Ok sorry to bore you all with my notes and such, but I've got a few things to say:

1. first things first, this is my story and I will write it how I want it written. If you don't like it, is it really so hard to just go back to the page with all the stories and choose another one to read? Please don't read it if you don't like it, I won't be offended. I will be offended if you choose to tell me all about how much you don't like it. Constructive criticism is welcome, but please don't send me hurtful reviews. I work very hard on this story and it really undermines my work when I get a review or message like that. Thanks ppl!

2. THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH TO ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO FAVORITED AND REVIEWED MY FIRST STORY! BECAUSE OF YOU WE ARE HERE! AT THE SEQUEL! YAHOO! Ok enough with the caps lol! But yeah thank you so much! this one's for all of you guys!

3. side note: Vrontí's name means "thunder" in Greek :D thought that was a nice touch.

I think I've bored you enough by now, so enjoy!

Anne's POV

What is it about flying that makes everything seem okay, anyway? When you have flying dreams, you feel free. When you're on the back of a pegasus, plunging through clouds at speeds that would give any sane parent a heart attack, you feel unstoppable, like nothing will ever get you down.

I reined in my mount ever so slightly as we began to near Camp Half-Blood. The morning's chill was starting to get to me. I held the reins one-handed for a second to pull the hood of my sweatshirt over my wavy blonde hair. My breath and the breath of Vrontí, the dark gray pegasus I was riding, were starting to come in visible clouds. With a sad sigh, I loosened my reins and encouraged Vrontí to start dropping altitude, heading back toward camp.

I'd been riding a lot more these last few months than pretty much ever. Before I'd come to camp my mom would joke that I was going to start taking my horse Diamond to school dances instead of a boy. Horses had been a huge part of my life. But then I found out I was a demigod and was whisked off to camp, where I'd discovered so much more about myself. I was a daughter of the Greek god Apollo. I was a good shot at archery and a force in Capture the Flag. I had a lot of siblings and so many new friends. And, might I add, I'm not as hopeless with boys as my mother probably feared.

There it was, the usual sadness I usually felt when I thought of my boyfriend, Leo Valdez. The son of Hephaestus, one of the chosen seven, the next hero of the world as I liked to call him, was off on a quest that would determine if the world would end or not, basically.

Heroes. They do that. But it didn't make my pain any easier to deal with.

Last I'd heard from him, he'd Iris-messaged me three nights ago. He'd been about to go into battle and had taken the time to IM me first.

"I'm sorry, I can't talk long," he'd said, smiling at me from behind the veil of mist. "Annabeth wants to get going. We don't have much time. I just wanted to say hi."

I loved him for not saying it outright, but I knew what he'd been thinking: I just wanted to see you, because I might not come back alive.

I hadn't talked to him since.

Subconsciously, I tightened my grip forcefully on the reins, making Vrontí pin his ears in annoyance. I rubbed his dark gray neck in apology, angry at myself. I didn't want to make myself believe it. It couldn't be true. Leo had to be okay.

Get back to camp and ask Chiron if they've sent an IM, I told myself. You have been gone a while.

I'd been doing this a lot, especially lately, taking a pegasus and losing myself in the clouds. I'd always found riding therapeutic, but riding a horse that could take you into the sky? Best feeling ever.

But even on a pegasus with an energy level like Vrontí's, I was bound to have to come back down eventually. I still had to eat and sleep and all that, but if I had my way, I would be flying forever, losing myself in the feeling that everything was okay.

Vrontí slowed, spreading his wings to land, and his hooves touched down. I urged him to keep cantering forward across the grass by the lake, knowing it wasn't good for him to come to a standstill after landing. He obliged, springing into a long-strided canter that was quite easy to sit to bareback.

We headed toward the pegasus stable and I pulled Vrontí back down to a walk, loosening the reins to let him stretch his neck. "You were such a good boy today," I told him, smiling and patting his neck. "That was a great way to start the morn—"

"Anne!"

I turned my head as my half-brother Scott came running across the grass, calling my name. "Anne! There you are!"

"What?" I asked, halting Vrontí and addressing him. "What's up?"

"Our lookouts saw it and spread the word!" Scott panted. "The Argo II was spotted on the horizon fifteen minutes ago! They're coming back!"

My heart lurched with mingled excitement and fear. "Are you serious?"

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Scott retorted. "Now the least you can do is give me a lift back down to the beach. I ran all the way around camp trying to find you."

"Fancy a gallop?" I responded. "Bareback?"

When Scott grimaced like, No thanks! I laughed and urged Vrontí forward into a gallop. Our time flying earlier didn't seem to have affected his energy much; he was more than happy to go for a run.

All I could think of while we galloped was, Oh, gods, please let him be here and unhurt!

My heart was racing as Vrontí and I neared the crowd that was gathering at the beach. There it was! The Argo II was here! I slowed Vrontí to a trot and slid from his back, tossing the reins over his head and leading him down onto the sand.

"Anne!" a voice called. It was my friend Ashley from the Aphrodite cabin, running toward me from the crowd gathered at the water. "They're back! Isn't it great? Hello, beautiful," she added to Vrontí, stroking his nose as we started to head toward the crowd.

Chiron was standing in full centaur form at the edge of the water, watching intently as five people departed from the ship. The first person stepped onto the sand, prompting an uproar of cheering from the crowd. It was Percy Jackson himself, looking none the worse for wear. He looked tired, but he smiled and greeted everybody as Annabeth left the ship and stood by his side, smiling widely. Jason and Piper left next holding hands, which made everybody cheer louder. Ashley left my side and rushed to greet her half-sister, leaving me holding Vrontí's reins, waiting…

My breath caught in my throat as the last person stepped down from the ship. But instead of going to greet the crowd, he stood on the spot, his dark brown eyes sweeping over the people as though he was searching for only one.

I thrust Vrontí's reins into the nearest hand and jogged in his direction. "Leo!"

His head turned and a smile broke out on his face. "Anne!"

I felt my feet leave the ground as he pulled me into a hug, twirling us around. He'd definitely gotten stronger, not to say that people normally have trouble lifting me! He looked a little taller too, his hair a little messier, his smile a little brighter.

"I missed you so much," I said, kissing him.

"I missed you too," he said, smiling and brushing a lock of my hair out of my face. "I'm so sorry I didn't IM as much as I probably should have, there were a lot of monsters—"

"No, no, I understand!" I interrupted. "The important thing is that you're here now."

He pulled back a little and made eye contact with me. "I'm here now," he said. "And I promise I'll never leave you again."

It was easy to tune out the excited cheering of the crowd behind us as Leo kissed me. I had waited way too long for this to be embarrassed now. As long as I had Leo back, nothing was ever going to get me down.