This originally is going to be the last chapter of How I Greet My Boyfriend, but then I decided against it for some reason (I've forgotten it already). But it is just something that has been in my mind for a short while, and I've just started writing this week.

Enjoy and review, please.

Aboard the Argo II, the demigods were finally able to enjoy a peaceful journey on the sea, down to the horizon. It was the first time after the Giant War that they were able to just let the ocean current carry the boat and let it float.

Despite the mess that the war had caused, the seven of them were able to get away from everything, away from the fact that Leo was still dead. Nightmares still get them constantly. Screaming in the middle of the night waking themselves up was more normal than ever, it was becoming more and more frequent as the more time they spent on the boat.

"Is it just me or is this boat cursed or haunted?" Frank asked at lunch one time. Visions had been regular, even though they weren't suggesting anything bad. Nico said nothing about the underworld stirring, indicating that everything should be well.

"I feel like this boat's been cursed." Nico muttered under his breath. He was never talkative, and everyone had already gotten used to him muttering everything he wanted to say.

"But I've checked it, with the goddess herself." Hazel reassured. Since the idea of getting back on to this boat to sail away from their worries and set their spirit free for a period of time, the Goddess of Mist and Magic had been on this place to make sure that there was nothing left from the war. Hazel was with her. She had inspected every place.

"The gods are quiet these days. It's weird." Annabeth mused out loud. When she went back to bite on her salad, she felt all eyes on her. The fork stopped in front of her mouth and the lettuce never reached her mouth. "What?" She asked, oblivious to the impact that her thought had made on everyone.

"You do know that whenever you make an observation, we're all alerted, right?" Percy inputted, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at how little his girlfriend sees in herself.

"It's just a thought. Maybe I should stop voicing my observations then." She shrugged, still not seeing the problem.

"Annabeth." Percy sighs.

"What? Am I wrong?" She challenged her boyfriend, when he called her by her name, it usually meant something serious.

"No." He rubbed his face exasperatedly. "No you're not, but you're not correct either." Annabeth didn't speak, she was waiting for him to elaborate. "Yes, it's odd that the gods aren't up to something, but my point is that when you said something is weird, then it must be."

"Why? Only because I'm the smartest?" She scoffed, not buying a word from him.

"Annabeth, stop." Piper interjected. She had witnessed numerous fights between Percy and Annabeth already, but this was something new to her. The exchange between the couple had not only surprised her and the crowd but also Percy himself, he had never expected his girlfriend to react that way.

"What have I done this time, Annabeth?" Percy sounded a little annoyed, but he really just wanted to know.

Piper raised a hand to stop Percy from speaking further, he did, but his emotions were reflected by the rumbling coming from the water in the pipe at the sink and around the boat.

The sound of the rumbling water that was threatening to escape from the pipe caused Annabeth's head to snap around to face the sink that was behind her. Her face suddenly paled. Narrowing her eyes at Percy, she pushed away from the table and stood up abruptly. The look she sent to Percy didn't even last more than a millisecond, yet it was enough for her to convey her feelings.

It was a glare; and unlike any other glares that she had given him, this held no humor, not even anger, but pure hatred and beneath the guarded and defensive expression, there was a lace of fear.

After processing the all the information and analyzing the glowering stare that he had received, he shot up from the seat, ignoring Piper, not even letting her finish her sentence. Pushing the door open and letting it slam shut behind him, he raced down the hall hoping to find her on the deck, but she wasn't there. Then he thought of her cabin, but there was still no trace of her. Percy panicked.

Rushing back to the dining room, he realized that Nico wasn't there anymore. The thought of Annabeth with Nico was dismissed by him quickly, he thought Nico only shadow travelled back to see Will because he missed him too much, but this time Hazel spoke up.

"Nico went after her as soon as she left, Percy. So you don't have to worry." Hazel said, trying to calm him down.

"No, no, no. Her safety is not my main concern because I know she'll be safe, but you didn't see the look that she gave me before she stormed out. It was heart wrenching." He let his voice broke and allowed himself to slump back into an unoccupied chair.

"What are you talking about?" Jason asked.

