Chapter 6

The following hours were torture for Artemis. Confined on Delos, she could only wait and pray for news. Every few minutes, she would go out to the beach and gaze towards the horizon, as if she could see Percy through the distance.

Artemis's world collapsed like a house of cards in a hurricane. Percy Jackson, the demigod who had accomplished the impossible by melting her ancient heart, had fallen into Tartarus while trying to save Annabeth Chase. The goddess of the hunt, usually so stoic and strong, crumbled before her brother Apollo, who gave her a look that screamed "I told you so" louder than Olympus's trumpets.

For two days, Artemis became an endless source of divine tears. She huddled in her temple, embracing her knees as if they were the only thing holding her together. Her hunters, bewildered, could only hear a constant mantra: "Percy, come back, please." Apollo, initially satisfied with karma for breaking his oath, soon felt his fraternal duty kicking his divine rear.

By the fourth day, Apollo approached his sister, who seemed to have perfected the art of becoming a ball of Olympian anguish. "Artemis," he said, gently shaking her as if she were a stuck celestial vending machine. "I'm sorry. I was so selfish not to see how amazing Percy is. When he comes out of Tartarus, because he will, I won't stand in the way of your relationship. I'm happy for you. Forgive me, okay?"

Artemis looked at her brother as if he had grown a second head, before throwing herself into his arms. "I forgive you, sun head. It's just that Percy... he's my kryptonite, you know?"

"Relax, little sister. If anyone can get out of that infernal hole, it's him. He's probably teaching swimming lessons to Tartarus monsters right now," Apollo joked, managing to coax a trembling smile from Artemis.

A week later, the news came like a bolt of Zeus on a clear day: Percy had escaped Tartarus. Artemis screamed with such joy that the forest nymphs thought she had invented a new type of hunt. Apollo, caught up in his sister's happiness, composed on the spot a love song so cheesy that even Aphrodite would have asked for insulin.

"This will be the song for their wedding," declared Apollo with a mischievous smile. Artemis blushed so much she looked like a divine traffic light, but her eyes shone with more hope than the stars she herself had helped place in the sky.

Just as Artemis was about to teleport to check that every cell of Percy's was intact (and maybe steal a kiss or two), Hermes appeared like an annoying pop-up ad, summoning her to Olympus. Artemis groaned with such frustration that she would have made any mortal teenager proud.

In the throne room, Zeus announced with his usual drama that it was time to help their children secure victory. Artemis barely listened, her mind occupied imagining different scenarios in which she reunited with Percy, each one more cheesy than the last.

That night, Artemis had a dream so vivid that even Morpheus would have applauded. She saw herself and Percy on the beach, laughing and splashing water like carefree mortal teenagers. Then, in a plot twist worthy of a romantic comedy, she found herself walking down the aisle in a wedding dress, with Percy waiting for her at the altar, looking so handsome that even marble statues would blush.

The dream jumped to such an intimate scene that even Aphrodite would have asked for popcorn. Artemis woke up blushing, her heart beating faster than Hermes on delivery day. The last image, a family photo on Montauk Beach with two children who clearly belonged to her and Percy, was etched into her mind like a divine tattoo.

Artemis got out of bed with a new determination. They would win this war, and then she would make sure Percy Jackson had eyes for no one else but her, even if she had to use all her hunting skills to achieve it.

On the battlefield, Artemis saw Percy in action and almost melted like ice cream in Tartarus. His eyes, usually kind, were now cold and determined. He annihilated monsters with an efficiency that would have made Ares ask for his autograph.

When Percy joined her to fight the giants, Artemis felt the world stop. They fought in perfect synchrony, as if they had rehearsed that deadly choreography for centuries. Together, they caused more damage than all the allies combined, leaving everyone speechless and Athena muttering about the need to rewrite strategy manuals.

After the victory, at the awards ceremony, Artemis and Percy couldn't stop throwing furtive glances, blushing every time their eyes met. When Percy used his wishes to benefit others, Artemis felt her heart grow three sizes, like the Grinch at Christmas.

Finally, when they managed to sneak away from the party, Artemis teleported them to her palace. After a hug that seemed to last eons, Artemis pulled away only to slap Percy in a way that would have made any soap opera protagonist proud.

"Don't ever do something so stupid again," she murmured against his lips.

Percy smiled, stroking her cheek. "I can't promise I won't get into trouble," he said, "but I can promise you I'll always come back to you."

Artemis smiled, her eyes shining with love and a touch of madness. "You better, Percy Jackson. Because if you ever try to leave me, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth and beyond."

Percy laughed, but there was a glint of nervousness in his eyes. He knew Artemis wasn't entirely joking. But strangely, that only made him love her more.

"I thought I had lost you, seaweed brain!" he exclaimed through tears.

