Author's Note: Oh my gosh, guys, I'm sorry for the delay! Here's the next chapter of "Family, Luke". If you haven't noticed yet, I'm switching between the POVs of Annabeth, Thalia, and Luke. After this chapter, the cycle repeats and it goes back to Annabeth. Also, I am going to start posting two chapters a week instead of one: one on Monday and one on Thursday. Please review! And here goes the usual: I don't own Percy Jackson and the Olympians, I'm just a fan.

Chapter Three: Luke POV: I Lose my Sister

Who did I think I was, waltzing in there like nothing had changed? So much had changed since we were just kids, trying to survive in a world of monsters and unexplainable evil, with no support, no guidance, no parents. Now here we all were as adults, I seeing Thalia for the first time in ten years. I hadn't seen her since she was turned into a tree.

Thalia walked up to me and put her arms around me. I felt pathetic, just sitting there like that. I was supposed to be the one comforting Thalia, not the other way around. I cursed myself for being weak and stood up. Thalia hugged me tighter, and I hugged her back. We stood like that for a while. "Thalia," I said eventually, "I didn't come here just to apologize," I confessed. "I came here because I want you to join me. The gods have done nothing for us. You'd never have to fight another monster again. And Kronos, he promised me that you and I could rule Olympus when the gods are gone."

Thalia's eyes widened. "Luke, you can't honestly believe that Kronos will spare us at the end of this war, much less let us rule Olympus. He will kill every last person, including the people who are loyal to him. What will he need humans for when he has what he wants?"

I pondered this for a moment. "He swore on the River Styx. He won't want to face the consequences of breaking that oath."

"Yes, but how binding will that be when there's no one around to enforce it and all of the gods are dead? When there's no one to rule the Underworld? Who's to stop him from killing you?"

"It will still be binding," I assured her. "The furies will still be around to make sure no one breaks the rules." I was getting desperate now. "Thali, please," I begged. "I love you. I promise you, you'll be safer with me than you ever will be at Camp Half-Blood. I'm never going to let anything happen to you ever again."

Thalia looked at me sadly. "I love you too, but I don't trust Kronos. And what about Annabeth?"

"Annabeth can come too," I offered. "We can be a family again."

Thalia didn't answer. At that exact moment, Annabeth entered the apartment again. Her grey eyes were stormy with anger. "Oh. You're still here." She attempted to push past me, but I put my hand on her shoulder.

"Annabeth," I said. "I know I made mistakes. I'm sorry. I regretted leaving you the second I joined Kronos. That's why I wanted to ask you this." I glanced at Thalia, who looked uncertain. "Will you and Thalia join Kronos and I? You'd never have to fight another monster again. You'd always have everything you wanted, and we could be happy. We could be a family, Annabeth. Just like I promised we would be. So please, come with me."

Annabeth looked at me like I was an alien. "What makes you think I'll come with you?" She yelled. "You're crazy. First you abandon us and join Kronos, and now you're trying to convince us to join you? No, Luke, you don't deserve another chance. Thalia and I aren't going anywhere."

Thalia looked guilty. "Annabeth," she started, "I'm going with Luke. I'm so sorry." Her whisper was as quiet as a child of Hades and her eyes were apologetic as she glanced at Annabeth.

"So you too, huh?" Annabeth's voice was angry and betrayed. "Thalia, why? Why are you doing this? The gods will save us in the end, not Kronos. Thalia, I thought I was like your sister. But apparently I'm not that important if you're abandoning me. So much for family."

"I have to go," Thalia whispered. Her hand brushed Annabeth's shoulder as we stepped out onto the porch. "I'm sorry."

My last sight of Annabeth was her standing in the doorway, shocked, as I shut the door.