So, just to get you in the mood for this chapter, have a listen to Anywhere by Evanescence. Check out my profile for the link, and lots of other songs fitting to this story. Anyways, srry for the long wait, but as you may notice this chapter is slightly longer than the rest, so hopefully that'll compensate for the wait :/ enjoy!


Blood flowing hot in my veins, heart thumping faster than ever before, I focused my attention on Camp Half-Blood; every person, every leaf of grass formed within my mind and as I laid my attention upon each movement, they began to lengthen in time until the entire camp ceased to move.

It is an odd feeling; moving within a frozen encampment, being able to think and move freely while all else around you stays put. It is like walking over an icy glacier, a hard wind pushing you back as you persist heavily forward, but it is silent; not the silence of night with crickets chirping outside your bedroom window, but an eerie silence as you struggle to listen through a thick door; the sound is there but it is lost to your ears.

The camp sill to the bone around us, Luke and I continued down the long, worn path leading up to the loop of cabins. All around us stood motionless figures, frozen in place. Just before we reached the cabins Luke gestured for me to continue in another direction towards the training area and the archery range hidden behind the underbrush.

"The Apollo cabin's usually at the shooting range this time of day," Luke informed me as he turned to face me, grabbing both my hands in a tight grip. He looked deep in my eyes as he said, "You'd better hurry, you can't hold this place down forever."

I glared at him, quizzically, "But you're coming with me, aren't you?"

"I'll only slow you down; even in your state you're faster alone," he sighed. Smiling, he let go of my hands and he too became still as the rest of the camp. His dazzling eyes continued to stare shrilly into mine and just at the moment when he should have blinked he did not, and that is what stuck with me.

I wanted to touch him, to kiss him good-bye, but thought better of it. He was right; I needed to hurry. I could already feel the effort of holding this camp draining me of the little energy that I had left. Leaving him standing on the dirt path, I turned briskly on my heal and ran towards the archery range. Pain shot through my legs with each stride, I took in greedy gulps of air, pressing on through the frozen wind. The air bit my cheeks although it was a scorching day, it seemed that even the sun's rays failed to heat the earth in its stiff state. Growing tired, I slowed down to a light jog as I passed the dining hall and entered the bush, which hid the training facilities of the camp.

I stopped just in time to stop my self from knocking a girl with curious grey eyes and curly blond hair into a pit of lava. Following her gaze I realized she was starring at a young boy upon the rock wall to my right. She seemed to be in the middle of ushering him down from the high perch he had found.

Bushing past the blond girl, I wormed my way through the crowd of frozen campers abandoning their training for the evening, checking every face in hopes of locating Alex. I followed the crowd of fair-toned campers, who all seemed to be emitting the same sort of light, back to the shooting range where Alex stood alone, aiming a deathly shot at the bulls eye, which was covered with recently shot arrows shot deep into the wood. Looking back at Alex I noticed a flare in his eyes that was foreign to me. His bow was drawn further back than normal or natural by that matter, a golden arrow was set next to his sun-lit eyes, which emitted a look of pure contempt; his mouth was pierced in a tight look as if he was biting his cheeks in frustration.

Preparing myself with a deep, shaky breath I laid my hand upon his shoulder and he jerked into action. His arms slaked and his aim on his bow loosened, the wire straightened and any tension on the arrow was lost. With a shock of bewilderment and shock he turned to face me, but once he took in whom I was he flew my grip away furiously, but as soon as my touch left him he went rigid again. So I gripped his hand tightly and did not let go.

Eyes wide with fear he asked, "What are you doing here?"

Growing tired more quickly now I answered quietly, "To find you. I froze time."

His jaw dropped with horrification, "You did what?" He peered over my shoulder, eying his petrified siblings, he attempted to pull out of my grip, but I merely held more firmly.

"No," I warned him, "If you let go you'll only freeze again."

His eyes narrowed, but his struggling ceased.

"Listen, I don't have time to explain everything, but just hear me out," I pleaded.