"That look." Percy pointed out. "Did I imagined it?" He grabbed a fist full of his hair in his hand and pulled it roughly in frustration. "Please tell me I'd just imagined everything."

"Bro," Jason said, furrowing his eyebrows, he was about to tell him that Annabeth had done nothing before she went out of the room, but Piper stopped him with a warning look, daring him to finish his sentence.

"Unfortunately, Percy, I've seen it too." Piper sighed. "I felt the power it withheld, even though it's not directed at me."

"I know it's aiming at me, but I don't know what have I done to make her react that way." Percy looked at Piper helplessly. "With the countless times that she had glared at me and been angry at me, I've never seen a look purely negative coming from her and directed at me. I've not even seen her cast that look when she sees a monster."

"How did you interpret the look?" Piper asked, acting like the therapist. Hazel glanced at the door, silently asking Piper if they should leave, but the latter shook her head.

"Believe it or not, I saw fear in them. Behind the furious and hating look was fear. She's scared of me." He admitted to her. "I only saw anger, hatred and fear, I didn't even see hurt, let along a tint of playfulness."

"Do you want to know what I've seen?" Piper asked gently.

"It's not even directed at you." He protested.

"Yes, that's why asked. Let me rephrase my question, do you want to know the toned-down version?" She paraphrased. Percy nodded. "I saw a strong girl who's hurt and betrayed by her most beloved. The look I saw was not anger or hatred, yes, I saw the fear, but what I saw was distrust."

"Betrayed? By whom?" Percy shouted before Piper had the chance to finish, but after she had finish her analysis, Percy exclaimed, "distrust?" Those were the words that he had never thought that would be used to describe the love of his life. He had done everything for her and with her, he had laid out his world beneath her feet, respected her and laid everything in front of her, poured his heart and soul out just to keep her happy.

He had never forgotten the words that she had told him when he saved her life and when he decided to fall into Tartarus with her. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, Percy Jackson." Those words to him, were deeper that the simple 'I love you', they meant more to him than any other phrases. When he picked up her dagger from the sea to rescue her from a crowd of enemy, she said this to him; when he let go of his hand that was connecting him to the mortal world, she told him this on their way down; when he had watched her back and took the spider before she'd noticed, she melted in his arms as she whispered those words.

But ever since Tartarus, she was distancing herself from him, at least that was what he was feeling.

"Percy, I don't know what happened down there, but I think, you are responsible for this." Frank pointed out the obvious, making Hazel snort softly and elbow him in the side to shut him up.

"I am very well aware of that, thank you for the input Frank." Percy retorted ironically while rolling his eyes.

"I feel Nico nearing us." Hazel suddenly announced when Piper leaned forward, attempting to talk to him again.

"Is Annabeth with him?" He asked immediately.

"I don't know." Hazel said hesitantly, because she wasn't feeling another presence other than Nico's as he shadow travelled.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked impatiently, but Hazel didn't have the chance to reply because Nico showed up.

Quietly, he walked up to the chair that he was originally seated on, the hood of his hoodie still over his head, creating a shadow over his face.

"Nico," Hazel called, telling him that everyone knew where he went, "I can't shield you from Will this time, you know you could've let me do that right?" Nico lifted up his head tiredly, even by the looks of his movements, it was obvious that he was tired.

"I'm sorry." He apologized softly, making Hazel feel guilty about scolding him in the first place. "Can I have a little bit of nectar?" He asked, raising an arm tiredly. Hazel gave Frank a look and he went to get the stuff requested, leaving Hazel to stare at her half-brother. When he downed the nectar, he looked better. Straightening up, he looked like he had something to announce.

"Before I fall asleep due to extreme exhaustion," he started, attempting to lighten the mood, which was very unlike him, but no one budged, "I have to say something. I have a story to tell." He continued. Percy almost groaned out loud if it wasn't for Piper to kick him under the table.

"It's something you'll want to hear about Percy." He said, sensing the annoyance coming from him. Percy rolled his eyes but remained still, the irritation from him seemed to slowly fade away.

"Annabeth stormed out." Nico started his story, and the very first word made Percy's breath hitch, but he wasn't going to stop for him. "I went after her, shadow traveling for a very short distance to the hallway to meet up with her, one to test if I can still shadow travel, and another is to check on her." He explained, retelling his version of the story slowly and taking his time, which wasn't exactly what Percy wanted to hear, but he'd have to be patient or else, Nico might just pass out.

