Percy walked into the building with his mom and his new step dad, Paul.

"All right. Let's go over this again. You've got your drachma so you can Iris-Message us to pick you up?" Sally Jackson asked Percy.

"Yes." Percy replied nodding his head.

"Riptide in case you get attacked outside?"

"Yes."

"Well, that's it then. Oh, try not to make Lord Ares angry. I would hate to come out here to get you, only to find a pile of ashes. Annabeth would have to " Sally pointed out.

"I don't know. I think Athena is a bigger threat." Paul voiced, causing thunder to roll outside.

"Coming, Zeus." Percy sighed. The thunder stopped immediately. Percy hugged his mom good bye and shook Paul's hand. He walked up to the guard, smiling at him

"600th floor please." Percy said, folding his arms on the desk.

"There ain't a 600th floor." The guard said nonchalantly. Percy looked down at the guard's hat and pulled out a drachma. He flipped it into the hat.

"600th floor, coming up." The guard waved his hand, allowing Percy to pass. Percy walked off and got in the elevator, riding it all the way up. Literally all the way. Finally, the elevator dinged, signaling his arrival. Percy stepped out and looked around. It had been a year since the defeat of Kronos. Some buildings were still in ruins, but most were being worked on or completed. The throne room had been repaired, but more thrones were being constructed every day. Percy took out his MP3 and put the buds in his ears. Apollo walked by quietly, magically changing the song to Good Girls Go Bad by Cobra Starship. Percy just shrugged and walked forward. He could see a table in the middle of the square. He looked past the person standing alone on one side of the table, noticing a few old faces. Grover, Tyson, Nico, and Thalia were talking excitedly to the person, peering over blueprints. He took out Riptide and sneaked over to where his friends were, darting behind buildings. After a few minutes he had made it, standing in the shadows. He ran forward, uncapping Riptide. He put it over the person's neck, causing her blonde hair to fall all over his arms.

"Hey Percy. I guess you got my message?" Annabeth asked, turning around to face him. She knew he wouldn't even try to scare her once he had the sword out.

"Yeah. What do they want to talk to us about anyways?" Percy asked Annabeth, handing Grover his sword.

"They didn't say, but my mother looked extremely pleased so I think it involves our relationship." Annabeth grabbed his hand, leading him into the throne room.

"Bye, guys." Nico waved, leaning in a little too close to Thalia. ZAP. He clutched his hand in pain, shooting a dirty look at the raven haired demigod.

He looked around, noticing new gods he had never seen sitting in slightly smaller thrones around the 12 Olympians. Hestia waved to them silently, not wanting to anger Zeus yet wanting to tell them she knew they were there.

"Athena, why is it such a big problem?" Zeus asked, confusion apparent in his voice.

"I don't know, let's ask them. Children, come here." Athena turned towards them, still sitting in her seat. She motioned to Poseidon and they both slid off their thrones, going into their human sized form.

"What's this about, Dad?" Percy asked as his father approached.

"Poseidon, I would like you to explain to them as well." Athena said grimly, her eyes peircing Percy's. Holy Cow. It's like she knows what I'm thinking..... ATHENA!!! ATHENA!! MY DAD DOESN'T HATE YOU!!!! GET THE FREAK OVER IT!!! Percy thought.

"Perseus." Athena warned, her body starting to shine.

"Forget him. Lord Poseidon, what is this about?" Annabeth asked, her grey eyes peircing Poseidon. Holy Cow. She has the same effect! I wonder..... DON'T EAT FISH! THEY DON'T LIKE IT!!! I LIKE SUSHI EVERY NOW AND AGAIN, BUT STILL!!! Poseidon thought.

"Athena and Hera believe that...um... They think that.... Dionysus, will you say it?" Poseidon asked the younger god.

"They think you guys are trouble together and want you to break up." Dionysus said, catching a grape in his mouth.

"Exactly. I will NOT have my daughter dating an offspring of Poseidon!" Athena exclaimed.

"What's to do about it?" Zeus asked, waving his hands.

"Well, we could have a test, to prove that they are not meant for each other." Aphrodite proposed. She walked calmly off of her throne, retaining her human form.

"Which would be?" Hermes asked, now interested.

"We send them to Miami for a week, my treat. We see how they act with their friends around and in their daily lives. We can see how they would act as a normal couple. I can make the reservations at a hotel for them now. I'm pretty sure Hermes could provide their luggage." Aphrodite motioned.

He can, George said in people's heads.

Can? He will!!!, Martha urged. Hermes nodded and ran off of his throne. He transformed into his human form and flew away.

"All in favor out of the Olympians here?" Aphrodite asked. Zeus, Apollo, Hestia, Artemis, Ares, Hepheastus, Poseidon, and Hades all raised their hands. Athena and Hera's hands stayed down.

"Hermes is an understood vote for it." Percy pointed out, squeezing Annabeth's hand. She flinched, then pulled back. She grabbed his hand again, squeezing it. Percy didn't even make a face. She squeezed it again, using both hands. Nothing happened. She shook it up and down, pulling his arm. Still nothing. Finally, she just huffed and stopped. The throne room was filled with laughter.

"Young love." Aphrodite laughed.

