"Yes?" 

 Hera's father gestured for her to come to sit at the table, and she cautiously obliged. "Your plan is good. Excellent even. Do you plan on using the move you did to me?" She nodded, and he continued.

"It is very honourable of you to not want to kill anyone, Hera, but I need to know you can finish it if you need to." His words caused a tremor to run down her spine. But she nodded, knowing her words might fail her if she responded verbally. The thought of killing people still sickened Hera. The way she destroyed the agents after Theo's betrayal still bombarded her mind often.

Joseph tapped his fingers on the surface of the table, waiting for confirmation. "I need to know, Hera. Because if you can't, there is no way I'm letting you face him alone."

She frowned. "No one else can be there. If he gets his claws in you and I cannot stop him, then everyone loses. I would rather die than let him hurt my family or my people." Her voice finished strong and her father seemed to relax slightly before tensing again.

"There is something else I need to speak to you about." Hera blanched and felt like her breakfast might come back up. She was not prepared to have a boy talk this early in the morning; or even worse, a sex talk. 

"Is he the one?" 

Hera's brows shot up at his strange question, and his expression softened for good. "Theo. He's your person? Your other half?" 

Laughter bubbled in her chest, as she didn't know how to respond. "I kind of already have another half." She smiled as Juno stirred inside her. "But yeah, I think he is. Everything's better when he's with me and nothing hurts more than when he's not..." Her gaze flicked up to his nervously but she was shocked to see his eyes shimmering.

"I know exactly how you feel." Was all he said as he grasped her hands in his and they sat in easy silence.

A sudden thought washed over her, "How are we gonna get Azrail to the plateau?" What an idiot, they didn't discuss the most important part of the plan. Magic beans, Juno quipped in her mind. Not funny.

"I'm sure Theo could reach him." Joseph offered. Hera was dubious, she didn't think he had that much range on his one-way telepathy but her father nodded to himself. "He could do it."

"Okay well..." Now for the question on everyone's minds, "When do we do this?"

...

Hera had left with a timeline that increased her nerves tenfold. One week. 

They had one week to make all the preparations necessary and it became too real for Hera. Only a few months ago she was afraid she was psychotic and would be locked away forever and now she was about to fight a psychopath to protect her new family. She couldn't even believe how far she had come in such a short time and how much happiness she had found despite the tragedies.

She sat contentedly in her small cottage on the thread-worn couch. Her heart skipped a beat as she thought about the most precious love she had found in a man that she had only dreamt of. She pictured Jackie and Jane watching down on the pair, full of pride, and she smiled. Theo had basically moved into Hera's little cottage and she was grateful.  She couldn't cope if he decided to stay next door after getting used to waking in his warm embrace, night after night. 

He brought balance and calm to her life as well as excitement and bliss. He was a gift she realized and she was so lucky to call him hers. His beautiful gaze shifted to hers as she leaned over the back of the couch watching him make her lunch again. A warmth touched his cheeks and Hera realized embarrassingly he probably heard everything she had been thinking.

"You're being distracting." He grumbled at her as he placed the bread atop his masterpiece. He brought her lunch and sat as close as possible while they ate together. This week they had to gather their strength which meant sleeping eight hours, eating constantly, training impossibly hard, and being healed over and over.

"Was I?" She asked innocently, nibbling on a piece of grated carrot.

"Don't look at me like that, little rabbit." Theo's scoff had her chuckling and tearing up slightly.

He looked worried, "Why are you crying?"

She shook her head still giggling, "You're just perfect. Sorry." She tried to regain composure when his head ducked in front of hers.

 "I am trying to eat my lunch. Stop acting like that."

Her mouth dropped open, "Like what?" 

He only smirked in response as he straightened up, finishing his mouthful. "You make me want to throw you over my shoulder and take you to the bedroom."

Hera nearly choked and got very hot. "Holy shit." She fanned her face and snickered slightly. That would be insanely hot. 

A groan escaped Theo's mouth and he stood abruptly. "Get up." 

She looked innocently into his eyes as she put her empty plate to the side and crossed her arms. "You're not the boss-" 

Theo didn't let her finish. He scooped her up and threw her easily over his shoulder. Hera giggled hysterically, gripping his shirt as he stormed into their bedroom. He threw her down on the bed roughly and she laughed harder realizing she took his shirt off with her. He looked shocked at his own shirtlessness before grinning and crawling over her sprawled form. 

"Let's play." He purred in her ear.

...

The week dragged on with more of the same and by the fifth day, the community's best fighters showed up in droves. They set up tents and slept outside much to Hera's surprise. It was still quite cold despite the change in season but no one seemed to mind. The night before the battle Hera and Theo joined the fighters around a small bonfire and went over the battle plans one last time. 

"Remember, these people are our people." Hera started. "And we have to make sure they don't hurt anyone before I can stop Azrail's mind control." 

There were a few grumbles and frustrations shared that the fight wouldn't be true retribution against Panacea but Hera quieted them. "That can be a fight for another day, but for now we need to save our kind. If we achieve this without bloodshed then we win, and that monster will live out the rest of his life in misery." 

Most of the group cheered at that and sloshed their cups against their neighbours. "Cheers!"

 Theo nudged Hera and placed a tender kiss on her flushed cheek as Jean gagged beside them. 

You look beautiful when you blush. His words only made her hotter. She pulled on her collar and shifted away slightly only for him to saddle right back flush against her. Can't run from me, love.

He knew just how to put her at ease and make her blood pressure skyrocket.

"Hera, can I steal you away for a minute." Her thoughts were interrupted by a bashful-looking Joel. She stood up flashing a glance at Theo before following him to a quiet corner. 

"I just wanted to say thank you. For everything. For being my friend after I was a huge dick head and tried to kill you. For trusting me, even though I couldn't imagine trusting me if I was in your place." 

She placed her hand on his and squeezed. "Of course, Joel. Why are you telling me all this?" Hera searched his cloudy eyes with a nervous smile.

He swallowed and gently touched her cheek. "I don't know what will happen tomorrow but I just wanted you to know. Maybe in different circumstances, we could have had something you know, but now I'm just glad I get to call you my friend." 

Her eyes were watering at his words and she could feel Juno's misery inside her. She surprised herself as she leaned forward and brushed her lips across his cheek in a feather kiss. "Thank you, Joel." His eyes met hers in understanding as she left him to rejoin the group. Her first friend and first kiss watched her go. 

In another world, they could have been something more, but she found her person, her love, her soul in the man who was now looking at her rather curiously. Are you okay, love? He questioned as she sat down snuggling into his warm torso. 

"I'm fine, Theo." They turned in soon after and slept wrapped in each other's embrace. Theo helped Hera sleep soundly but he couldn't help his racing mind or quiet the fear for the woman he loved.