All Roads Lead to Us

by bookwormx10

In the magical quiet that one can only find in the dead of night, Annabeth began to reminisce back to the planning of the road trip. She thought of how she got where she was by planning since she was fourteen. Her dad had told her to not get her head stuck too far into the fantasies of the trip as there was a great possibility it wouldn't happen, but Annabeth didn't listen.

"Do you have to go for the whole summer? What am I supposed to do without my best friend?" Percy whined as he slumped himself against the now barren mattress.

Annabeth smiled at his goofy antics as she continued stripping her room of its personality. Down the blueprints of the Empire State Building went from her crisp white walls. Down the picture of a hugging Percy and Annabeth went. It had adorned her room for nine years. A clean, square slate of untarnished white remained as a ghost of the beloved picture. Annabeth continued packing all of her most treasured possessions collected from years worth of living, preparing for her leave to college in just months.

Beaten and battered cardboard boxes laid haphazardly around the room in an un-Annabeth like way. Some were taped shut with dark labels written in a pristine handwriting that took her far too long to do than Annabeth would have liked to admit.

Finally after a satisfied sigh and the last of the objects neatly tucked away in its proper box, Annabeth joined Percy on the naked mattress with a resonating thump!

She pushed his inky hair from his eyes and reckoned he'd need a cut soon. He looked upon her with windows to the sea, a tender vulnerability held in the glance.

"You know I've had this trip planned since the beginning of freshman year. And now we're official high school graduates." She kept her voice gentle and reassuring, her face might not have been as despaired as Percy's, but she felt the pain of being away from him in her own ways.

Her brain turned and spun like clockwork with all the future specks of longing and loneliness. Percy being her best friend was an understatement. He was entwined with her being. His laugh held roots in her heart, his love for blue food of any kind was ingrained in her skin; everything good from his bright smile to everything bad with his quick temper was a part of her also. And now... well now Annabeth was leaving for two months.

Never had the pair been without physical contact for that long. They vacationed together, went to school together, ate together, and nearly everything else together. The pattern they had become so accustomed to throughout years of friendship was shattered as easy as the glass dishes tucked away in a cardboard box just feet away from the pair.

"I know. It's just going to be weird." Percy said sullenly. His face was drawn with downcast gloom whether he wished it to be or not.

"Don't worry I'll still text you everyday and send you lots of snapchats everywhere I go. And I'll be sure to find the best blue food in each state we visit." Annabeth replied lightly with a whimsical smile on her face.

Percy washed away the glum demeanor, opening his face to the troublemaker smile that Annabeth felt her heart swoon for, but knew she could never have.

"You better." He said with equal enthusiasm that was now displayed on both their faces.

Annabeth smiled broader in reply, tucking herself away into the folds of her best friends tan arms. She couldn't believe that this would be the second to last time she saw him in person for two months. Yet, she couldn't wait to leave.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

The day started off with golden rays of light splashing on Annabeth's face, waking her from her deep slumber. Her hair laid messily around her head, covering her sterling eyes from the view of the morning. Percy's arm was wrapped around her waist in comforting protection from the cool morning air, exactly as it had been when they had fallen asleep. A serene, lazy smile crept on Annabeth's face.

Not even a minute later, Annabeth found herself making a muffled groan as a ping! came from her phone and ruined the tranquil atmosphere.

Blindly, Annabeth moved her hand around until she felt the rectangular object within her grasp. She brought the lit up screen to her face. There was five unread messages from Piper. Annabeth scrolled through the messages still slightly dazed from her peaceful sleep.

7:25 a.m.

Piper: Hereeeeeee! Get up girly! We've got adventuring to do! I made a hella rockin' playlist and Rachel brought that really cool speaker she bought from her trip to Japan- you remember that? And Hazel made MUFFINS!

7:30 a.m.

Piper: Ok Sleeping Beauty, seriously get your butt out here. Rachel threatened to start painting my arms if she has to wait any longer

7:32 a.m.

Piper: Annabethhhhh you stupid slut get your ass out here

7:33 a.m.

Piper: OMFG I'm literally going to kill you. I told you to be ready by 7:15

7:40 a.m.

Piper: Ok guess who ate your muffin. ME. I did.

Annabeth's eyes widened with realization. She had forgotten to set her alarm in the midst of packing the previous day. She quickly replied to her other best friend, Piper, saying she'd be out in five minutes.

Hastily, Annabeth leaped from the bed, knocking Percy awake and ran like a madwoman throughout her house trying to get ready at the speed of light.

"Well someone's in a rush." Percy mumbled in a husky voice. Annabeth loved that morning voice, but now was not the time to fawn over it.

"Can you comb my hair while I brush my teeth?" She asked slipping a dark grey tank over her figure.

Percy shifted his body so it was opposite of Annabeth's, giving her the privacy to change.

"Yea, no problem, Wise Girl."

In just under four minutes Annabeth was ready.

Percy walked her out to the sidewalk just as Piper started to honk the horn on the atrocious yellow van.

The van had been Rachel's findings. It was a Volkswagen type 2 and far more glamorous than when she had found it nearly beyond repair in a junkyard one year ago. She had been searching for pieces of metal, cans, and bottle caps for an art project that had ended up winning a prestigious art award within a national competition when she stumbled upon the mechanical disaster.

At the time nearly all of its frame had withered away into a rusted hunk of fly guts yellow, but Rachel saw its potential beauty. She brought it home via help from an unhappy and more than slightly disdained father and pitched its usage on the road trip she and her three other best friends had planned since the beginning of high school. Well, Annabeth had planned since the beginning.

They were hesitant at first, but through extra shifts at work and tremendous amounts of love the van became a source of glory and pride for the girls in just a few months. It's color still remained a sight for sore eyes (sunglow yellow sounded nice when Piper first picked the color, but it failed to live up to its name), but Hazel and Rachel had attacked it with paint brushes filled with purples and blues and pinks and greens.

By the time they needed it, the van was wrapped in blooming, fluorescent flowers. Forest green vines traced the outline of the frame, looping into the names of the girls- Piper, Rachel, Annabeth and Hazel.

The interior had been a harder challenge. Everything had to be replaced. The original seats were ripped and disgruntled, harboring all types of vermin. A pungent odor wafted from the walls with the scent of moldy cheese and dirty dishes. Again, Rachel greeted the task with optimism, giving Annabeth and Piper the opportunity to design a van worth living in for two months.

Now, the van had plush, white pillows on retro pink seats. A bubbly lamp was super glued to a fold out counter. The walls were adorned with varying types of wallpaper from zebra prints to 40s floral design to plain, old black.