"She ignored me." He sighed. "I wasn't surprised, but when I thought I'd be kicked out or have to accompany her up to the deck, she turned to her room and slammed the door in front of me. Seconds later, she came out with a backpack." Percy's breath hitched, he winced at the imagery.

"I don't know what's in it, but it doesn't look like its holding a lot." He explained his observation. "I didn't dare to ask, because I am after all, scared of her." He admitted, causing Piper to chuckle. "But she surprised me by asking me to shadow travel her to a place that I am forbid to say." People gasped, what could she possibly be planning.

"Was she going on a quest?" Jason asked automatically, sensitive to the activity of the smartest on board.

"I don't know. I'm only here to tell you that she's told me what went through her mind before and after she stormed out." Nico answered. "She told me a story." He proceeded in a painfully slow speed. "Something that happened in Tartarus." He breathed out when the word had been said, hoping and praying that he wouldn't trigger anything.

"Is it me?" Percy whispered.

"Yes, it is you, Percy." Nico answered calmly. "It's not the monster, it's not hell, it's you that she's scared of." He told him.

"What?" Percy jumped up. "This is ridiculous, Nico."

"How I wish it is, Percy Jackson." A voice came from somewhere in the room, weakly and faintly. Everyone turned their heads to find the source, it was too small for them to recognize it, but Piper did, she gasped, but said nothing. Some turned their eyes to Nico, but he had already fallen asleep, obviously his lips didn't move. The room was now in pin-drop silence.

"Who are you?" He asked, getting defensive. "Show yourself."

"I don't dare." The voice replied, it sounded like it was everywhere in the room.

"Then what are you doing here?" Percy demanded, a capped Riptide in his hand in pen form.

"I am here to warn you all that an apocalypse is nearing." The voice said, it was the longest that it had uttered since its entrance.

"What are you talking about?" Jason stared wide eyed into the air that he thought was where the speaker was at.

"The Earth is slowly losing its gravitational pull but the gravity from the Sun remains the same, which means-"

"-we are being pulled closer towards the Sun." Jason finished the sentence of the unknown speaker.

"Yes, you are correct, Jason." The speaker said, their voice becoming hoarse and cracked, it was even harder for them to determine the gender, let along the identity. Even Piper was doubting her initial judgement.

"So what are we going to do?" Frank asked, starting to panic, he felt like he hadn't been living for long peacefully.

"The speed is accelerating as we speak, the gods are still not informed."

Upon the announcement on the gods, Percy jumped up from his seat.

"I will go tell them." He said.

"Sit back down," the voice ordered sternly, "you're the last person they want to see when they are having fun."

"Who are you to tell me this?" He demanded, standing up and reaching into his pocket for his pen once again, this time uncapping it.

"She's your girlfriend." Piper whispered from the side, she didn't mean it to be heard by everyone in the room, but her timing sucked.

"What?" Percy gasped, turning around to face her as the pen grew into a sword in his hand.

"What?" The rest of the teens all stared at Piper, confused.

Just then, the door opened, revealing Annabeth in the same clothes that she was in before she left, but she wasn't alone. Behind her, stood a hellhound.

Percy capped his sword and pocketed his pen, but the rest pulled out their weapon and pointed to the monster behind her. Percy raised his arms to stop his friends from attacking just as Annabeth slowly raised a hand signaling them to stop.

"No, guys, she's not a hellhound." Percy shouted in panic. "Argh! I mean she's not the back kind, she's the only good one." He tried to explain, but he was failing because the more he was saying the more his friends stared at him with a confused face.

"This is Mrs O'Leary." Annabeth introduced calmly, that was when everyone dropped their weapon and sheathed their swords. Percy turned back to stare at his girlfriend who had been dissing and neglecting him recently with an utter surprised look.

On the announcement of her name, the gigantic dog stormed into the room and jumped on to Percy, taking him off his feet and pinned him on the floor.

Piper took this opportunity to walk up to Annabeth, who seemed to be in a better state.

