And, here's the last chapter. As requested, I did a series of snippets of Pyrrha's family life as a mortal, ending with the scene that began the first chapter. I'd like to take a moment to thank Darkkseid for being my first commissioner. This was a really fun fic to write that took me out of my comfort zone a few times, which is definitely good for me. I hope the rest of you also enjoyed this and will like this last chapter!

On the day Pyrrha renounced her divine nature and truly became Pyrene Nikos, she didn't realize just how much she was giving up. For the first time, she felt things like hunger, fatigue, and pain that couldn't just be wished away. Those annoying itches on the nose, the unsure feeling in one's stomach after eating something unfamiliar, and the lingering tiredness after waking up in the morning were all new sensations that she wasn't sure what to do with. She also finally understood why mortals referred to coffee as the "drink of the gods." After a day of dealing with rambunctious students and knowing that she would have to get up early the following morning, it sometimes felt like caffeine was the only thing keeping her alive.

She never regretted her decision, however. Every time she came close, she only had to look at her husband's face or smell Ren's pancakes or receive a bone-crushing hug from Nora. That would remind her that she was right where she belonged.

Even more potent than that, however, was the ongoing feeling of her daughter growing within her. She was surprised to find out that, even without her godly powers, she was able to sense her child every moment of every day. Whenever the baby kicked, Pyrene felt a thrill that far outshone anything she had ever felt on the field of battle.

Jaune would often spend a few minutes each night lying with his head resting near Pyrene's womb. He'd talk quietly to both her and the baby, getting their daughter used to the sound of his voice.

When Pyrene's water broke, the following few hours were like a sitcom come to life with her being mostly calm throughout the ordeal and poor Jaune nearly forgetting his shoes on his way to the car. Throughout the ride to the hospital, he was muttering quietly. "Just stay calm. Stay calm. You're gonna be okay. Just stay calm."

"I'm fine, sweetie," Pyrene said. "I used to be a goddess of fertility, remember? I'd know if something was wrong."

"Huh?" Jaune glanced at her. "Oh, I was talking to myself."

They got to the hospital, though Jaune nearly got a speeding ticket on the way there. Thankfully, the cop who pulled him over was very understanding and even escorted their car the rest of the way.

The next few hours consisted of regular doctor supervision, Ren and Nora arriving in the waiting room, and Jaune occasionally having to breathe into a paper bag. It was all worth it, however, when Pyrene finally held her daughter for the first time.

She was the single most beautiful thing that either parent had ever seen. She was small, but very healthy, with the slightest hint of red hair already showing on her tiny head. She was wrapped in a blanket, and her face was scrunched as she let out a few strong, loud cries.

Pyrene rocked her gently, whispering to her. To her amazement, her voice immediately calmed the baby down, and the little face relaxed. She kissed her forehead. "Hello, Helena." She held her daughter close, her chest still heaving a little with the exertion of the past few hours. A tear trickled down her cheek.

"You okay?" Jaune asked, brushing the tear away while carefully patting Helena's head.

"Yes, I just…" Pyrene shook her head slowly. "Mothers prayed to me for centuries. I've seen so many births, but… I never could have imagined what it actually feels like." She stared down at Helena, her lip trembling. "We made her, Jaune. I just can't stop thinking that."

Jaune nodded, hurriedly wiping his eyes before kissing Pyrene. "I love you so much. Have I mentioned that lately?"

Pyrene gladly kissed him back. "Hm. You might have said it once or twice," she murmured. Noticing the way Jaune's hands were twitching, she held Helena out. "Here. She needs to bond with her daddy too."

Needing no more urging, Jaune took his daughter, holding her against his chest. "Hey, kiddo," he whispered. "I'm going to say this right now: No boys till you're thirty."

"Are you forgetting who her mother is, sweetie?" Pyrene asked, rolling her eyes and smirking. "And what if she likes girls?"

"Well, I can negotiate the numbers." Jaune shrugged. "I'm not totally unreasonable."

Pyrene laughed, resting her head on Jaune's arm while watching him talk to little Helena. Later on, Ren and Nora came in to see their new goddaughter, and there was much muffled squealing on Nora's part. Helena changed hands several times before being taken by the doctors for further tests. There had been no problems, and she would be able to go home within the week. Pyrene didn't think it was possible to get any happier.

At least, she didn't think so until a few months later, when Helena's eye color finally settled. One morning, Pyrene looked into the crib and saw Jaune's beautiful blue eyes staring up at her.