Annabeth sighed in content at the familiar sight of it. This would be the first time they all actually rode in it.

Piper leaned forward from the driver's seat, Hazel sitting besides her. A manic grin crossed the brunette's face. Her round sunglasses, reflected the morning glow.

"And the princess finally returns!" She shouted in glee, a happy laugh gurgling the words.

From the back seat, Rachel popped her head in between Hazel and Piper to get a better look at Annabeth. Her ginormous red hair consumed all else in the vehicle.

"Annie! You showed up!" Her freckles bounced with the formation of a smile.

Hazel remained quiet, but shared the same ecstatic ambiance as the others.

Annabeth turned to Percy, just as soon as it sprang, the smile on her face fell into the depths of saying goodbye.

"I'll see you soon, okay?" She said softly, her voice quiet and still.

Percy nodded his head.

"Okay." He said, he rested his forehead against hers, soaking in the moment together.

A layer of peace blanketed the pair, freezing time for them to say their goodbyes.

A faint chirp from a bluebird sang a melody of bittersweet sound; high notes turning to low notes turning back to high. Everything about the few moments passed in a dream of perfection.

Percy twiddled a lock of Annabeth's golden hair before pulling her into a bone-crushing hug.

"Have fun." His voice was pure honey, each word a fresh cloud of ecstasy that Annabeth yearned for.

"I will." She said, a drip of defiance hitting her tone, ready for the grand adventure she was about to endure.

Picking up her bag, Annabeth skipped over to the van, dumping her belongings into the back seat and waved goodbye to her best, best friend.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

"So, when are you guys going to be official?" Piper gave Annabeth a mischievous smirk. She was of course referring to Percy and Annabeth.

They had been driving on the same highway for around an hour with the conversation slowly dying away and slowly focusing more on the pair of best friends, much to the blonde's annoyance.

Annabeth shifted in her seat, prying her sweaty legs off of the sticky leather seat with a sickening rrriiipppppp. She thought they could really use better A/C than the one the girls had in the van as trickles of sweat danced down her back, down her arms, and down her face.

"You know it's not like that. He's my best friend," She said it in a small, almost disappointed voice and added on, "Not my boyfriend."

Piper rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on, everyone sees the way you look at him, and more importantly the way he looks at you. Love is practically radiating off of him. And besides you guys totally banged at Leo's grad party last week." Piper said dryly.

"Wait. What? You did?!" Rachel piped up excitedly from her book, her giant glasses teetering on the end of her nose from the sudden jostling movement.

"I did nothing!" Annabeth protested, but her cheeks betrayed her as a dark red blush painted the normally peach skin.

"Ha! I knew you did! Look you're all red." Piper yelled in childish victory. "And besides for at least two days after neither of you could look each other in the eye, but now it's like the two of you can't get enough physical contact." Piper continued slyly.

"That is not what 'best friends' do Annie. Best friends don't have sex with each other." Rachel told her, innocently enough, but with the same air of Piper's smirk.

"Okay fine we did! But we were both drunk so it doesn't matter." Annabeth crossed her arms, beginning what would be an eon of the silent treatment.

"How was it?" Piper quirked her eyebrow in question.

"Okay, that is enough! This topic is now off limits!" Hazel proclaimed. Her face flushed with the look of being perfectly scandalized. She fanned herself with her hand, clearly overwhelmed by the open conversation.

Piper and Rachel laughed at their friend's outburst while Annabeth tried futilely to suppress an aching grin.

"Ah, still the baby of this family." Rachel giggled.

"I am seventeen and going to be eighteen in December!" Hazel cried in defense.

"Yea, but I'm going to be nineteen in like two weeks." Annabeth claimed, taking the time to tease her friend, but not forgiving Rachel and Piper yet for pushing certain information out of her.

"Well we still love you anyways." Piper beamed with all her teeth.

Annabeth felt a tingling sensation bubble in her stomach. She knew this road trip would strengthen their friendship more than ever and she couldn't wait to make those memories that would do so.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

The sun had set hours ago, giving way to the moon's guiding light on the droning road. Annabeth had volunteered to take the night shift while the other girls slept and didn't regret doing so. Their van was the only one left on the long stretch of pavement, allowing for the relaxing lull of the engine to calm Annabeth.

The stars were in full bloom, sparkling with the promise of something spectacular. Each one twinkled a little brighter than the next.

A soft Ed Sheeran song hummed lightly from the radio, etching out sounds of wonder into the blank atmosphere. The tune carried its way through the small whispers of wind created by the gentle air conditioning, swirling throughout the crevices of the vehicle.

Annabeth gave a small smile upon hearing the up and downs of Rachel's normally horrendous snoring. Annabeth felt as though good fortune was with her, not even Rachel was tainting the harmony that had seated itself around the blonde.

In the magical quiet that one can only find in the dead of night, Annabeth began to reminisce back to the planning of the road trip. She thought of how she got where she was by planning since she was fourteen. Her dad had told her to not get her head stuck too far into the fantasies of the trip as there was a great possibility it wouldn't happen, but Annabeth didn't listen. She had dived head first into a lake of dreams and wishes all revolving around the trip and she had made it happen.

Annabeth had met Piper in freshman year when the latter moved to the small town from LA after her movie star father, Tristan McLean, decided to retire from the show business and spend time with his family instead. At first, they had received multitudes of publicity with the paparazzi booking every hotel room possible, but over the years the photographers and public pests had died down greatly. Only occasionally was Piper again harassed by the flashes and shouting.

They had both been in the same English class and were paired together as partners on the first assignment of the year. They bonded over having both ADHD and dyslexia and became fast friends. It had been half way through that year when Annabeth told Piper about the road trip she was planning to take once she graduated.

The first time Piper had ever visited Annabeth's house the blonde immediately took the brunette to her room to show her the massive United States map that was hanging on her wall. The edges were worn away, rubbed raw from constant use. There were messy folds lining all across the states, but most importantly were dozens of red pins stuck precisely in different cities in nearly every single state and a frayed, red string of yarn connecting each point. It was Annabeth's road trip route.

Upon seeing it, Piper was instantaneously captivated with the idea. She imagined all the places she'd see, the people she'd meet, the stories she would live. Piper knew Annabeth would be the perfect person to have with her in that next great adventure.

The summer going into tenth grade Piper had met Rachel Elizabeth Dare at a local art class hosted by the local community college. Piper had been absolutely horrendous at painting and couldn't draw a stick figure to save her life, but Rachel had been magnificent. The pencils and paintbrushes only served as an extension of her body, her soul feeling the colors like her heartbeat and making designs as easy as breathing.