"Why should I?" His grip on his bow tightened in rage.

"Because," I frowned, "because I hoped that you above all people would." Alex opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "I have been an orphan my whole life, I've never had any family to lean on, not since Sarah and Michael died. I was all alone Alex…"

"Rebecca please…"

"…Until I met you," loosening my grip on him, I lowered my gaze, "You have always been there for me." Holding back tears I sighed, "Like a brother…" Shaking away my tears I continued, "You saved my life, Alex. Just goes to show how helpless I am without you. I need you by my side." I could feel my energy leaving in great leaps, behind me campers slowly began to move. "I…I have to go." Pain surging to my gut I stumbled forward, but Alex caught me. I stared into his ever-lightening eyes.

"Come with me," I whispered.

"What?"

By now I fully lost control, I could no longer hold the camp at a stand still. I released my hold of the camp; it felt like a gigantic weight lifted from my shoulders. I could feel my strength slowly return to me, but still, moving was a task upon itself. I could hear the footsteps of the campers, it was only a matter of time until they found me with Alex, or worse, if they discovered what Luke had done. What if they caught him? What if they killed him?

"Come with me, Alex." He helped me to my feet. "Luke rescued me, he's taking me to my father."

"Your father?"

"Yes," I swallowed hard, "I can't stay here, they'll kill me," my voice quivered with every word.

Looking cautiously over my shoulder his tone dropped to a whisper. "Look, I'll talk to Chiron, I'll make him see sense. It'll be okay, you don't have to leave."

"No Alex!" I dropped my tone to match his, "I need to go, and I need you to come with me."

For a long moment he merely stared at me in wonder, then finally he gave in. "Gods, Rebecca, why are you so damn persuasive?"

I gave a weak smile.

"You'd never make it out of here without me anyway."

Letting out a great sigh of relief I hugged him in a warm embrace.

"Okay, okay," Alex gave me a few reassuring claps on the back before releasing me, "Now, what's the plan?"

(Luke's POV)

If walking through a frozen camp is odd, it was nothing compared to returning from a petrified state, which was an extremely bizarre experience. It felt as if I was waking from a short, but deep sleeping; slowly, I began to be aware of my surroundings; my feet on the hard ground, the wind struggling to blow my hair from my eyes, the mumbled chatter from the cabins soared into my ears like a trumpet blaring. I knew that Rebecca had lost control when my lungs eagerly filled with air and a jolt of energy filled my muscles.

Looking around confused, I sought the gaze of my brother, Conner Stoll. He stared at me in shock as he took hesitant steps towards me. "What was that?" He asked, his voice weak from the silence.

"I don't know," I lied, looking cautiously around for signs of Rebecca. She must still be at the archery range, I thought. Why would she risk so much for an Apollo kid? Why wouldn't she just leave with me and forget about him? Was I not good enough for her?

With all these questions in mind I found it difficult to listen to Conner babble on, and when Travis came to join us mere seconds later, it proved impossible.

"...Like I was sleeping..." Conner went on, "...It was like..."

"...I'm not sure..." Travis joined in.

"...Like when she..."

"...Back at the cabin..."

"...It can't be..."

"...Impossible..."

"Rebecca!" They burst out together. At her name I became horridly interested.

"What?" I asked, "What about her?" I tried to calm myself, how could they know? My heart pounded furiously.

"I though Chiron had her under control," Travis' eyes were wide with fear.

"Same here," Conner's mouth hung wide open.

"Someone must've let her out," Travis explained.

"But who would do that?" My eyes shot wide open, it began difficult to breath, my throat grew itchy, but I resisted the urge to scratch. They would soon discover what I did and I was not going to be around when they did, and neither was Rebecca.

"You better go tell Chiron," I intervened to give me a chance to find her before someone else did.

Conner and Travis hurried away to the Big House unaware of what they would find there. Abandoning the crowded path I raced through the bushes to the archery range, away from the nosy glares of campers. Branches sliced my face as I ran pat them, a few left an odd, numb sensation as they grazed my horrid scar.

