Okay guys, it looks like this is actually going to end up being about 5-6 chapters long. So you will have a little more from after the timeline from the book ends.

Thanks for all your support! Love you guys.


It had been over a week since the funeral. Annabeth was beginning to wonder if Magnus really had gotten himself killed this time. She had tried to go back to her normal life. School. Architectural textbooks. Late night Iris messages with Percy. That type of thing, but to no avail. Her mind kept wandering back to her phone, wondering when it would ring. If it would ring.

As much as she hated it, she decided not to tell Percy about her cousin and her realization about said cousin yet. Magnus obviously had a good reason to want people to think he was dead, and as much as she didn't think telling Percy would hurt anyone, she didn't want to risk it. You can never tell for sure with the gods.

Annabeth collapsed onto her bed, finally finished her homework. Being as the rest of her family didn't live in New York, she had ended up staying in a dorm at a boarding school. It wasn't as much fun as it's made out to be.

That was when her phone finally rang. She scrambled for it, struggling to push the little green button to answer it. "Hello? Magnus?" She knew she sounded desperate, but she didn't really care. She just wanted to know he was okay. He wasn't allowed to die before she got to talk to him.

"Hey, Annabeth." Yep. It was Magnus.

She sighed with relief. "Oh my gods, I was worried you were dead. For real this time."

"Yeah. I'm okay. . . I think." He laughed. "Thought I kind of can't believe it after all I've been through."

"Okay," said Annabeth. "I think we need to meet and have a proper, long, conversation."

"About that . . . Look, I don't really know how to ask you this, but will you come and help me scatter my mother's ashes in the wind? She always wanted that, and I figure it's the least I can do for her."

Annabeth was a bit surprised by the turn that sentence had taken, but she didn't hesitate with her answer. "Of course! I can be in Boston around two tomorrow. I have to take the train."

"Okay. I'll meet you at the station."

Annabeth smiled. "Sounds good."


She had met Magnus at the station as he had promised, and together, they had caught a cab to the Blue Hills to scatter his mother's ashes. She had decided not to ask how he had gotten them after two years.

"This was way better then the last memorial I attended." She nudged him. "Yours."

"Thanks for coming with me." Said Magnus.

Annabeth studied him, trying to understand him. What had he been through? Was he okay? Was there any way she could help him? "Glad to. Your mom . . ." Annabeth tried to recall Magnus's mother, "from what I remember, she was great."

Magnus smiled. "She would have liked the fact that you're here." He said sincerely.

Annabeth looked across the trees. "They cremated you, too, you know. I mean that other body . . . whatever that was. You ashes were placed in the family mausoleum. I didn't even know we had a family mausoleum." Man, her family was weird. For more than one reason.

"Pretending I was dead couldn't have been easy for you." Magnus said.

She brushed a strand of hair from her face. "The service was harder on Randolph, I think. He seemed pretty shaken up, considering, you know . . ."

"That he never cared about me?" Magnus finished for her.

Well, if he wanted to put it bluntly. "Or any of us. My dad though, Magnus . . . that was difficult." Annabeth took a deep breath. "He and I have had a rocky history, but I'm trying to be honest with him now. I don't like hiding things."

"Sorry." Magnus said, looking down at his hands. "I thought it was better if I didn't drag you into my problems. For the last few days, I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. Some . . . some dangerous things were happening. It had to do with my father's, uh, side of the family."

Annabeth smiled to herself. "Magnus, I might understand more than you think I do."

He bit his lip as he looked at her for a second. "I'm okay now." He assured her. "I'm staying with friends. It's a good place, but it's not the kind of arrangement most people would understand. Uncle Randolph can't know about it. I'd appreciate it if you didn't tell anyone, not even your dad."

"Hmmm" Annabeth said, as if she was considering saying nah, I think I might just tell everyone. "Don't suppose I get details?"

"I just don't want to put you in danger. I kind of hoped you would be my one connection to the regular world."

Annabeth hesitated a beat. The word regular almost didn't register to her anymore. She was so unregular, the word regular seemed hardly worth noting anymore. Then she couldn't help herself, she cracked up. Full on, snorting, laugh.

After all she had been through. Running away at age 6. Being the daughter of Athena. Saving the world. Twice. Surviving Tartarus. The very thought of someone trying to protect her, someone other than Percy at least, was absolutely hilarious.

"Wow. You have no idea how funny that is." She tried to get a hold of herself and took a deep breath. "Magnus, if you had any clue how weird my life is-"

"Okay, but being here with you?" Magnus interrupted. "This is the most normal I've felt in years. After all the crazy fighting between our parents, the stupid grudges and years spent not talking to each other, I was hoping we could make our generation of the family not so messed up."

Annabeth got serious. "That kind of normal I like." She extended her hand. "To us, the Chase cousins. Here's to being less messed up."

They shook on it.

"Now spill." She commanded. "Tell me what's been going on. I promise I won't tell. I might even be able to help." Annabeth smiled and added, "I also promise that whatever's been going on with you, my life is weirder. It'll make yours look downright suburban."

Magnus seemed to do some type of mental catalogue of his recent exploits. She knew that face well, she had seen Percy make it a million times. "How much you want to bet?" He said.

"Bring it on, cousin." Annabeth answered. She had this in the bag. Nothing Magnus could throw at her would surprise her.

"Lunch?" Magnus suggested. "I know a great falafel place."

"You've got a bet. Let's hear what you've been up to."

"Oh no." Magnus said. "Your story is so amazing? You go first."

Annabeth snorted as they stood up and headed down the ridge towards a taxi. "I'll warn you though, it's a long one. Let's wait till we get settled with some great falafel."

Magnus narrowed his eyes. "Fine."