Chapter 17: Epilogue

A/N: Hey guys. So here it is, the very last of it. I hope you enjoyed it, because I know I loved it. You can see how my writing changed from the beginning to the end of my little saga. I have started a new fic that should be updated by next Friday. Anyway, here is the epilogue to Is It Worth It. Hope you love it, review it for the last time lovelies!

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Class of the Titans, only my own original ideas and characters, including: Muerte, Calli, Mellian and Danaya. I do not however own the people those characters were based from, or the ancestors to those characters.

/ Maybe It's Up With The Stars, Maybe It's Under The Sea, Maybe It's Not Very Far, Maybe This Is How It's Supposed To Be? /

The willowy woman hummed softly to herself as she drifted throughout the building. Hermes buzzed past her, talking to Odie on his headset. She smiled gently, remembering how he had climbed out of the Dark, holding Mellian's hand as the sun spilled out onto her form. Her hair had been whiter than paper, her skin almost translucent it was so pale. Her eyes had been so warm and blue as Odie had clasped her hand, witnessing her first glimpse of the sun with her.

The Queen of The Underdark had been so happy for Odie and Mellian. Even Herry and Calli, as they had shied away from the sun, had looked radiantly relieved to be out from the Dark. Both of the couples had been tired, and dirty, and sad from the loss of their revered leader and clairvoyant. Archie and Atlanta had been inconsolable for a while, losing their best friends. But they had also been joyous because they had an immortal lifetime together to look forward to.

The curvy woman remembered the last couple nostalgically. Neil, the confident and self absorbed man turned sorrowful warrior of death and his love, Danaya. Neil and Danaya had finally received the happy ending they deserved. Danaya was alive, immortal and with Neil. Neil had changed once more, for the better. He was no longer as self absorbed, but no longer full of malignant hatred. He lived for Danaya.

The woman nervously wrung her hands through her long hair as she entered her solarium. It was finally winter, and she couldn't wait to leave. Her husband would be anxiously awaiting her arrival. If it hadn't been for Hera's little 'meeting' she wouldn't be late. She would be already in her lover's arms.

But it had been so long since she had seen him. Six months since she had been with the team at Cronus' death.

Nervously, she wondered if she looked okay. Deciding she should change into the dress he had once said he loved, she raced into her back room. She threw on the green dress, pulling it over her lush curves. As soon as she felt ready, she snatched the bag that carried some letters, photos and snacks for her journey.

The grimace on the seasons as the beautiful woman brushed past was easily seen and ignored.

"You're going to see him again?" They asked.

The willowy woman grinned lightly, "You know he misses me, and I miss him too!"

They rolled their eyes in unison and tried to cover their mutters of how wrong it was. She brushed it off, and pushed past their filmy curtain.

Glancing around anxiously, she thought for a moment that he hadn't appeared to guide her down to their palace. But standing in the shadows was a familiar figure with a bright purple and yellow polo shirt. The man who after dying because of her image, was bound to her life force by Persephone and Hades. He stood there and smiled nervously at her. She hadn't seen him since Persephone had taken her hand and put her under a deep sleep. Persephone had repaired his body, using most of her powers. Hades had awoken him and returned his soul, asking him only one question, "Would you live to be with her?"

He had said yes, consenting to becoming a creature of the dark.

Persephone had passed the little rest of her power on to the unconscious woman before her, and Hades had handed the leader his helmet.

Hades had only one warning to part with, "One day, when my wife and I regain our power, we will return for our rightful places. Then you will become a creature of the dark, not the king. And your lover will be as powerless as she once was."

Persephone had said more than that to her, once she had awoken to find her ancient mentor in front of, and felt power thrumming through her veins. She had kissed her forehead and told her what had transpired.

"Dearest Theresa, you are like a daughter to me. This life that I have gifted you with will not last forever. Hades' power will come back after a few years, as will mine. I did tell you never to reach your limit. Anyway. We are staying with my mother, and she will continue with the winter charade for our years of vacation as we call it. You can join your husband in the Underworld then."

Theresa, groggy and stunned by Persephone's gift had muttered, "Husband?"

The Goddess had laughed loudly, "You have accepted mine and Hades' role in the world. Our power married you together more powerfully than any priest or church ever could."

Persephone had disappeared after that, leaving Theresa to get used to her new role as goddess of Innocence and Queen of the Underworld. Turns out that being a god isn't as fun as you would imagine. She had spent her days gardening, meditating and initiating innocent girls into womanhood, all the while desperately begging Winter to appear.

