I'm really liking this story so far. I worked my ass off on this chapter and I think you'll find it showed. Safe to say you might all be shocked at where this story is going. I'll give you a little bit of spoilers now. Both of our main characters end up with major, life altering problems/conditions by the end of this chapter. And there won't be some miraculous cure to them either. I had written more for this chapter, but then I realized it was long enough and it kind of leaves some suspense. Plus it gives us a little rest and cool down before this goes any further.

I also have a note for the only negative review I got. I normally don't take offense to reviews, but you didn't even try to give me constructive criticism. And you didn't have any way I could contact you. If you wanted something really fixated on Percy, Annabeth, and Grover, please go somewhere else. I said it wasn't from the very beginning going to be about them at least at first.

I will be integrating them because I figured out a way for this to fit perfectly in PJO plot. Possibly a little too well. But that won't be for a little while.

As a final note, I am still reading this series to be perfectly honest. I'm on Battle At the Labyrinth and will soon probably be done with it. If I mess up on any details, please tell me so I can fix it.

You know what?

Being a parent is really, really hard. Man I always thought people were just complaining when it came to their kids. But let me tell you, when you have a kid who cries at almost every god damn thing, you come to appreciate the time when you didn't have one. I wanted to take it back after that first, angelic night. But I knew that whatever god sent her to me would not like that, so I figured out I needed to look after her still.

Lannie looks so sweet and innocent when she sleeps. It's when the damn thing wakes up that there's a problem. I am constantly up all night and have to go to work in the morning. She can't be a good baby and sleep at night. Oh no, not her, she always needs to sleep in day like a vampire leeching the life from me. She's like a fricking princess. She needs her pillow to be just right and her milk to be perfect temperature. Oh and she's picky about the position and size of her dipper. I had thought I could just you know, tie a bag to her butt to catch all the poop and forgot about the pee for a while. She woke up midday and started wailing and there's damn pee stains on her blanket now.

And wait, there's more. This kid is nothing but trouble. Yesterday, an important document for my work went missing. I found it later in Lannie's mouth. She insisted on using my résumé as a pacifier!

I'm sorry I am ranting but I haven't gotten more than four hours all week! Allan, meanwhile, is sawing through my last nerves. I had to call in sick today. TODAY. A major inspection day in my work and I am stuck burping a damn demigod while he's off at a game he promised his buddy he would go to. Before we had responsibility. Before we had Lannie.

I smile and hum a little. Days without a sore hand from burping or the vague smell of baby powder and vomit masked by a mist of my vanilla perfume. I notice that finally Lannie is quiet, finished with her breakfast and burped well. Her inquisitive emeralds with peering around the room, taking in every sight and sound. Especially me.

Her little arm reached up and touched my neck, as if to get a sense of the texture. Like once she knew that, she would never lose me. I couldn't help but smile. I touched her in the same place on her neck. She giggled. She was sweet when she was like this…

I sighed, dropping my hand to my side. This was stupid. Really, really stupid. I had no clue what the heck I was doing. Who was I kidding? I should just give the kid up for adoption.

A harsh wind picked up outside, sending leaves and twigs snapping against the windows on that beautiful summer's day. The weather had been funky for weeks and I had heard rumors being spread that something had been stolen from Mount Olympus. But today had been absurdly calm despite all that. Still, I guess it wasn't now.

Lannie made a gasping sound and I unconsciously wrapped her closer to me. We both just stood there, watching the fury of creatures we were related to. The skies had gone a chalky black, with swirling masses of black cotton flittering through the skies. All of the sudden there came a big screech of tire on pavement and I looked down. Feet from the river, a grey blur shot on scene. I wasn't sure what it was for a moment; until it lost balance, screeching on its side. The bus shuttered for a moment, then rolled on its side, its wheels still spinning. The windows were shattered thoroughly and the wheels were practically just rims. I moved quickly, placing Lannie comfortably in her bed.

My hand reached for the phone to call for help, till I heard a heart-stopping sound. The wail of a furry, Hade's torturers I knew. I'd know that sound anywhere. The only other time I had ever seen something as horrendous as I saw next was back seven years ago, when Annabeth, Luke, and Thailia had came to Half Blood. We had all seen something of her as she died. And let me tell you, things like that…they don't exactly escape you. The creature was horrific, but I am sure that you can imagine. After all, this is one of the leathery torturers of Hades.

I could see a small procession of kids, half-bloods I knew, tearing away. Obviously they were what the kindly one was looking for. One looked like a photo I had seen on missing posters around town. Surprise, Surprise, Percy Jackson. I had heard finally why the gods were so upset. Percy had stolen Zeus's master bolt. He was getting what he deserved.

