Artemis' scream was silent as she felt the impact of Dean crash into her. Falling, she hit the ground before she was able to react. Kicking up dust from the floor, she scrambled to get back to Dean's body.
"No, no, no, no, no, no." The word became nothing but noise as she repeated it over and over. "No, not him. Not Dean," she cried and caressed Dean's face gently, her bloody hands shaking.
"Oh, that's too bad," a silky voice crooned from the shadows. Artemis froze, her eyes locked on Dean's face, terror causing her breaths to feel like she had stopped breathing completely.
A man stepped from the shadows and into the light cast from the window. He was dressed attractively, his face young and clean shaven. He sneered as he lowered a hunters bow, another arrow ready to go at a moments notice. "Don't you know this is how it always ends, dear sister? You can't keep running from your destiny."
Artemis gently held Dean's body a little closer as she glared at the man.
"Why can't you just leave me alone? You're so jealous and miserable!" she spat, rage starting to flow through her.
The man clicked his tongue in disappointment, shaking his head at her.
"Oh, dear sister. That's not how this works, no matter how many times you try to rewrite the story."
Artemis flinched as Apollo approached her and kneeled down, but held her gaze on Dean. Taking her chin in his hand, Apollo turned her head gently towards him, as if inspecting her for blemishes.
"You don't get to touch me," Artemis snarled and drew her head back. Striking swiftly, she slammed her head into his chin. Apollo cried out and dodged away from her, holding a hand over his mouth.
"You..." he growled in anger, pulling his hand away to reveal a splatter of blood on his fingers. Glaring at Artemis, he almost faltered at the piercing gaze she held, her eyes locked onto him like a lioness protecting her pride. Gathering himself, Apollo stood and spat to the side. "You've made my decision so easy, dear sister. If I can't have you, no one can," he snarled and pulled a sword from it's sheath while dropping down into a charging position.
Artemis had only moments to react; she lowered her shoulder over Dean in a protective manner as Apollo charged them. Taking one last never ending gaze at Dean's face, Artemis leaned forward and kissed his forehead gently.
"I love you, my dear Orion," she whispered as she removed her knife from her boot and pressed into her neck.
Time stopped. The knife in Artemis' neck never hit it's mark. The tears that had started to fall were left suspended.
Apollo's golden sword was mere breaths from piercing through both Artemis and Dean.
"Apollo." The rumbling voice penetrated the void of stillness.
Apollo moved his eyes as they were the only thing left unfrozen, trying to find a source of the call.
"Apollo, your jealousy has gotten the better of you. I'm disappointed," the same voice whispered, now soft with motherly tones.
A gorgeous woman with golden hair and dark clothing stepped from the shadows. She moved with such grace and power, that she needed not introduce herself to the present party.
Walking over to Artemis and Dean, she gently plucked the knife from Artemis' hands and concealed it in her robes. "Artemis, your destiny is yours alone, please do not think you have to end yourself just to write your own story," the woman said softly as Artemis came back into her own body.
Gasping as she fell over Dean, her shoulder still trying to protect him, Artemis looked around her bewildered.
"Wha... Who..." she started and locked eyes with the gorgeous woman before her. Bowing her head, she held Dean tighter.
"Mother." Artemis remained in her position.
"Dear Artemis..." Leto sighed and lifted Artemis' chin. "You bow to no one." Turning to Apollo, Leto's expression turned darker as she approached her son.
"You have disgraced me, Apollo," Leto said, her voice itself feeling like it was lined with poison. She walked to Apollo and plucked the golden sword from his grasp, disappearing it into her robes. He was released from his time prison and dropped roughly to the floor.
"Hello... mother." Apollo stood defiantly dusting himself of dirt; Leto did not drop her piercing gaze.
"You have tortured your sister for eons. For what? It is time she writes her own ending."
Apollo began to push back, but immediately regretted it as he was forced to one knee.
"This isn't fair." Apollo was forced down to his other knee.
"Do not speak to me about what is fair."
Walking back to Artemis, Leto kneeled next to her daughter and softly placed her hand on Dean's face. Artemis cried as she stroked through Dean's hair.
"Come back to me, please," Artemis whispered, her tears dropping on to his face. The arrow Apollo had used stuck deep into Dean's heart, instantly killing him. Dean's face was starting to grow pale as Artemis tried to kiss color back into it.
"Please, my Orion." Leto smiled as she heard the name.
"He is your destined love. Your torment from Apollo is now over, my dear. While Dean's time as Orion is done, that does not mean he has to pass as well. He in intertwined in so many destinies that this will not be his fate. And you are a goddess, Artemis."
Listening to her mother's words, Artemis leaned close to Dean's face and wrapped a hand around the arrows shaft. She whispered loving and healing words into Dean's ear.
"Dean Winchester. My Orion. My love. You are not dead. Come back to me. You're not giving up. You're not leaving me, you aren't leaving Sam. You aren't a fucking bitch baby."
Artemis gripped the arrow tighter and started to pull. Blood started to soak into Dean's shirt even more, momentarily worrying her, but not distracting her from her task.
Pressing her forehead against the side of his face, she closed her eyes tightly in prayer.
"I beg you, do not let him pass from me," she whispered and felt the arrow lose its battle against her pulling. Discarding the arrow hastily, she removed her over shirt and pressed it firmly against his wound.
Blood instantly stained the shirt as Artemis looked down at Dean's face. Hers was streaked with tears, dirt, and blood. Shakily, she stroked her hand through his hair and started trying to sing a tune.
"Fly me to the moon... let me play among the stars..." Her voice broke and tears muddled her words. She hummed a few of the lines and then found her voice again.
"In other words, please be true," she said, closing her eyes. Her hand still pressed the shirt against Dean's chest, while the other stroked through his hair.
"In others words..." Tears streamed down her face as she came to the last line.
"I love you," a rough voice whispered and she felt a hand caress her cheek.
