I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians or The Heroes of Olympus. They belong to Rick Riordan.

I stayed near the coast as I ran, just in case they chased after me. Unfortunately, all they would have to do was follow my tracks in the snow, so I tried to find a road not covered by it. Panting heavily by then, I slowed down my pace. Trekking all the way across the United States from here to New York before the army arrived at camp wasn't possible! How in Hades would I make it over there? Maybe I should have planned things out better, but that was Annabeth's thing. I wished I could see her…

I considered continuing south to Camp Jupiter and getting some help from the Romans. I didn't know how they could help, but it was at least a familiar place.

Pausing for a bit to breathe in the sea breeze, I felt a little refreshed. I wondered what my father thought of me now since I had pretty much turned my back on the Olympians…intentional or not. I hoped he didn't want to blast me to pieces for throwing away Anaklusmos, his gift to me.

Jogging along again, I came across a tavern right near the ocean. These places actually still existed? Despite it being a random old building, I felt drawn to it, like I should go in. I sighed. It was better than just standing indecisively out in the cold, right? So I entered through the worn wooden door.

Warm air greeted my face as I stepped in. There was a high bar table behind which a single bartender was cleaning a glass, and a couple of customers were chatting at a corner table. The lights were dim, so I tried not to bump into anything as I made my way to the bar table. What would I do now, just awkwardly ask for a glass of water?

The bartender, who seemed to be a man in his thirties, scrutinized me. He had black hair and seaweed-green eyes, and he was about my height. "You're underage," he pointed out. I shrugged and asked for water.

He handed me a full cup, and I nodded in thanks, distracted. Why had I come in here? There must have been something…

"Are you lost?" the man questioned. I shook my head, knowing full well that even though I was completely and utterly lost, telling him that would just complicate things.

After considering me for a moment, he smirked. He leaned forward, and I blinked, startled. This guy smelled like the sea! "It isn't polite to lie," he said in a low voice, "especially not to a very old, very ancient deity."

I frowned in confusion. Why would a god take up the job of a bartender? He backed away and smiled at me. "Perseus Jackson, I am Pontus, the Primordial god of the sea."

I eyed him warily and tried not to fidget. If this god was bitter about my dad being the current god of the sea and pretty much taking his place…well, I was dead.

Pontus chuckled. "Don't look so nervous! I'm a nice guy," he said, getting a small glass. "I like it here. Nereids visit me often, and the mortals are usually amiable. Usually, meaning when they're not drunk." He winked.

I smiled uneasily but didn't let go of my doubts. Gods who seemed extremely nice at first usually had another side to them. I mean, just look at Hera! Sensing my tension, he sighed. "Listen, I actually want to help you." He poured a liquid that looked like apple juice into the glass and slid it to me. "See? I'll even throw in a cup of nectar for free." He nodded encouragingly, and I took it.

"You're running from Aether? He's an uptight little twit," Pontus said as I cautiously sipped the drink. It tasted like warm chocolate chip cookies.

"Even if you make it to the Roman camp, they will not be able to help you get to your own in time," he continued. "Obviously, as you made it here and are talking to me, Aether's army is very close to getting out of Alaska."

I drained the rest of the nectar and set the glass down. "What should I do then?"

Taking the glass, he started cleaning it. He turned and smiled. "Why don't you ask your father for help? You're his favorite, aren't you?"

I shrugged, thinking that probably wasn't true anymore. The last time I had seen my father, he had watched as I tried to kill my friends. It was a vague memory, but I remembered that part.

Pontus' smile turned a little sad. "Pray to him," he told me. "I do not know when or how he will guide you, but he will be listening." He sighed. "Head south if he doesn't work right away. You still need to keep from being caught by the other part of Aether's forces. Speaking of which," he dropped down to a whisper, "you'd better, uh, hightail it out of here through the back. It seems my dear cousin has decided to pay me a visit."

Eyes widening, I scrambled to the back door and dashed out. As I softly closed the door, I hear Pontus greet cheerfully, "Ah, Aether. Long time no see!" I let out a sigh of relief as I sneaked away.

When I arrived at the beach, the ocean was dull. I wondered if Poseidon was feeling glum or something. Shuffling my feet nervously in the sand, I tried to collect my thoughts, which isn't too easy when you're ADHD.

'Dad,' I thought, 'I hope you're there. I'm sorry about throwing Riptide away, saying I didn't need or want anything from you. That wasn't true. I'm sorry for everything…' I took a deep breath. Even though it wasn't really me who did those things, that was probably a minor detail that the gods would overlook. It was better to apologize than to make weak excuses.

"Please, help me, father," I said aloud softly. The sea remained listless, and I couldn't help but feel a pang of hurt. I should have been used to the fact that the gods usually ignored their children, but acknowledging it didn't make it any easier.

After waiting a few seconds just to be sure, I turned and ran away from the ocean.

I'm so lazy...and school continues to haunt me, even during break. I hope whoever reads this enjoys it!