"You're smart." Annabeth patted her on the back, giving her a proud smile. "How'd you know?" She asked, pretending to be just fine and that nothing happened.

"It's really you?" Piper gasped in disbelieve.

"Who else disappeared?" Annabeth answered her with a question.

"True."

"It's a peaceful world, Piper, I've just went to pay the evils a visit, they're all there." She pointed to the ground, rolling her eyes at her friend, but Piper could tell that she was far from fine.

"Can I talk to you for a moment?" She asked finally, deciding not to drag the problem.

"I'm fine, Piper." Annabeth refused. "I'm not the main concern right now, you heard the news I've came back with." She tried to divert her friend's attention, but that wasn't going to work on Piper.

"Yes I did, but I don't care, because we're not feeling anything now, which means it's not severe, at least for now." Piper argued back, giving her a stern look that dared her to protest.

Rolling her eyes, Annabeth opened her mouth to accept it, but the room seemed to quiet down all of a sudden and all eyes were focused on her.

"Where were you, Annabeth?" Percy was the first one to break the ice, he started to walk closer to her, but she started to take steps back. He was still not believing that she was the one who was speaking earlier.

"Don't you dare take another step closer, Percy." Annabeth warned in a cold hard voice.

"Then will you please tell me what I have done to deserve this?" He pleaded. "What was it that happened in Tartarus will make you afraid of me?" He whispered vulnerably, almost wanting to get down on to his knees to beg for her forgiveness.

"Not now, Percy." Was all she replied before she turned her attention back to the crew. Percy, dejected went back to stand beside Jason, hoping to find some comfort from his bro.

"The Earth is getting closer to the Sun, and from my calculations, we should be on the orbit of Venus in half a year, then to the orbit of Mercury in another half a year. We will be sucked back into the Sun in less than a year. And there's nothing that we can do to stop it from happening." Annabeth said, feeling useless for telling them all this, but she just had to tell them about her new discoveries. "The power of the gods are useless in this matter," she informed, "so I propose that we have two choices, they are both ridiculous." She said, eyeing Percy when the last word came out, a hint to him that it was really her that was in the room under her invisibility hat.

"What are they then?" Jason asked, always been the second brain to help Annabeth.

"Take a quest to the center of the Earth." She said, not wasting a minute. "Or," she interrupted before the room erupted with chattery, "we go our separate ways to the planet of our godly parent." She finished.

"That shouldn't be the only two solutions we have." Jason mumbled, not believing the incredulous proposals from Annabeth.

"Yes, there's a third one, but I dismissed it quickly thinking that you people won't agree to it." Annabeth said, surprising every single person in the room. "We ask the gods for help."

"And what will they do? You just said that their powers are useless." Percy pointed out.

"Touché, Percy." She spared him a glance, still thinking how she should talk to him. "Their power cannot stop the Earth from getting closer to the Sun, but they have the ability to create a second universe."

"What do you mean?" Everyone chorused.

"This is a wild theory that I came up with only if we get on the good side of the gods or beg them, and I'm sure none of you are willing to actually beg them to do that, so I dismissed it quickly. A second universe is like a space that exists on Earth but is not connected to the Earth. You can get into the universe from the Earth, but what happens to the Earth will not affect what's inside the universe. It is like a second layer."

"Is that where you've been?" Hazel asked, scowling. Annabeth nodded. "You're so going to get skinned alive by Will." She said.

"I paid Will a visit already, and yes, I'm sure you won't be seeing me if I didn't tell him about this coming apocalypse." Annabeth remembered, "it's a long way to the entrance, but I've found it at last." She said proudly.

• • •

That night, Annabeth didn't go back to her cabin like she usually would, instead, she went out on to the deck, hoping that she would be the only one. Of course, if any stories happened the way a character hoped for, then it wouldn't be an interesting story. So of course Annabeth didn't find herself being the only one still up so late at night.

"I knew I'd see you here tonight, Annie." The tone sounded like Piper's but the deepness of the voice didn't wound like her. Under the light of the full moon, a mop of golden hair shone.

"Jason?" Her heart almost leaped out of her rib cage because for a second, she thought might be Luke who had gotten back from the dead with a bunch of monsters.

"At your service, Miss Chase." He replied not meaning a word he had said.