Now it was here, and she stood at the edge of the Underworld, the man who she loved, the man who had died because of her barely five feet away. She stepped forward hesitantly, wondering why he would run to her and scoop her up and make love to her, just where she stood.

He cleared his throat softly, nervously almost. Slowly, he whispered, "I can't come any closer. Will you not come here?"

After hearing him speak, she could not have resisted had she tried. She flung herself the distance between them and held onto him as though he was the only thing keeping her alive.

Technically he was. If he died, she was dead. Her life was his life. His life was hers.

"Jay?" She whispered softly, tears flowing onto his shirt.

He shushed her and gently petted her long red hair, kissing her forehead over and over before he finally pulled away.

"I love you Theresa." He said forcefully, as if she would argue with him. Then so slowly it could have been considered torture he lowered his mouth to hers to kiss her expertly. Within moments the kiss was fiery and breathtaking, binding them together once more.

He pulled back once more, "How long can you stay?"

She grinned mischievously, "Let's just say it's going to be a looo-ooo-oong winter."

He claimed her mouth again, letting his love for the woman in his arms rush through him. He had waited so long to be with her, and Cronus had so often come between them. But, courtesy of Theresa, Cronus was dead and all was good in the world.

"Theresa, how are the others?" He asked, unable to withstand the curiosity.

She smiled up at him brightly, "I brought you letters and pictures from all of them. Herry and Calli are real night owls and live on the opposite side of town. They just adopted a new puppy, and are working hard to train him. Calli is barren, due to the vampire blood within them. She has no prophetic powers, but is unbelievably powerful due to the moon."

Jay smiled bitter sweetly. They had their life together, and both were immortal. But there would be no smiling children with copper curls and inhuman strength. Oh, how life always worked out.

"And the rest?"He choked out.

"Archie and Atlanta are travelling the country, planning on getting married on the prettiest spot they find. They are ridiculously happy. Neil and Danaya still live in the brownstone, and she got published as an author. Neil long ago asked her to marry him."

Jay grinned, "When is the big day?"

Theresa laughed, "Danaya said no!"

Jay gaped as Theresa explained, "Apparently she refused to get married without you being there. They want to have it later on this winter, close to spring. That's if Neil gathers the courage to ask her again."

Jay smiled, "She really said that? That's... beautiful."

Theresa nodded against his chest.

"Mellian and Odie bought a house in town. They wake up early every morning and watch the sunrise together. They got married barely a month out of the Dark."

Jay grinned, "So everything worked out?"

Theresa shrugged, "Well, Neil can't get a modelling job due to his scar, so he is trying to become a photographer. Atlanta's adventure's are about to end, due to the fact that Archie somehow managed to get her pregnant. And a new prophecy came for Mellian's first born child. The baby will apparently be just like Mellian, and be a destroyer. Odie is convinced that it will be okay, but Mellian is terrified that the child will be treated just as she was."

Jay sighed, "Life is always full of pain isn't it?"

Theresa nodded and looked up at him, "Theresa was lonely, and couldn't wait till winter so she could see her apparent husband again. But before he takes her to his castle to woo her and maybe gift her with a child of her own to love, she has something to show him."

Jay was slightly shocked by Theresa's blunt speech, but amused by the way she was playfully putting it in third person.

"Jay is up for the duty. What do you want to show me?"

She grinned and stepped back, her beautiful face lighting up. Jay recalled a darker time when she had looked burnt out and old. But now she looked happy, and vibrant and loving once more. She looked like a teenage rich girl, out for a bit of adventure and risk taking.

The girl he had fallen in love with, the woman he had died for, and the lover he had lived for.

She held open a palm and glared at it as though it was a cause for all the world's troubles. Eventually, a slow flicker of a purple flame started. She swayed and the flame died.

"Did you see it!?"She asked excitedly.

Jay cocked his head, "Didn't Persephone give you her powers?"

Theresa nodded. "But Jay... look."

She held out a different palm and immediately a soft pink flame lit up, growing in size and heat quickly. Theresa extinguished it instantly.

Jay frowned for a moment at her beaming face before suddenly something hit him.

Purple and Pink.

"That's your power isn't it?!" He exclaimed.

She nodded, "It was gone, believe me. I tried harder than I have ever tried to use it to save you. But it was gone. Almost like my flame that held my power had been extinguished. But when Persephone gave me her powers, it was like a little match. Suddenly, I could feel my flame flickering, there inside me again."She stopped for a heavy breath, "Jay... I have my powers back!"

He didn't smile. "How do you know that they aren't just Theresa's power coming out through your own outlet?"

She frowned for a moment and then her face cleared, "Last month, I could only get a spark. Now I can get a flame. I also have one more piece of proof."

