A/N: So...yeah. This is a thing that happened.

And I have never had more of a struggle writing this. Greek Gods aren't my area, and it's taken a lot of research to write this. This has been sitting on my computer finished for about a week while I played around with it (and I'm so glad I did, because the first draft was AWFUL). Honestly, I'm still not completely happy with it, but quite frankly I'm sick of staring at this on my computer, so I finally decided to publish it.

Also, I know this is really long, but it didn't feel like I could split it into two chapters – I just felt something would have been lost. Feel free to take regular breaks!

IMPORTANT FOR STORY:

1) I have tried my best to accurately portray the Greek Gods, but I've taken creative liability with a few details. So if this doesn't quite fit with canon, just go along with it, okay? This isn't my area of expertise, and I'm only just getting into the Percy Jackson books (read number one and making my way through number two).

2) This isn't a complete replica of Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. I'm just using that universe to create my own world. In fact from reading the plot of the Heroes of Olympus series, this may be more like that. But as I said before, this is my own story, so don't expect it to be a complete replica of either of the series.

3) In this fic, Octavia and Bellamy are twins.

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own The 100 or any of the characters; I do not own anything linking to the works of Rick Riordan; I also do not own any other quotes used

inevitable

"...he couldn't let go of the hope... It had to be possible to belong in two different worlds at once. After all, that's what being a demigod was all about – not quite belonging in the mortal world or on Mount Olympus, but trying to make peace with both sides of their nature."

Rick Riordan, The Mark of Athena

PROLOGUE: THE AGE OF HEROES

No one, except a God with the ability to see into the future, would have been able to predict it. Hades' son and Apollo's daughter was not a combination that many could have foreseen. Hades is King of the Underworld, controller of the dead; Apollo is the sun God and enjoys everything about life. Their children should have hated each other.

Of course, not everyone knows how they began.

Many could tell you about the battles they would come to face, about the decisions that changed the ways of the Gods, the people that they managed to save. Some of their close friends would even be able to describe the arguments that they had, how their warriors tiptoed round the camps as their shouting shook the ground.

But only a few know how the story truly began. And even those who did not know the two of them well would be unsurprised to know their first meeting started with a fight.

ACT I: THE AGE OF WAR

The truth? Being a demigod isn't all it's cracked up to be. For example, before he found out that was half-mortal, half-God, he had plenty of spare time. He could go look in the shops even if he couldn't buy anything; he could go to arcade. After he had passed his driving test he would go to the films with his friends. Sometimes he would go with girls, and afterwards they would tumble in the backseat together, giggling and kissing.

Now though, in Camp Half-Blood? Instead of hours of lazing in a car, staring up at the sky, he has to be trained in combat.

He is nearly caught by a daughter of Eurus: she tackles him, but he uses his legs and lifts her back up. He doesn't hesitate in charging away, especially since he can hear footsteps behind him. Picking up the pace he manages to outrun them, but to make sure he leaps onto a low branch of a tree and climbs.

The air is cool at the top, and he takes a few deep breaths to clear his head. He turns to check his team's flag is still there. They're playing Capture the Flag, a standard game here. Most people are left to defend, and with good reason. Octavia is on the other team, and she takes no prisoners. He's one of the handful of kids that is sent forward to retrieve the other team's flag.

From this position he can see it, finally. It's not far away, and he quickly slides down the tree, jumping from branch to branch. It takes him less than a minute to reach the flag, only because he's practically sprinted there. And he can't see anyone guarding it.

But he's not fool enough to think it's unprotected, and draws his sword. Cautiously he approaches, and he's practically an arm's length away when she appears. The arrow she flies at him catches his side; wincing he rolls away, swiftly standing up.

She grins at him. "Didn't think it would be that easy, did you?"

"No. It'll be just as easy as I thought." He returns her smirk. "Nice aim, but you'll find I'm better with my sword."

"If you think I'm going to let you poke me with your sword, you'll be disappointed." She goes towards him, pushing off from her right foot. He ducks and lifts his own sword. All you can hear is the clanging of steel as they meet. He's a good fighter, more experienced than most, but this girl is giving him a run for his money. Quicker than he expected, she is dodging his attacks. She's tiring him out faster than most.

He finally catches her, pushing her back when his foot is behind her. She falls on the floor, so hard he hears the breath escape from her body. She coughs and he steps over her, towards the flag.

In a second he's on the floor. She's on top of him, pinning him against the dirt.

Even though he's losing, he still grins. "Seems like you've changed your mind about the sword thing."

She snorts. "I would never sleep with someone who actually thought I fell on purpose."

"Never is a long time, princess."

"Princess? Seriously?"

"You have the hair for it."

The horn blows and he blinks. "Crap," he swears when he realises his team has lost.

Her laughter follows him all the way back to base.

He's not in such a bad mood as people would believe. One team has to lose, after all. Most people avoid rubbing it in. Of course, his sister is the exception. "What does that make it?" she teases. "Seventy to sixty three?"

"Nice try O. I'm only losing to you by three."

"Three's a pretty big number." She nudges him with her shoulder. "You fought well, big brother."

"From what I hear, so did you. Heard you were the one to catch the flag."

"Heard you almost did."

"Well, we're both better on the offensive." He lifts his cup in a toast, and she gives him a quick kiss on the cheek before walking into a crowd of people from her team. He has to admit, one of the good things about coming to Camp Half-Blood is that Octavia is thriving. She never seemed to completely fit in with the kids back in Brooklyn, quite understandably. Now she has dozens of friends, and is the happiest he's seen her.

He turns to talk to Miller, but he's chatting up a daughter of Aphrodite, so he leaves him alone. He's thinking of heading back to his cabin when he sees a flash of blonde hair. Looking up, he recognises the girl that stopped him from getting the flag.

She's seen him, he knows it, and peeks out from the corner of her eye. "Having a good time?"

He turns. "Not as good as you," he says, and she smiles in acknowledgement. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

"Clarke – Clarke Griffin, daughter of Apollo."

"A rarity," he says mockingly, but it falls flat. He believed that Apollo had no children – he had never run into any of them before. Of course, there used to be hundreds of demigods, back when Gods were worshipped and feared. Now? Now the majority of the world no longer believes in Gods, and Zeus has become stricter about them appearing on Earth. Now Gods run the risk of angering Zeus if they dare have sex with a mortal, moreso if they produce a child. The new rules have taken affect: now there are exactly a hundred demigods in this camp, and doubtful that many more are outside, if any.

Everyone knows why Zeus has made these rules, who they are truly aimed at. He doesn't hunt the countless children of Aphrodite or the warrior children of Ares. He looks for the children of Poseidan or Hades. Children that could threaten him.

Now he knows that she is Apollo's daughter, it is stupidly obvious. There are people with blonde hair in camp, but none of that kind of shade. It seems to shine, even now.

"You're one to talk," she says, and even her voice has a hint of – of something, like strands of music being played from far away. "Everyone knows who you are." Her eyes flutter over his body and he feels himself straightening. "Bellamy Blake, the only son of Hades. The only son of one of the big three."

He turns away.

"Don't tell me," she calls. "Daddy issues."

He should leave it; he's not in the mood for arrogant princesses who are just trying to bait him. But he turns his head. "Who doesn't?"

She shrugs. "You can't let it get to you. No wonder you didn't get the flag. I mean, I was the main reason, but when you doubt yourself-"

"I didn't get the flag because of my sister," he points out. "Trust me, five minutes and I would have crushed you."

"You're dreaming."

"You're right: it would have only taken two."

She laughs, and he can smell mint on her breath. "We'll see. There's always tomorrow, son of Hades. But I won't hold my breath." She sends him a smirk before turning away, walking towards a group of girls.

He should be used to people like this. They are constantly trying to prove who is the strongest. The teachers post the rankings of students at the end of the month, based on the skills they've shown during the physical lessons (they also post rankings of how well they've done in their essays and homework, but no one really pays attention to that). Usually Bellamy's near the top. But he's never noticed this Clarke girl before and for some reason, she gets under his skin more than anyone else.

Be careful with this one Bellamy.

The voice is in his head, but it isn't his own. Like he always does when he hears it, he moves into action: shoving his drink on the table, he heads towards a gaggle of girls, most of them Aphrodite's daughters. Having sex will surely drive that voice out of his mind.

"Do you know that girl?" he asks Miller. They are in class, listening to a lecture about Medusa, and he knows he should be paying attention – Medusa does not sound like someone who he would like to run into.

But the blonde hair catches his eye, and even though it is the last thing he wants, he looks at her, at Clarke. He sees her a mealtimes, laughing with some friends; by the river, smiling at the ones in the water; at the archery buds, constantly hitting the target. He never noticed her before and now she is everywhere and it's driving him crazy.

Miller glances up. "Who? The blonde? Yeah, that's Clarke. She's cool."

"Really? Last night she seemed like a bitch."

"Well, yeah," he says. "But we're the kids of Gods. Which one of us isn't?" Bellamy nods because if anyone has the birthright to be arrogant and up-themselves its them. "And anyway, I think that's mostly for show. Raven likes her, and you know Raven wouldn't stand for all bullshit."

He glances at Raven out the corner of his eye. She's with Wick, her sort-of boyfriend (though Camp Half-Blood is basically a free-for all, and he's been in more beds in this past year then the rest of his life). "Raven gets on with her?"

"Yeah. Why does it matter?" Miller does a double-take. "Do you like her?"

He lets out a laugh, turning his head away. Even though he's not looking in her direction, he can still see her hair shimmering. "Trust me, Cerberus himself couldn't force me to go out with her."

This time the challenge is to get to the top of the castle. They are pulled out in groups and the first one to get to the top goes through the final, and the one who gets to the top first is the overall winner. Of course Bellamy gets through, as does Octavia. So does Clarke. Bellamy watches her stretch from the other side, and he's not certain, but he thinks she's smirking at him.

From beside him Octavia nudges his shoulder. "Race you to the top," she whispers.

"Yeah." He doesn't take his eyes off Clarke.

"For the right price, I might even let you win."

He laughs and Octavia does a double-take. "Trust me O, I'm going to win this thing."

She frowns but before she can ask the whistle blows and he's gone, already up the rope wall before most people have even started climbing. The next layer is made out of stone, with tiny little ledges for your feet and hands. His hands are bigger than the ledges and he swears, they've made them slippery. He almost falls off, losing his footing. His other hand goes too and he's holding on by the tips of his fingers. He can hear the crowd yelling, Miller's voice among them.