Piper had been mystified by Rachel and instinct told her she should befriend the girl with the crazy red hair. And so she did.

Annabeth had been a little wary of sharing the road trip with Rachel at first, but allowed herself to break down at least one of her walls and let Rachel into her sacred treasure.

Hazel hadn't come into the picture until near the end of junior year, when she moved to the school from her previous home in Alaska. Annabeth immediately took the younger girl under her wing upon seeing her. Hazel reminded Annabeth of herself when she first moved to the town years ago; alone frightened, and most of all- determined.

Friendship with Annabeth guaranteed friendship with Piper and Rachel, also, and Hazel was more the overjoyed and relieved to find such an amazing group of friends. They helped her escape her dark past filled with her mother's drug abuse and overall parental abandonment. They had rekindled the hope that had begun to wither in Hazel's life.

Annabeth had always questioned herself a little bit as to why she never thought of incorporating Percy into the road trip, as he was her one and true best friend, but she speculated that around the time she was arranging the trip in notebooks and on maps she was recognizing her liking towards him.

Perhaps, she reasoned, that maybe the road trip was even meant to run away from him, to avoid confronting those gnawing feelings that kept growing in her heart like wildfire. After all, she was notorious at running away… and it wasn't just Percy she was running from, but dark thoughts like those tarnished a night like this, so she ignored them.

Annabeth was drowning in the near palpable moonlight and her entwining thoughts by the time she pushed away all of her unwanted thoughts. Forgotten memories piped up like noisy schoolchildren. She worked herself into a haze of nostalgia and imagining that was thicker than the fog beginning to form around the painted, yellow van. She felt more relaxed than ever.

A serene tranquility made its way to her lips in the form of a beam not quite as bright as the moonlight, but far more dazzling than any jewel as she turned onto an exit leading to the girls' first hotel stop.

The essence of the trip was already sparking Annabeth with youthful delight.

She couldn't wait to experience more.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

Piper stood in the middle of the gravelly road. It was in dire need of repair with chunks of concrete missing from it and uneven blotches of fresh and old pavement along with a chorus of potholes. One hand laid heavily on her hip, while the other shielded her kaleidoscope eyes from the blazing sun of midday. She peered around at the acres and acres of fields as drops of sweat trickled down her neck.

Hazel stood to the side, reviewing a map tediously. Tracing each road line with a dainty finger.

Rachel remained in the driver's seat composing the image of nonchalance with crooked aviators resting on her freckled nose. Her fiery curls shook in the wisps of summer's wind. Her jaw moved ferociously as she smacked on a piece of chewing gum, allowing the loud chomps to ricochet throughout the waving heat.

Farther down the road was Annabeth, her face illuminated with blaring red as she fumed. She threw her hands wildly in the air without caution to the flies beginning to swarm around her. Her hair was flying out of the bright pink hair tie constraint she had used to keep the blonde swirls out of her face and off her neck.

Piper plopped her hand down back to her side where it swung carelessly.

"Yep. It's official, we're lost." She said with confirmation to the other girl's pressing thoughts.

Hazel sighed tiredly, not unlike a mom who had four kids all crying and begging her to do something.

Rachel merely shrugged, unfazed by the situation.

Annabeth went ballistic.

"I can't believe you got us lost!" She cried in distress towards Rachel, putting her hands frantically on her head as if that would cool her temper. "I had a plan and if you had stuck to it we wouldn't be in the middle of nowhere!" She stomped violently toward the cheery van waving a daunting finger in front of her face and in the direction of the red head.

Wordlessly, Rachel exited the sunshine atrocity and opened the side door. The others watched on in a state of confusion as Rachel pulled out a red gingham table cloth and various foods from their small refrigerator.

She spread the cloth across the flattest spot on the road she could find, dumped the food on the cloth and promptly sat down.

"There," she said making a deliberate display of her arms fanning out as if presenting the hasty picnic to an audience. "Now we can all eat lunch and figure out what to do without Annabeth over here throwing a hissy fit. This is a road trip. An adventure. Not all things have to be carefully calculated."

That was Rachel. Brash and ready to act on the spur of a moment.

Annabeth grumbled something incoherent to listening ears and sat down begrudgingly by her friend. Cautiously, Piper and Hazel followed.

It was only a few days in and already the trip felt more excruciating and a hassle than a fun time with friends.

Hazel wanted to go home.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

Before leaving their homes to cross the country with minimal communication or connections back to their primary residence, Annabeth, Hazel, Piper, and Rachel had to get their parents' permissions.

What they didn't get their parents' permissions on was buying fake IDs a week before leaving. They especially did not allow the girls to spend a day barhopping illegally while the teenagers bustled around on the streets, dizzy with alcohol and leaning on each other for support so none of them crash landed on the concrete before them.

But that didn't matter to the girls, who were giggling in the downtown of a random town that was a near perfect replica of all the other random towns they stopped in.

They were walking together, heels clicking on the cobblestone street. The faint, yellow tint of the streetlamps to the sides were their only guiding light besides the buzzing neon signs decorating shop windows.

Currently, Hazel was the only one anywhere near sober. Annabeth, who was naturally a lightweight yet still felt the need to take at least two shots of tequila, was practically being carried by her friends at that point (more specifically Piper, who through a series of grunts managed to sling Annabeth's arm around her shoulder and semi-carry/semi-drag the blonde across the road).

"Okay, only one more bar and then were done." Hazel said, exhaustion lacing her words with obvious fatigue. Her eyelids felt heavy on her face, drooping threateningly with the prospect of sweet slumber. She estimated it had to be near two in the morning.

Annabeth giggled in a ditsy state, seemingly unaware of her surroundings as if she were secluded in a secret bubble universe.

"Aw, you're no fun!" Rachel teased cheerily, linking her bare arm with Hazel's covered one.

She looked upon her friend with bright, emerald green eyes that flowered with liveliness. Her booming smile stretched across her face with the purest form of passion in all of the universe.

Hazel had never seen her so alive and amiable. She radiated life, sparkling with juvenescence, glowing with untamed bliss.

She was Rachel amped up ten thousand times.

The girls continued down the rickety street until they approached another club. Piper could feel the vibrations from the bass pumping inside before even laying a foot inside the place. The bouncer eyed them suspiciously as each girl presented their ID, but Piper flashed a winning smile she knew charmed so well, and they were all easily let in.

Inside Rachel was put on babysitting duty to ensure Annabeth drank no more, which proved simple enough as Annabeth instantly moved to the dance floor proclaiming the DJ was "playing her jam."