"Fancy seeing you here." She said, walking towards him to take a seat next to him on the deck. "What are you doing at this ungodly hour of the day?" She inquired as she laid down beside him to stare into the sky, folding her arms under her head, to let her head rest on.

"Ditto, I can really ask you the same." He shrugged, and Annabeth could almost guess the reason behind his appearance.

"Piper suggested that you come find me and discuss the theory that I came up with today, didn't she?" Annabeth asked, knowing that it was never Piper's intention, but she would be denying it when someone asked.

"Yes." Jason sighed, "it's not exactly how I pictured to spend the night, but yes."

Annabeth sighed with him. It was typical Piper.

"I pity you, and I'm sorry that you have to do this." She sighed.

"You know what her real intentions are right?" He asked just to make sure that they were on the same page.

"How could I not?" She chuckled humorously, there really wasn't anything particularly funny. "You know you can just go back and make up something, say something like I'm fine, I'll back you up tomorrow morning when we're at breakfast."

"As much as I wish that I can just lie to her, she'll see through me." Jason rubbed his face tiredly. "You know, sometimes, I feel like she's choosing you over me and I feel like she will be putting you before me."

"And you're jealous." She finished his thought.

"Yeah." He nodded.

"I know. I get that, but I don't know what I can do." She confessed.

"Why did you leave?" He asked, getting to the subject.

"Flashback." She replied shortly.

"About?" He pressed.

"Tartarus." She shivered as the word came out of her mouth, she was practicing it, trying to get used to saying the word and living with its existence. "It was about something that happened when we were down there."

"Piper said the nasty look that you've sent Percy before you left was bad."

"It was. I didn't know what got over me, I can hardly believe it myself."

"What went through your mind?"

"You'll have to know what happened in order to understand." She sighed, not wanting to dwell on the matter, but she knew she had to face it sooner or later, either to a crowd of people or just to Jason. "I don't hate Percy, I could never do that."

"Then what happened to make you throw him that look?"

"To put this simply, I saw the worst side of him. He was just trying to protect me, but that was really scary. The darkest part of him." She started, trying very hard to suppress the flashback and the vision that might be haunting her as she recalled the event.

"I'm listening." He said softly to remind her that she still had to keep talking.

"Do you know the Goddess of Misery and Sadness, Achlys?" She continued.

"Yes, I think so. She's been down there for a while then. She's the Mist of Goddess right?" He recalled.

"Right, and we met her." She explained, "she was trying to attack us and because Percy was doing all the talking, so she attempted to make Percy suffer and put him in misery. She knew I am his weakness, so she tried to hurt me, but he got so angry. Percy was so angry when she attacked me." She chocked, swallowing back a lump that was forming and also blinking back the tears that were starting to form without her notice.

"Of course he'd be furious." Jason said softly. "If it's Piper, then I'd do the same."

"No, you don't understand. It's so different." Annabeth stopped him. "It's not that simple." She stopped him. "He sworn to make the goddess suffer. Then he took control of the poison inside the body of the goddess, letting it choke her and letting her drown in them. You didn't see his face, you didn't see how the goddess was drowning and dehydrating as all of the liquid in her was controlled in Percy's hands. It was my worst nightmare. I feel like it was worst than Tartarus, because he is the last person that I thought I'd see the side of." She finished retelling the story, not wanting to get descriptive.

"I can imagine." He tried to say something to sound helpful, but he knew he was far from it.

"You can't." Annabeth mumbled, it sounded mean but she couldn't help it.

"I can't." He repeated, agreeing with her. "I can only imagine how broken he is seeing that you are distancing yourself from him and that you are afraid of him. He described your glare as 'heart wrenching'." He informed.

Annabeth's breath stopped, he heard the gasp from her but he didn't turn his head to look at her, he knew he was making some progress.

"He didn't know that he's scared you, but he can feel that you're different, he's trying very hard to make you feel comfortable and happy but he has no idea how." Jason said, but in reality, his mind was completely blank, he didn't exactly know what was his point or what he was getting at, he just felt like they were the right things to say. "I think," he decided to suggest it even though it might not be the best, "you should talk to him about it, Annabeth. You are everything to him and he went to hell with you, he will do it again if it means to keep you with him." He turned to look at her, seeing a tear rolling down the corner of her eyes, he got up feeling like it was his cue to leave.

