A/N: Good morning! As always, many thanks for your reviews. I realize Hades' actions in the last chapter was pretty upsetting, but he gets punished in this chapter. Guess who is there to pick up the pieces?

Chapter 12: Lovers Parted and Reunited

The quickest way to the kitchen from where they were was past the throne room. She saw the big sodalite doors and faltered. If Lord Hades kept to the same schedule as yesterday, he would have just finished judging souls.

Given the morning she'd had, and how grimy she felt, she really didn't want to run into him again. It could only renew her heartache, which she had almost managed to forget. At the same time, she doubted she had the strength to go another route. All she wanted was food, rest, and to be held by someone who cared for her. She would have to make do with the first two.

Stealing herself, she put her head down and began to walk past the massive doors. She almost made it away from them when she heard a low, animal sound of pain. She froze. Only now did she remember how he had been after the judging. Was he like that again, alone and suffering? Caution warred with sympathy. If he didn't want her this morning, he wouldn't welcome her intrusion now. But if he was hurt, she couldn't leave. Helplessly she drifted toward the entrance. Just a quick peek, she told herself. If he was fine, she would be on her way without a word. And if he wasn't…

She crept to the door, opening it barely enough to peer in with one eye. The vast room seemed abandoned at first, but she remembered how quickly it emptied out after the judging was done. Lord Hades valued his solitude, and his staff were aware of his preferences. She looked at the far end, where the throne rested on its dais. There was a lifeless figure sprawled across the chair. Her heart stopped.

"Hades?" she whispered in panic. He didn't seem to be breathing. She stood frozen in horror, unable to call for help, unable to get closer to see if he was alive or… He twitched and gave that moan of pain again. She exhaled in a rush, her head spinning with relief. Her heart started beating again, pounding so hard she couldn't hear anything else.

"Lord Hades," she called loudly, only now aware of her previous slip of address. "Do you need help?" She began to walk toward him reluctantly. She felt bad for his pain, but wished anyone were here instead of her. The basket was clutched in front of her for protection. Her knuckles were white on the rim. When Lord Hades raised his head to look at her, she almost turned and fled. If he could raise his head, surely he was fine? And then he tried to move. She never knew if he was trying to stand, or straightening his position in the throne. Either way, he lost his balance and fell forward. He tumbled down the steps of the dais and sprawled unmoving on the floor.

"Hades!" she screamed. She threw the basket aside as she ran for him. He was breathing shallowly, his eyes closed tight. His skin was more sallow than golden. His shadow was frighteningly ordinary, looking just like hers without any animating force behind it.

"Please, Lord Hades, are you alright?" she asked urgently, kneeling by him. She was afraid of touching him in case he was injured. "I'm going to get someone to help." Hopefully Lady Hecate was still in the same place, or she would be reduced to running the halls shouting for help. He moved again, turning his head toward her. His hand grasped the air weakly.

"Please… don't…" he muttered faintly, and took a moment to gather himself. "…Stay…"

She was torn. On one hand she felt he needed real help, more than what she could give him. She should fetch Lady Hecate and Lord Thanatos both, if she could. On the other hand, he'd asked her to stay. After breakfast, she thought he wouldn't want anything to do with her again. If there was anything she could do to help, she wanted to be there for him.

"What can I do?" she asked simply. His hand inched toward her. She took it. This time he clenched her fingers hard, and a fine shudder ran through him. He looked as raw as a hide stretched and scraped for tanning.

"I have you," she whispered quietly, because she didn't know what else to do. His curls had fallen over his face, and she brushed them out of the way. He moved into her touch. She laid her hand on his cheek. His eyes drifted shut in bliss. She remembered the way he had been yesterday. Touch seemed to help. She shifted to lay his head on her lap, and ran her hand through his blue curls. She'd been longing to do it for so long, and now he was letting her.

His hair was damp with sweat. She wished she'd thought to bring one of the washcloths with her. The basket was lying on its side in the middle of the throne room, washcloths strewn everywhere. She'd have to refold those later. Hopefully Lady Hecate would forgive her failure to deliver them.

