A/N: I'll try my best to keep up with this story and make it original.

I felt summer slowly turning to fall. The wind was whipping through my hair as I sped 90 down the Interstate blasting Tom Petty's and The Heartbreaker's 'Mary Jane's Last Dance.' I had a thing for older music, especially 80's and anything classic rock. The song seemed somewhat special to me, it almost reminded me of summer camp, with my old cd's and my old friends.

I was 18 and finally free. I had been running around the states since I could drive though. But 18 meant legal freedom. Now, I, Percy Jackson, could buy cigarettes and porn and anything except alcohol pretty much. Maybe not lotto tickets in some states, it all depended. Maybe now I could get myself my own place somewhere and hang low for awhile. That's never what I wanted to do though; I always had trouble following me.

When I was 12 I finally found out who my father was. No, he wasn't Ozzy Osborne or Tom Cruise or anyone cool like that. It was Poseidon. Yeah, the Greek god. I was classified as a demi-god, half human half god. People liked to call us half-bloods or mutts. So, my mom took me to this place called Camp Half-Blood. At first it was my sanctuary, and then it turned into a Hades hole. I went on a few quests, became a hero, blah, blah, blah. I met a girl, loved her for awhile after the war between Titans and Gods. Then people discovered what demi-gods were and planned on destroying us. They tested us and tried to figure out what made us so special. That's when I ditched out and ended up here.

I pushed all of those great half-blood adventures to the back of my mind and tried to forget them. There was one problem with that, one the government was on the look-out for me, probably since I was the most popular living demi-god. So it was pretty hard to forget my past, but I would push it farther back each day. Second, I had monsters after me when the government wasn't around. They would never give up on trying to defeat 'The Percy Jackson; Son of Posiedon.' Big whoop.

I picked up my cell phone as it rang. Sally, my own mother. My cell phone was a death trap, it pretty much sent up a signal that said 'HEY LOOK MONSTERS A DEMIGOD! COME GET CHA DINNA'!' I sighed and flipped my phone open. I hadn't talked to my mother in a year and a half and it was my birthday, so hey why not?

"Hey Sally" I said, biting my lip and bracing myself for the yelling.

"PERCY JACKSON! HOW DARE YOU NOT SPEAK TO YOUR MOTHER!" she screamed. I could hear Paul Blowfish in the background trying to calm her down. He needed to let her take her anger out, she knew what she wanted.

"That's exactly the kind of happy birthday I wanted mom, thanks."

"You're welcome" she retorted. "That the lords you're alive! I thought you were long dead Perseus!"

"I ain't dead mom!" I yelled into the phone as I pulled over into a gas station. I pushed my aviators onto the top of my head.

There was a long silence. "You didn't call me Sally."

I grunted in response. "Mom, I'm busy right now okay?" I hung up and tossed the phone into the center console.

I looked at the gas station. The clerk looked busy with other customers, but was kind enough to turn my pump on. I smirked and filled up my 1957 Mustang convertible. It was my baby. I had bought it myself and rebuilt the whole thing, with Blowfish's money of course. You're probably thinking that Paul Blofis is a pretty good guy. Wrong, he seemed good a first, but he's such a workaholic and was never home. Plus, my mom was way too good for a teacher. He doesn't like my anymore though, I never graduated.

My tank was full and I was off again, 10 miles up the road was the Hoover dam, where I would spend the night. I didn't have enough money for a hotel room. I decided my car was enough. I parked the car and got out, gazing at my surroundings. This place was so familiar.

Then, I remembered. We were looking for Annabeth, who was captured or something. We were looking for her with three girls and a satyr. It was way too fuzzy to remember. I remember the satyrs name perfectly, Grover. There was something between us, I couldn't remember what it was called, but I could see if he was in danger and he could do the same for me. I haven't felt that connection since after the war. I also met a red-head here. I remember her name perfectly also, Rachel. She's the one who told me something bad was about to happen. I sighed and sat on the hood of my car. All these old memories were warm and friendly.

"Percy?" I instantly jumped to my feet, ready to defend myself. Riptide was in my center console. Zeus!

"Do you remember me?" The boy was blond and tall. He had a plump looking face, but didn't look bad.

I gave him a wary look, ready to deflect anything he was going to shoot or throw at me. He looked unarmed though.

"It's me, Pollux, son of Dionysus." Memories flooded back into my mind. Pollux had a twin and his father was a bastard. Dionysus was sent to Camp Half-Blood as a punishment. He deserved it too.

"I kind of remember you," I replied. Pollux relaxed slightly. "Good, I- uh – need your help."

I snorted with laughter. "My help? With what? Why are you here? Are you following me?" I cackled.

"No, I'm not. I don't even know why you are here Percy, we were never good friends." Pollux said softly looking away. "But, I'm looking for a ride, to anywhere, just away from this place."

I eyed him carefully. How did Pollux and I end up in the same place at the same time? There was something here that didn't seem right.

"Why are you alone?" I mumbled, still eyeing him.

"I was traveling with Katie Garner and she left me."

I stiffened slightly, remembering that name; she wasn't the nicest girl around. "I guess, but why do you want to leave?"

"It's crawling with police and security guards."

"Let's get out of here Pollux."

I couldn't just leave the guy there; I still had a makeshift heart inside of me. Plus, he could help me understand a bit more about what happened to everyone and how it all came crashing down.

We were in my car sitting in the awkward silence. "So, uh been back to Camp Half-Blood in awhile?" I asked awkwardly.

"No, after you left the place went to Hades, my father had me sent out of there and I took Katie with me."

"Oh, I see" I said staring at the open highway. "Why Katie?"

"I thought I loved her." I gave him a sympathetic smile, I've been there, done that.

There weren't many demigods left out in the states. They were all being caught and killed. Everyone thought we were dangerous. The gods left the United States and took shelter in Mexico, where no one even noticed them, too busy having fiestas and drinking. Chiron was long dead, as well as many other brave fighters. I felt like Pollux and I were the only ones left.

"So, when's the last time you've seen Annabeth?" It almost hurt to say her name. I had tried to forget it and was successful sometimes, but her presence never left my thoughts. I had abandoned her. If anything had happened to her, it was my fault.

"Haven't seen her in about a year" Pollux responded before shutting his eyes and dozing off.

I sighed. Today I turned 18 and picked up an old demigod semi-friend. Maybe he was just what I needed to survive; human contact. I pulled into a local state park and turned off the car, closing my eyes.

Tomorrow would be a new day.