Piper found herself sitting at the bar, leaving the others to their own devices. She felt as light as a feather ready to fly away in the wind from her travels downtown. The tipsy feelings weren't enough to give her a hangover, but just right to give herself a pleasant sway in her step and thrum in her pulse.

The chair she sat in was a spinning one, it creaked with each shift of weight, hardly audible compared to the cacophony of music. Piper found herself turning and turning in the chair like a child when the bartender approached her.

He was stupefying.

Piper had pressing thoughts to make sure her mouth hadn't fallen agape in his magnifying presence. His electric eyes flashed with lustrous vividness. Piper doubted she ever saw blue before she saw his eyes.

His golden hair gleamed from the low lights of the bustling club, catching each wave of incandescence like dew drops on the freshest blades of thought he looked like a blonde superman. He gave a smile towards her, showcasing rows of impeccable white teeth.

She began to feel a bit woozy.

It was pathetic, really.

She blamed it on the alcohol.

"Hi, what can I get for you?" His voice was deep, drizzled in a layer of smooth velvet.

Despite her dumbstruck thoughts, Piper was quick with her words. She always had a knack for speaking. The correct string of words infallibly rolled off her tongue as easy as reciting the alphabet.

"Just a beer, please. Any kind will do." Piper responded with insouciance, a fitting shrug attired the statement.

Although her outward display showed an air of comfort and slight aloofness, Piper's insides were scrambling. She began to grow insecure about her raspy voice. Would the cute bartender hear it and be immediately turned off? Should she care?

The bartender nodded as if taking a command from a drill sergeant.

"Coming up."

Piper sighed contently. She was glad he hadn't made some misogynist comment about how a beer might be a little much for a lady like her to handle. Far too often had a man suggested some fruity drink instead that was more "feminine." Piper couldn't roll her eyes hard enough at men like those.

Within a minute the handsome bartender procured a dark amber bottle and placed it in front of Piper with a light clink! There was no label on the bottle to indicate the type of brew or brand, but that didn't bother her one bit. Tasting it would be unexpected and exciting with a slight anticipation. Just the way she wanted.

She picked up the bottle and took a sip, the foam tickling her tongue and lips. The flavor was rich, better than most beers she tried, with just a hint of lemon to bring a pleasant tang to the frothy drink.

The bartender seemed to be watching her, waiting to read her expression of dislike or favor. She could feel his gaze everywhere on her as though the blue was staining her skin.

"You like it?" He asked trying to contain an eagerness that's origin remained hidden. After all, Piper was only trying a beer.

Piper nodded.

She held the bottle a ways from her body, inspecting it as she turned the cool glass in her palm, fiddling the elegant designs with her slender fingers.

"It's a lot better than most I've had. I especially like that bit of lemony taste. Gives it some zeal. What kind is it anyways?" She asked with perky curiosity.

The bartender gave a sheepish smile, a faint pink tinging his cheeks. The bashful look made Piper's heart flutter.

"My buddies and I actually have a small brewing company with a couple locations. We're trying to get a start somewhere, but that," He said pointing to the bottle in Piper's hand, "is the crowd favorite."

"Well I approve." She said, adding in a flirtatious wink just for the hell of it.

The bartender's grin widened even more, if that was possible.

"I never caught your name by the way." He said, scratching the back of his ear, as if to hide his face.

Piper grew suspicious of all the attention paid to her. It was a busy night, the bartender surely had customers to attend rather than stand around chatting idly with her. But that was exactly what he was doing. Perhaps another worker picked up where this bartender slacked off in.

"Piper." She beamed in response.

"Jason."

Their eyes were both locked on each other, their faces had identical grins.

"Um, excuse me, sir, but can I get a drink?" Said a burly man in a slurred voice.

Jason's eyes shot up in surprise as if he had just awoken from a trance.

"Yes! Of course!" He said quickly, before grabbing a notepad and pen and scribbling something hastily on it. He furrowed his eyebrows together as though the task at hand was somewhat difficult. "I never do this." He mumbled to himself.

Jason tore the sheet of paper from the pad, passed it Piper's way and proceeded towards the man to take his order.

Piper looked at the sheet of lined paper, reminding her of her times in school. She was glad she left those times weeks ago.

In blue ink and severe handwriting, the name "Jason" was scraggled on top along with a cell phone number. A glowing grin bejeweled Piper's face.

Just as she was about to speak to the superman-esque bartender, Rachel with Annabeth in tow approached their friend.

"We're going now. Annabeth is annoying as shit and frankly I don't feel like caring for her much anymore while she wanders off into La La Land. Hazel is at the door waiting for us." Rachel said bluntly.

Annabeth softly hiccuped, looking as though she would collapse with each sound.

Piper sighed with disappointment, but stood from the seat and ventured off with her friends to the door. She snuck the piece of paper into the front pocket of her shorts.

A secretive smile relaxed itself on her lips in sync with Hazel's relieved one once the trio arrived to the door.

Piper felt ready to take on the world, high on adrenaline, all from a silly cellphone number.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

"Piper you don't even know his age! He could be a pedophile for all you know." Hazel reprimanded her friend as Piper contemplated the number etched onto a crumpled piece of paper from the previous night.

Piper waved her hand dismally.

"Please, Hazel. He was at most twenty-two. Besides I'm eighteen. I'm legal." Piper rolled her eyes at Hazel's overprotective nature, but was secretly touched by the overabundance of caring. It felt wonderful to know someone had her well-being in mind and loved her that deeply.

Hazel's held her dark hands up in surrender.

"Fine do what you want. But if you do go on a date with him you have to text one of us at least every twenty minutes so we know you weren't murdered by some deranged madman."

"Yeesh. I was just going to text him, never said anything about going on a date. And anyways, we're so far away from home, it's not like anything could happen." Piper said beginning to type a message to Jason, the boy in question.

For once, she was at a fault for words. It baffled her really, anything to do with speaking and conversing came so naturally to her so a foreign uneasiness settled in her stomach as her finger hovered over the keyboard on her phone.

A muffled groan came from the back of the van.

"Can you guys please shut up. I'm literally going to die if you talk anymore. My head feels like it's been jackhammered for crying out loud." Annabeth complained from her makeshift bed, a ragged towel shielding her eyes from any stray light. She massaged her exposed temples in circular motions to relieve the tension and stress building up.

Her friends recognized the extent of her hangover. Annabeth never used "literally" in a nonliteral sense unless she was really hungover.

"You're the one that wanted to party." Rachel muttered under her breath, but loud enough for the blonde to hear.