She continued to stroke her fingers through his hair, sometimes laying her hand on his face. Her eyes and fingers traced his handsome features, wishing she knew where she stood with him. With more strength, he brought her hand to his mouth. She couldn't call it a kiss so much as a desperate press of his lips. His shadow began to stir independently, and curled around her. Her heart was heavy with dread and confusion. If this happened yesterday, she would have been overjoyed at this sign of encouragement. But after this morning, she was afraid to feel hope. If he pushed her away again after this, she'd know she never meant anything to him. It would crush her worse than if she'd never had hope at all.

Lord Hades was taking deep, steadying breaths. After a moment he managed to climb to his feet. She let her hands fall away from him uncertainly. It made her feel too vulnerable to be kneeling while he stood over her, so she rose as well. They stared at each other. She saw her own doubt mirrored in his eyes. Part of her wanted to leave like this never happened, but another part wanted to stay with Lord Hades. He needed her; he was looking at her now, instead of pushing her away.

He started to reach for her. She leaned back, not flinching, but not welcoming his touch. His hand dropped to his side.

"What happened?" she asked. Her voice was a whip crack inside room. He clenched his jaw and looked away. Suddenly she was furious. She had been through too much to meekly lay down and give up.

"No," she said sharply. "I helped you. You needed me. The least you can do is tell me what happened."

He drew himself, giving her an imperious look. Too late she remembered that he was Lord Hades, king of the Underworld and god of the dead. He was not to be trifled with in his own kingdom.

"Have lunch with me," he commanded.

She hesitated. Only now did she remember her own exhaustion and hunger. Her knees were shaking, and it felt like she was going to collapse in a few seconds. She gave a curt nod, because she couldn't do anything else. He gestured for her to precede him. She was starting to feel very unwell, and suspected that movement was going to be more than she could manage. Still, he was waiting on her, so she tried to take a step. Her legs gave out. Lord Hades jumped forward and caught her before she could fall.

They both stiffened, aware this was the first time they had been so close since breakfast. For a tense moment neither moved. Then Lord Hades seemed to give in. He folded her against his chest, one arm holding her tight, the other rubbing her back. His head bowed, mouth pressed to her hair as he inhaled deeply. She trembled, less from tiredness and more from painful hope. What was he doing? Did he know how he was playing with her heart? She couldn't guard against him when he acted like this.

Without asking, he picked her up and carried her through the room. She bore it in awkward silence. She loved the feel of his strong arms around her, but part of her felt like she couldn't enjoy it. He paused when he saw the basket with the scattered washcloths.

"What is this?" he asked.

"I was running an errand for Lady Hecate," she said evasively. Her original intent of somehow impressing him by learning about his realm seemed very childish now. At the same time, she didn't want to give it up. The work gave her purpose, and Lady Hecate was also teaching her witchcraft.

"That's what shades are for," he said dismissively. It made her more determined to keep working. It wasn't about impressing him, or earning Lady Hecate's respect. It was proving her ability to herself.

"I like helping Lady Hecate," she said stubbornly. He gave her a surprised look.

"I'm glad you're getting on well with her," he said in a softer tone. When he spoke like that, she could no longer resist. She laid her head on his chest. She was so tired, and he felt safe and warm. Persephone drifted a little, because the next thing she knew they were in the dining room. His shadow pulled out the chair next to his, and he set her down gently, his hand lingering longer than necessary to steady her. He sat next to her, his shadow wrapping around her legs. It could have been like usual, except for the tension in her heart. The food arrived, and for several minutes they were too busy eating to talk. Eventually though, she remembered why she'd agreed to have lunch with Lord Hades.

"What happened?" she asked again. "More souls to Tartarus?"

He shook his head, and paused for a long drink. His expression turned haunted. Clearly he was reluctant to speak of it, but she pressed him for an answer.