"Yes. yes. Let's do this. Go tell your parents and meet back here in twenty minutes." Zeus said after he recovered from his tiny laughing fit. Percy and Annabeth bowed politely. They walked outside, heading to their friends. They were nearly there when bags fell in front of them, each labeled with a different person's name. They picked them up and raced over to their friends. Annabeth won, carrying only one bag. She had dropped all of the others and Percy had slowed down to pick them up.

"No fair! You cheated!" Percy laughed.

"No, I was simply clever enough to make you slow down, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth replied.

"That's why your Wise girl, Wise Girl." Percy set the bags down, grabbing Annabeth by the waist. She pushed him down, rolling on top of him. They kept rolling until Annabeth was on top again.

"Ha!" She said in triumph. Percy quickly rolled over, turning the tables.

"Ha! Boys rule!" Said an eleven year old Nico. He recieved one of Thalia's socks in the face. He picked it up, throwing it at her. She threw it back and took off her other sock.

"Ah! Not a SOCK" Nico laughed. He hit her with it, acting like it was a sword. Thalia picked up her bag, taking out some boxing gloves.

"Cra-- AH!" Nico was pinned. She rolled him over a few times then reached into her bag again. When she got off of him, he was tied up with nylon rope.

"Annabeth, does Thalia always carry boxing gloves and rope?" Percy asked, getting lost in her eyes. The stormy grey clouds revealed everything to him.

"No, but Lord Hermes sure seems to know what to pack." Annabeth replied, drowning in his ocean of eyes. They leaned down, their lips getting closer and closer until they met...Nico's ears.

"Get a room." He said seriously.

"Nico Di Angelo! You just ruined a kiss of the most talked about couple I have ever met!" Aphrodite called, appearing out of nowhere. She marched down the steps, taking off her earrings and throwing them to Grover. Nico realized two things in that moment. First, he just made Aphrodite mad. No big deal. Second, he was tied up between an angry Annabeth, a totally steaming Percy, and a mad goddess. Crap.

"No!" He cried, being pinned down and kicked, punched, and pinched everywhere.

"Wow. Pretty lady pinch hard. I'll go get First Aid kit." Tyson said, running off to get it. A moment later Hades appeared.

"Well, this is fun." Hades said out loud, resting an arm on Thalia's shoulder.

"Stop! Sto-- Ah! Aphrodite!!!" Nico laughed. They were tickling him now.

"Ah. I thought there was going to be pain." Hades sulked back off to his throne. Tyson appeared with the First Aid kit. He got distracted when he saw some gears on the ground and started to play with them.

"I don't get it. First they wanted to kill him. Now, they want to tickle him?" Grover asked, clearly confused.

"Well, he is kinda cute." Thalia said, looking at Nico. His black eyes were filled with laughter, however that was possible. She saw the look on Grover's face and blushed. " I- I mean like it the 'I want to mess up your hair and dress your up' kinda way."

"Right." Grover rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Satyr."

"So this has nothing to do with the fact that you to are the only single people we know?"

"Quiet, he's eleven! I'm seventeen!"

"Although, in tree years, your about 14. Not that much of a difference between you now, huh?" Grover asked. Thalia took a step forward.

"Where's Tyson with that First Aid kit?" Grover ran away. Thalia sighed and shook her head. She looked over at Nico, watching him roll back and forth on the ground, being tickled as a punishment.

"Sto-Sto-Stop! Ca- Can't! Can't breath!!!" He laughed. Thalia couldn't stand it.

"Is this even legal?" She asked, walking over to them.

"As long as his pants don't come off." Aphrodite replied, tickling Nico's ribs.

"Thalia! No!" Nico screamed, noticing the way she eyed his other set of ribs. He may have been only eleven, but he was muscular.

"Yes. It looks like....FUN!" On the last word, Thalia jumped in, tickling him to death. Finally, Nico stood up and tried to hop away.

"Leave him alone. You guys need to Iris-Message your parents." Thalia instructed. Aphrodite nodded in agreement. She threw a look to Thalia that said 'I know your secret' Thalia blushed, watching Annabeth and Percy walk away. Grover was trying to make Tyson say Hydrogen Peroxide, but failing at it. Aphrodite simply turned and headed back to the throne room. After about ten minutes, they all grouped together in the elevator, having made all the proper calls and preparations. Thalia leaned forward and put her hands over Nico's head, absent-mindedly feeling its smoothness.

"Thalia. I'm scared right now." Nico said.

"Relax, this will be a vacation." Thalia reassured him.

"No, I mean you're hands are on my head." Nico said, reaching up and grabbing her hands. He pulled them off and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes.

"If he falls asleep on the elevator I'll hold it against him for a while. You all know i--" Thalia was cut off as Nico slumped forward, using Thalia's shoulder as a pillow.

"Awkward." Percy, Annabeth, Grover, and even Tyson said quietly. They all laughed at this. They exited the elevator, grabbed their bags and headed outside.

"Now, we just find the airport." Annabeth said confidently.

"Except there's like a million of them in New York." Percy pointed out.

"And we all have to take the same cab." Thalia stated.

"And you guys are all ADHD. You won't be able to concentrate long enough to find it." Grover sighed.

"And, in the off chance we do, we're dyslexic. We can't read it." Nico smiled. Thalia threw a sock at him again. He simply picked it up and put it in her bag.

"What? You don't want me to tickle you again?" Thalia asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's gonna be a long day." The other's all sighed.