He stared at her waiting for it. She frowned, her face once again wrought with concentration. Finally Jay saw she had risen off the ground about an inch. She dropped back down and sagged against him.

Jay stared in shock at what she had just done. "Levitation is not one of Persephone's powers. That was you."

She stared back at him.

He finally picked her up and spun her around, periodically laughing and crying and kissing her and holding her tighter than before.

"Oh my beautiful, wonderful powerful Theresa! You are my Queen, my love. We will have many little red haired powerful leaders, and many more brown eyed clairvoyants!"

He crushed her slim frame against him, feeling tears course down his cheeks. He hadn't cried since the night they had defeated Cronus.

Since the night when she had defeated Cronus.

"Oh Jay..." She murmured... "Remember when my aging sped up for a day or so?"

How could he forget?

"Well... those two days were about two years. Remember the night before Cronus was defeated?"

He stared at her blankly for a moment, wondering what she was talking about. Of course he remembered. She had come into his tent, about to tell him she was leaving the group because she was useless. He had proved her-

Realization dawned at what she meant.

"Yes."

She stared at the floor for a moment before turning back to the filmy screen of the still open Season's portal.

"Cora?"She called softly, staring at the entrance.

Jay felt his heart leap into his throat and his stomach drop out of him onto the floor. Nothing compared to the fear that rammed into his heart. Even as Cronus had severed his body, leaving him dead and broken on the floor, Jay had never been this afraid.

A small girl, she looked about five, entered the Dark. She had a small mop of brown hair. Jay felt his heart start to beat once more, the fear leaving him.

He hadn't even known Theresa five years!

But as she looked up at him, and pierced him with those emerald eyes he had so often stared into, he knew the truth.

Somehow, Theresa and he had a daughter of five or so years of age.

Theresa picked up the little girl, and immediately Jay realized he adored the little heart shaped face that peered at him.

Her eyes, inquisitive and bright like her mother's, stared him down. But she would bashfully lower the beautiful eyes every once in a while, as if she had realized she was staring.

"Cora... say hi. This is your daddy." Theresa whispered in the dead silence.

Jay's greatest hopes and worst fears were confirmed. How had he missed his child's life?

"Cora?" He murmured.

Theresa nodded. "For Persephone. It means, 'innocent girl'."

Jay reached out his hands to her and Theresa's very face lit up amazingly. Cora let herself go to him, and suddenly, the leader found himself holding his very beautiful, very real daughter to him.

Theresa hugged them both, and Jay felt an immediate family bond form. They were a family!

"Jay, you always know exactly what to do, don't you?" She smiled, "That night... the few hours after equalled to somewhere around... three months."

Jay felt his mouth drop open once more.

"And... Well, it slowed after I got Persephone's powers, but it was still... too fast. Within three months, I had her. I knew immediately something was wrong. Within a week, she looked six months old. She had inherited my aging process."

Jay stared down at her in horror, wondering if the beautiful daughter in his arms would die within a few years.

Theresa continued, oblivious to his darkened thoughts. "Anyway, I took her to Hera, wondering if she could do anything. Hera fed her ambrosia, figuring that while she had not been conceived of two gods, she had been born of them. It worked... sort of. It slowed her aging greatly... but she still grows about a year a month. Hera thought that it was because she had only been introduced to her one god hood side. But when you took her now, and accepted her as your own, it should slow it down to normal. Or at least slow a bit."

Jay finally felt relieved. He hugged the little girl in his arms, "Oh my... Cora?"

She looked up at him shyly and smiled, "Yes daddy?"

He kissed her forehead, "I love you."

"I love you too!" She squealed.

Theresa lifted herself over the little girl to kiss Jay softly, despite Cora's protests. She took his hand, and he started taking his wife and daughter down to his palace.

Jay may have been a creature of the dark, but with the light of Theresa and Cora in his heart, he felt like a saint. He beamed at the two women beside him.

"Theresa?"

She looked at him.

"After everything you've been through –everything we've been through- is it worth it?"

She grinned slyly, and slightly painfully, "It was worth it. For all of us... it was worth it."

He squeezed her hand and replied, "We saved the world."

Theresa frowned momentarily... Mellian had not destroyed Persephone... but Cronus had died. That should have put such a major rift in the universe it was irreparable. It should have destroyed the world.

But such dark thoughts did not belong in the finally happy place she had painstakingly carved out for herself and her friends. Cronus did not belong here anymore. Despite being the God of Time... his time was over.

For Now.

/ This Is How Our Story Went, I Hope There's More To It's End /