with the shock of the blow, and shifted to my hands and knees, "Are you crazy?!" I got to my feet quickly,
"If the guards aren't here to stop you I will! You can't just barge into his villa uninvited!"
"Okay two things," I held a hand to my head, surprised at the strength she possessed as the ringing in my ear began to dull, "I was invited, you saw me last night. Secondly, if an invitation is your concern why are you here?"
"I am the president of his fanclub-"
"We've been over that," I groaned.
"I am the head of his fanclub," She repeated, ununciating her words, " it is my civic duty to see that he is protected from intruders like you!"
"Oh, is that why you have to do a favor for the guards in order to get in here? Surely your convincing powers of persuasion should be enough to convince the guards to welcome you to the villa with open arms." She looked taken aback, and faltered for words. Her brow furrorwed, and she scrunched her nose in a way that made her appear even younger. As if the cosmos were writing a terrible story, a whinny broke the silence that hung between us announcing that Hercules had returned with extraordinary timing. I looked up for the familiar sight, watching the sillhouette fly off to Pegasus's stable.
"You should leave, after a long day doing hero work, he should be welcomed home by someone who loves him" I could have laughed at the irony.
"Okay, calm down," I chuckled, hoping there wasn't a bruise forming that I would have to explain away.
"I said leave,"
"He is literally heading our way how about you calm down before you give yourself a nosebleed and let him decide how to settle this, okay?"
"Fine, but you'll see!" We stood in awkward silence as we waited for Hercules to make his way up the path and join us near the front gate. Upon approach a confused look crossed his features as his gaze darted between the two of us.
"Oh! Hercules! Welcome home!"
"Uh… Helen?"
"You must be tired, I tried to ge this woman to leave but she won't must be irritating dealing with such inconsiderate fans! But that's why I'm here, I'm the head of your fanclub because I can keep them in line!"
"Helen…"
"I came here to see you! And I ran into her she said she got drunk and passed out, so not just inconsiderate but a lush too. She refused to leave untli she said goodbye so here you are so yeah crazy lady? Now you can leave. Go. Now. Leave. Hercie and I need to be alone,"
"Hercie?" I repeated, biting my lower lib to stifle a laugh as Hercules shot me a glare
"Helen,"
"You saved the whole cosmos then you had to be out all day and come home to this crazy lady standing in the garden like a stalker waiting for you at the front gate refusing to leave! You must be exhausted! I can make you a hot meal! You just go in relax, I'll go get the gaurds to get this lady,"
"Helen,"
"Then you can go to bed with a full stomach safe villa knowing your biggest fan took care of you! You can't ask for a better way to end your night!"
"Helen!" She stopped her tirade, looking at him with a wide startled expression. "Please go home… It's late. I just want to go to bed,"
"What about her," She snorted, crossing her arms.
"Helen…" He sighed, and my eyes went wide when I realized what he was about to tell her, "She's staying here with me." I wasn't ready for anyone to know who I was or what I meant to him. Knowing I was his weakness once before had nearly gotten him killed, what could happen should all of Thebes know who I was? And did he truly wish for me to live here with him? It was a thought I had failed to think about. Living here, with him. Even in my grandest fantasy I couldn't imagine such a life.
"Ha! That's a funny joke!" She laughed, seeming to genuienly believe that he was joking,
"I'm not-"
"Your sense of humor is just one more reason everyone in Greece adores you!"
"That wasn't a joke… she lives here, with me. You need to go home, we've been over this. You can't just break in to my villa,"
"Why would you want her? I'm the one who's dedicated to you! I know everything about you! I run your fanclub! I can tell you the date of every monster battle, every natural distaster that you saved a city from," As do I. I thought bitterly, while not all were caused by Hades enough were. And I was there for most of them.
"Please go home," He sighed, exasperated. "We can talk about this another day," He looked as if the thought alone was something to dread, but he was too polite to tell her such. She pouted, and looked about to continue to argue,
"Alright, but you'll see you're making a mistake. I can make you so happy Hercie! What does she even have to offer you?"
"Meg has been by my side since the day I came to Thebes, and she makes me very happy," The girl scoffed, pouted, and finally turned to leave and made her way down the walkway.
"I think you need to talk to your guards about her. I saw her… bribing one of them," I grimaced at the thought.
"Yeah… they haven't been very good at keeping the fangirls out,"
"The sea of raging hormones has apparently not ebbed," I teased, reflecting back on what felt like months ago. Has it really been only a day? "You really want me to live here, with you?" I asked, looking into those innocent blue eyes as they turned to me. A smile crossed his features and he reached out to clasp my hands,
"Of course! Well, umm… that is… if you want to. I mean I don't want you to feel like I'm kidnapping you and,"
"Shh…" I put my finger over his lips to stop his nervous ranting. "I'm happy to," I smiled, looking up at him. His anxiety ebbed and he pulled me closer to him, letting go of my hands to wrap his arms around me,
"I love you," He smiled,
"I love you too," I felt the same silly grin overtake my own features, and I stood on my toes, kissing him softly. He tightened his embrace, and I mine. I felt his fingers run down the center of my back, sending chills down my arms. His touch so much more gentle than his clumsy nature would suggest. His free hand moved to my neck, his thumb playing with my earlobe. My fingers wove in his hair and I deepened the kiss. I felt a spark of desire begin to roll through me, and I broke the kiss quickly before I lost control of myself. "You must be exhausted… I can't believe they made you interview today! They couldn't give you the day off after you saved the world?"
"Well I wasn't there all day, I got to sleep pretty late. What about you? When did you get up? You seemed even more exhausted than I was," I chuckled,
"I have no idea. Not long ago actually. It was already dark when I woke up."
"Did you eat anything?"
"Not yet, but now that you mention it I'm starving."
"Well let's go get something to eat, Jason is a great cook."
"Sounds like a plan," I smiled, trying to hide the sudden rush of anxiety that brought bile to the back of my throat and the sound of rushing blood flooded my ears. What if Jason mentioned the strange burns he helped me treat? What if he noticed I was no longer bandaged with no trace of the burns left on my skin? I swallowed the bitter taste in my mouth and followed him back into the villa, leaving the tribulations of an obsessive fan outside.
I guess I'm satisfied with this chapter… not my best but I hope it earns your seal of approval nonetheless I didn't have time to proofread this, I'm actually posting this minutes before I run out the door to go out with friends I just wanted to get an update up tonight.