The injured furry trailed after them; though it flew at a slow, fluttering speed, the creatures it had called did not. They came from everywhere. Strange vulture like creatures with thick heavy claws and a couple hellhounds, all following the wake of the kindley one.

From the sewers spawned a creature unlike any I had ever seen. The lower half of the creature was that of a serpent. Massive, slimy black scales made my skin crawl. I hate snakes, but this thing took the cake. It was proportioned like normal human being, if all normal humans were eight foot tall. Its upper half was that of a beautiful woman and I mean Jessica Simpson type gorgeous. Except her eyes, which I could see even from my window. At first I thought they were just purely dark. But when she tipped her head upwards, and I swore, looked right at me, I could see the truth. They were gone, a black brain visible behind them. A bit horrified at this point, I didn't sit to watch it leave. Oh no. I went to the door, locked it tightly, bolted it, deadlocked it and finally moved a super heavy dresser in front of it. Not that it mattered; after all, from what I've seen, these things don't ever use doors.

There was a sudden boom and I flew back to the window. Lannie cried from her bed. Worriedly, I looked out the window and saw the bus had exploded into an inferno. Lying in the ash was another strange creature. It was about as tall as a man, but bore no features which resembled one. In fact, it was more of a canine. Gleaming copper fur…black points to pointed ears…a long bushy tail…ambary, large eyes…

My heart stopped. It couldn't be…at Camp Half Blood, we have physical training. But we also have a small sector in a very old, very gross library where we have to learn everything about a Greek monster including recent pictures(not easy to get) and explain everything about it—from its weaknesses to its diet and even its current hide outs and heroes who have beaten it. The one I'd chosen—because I always loved them (not the monster, the general creature)—was the Teumessian Fox. It was a massive, child-eating fox sent by the gods to eat children in Thebes for not paying the gods tribute. The thing was uncatchable, though it was turned to stone for a few centuries and after that, it was killed by a hero back about three hundred years ago(please do note, it is considered uncatchable, not un-killable). I believe if I remembered right it was Deo, a son of Hades. I sat for a moment, trying to think of how he did it.

Then it hit me. He didn't. He had earned a Medusa's head with some friends; a spoil only three people have managed to get alone. Although more have survived when demi-gods went on hunting missions together.

The fox, of course, turned to stone. Was there any way to kill it without petrifying the gods cursed thing?

I wasn't sure exactly why I was thinking about it so much, till I hear a massive sound over the commotion the fire engines outside were making. Standing there in the corner of the room (the damn creature had busted through the wall, see my point about the lack of door use by monsters?) was the fox. I got to tell you, the thing should never have been referred to as a fox. Its bristly red hair stood on end, exploding its height at the shoulder past my head. Its teeth were bared and I could see shreds of cloth and blood still stuck on them. Its liquid amber eyes stared down at me with vast intellect, the kind that went beyond my conception.

I can't exactly tell you what happened next. Because before I knew it, I had drawn a small celestial bronze dagger I had always kept. I held it up for the fox to see but staying in the most balanced stance I could muster. The fox cocked its head at me for a moment. I could feel the sweat gather on my brow. My only thought was protect Atlanta. I edged toward the baby's room, eyes never once leaving the beast. I couldn't tell if it was truly intimidated or if it was just enjoying watching my hands shake desperately.

I backed up and slowly started to turn the door handle when it lunged. The next events were scattered in my mind... The blade went flying out of my hand felt as if it caught fire. A twisted feeling formed in my gut as the beast shook my hand, ripping the skin. I could smell the overpowering scent of death and see fresh blood on its fur. I screamed in pain, my vision getting cloudy and red as my own blood spattered on my face. With a sound remarkably similar to a cackle, the beast let me go and I slammed against the window, shattering over my body. Little cuts spawned everywhere it hit and I couldn't breathe or think. More blood oozed out from my head.

The creature clawed at the door with me out of the way. I couldn't let it get to Atlanta! She was in my charge…what horrible things her parent would do to me when I died on the job a few weeks in. But with the crimson river dripping down my face, I had a moment of clarity through the pain. I wasn't just doing this for the gods. I loved her. I secretly loved the sensation of having a child, whether or not she kept me up all night or ruined my chances of getting a higher position. She was so beautiful…and that fox wanted to make her dinner!

Not this demigod. I struggled to get up but realized with some horror as pain shot from my leg that it was fractured badly. I desperately dragged myself across the floor; the sound of Lannie's wailing greeting my ears.

"No." I muttered in a raspy voice, blood seeping into my eyes. I almost could sense that the fox was enjoying my struggle to move feet. It was taking its time with this. How sadistic.