He grits his teeth. People are climbing from beneath him, but that's not what pushes him forward. He knows Clarke is on the other side, just as desperate to win. The thought of her being victorious yet again actually causes him physical pain.

He swings his foot round and actually manages to pull himself back up. He forces himself to slow down so he doesn't slip again, though he guesses Clarke has already reached the third level. This level is made with blocks and foam sticks, which can be used to knock a person from the opposite side down. At the bottom off the third level he reaches up and shoves a block to the other side. He hears a thud and grins.

He successfully reaches the final layer. To reach the top you have to go through the inside. As soon as he clambers through the gap though, he sees Clarke on the opposite side.

She dashes towards the centre and attempts to pull herself up. Bellamy's on her in second and grabs her leg, gracelessly yanking her back down. Her legs kick out, catching him on the right shoulder.

His voice comes out in pants. "Nice try princess, but you're not that fast."

"Just let me win Bellamy. It'll happen soon enough; might as well save everyone time."

"Why are you trying to convince me to give up?" He keeps hold of her, but they're not wrestling. Instead their hands are holding onto each other's arms, nails digging in. Neither one of them dare let go – they don't even dare break eye contact. "Is it because you know I'll beat you?"

"Previous experience suggests otherwise."

He has insults ready, on the tip of his tongue, but instead he says, "When did you arrive here anyway?"

"Doesn't matter – I'll still win-"

"No, I mean – when you got to Camp Half-Blood?"

She frowns. "Are you trying to distract me?"

"Maybe." He shoves her backwards, towards the edge. Her legs hit the wall but she's still clinging onto him; her nails scratch against his skin.

"Not that it matters, but I came ten months ago."

She attempts to sound casual, but he knows: she's been counting, like he was. Like he still is. And that's how he knows she misses the outside world.

"So it took you this long to notice me?"

"Would you be offended if I said yes?"

"No. From other guys maybe, but not from you."

He feels his smirk across his face. "Yeah, sure. You don't want me."

"Don't lie to yourself."

"You're the liar." He moved closed, standing taller, and he could see her eyes flicker down to his chest. They quickly came back up, but he can see a hint of red on her cheeks. "You like me."

Her face contorts. "I can honestly say I do not like you. Not even a little bit."

"You may not like me personally..." He lowers his head, just a little, and can see the clear blue of her eyes. "...but you find me attractive. Admit it, princess."

"You make me sick," she says, but he doesn't pay attention to her words; more to the slight quiver of her voice, the uncertain look that flashes across her face.

He pauses just above her mouth, his own eyes checking her face. Almost...

And he shoves her off the tower.

He's managed to beat the others too. Literally above everyone else, he grins down as the kids cheer. He can see Miller yelling and somewhere in the crowd Raven is shaking her head at his big ego but grinning. Octavia is on the ground, and when he focuses on her he can see her satisfied look. They may try to outdo each other, but they've both acknowledged that if they can't win it, they would rather their sibling did.

All of this is great. But that's not widens his grin.

Clarke is still on the floor, sitting up on her elbows. Even from up here he can feel the heat of her glare.

It's on. Whatever activity it is – sprinting, climbing, even team activities like basketball or football – they have to outdo each other. Even on the same team, they still have outshine the other one.

At the end of the month, Bellamy can't sleep. The rankings go up at eight in the morning, fifteen minutes before breakfast so the kids will see. By the time the sun is up so is he, deciding to go for a run round the camp. He makes sure to stay within the walls, where they are protected. No God can go past these walls, and mortals are deterred from entering. Kane explained when they first arrived that once they're twenty one the Gods will not be able to sense them. In Camp Half-Blood, they're safe. If they step out beyond the walls however, they are likely to be subjected to attacks.

Kane had eyed the two of them. Bellamy could imagine how they looked: dishevelled, eyes bloodshot, clothes tattered from the long trip here. "Unfortunately, you two are the children of Hades. A demigod's blood is different from human's blood, and the Gods can sense it. But Hades..." He sighs again. "Hades is what we call one of the big three. Their blood is stronger than other Gods.

"He and his brothers hate each other – sibling rivalry at its worst. If Zeus or Poseidon find you, it's very likely that they'll try to kill you."

"But..." Octavia's voice fell away. Bellamy looked at his lap.

"I know it's hard to understand," Kane said, his voice soft. "Poseidon isn't your biggest worry, though he would probably try to drown you if you crossed his path. Zeus..." He let out another sigh, his hand moving up before falling down on his lap again. "He's known for his paranoia. He doesn't like any of the demigods, but he will never trust the two of you."

He then explained about what happened when they turned twenty one. "It's something to do with your blood," he said. "Something happens to it when you're around twenty one, so that the Gods can't sense you. Until then, the only safe place is this camp, so whatever you do, don't leave these walls. Only when you're twenty one will you be safe."

("But Bell," Octavia had whispered that night, when they had tucked up in a bed together because they couldn't bear to be parted, not that night. "If Zeus really hates us, we won't ever be safe.")

Clarke isn't entirely the reason why he is pushing himself so hard in training; why he always does. Because he knows deep down that Zeus will never stop looking for him and Octavia, that he will never stop watching out for them or sending creatures to kill them. Even after their twenty first birthday.

He's been so lost in thought that he's almost late for when the rankings go up. Unsurprisingly Clarke is there, hair tied back and tapping her foot impatiently. Their eyes meet and she gives him a stiff nod, which he returns. Kane pins a piece of paper to the dashboard and almost immediately Clarke and Bellamy are there.

For a second stare, mouths falling open. It's Clarke who rounds on Kane.

"You're kidding me," she says, voice flat. "We're tied?"

"Yes."

"That's impossible!" Bellamy's voice is loud.

"It's not impossible. It's just never happened before. You two should be proud to be the first." But Kane has a slight smirk on his face and it looks to Bellamy like he is enjoying himself. "Since you're here early you might as well be first for breakfast."

"Seriously, he's in charge?" Clarke mutters as he walks away. Bellamy snorts before he can stop himself and she catches his eye. He heads for breakfast.

Bellamy always had a inkling he was different. Of course, most kids were often proved wrong and found they, without a doubt, were perfectly normal. He though, was a demigod, a half-blood, completely different from ninety eight per cent of the world.

He'd always been stronger than most kids. The entire school knew about when he was on the field during athletics and threw the spear so far it went through Mr. McKenzie's car. And he couldn't forget the time he almost got expelled for climbing on the roof of the school, though Bellamy swore that he had only jumped, trying to go over the bins. He supposed that the wind must have lifted him up.

The weirdest thing was that he could read Greek. He had been reading through his history books, not revising like most people would assume but because he loved it. He had been in the Greek section, and had looked at one of the pictures. It said "One Language is Never Enough", though he frowned because it translated it for them under the picture.

He went through the book, testing. Then he went into Octavia's room. "Hey O," he said, "read this for me?"

Octavia gave him a look, but she was pretty used to his weird requests at this point. "'One Language is Never Enough'," she reads before lifting her head. "So what?"

He shook his head and took the textbook from her. He didn't know the reason so he couldn't explain to her. He put it down to some weird sibling thing, a strange trait like photographic memory. But in the back of his head he knew something was off.

In the end he was proven right. He just wishes he wasn't.

Jaha looks at the two of them from above his glasses. "So what exactly happened?" he asks, and instantly regrets it when the two of them start yelling. Behind them, Kane lets out a sigh.

"It was his fault-"

"She shoved me first-"

"I didn't shove you-"

"Yes you did-"

"You were up in my face, all I did was get you to move-"

"Enough, please!" Jaha raises his hand. His brown eyes go between the two of them. "This isn't the first time you two had been fighting, albeit the first time it's turned physical outside of lessons. Now, I think what the two of you need to do is sit down and have a long talk about this. I of course will mediate."

Neither of them look thrilled at the suggestion. Kane walks from his position by the door and grips them on the ears. "Shut it!" he snaps when they cry out. "You two know the rules: the fighting stays in the activities and games. If I catch the two of you fighting again you will be put in isolation. Is that clear?"

"Yes!" Clarke and Bellamy say in unison. Kane digs his nails in before releasing them, and they scuttle off.

"You two should just bang and get it over with."

Bellamy tears his gaze from watching Clarke shoot arrows. He doesn't bother challenging her over it. Apollo is amazing at archery, an ability that has been passed down to his daughter. It doesn't help that she keeps shooting him smirks from under her eyelashes. "What are you talking about?"

She rolls her eyes. "You know exactly what I mean. If you and Clarke would just sleep together, you'd stop fighting and maybe the rest of us could get through the day without hearing you two insult each other."

"Be more crass Raven."

"C'mon," she complains. "It's not like you two are related or anything, unlike some people here."

"Clarke and I are just..."

Raven grins. "Yep, you can't even say friends."

"Look," Bellamy says, clearing his throat. "There's nothing between me and Clarke. Y'know, apart from disgust and loathing."

Raven rolls her eyes. "If you say so. It shouldn't matter then that Clarke's dating Finn." She doesn't look at Bellamy's face as she walks away.

ACT II: THE AGE OF PEACE

He knew he shouldn't have drunk so much at the party. It was Harper's idea to have a toga party, which Bellamy thought was completely lame, but Monty and Jasper went crazy over the idea and everyone else followed.

He hadn't been in the mood. He had started drinking early, and Monty's moonshine had been way too good to pass up (not surprising, given he was the son of Dionysus) though stronger than normal. And for some reason the sight of Clarke grinning at Finn, holding his hand and dancing with him, irritated the hell out of Bellamy. It made him feel like a fool, standing there by himself; so he drank more and, finally, ended up going home with Roma and Fox.

He guesses that's why he dreams about his mother.

They're on Coney Island, and even though he's the same age Octavia is a little girl. He watches his sister build sandcastle after sandcastle. His mother smiles over her knitting – another weird thing, because his mother never knitted.

But her smile is the same, and so her laugh, and in the dream she buys them ice cream just like she used to: strawberry for Octavia, mint chocolate chip for her, chocolate for him. She laughs too, the same low one that comes from her stomach. And he falls asleep on the blanket next to her, and she strokes his hair back and he can smell her honey perfume...

