Chapter 1

"Mommy"

"Hmm,baby" Artemis said.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I am. Why would you ask that honey?"

"Because you're always sad when you look at daddy,especially at night"

Artemis gave her daughter a warm smile and pulled the blanket closer to her body" I'm fine sweetheart. Now go to sleep,you don't want to wake up your sister now do you?"

"No"

"Then,night night" she said.

"Night mommy"

"Goodnight Zoe"

Artemis turned off the lights and quietly shut the door,lingering a bit to smile warmly at herself before making her way to the kitchen. Her husband stood at the sink,wiping the plates he had just come from washing.

He was wearing a vest,giving her a good view of his contracted biceps and tan skin. She approached him from behind and hugged him,her slender pale arms snaking over his torso.

"The girls are asleep" she said,placing tender kisses on his arm.

"Are you sure,Zoe tends to get thirsty in the middle of the night" he said,his deep voice filling the room despite the fact that he was whispering.

"I left a glass of water on the nightstand" she said.

"Wise decision" he said turning around,his strong arms snaking around her back and pulling her closer to him"Did I mention just how sweet the dinner you made was?"

"Well I learned from the best" she said,leaning on her tip toes so that their noses nuzzled each other lovingly. Looking into his big Sea green eyes was her most favorite thing to do,you know,other than kissing him,running her fingers through his wild hair and neat beard.

"Who also learned from the best" he said" speaking of which,mom sent a letter"

"Oh,how is she doing?" she asked. It was difficult to concentrate with how close his lips were to hers.

"She was asking if we could attend Christmas at their place" he said.

She pulled back at that,looking sincerely into his eyes" Can we?"

"Artemis-" he began,but she couldn't help the complaint that burst from her throat.

"Percy,what are you always afraid of?" she asked" For the last five years we have moved nowhere other than the little town that surrounds us and even then you restrict movement to the minimum"

His sad eyes bored into hers,filled with so much pain,Artemis would have instantly apologized if she wasn't already tired of the situation they were in. The look in his eyes made her mind start to burn. She pulled back,holding her head as the burn intensified.

The world around her turned blurry as she stumbled backwards. She could hear her husband calling out to her but her mind filled with burning voices,each of them making her cry out in pain.

"Lady,Artemis,are you okay?"

"P...P..Percy?" She called.

"Gods,what am I asking. Of course you're not okay. Just hold on,I'll help you up."

"Percy?"

"That monster! How dare he do this to you?"

"Percy"

"Artemis,I'm here" Her husband said,pulling her from the floor as the pain receded.

"Wha...what was that?" she asked herself,rubbing her temples.

"That's what I'm trying to protect you from" he said hugging her close" but I suppose,your immunity would've caught up with you. "

"What are you talking about" she was shocked by how frail her body sounded. Only when she felt warm salty liquid on her cheeks did she realize she was crying.

She didn't know why,but the memory that had assaulted her being was filled with so much pain and despair and her husband's voice sounded young and filled with sorrow to the extreme.

What had happened to make that memory disappear?"

"That Artemis,is what I'm trying to protect you from" Percy said kissing her forehead.