[A/N Hello again. I hope you have been well. I've been…Well, I only recently started writing again, and in very small spurts at that.

Let me be honest this piece is a very big reason for that. I grew to hate it. Dread filled me at the thought of opening this doc. It was some horrendous thing that infected my mind like the telltale heart, driving me to insanity and making me physically ill.

But, I started writing again recently. And after doing a few other bits here and there, I came back to this and looked at the little outline of how I wanted to end it and wanted to close the doc again, shoving it under the proverbial floorboards, but I didn't. I went back and reread the whole thing and it wasn't as bad as I'd remembered. So I deleted my little outline and…started writing. Now, the funny lines I'd planned are gone and I added two split scenes of dread and angst, but I think it works?

I hope you enjoy!]

Percy

"In all the assurances you give those around you," Styx finally spoke as they slowly made their way to her waters, "you rarely give yourself the consideration you deserve."

Percy scowled and hunched his shoulders, wanting to hide from whatever scolding she was aiming to dish out, while not wanting to give up her calm presence. And unsure where he would go anyway, if he did leave.

They approached her shore in silence, sitting and watching the waters churn together. Most days, when Percy watched her river, the items that floated and flowed down the banks seemed like trash, littering and polluting her poisoned waters; but today he saw them for what they were. Children growing up and accepting harsh realities. Families changing and growing and shrinking. Friends lost. Love forgotten.

"Percy," she softly broke into his thoughts again, "what happened with Artemis?"

He sighed. "Honestly? Nothing."

"Percy."

"It's true. It's just…well, things changed. And I'm trying to adjust."

"What changed?"

He shrugged, reaching out and calling to her water. An orb came to float above his hand and she stilled. He didn't touch it, but studied it and twirled it as he thought through everything. Debated telling Styx everything. She was his first confidant as a god.

"Your waters hold lost hopes and dreams?" He voiced his earlier thought at her hesitant nod. "Mine as well?" She bit her lip and waved her hand, causing her waters to boil for a moment before settling. There, in the middle of the lapping water, lay a college swimteam sweatshirt, three friendship bracelets, a drawing he recognized from Estelle, the ball he and Grace used to throw after she'd had nightmares, and a little stag statuette.

Styx picked up the statuette.

"Some of the hopes that are tossed in my waters are clear. Others are not." She looked at him again. "What happened?"

He sighed, snaking the water he held back into the river, and started with Aphrodite's visit to his apartment so long ago.

.

Artemis

She knew this was her soulmate's third life, so she had assumed she and her brother would be heading for the Isle of the Blest. But the strand of red yarn wound its way past the Gates of Elysium. She hesitated, but followed, Apollo a strengthening presence at her side. As they drew into the seemingly endless Asphodel Fields she felt numb. It hurt seeing all these people who only lived their lives halfway, never accomplishing anything, and thinking that her supposed other half was here too. On and on she walked, the dead barely noticing her and Apollo, the parody of grass shifting in their wake.

While the dead did not pay them any mind, she felt as if death itself was clinging to her, sending shivers up her spine. She could not voice what comfort her brother brought as he periodically touched her elbow or shoulder, letting her know he was still there, and likely assuring himself of the same from her.

Eventually, after what could have been hours and felt like eons, the end was in sight. The edge of the Asphodel Fields was only 200 yards away. She could shoot an arrow further than that.

Apollo noticed her slowing and stepped closer.

"What is it, sister-mine?"

"This is it. I'm going to see him in the next minute, maybe two." Apollo hummed and reached his hand out to her shoulder again. "Do you think he'll remember his life? His name even?" she asked, finally looking at Apollo without trying to hide her fear.

"Let's find out," he said gently, holding her hand. She smiled, grateful.

And they followed her soulstring.

She peered at every face they passed, but the string did not veer towards them. A minute and 50 souls passed, and he was not to be found. They continued and she knew her soulmate was within the next 50 paces. Within the next 30 paces. Within the next 20. 10. 5.

She stood at the edge of the Asphodel Fields, looking onward to the Fields of Punishment. Her breath shuddered and she felt a tear slide down her cheek. Apollo squeezed her hand.

