Hades III

Epilogue

Stella

I was standing outside the castle. The steps leading their way to the front door. To Hades.

To say it was easy to move past those children on Earth? To move past Adam and Taylor might never recognize me ever again? That's hard.

Hades, on the other hand, was the one person I could have. He could be in my life, or whatever, existence? And I wanted him to. I might need it too.

I slowly walked up the steps and lifted my hand to knock before I dropped it. Without knocking, I entered the front hall.

I shut the door and looked at the staircase leading up to another floor.

I had been dead for six months, Underworld time. That would probably be like time on Earth, but it was different.

I looked around. The dark interior, the lightness from the surroundings and the windows. I walked up the steps to the first floor and turned to the right, walking to Hades' office. He hadn't come looking for me, and Macaria had told me he was in today. I sort of quit the housekeeping job, but I'd kept the globe. Macaria insisted, because I had to be in her life. And I liked her.

She enjoyed having someone around who wasn't scared of the Underworld, as many goddess' were, and who were younger than Hades. Melinoë was around, but not too much. Matthew was commuting between Olympus and the Underworld, but they both seemed content with that solution.

I knocked on the door to Hades' office and opened it before he had the chance.

He looked up. His dark eyes widened in surprise, he had stubbles, but he looked better kept than when Macaria gave birth. His hair was in a tight bun, and he stood, revealing his black T-shirt and dark blue jeans.

"Hi," I said and shut the door.

He followed me with wary eyes. "Hi."

I hesitated before the table and smiled. "Uhm, I was wondering if I could still come back? Stay here?"

He nodded and sat down, seemingly in shock.

I looked at the desk beneath my fingers. Dark mahogany. He was of an older generation, and sometimes it showed in his choices in furniture. Also on Earth. He'd loved earthy wooden colors.

"What about us?" he asked.

I looked at him. "Can we, uhm, maybe, give it another chance?"

He was around the table and had me in his arms before I fully comprehended he'd moved. I wrapped my arms around him and inhaled his sweet smell. A faint cologne and then him.

"Always," he sighed.

I pulled back a little and looked at his face. "I need you to promise me one thing."

He hesitated. "I'm bound by certain laws." He reminded me.

I nodded. "I just need to know when Adam and Taylor get here."

He frowned. "Why?"

"Because I need to know they're okay," I said. "Even if it's just from a distance."

Hades nodded. "I will try my hardest to notice and notify you."

"Thank you," I said. I bit my lip and smiled. "And since I'm not allowed to work the next six months, I might as well snoop around here, maybe bother you, accompany you, get to know you. The you you're here."

He smiled, a wide smile, before he crushed his lips to mine and kissed me.

I clung to him, holding him to me, never to be separated like this again.

"Forever is a long time," he whispered against my lips.

"You can't read minds," I told him.

"No," he said. "But I want this to be forever. Forever is just a long time."

I touched his face reverently. His stubbles prickled my fingertips. "I know. We'll make it work."

He smiled and rested his forehead against mine. "Macaria is on her way. With Thea."

I pulled back and opened the door. The little girl was awake, and I was allowed to hold her.

Macaria sat down and looked at Hades. "I need your help," she said. "I need to do something again that's not looking after her."

"I'll volunteer to look after her," I said.

Macaria smiled a careful smile. "Are you living here again?"

I looked at Hades.

"Oh yes," he said. "She is."

Finally! After all this time, I was allowed to have him. To keep him. For good.