...but his mother perfume was lavender.

With that thought he wakes up. He's sandwiched between Roma and Fox, and absolutely boiling. He carefully untangles himself from the sheets and goes to the bathroom. Roma rolls over but doesn't wake, and Fox is snoring softly. He pulls on a pair of his boxers and leaves the room.

First he checks on Octavia, peeking through the gap of the door. She is fast asleep, hair spilled over her pillow. She's alone of course, she doesn't have boys in her bedroom (this is what Bellamy tells himself, rather than acknowledging that his sister likely finds other places). He closes the door quietly before slipping down the stairs.

The living room has a set of glass doors, and after he gets himself some water he leans against them, looking outside. Their cabin is by the lake, a prime position; it's the best cabin in the camp. Kane mentioned that their father had put it aside for them, just in case they would come. It had made Bellamy want to storm out, but they were unlikely to find any cabins that would let them share.

His mother rarely talked about their father, though both he and Octavia asked. She said that he was already married; she knew, but she still loved him. When she told him she was pregnant he backed away, only visiting after they had been born.

Sometimes she would say the most random things about him. How the colour of his eyes sometimes gave off a violet hue, like Octavia's. How his hair was just as curly as Bellamy's, if not more. "You would make him laugh," she would say to them. Sometimes she would remark that they both had his temper when they fought, which was why no one ever won.

By the time he found out who his father was, he didn't care. His mother, his mom, was dead because of his father.

He could brood about this all night long, but a shape by the lake catches his eye. The moon is reflecting off the water, doubling the light. Almost immediately he recognises Clarke, though it shouldn't be a surprise. He's come a long way from the time he didn't know she existed. Now he can tell when she's in the area by the way the air changes.

Even now her hair is bright, though it is different from the beaming gold light it radiates during the day. Now it gives off a gentle and soft glow, almost white. She is walking at the edge of the lake, and as she comes closer he can see: she's not longer in her toga. Instead she is wearing a white halter top and shorts that come down to just above the knee.

She passes the front of the cabin, and instead of looking away she turns her head towards it. He knows she sees him, he can tell by the way she slows down, just by a fraction. He keeps his eyes on her face, watches her as her face relaxes. Not a smile, not quite, but her face relaxes and she doesn't look as hostile as she usually does. His eyes follow her as she walks past towards the other cabins.

You're fighting a losing battle.

He turns away and heads back upstairs.

It spreads like wildfire around camp. Whenever a couple breaks up it is always news, because it's so uncommon for any of the kids to try. Bellamy watches Finn eat his lunch, back straight and a satisfied look on his face. "What happened?" he asks Octavia quietly.

She turns her mouth to his ear. "He cheated on her. I mean, we all knew what he was like – Raven warned her right at the beginning – but it was like Clarke was blind to his faults."

"Where is she?"

Octavia shrugs.

He does see her, of course. Her hair is tied back and she looks a little paler than normal, and her hair seems to have lost its shine. She comes to the lecturers but gives out she's sprained her ankle and avoids doing the physical lessons.

She comes to breakfast that morning and is quickly surrounded by her friends. He sees her try to smile, but her eyes have a faraway look to them. The only time they focus is when she looks at Finn. He is happily chatting away to his friends, but Bellamy's certain he sees a smugness on his face.

He gets up and meanders over to the buffet, where Finn is helping himself to eggs. "So," he begins casually, "you and Clarke broke up?"

Finn grins at him, but of course – Finn thinks that he hates Clarke.

You do hate Clarke, he reminds himself.

"I liked her enough, but..." He grins – no, leers at him. "She was a little bit clingy. She always wanted to go slow too. Never would have thought that, with her being so cocky." He raises his eyebrows suggestively.

There is nothing fake about Bellamy's grin.

The metallic smash makes everyone's heads turn. "Bellamy!" Kane yells from the teacher's table, leaping to his feet. Jaha puts a hand over his head.

"I know, I know," Bellamy calls. He drops the silver tray that he used to hit Finn in the face. He takes a last look at boy cowering on the floor, hand trying to stem the blood flowing from his nose, before turning away. "Isolation."

He doesn't look at Clarke.

They have their first actual conversation a few days later. He's at the archery buds, but instead of shooting arrows he's using knives. He keeps getting round the centre, but not quite in the middle.

He doesn't look round, but when someone comes beside him he knows it's her. He sees the arrows fly into the target, straight and unwavering.

"You ever tried arrows?" she asks him, as if they've been in the middle of a conversation.

He glances at her from the corner of his eye. "Only once or twice when I first arrived. Not really my thing."

"But knives are?" She sees his face and quickly amends, "I'm not saying that you're bad! I just thought that you were better with hands – or trays." Her smile widens and he shows the beginnings of his before he focuses back on the targets.

"He deserved it."

"How come?"

"He was taking all the bacon."

"Ah," she says, softer. "Completely understandable. I don't know anyone who can control their actions when it comes to bacon."

"I get a bit edgy when chicken's in short supply too."

"And chocolate. If we run out of chocolate then the entire camp will crumple."

"Pancakes are my weakness," he confesses. For a moment he thinks he's never had a stupider conversation, but he and Clarke are smiling at each other. Not huge smiles of victory or goofy grins, but a soft quirking of the corners of their mouths. He notices that her hair seems to have returned to its usual glowing state, reminding him of the moonlight by the lake.

He instantly decides that he doesn't care about their fighting.

"Here." She takes his knife out of his hand. "I'll teach you how to shoot."

"Maybe I don't want to learn how to shoot-"

"Yes you do, otherwise you wouldn't be by the targets." She hands him her bow and arrows. "You'd better use these. You can't get injured while using them, so you should be safe."

"I won't hurt myself! May I remind you that you're the one that hurt herself when you were shoved off the tower-"

"I also seem to remember you being stupid enough to fall for my gambit-"

(They don't know it, but they're being watched.

"Thank the Gods," Octavia says, nudging Raven so hard that she is sent sprawling.

"Jeez Octavia, be careful-"

"Look!" She points to Bellamy and Clarke, who are completely oblivious to them.

"At last!" Raven sighs. "Maybe now there can actually be some peace and quiet. It would be nice to eat breakfast without people fighting-"

"I don't know," says Octavia, grinning. "Seeing Finn with a broken nose proved good entertainment." And Raven, who had been betrayed by Finn before, can't help but agree.

The adults are more subtle. Kane is with another teacher, Leila, who teaches the kids about the mythical monsters. They exchange a glance and Kane can't stop the smile. "'Bout time."

They aren't the only adults watching, of course.)

Just as Bellamy can't believe he never noticed Clarke, he now can't imagine a time when he wasn't friends with her. Now he can see the bits of her that she doesn't show: her thoughtfulness, her wistfulness, the way she laughs so hard it makes her cry, lights up her eyes. Soon the two of them are rarely seen apart. Others join them, forming a little group: Raven and Wick, Jasper and Monty, Miller and Octavia and sometimes Lincoln. The days pass even faster now, but a part of Bellamy wishes they would slow down.

One afternoon he and Clarke are by the lake. He's watching the water, as clear as the colour of Clarke's eyes, hand dipped into it. It feels warm. Clarke is opposite him, sketching the view in front of her. He's noticed that she's very into art: she loves drawing and sketching, even painting.

"I've always loved it," she confesses one day when he asks about it. "And well..." She trails off but Bellamy understands: Apollo isn't known for his art work. This is an ability of hers, not his.

It occurs to him now, sitting in the sun, that he enjoys watching her draw. Like anything she does, she is completely focused on the task. He doesn't think he's ever seen anyone concentrate like she does. He's watching her as he moves his hand in the water when he feels something sharp. "Shit," he gasps, quickly lifting his hand up.

"Bellamy, I'm trying to concentrate."

"Gods, do I have to be shot in the heart for you to pay attention?"

She sighs, mutters something that sounds a lot like boys but turns to face him. "What did you do?" she asks, taking his hand.

"Gods knows."

"Hold still-"

"I should probably go to the med-bay, it's bleeding quite badly-"

"Bellamy, be quiet for a second." She's staring so hard at his hand that he feels bad that it doesn't drop off. She doesn't speak, and he's about to ask what she's doing when he feels something in his palm. It's not sharp, not like when he hurt it – more like intense pressure. He watches as his skin stitches back together, as if somebody is sewing it with invisible thread.

The cut closes and Clarke sits back. "There, all done," she says. She attempts a casual tone, but Bellamy can see by her eyes that she's pretty smug.

"What the-" But it only takes him a moment to understand. "Apollo, God of healing." He looks at her. "He passed it on to you."

"He passed a lot of things onto me," she says. "I guess he's one of the most powerful Gods, so it makes sense."

"Still," he says. "Not many demigods inherit abilities." Though even as he said it, he could think of many examples: Monty may not be able to create wine from thin air like his father, but he makes the best moonshine he's ever had; Raven can build anything, using all sorts of materials; Jasper can zip items right from under people's noses, almost like he's invisible.

He pauses, then looks at Clarke. "Watch this."

He lifts his hand and at first nothing happens. But he can see Clarke watching, unlike him, without scepticism. A stone floats to the top of the water. Then another, and another, until the lake's surface is covered with floating stones.

She turns to him. "You can move rocks."

"It's difficult," he admits. "But if I'm concentrating I can bring things up from the ground. Sometimes I can even move earth."

"I have to focus too," she says. "I can't really do it during the lessons, not unless I'm alone and have time to concentrate." She's quiet for a moment, thinking. "Your power's pretty cool."

"Octavia's is better. She can actually control dogs – drove me mad when we were kids, 'cause the neighbour's dog would always listen to her but not to me."

"It's funny, isn't it?" Something in Clarke's tone makes Bellamy look twice. "What gifts they give us. But..."

"I don't want him," Bellamy says abruptly. At Clarke's face he says, "I don't. It's his fault my mother's dead."

Now he has Clarke's full attention. Her face freezes for a brief moment and then, slowly, she takes his hand. She doesn't ask him to explain, and that has the effect of making him talk.

He clears his throat. "Someone sent a chimera after us. Y'know, it's a-"

"A creature with the head of a lion, body of a goat and a snake for a tail." She offers a brief smile. "I pay attention in lecturers."