And they followed her soulstring.

.

Percy

"I could be wrong," he whispered, voice gravely with all the emotions he tried to tamp down.

"You could."

"I want to be wrong."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because…I can accept the fact that I love her. And I can accept the fact that she will never love me like that. But…" He ran his hand through his hair, trying to find the right words to explain what he felt. "It's not fair to her. I just, I want to be there for her, in any way she needs. I want to be her friend."

"Do you?"

"That's what she needs! So yes."

"Is it?" He glared at Styx and she smiled. "How do you know what it is she needs or wants? Have you asked her?"

"How can I ask without making it seem like I have expectations? How can I explain that I can feel something so profound, and truly, honestly have no intention of acting on it? I won't wager her friendship!"

"Soulmates are not exclusively romantic," Styx pointed out.

Percy hesitated, trying to find words again. Instead, he opened himself up and showed her. The joy he felt with her. The care he had for her. The love she instilled in him. And the pain at it being unrequited. The sorrow at breaking her trust.

In answer she shared a memory of Artemis these past two weeks and her worry for him. She shared her own worry and love. My brother. She shared Themis' turmoil. Her son.

"Do not shut us out, Oathkeeper. Do not hide. And do not underestimate yourself."

He let her pull him close as he cried.

.

Artemis

Her heart may have stopped. Each wail of pain, each cry of anguish had her twitching and squirming and ready to flee.

Her soulmate, her other half, the one to compliment her so completely was here.

Apollo said nothing. Just trudged along beside her, knowing when she needed a moment, or a squeeze of the hand.

Idly, vaguely, as if remembering a dream, she recalled she'd almost given up her godhood to search for this soul who landed in this place. It was her brother's own misery that prompted her to seek out such misery. She was glad now that she'd withstood the temptation.

But eventually, just as she'd spied the edge of the Fields of Asphodel, she saw the end of the Fields of Punishment, the Judgement Pavilion looming in the distance.

She shared a confused look with her brother and then they started chasing the string. Leaping and bounding up the path and through the Pavilion.

"I don't understand," she said at last, watching it wind further away still from the Pavilion and horrors they'd left behind. Apollo's smile grew slowly, before he tugged her hand.

"I believe… Oh, come on, Artemis. You mustn't let fear take you now." He was grinning, but she was still confused.

"I'm not afraid," a lie, she'd been terrified when she thought she'd find the other end in the Fields of Punishment, "I am only confused. I thought he was dead?"

"I can think of a fair number of people who have died."

"What?"

But he pulled her ahead, and they followed her soulstring

.

Percy

"Sorry," he mumbled, willing himself clean and swiping at his eyes anyway.

"Even us immortals are at the mercy of our emotions at times, Perseus. Do not apologize."

He hummed but did not comment.

"So, you love her. You believe she is your soulmate. And she has made her intentions towards men in general known for eons. Can you not continue as you are? Being her friend and loving her as you have for these past decades?"

"I can, and I intend to, it's just working through everything now, so that I don't screw everything up."

She was about to respond when their heads turned in unison to a voice in the distance. Too far to hear what was said, but another's laugh responded. It was an odd sound, very out of place in the chosen setting and completely at odds with what Percy had been feeling these past few days. An exasperated tone came from the first voice, followed by more jovial proclamations from the second.

Percy and Styx shared a look and she smiled.

He watched her wash his hopes down her river, the water moving freely once more. And she sat down the statuette between them that he'd forgotten she was holding. Hesitantly, he picked it up and turned it over in his hands a few times before just watching the water as the voices approached.

"I won't tell you," was finally audible from the cheery male voice.

A scoff greeted him, along with something akin to mumbled curses.

Styx leaned back on the sands and hummed contently.

He narrowed his eyes at her.

"Who-"

"Percy?" He looked over to see that Apollo and Artemis had rounded a corner, hand in hand, him pulling her along as she held…

His eyes grew as he watched the red string in her fingers fall to the ground, wind across the sandy cavern floor, and loop around his own finger.

He jumped to his feet, facing them, clutching the stag like a shield. He had no words, and just gaped like a fish as Artemis' jaw dropped and face flushed gold.