"There was an old woman," he began slowly. "She was a dryad. Used to be a dryad. One day she met a mortal man, and fell in love with him. She chose to give up her mortal life, to be with him. He was a simple baker, nothing more. They were never rich or famous, but they never went hungry either." His voice had a dreamy quality, his eyes distant. He went on as if he couldn't stop.

"Such a life she lived with her husband. They had many children, buried two, saw others live to wed and bear their own children. She loved her husband and her family fiercely, and she suffered so much for it. As a dryad, she'd been innocent, knowing only the sun and the wind, the rain and the company of her sisters. But with her husband, she lived so much more, in such a short time. She was… happy. And then one day, today, it was all over."

He slumped in his chair as if it was too much effort to hold himself up. He spoke dispassionately, but she remembered watching him judge souls; he'd lived through everything, as strong as though he had been the woman. No wonder he was exhausted. She realized he was done speaking, but still had no idea why it had affected him so much.

"Was she killed?" she hazarded a guess.

He snorted. "Killed? Yes, she was. By time. Old age was her murderer. Two things she would have never known as a dryad. She might have lived for centuries, but she gave it up for a few short decades with her husband." He sounded bitter… but envious as well. Did he resent his long life, and the ease with which mortals died? Did he tire of his life as an immortal god? She felt anxious for him. It was not her place to say that he should look forward to life rather than looking to end his. She'd only just met him, and had anticipated knowing him for centuries to come.

"Where did you send her?" she asked softly, struggling to understand him.

"Asphodel. After all she suffered, I thought the kindest thing was to let her forget it all."

She felt a jolt in her stomach. Had the woman truly suffered so much? She had lived, and she had loved, and yes that came with a certain amount of pain, but it was worth it in the end. If Persephone had lived and loved so fiercely, she wouldn't want to forget a moment of it. She didn't know how to respond to Lord Hades. This was one thing that they saw very differently. He sighed deeply.

"And then the old man came."

He spoke so quietly she almost didn't hear him.

"I didn't know who he was, at first. I'd tried to forget about the woman, and there were three or four souls between them. But when he came forward, when I tasted his soul, I remembered." He fell silent.

"Her husband?" she prompted, when it looked like he wouldn't speak again.

"Gods, yes," he scrubbed his hand over his face. "He didn't kill himself. But when she died, his heart gave out. The grief was too much for him. And he loved her, so much. To him, the only women in the world were his wife and his daughters. The others might as well not exist. I saw their life again, through his eyes. He worked hard to ensure they had enough to eat, but he didn't let his work take him from his family. He was always there for them.

"And they caused him so much pain. All their sorrows, their hurts, their joys, he took them all, and he loved every second of it. He wouldn't trade an instance of what they put him through, not for riches, or a longer life. He was as proud of the pain as he was of the love. He lived unapologetically, and died the same way. They weren't alone when they died."

"Because they were together?" she asked when he paused.

"No. Because their family was around them. The woman was not so good with numbers, but the man was better. He knew how many children he'd sired, and his children's children, down to the fifth generation. So many people were there… Over two hundred attended them in the end, scattered over six villages but traveling home one last time to say goodbye." He fell into a stupefied silence.

For the first time, she began to understand his reaction. "Where did you send the husband?" she asked, dreading the answer.

He sighed, sounding exhausted. "…Elysium," he breathed, nearly inaudible.

She jumped in surprise.

He glanced at her, shoulders rounded in guilt. "I found the woman before she could drink from the Lethe… They are together now." He hid his face in his hands. She stared at him, her suspicions confirmed.

As the lord of the Underworld, and a survivor of the Titan War, he was fairly well inured to senseless acts of violence. It did not bother him to send souls to Tartarus, for they deserved it. But had he ever experienced a true act of love? She knew nothing of the love between a man and a woman, but her mother had raised her with pure love. Artemis and Athena had given her sisterly love as well, so she grew up surrounded and comforted by love. But who had been there for Lord Hades?