He nods. Before this would have annoyed him, but now he's actually grateful he doesn't have to explain. "It was late, and were walking home after eating a meal-" He stops. They had gone to their favourite burger place, which for once had been blissfully empty. They had all been in a good mood: he and Octavia weren't arguing, their mother wasn't snappy or exhausted. They laughed and talked like they were the only people in the world. It had been one of their best dinners.

He clears his throat again. "We were walking home, and we'd taken the shortcut through the park. That was when the chimera came for us.

"At the time it was strange, but it's clear my mother knew what was happening. She told me and Octavia to run back home where we would be safe. She shoved something into Octavia's hand, which turned out to be a key. She then charged towards it. It seemed more interested in us though, but she managed to get its attention.

"It killed her with one breath of fire."

He feels Clarke increase her grip on his hand, and it's all he can do not to remember it: how his mother turned to ash, falling to the ground as if she never existed at all. He didn't cry, not then, probably because of the shock. Only later, when they got to Camp Half-Blood, after a week, did he allow himself to cry for his mother. He let the tears slip silently down his cheeks. He couldn't even cry in front of Octavia even though she understood his pain perfectly.

When he speaks his voice is thick. "We had to run. We were only five minutes away from home, but it might as well have been five miles. It came at us again and again. I guess we managed to escape because..."

"Because you're demigods," Clarke finishes.

He nods. "It was like we were faster than ever before. It was the first time..." He shakes his head. "It came at us, but O and I managed to dodge. The only time it came close was when Octavia fell. It went for her. I saw it happening and-" He shakes his head again. "I have no idea how I did it, even now. I raised my arm as if to stop it and the entire pavement came up. It knocked the chimera right out of sight.

"It still came after us, but by this point we got inside. I bolted the door and waited for it to knock the house down. But it didn't. Octavia peeked outside and saw it prowling around, sniffing the ground like it didn't know where we were. At first I didn't know why no one else saw it-"

"Mist," Clarke interrupts. "Whoever was after you put mist over the mortals eyes so they forgot. Remember what Jaha told us about it? It erases their memories and we can implant what we want them to know."

Bellamy nods. "We had no idea what was going on. We didn't even understand why it couldn't get in the house. Eventually it disappeared – whether on its own accord or – anyway, we were pretty much in shock. Then O remembered that Mom had given us the key.

"We didn't have to look very far. She always kept the bottom drawer of her bedside table locked. We opened it..."

He can remember finding the letter, reading it aloud to Octavia. That was how they found out about their father: Hades, God of the Underworld. Their mother explained in the letter that they would be hunted by the other Gods. The only reason they were protected in the house was because of the stone it was made out of: somehow that prevented other Gods from sensing them. But the best protection would be to go to Camp Half-Blood, a place for kids like them. She had even left them a map and instructions on how to get there.

He didn't want to believe it; said that their mother had gone mad. Octavia was the one who pointed out that they had already been attacked by a creature that shouldn't exist. He had taken more convincing, but in the end he had agreed to go.

"That's how we found out. And once we got here, Kane explained it all."

He turns away, looking across the lake. In the distance he can see other demigods playing, having mock-sword fights and kicking a ball about.

"I'm sorry Bellamy," Clarke murmurs.

"It's okay," he says. "I'm just saying, that's why I don't like my father. If it weren't for him-"

Clarke opens her mouth, about to say something; but then she changes her mind and closes it. Instead she squeezes his hand again, and places her head on his shoulder. The two of them look across the lake, watching the other demigods play.

(He feels a flicker in his chest as they sit there, leaning against each other. As if they have done this a thousand times before; as if they are fierce warriors, weary monarchs, preparing for another battle, another war.

As if they are meant to be. And he cannot see the future, but he has the strangest feeling that this won't be the first time they will sit like this.)

Each demigod has a story. Raven tells about how a car crash in the mortal world has left her leg injured, and it's only be sheer determined that she gets through the physical lessons. Jasper had been sent to a young offenders institute because he had been caught stealing. Lexa had been tormented by ghostly figures before she finally understood what she was. Lincoln has never been in the mortal world – he had been left at Camp Half-Blood when he was a baby, with no knowledge of who his mother was.

Bellamy learns Clarke's story one evening in June. She has been quiet all day, so unlike the boisterous person she usual pretends to be. After dinner the kids settle round the campfire, but he can't see Clarke's familiar blonde hair. He walks towards the lake, following the familiar trail he and Clarke use until he spots her. She's looking out across the edge, as if she's thinking about jumping right off.

He doesn't say anything, just sits down next to her. The two of them look out across the lake, where the orange sun is straining through the trees. With anyone else, he would probably move on, but with Clarke it doesn't feel awkward.

It's a while before she speaks. "Today's my mom's birthday."

She turns. "My mom and I were always together. She was a doctor, so we moved around a lot. I didn't settle anywhere, but I kinda liked that. We went all over. I liked Africa the best though. I felt..." She trails off. "Friendly," she settles on, but Bellamy knows that wasn't what she was going to say.

"One night, my mother came into my room. She said she had something important to tell me. She said she was going to tell me about my father. She told me that he was actually a God – Apollo.

"Honestly, I thought she'd lost it. She started telling me about how mad she was, that he had never claimed me. She said it wasn't fair on me, and she was going to try and get him to acknowledge us.

"That's the thing," Clarke says, "I don't think it was about me. I think it was my mother. She wanted Apollo to come back for me, but for her too. I'm not even sure it was about love. She didn't like that he had left her; she thought she deserved more.

"I didn't say anything, and she didn't mention it the next morning. I thought that maybe she'd been joking, or half-asleep. So I left it.

"But she'd been doing something. I think she'd been looking for Apollo, talking to people, making contacts. The first I heard about it was when we sitting down to dinner and an arrow flew through our window into our wall. There was a letter attached to it. It told my mother not to talk about Apollo or any of the Gods to anyone else. It said if she didn't stop, she would be forced to.

"I was scared," she confesses, turning to him. "I don't know whether I believed in them or not, but I didn't feel safe. I begged Mom just to keep quiet. But the note didn't worry her; it infuriated her. She couldn't believe that he hadn't come himself.

"That made me worse. She must have seen how upset I was, so in the end she agreed. A few weeks went by and I calmed down. Actually convinced myself that I was being stupid, that whatever danger there had been, it had passed.

"Then she disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Bellamy repeats.

"No one knew where she was. We were in Africa at the time, and they sent out search parties. I knew what the people thought: that she had been attacked by a lion. Attacks were rare but they happened. But I had this horrible feeling that something worse had happened. Sure enough when I went back to our tent I found a note attached to an arrow again. This one explained that my mother had been taken, imprisoned until she agreed to keep quiet. And of course, a map and directions to Camp Half-Blood."

She falls silent and Bellamy waits. Sometimes all you need is to tell your story, to let it out.

"I miss her," she murmurs. "I'm angry at her though. In some ways I don't even blame – blame Apollo for what he did, taking her. He gave her a warning, and my mom – she didn't take it. I think, more than love, she wanted the respect she felt she deserved."

"But he'll let her go," says Bellamy. He thinks of his father's wife Persephone, forced to stay with him in the Underworld. "He's not going to kill her."

"No," she murmurs.

Bellamy watches her face and sees it: the hunger in her eyes, the hunger that's in all of their eyes. He could tell her that they're all like that, that not one kid here has ever met their God parent. But she knows this. It doesn't stop the churning in your stomach, the lump in your throat or the sleepless nights, wondering how they couldn't give a damn about you.

He doesn't say anything. He takes her hand and she rests her head against his shoulder, and they watch the water.

(He gets that feeling of déjà vu again.)

Somehow in no time at all Clarke becomes his best friend. Different from Miller, different from Raven. It feels similar to the way he feels about Octavia, how he wants to step in front of her and shield her from the pain of the world. There is a certain level of comfort, being with her. Perhaps it's because they know each other's story, understand what drives them.

Similar; but not the same as his relationship with O.

He feels something else when he's with her: a level a heat between them. There's something about the way she turns her head, flicking her hair over her shoulders that makes him stare. A true Clarke smile is rare: she doesn't offer that smile just for anyone. But when it comes Bellamy swears, it feels like the sun has come out from behind a dark cloud.

And he finds any excuse to touch her, any reason to watch her and be with her. He spends time in her cabin, enjoying the glass roof and how the sunlight sprawls across the floor. Clarke does her homework and pesters him to do his own, but he lies on the ground, staring up at the sky.

And during the evenings he catches her eye across the campfire, and for a few seconds they don't look away. Or how they sit next to each other, legs pressed against one another. How sometimes he had to clench his hand to stop himself from reaching out.

It all comes ahead one night. It's the summer solstice and it certainly feels like it, most of the kids sweating even late in the evening. Everyone is wearing white and most of the girls have tied their hair up and put flowers in.

He's tipsy, but it's a happy kind of tipsy. Octavia is laughing at Monty and Jasper who are telling her jokes, and her happiness increases his own. He doesn't even begrudge Finn chatting up one of Demeter's daughters. Miller is leaning against a tree, making out with someone, and Raven and Wick are holding hands, leaning against each other. Everyone seems happy, as if the stars are aligned.

He can't help it though; his eyes move from person to person, searching until –

He sees her. She's leaning against a tree, hidden away from the light of the fire. He would miss her entirely if it wasn't for her hair. It puts in mind of the golden threads of a harp. As he searches her, he can feel her eyes on him.

His feet move instinctively, like a warrior following the steps of battle. He's upon her in a moment, and though she presses against the tree he doesn't touch her, only places his hand against the bark. She looks up at him and for a moment his heart pauses. His whole body feels like its buzzing, and there's only one way to stop it –

He kisses her.

He doesn't notice the music at first – all he can focus on is her lips and the warmth coming from her body, how the skin on the back of her neck is soft, how he can barely keep his hands off her. And at first the music is low, easily mistaken for another noise. But as the kiss deepens it grows louder. Not uncomfortable or unpleasant; soft and dreamy. This type of music could never be unwanted or hated. It's – the music feels like it actually has a physical presence.

Apollo, he remembers, the God of music.

The music continues, flowing through his blood, becoming a part of him. It doesn't end, not even when they break the kiss, not even when they stumble in her cabin. They lie in bed together, touching each other, and the music is stronger than ever (not louder; stronger. There's a difference).

