Chapter Text
Chapter 1: Apollo Discovers His Sister’s Distress
Artemis screams as she wakes from another nightmare she tries to breath but finds it difficult to do. She just kept seeing Apollo dead. She sees him with an arrow to the chest or some other wound that could have killed him this time he had been turned mortal.
She had nightmares about other times too. But this time it was worse than most.
Artemis did an irrational thing she decided she needed to see that Apollo was all right. She teleported to Apollo's Temple and snuck into his bedroom. She found him fast asleep.
She whimpers in relief.
"Arty?" a groggy voice asks.
Artemis looks startled and quickly flashes out fleeing not wanting to explain why she was there.
She keeps coming to his room and quickly flashes out before he could catch her. All four times but she was still feeling scared no terrified.
How was she going to get through this?
Artemis was now determined to stay in her bed in her camp now. She knew Apollo would interrogate her soon if he saw her again.
So, she dreaded that night of sleep. But she was so, so, very, very tired she fell asleep into her worst nightmares . . .
Apollo was deeply worried about his sister she had been in his Temple five times THIS week alone and had always slipped out before he could catch her. He woke up and remembers hearing her crying and whimpering but when he says her name she flees.
He couldn't stand it anymore, so he was going to HER Camp tonight to confront her. So, he could find out what was wrong with his sister.
Apollo flashes into the Camp. To find nobody up. He heads towards her tent and when he gets to the door he hears her muttering.
He goes into the tent to see his sister tossing and turning in her bed.
"No . . . no Apolly . . . please don't leave me . . . please I'm sorry . . . I love you . . . come back", she mutters.
He sees her start to thrash, cry and scream his name. He rushes over to her side and pulls her into his lap.
"Please don't leave me . . .", she sobs in her nightmare.
"Shh Little Moon. Arty it is ok. I'm right here. I am NEVER leaving you. Your brother is here", Apollo whispers in her ear rocking her back and forward.
But her thrashing continues.
She still does not wake up and continues to cry and scream for him.
Apollo knew he only had one option available to be able to reach her and see what her nightmares no night terrors where about.
He leans his forehead on hers and gentle connects their minds. If he could not help her in the outside world he would do it from the dream world.
Dreamscape
Apollo finds himself standing in the room with the python killing the dream version of him. While Artemis was being restrained by Nero and his minions. That her nightmares had changed.
"Apollo! Apolly! Please stop hurting him!" Artemis cries struggling against the binds of her nightmare.
"This is your fault. Why can't you save me?" his dream self says to her.
Apollo snarls he would NEVER say that to her! NEVER! This had obviously been going on too long and he was not going to let her suffer any longer.
"ENOUGH!" Apollo snarls yelling.
Artemis looks at him and then his dream self in confusion with tears running down her face.
Apollo was getting his Arty out of here and he knew just the place he got bring her to give her peace. With his powers he forces Artemis into his mind. Into a meadow that was shinning in the light of the Sun and the Moon.
Artemis was sobbing and trembling she was so confused. What had happened? Where was she? Where was he? She did not even notice herself hyperventilating and didn't feel herself fall to her knees.
Suddenly she was wrapped in familiar arms, in a familiar presence. And those familiar arms pulled her to his chest and into his lap.
"Shh Little One. Deep Breaths. Match my breathing, ok? This might be a dream, but you can still be sick", a voice says to her softly.
Artemis was shaking so badly in his arms it was painful to see her struggle the way she was. She was truly terrified.
"Breath in one, two, three, four. Holding one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. Exhale one, two, three, four . . .", the voice talks him through it.
Artemis does his best to follow the vaguely familiar voice.
"Good girl", the voice coos as he coaches her through her breathing.
Her brain starts to clear, and she recognised the arms she was in and the presence that was cradling her to his chest and rocking her while she clung to him.
"Apolly?" she chokes out.
Apollo's heart clenches she only called him that when she was scared or afraid and it hadn't happened in centuries.
"Yes, Little One it is YOUR Apolly", he replies softly kissing her forehead.
"How?" she stutters out still shaking.
"Our link Moonling. I have pulled you into MY mind so your body can finally get some rest. When I saw you, it looked like you haven't slept or ate in a very long time", Apollo explains.
"How did you . . .", Artemis stutters.
"I knew something was wrong after you appeared in my bedroom for 5 nights THIS week and didn't stay. So, I came to your Camp to see you", Apollo explains.
"I am sorry, sorry, sorry I didn't mean . . .", Artemis starts to babble as she panics.
Apollo pulls her closer to his heart.
"Shh Little One I am not mad. Well maybe mad about the fact you did not come to me. But it is ok Little Sister. Relax I am here now, and you will be protected", Apollo coos to the distress Moon Goddess.
It becomes too much for Artemis, and she clutches his top tightly and bursts into hysterics.
Apollo just sits there and rocks her. Talking softly in her ear and even singing trying to calm her down.
His voice to Artemis was smoothing. She buries her head in her BIG Brothers chest as she starts to concentrate on the song. It was a calm melody. But the time he sung it three times she had calmed down.
"When did this start Little One?" Apollo asks softly running a hand through her messy hair.
Trying to coax her into talking.
"Since you were turned mortal the first time. But this time it was worse you nearly faded", she cries.
"Why didn't you come to me straight away?" Apollo asks gently.
"I didn't want to bother you", Artemis mumbles looking down, "You were just turned back into a God again"
Apollo sighs he needed to fix this. He should have taken the time to see if Artemis was all right. After all they had been separated for nearly a year.
He lifts her chin up so he could look into her eyes. He saw how terrified she was in her bloodshot eyes. She looked so small and fragile.
In his eyes she saw love and concern directed solely on her. They were also gentle but held firmness too.
"I would ALWAYS be there for you Little One. ALWAYS. I care too much about you Little Moon to leave you for too long. You can ALWAYS come to me. I will ALWAYS be there, and I will ALWAYS listen. Anytime and anywhere", Apollo declares to her firmly.
"I . . . I . . .", Artemis stutters not knowing what to say.
It hurt that she couldn't believe him, but her mind was fragile, and he had to remember that.
"It is ok not to believe it. I will show you and heal your mind AND body. Just relax and enjoy the scenery", Apollo says softly.
Artemis nods weakly and leans into her brother's chest. It was comforting to feel his heartbeat.
"This is not a dream?" Artemis asks whimpering after some time.
"No, it is not. I am really here. And your in MY mind. Till I help you heal yours", Apollo replies gently kissing her forehead.
She starts to calm but also starts to feel alert.
"You're waking up", Apollo says to her confused expression.
"Will you be there?" Artemis asks childishly.
"Always. This I swear on our bond of twins", Apollo vows.
"Ok", Artemis whispers.
As the dreamscape disappears before her eyes.
End Dreamscape…
Artemis winces and whimpers at how stiff and sore her muscles were. She could feel arms wrapping securely around her.
She tenses but relaxes feeling her brother's presence.
She opens her eyes and whimpers at the sunlight.
"It was true", Artemis whispers hoarsely from all that screaming.
"Of course it was", Apollo replies.
"How long did I sleep?" Artemis asks softly.
"17 hours give or take", Apollo replies shrugging.
"The girls?" Artemis asks.
"Haven't been in", Apollo says honestly which had him a little worried.
What kind of Hunters were they if they did not check on her after she didn't come out after night?
Artemis looks down she did not know how to explain everything that happened since he had been gone.
She looks at herself to find herself wrapped in a cosy blanket.
When did that happen?
"So, what to you say to a late lunch?" Apollo asks, "And this time you ARE eating!"