Suddenly, the fox just stopped, cocking its head. Its black tipped ears perked up and its full attention was at the door. I only noticed this by the ADHD meant to keep me alive in a battle. Most of my attention was on getting to Lannie still. The fox bounded closer whatever it was paying attention too, wagging its bushy tail like a dog excited for its owners to come home. I could hear it pant slightly, although it didn't strike me as actually needing to pant. The thing had barely even broken a sweat. Kind of theatric. A surge of worry filled me when I heard the door struggling to get open. "What's going on? Open up Eris! I need a beer!" Came Allan's voice from behind the door.

The fox's eyes lit up. It looked at me and I swear I saw a wicked grin on its face. It slammed the dresser away with a sweep of its tail and daintily used it to undo the dead lock. I was a little hopeful. Allan would help and we would be fine I told myself. Allan always bragged he could strangle a loin with his bare hands. Maybe this would put some fire back into our relationship.

When the deadbolt was unlocked, the door slung open and Allan stood there, his hair damp by the storm that had hit outside and a cup of crappy Holiday coffee in his hand (which soon found the floor.) The look on his face changed so rapidly, it would have been funny if I hadn't been…I don't know…crawling for my life with a giant freaking fox going after my daughter? It went from annoyed that I had locked the door, to confused about the state of the apartment to worried slightly when he saw me. I must have been a sight. Covered in blood and sticks and mud which were continentally blowing in from the broken window and gaping hole in the wall as I desperately crawled toward the baby's nursery. He took a step in a little worried, till he turned and saw the fox, who was sizing him up the way a fat guy does a cheeseburger.

Three, two, one, queue massively loud, girly scream. Screw his baby and dying girlfriend in the other room. He was getting out of their and saving his ass. Unfortunately, he has amused the fox. The thing took after him in a moderate pace, confident he could catch the man and then come back and finish off me and Lannie.

With a grunt, I pulled myself faster till I found what I had been looking for in the kitchen. A broomstick. Using it to steady myself, I grabbed a mop too that was unfortunately far too short for me. Lopsided, I staggered back toward the door as a harsh scream broke out and was suddenly silenced. I had to move fast. I bit my cheek and bore with the pain. I needed to get there. My whole world depended on it. It never occurred to me what I would do once I was there; all I knew was that I needed my daughter. Even if this was to be it, at least I had to be with her.

I was mere feet away from the door when it appeared again. I could tell it had spotted me, for the bounds it took were unbelievably desperate. I yanked the door open and slammed it in the fox's face, hearing its enraged howls as it started to claw at the door again. It was probably some freak adrenaline surge that hit me next, because when I was through, the door was barricaded by every toy and dresser there was in the baby's room.

Then I set my attentions on the wailing child. I picked her up, patting her back as I hunted for a place to hide. The closet! I remembered, rather ironically, how Allan had protested letting the baby have a closeted room. Now I was so glad I had stuck to my guns. I bound the brown fold in doors with wiring we had been using to hook up a few things for the baby and slid in just in time to hear the door break. I put my hand on the baby's mouth. She seemed to almost catch on to the situation, that or she was too scared to make anymore sound.

I peered through a small opening that just wouldn't close and cursed myself for not pushing Allan to get that fixed. But I could see the beast, hunting for us. Its teeth dribbled with red saliva and my blood had been joined more. Much more. Wedged in its teeth was a pair of heart patterned underwear, older than dirt. I had bought him those one of our dates as a joke. He called them his lucky undies; because well to be frank, that was the first night he got lucky.

I could feel a wash of grief and betrayal fill me. He'd left. He'd left us to die…I let out a choked sob and my hand quickly flew over my mouth. The fox's head snapped up. It licked its lips with anticipation as it took in a big draught of our scent. I flung one of Atlanta's baby outfits on my legs, feeling fresh needles bubble up over them. But it was too late. There was even a trail of blood leading right to the closet. A neon sign saying "HERE WE ARE!" The creature moved manically slow. It seemed to feed on my fear and terror. I took a deep breath, preparing to fight.

Its claws slammed into the little hole my eye had been at moments before as I flung backwards. My heart hammered as it dug its claws into the wood, tearing through it like paper. I said my last prayers to my father and apologized to whatever god had been Atlanta's parent for not saving her.

Before I had said my last words to them, I heard a harsh sound. A clash between a lion's roar and an eagle's angry screech. I covered my ears, terrified as I watched to forms flashing back and forth. Blood splattered the door and the floor seemed to shake with collisions. A piercing yelp broke through the air along with an angry snarl. The opposite creature hissed. I'm very sorry that I can't exactly describe that night in detail, because as exciting as this all was, I had finally succumbed to my wound and knew no more.

Almost two chapters ahead of this, so just tell me if you want more lmao.