…

"Helena? Helena?" Pyrene called as she weaved through the people at the park. In her arms was one of her blonde-haired, green-eyed one-year-old twins, Juno. Jaune was carrying Joan, also calling for their missing eldest child.

Where could she have gotten to? The wide range of answers that came to mind concerning that unruly child was not in the least bit comforting. "Helena, come over here right now!" Pyrene's voice rang clearly through the trees and across the field.

Then, very faintly, she heard a familiar voice cry out: "I'm here, Mom!"

Pyrene's heart sank and she took a deep breath before turning in the direction of the voice. A lesser woman would have probably fainted at what she saw. Helena had climbed one of the tallest trees in the park and was near the very top, swaying back and forth in the wind, her body supported by the tiny, fragile branches that resided so high up.

Jaune ran up to her. "Hey, Pyrene. Did you find- Oh my god!" His face turned pale as he followed Pyrene's gaze. "Don't worry, Helena," he called, his voice cracking. "I'll get you down."

"No." Pyrene's voice was cold, masking the fear she felt in that moment. Only pure maternal instincts and an inner knowledge that being calm was vital kept her from melting down. "You'll break the branches where she is." She took a step forward. "Helena, you get down from that tree right now! Do you hear me?" Juno let out a startled cry at how loud her mother's voice was, but was otherwise quiet.

Helena normally would have argued, but something in Pyrene's tone was obviously telling her to just shut up and obey. Her tiny form slowly descended, finding foothold after foothold in the branches.

Pyrene watched her climb, silently praying. Please, gods and goddesses let her get down safely.

When Helena's feet finally touched the ground, Pyrene slumped against Jaune for a moment, letting out a long sigh of relief. She took the time to regain control of her breathing as her daughter approached. Helena's shoulders were slumped and she was looking nervously up at her parents.

"Helena," Pyrene said in a trembling voice, trying to control both her anger and her lingering fear. "We are going home. You are going to your room and are not to come out until dinner. Then, after dinner, it's right to bed. Do you understand?"

Helena sniffled and nodded. She glanced hopefully at her dad, who had a tendency to lighten whatever punishment given, but was let down by his equally-stern glare.

As they walked back to the car, Jaune leaned close to Pyrene and whispered in her ear. "Wanna ask Ren and Nora to take care of them this Saturday? I think we're almost due for some quality time."

Pyrene smiled weakly, leaning into his side. "You read my mind."

….

"Mommy, Mommy, look at the tiger!" Five year old Juno jumped up and down while pointing at the tiger enclosure. "Can I go in and pet it?"

"No, Juno," Pyrene said calmly. "Tigers are wild animals. You don't pet wild animals."

"But, I wanna go in!" Juno started to run toward the fence, only to be pulled back by Jaune.

"Do you think the tiger would like it if someone came into his house uninvited?" he asked gently. "The bars and fences are there for a reason, okay?"

Juno pouted, but nodded slowly. "Okay."

Pyrene glanced at Ren, who was pulling a large, blanket-filled wagon. "How are they?"

"Fast asleep." Ren smiled fondly as he pulled the blankets over young Lie Mei and Hector.

Hector was Pyrene and Jaune's fourth (and last) child. He had inherited Pyrene's hair and eyes along with the smaller stature Jaune apparently had when he was younger. Mei had Nora's turquoise eyes and Ren's black hair. She and Hector, both at the age of two, were already inseparable.

Nora zipped over. "Hey, guys! I found the sloths!"

They followed Nora to the sloth exhibit, where Joan immediately pressed the information button next to the enclosure. She listened silently while a recorded voice talked about how slowly sloths moved, and how they only needed to eat a few leaves a day. Juno found a railing and tried hanging from it like how a sloth would. Helena was preoccupied watching the fruit bats in a nearby exhibit.

Pyrene walked over to Juno. "What are you doing?" she asked, her eyes glittering with amusement.

"I'm being a sloth!" Juno said happily, swinging back and forth on the railing.

"Does that mean you'll be eating leaves for lunch? I never thought it would be so easy to feed you salad."

At the mention of salads, Juno made a face and dropped down from the railing. "I think I'll be something else. What animal eats cake?"

"Humans and Faunus." Pyrene ruffled her hair. "Try not to wander too far. Remember, everyone who behaves gets a toy from the gift shop when we leave."

Juno sighed. "Okay. It's not fair that Mei and Hector have it so easy, though. They're just sleeping." She ran over to Joan, who was standing next to Helena and staring at the fruit bats.

Pyrene watched her daughters pointing at the swooping bats and trying to figure out where the next one would fly. Her face softened into an easy smile. She took a breath, allowing herself to appreciate the fact that everyone was happy and content.