She couldn't see it, but Annabeth sent a nasty glare the red head's way.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

"It's so hot in here. Why did the A/C have to break?" Rachel fanned herself with a flier advertising a local bakery from one of the towns they stopped in. She was sprawled across Hazel who was (unfortunately) sitting in the back with her.

"Are we almost there? We've been driving for like six hours." Piper whined, banging her head against the headrest in torturous boredom.

"No, 'we' haven't been driving for six hours, I have!" Annabeth seethed through her teeth, crouched over the steering wheel.

"Can't we all just be friends." Hazel piped up lazily.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

"Hey, Piper, wake up." Rachel nudged the brunette, who was curled up in the passenger seat snoring softly, with her free hand while the other remained on the wheel.

Piper murmured something incoherent and rolled her shoulder away from Rachel.

"No, I mean it." Rachel slapped her friend with her freckled hand.

Piper jolted awake. She rubbed her arm where a sharp sting arose from the harsh smack.

"What do you want?" She asked grumpily.

"Look," Rachel pointed almost frantically out the window at a person to the side of the desert road. "Is that a girl hitchhiking?"

Piper sat up better and leaned forward to get a better look. Her eyes widened in realization.

"Oh my god it is!" She shouted, jostling awake Hazel and Annabeth in the back.

"I'm gonna pull over." Rachel said, sticking her tongue out over her lip in concentration as she slowed the vehicle to stop at the girl.

"What's going on? Why are we pulling over? Is the van okay?" Hazel asked with dreariness in her voice and a massive bedhead.

Piper turned around to inform them of the current situation as the girls looked at her expectantly.

"We saw a girl trying to hitchhike."

"She looks about sixteen. Oh my god, she could be in so much danger." Rachel exclaimed as they finally arrived to a stop.

She was right, the girl was about sixteen, Piper observed. She had flowing caramel hair that was draped carelessly, but elegantly down her shoulder in a low ponytail. A navy blue visor shielded her eyes from the relentless sun. She appeared to be wearing a white night shift as though she had just woken up. Thin sandals, deteriorating at the seams were the only things protecting her delicate feet from the blistering dirt.

The girl stared at the van with almond brown eyes, awaiting for her approachers to speak with her.

Piper rolled down her window.

"Hi." She said.

"Hello." The girl replied.

"Do you need a ride?"

"Yes." Her tone stated that it should've been obvious she needed a ride. Why else would she stand in the scorching heat with her thumb held outwards?

"Okay, come in." Piper said and directed Annabeth to open the side door.

The whole situation was bizarre. The road they were travelling on was in the middle of nowhere, not a home to see in sight for miles and miles, yet here this girl was. Another thing was the girl's attire- it was absolutely unsuitable for the environment and time of day. And then there was the fact she had no bags and was attempting to find a ride by herself.

"What's your name, sweetheart? I'm Piper," Piper introduced herself as the girl settled herself into the car and Rachel started the engine again, continuing down the barren road. She pointed at each of the girls respectively and continued introducing them. "And this is Rachel, Hazel, and Annabeth."

Each girl gave the hitchhiker a wave and a smile, but their lips were a little too tight and their smiles a little too forced.

The girl bit her bottom lip nervously as she fiddled her fingers in anxiousness. She averted her eyes from everyone in the van.

"I'm Calypso." Her voice quiet, but held a firm stubbornness. It was much easier to recognize in the quiet of the van.

"How old are you, Calypso?" Hazel asked politely, concerned they had accidently picked up a minor.

"I just turned eighteen." Calypso didn't appear to be lying despite looking much younger for her age.

"Where do you need to go?" Annabeth asked the girl kindly.

"Las Vegas." Calypso seemed to only keep her sentences short and to the point. There was no room for any embellishments and flourishments.

"That's perfect! We're headed there now. We'll just be stopping at a campsite for the night and then make it there tomorrow."

Calypso only nodded in response. She seemed comfortable in her blanket of silence.

Once pleasantries were over, Rachel began scolding and ranting Calypso on the dangers of hitchhiking, especially for a girl in such a desolate place.

"So you thought the best idea to get there was hitchhiking? Are you even aware of how much risk you put yourself at? A young girl like you could've been easily killed or worse out here. You're lucky we came along, people who will protect you, but it could've been anyone else." Rachel had to grip the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white in order to constrain her anger.

Calypso seemed even smaller than before. She slumped into herself in a meek state.

"I needed to get away from a living situation. I ran through all the options and the rewards outweighed the consequences." Although she explained her reason for her risky activities, Calypso still hung her head low in shame.

Rachel didn't press any more questions.

Hazel placed a loving hand on Calypso's forearm and sent her an understanding smile. Hazel knew what it was like to escape a troubled homelife and the desperation that accompanied it.

Calypso returned the smile with her own look of relief and kindheartedness.

Rachel witnessed the whole interaction through the rearview window. Something unrecognizable flared up in her chest upon the site, but somehow the red head new not to prod at the feeling. It felt toxic.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

The sun had set on the horizon and an unseasonable chill set in the dry western air. Annabeth had gone to bed in the tent she had pitched on their campsite while Piper and Calypso roasted s'mores over the smoldering fire. The latter was still a bit shy, but as the night flickered on she continued to get progressively more talkative and open.

Piper noticed the way she leaned a little into Hazel and how Hazel recuperated the action. The two were practically snuggling on the lumpy log they sat on. And more importantly, she noticed the side-eyed glances Rachel was sending their way.

"So, Calypso," Piper started off with a mouthful of sticky marshmallow and melting chocolate. "What're you planning on doing once we're truly in Las Vegas?"

Calypso remained silent for a moment while she munched on her own s'more, spilling graham cracker crumbs that dusted color onto her tintless frock.

"I actually have a friend there who is expecting me. He owns a mechanic shop and offered me to stay free of rent while I try to get my own start. What I really want to do is open a flower shop. Gardening just harbors a really special place in my heart. It feels like I'm truly giving back to the beauty that has been lost in the environment over the years." Calypso's eyes twinkled with mirth as she expanded on her interests and aspirations.

Piper nodded once Calypso was finished, impressed by her true heart and genuinely good goals.

"That's so awesome you want to do that, I really hope it goes well for you. Flowers are such a happy thing, and God knows we need a little bit more happiness in this world." Hazel beamed enthusiastically, sharing the same gleam in her eyes as Calypso.

Rachel remained silent for the entire ordeal.