It tails off when they're done. As it gently lowers into silence, he presses a kiss to her forehead. She falls asleep easily and as he watches her, it occurs to him he's never been happier – not just at Camp Half-Blood, but ever.

So it makes no sense as to why he leaves the walls of Camp Half-Blood, passing the enormous oak tree that enforces the protection of the camp without looking back.

ACT III: THE AGE OF THE GODS

He visits his old home first. Save for the camp, he has never lived anywhere else. It's nothing really; a one storey building with three tiny bedrooms, a narrow bathroom and the kitchen and living room are together. The dark stones make it look ugly, unappealing, and he remembers wondering why anyone would ever choose to build a house using them. Now he knows that the stones kept him and Octavia from being detected, knows why their mother would never consider moving.

There is another family living there now. A young boy runs out, his sister hollering behind him, and he blinks, feeling like he is in the past. Quickly he crosses the street.

He wanders round Brooklyn, visiting his old haunts. He debates about visiting some old friends, but remembers that most of them have probably gone to college now; and besides, he stopped having things in common with them when a chimera came at him. Instead he ends up at bar where he used to come to play pool. The old bartender knew him, but this one just gives him a nod.

He sits there for a few hours, drinking (as long as he's got money this one doesn't care about ID). People leave but he stays, enjoying the solitude. He's not fit for company.

A figure comes and sits beside him, a little too close since the bar is empty. He ignores him and pulls out his wallet.

Bellamy, a voice in his head echoes, a voice that does not belong to him. Leave this place now.

He's ready to ignore it, but this time the voice sounds nervous, on edge.

NOW Bellamy.

He leaps to his feet, more out of surprise than anything. He's ready to move but, it's strange, his feet aren't on the ground, and a hand –

He looks up, expecting to a one-eyed monster or a harpy. Instead the face is human, clearly human, with black stubble across the bottom of his face. His hand feels bigger than average, but that could be because it's around his throat; and when he looks into his eyes he freezes because his eyes are practically purple, like a storm cloud ready to burst.

They study him, like a student studying a paper for mistakes. "So you're my brother's bastard."

Brother. He can't breathe, but not because of the hand on his throat. He should have known from stature, from the way his eyes look ancient, how he has so much strength for a man in his mid-forties. Zeus.

The man – the God that would kill him for nothing more than being born.

His voice rumbles like thunder rolling through the sky. "You look like him, I'm afraid. My condolences." He pauses and sips his drink: scotch, neat. "I wonder if you are like him in personality. Probably. He's a difficult person; I keep trying to forget him, but he always seems to cause me problems. Such as you and your sister."

At the mention of Octavia Bellamy opens his mouth, but Zeus' grip on his throat barely enables him to breathe.

The man grins – evil, lecherous – and says, "We'll find out. No one can say that I didn't give you a chance."

He has no idea what Zeus is talking about. It's only when he feels an icy breeze on his toes that he glances down and sees the hole in the floor, opened up so smoothly it looks as if it's always been there. It's absolutely black, reminds him of emptiness, makes him think of serpents and monsters with fangs and claws –

There is a chuckle in his voice this time. "Don't look for help in your studies boy; those teachers do their jobs well enough, but you will never have heard about this particular punishment. I have only tried it a few times, but no one has survived. Even as the son of a God, I doubt you can live through this."

There is a ringing in his ears, maybe a voice calling, but he can't tell. He sees Zeus' grin as his fingers loosen, one by one –

And he falls.

He falls.

Falling...falling...falling... As if it will never end. It feels like his body is going to be split apart, atom by atom, it makes him want to scream, but if he screams he'll be sick –

When he finally lands it is in water. The cold hits him like a kick in the gut and he opens his mouth, inhaling liquid. He thinks Zeus means to drown him and Poseidon is in on it too; but Bellamy remembers the hardness in his eyes and knows that his punishment is going to be worse than simply drowning. Ironically this is what makes him push upwards, kicking his legs.

He has no clue whether he is even swimming in the direction of the surface. The water is clear, he can feel and taste it, but it's too dark to be sure where he's going. His heart feels like it's going to explode from his chest, but at that second he breaks the surface, gasping. I'm okay, he tells himself. I'm alive.

He tries to understand his surroundings, but it truly is pitch-black. It isn't even the kind of darkness in the dead of night when you've turned off your lamp and the world disappears; it's the type of place where no light has ever touched.

Bellamy makes his way forward, hoping for land. He's lucky (for once) and his feet hit the soft ground. He crawls up the bank and in his eagerness scratches the side of his face against something sharp. He swears and the sound reverberates back at him.

He takes a few deep breaths. This place makes it hard to remember his training. Perhaps that's the power too. At a loss he sits and listens, his muscles tensing in anticipation. But minutes must pass and he hears nothing.

Eventually he gets up; he can't stay here forever. There has to be a way out, it can't be completely impossible. He holds out a hand on the side of the wall and keeps it there, using it to guide him. He doesn't try to speak or call out, not wanting to disturb something out there. His wet clothes stick to his skin making him cold. He wonders if his clothes will dry in this place. He stomps his feet and curses. Damn Zeus... I shouldn't have stayed in...

He scrunches his eyebrows together. Where had he been again? Where had Zeus found him?

He shrugs the thought away.

The ground feels hard as he walks, making his feet hurt. He doesn't hear any animals, not even the screech of a bat. Where can Zeus have sent him? It can't be hell because... He frowns, wondering why it couldn't be, but pushes himself forward.

More time passes.

Perhaps he's going in circles, round and round again. If not this cave must be huge, he's been walking for –

How long has he been here?

This thought makes him stop. He...how did he get here? Has he always been here? No, he's from...he's...

Who am I?

His heart begins to race, pounding against his chest. His breath grows short. Who am I? Who am I? The answer should come to him, it shouldn't be so hard. He clenches his eyes shut, willing himself to think, but it seems to make things worse. Vague shapes blur in front of his eyes, but they are like smoke, disappearing as soon as he gets too close –

Pain explodes in his chest and he cries out. All over his body, from the tips of his toes to the hairs on his head – it feels like sharp needles are being pushed into him. It makes him fall to the ground, writhing – he can't stop, the pain makes him want to run except he can't run. He can't remember, can't think of anything that strikes a chord in his memory, can't think of anything that would save him. He has a quick glimpse of a girl with dark hair and bright eyes, a smile that feels familiar, but before he can grab hold she disappears and the pain hits again, and he has the sense that a wave is rising, that worse pain is about to hit –

Bellamy opens his eyes, slitted, and catches sight of bright gold.

"Clarke!"

He heaves himself upwards. The pain is rippling through his body still, but he grits his teeth, shoving himself upwards. He begins to run, stumbling but somehow managing to keep his balance. He calls her name again and again, and doesn't even question how he knows her name when he's forgotten his own.

It happens quickly, the flecks of light appearing in front of him, like floating lanterns. And then there's the music. It's loud and racing, the kind of music where you should be on a horse galloping across a field. It's beginning to get brighter now and –

- and she's there, as if she's always been, waiting for him.

The light is coming from her, like she has replaced the sun. Her hair is curled, flowing down her back, longer than normal; the front bits are held back by something gold, and he can't help but think of crowns and tiaras. It helps that she's wearing an aqua-blue dress made out of floating material. He's never seen her in this outfit; he has never seen her look more like a princess.

She's laughing at him, and the sound spreads warmth throughout his body. She holds out her arms and he reaches for her, heat filling his body like he's just drunk warm port.

That's when he knows:

He is Bellamy Blake.

His sister is Octavia Blake, who he would die to protect.

His mother Aurora Blake is dead; and his father is Hades, God of the Underworld.

And he's in love with Clarke Griffin.

He stores these facts in his mind, feels them surround him like amour. "Thank you," he whispers into her hair, and he feels her arms tighten round his body.

When he pulls away she's still smiling. "Trust me, they'll be plenty of times when you can repay me."

"I'm sure."

"No Bellamy, I am."

He frowns at her. "How do you know?"

"I know." Her eyes are dancing, and he gets the impression that she's laughing at him. Her smile is so easy, so bright, and he has the sudden vision of who Clarke would be if she didn't have any pain; if the past wasn't weighing her down. It makes him want to pull her close again. "Come with me. I'll show you the way out."

And they walk together as if it's the most natural thing in the world, like they're coming home from the movies. A part of him wants to laugh; but he has to admit there's something so...comforting about holding Clarke's hand. It's like she's keeping him upright, like she's giving him strength: because he's still wet and cold, and his eyes are heavy, but it doesn't seem to bother him as much as it did before.

With every step it grows lighter. The path is becoming softer under his shoe and patches of grass are beginning to crop up. By the time they stop there are white and purple flowers dotted across the ground, and he thinks he even sees a butterfly.

She squeezes his hand to get his attention. "Go through there." She gestures and that's when Bellamy sees a gap in the wall. The hole is filled with a glowing white light, and Bellamy feels shaky when he looks at it. He feels like he's stepping into the unknown. He would have given his left arm to get out of here an hour ago; now the idea of leaving her makes his insides go cold.

"You're not coming with me?" Even to him his voice sounds small.

She laughs, squeezing his hand again. "It's okay Bellamy. You're going to be fine."

"How do you know?"

"I know, Bellamy." Again, those bright eyes of hers look like they're dancing, laughing with the knowledge of a thousand secrets. "And don't worry, everything is going to be okay."

"What if I want to stay here with you?"

She whacks him on the top of his head. "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard you say and believe me, there's been a lot of them."

"What is this place?"

"Worse than the Underworld," she answers flatly. "But Zeus and Hades will explain."

"Hades?"

She just smiles. "Go on."

Feeling doubly nervous now, he takes a few steps towards the gap. But he needs to look back, just one more time. "Is this real? Or is this all just in my head?"

She looks across the grass, thinking. His heart lurches because Gods, she's here but he misses her, the real her. All he wants to do is skip the next part and be with Clarke by the lake. When she looks at him she's smiling, and he knows she can tell what he's thinking. "Maybe it's both."

It feels like he's being pulled apart again, only this time it's coming from his navel. By the time he's entirely conscious, he realises he's on the floor, cheek pressed against the sticky ground of the bar. It's the arguing that gets his attention. It isn't an understatement to say that it sounds like two Gods shouting; the entire room is shaking.