At that moment, a familiar pair of arms slipped around her waist. Jaune leaned over her shoulder, kissing the side of her neck after making sure the kids weren't looking. "Hey, you."

"Hello." Pyrene rested her palm on his cheek. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm good. Hector and Mei will probably wake up soon, though. And Nora wants to get lunch."

Pyrene rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, it feels like she's one of our kids."

Jaune laughed. "Yeah. Remember when she and Juno had that pancake eating contest last month?"

"I've been trying very hard to block that from my memory, thank you," Pyrene said flatly, kissing Jaune's lips before going to round up the girls for lunch.

The rest of the day passed quickly. Hector and Mei eventually woke up and were very eager to chirp at the various birds they passed. Helena watched the elephants, laughing when one of them decided to spray water at the people viewing it. Joan listened to all the descriptions and was particularly fascinated with how the gorillas and orangutans looked almost human. Juno still insisted that the tiger was the best.

At the gift shop, the kids were allowed free rein. Juno immediately found a giant, four-foot stuffed animal tiger. Jaune talked her into getting a small one, reminding her that her other stuffed animals might get jealous if the big tiger took up the whole bed. Joan found a book on great apes that was a few years above what her reading level was supposed to be. Pyrene knew she'd have no problem with it. Hector was given a toddler-safe bear plushie, and Mei got a sloth. They both seemed content, Hector sucking on the bear's ear as he started to drift off again. Helena found a brown, safari-style vest with an elephant embroidered on the back.

The two families walked toward the car, Pyrene or Jaune occasionally having to shepherd in an excited Juno or remind Joan that it isn't safe to read while walking.

"Hey, Mom. Did you know gorillas sleep in nests?" Joan asked when Pyrene steered her toward the car.

"I did not know that," Pyrene replied. "Why don't you close that until we're in the car? You don't want to walk into anything, do you?"

"I guess not." Joan reluctantly closed the book and ran ahead to join the others.

After strapping in the kids and loading up the wagon, Jaune and Pyrene said goodbye to Ren and Nora, who were carrying a very sleepy Mei. On the drive home, Pyrene listened to the children talking excitedly about the day, Joan stating facts about apes, and Juno talking to her new tiger, which she had named Mister Stripes.

No matter how tired or stressed Pyrene and Jaune sometimes were, days like this made it all worthwhile.

….

When Hector came home from his first day of kindergarten with an ugly, purple bruise on his cheek, Pyrene was ready to kill someone. He ran up to her when she came to pick him up and hugged her leg. His red hair was messed up and his clothes were dirty. Young Lie Mei was close behind him.

"Aunty Pyrene, Hector got punched!" she said, looking up at Pyrene with urgency in her turquoise eyes.

"I can see that." Pyrene gently tilted her son's face toward hers. "What happened, honey?"

Hector sniffled, staring up at his mother with watery green eyes. "Th-They were l-laughing at me f-for playing with Mei," he stammered. "They s-said I shouldn't b-be playing house w-with a girl."

"And then they hit you?" Pyrene asked, taking out a tissue and wiping his face.

"I told them to get lost," Mei chimed in. "They got mad and tried to hit me. Hector tried to hit them, but he got hit instead." She hugged his arm. "The teachers made them stop, but they got his face."

At that moment, Ren came rushing over. "Mei, did you see the car?" He noticed Hector and his expression darkened. "Who did that?"

"The kids on the playground. They tried to hit me too!" Mei said, tugging at her dad's pant leg. "I don't wanna come to school tomorrow, Daddy. Can Hector and me stay home?"

"What kids on the playground?" Ren picked her up and kissed her cheek. "Did you tell the teacher?"

"Uh huh." Mei nodded. "They got in trouble. They said they'll get us tomorrow at recess since we told on them."

"Oh, no they won't!" Ren growled. "After I take you home, I'm calling the principal. They won't bother you anymore."

Pyrene opened the door and carefully strapped Hector in. "I'll do the same once I get him cleaned up. You should probably take her home."

"Bye, Hector!" Mei called, waving as Ren carried her off.

Hector just wiped his nose and didn't answer. He was quiet during the ride home. Once they were in the house, however, the first thing he said was: "Mom, am I a weak little baby?"

"Of course not," Pyrene said, kneeling down and gently ruffling Hector's hair. "Did the kids call you that?" When he nodded, she kissed his forehead. "You stood up for yourself and Mei, even though it was difficult and you got hurt. That's very brave."

For the first time, a tiny smile came to the boy's face. He stood up a little straighter. "Brave?"

