1950 – On Mount Olympus

A looming castle stood over the Empire State Building, the cloud underneath it shielding it from the mortals walking the lightened streets of Manhattan. It was landscaped beautifully with various gardens. Temples and fountains jutting here and there.

The borders of it were guarded by gold railing. A man dressed in a dark blue suit stood at the end, surveying the city beneath him. The Lord of the Skies reveled in his recent accomplishment.

A cloud of dark smoke materialized behind the man. It swayed here and there before solidifying into Lord Hades, still dressed in a black suit.

"Why?" Hades begged, "Tell me why?"

"Why what, brother?" Zeus replied smugly, eyes closed as the wind blew past him.

"Why kill her?" Hades begged, still standing, "Why did you kill her? Why did you kill them all?

"You're a god, Hades," Zeus said passively, "And you're married to my daughter."

"You don't give a damn about that!" Hades yelled, "You don't give a damn about anyone other than yourself! Tell me why!"

"Watch what you say!" Zeus barked, "You may be my brother, but I am your ruler."

Hades spat, "You are no brother of mine!"

"I am still your ruler and should be treated as such," Zeus stated, "Your family was a threat. A threat to Olympus."

"You murderer!" Hades yelled, "You killed them all because you were selfish! Because of some damned prophecy!"

"Brot-"

"Bah!" Hades interrupted, "You do not deserve that honor!"

"You can do nothing," Zeus continued, "You cannot bring back the dead."

Hades just glared at Zeus, his whole body shaking in rage. Shadows started growing and swiveling around the god. The winds howling around Zeus. But all was calm a mere second later. Not a sound could be heard.

"Know this, Zeus," Hades said passively, "I broke no oath. But I know you will be the first one to do so."

He strode forward slowly, till he was right behind Zeus.

"And when you do, I pray. I pray to Lord Chaos himself that I don't find it out before Hera."

He whispered into his ear.

"Because if I get my hands on them. If I hear word. They'll wish for death…"

The shadows started to shroud the Lord of the dead, his body dissolving.

"An eye for an eye…"

"Makes the whole world go blind," Another voice said as Hades disappeared completely.

A man appeared behind Zeus, his outfit a start contrast to the other two gods. Beach shorts and a muscle shirt ruffled in the wind. He looked at his brother and shook his head disapprovingly.

"What have you done…. What have you done, brother….."

Circa 2000

Poseidon rushed through the halls of the hospital. He heard people talking quickly, rushing here and there, but he didn't hear her voice. He barged towards the information desk and asked the receptionist where she was.

She didn't answer.

"Where is she?!" Poseidon yelled, smacking the table.

Silence.

"Where th-"

" ?" A voice interrupted. The god turned around slowly till he came face to face with the doctor.

He knew it before the doctor said it. From the look in his eyes to the blood on his smock, Poseidon knew. Blood rushing through his head blocked out the rest. Everything became a blur. He fell to the floor, leaning his back on the reception table and holding his head in his hands. He felt the comforting pat on the back from the doctor, and then he was alone.

Doctors and Hades weren't so different. Surrounded by the death of others, they had to learn to be indifferent. To learn to care for only a few minutes, then to divert their attention elsewhere. But Poseidon still blamed him. He blamed the doctor. Hades. The drunk driver who crashed into her.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up into the eyes of the very brother he had blamed.

"I'm sorry, brother," He said, with pity in his eyes, "She was a wonderful woman." He pulled Poseidon up and put the sea god's arm over his shoulder.

"He'll find out about him, Poseidon," Hades said as they exited the hospital, "Our brother will find out. Take him. Take him to Atlantis."

"I can't…" Poseidon mumbled with tears in his eyes, "I can't…"

"Convince her," Hades retorted, understanding why, "Take him there and convince her."

"I can-"

"Just do it," Hades commanded softly, flashing the two of them to Sally's house, "He needs a future."

Poseidon looked at the window to the apartment. He wiped the tears from his eyes and took a deep breath. He walked towards the entrance, then stopped and turned around to face his brother.

"Why?" He asked the incomplete question.

"Why not?" Came the answer before he disappeared in a black mist.

A few years later

"Kate!" Zeus bellowed, holding her arms to the side, "Please, stop yelling."

"You don't love me!" Kate yelled, "You hate me!"

"I love you, Kate," He begged, "I do."

"Then why do you leave me?" She yelled at him, "Why do you leave me with her?!"

"I'm not al-"

"Bullshit!" She yelled smacking him in the chest, "If you loved me, you wouldn't leave! You wouldn't leave me with tha-"

"Thalia!" Zeus said, surprised by the appearance of his daughter by the doorway.

Her mother turned back, swaying from side to side in a drunken stupor. Thalia had tears in her eyes, but she wouldn't cry. Thalia was much stronger than that. She would not cry.

"I'm sure she di-" Zeus was about to say.

"It's alright, ," She interrupted, "I'm used to it." She walked through the kitchen, picking up some supplies.

"Where are you off too?" Kate asked.

"Somewhere." She answered.

Zeus knew he should have done something. That he should have told her that he was her dad. That her brother was alive. That he was Zeus. He should have stopped her. But he didn't.

He later found out that she had run away.