He sits up but the pain is so sharp that he cries out. Everything blurs in front of his eyes, and he has to take deep breaths until the it ebbs away.

The fighting stops.

He almost doesn't want to look. He has never seen his father before, not even in pictures or sculptures. But his eyes seem to lift without conscious thought, and he doesn't have the energy to try and stop them.

So he looks.

He had expected his father to be broad.

He isn't.

He had expected his father to look old.

He doesn't.

He had expected to hate him on sight.

He's surprised to find that he doesn't. All he feels is – well, surprise.

Hades is thin, his face and arms bonier than Zeus'. He has thick curly hair, darker than he's ever seen, and Bellamy catches the violet shade in his eyes, like Octavia's.

What the hell did his mother see him?

"What the...?" Bellamy's eyes flutter over to Zeus. His eyes are more purple than violet, like two bruises, and they look as if they're going to explode at the sight of him. He feels a ripple of pleasure at this; if he felt like he could stand a fight he would smirk.

"How did you escape?" Zeus asks. "How?" The last part is a roar. He sees Zeus reach out and ducks away; but in that moment yellow flames jump between him and the Gods. He turns his head, seeing that the fire has encircled him, trapped him.

Protected him.

They're not very high, and over the flames he hears Hades say dryly, "You tested him and he passed. Clearly the boy has more promise than you thought. Perhaps you will be lucky brother, and he won't hold a grudge. I, on the other hand, cannot make such a promise." He grins wolfishly at Zeus.

"You can hardly talk, brother. You would have done the same if the positions were reversed." His eyes turn back to Bellamy. "You must have tricked me – you must have helped him! No one ever escaped the Caves of Loss."

"The what?" His voice is a rasp. The heat from the fire isn't helping.

"Don't question me-"

Hades cuts him off. "The caves are Zeus' worst punishment, though he rarely uses them – my brother likes to see his victims suffer." Zeus opens his mouth again but Hades ploughs on. "They make a person forget everything about themselves. When their memory is completely wiped, they die. No one has ever survived before-" And here he throws Bellamy look, but doesn't question him further.

Or rather, he doesn't have the chance. They all hear the footsteps, sounding like an army of men. Bellamy's only half surprised when only one man appears through the door. Even though he's in a brown leather jacket and jeans, there's something about him – the warm colour of his skin perhaps, that makes him look unordinary. But Bellamy would know him even if Zeus had not said his name questioningly. He can tell by the clarity of his blue eyes and his bright blonde hair who it is.

This is Apollo, Clarke's father.

And even though the pain is coming back and his vision begins to blur, he looks mad. Yep, I'm making friends everywhere.

"You," he growls. He moves past his father and looks as if he's about to jump through the fire.

"Dear nephew," says Hades, voice as sweet as honey. Bellamy takes another look at him. His arms are crossed in a casual position and his eyes are looking under his fingernails, but even he can hear the threat in his voice. "If you go anywhere near my son you I will feed you to Cerberus for breakfast."

It makes Apollo check himself. His eyes are still on Bellamy and he spits, "You're lucky. If it weren't your father I would have you flayed for the way you have treated my daughter."

Clarke. Bellamy's heart clenches, sending sparks of pain through his head.

His face must show something, because Apollo's eyes calm a little. He's trying not to sound interested as he says, "What in Cronus' name have you done to him Father? He looks as if he's about to collapse."

"I sent him to the Cave of Loss, but-"

"He survived?" The fire in his eyes disappears entirely, replaced by genuine curiosity. He takes another look at Bellamy and swears. "Damn it," he mutters under his breath. "It really is true."

"Apollo, can you get to the point? And please, whatever you do, don't recite any poetry." Hades' tone of voice is still light, but Bellamy can see his eyes are trained on Apollo.

Apollo purses his lips, but says reasonably, "It's possible to survive the caves, though that's hard to believe. You need to – to-" He frowns in frustration. "I don't know how to describe it. You need to have something worth remembering-"

"You're so good at this Apollo."

"-something that is...engrained into your being. Something that is so significant and filled with such meaning to you that it cannot be ripped away. It's a part of you. And as long as you have some memory, you'll be able to get out of the cave." He pauses and Bellamy realises that Apollo knows exactly what – who – he saw in the caves.

He speaks again, his voice revealing its first hint of musicality.

"The Son of Darkness
and the Daughter of the Sun:
Inevitable."

He feels the words, absorbs them more than anything else. He doesn't need Apollo to explain the meaning of them. It's Zeus and Hades that round on him.

"What does that mean?" demands Zeus.

"What do you mean?" Hades corrects. His eyes narrow at Apollo. "You can see the future, nephew. What have you seen of him? Of your daughter?"

Apollo's voice is calm, measured, and he doesn't take his eyes off Bellamy. "I have seen many things, and understand little. But I have the sense-" He takes another breath. "I know that for them – and for us – this is just the beginning."

He turns away but Zeus grabs hold of his arm. The words seem to have affected him more than Hades, who stands there quietly. "What are you talking about? Is he a danger? Should I destroy him?"

"Father." His voice is deeper, more strained than before. "I love you, but if you dare go near my daughter, I cannot guarantee that I will not follow in your footsteps and challenge you," he says levelly.

"I – I would not hurt her," he says. "I would simply get rid of the boy – that would change the prophecy, wouldn't it?" But Zeus' eyes have narrowed slightly as he looks at Apollo; as if he now knows what will drive him to betrayal.

"Try it Zeus," threatens Hades. "You will start a war like no other."

War. "No," Bellamy says. He forces himself to stand. "If you want to kill me, do it now. It's not worth the fighting."

Zeus turns round but it's Apollo that speaks. "The boy has enough sense that the two of you." In fact when Apollo looks at him now, he thinks he sees a hint of respect there. He only knows what that looks like because he's seen Clarke give him that look. He focuses back on his father. "I don't tell people the future. As I said Father, I don't always understand it myself. And I won't let you kill him. I can't do that."

For a second he wonders what he's done to make Apollo protect him; and then he knows. Clarke. He's protecting him for Clarke's sake.

His body is aching all over. He feels like he's coming down with the flu. He would give anything for a cup of milk and a warm bed right now.

"I don't think you want him dead either Father. I have a feeling that someday you may be very grateful that you spared his life."

The last thing he hears is Zeus' roar of denial before he feels his legs weaken and his vision blacks out.

He can hear singing.

The voice is soft, and reminds him of lazy Sundays, of mornings when the rain patted against the window and he would curl deeper under the covers of his bed. He opens his eyes. He's looking straight at the person above him, the person who's been singing.

"Am I dead?" he whispers.

She laughs, a little tinkling sound. "No child, you're not dead."

Her voice is different, and so is the way she tosses her head back. His chest drops like a stone in water and he says, "You're not my mother, are you?"

"No," she says. He sees her mouth soften and he can't stand the way her eyes look at him. "I'm Persephone, Queen of the Underworld."

He now understands why Hades slept with his mother when he had never slept with any mortal before. Persephone has a dimple at the corner of her mouth when she smiles and her hair is curly rather than straight, but other than that she could be his mother's double.

"You were dangerously exhausted after the caves," she explains. "We had to feed you nectar to get you back to health before the next century."

He does feel better. His muscles are looser and he doesn't get a headache when he sits up.

"Where am I?" She arches her eyebrows. "The Underworld?"

"Of course."

"Really?" He looks round. He had expected the Underworld to be dark, cold. But he feels good, and – and the entire room is filled with flowers. If he didn't know better he could be sitting in a field filled with wild flowers: vivid purples and reds that looks like they're about to explode, sombre whites and oranges and drunken blues and yellows, all the colours of the rainbow. Every time he breathes in he can taste sweetness on his tongue.

"It's my room." She lifts a shoulder. "I miss the flowers, all the time, so when I'm down here I fill this place with as many as I can get many hands on – what are you doing?" she asks as Bellamy stands.

"I need to leave."

She blinks at him. "You can't leave without Hades. He can send you back-"

"I'll make it out myself."

She scoffs. "With no weapon and no idea of where you're going? Anyway, you'll never make it out before Hades finds you."

"I'm not talking to him."

"Why?"

"Why should I? He's a fucking-"

"Careful child," she snarls, "or I'll cut your tongue out." If it weren't for the harsh words, Bellamy would think that he was being yelled at by his mother.

"How can you say that? Don't you-" He catches himself before he says it. Don't you hate him too?

She stands. She's shorter than him but right now she might as well be towering above him. "You believe the story then? That Hades kidnapped me, raped me and dragged me down here to be his prisoner?" She laughs but it sounds like a growl, and the flowers quiver.

"Well...yeah," he says, though his voice isn't as confident as before.

"No," she corrects him. She turns away, stroking the petals of a flower. "He did not kidnap me. I met Hades long before he brought me down here.

"I was at party. At this time Gods dispersed with mortals casually, before cameras and conspiracy theories made us all a little paranoid – before Zeus got on his high horse and slept with everything that moved. I was in the garden, naturally, when a shadow caught my eye. I turned and met Hades' eyes."

She sighs, and when she turns his way he catches her wistful smile. "I wish I could explain to you how it felt when I looked at him. I felt his darkness, but it didn't scare me. I was drawn to him. I guess... I guess the best way I can describe it is that he made me feel human: that every last second could be my last, so I had to make the most of each one.

"We talked all night and long into the morning. Even though we wouldn't agree anything until nearly a year later, I knew I loved him.

"He asked me to marry him on the summer solstice, June 21st. I wanted to say yes, but I knew it wouldn't be easy. My mother would want me to marry Apollo, or perhaps even Heracles. She would never have allowed me to marry Hades and go down to the Underworld."

She sighs again. "I should have spoken with her. I should have been honest. But I was afraid that she would never let me leave." She turns back. "I ran away with Hades without telling her. I knew what I was giving up; I knew I would never be able to return above ground. It was too much of a danger, and though Hades may not have kidnapped me, he is possessive of things he loves." She glances across to him and he reads the message clearly.

"My mother wouldn't understand that I had made the decision myself, choosing instead to believe that Hades kidnapped me. She appealed to Zeus, but he was reluctant to overrule Hades, especially since he had consented to the union – or rather, he hadn't opposed it. But my mother forced his hand: she allowed the earth to go barren, killing all the food and letting the humans starve. Zeus tried to convince her to stop, but she refused until I was returned to her.