Pyrene nodded firmly. "You don't have to be the strongest in order to be brave. You did a good thing today by standing up for Mei. I'd rather you not get into fights in the future, but don't let bullies push you around. If you get in trouble, Daddy and I will take care of it."

Hector nodded. "Okay." He wiped his eyes again. "The principal called their parents. Maybe they'll tell them not to hit us, and we'll be okay."

"I hope so, sweetie," Pyrene said. "Now, why don't you get some clean clothes on? I think we should go out for ice cream once your sisters get home."

At the mention of ice cream, Hector tore off toward his room, already seeming to forget about the bruise on his cheek.

…

"Grandma! Grandma! Do you like my costume?" August adjusted his little Navy outfit and saluted. "Do I look just like Daddy?"

"You do!" Pyrene exclaimed, fixing his hat. In truth, August Arc favored his mother more than his father. He had inherited Mei's dark hair and turquoise eyes, though his small stature and eager smile definitely came from Hector.

I'll have to take a lot of pictures for him, Pyrene reminded herself, her mind drifting overseas, where her son was currently serving a tour of duty in the Vale Navy. She had every confidence that he would be just as adaptable and brave in combat as she had once been, but nothing truly stopped a mother from worrying.

The other eleven grandchildren crowded around her, eager for her approval. For a few minutes, she tried to talk to everyone at once. "Yes, Max. You make an excellent werewolf. Claudia, you look just like Ruby. The scythe is absolutely perfect. Marius, is that fake blood? You certainly went all out!"

"Bleh! I have found my victims!" Jaune swooped into the room, waggling his eyebrows comically over the dark cloak he was using to hide his face. "Whose neck is first?" His greying blond hair had been dyed completely black and he was even wearing red contacts and false fangs.

Pyrene shook her head, chuckling quietly. "Sweetie, that accent is horrible."

Seven year old Rufus, one of Juno's six children, ran up to his grandfather. He wore a small cloak and plastic fangs. "You are now under my spell! Obey the better vampire!"

Jaune pretended to cower against the wall. "Oh no! I have been bested! What is your first order, my master?"

"Give us all your candy!" Rufus said, hissing messily for good measure.

"Yeah, candy!" the other kids started to chorus.

"Hold on, now," Mei said gently. "You know the rules: No eating candy until after trick-or-treating."

"They'll need energy, though," Jaune reasoned, taking the candy bucket off the table. "Only one each, now."

Pyrene smiled fondly as her husband handed candy to the children. "He really was made to be a grandfather."

"Yeah," Joan said as she came out of the kitchen, munching on some freshly-cooked pumpkin seeds. "Spoil the kids and get them on a sugar high, then pass them back to us."

"Give it a few years, and you may have that privilege," Pyrene said, nudging Joan gently. Two of the kids were hers, after all.

Jaune walked over, still grinning to show his fake fangs. "I see a gorgeous maiden. Perhaps, I can make her my evil queen."

Pyrene gently swatted his arm. "Oh, stop it! Keep that up, and you won't have any energy to scare the trick-or-treaters."

Juno walked over, holding her youngest, a blonde girl named Lillian, who was dressed as a kitten. "Wasn't Helena supposed to be here too?"

"Yes, she's coming with Ren and Nora."

At that moment, a loud engine followed by several excited whoops sounded outside. The children immediately swarmed toward the door shouting "Aunty Helen! Aunty Helen!"

"Oh dear…" Pyrene looked out the window to see her daughter getting off of her large, red motorcycle. An ecstatic Nora was bouncing on the seat, still giggling maniacally. Poor Ren looked close to throwing up.

"Aunty Helen, can I ride it next?" August asked as soon as the three walked in. "Please? I'll wear a helmet!"

"Not till you're older, kiddo," Helena patted her nephew's head before tossing back her short mane of red hair. "Are we late?"

"We wouldn't have been if Ren had let us go faster," Nora griped, elbowing her husband.

Ren just groaned, holding his stomach and slumping against the wall. Unlike the other grandparents, his hair was totally gray. He liked to say that it was because of Helena and Mei's combined efforts over the years.

"Sweetie, for the sake of your godfather's sanity I think you should use the car next time," Pyrene advised, patting Helena's shoulder before guiding Ren to a chair.

"Can we go now?" Claudia asked, bouncing up and down. "I wanna get as much candy as I can!"

"Go get your bags ready." Pyrene turned to Ren. "Would you rather stay here with Jaune and hand out the candy?"

"Yes, I think that would be best," Ren muttered, his face still looking a bit green.

"You're such a wimp," Nora teased, booping his nose affectionately.

