Book Four: Solitude (A. Saltzman)

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Athena is already waiting for Diana when she and the twins arrive in Greece, she's there with a car and she's smiling. Diana lets out a breath, Greece is actually a very welcome sight right now. Athena smiles and moves towards Diana, but she....basically ignores her, and completely bypasses Diana who lowers her arms and watches Athena as she moves to the pram to dote on the twins instead, Diana smiles softly.

"What took you so long?" Athena scolds slightly as she smiles down at the babies.

..........

"It's not often we get babies here" Artemis offers as she sits next to Diana, the two of them watching as the demigods fuss over Veronica and Ezra. "I see you are no longer wearing your crystal, can I assume that you unleashed that aspect of you?"

"Yes," Diana answers. "But I have it under control"

"Eva thought the same" Artemis reminds her.

"Crowley, he helped me" She admits and touches her new necklace, her Derek necklace. "I really do have control"

"Hmmm" Artemis offers and smiles watching Athena with Veronica. "Millennia old and she still gets all goo-goo for a baby" Artemis teases slightly. "So why the sudden return?"

"I want to finish my training" Diana admits. "And I want to stay here and raise the twins with people I can trust to have my back" Artemis touches Diana's arm. "People who understand their needs and mine..." Diana looks at Artemis. "With my people" Artemis smiles at her and nods.

"You are always welcome here" Artemis assures her. "This is a safe haven for demigods, and you were one of my best students....even if a little stubborn and reckless" She then notes the ring on Diana's finger. "I am so sorry about your husband" Diana covers her hand and hides her ring. "I know I have no fondness for men, but...Athena said he was one of the very rare.....good ones" Diana nods in agreement. She knew the second she left Mystic Falls that Alaric couldn't follow her, his ghost couldn't cross the boundary without disappearing. She feels like she lost him all over again, but she couldn't go back just because his ghost was there. "You really loved him" Artemis whispers seeing how upset Diana is getting, Diana nods.

.................

Diana sits in Athena's study, her eyes scanning over the familiar bookshelves and artefacts gathered around the room. Being back here feels so much like being home. That being back in Greece already makes her feel 100% better than Mystic Falls ever did. Greece is her home. This school, this whole place is her home. She was stupid to go back when she did. She takes a breath and looks at Athena as she enters the room.

"I know how much you love your family" Athena offers as she sets down two mugs of tea on the table where Diana sits. "Are you sure you want to be here?"

"I do love my family" Diana agrees with Athena who nods. "But it was killing me, I was so tired all the time, so pulled....and with the twins now...I was so worried about being dutiful as a Gilbert and a Saltzman that I felt like I had to protect them all...." She looks down at the twins in their pram. "I only have to protect them" She adds. "To do right by them....and I can do that here....." Athena reaches over and takes Diana's hand.

"Whatever you need" Athena assures her.

"You told me going back was a mistake" Diana whispers. "You might have been right"

"No" Athena stops her and scoots her chair closer. "Diana...oh, no, I was not right...." She nods down at the twins. "Look at them...how could anything that led to their creation be a mistake?" Diana nods a little. "We will take care of you, for however long you want to stay here, your old chambers are still here, we can have provisions acquired for the twins. They will have a good life here...." Diana looks down and brushes her free hand over her cheek to remove her tears.

"There is something else" Diana admits as she reaches under the back of her jacket and removes the Golden Promise, she lifts it up and sets it on the table. Athena pushes herself away from it and glares down at the rope.

"Zeus gave me it" Diana admits as she runs her fingers over the rope.

"Just gave it up?" Athena asks eyeing the rope carefully. Diana nods. "How long have you had it?"

"A while" Diana admits.

"And nothing....bad.....has happened?"

"Not so far" Diana answers, Athena reaches out and touches the rope, she hisses and pulls her hand back as it burns her.

"Still can't touch it" Athena grumbles and rubs her fingers together as they instantly heal. She lets out a sigh. "My father never does anything without reason" Athena adds. "If he gave you the Golden Promise, he must see something in you....something in your future...he must have his reasons for allowing it out of isolation after so very long" Athena looks at Diana. "Probably the same thing I saw in you the first time I held you...." Diana frowns. "I knew" Athena offers. "There was something great in you, I went to Zeus, I told him, told him to give you the lasso....he said no, not until you proved yourself worthy....guess you did"

"But I didn't do anything" Diana counters. "I just...I don't know" She whispers, still confused about why Zeus gave this thing to her.

............

Diana lets out a breath as she looks around her old chambers, now with additional baby furniture. Everything else is exactly as she left it.

"Okay, babies" She states and turns to the two of them laying on their tummies on her bed. "Just you two and me now" She fiddles with her necklace and lets out a breath.