Calypso grabbed for another marshmallow. It was still white and cushiony from lack of heat exposure, but that would soon change as the teenager jabbed it onto the burnt end of the roasting stick. She scooched a little closer to the fire in order to get the perfect position that would make a golden and gooey s'more.

"Careful of getting too close to the fire, Calypso. You wouldn't want your hair to catch on fire and burn it. It'd be pretty ugly then, oh wait…" Rachel drifted off with feigned innocence. Her tone carried a spiteful air with a splash of wickedness.

Hazel and Piper looked at her incredulously as Calypso shrunk into herself. Rachel replied with a look asking "What?" as if she was unaware of the implications her statement had made.

The redhead relaxed back into her former position on her own stump.

"All I'm saying is there wouldn't be much to ruin." Rachel threw in a shrug with the snooty attitude.

"I think I'm gonna go to bed." Calypso said in barely a whisper. She set her roasting stick down and cradled her arms to her chest as she made her way to the tent.

"I'll follow her." Piper said with exasperation and a puzzled look at Rachel.

Once the others were gone, Hazel turned toward her friend.

Silence filled the air between them for the few minutes that lapsed past. The only noise was the crackling of the dying fire. The orange glows casted eerie, elongated shadows onto Rachel's pale face.

"What was that?" Hazel asked with a touch of disgust. Never had she seen Rachel act in such a hostile way for unprecedented reasons.

"I don't know what you mean." Rachel said defiantly, not daring to look Hazel in her molten gold eyes.

"Are you really going to play that immature game?"

Rachel rolled her eyes, exaggerating every movement.

"Well, maybe I didn't feel like burning my eyes out with the image of you and Calypso being all cozy with each other." Rachel said bitterly.

Hazel took that statement and ran it over in her head a million times, leaving a long gap of nothingness for many moments. She dissected it and prodded it and scoured for every hidden message.

"Are you jealous?" Hazel asked gawking, coming to the unlikable conclusion.

"No, not at all." Rachel said with so much sarcasm that the most oblivious person would be able to understand the double meaning.

"You idiot." Hazel said, rolling her eyes and marching herself to Rachel. She pulled her friend by her scrappy, blue night shirt and firmly planted her lips on her.

Rachel melted.

She was kissing the stars. She felt the sparkle of Gemini, the shine of Pegasus, the luster of Scorpio. Everything was so breathtaking and new. So bright and dazzling.

She was kissing the moon. Each curve in Hazel's lips was a crater. Each movement was a new phase; each phase equally as beautiful as the next.

She was kissing the universe. All the suns burning her lips. She felt the softness of Hazel's skin like it was stardust. Her lips were a black hole, taking all of her love. She took in every single galaxy with all of its life and wonder; all of its grace and uniqueness.

She was kissing Hazel.

Rachel rested her forehead on Hazel's, panting from lack of breath. A desire deeper than the oceans filled her heart, craving for more.

"You need to apologize to Calypso." Hazel whispered.

"Okay." Rachel whispered back.

"You need to get her safely to Las Vegas."

"Okay."

"You need to kiss me again."

"Okay."

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

"Alright Calypso we're here, but Annabeth is going to walk you in along with Piper. I know you said this guy is your friend, but we don't know him. We want you as safe as possible." Rachel said to the caramel haired beauty.

Calypso nodded, understanding their concern, after all the girls were dropping her off at a man's house that they had no prior knowledge on.

Rachel had made her amends with Calypso that morning at breakfast. She had pulled her away from the rest of the group as Annabeth made oatmeal over a new fire. Rachel sincerely apologized for the cruel way she had treated the other at the fire the night before.

Calypso had been hesitant to accept the apology, but eventually forgave Rachel after she explained the situation and owned up to her actions rather maturely. Calypso knew a thing or two about the way envy and love could twist one's perception of things and make a person act in a wicked manner; she'd be a hypocrite if she refused the red head's apology.

Annabeth and Piper, meanwhile were still ignorant to their friends' relationship. Rachel had explicitly asked Calypso to not talk about it or discuss it with the other girls. Neither of them knew of Hazel's or Rachel's orientation and they wanted to come out to them at the right time in the right place and under the right circumstances.

Hazel was especially fearful of rejection from the group despite knowing how deeply they loved her. The fear was riddled in her being. The Alaskan town she had lived in was highly conservative and especially racist. She faced ridicule on a near daily basis for her skin tone, so even thinking about what the townspeople would do if they had known she was gay left her with unshakable anxiety.

Calypso respected the couple's wishes and wished them the best of luck before she was escorted into the tiny yellow house she would be calling home for an indefinite amount of time.

There was a small, pale blue porch in front of the house with newly repaired stairs leading to the heavy oak door. The paint on the porch was in desperate need of a fresh coat; around every other plank had its covering peeled away to reveal the bare wood beneath the color. The house was a hodgepodge of old and new, broken and fixed, beautiful and hideous.

The trio stood at the door ready to ring the doorbell. Piper pressed the round button, a sharp ding! wailing out instantly. Calypso teetered anxiously in her odd getup as they waited for the house's occupant to answer the door. Both Piper and Hazel had offered her a change of clothes, but Calypso had stubbornly denied, stating she was comfortable in her choice of attire.

After five minutes ticked painfully by Annabeth was about to propose they just leave and Calypso could travel with them for the rest of the road trip when a loud clang came from the house as if someone had fallen. Once the sudden sound passed, heavy footsteps replaced its presence, and finally the door opened.

Standing in the doorway was a scrawny man of around twenty. He had wiry hair that stood up in strange directions as though he were a mad scientist and couldn't have been taller than 5'5". His fingers tapped relentlessly on the frame.

The moment he saw Calypso his deep eyes lit up in recognition and overwhelming joy. He quickly launched for a hug, which Calypso happily obliged.

As they rejoiced in what appeared to be a reunion, the man cradled Calypso's head as though she were a newborn baby, too delicate to be without care.

"Oh, Calypso, I was so worried about you." He muttered into her streaming hair, drinking in all of her scents at once. "I was so nervous when you said you were coming to my place. There were a million things that could've gone wrong. A million things that could've gotten you hurt." He tightened his grip on her as he exclaimed this, indicating he wanted to keep her from endangering herself again.

"I know, Leo. I know. It was dumb and jeopardizing, but I needed to."

Leo nodded against her shoulder.

While the pair gave each other their sentiments, Annabeth and Piper stood awkwardly to the side unsure of what to do now that they had completed their task of bringing Calypso safely to the home.

As if reading their thoughts, Calypso expressed an "Oh!" and untangled herself from the excessively long embrace.

She spread her arms out, pointing to the girls.

