A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I just finished righting the next 4 chapters and I hope to have them uploaded ASAP! I also just saw the Addams Family on Broadway! Awesome! Gosh! 2012 is just around the corner. I changed the title because I realized that my story revolves around one word: Always. R and R!

-GabbyGonz

Chapter 4 - At Camp

Percy POV:

Yes, you heard that correctly. We didn't know it would be the last time we saw my mom's apartment, at least not for a while.

We caught a cab up to the main street before the boundary-line of Camp Half-Blood, the boundary line of the mist, which prevented ordinary people from noticing the camp. Before we walked in, I took Annabeth's hand in mine, and together, we walked into Camp.

All Hell broke loose. Literally. There were Hellhounds everywhere, at least twenty of them. As we continued up the hill, however, the scenery didn't get any better. Bodies lay everywhere. The dead was scattered all around camp. Among them, we saw faces we recognized and many we did not.

Annabeth spotted her half sister Emily. Emily was thirteen years old, had dirty blonde hair and sea green eyes. Kind of like a combination of Annabeth and I. Whoa, getting off topic, I said to myself. Emily was leaning over something someone actually. As we came closer, we realized it was Emily's full brother, James (A/N: Are gods not permitted to have more than one child from the same mortal? Well, I guess it isn't in my story. Take Nico and Bianca for example.)

Annabeth took Emily into her arms, trying to comfort, but it didn't do much good. Emily was sobbing hysterically into Annabeth's shoulder. I rubbed Emily's back, trying to calm her down.

After about 15 minutes of trying to comfort Emily without success, I spotted Chiron in his wheelchair near the entrance to the Big House.

"Be right back." I whispered into Annabeth's ear. She only nodded; I guess she too was upset about James's death.

When I approached Chiron at the entrance to the Big House, I realized he was talking with Mr. D, the camp director. AKA: God of Grapes/Wine.

"Ah! Pansy Jefferson! Good to see you my boy." Mr. D greeted me with a clumsy pat on the back, before falling to the ground, into a deep sleep. How could I tell he had been drinking?

1. He called me Pansy Jefferson which was way more off than usual

2. He greeted me altogether

3. He's sleeping on the floor

"Chiron, Annabeth told me you need more fighters, well here I am!" I said with a little too much enthusiasm so the current situation. He did not answer.

"Chiron…?" I repeated. He winced.

"Oh sorry Percy, I'm just in a little pain. The Hellhounds got to me." He replied weakly.

"I'm sorry to hear that…" I said, but despite his injury, I needed information. "Could you please explain to me what is going here?" I asked.

"Hades has sent all these Hellhounds in search of Nico diAngelo. Rumor has it he has been stealing everyone's most prized possessions. Either by seriously wounding of just taking them and locking them away. For Hades, it was Persephone." I tensed. The most prized possession. The note. It all made sense now.

"Wait. Nico stole a Goddess?" I asked.

"A minor one, but yes. And, no one knows where the boy is." Chiron replied.

"Poor Hades, having to deal with that awful mother of hers." I said with a smirk

The ground shook a little.

"Sorry Demeter." I mumbled.

"Percy, be careful of what you say about the Gods." Chiron advised me. But, I had stopped listening. Annabeth. That's what Nico meant his note. Something was going to happen to her; I could feel it. I had to protect her at all costs.

"Percy, are you alright?" Chiron asked.

"I need to find Annabeth. Feel better Chiron." And I sprinted out the door.

I checked in the Athena cabin, knowing she would be there. I didn't even bother knocking; I just barged in.

"Don't you know how to kno-" Emily trailed off when she realized it was me. Her eyes were red from crying. "Oh, sorry Percy."

"I'm so sorry about James." I told her while hugging her. When I released her, I spotted Annabeth on her bed with her laptop in her lap. I walked over to her bunk.

"Hey Wise Girl." I greeted her. "Watcha doing Beautiful?" She didn't even bother looking up.

"Research…" She mumbled. That girl studied too much. We were in a middle of a battle and she was towering over her computer. I crawled on the bed behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. She was looking at the blueprints of Mt. Olympus. She was helping redesign it after the Titan War last year.

"You need a break." I told her, resting my chin on her shoulder.

"5 more minutes mom." She said with a smile. I grabbed her hand and we walked out the cabin door, headed for a walk on the shore, when the unexpected happened.

We heard a scream and I turned around just in time to deflect a Hellhound leaping toward us, with a little help from Riptide. It disintegrated immediately.

Two more came from behind us. Annabeth was nowhere to be seen. But, I felt her breath on my neck. I knew the drill:

1. Distract the monster

2. Keep distracting monster

3. Annabeth stabs monster from behind

Only, this time thing went wrong. I felt it before I knew what happened. A burning sensation spread throughout my left leg. Blood spurted everywhere. In a matter a minutes, my whole body left as if it was on fire. I let out a yell.

"Percy!" I heard Annabeth cry. But, her voice sounded distant. That was the last thing I heard.