"Hermes was sent down to get me, and I knew I would be forced to leave. Hades managed to stall him and I crept away, racing down to the gardens. I grabbed the first piece of fruit I could find-"

"A pomegranate."

The word makes her smile, and for an instant he is dazzled by it, her eyes sparkling. "Ever since that day it's been my favourite fruit. I knew Zeus, you see: I knew he would force me back, never mind that fact I had eaten food from the first moment I had arrived. But Zeus would have lied, and no one would have listened to Hades. He would have said that I had starved myself in grief. But he couldn't lie if there was a witness.

"When Hermes found me the juice was dribbling down my chin," she says with relish. "Zeus could no longer rewrite the truth."

Despite himself Bellamy finds himself listening. "So you don't go back above ground?"

"Oh I do. My mother would destroy all animal life unless I came back. Zeus made up some story about only eating six of the pomegranate seeds – I have no clue – so I could spend half the year in the Underworld, and the other half with my mother. In the end, I agreed. I missed the spring," she says dreamily. "But I don't do six months – only four, five at the most. Most of the time I'm down here. And it's not a prison for me Bellamy. I love him."

Bellamy digests this story. Hearing your father is not a kidnapper or a rapist is...well, it's an improvement.

"But he cheated on you," he murmurs. He avoids her eyes. "And you still stay?"

"He's my husband," she says simply.

"Weren't you mad?"

She laughs. "Of course I was mad. Believe me, we had quite a few fights about it. And I'll be honest and admit that I wasn't thrilled when I heard about you and your sister's existence. But you're only children and..." She shrugs again. "Two thousand years and he never cheated on me; I can allow one slip up. I forgave him. I think that when you truly love someone, you can forgive them for anything."*

Clarke. Bellamy hands clench. "Well, where is he? I need to get back to camp."

Persephone frowns, as if she's been woken from a dream. "Fighting with Zeus. He attacked you Bellamy; Hades won't allow that to go unpunished." She looks away and he can tell she's worried, biting her lip. He clenches his hands again because she reminds him, quite suddenly, of Octavia. "Poseidan doesn't get on with Zeus either; if he gets involved it could turn into an all out war."

"It won't."

Both of them turn. Hades is facing his wife, but Bellamy can feel his eyes slanting towards him. "Not yet at any rate. But Zeus is scared, and that's more dangerous than him being angry. So we'll have to take precautionary measures." Finally he looks at Bellamy. "You'll have to stay."

"Stay?" Bellamy straightens. "Stay where? Here?"

"Obviously." Hades tone is short, and he turns to Persephone. "Now that it's settled-"

"Like hell it is!" He stands. "I'm not staying here! I have to get back to camp-"

"No," answers Hades.

"Hades-"

"Persephone, don't." Hades' voice grows deeper, and the flowers shiver. "I won't change my mind."

"I'm not staying!" He eyes Hades before taking a step towards the door. "I'll find my own way-"

Hades is in front of him, blocking his exit. "Don't you dare disobey me," he snarls. "Down here my word is law, and as your father-"

Bellamy lets out a humourless laugh. "Now you want to be a father? Seriously, are you that full of-"

"Enough!" Persephone steps between them as Hades' draws breath. She focuses on her husband. "Camp Half-Blood is safe for demigods Hades. Zeus cannot enter-"

"And you don't think he'll wait? Either that or he'll force the demigods out and attack then-"

"And O – Octavia?" Bellamy interrupts. "What about her?"

Hades' lips flatten. "I'll get her to leave the camp boundaries, and once she's out I'll get her."

"She won't listen to you."

"She will."

"You don't know my sister."

"I know her," he hisses. "Just like I know you Bellamy. I know you would do anything for her, as she would do anything for you. And if I told her that you were down here and that I wouldn't let you leave, I'm certain she would come-"

His whole body tenses. "If you dare threaten my sister-"

"I am not threatening her!" he shouts. "Don't the two of you understand the danger that – that Bellamy is in?"

"You'll protect me while leaving my sister to fend for herself!"

"I will protect you because you're the one that needs protecting! You don't understand! You would always be a danger to Zeus, always, but after what Apollo said Zeus will never trust you! He will leave Octavia because you have become the prominent threat to him."

"Did Apollo say something else?"

"He left after you collapsed. He's been in the mortal world ever since. No one's seen him." Hades' mutters something under his breath about whinging little children. "It doesn't matter what he said. The problem is that Zeus is afraid."

"What did Zeus say?" asks Persephone.

Hades glances at her, his shoulders lowering slightly. "He said he would not attack Bellamy. That he would leave the peace."

"Well then-"

"Don't be an idiot," he snaps at Bellamy. "Haven't your teachers taught you anything? My brother is not to be trusted! He'll find any excuse to attack you! Camp Half-Blood is secure yes, but it's not foolproof. Zeus would not come down here, he wouldn't enter my domain – it's the only place you can truly be safe."

His logic is sound and Bellamy pauses, thinking. "What about Clarke?"

Hades shrugs. "He didn't promise me anything about her. I'm not her father."

His breath leaves his body. "Send me back."

"No."

"She could be in danger! You must think so if you want me to stay-"

"Again, you're the biggest threat. Zeus-" Hades sighs. "I wouldn't say that he needs Apollo, but it certainly helps if he sides with him in a quarrel. Apollo has made it clear that he will stand against Zeus if he goes for Clarke. Zeus won't go for her without considering that it could mean an alliance between me and Apollo."

"Doesn't matter. I'm going back."

"No."

"Look, I won't leave the boundaries of camp, I promise."

"You knew the dangers of leaving before, yet you still did it. Why should I believe you now?"

"I won't! I swear it." Hades snorts, looking away. "I – I was homesick, okay?"

He turns back on him. "Don't lie to me. I know why you left-"

"I am telling the truth-"

"Then you're lying to yourself. Do you want me to tell you why you left?" Bellamy glowers at him, hating the way he's being spoken to like a child, but he doesn't reply. "You left because you felt that place was your home. You had family and friends there, people that you care about. And is started becoming more important than the life you had before. You even became happier than before. So, like me, you decided to destroy it yourself."

"I'm nothing like you!"

"Yes, you are." He collapses into a seat. "You finally felt like you belonged there, and ran from it."

"Then you must understand why I can't stay here."

From under his hand Hades' eyes open, glowering at Bellamy. "Nicely done," he growls. "But as I said-"

Persephone steps forward from the wall. "Hades-"

"No."

"My love-" She reaches for him, hand on his shoulder, but he squirms away like a little boy. She grabs at his arm and he whirls round at her.

"He is my son Persephone. I get the final say."

"I am not denying that. But he's young – he's not even an adult yet. You can't expect him to stay here-"

"He will if I say so!"

"As you said, he's your son. Would you have done that at his age?" She continues speaking to him, her voice low. He watches Hades' face turn into a pout, but he appears calmer, his muscles relaxing. He turns away, unable to watch them. There's something about the way they are together: how casual their touch appears, but he can tell that it's meaningful between them by the fact they don't touch very often. She's also the first person Hades has listened to in the time that Bellamy's been with him, including Zeus.

"Okay," he hears Hades say. When he turns round Hades has moved in front of Persephone, but he thinks he sees the back of their hands brushing against each other. "I will allow you to leave-"

"Allow?"

Persephone doesn't move as fast as Hades, but he still doesn't see the hit coming. "He really is like you," she calls behind her shoulder to her husband. "He doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." Nonetheless she gives him a quick kiss on the cheek. "Good luck Bellamy. I'm sure we will meet again."

As she passes Hades she leans forward and whispers something in his ear. He sees his father eye her before smiling, and he feels a little jolt in his stomach. He's never seen Hades smile before.

"You won't leave Camp Half-Blood," Hades' affirms as Persephone leaves. "Don't think I won't know if you do. And if you do, I will find you and drag you back down here. Understand?" Bellamy looks at him sourly, and he sees Hades' eyes flash. "Do you understand Bellamy?"

"What I don't understand is why you care," he snaps. "This is literally the first time I've met you, and I've been in danger plenty of times. It's strange to me that all of a sudden you're here, preparing to defend me."

"Oh yes, I don't care," he says, eyes flashing. "I gave your mother a house that made it impossible for Zeus to trace you, because I didn't care; I looked for you when I first realised you had left camp because I didn't care; I defended you when Zeus attacked because I didn't care; and I've spent days arguing with my brother, persuading him not to hurt you because I didn't care. Of course, it's all so obvious now," he spits.

"Then where were you?" he demands.

"I stayed away. I stayed away because that was what was best for you and your sister. Do you honestly believe Zeus – or Poseidan, for that matter – would not notice if I appeared above ground more often? Don't you think they would connect the dots and come looking for you? My brothers have seen many wars, and I am King of the Underworld; none of us will hesitate at killing babies. And as I've said many times, the only place I can truly protect you is down here. At the time, the camp was the safest place for you. Of course, that was before Zeus had his eye on you, but that's beside the point," he mutters. He looks back up at Bellamy. "Staying away was the best thing I could have done for you. You don't have to believe me Bellamy, but it's true."

The thing is, Bellamy does believe him.

He approaches him now. "Promise me Bellamy. Give me your word that you won't leave the camp." Hades grips his shoulders tightly.

The intensity of his violet eyes, so much like Octavia's, makes him nod. "I promise."

Father and son stare at each other for a moment; then Hades' nods, clearing his throat. "I will try to watch over you as best as I can. If you need me, try to get a message to me, and I'll do what I can to help."

"Okay," he murmurs. It's his turn to clear his throat. "Thanks. For saving me from Zeus."

Hades shrugs. "You're my son. Now I'll send you back." He steps back, straightening. "Remember what I said Bellamy. Don't take any risks, you or your sister. Be careful."

With a wave of his hand, Bellamy is enveloped in fire. His entire body heats up, and the Underworld – and his father – disappears. When he fire sinks back down to the floor, he's standing in front of the camp walls.

ACT IV: THE AGE OF BELONGING

It's so dark it must be late night, or early morning. He's glad though; he's not looking forward to running into Kane. Isolation will be a sweet memory compared to what he'll have in store for him. He has tonight though, and he jogs all the way to his cabin, sticking to the shadows.