It was impossible to imagine the stern god as a child, crying out for someone to help him. She knew the bare facts of this life: eaten by his father, vomited out into a vicious war, then sentenced to the Underworld. For the first time she thought about how confusing and lonely it must have been for him. The stories that were told of him were… not kind. While the other gods and goddesses and banded together for love and support, he was always on the outside. Lord Hades could bear pain and torture, but he was defeated by love.

He sat forlorn, wrenched by the mistake he almost made in separating two lovers. She reached out and put her hand on his arm. His muscles tensed as if she struck him. He was a proud warrior, yet needful of reassurance.

"I think you did the right thing," she said firmly. He didn't respond. She rested her head on his shoulder. After a moment his hand covered hers, intertwining their fingers. They stayed like that for a while. She tried to comfort him, and she hoped he drew strength from her. It was strange to think this was one thing she knew better than him. She hoped that he would not live forever without love, even if he didn't find it in her.

"Tell me about the other souls," she ventured a few minutes later, sensing he needed the distraction. He spoke slowly, but she encouraged him until their discussion was similar to yesterday's. They moved from the dining room to the parlor to be more comfortable. She unconsciously drew closer to him, not realizing it until he put his arm around her to make room for her at his side. Her heart stuttered nervously. She was aware of his closeness, and it wasn't something she took for granted after that morning.

Time passed rapidly, until someone cleared their throat at the door. They looked up. Lord Thanatos stood there with a bland look on his face. She was relieved that he appeared the same as this morning, with no evidence of harm.

"You asked me to summon you for afternoon business," Lord Thanatos said. Lord Hades sighed, then took stock of the time.

"It's later than usual," he said in faint reproof.

Lord Death shrugged. "There was nothing pressing that could not wait for you to enjoy lunch," he replied.

"Very well," Lord Hades said, and stood. He gave her a regretful look. She almost asked to go with him, but held her tongue. While he was occupied with the business of the Underworld, she might as well have a talk with the lesser god. She followed the men out of the parlor, where they turned opposite directions.

"Lord Thanatos," she called quickly, "Could I speak with you?"

Both gods halted. Instead of answering her, Lord Thanatos raised his eyebrows at his king. She stiffened, and turned on Lord Hades. He was frowning at her.

"I do not need your permission to speak with somebody," she declared.

"You don't, but I do," Lord Thanatos said mildly from behind her. She faced him again, surprised. He was serious. They hadn't stood on such formality before; was it a product of this morning? Reluctantly she glanced over her shoulder at Lord Hades. He was looking between the two of them, and scowling.

"Fine," he snapped, and spun on his heels to stalk away. His shadow loomed behind him, black and unassailable. His sudden temper hurt. She started after him automatically to make things right, but forced herself to stop.

Lord Thanatos sighed and shook his head. It was awkward to be alone with him, especially after Lord Hades' abrupt departure. Her heart sped nervously. She told herself that Lord Thanatos wouldn't do anything to her, but she was only half-convinced. He'd pushed at her comfort zone too many times before. At least before Lord Hades had been there to rescue her. Now she wasn't sure he cared anymore. She worried she had damaged the fragile peace they found during lunch. Lord Thanatos cleared his throat; she jumped.

"Um," she began squeakily, and coughed into her hand. "I want to apologize for this morning," she said in rush.

"Oh, that," he snorted derisively. "That wasn't your fault. I knew I was baiting a wounded bear."

She winced at the comparison to such a brutal animal. "He didn't hurt you, or anything?"

"I'm fine," he rolled his eyes, neatly avoiding her question. "Was there anything else you needed?"

"Yes, actually," she took a deep breath, telling herself to be brave. "I understand you manage the business affairs of the Underworld?"

Unmistakable pride entered his voice. "I oversee all the land outside the limits of the town, the fields and the mines, and handle the exchange of good between the Underworld and the land above."

Her eyes widened. She had no idea he did so much. "Can you teach me?"

He blinked in surprise. "Teach you what?"

"Everything."

His eyes glinted. "I think we can manage something."