Healing

Chapter Ten-Mother Dearest

*Percy's POV*

"So, you're an alien like Thor, but not from Asgard, but you came to earth as well and that's where all the Greek myths come from?" Haden asks while glancing over at me from his branch. He 'left' an hour ago so I could have dinner with the team, but then came back a little after midnight to talk some more. We're in the pines around the back of the facility looking up at the stars, well, looking at each other but the stars are there too. I nod.

"Yup."

"Wow. You know, I always loved the Greek myths." He says and I grin over at him. He just takes everything in stride. "Did you know there's a really old one that says they didn't rule over earth, but over different planets?" He asks and my brows furrow as I turn onto my side to see him better.

"Tell me." I request and he smiles. He hops down from his branch and catches me as I slip off mine. He sets me kindly back onto my feet, then sits down in the dirt. I follow.

"Well, you know the original. The gods were given a section of the earth or a characteristic to rule over. Zeus the sky, Poseidon of the seas, and Hades the Underworld." His eyes rest on me a moment and I nod for him to keep going. "Well, in the older myth, each god or goddess was given a planet to rule over. One that best fit with who they were. Zeus was given one where those inhabitants were stupid and blindly worshiped him. Poseidon was given a planet that was all ice and sea." He waves his hand in front of us and a little galaxy appears. Suddenly, three planets get bigger and bigger and bigger until I can see a little of what's on them. Little people bowing down to a huge statue, a planet glimmering in the far away sunlight from so much ice and water, then the third that just looks a lot like ours.

"And Hades?" I ask interestedly. Haden's smile grows a bit.

"Well, he's the king of the underworld, right? God of the dead. So, the story says that he remained on earth to ferry the people. No one else wanted earth because the people were hard and difficult. Always changeable with who they worship, but since Hades is god of the dead, they'd all come to him anyway whether they believed or not." He sighs and rubs his fingers over the dirt as the little images fade. "I also think he may have just liked earth. It changes unlike anything else. The seasons, the weather, the people." I smile a little at that.

"Sounds like Hades was awfully human." I tease and he hums in agreement.

"I think he fell in love with earth and humanity," Haden says softly and when I look over at him his expression is wistful.

"Well, what about Persephone? She was his wife after all, did she get to stay on earth too?" His green eyes turn to me as he grins.

"You really know your stuff. He found her on earth. She was a lesser goddess when he met her, but represented everything he didn't have. Life, beauty, restfulness, gentleness, peace. For that, she was more precious beyond anything."

"So, you believe in the earlier myth. The one where she goes to the underworld willingly." They're statements, but my eyes scan his face for answers. He sighs a bit heavily as he shrugs.

"Isn't that the better story? That she really loved him?" His eyes burn into mine as my lips turn up. I sidle a bit closer so we're pressed against one another, shoulder to shoulder.

"I've always thought so. I mean, honestly, think about it. She was spring and he was fall. She needed rest and he needed life, so they gave each other what the other couldn't possess themselves." I postulate and now the look on his face is indescribable. Soft and disbelieving and incredulous and yearning all at the same time. He leans a bit closer and this time I don't turn away.

"So, you think she tasted the pomegranate willingly?" He asks as our noses brush. I hum.

"Well. I've always liked pomegranates." Haden grins at that and I can feel the stretch of his lips as we come just a little bit closer...then SNAP! Like a whip next to my ear. We both spring to our feet and press our backs together as we light up, my blue light illuminating the space around us and our glowing eyes seeing more in the darkness. My lips part incredulously at the sight of someone else walking towards us from the depth of the woods.