IT WAS SAFE TO SAY that Hera was quite drunk by the time she finished the drink Artemis had tampered with.

Anyone who knew Hera, knew that she was quite the emotional drunk. She wasn't allowed to go to clubs because she was notorious for using the bartenders as free therapists. Artemis never understood why Hera never went clubbing, until today.

"It's not that I think he'll be a bad father, it's just that he's always so caught up in work. He doesn't even see me most days. Granted I am in a completely different room most of the time because I'm unhealthily petty. But part of me believes he'll be this great family man who priorities us instead of work but then another part of me believes the opposite. You get what I mean?" Hera rambled on and on, leaving herself breathless and Artemis very pale with realisation.

"W-why would he be a family man, Hera? I thought you said you guys weren't planning on having kids for another few years. What's this sudden talk about him being a father?" Artemis panicked. If her suspicions were true then she could be in serious trouble. It's not like she was light handed in terms of the amount of alcohol she added to Hera's drink.

"I thought I told you? I'm pregnant." Hera tilted her head in confusion, "but moving on, he's been so isolated recently. He doesn't come down for dinner he's always in the attic. He says good morning before work and kisses my cheek but I miss him. What do I do?"

"Go to the doctor."

"What the fuck are they going to do? Refer us to the therapist?" Hera chuckled to herself. "I feel a bit sick, the milk must be expired." She muttered to herself.

"How about you get into the car and we go for a drive? Maybe you just need some fresh air-" Artemis tried to bargain, but alas she knew Hera was too stubborn.

"I'm just going to go to bed, it's late now anyway you should go home." She smiled at her guest before retiring for the night.

-

The next morning, Zeus had gone about his new daily routine of eating alone and kissing Hera goodbye. What shocked Hera was that instead of kissing her cheek, he kissed her lips. She shook off the weird drop in her stomach and branded it as paranoia. He'll be back before dinner, he always is.

It wasn't until a couple hours later when real panic kicked in, she called Artemis in a frenzied panic.

"Hey,"

"Artemis? There's red spots and there shouldn't be, I don't remember what happened last night I need to go to the hospital and I don't want to go alone-" her voice cracked as she tightened her grip on the counter.

"You've reached Artemis" Hera groaned and rolled her eyes. She sent a one worded text (somewhat along the line of "hospital"), to Persephone; who immediately called back.

"That was an extremely ominous text." She joked until she heard sniffling coming from Hera's line.

"I need you to come to the hospital with me."

-

Hera and Persephone sat in the doctors office after listening to a very lengthy explanation as to why drinking in the first trimester is bad. Awaiting official results.

"You already know the answer, don't you?" Persephone strokes Hera's knuckle with her thumb.

"It's all my fault, he's going to be distraught. He's already been so stressed with everything that's been going on plus the case you and Hades are working on. I just." She paused before sighing, her eyes glued to the floor, "I wanted to see him happy."

"I know babe, I know."

Hera laughed bitterly for a moment, "I really thought this would bring us closer and I've screwed it up. Like always. I cant do anything right? I don't even remember drinking I only had a few teas last night while I was with Artemis and even then - oh." Realisation struck Hera, enough to silence her for the rest of the visit.

Her senses seemed to fail and she was no longer taking in information after the point of which the doctor said "I'm sorry for your loss." She didn't feel Persephone guide her to the car. She didn't feel the weight on her chest as she realised she had to tell Zeus.

She waited for him to come home.

And she waited

And she waited.

But Zeus didn't come home that night.