"Leo, this is Annabeth and Piper. They brought me here along with two other girls, Hazel and Rachel. Annabeth and Piper, this is Leo." She said pointing to Leo.

They gave a small wave to the impish man and a respectable "Hello." He returned the actions.

"Here you guys can come in and we can chat for a couple minutes, if that's all right." Leo said, widening the door in invitation.

The girls agreed and were lead into a dated kitchen by the homeowner. They sat at a table loaded with varying papers, pieces of metal, and food wrappers.

"It's a little messy, but what're you going to do." He said glancing at the cluttered space.

He then proceeded to open the refrigerator and rummage through its belongings as he asked the girls if they'd like any refreshments of any kind. They all declined having stopped at a In-N-Out Burger only an hour before driving to the little, yellow house.

Leo pulled out a beer from the crisper and turned back to the girls. Piper saw the bottle he was holding and something about the design struck her as oddly familiar. A sense of deja vu washed over her.

"You wouldn't by any chance know a Jason, would you?" Piper asked Leo with a peak of suspicion.

While Calypso and Annabeth had given her a look that suggested Piper had just grown a third eye, Leo immediately perked up.

"Yea, he's one of my best buddies. We started a brewing company right from this kitchen actually," He said patting the faux marble counter beside him. "But that lame butt had to move to Wisconsin along with another friend. I mean, they spread the company there. But still." He took a swish of beer. "Any reason you ask?"

Piper waved her hand.

"No, nothing."

That was a complete lie, it was something. She knew she could trust leaving Calypso with Leo. After her brief time in Wisconsin with Jason, she had remained in contact with the blonde superman. They texted almost on the daily and he had only ever shown signs of being a gentleman and good natured person. He often raved about his friends, never having anything negative to say.

"If you don't mind, Annabeth and I should leave now. We don't want Rachel and Hazel sweltering in that wretched van, do we?" She let out a breezy laugh.

Annabeth shot her friend a look of confusion.

"Don't we need to…" The blonde dragged off, giving a look at Leo to finish her sentence.

Piper subtly shook her head in response. Without questioning her further, Annabeth silently agreed with Piper.

"I suppose we do." Annabeth said.

"It was nice meeting you Leo," Piper told the man. She gave a friendly hug to Calypso in goodbye. "Remember you have all of our numbers if you need anything."

"I know." Calypso said, hugging her new friend back.

"And stay safe." Annabeth jokingly warned.

With a few last words and a couple of waves the pair were headed out the door.

Once the door clicked shut on their way out Annabeth turned to Piper and said, "I don't know how I feel about leaving Calypso just like that."

"Don't worry. I know for a fact she will be safe."

Something in Piper's tone was so soothing and compelling that all the unease building up in Annabeth was wiped away in an instant.

Piper was right- Calypso would be just fine.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

Before the girls entered the glitzy casino with its flashing lights and over the top decorations, they all made a pact that whatever happened in Vegas would stay in Vegas. It was horribly cliche, but it made the situation all the better.

Animated prospect rose in all of their souls, filling them with an endless energy that was surely from another dimension. A great zeal passed between them. Everything was so staggeringly alien. Hazel felt as though she had just fallen down her own rabbit hole and found her personal wonderland.

When they opened the golden doors that coincidentally matched Hazel's eyes, they were promptly assaulted with the heavy scent of smoke and the deafening sound of slot machines. The whole place was one goddam sensory overload.

The carpet was a ghastly pink from the 80s and the walls were an indiscernible color, but still none of those factors ruined the enchantment of the mini gambling mecca.

Adrenaline whizzed through each of the girl's bodies, pumping more adventure and hungry chaos into each cell.

They agreed to only playing poker, as they'd most likely lose and wouldn't have to face the complications of trying to illegally collect their winnings.

They sat down at the lavish table awaiting for their cards to be distributed to them. The dealer was a tall, Puerto Rican girl with a dark, dense braid billowing over her shoulder all the way down to her hip.

She gave a beguiling smile towards Piper, making the latter feel the heat of a blush. She fluttered her thick lashes and eventually settled on a more than suggestive wink.

Like the girls said, whatever happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

The evening had started out with the van breaking down in the middle of a desert road while on their drive through the Californian landscape. By now the vivid purples and enticing blues that had once bloomed life onto the sunny vehicle with flowers and calligraphy had faded from weeks in the implacable sun.

Rachel got to work on finding the problem and fixing it before her and her friends were totally stranded in the death trap without cell service.

Piper, Hazel, and Annabeth set out the red gingham cloth while their friend worked and began a game of Go Fish with the weathered pack of cards they had found on their stop in Las Vegas.

Everyone was miserable as their bodies began to grow sticky with sweat, their tongues dry from thirst, and as the stench of body odor filled the plutonian air. They had run out of deodorant days ago and were seriously regretting their decision to hold off buying the much needed product.

After five rounds of Go Fish and a prideful winning dance performed by Annabeth, Rachel came back to the group, flopping on the cloth with sweat beading down her face.

"What's the verdict?" Piper asked, looking up from her handful of cards.

Rachel swiped her arm across her face, leaving a trail of grease to stain her freckles. Hazel instinctively reached to clean it off, but stopped short of the motion after remembering her secret relationship with the red head.

"Not good. The engine's being fussy, but I should have it done in a few hours. We might as well camp out here for the night. We'll just all sleep in the van." She closed her eyes, soaking in the few precious moments of laziness she had left before returning to her stodgy work. Rachel was really beginning to resent her friends for not learning more about automobiles. It wasn't fair to be the only spur of the moment mechanic.

The rest of the evening passed the same way it started. It wasn't until the sun had set in a blaze of magnificent purples and pinks and the sky had given view to the shining of the stars did Rachel say the van was finally fixed.

The girls uncomfortably squeezed themselves into the space of the van, keeping all their limbs at unnatural angles.

Annabeth mused how any of them had fallen asleep.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

Piper woke to the heinous sound of glass shattering against the side of the van and inconsolable sobbing. Frantically, she jolted awake, knocking Rachel in the face with her feet during the process. She leaped across Hazel, climbed over the front seat and exited the vehicle taking careful notice to Annabeth's absence.

As the door slammed shut Piper could hear a faint grumbling from Rachel about interrupting her 'beauty sleep,' but the words promptly melted back into snores.

She could feel blisters erupting on the pads of her feet the minute her bare skin hit the scalding ground. It couldn't've been later than six in the morning and wisps of pink still colored the paling clouds from the early sunrise, but the heat was still insufferable. Perspiration already began to soak Piper's silk pajamas.