Octavia is in the living room by the fire. There are two other shapes and his chest lightens when he realises its Raven and Miller. Octavia's face lights up when she sees him and Bellamy feels his stomach tighten. He's been so foolish, so reckless.

"Bell!" She leaps into is arms and he hugs her, realising just how much he missed her. This was the first time they had been separated for more than a day, and not having her by his side was like having lost a limb.

"Dude!" Miller jumps on him in the next breath, punching him on the arm. "Glad to see you're still in one piece!"

"Just about," he says, rubbing his arm. Raven isn't one for words, but he sees her grin at him. He nods back. He's missed her too, and Miller. Hades – his father was right; he does have a life here.

It's Octavia's turn to punch him, this time on other arm. "Gods, would you guys-"

"You asshole!" she yells.

"Octavia, the teachers," Raven reminds her, but Octavia doesn't so much as glance in her direction.

"Where have you been?"

"Back home. It was stupid," he says.

"Er, yeah." But she pauses, reaching up to touch his face, right where he cut himself in the cave. "Are you okay?"

"I am now." Octavia tilts her head and he gives in. "I was attacked by Zeus."

"Zeus?"

"Yeah, but then Hades came-"

"Hades?"

Raven looks between the two of them. "We should leave." She grips Bellamy's arm as she passes, and Miller nods.

Once they're alone, he explains what happened as Octavia makes them tea. He tells her about the bar, the caves and appearing in front of Zeus and Hades.

(He doesn't tell her how he escaped the caves though; and he doesn't tell her about Apollo and the prophecy. Not yet.)

"So he didn't kidnap Persephone," she says finally.

"No."

"And...and Hades thinks Zeus will come after us?"

"Yeah." Bellamy looks at his little sister. "I'm sorry O. I've made things worse."

"Hey, it's not your fault. We knew he was always going to be after us." She sips her tea before saying, "And..."

He hears the slight quiver in her voice and smiles. "And I don't think he's as bad as we thought." Octavia looks at him from under her eyelashes and he says, "As I thought."

"I didn't exactly like him either," she admits. "But... I can't explain it, but I've always thought there was more to the story than you did. I mean, he built that house to protect us. And Mom slept with him, and she wouldn't sleep with just anyone." She takes another sip of tea. "So Bellamy Blake, how does it feel to have a father?"

"Y'know," he says, feeling the corners of his mouth lift, "it doesn't feel bad at all."

Clarke isn't in her cabin, but that's not a surprise. Instead he goes to the lake, walking carefully by the side. Even his reflection seems a little on edge. He has every right to be. He knows what Clarke's like during a fight.

She's in their spot, peering down into the water as if it holds all the answers. "Strange," he hears himself say. "For the daughter of Apollo, you like being near the water."

She does a double-take before leaping to her feet. He has a second to be hopeful before she slaps him right across the face. "You fucking bastard," she snarls. "You can go to the Underworld and never come back for all I care."

"Clarke-" She turns away and he reaches for her, pulling her back by the arm. "Look, I was – I did a terrible thing-"

She whirls back around and shoves him. She lifts her arms again but this time he's ready, blocking her. "You had sex with me and then left, you ass! Not just my cabin, but the entire camp! In case you were unclear, that doesn't do wonders for a girl's self-esteem!"

She's about to take off again, but he calls after her. "I saw your father!"

As he thought, it makes her freeze. When she turns her teeth are clenched and she looks set to murder him. Painfully. "If you're lying to me, using this as an excuse, I swear-"

"I wouldn't. Not about this."

In the dark he can see her studying him. Finally she moves back towards him. She doesn't sit down and keeps her arms crossed, but her feet are facing him and he knows she wants to listen.

"Apollo found me when I was with Zeus and Hades." He sees her eyebrows rise and she opens her mouth, but he pushes forward. "He wanted to kill me too because of the way I treated you."

"He's not the only one," she says, but her voice lacks the usual threat.

"The thing is... It sounds to me like he really does care Clarke. I mean, he looked ready to skin me alive. I think... I think that he does love you. It's just hard for him to show it. I think maybe we've judged our parents too harshly. Sometimes leaving us is the only way to keep us safe." He doesn't realise he actually means the words until he's said them aloud. "Camp Half-Blood is the safest place for us, and they know that. Even if they can't be with us."

Clarke's face looks a little pale, but she manages to smile. "Sounds like you've had a change of heart."

"It's been a hectic day or two."

Clarke blinks. "Bellamy, you've been gone for a week."

"A week? But-" He looks out at the lake, thinking. "I must have been out for longer than I thought."

"How can you not remember?"

"Well...Zeus tried to kill me, and even though I survived I was exhausted. I guess I must have been out of it for longer than I thought."

"Bellamy," Clarke says impatiently.

"Okay, okay. Look, it's complicated. Zeus tried to kill me and your father defended me. It...it had a lot to do with you."

"With me?"

"Yeah. You know Apollo, he can see the future? Well he hinted at something. It was in a haiku, so he didn't give us much information." He pauses at Clarke's face, but says it anyway. "'The Son of Darkness; and the Daughter of the Sun: Inevitable.'"

Clarke turns her face away so he can't see it. She's quiet, pushing her hair behind her ears. "Inevitable," she repeats. "That's...a strong word." She focuses back on Bellamy. "But what exactly does he mean? That we're..." She clears her throat and he can see the blush working up her cheeks. "That we become a couple?"

"I don't know," he admits. "Maybe... I think... I'd rather that then what Apollo alluded to. Zeus wanted to kill me after he heard the prophecy, but Apollo stopped him. He said that one day Zeus may be grateful that he didn't, like – like he needed me to live. As if you and I are going to save Mount Olympus one day."

"Save Olympus?" Behind her eyes he can see her mind working it out. "From what? What can we do that the Gods can't? What enemy is so bad...?" She pauses because they know the answer: the Titans. They are the worst thing for the Gods, the most dangerous thing.

She stands up so fast he feels a breeze. "Gods Bellamy. Is that what he means? Are we...?" She turns back. "What did my father say?"

"He doesn't tell anyone what he sees. He says he doesn't understand a lot of it, so maybe he's wrong."

"Maybe." She's facing the lake, hand raised to her mouth.

"Clarke." He stands. "There's something else I need to tell you." She turns, hand still at her mouth. "The way Zeus tried to kill me – he sent me down to these caves. They were called the Caves of Loss. They were called that because they made you forget everything about yourself; once that happened, you would die. The only way I escaped was because I had something I couldn't forget."

She's staring up at him, waiting. Because she's knows.

"It was you Clarke. I saw you."

She bites her lip.

"When I saw you, I realised that I loved you. It's only after meeting you and knowing you that I actually felt like I had a home here. The reason I ran was because I got scared of how I felt and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have run away. I love you, Clarke."

She's still staring at him, not moving, and he feels his heart clench. She doesn't feel the same way, she hates him, she doesn't want to see him again. A thousand scenarios go through his mind before he realises she's actually stepped forward.

"Okay."

"Okay?" His insides fizzle out, and he feels the smile growing wider on his face. "You love me?"

"Well I've been thinking about you ever since you left, so I think I must." She presses her lips against his, softer now. "We'll face this together. Promise?"

He clenches her hand tightly. "I promise," he swears.

"And you promise you'll never walk out on me again?"

He laughs at her grin, and presses his forehead against hers. Even from his angle he can see the brightness of her hair. "I promise."

(That feeling comes over him again, that sense that they've done this a thousand times before. But this time he welcomes it.)

EPILOGUE: THE AGE OF INEVITABILITY

Their story was not a simple one. They would face many battles, endure many hardships. Not even Apollo could have predicted what was to come. They became heroes, and years would turn into centuries as the stories were told over and over again. Because only one thing that be assured in this world:

There's no fighting inevitability.

"Cause, frankly, the way I see it, you and me? Inevitable."

Alexandra Bracken, The Darkest Minds

* - doesn't this line suit canon Bellamy and Clarke?

A/N:

List of children and their Greek God parents (in case you were interested):

Bellamy and Octavia – Hades
Clarke – Apollo
Raven – Hephaestus
Wick – Athena
Jasper – Hermes
Monty – Dionysus
Finn – Morpheus
Lexa – Melinoe
Lincoln – Ares
Miller – Enyo

List of gods mentioned and their abilities:

Eurus – Greek god of autumn and the East wind
Apollo – Greek god of healing, music, archery, poetry, prophecy and the sun
Zeus – Greek god of the skies, lightning, honour and justice
Hades – Greek god of the Underworld
Poseidon – Greek god of the sea, earthquakes, storms, horses and destruction
Athena – Greek goddess of wisdom, tactics and handicrafts
Hephaestus – Greek god of the fire and the forge
Hermes – Greek god of messengers, travellers and thieves
Dionysus – Greek god of wine, madness and theatre
Morpheus – Greek god of dreams
Melinoe – Greek goddess of ghosts
Demeter – Greek goddess of agriculture and the harvest
Persephone – Greek goddess of flowers and springtime and the Queen of the Underworld
Ares – Greek god of war
Enyo – Greek goddess of war

So a few things:

1) Just a note on the Gods I chose as parents for Bellamy and Clarke, if any of you are curious. Apollo seemed like the obvious choice for Clarke, since he's the God of healing. And I actually feel like Hades' gets a pretty raw deal since, when reading through all the information, he's actually quite fair and lawful. Unlike other Gods he'll stick to a deal. I found him more interesting than Zeus who has sex with anything that moves (if you want your mind to be boggled check out the Greek Gods family tree). I also thought it would be more interesting to have Hades be Bellamy and Octavia's father.

2) I always wanted to rewrite the Hades/Persephone myth. I actually really enjoyed it, and from now on that story is canon for me. I'm pretty sure I ship them now.

3) I also always wanted to use the idea of inevitability and how it applied to Clarke and Bellamy. I came up with the idea ages ago and believe me, I never thought I would use it like this. But it worked for the story in the end, though it only came to me halfway through.

4) So there are a few things that have happened since I started this fic:

a) I'm pretty sure I have a crush on Apollo. I know, it doesn't make any sense because he's a fictional character, but that's me all over.
b) I ship Percy and Annabeth (as if I needed another ship to go mad about).
c) The Greek Gods – and Rick Riordan books – have become my new obsession.

I really hope you all enjoyed this fic.

Hours to make. Seconds to comment.

PLEASE REVIEW!