"I think the little demons are ready," Jaune said, kissing Pyrene on the cheek. "Watch out for weirdos."

Pyrene rolled her eyes and said in a hushed tone: "Please, sweetie. I can still kick anyone's ass if worse comes to worse."

Jaune chuckled. "I don't doubt it, my dear goddess." He kissed her lips softly.

Nora rolled her eyes. "That nickname is still lame, Jaune."

"You just don't get the context," Jaune said, sticking his tongue out at Nora and sharing a secret smile with Pyrene.

A few minutes later, Pyrene and Nora led the huge family into the night. The moon was high and the smell of candy was in the air. Everything was right with the world.

…

Pyrene's eyes opened and she regarded the four goddesses around her calmly. The memories enfolded her like a blanket, sapping away her fear and hardening her resolve. She thought of a night five years ago, when she had watched Ruby harvest the soul of her husband. In her heart, through her uncertainty, she knew he was waiting for her.

"I've made my choice," she said. "I'm ready to see Jaune again, and I intend to be wherever my children and grandchildren will be when their times come."

Ruby shook her head. "But, none of us know where you'll go, and we'll never see you again." If she were human, tears would have been streaming down her face. "I know you felt isolated in Heaven, but we can fix that. Please, Pyrrha."

"Once you take your divinity back, everything will be okay," Yang urged. "Heck, maybe you can come back down in a thousand years and meet another guy like Jaune."

Pyrene shook her head. "Even now, you don't get it," she sighed. "That's okay. You don't have to. All I ask is that you stay with me until the end."

"Of course we'll stay, you dunce!" Weiss snapped, her voice cracking as she touched Pyrene's shoulder. "It's not like we'll get the chance to see you anymore."

Blake placed a hand on Pyrene's, regarding her with glowing eyes. "I didn't predict this back when you first asked for advice on the mortal realm. But, if you're happy now, I don't regret it."

"Thank you, Blake," Pyrene said, squeezing her friend's hand before looking at the others. "I know you don't fully understand. Maybe you never will. There is more beauty and fulfillment to be found in one mortal life than I ever found through countless millennia as a goddess. I have no regrets, except for the fact that I won't see the rest of you again, unless you make the same choices I did someday. I hope you do. Then, perhaps…"

She started to say more, but her lips suddenly were incapable of moving. Her body sank into the mattress and her bright eyes began to dim. Yang, Blake, and Weiss faded away, though she could still feel their presence. The only one she could see clearly was Ruby.

A pair of sad, silver eyes regarded her. The blade of a scythe touched her chest. A familiar, quiet voice whispered: "Bye, Pyrrha." Then, she was surrounded by darkness.

Pyrene felt as if she was floating, her spirit both melding with and sitting on the dark waves that held her. She tried to move, but it was impossible to move herself. She could only drift with the invisible tide and see where it took her.

This isn't so terrible, she thought. Though, if this is eternity, I will likely get bored very soon.

As she floated on, she became aware of a break in the blackness. It was a small, thin light, like a crack in a cave leading to the outside. She could feel the tide taking her toward it. It drew closer, and she realized that she could see colors on the other side: the blue of a clear sky, the green of grass, the golden glow of a sun.

Slowly, the blackness receded until she was lying on the other side of the crack. She stood up, staring at her hands. They looked familiar, though without the wrinkles that had been there in her later years. She touched her face, feeling smooth skin.

The air smelled sweet and natural, like an evening in early spring. For some reason, her first night with Jaune so many years ago was called to mind. She walked through the grass, looking at her feet. She was wearing white tennis shoes. Checking herself, she confirmed that she was also wearing the same jeans and jacket she had materialized for herself when she first descended to Remnant.

Before she could ponder anything else, she heard a familiar voice call out to her. "You look like you're new here. I'll buy you some coffee if you don't knock me down."

Pyrene smiled. "And what if I do knock you down?" She turned around, feeling tears coming to her eyes as they met with a sweet, blue gaze that she hadn't seen for five long years.

Jaune grinned, holding out his arms. "Then, I guess the coffee will have to wait while you…help me up."

Pyrene laughed, lunging forward and tackling Jaune to the ground, pressing his back into the grass. He felt so real, so warm, and so alive. She leaned close, so that her lips brushed his ear, relishing the familiar shiver that went through him at the contact. "That sounds grand."

Fun fact: The part with Helena climbing the tree is based on something that happened with my middle older brother when he was little. Mom likes to say that he gave her most of her gray hairs. Darkkseid's description of Helena made me feel that she'd be the same way.

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Peace out!