Percy hugged her again, whispering, "I'm here, and I'll never leave you. You were my anchor in Tartarus. Without you, I probably would have become the king of infernal meat pies."

Artemis couldn't help but laugh through tears, thinking that if this was what loving a mortal meant, maybe it wasn't so bad after all. Although, just in case, she was already planning how to convince Percy that immortality wasn't so bad, especially if they spent it together.

Artemis clung to Percy as if he were a lifebuoy in the midst of a raging ocean. "Don't ever scare me like that again, you hear me? Or I swear on the Styx I'll turn you into a jackalope and chase you for all eternity," she threatened, though her voice trembled more than a satyr's knees in front of a cyclops.

Percy grinned, that crooked smile that made Artemis feel butterflies in her stomach (and probably all over Olympus). "Do you promise it would be you chasing me? Because honestly, I wouldn't mind being a jackalope if it means having you close all the time."

Artemis playfully punched him on the shoulder, though with enough force to stagger a common mortal. "Idiot," she muttered, but the smile on her face betrayed her.

Suddenly, the goddess grew serious. "Percy, we need to talk about... us. And my hunters. And your dad. And basically the entire Olympian pantheon that's probably betting on our relationship right now."

Percy sighed, running a hand through his hair in a gesture that Artemis found irritatingly attractive. "Well, I guess we can't keep hiding like we're Nico in a closet, right?"

"Nico in a what?" Artemis asked, confused.

"Oh, never mind," Percy waved it off. "It's just that... are you sure about this, Artemis? I mean, you're an eternal goddess who swore to remain forever a virgin, and I'm just a demigod with a knack for annoying gods and attracting monsters like they're stray dogs."

Artemis took Percy's face in her hands, looking at him with an intensity that would have made Medusa jealous. "Perseus Jackson, I have lived for millennia, seen empires rise and fall, hunted monsters that would make your nightmares have nightmares, and never, in all my existence, have I been so sure of something as I am of this, of us."

Percy swallowed, momentarily speechless (a miracle Athena would have appreciated). "Wow, Artemis, that's... intense. In a good way, of course. Like eating a lot of spicy food and liking it."

Artemis rolled her eyes but couldn't help but laugh. "You're hopeless, you know that?"

"It's part of my charm," Percy replied with a wink.

"Now," Artemis continued, her tone becoming more serious, "we have to plan how we're going to handle this. My hunters will probably try to turn you into a human pincushion..."

"It wouldn't be the first time," Percy muttered.

"...your dad might flood half a continent..."

"Again, not the first time."

"...and Apollo, well, being Apollo, might try to burn you with a solar ray for daring to look at his 'little sister.'"

Percy paled slightly. "Okay, that would be new. And not particularly pleasant."

Artemis smiled, a dangerous glint in her silver eyes. "Don't worry, my brave hero. If anyone tries to harm you, they'll have to deal with me first. And believe me, I'm much scarier than any Tartarus monster when it comes to protecting what's mine."

Percy felt a shiver run down his spine, a mix of fear and... excitement? "Uh, thanks? I think you just sounded a bit like a psycho girlfriend, but somehow I find it adorable."

Artemis blushed, realizing how possessive she sounded. "I'm sorry, it's just... I've never felt like this before. It's new and scary and wonderful all at the same time."

Percy hugged her, gently kissing her forehead. "I know, Artemis. It's the same for me. But we'll figure it out together, okay? We've faced Titans, giants, and primordial gods. I think we can handle an inter-divine relationship."

Artemis nodded, burying her face in Percy's chest. For a moment, she allowed herself to dream of that future she had seen in her dreams: a wedding, a family, an eternity together. But first, they had to survive the chaos that would surely ensue when they announced their relationship.

"Percy?" Artemis murmured.

"Yes?"

"Promise me that, no matter what happens, you won't leave my side. Because if you do, I swear I'll chase you to the ends of the universe and beyond."

Percy chuckled softly. "I promise, Artemis. Besides, who else will keep you entertained with my brilliant remarks and my incredible ability to get into trouble?"

Artemis smiled, feeling happier and more complete than she had in millennia. She knew the road ahead wouldn't be easy, but with Percy by her side, she felt like she could face anything. Even Zeus's wrath, Poseidon's overprotectiveness, and Apollo's inevitable bad jokes about "fishing in the forbidden sea."

The future was uncertain, but for the first time in her long existence, Artemis was excited to discover what lay ahead. And if anyone stood in their way... well, there was a reason she was the goddess of the hunt. Percy was hers, and she would make sure the entire Olympus knew it.

Author's note...

I want to make it clear that this fanfic is a remake of a one-shot originally written by "serendipitous". I'm not claiming the idea as my own; I just found it interesting and decided to rewrite it for fun. I am not receiving any type of financial benefit. In my version, I went deeper into the plot and tried to cover the gaps in the original as best as possible, as well as making Artemis more obsessive.