As she tiptoed outside of the van to the side where the alarming raucous was coming from, Piper had to stop short of her steps and instinctively drew in a breath at the site before her.

Sitting on the ground, hysterical was Annabeth. Her morning hair was spread sporadically on her head and around her face, each honey colored curl glinting in the soft glow of the sun. Her face was frightfully crimson. Her eyes had puffed to double their normal size. Waterfalls of salt water gushed from her tear ducts.

Lying beside her were five empty bottles ranging from having contained beer to being wine coolers, but all shared one simple factor- they were all alcoholic. Piles of broken glass laid pathetically near the doors to the vehicle having caromed off the peeling paint.

Piper wasn't sure how much Annabeth had drank or when or even why.

"Annabeth!" She cried out in fear for her friend, taking five steps closer to her.

That's when she noticed the blood.

Annabeth's grey shorts were nearly totally soaked in blood in the back and front. Something was horribly, horribly wrong.

Still, Annabeth sat there unaware of her friend's presence. She was in a frenzied trance of overwhelm and couldn't process anything but the sweet pulverization of her drinks.

"Oh my god this is not good." Piper ran to scoop the blonde into her arms knowing she was too far into a state of delirium to reason with. She fought back tears beginning to creep in the back of her eyes.

Annabeth's skin was even hotter than the ground. She was on fire with a radical fever.

Piper tried to pinch away the panic dotting her blurred vision.

The other girl clutched onto her like a lifeline as she carried her to the passenger seat of the car. Piper hadn't even known she possessed the strength to hold Annabeth, let alone whisk her away into the van.

With shaking hands Piper fastened Annabeth into the seat, but she didn't seem to notice or possibly did not care about her relocation as she continued on with her crying.

Piper slammed the door shut and raced to the other side, swiftly pulling onto the long stretch of road and heading back to the nearest town.

By now Hazel and Rachel had awoken from the loud clatter of sounds.

"What's going on?" Hazel asked, fright dripping in her voice. Her luminous eyes were broad in anxiety, glancing at Annabeth in trepidation.

Piper took a few quivering breaths before stating, "It's Annabeth, obviously. I don't know what's going on, but i found her smashing bottles on the van. I think she's drunk and she has a fever and is bleeding everywhere… and oh god! I need to get her to a hospital." She began to hyperventilate.

Rachel put a relaxing hand on the girl's tan shoulder.

"Take a deep breath. It's going to be fine." Her voice was even and melodic, but even through the soothingness Piper heard Rachel's own jaggedness.

Would everything be fine?

Annabeth was in a state of highly questionable physical health and fractured mental health. She screamed at something unknown and stained the vinyl seats in fresh red. They had no cell service to call an ambulance and were an unknown distance from the last populated area.

Piper pressed eighty-five on the fifty-five road.

She wasn't sure everything would be fine.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

There was no one else in the drab waiting room. Piper paced tensely across the worn, gray carpet. Hazel and Rachel sat in the two lone chairs, holding each other's hand as they watched the door expectantly, waiting for the doctor to appear and announce Annabeth was out of surgery and safe in a bed.

Piper silently acknowledged Hazel and Rachel's affection, having always suspected something more between them, but was too distraught to truly address their relationship. Besides, she pondered, they'd relieve their status to her when they were mentally and emotionally ready.

"I'm gonna call Percy." Piper announced, finally stopping her anxious movement.

Rachel's face paled.

"I can't believe we forgot to call him."

"That doesn't matter. There were a little more pressing concerns." Piper said as she dialed the number into her phone. She exited the room into the privacy of the illuminated, brightly white hallway.

As rings persisted in her ear, she sank down onto the tile flooring, arching her back into the cool wall. It was probably around seven in the morning back home, she thought. Percy might not even be awake.

Just as she was about to give up and end the call a groggy voice answered, "Hello?"

Piper sighed with relief, resting her head on her hand as she tucked her knees into her petite body.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked in an increasingly panicked voice.

Piper could hear rustling in the background as Percy got out of his bed. She felt her body go rigid. Of course Percy would know something was wrong. Her tone of voice conveyed it all and the fact it was Piper calling instead of Annabeth made things oddly suspicious.

"Okay I just want you to sit down and relax yourself because everything's going to be fine." Piper talked slowly. After waiting a moment to allow Percy to settle she continued, "It's Annabeth-"

She wasn't able to finish her statement as Percy hurriedly interrupted her.

"Annabeth?! What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Percy was spitting words out faster than the speed of light as he approached a panic attack. He couldn't imagine anything happening to her. He'd be devastated if she were harmed in anyway.

"Percy, calm down." Piper commanded in a forceful, but mellow tone. "She's fine. She's in surgery right now because she had been hemorrhaging bad;y. She lost a lot of blood, but we got her to the hospital just in time. The doctor had said a lot of other things, but it was all just complicated medical drama that I couldn't really understand.

Now we're just waiting for her to be out of surgery. She'll need to stay in the hospital for a few days and once she's out I'm going to fly back to New York with her, since we're in Cali right now, but Rachel and Hazel will drive the van back."

Piper took a deep breath in trying to relax her nerves that were going haywire with worry. Percy did the same.

"I'm flying out there. Right now." Percy's voice was threaded with steel intransigent that Piper knew would take too much strength for her to break.

"Percy, you can't. She doesn't need more stress. Adding more people to the equation will create stress." She sighed, fatigued as small sobs formed in her throat and guggled out of her mouth.

She was just so done. Everything about the past hours had festered on her initial glory that had still thrived in her heart from the beginning of the road trip. She was drained, devoid of all the lush feelings that she had grown so used to accompanying her. Her elation had vanished, the glint in her eye had extinguished, the hope in her heart wilted away with each ticking second.

On the other side of the country, Percy began to grow with alarm. He had not meant to make Piper cry, even if she had been on the verge of doing so without him. He only wanted to see Annabeth.

His Annabeth.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, I won't come. Just please let her know I'm thinking of her." Percy tried to console his friend."

"Thank you." She whispered back, overflowing in her darkest mindset.

~All Roads Lead to Us Line Break~

The doctor arrived in the waiting room to find three sleeping girls, all holding on to each other.

"Are you here for Annabeth?" He said, startling Piper awake.

She looked at him and nodded.

"She's all done. Perfectly healthy now. You can go see her, if you'd like."

Piper smiled bittersweetly and nudged her other friends awake.

Together, hand in hand, they walked the long, sterile corridors to Annabeth's room.

Their road trip might have not gone as planned, but it remained true to what they all desired.

They had had an adventure.