"Piper told him that you are not trusting him and you felt betrayed, I don't agree with her, but what I do agree with her is that you are afraid of him. You might not be hurt, but you are scared of him, just tell him that and figure out a solution with him."

Jason left without another word after this last suggestion. She didn't know how long had she been lying there by herself just staring at the constellations until a familiar scent flowed into her nose.

"I'm sorry, Percy." She apologized, not even making a move to look at who approached. From the scent, she could already know that it was her boyfriend. "To act that way that I did." She finished her apology, but there was still no respond.

Turning around, sitting up and scanned her surrounding, at the end of the boat, leaning on the railing stood her boyfriend. The wind carried his scent into her nose. She heaved out a sigh, at least she wasn't hallucinating.

"Percy," she called a little bit louder but he didn't move. "Percy please?" Her voice lost a little confidence, it was slipping away from her. She stood up, decided to walk towards him, but he turned around. "I'm sorry."

"No, baby, I heard that." He caught her stumbling into his arms, pulling her close to his body, smoothing the back of her head, letting her arms wrap around his waist and allowing himself to bury his nose into her hair. "Have I lost your trust?" He whispered in her ears softly and gently.

She didn't reply instantly, and the longer she took the more tense he was, she could feel it with her body flushed against his.

Finally, she shook her head slightly on his shoulder, and she felt him relaxed.

"I'm just scared." She mumbled.

"Of me?" He asked equally quiet.

"I really like to deny it…" Annabeth nodded, her head still resting on his shoulder, not wanting to leave his warmth, nor did he ever wanted to let her go. "You really scared me down there."

"I know." He said into her hair, pecking her neck and the up to her cheek. "I heard your conversation with Jason." He said in her ear, this made her open her eyes and stare at him alerted.

"Why aren't you sleeping?" She whispered but her voice was too soft, he wouldn't have heard it if she wasn't that close to him.

"Because I can't." He explained. "I got up from my bed and went to your room, I can't fall asleep because of what happened today, I know it's something that I've done to make you leave, and bully Nico, but I wanted to know what."

"So you were going to ask me when you come to my room?"

"Yes, but I'm going to wait until the morning if you're asleep." He said, "I just want to see you and hug you."

"I'd like that too." She whispered, closing her eyes and relaxing against him once again.

"But there's still one thing that I'm not sure about." He said before settling down with the idea of going back to the cabin.

"Yeah?" She mumbled sleepily.

"Can you still hear me?" He chuckled, taking a look at her peaceful sleepy form.

"Hm." She nodded faintly.

"What made you think of Achlys?"

"Hm…" She replied indicating that she was still with him, barely, but still. "I heard the rumbling of the water in the pipe, and there was a millisecond that I thought you might let out those water to choke me." She said with her eyes still closed, but the confession shocked Percy.

"You thought I'd hurt you." He whispered, even the words coming out of his mouth sounded impossible to him, hearing it implied from the girl in his arms was even harder for him to believe.

"No?" She said, already in a drunken state, too comfortable in his arms. "Can we please go back to sleep?" She asked, finally opening her eyes a little to look up at him. He could never say no to her, if it was nothing harmful, he would always support her idea no matter how ridiculous it may sound.

"Sure." He said, scooping her up in his arms and took the stairs down to the lower deck and into her cabin. Frequently pecking her on the lips on his way.

"Stay with me, you're warm." She didn't let go of her arms around his neck, pulling him down with her when he placed her on to the bed. Chuckling softly, he laid down beside her after closing the door.

"You want to cuddle." It was more of a statement than a question, but he wasn't going to give up this opportunity to be close to her, he was always up for a cuddle with her whenever it was possible.

"Yes." She snuggled up to him, hugging him closer to her. "It's so good to have a scary and protective boyfriend." She muttered, closing her eyes and letting a smile rest on her face.

• • •

"When did they go to bed?" Piper whispered to Jason as they peeked into the room of the young couple.

"You mean when did they actually sleep?" Jason whispered back teasingly, getting elbowed in the side.