I skidded to a halt as I drew close to the range; I strained to hear faint whispers in the clearing where I spotted Rebecca resting weakly against Alexander, who was struggling to hold her up. Her fiery hair was damp with sweat and her golden eyes were barely open.

I slowly drew my sword, Backbiter, from it's sheath at my side and warily walked towards them. Eying Alex with loathing I laid my blade lightly against his throat, his eyes migrated to view me, his atom's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard.

"Luke?" Rebecca carefully sat up, colour subtly returning to her once-rosy cheeks. "What are you doing?"

"I was...well...I was protecting you," I managed.

"From Alex?" I felt my cheeks grow hot with embarrassment. "Put away your sword already."

Reluctantly, I obeyed as Alex helped Rebecca to her feet, her arm slung over his shoulders.

"Now," Alex managed under the weight of Rebecca, "What's the plan?"

Caught off-guard by his sudden interest, I looked over at Rebecca, who merely returned the glare.

"We need to get to an open area somehow, like the soccer field," I relayed.

"But that'll only put her n even greater danger," Alex spat.

"I know, but that's the only way," I spoke regrettably.

"Why?" He ordered.

"Would you shut up for once, Alex?" Rebecca attempted to support herself better to no avail. "Let's just go."

I nodded, "I'll take her," I told Alex as I slung Rebecca's other arm over my own shoulders and held her hand close to me. "We'll go first, cover us from behind, will you? We'll take the trees for cover."

Slinging a quiver of golden arrows over his shoulder Alex nodded and I drew my blade once again.

"Shall we?" Asked Rebecca, trying to smile, but she could not hide her pain. She was scared, the horror reflected in her radiant gold eyes.

Nodding, Backbiter in hand, I slunk back into the forest quietly with Rebecca, I heard the light crunch of twigs on the ground as Alex followed us.

It seemed an eternity that we were in the bush, but I know it to only have been a few minutes. Rebecca's strength was returning quickly now, and by the time we had reached the forest's edge it seemed to have returned in full. She no longer needed me as a support, but she still looked worn from her time locked away. I could see her ribs through her filthy tank top, her skin was a pasty white and her once-straight hair hung in knots on her shoulders, but still she managed a smile. Her teeth shone into eh sun as she whispered in my ear.

"Luke, if this doesn't work...I want you to know...I-" She was cut off as I kissed her, one last kiss before I completed my mission, one kiss before our life either ended or began.

(Rebecca's POV)

When Luke kissed me as we peered into the camp's field I became aware of what was really happening. I had no idea what was going to happen; I didn't know what Luke was planning, or what our chances of success were, or what was waiting for me when I reached my father. I had no way of knowing the future, but if there was one thing that I did know, it was that I trusted Luke with my life. Wherever Luke would take me I would surely go because maybe then our love would be more than just his name. When our lips finally separated Luke and I whispered, "I love you."

"Now what?" Suddenly aware of his presence Luke and I looked away from one another; I brushed back my hair shyly.

Peering through the bushes Luke eyed a group of about half a dozen campers brandishing what looked like newly sharpened swords. "Ugh, Ares kids! Just my luck," he sighed

"Okay," Alex and I drew closer as Luke explained, "So, here it goes. I'm gonna` head out first and-"

"And do what?" Alex cut in.

A furious glare in his eyes, Luke continued, "I'm gonna` create a portal, it's a rare gift of a child of Hermes, since he is the god of travelers," he said in response to Alex's and my quizzical looks. "It'll take some time, it requires a lot of concentration, so I'll need you to cover me if people get to suspicious. Rebecca, how are you feeling?"

Catching on I replied, "Well, enough to stop a few kids in their tracks."

Smiling, Luke said, "Only if you have to. Until I give you the okay stay hidden. They're already on the watch for you and Con-"

He didn't need to finish because just then Travis and Conner Stoll emerged from the Big House, followed by a furious Chiron in full centaur form. My jaw fell low in shock, "Shit!"