"I can promise you that they didn't do it, no couple in their right mind will do that under the strain condition." She whispered back, stepping away from the door, closing it behind her quietly like a mother checking on her children. "You've done well, Jason Grace." She complimented.

"So what am I getting as a reward?" He grinned.

"I'm sure I can come up with something." She gave him a wicked smile and disappeared around the corner and into the kitchen.

"Guys," Hazel's concerned voice caught everyone that was in the kitchen's attention. She just entered, but her voice told everyone of them to drop whatever they were doing and listen. "Nico and I both got this strange feeling in the underworld, deep down, somewhere in the Earth, there's something wrong. We felt it, it's a strange feeling that none of us can recognize, but maybe that's the problem Annabeth's talking about?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

Jason's spoon was still full and froze midway to his mouth, Piper almost dropped the knife that she was using to cut her pancakes, Frank gaped and Nico nodded at the side, supporting his sister's statement.

"Like-"

"-the-"

"-fuck?"

Piper was the first one to speak, then it was Frank, Jason cut him off to finish the sentence the way he wanted.

"What is happening?" Annabeth and Percy walked into the room just in time to see everyone froze on their spot and staring at Hazel and Nico who was still in the middle of the room, standing there staring back at the crew.

"Um…" Hazel was startled by the sudden appearance of the two, she turned to them as the others slowly started to unfreeze.

"Hazel said she and I might have found the reason to the podcast apocalypse." Nico explained, rescuing his sister.

"Nothing's podcast." Annabeth replied. "It's simply a wild guess from me, because everything is slowly turning abnormal, and I suggest we go back to Camp and get out of the water the sooner the better." She said in a calm tone, but the content in her speech was making her listeners panic.

"You've done the calculations though." Frank pointed out.

"Yes, but the data are all collected based on a bunch of hypotheses." She remarked.

"So this might not be true? Everything that you've said yesterday." Piper, always the optimist, asked.

"I didn't say that. The chance of this still happening is pretty high." Annabeth answered, her mind racing in abnormal speed.

"Then what are we going to do and what are we doing?"

"We still have time."

• • •

Near the core of the Earth, there were three moving things. A demigod, a titan and a metallic dragon.

Annabeth wasn't the only one that had sensed the changes to the climate, a certain titan that had been trapped on Ogygia forever also noticed it.

When Leo went to get her on his metal dragon, she had told him about her theory. He, like any other normal human being, didn't buy it, finding it totally hilarious. Unlike any other people, he stood there laughing. The reaction from him greatly offended her, almost making her to use him just to get out of the island and ditch him.

"Wait, actually?" He asked when he realized that her stare turned into a glare.

Calypso rolled her eyes at him, answering his question with a contempt look.

"I'm so sorry." He pulled her closer to him and then invited her onto the back of the dragon. "I just thought it was a very funny joke." He explained, rubbing the back of his neck, attempting to lighten the mood and actually give an excuse to his earlier behavior.

"Just thought you should know, Leo." She said slowly in a warning tone. "That," she dragged the word, sending shivers down his back, making the hair stand up, "I will not let my love towards you spoil you." Finishing her sentence as if saying a vow, she gave him a pointed look as if daring him to defy her.

"Sorry, boss." He saluted sheepishly and in the quietest possible coming from him.

"So, what do you propose we do about this crisis?" She asked, getting them back to the topic as he setup the dragon, getting ready to leave the place.

"I think, we should go and take a look ourselves." He suggested slowly and tentatively. "You know," he quickly started to explain upon seeing the confused and disbelieving look from her, "since we are fire-proof and hence heat-proof?" He let his statement end in a question, showing that he wasn't confident. "And, you know, we know how to fix stuff?" He continued, finishing his point and stared to try to figure out her reaction from just looking at her face.

Calypso raised an eyebrow at him, he wasn't sure what the gesture meant nor what it indicated, but he hoped that it was something good.

So, initially, I planned this as a one-shot, but as I write, things started to get complicated and then it gradually developed into a very long one-shot, and then turned into a story with multiple long chapters.

Anyways, MERRY CHRISTMAS! and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!

and, a review would be nice I'll be posting a Christmas themed story later, too.