Aye! Thanks for all the love guys, for real! I'll be including the songs in each chapter in my Author's Note from now on.

Hotel Californa by The Eagles

The Fates by Virginia Man (I'd recommend listening to The Fates when you get to that part)

OOO

Rachel teased him to no end about his pretty next door neighbor. Seriously, she was going to make him die of embarrassment.

She curled up her limbs to her chest happily, literally giggling with delight, "But she's the girl you got all sappy over that one day?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Dare. And seriously, shut up, these walls are really thin."

Rachel squealed, "Boy am I going to set you up or what!"

He facepalmed, "Rachel. No. Please no."

"I promise I'll be good, I'll make her like you, she'll have no choice but to like you!" She announced gleefully and Percy was glad they had gone back into his room for her to finish painting, even if Rachel had abandoned the thought, "Has she heard you play? Trust me Percy, she'll absolutely die when she hears you. Girls love artistic boys."

"I doubt she's heard my playing and if she has, I've pissed her off cause she hates rock music and is all into Mozart or something like that. Also, I'm not artistic."

Percy could see the plans forming in her mind, racing at a million miles per hour and he shook his head, "Besides, she's too smart for me."

Rachel's brain visually skirted to a halt, "Wait, what?"

"I said she's way too smart for my dumb little brain."

The girl squinted at him, "You're not dumb Percy."

Percy raised his eyebrows, "She's literally a multilingual paralegal assistant, already half way through her engineering degree. She could make anyone look dumb."

She considered that, "Well dang. No wonder your music was bothering her."

"Yeah, I know." He said emphatically, "But she's always home at weird hours and I never know if I'm making her mad or not. Until she comes to beat down my door."

"I can't believe you gave her your phone number." Rachel mumbled, shaking her head.

Percy frowned, "What about it?"

"Oh my god. Bless your innocent, little soul Percy, really. My lord, it's like you're blind." But she didn't clarify and went back to her painting by his window.

She left about an hour later, making weird hand gestures at 6D's doorway while winking. Percy tried desperately to get her to chill--(he didn't want Annabeth to hear and think he had some weird thing for her, they only met a couple of days ago and Percy didn't do passive crushes based on looks, thank you very much. Annabeth was really pretty, he'd admit, and she looked illegally cute in track shorts though Percy wouldn't dare breath a word of this to his redhead friend)--but Rachel wouldn't be tamed, leaving his apartment building with paint on her face and a drunken attitude even though she was completely sober. She swore loudly down Percy's hall, said she had to make a plan, and for him to not do anything stupid.

Percy dealt with the teasing on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during work at PetWorld.

Rachel would insist on The Love Boat and Percy would die of boredom (not because he and his mom had already watched every single episode, but because it was a stupid show, obviously) as Rachel dramatically echoed the lines between lovers, always ending the sentence with "Percy" or "Annabelle", in case it slipped his mind who she was mocking within the point-zero-two seconds of her saying it.

(Also, Annabelle wasn't even her name but hell if Percy was going to correct Rachel.)

On Friday, Percy announced that if Rachel kept stressing him out like this, he was going to need another goldfish to ease his pain. Rachel burst out laughing but didn't stop so Percy picked out Benjamin Franklin to prove his freaking point.

His phone rang while the Love Boat theme song was playing and he quickly took it in the dog food section.

"Hey dweeb." Piper's voice called out cheerfully, "You good to practice tonight?"

"On a Friday night? You don't think I've got anything better to do?"

The Cherokee girl snorted, "No."

Percy hesitated, "Alright fine, but I have work until five."

He could hear the eye roll, "We know, you've told us a thousand times. You know where Nico's place is?"

Percy shivered at the thought, "His apartment is sketchy."

"Yeah well, Nico is sketchy." She took a big breath, "So, you in?"

"Yeah, is six good?"

"Perfect. Small caramel hot chocolate?"

"Of course, thanks."

"No problemá, don't be late."

Him? Late? Never.

Percy then swept the whole store to avoid The Love Boat.

OOO

He fed his fish, got himself a snack (okay, okay, two grilled cheeses weren't technically a snack per say, but being teased relentlessly was hard work) and then took a shower with the music at a low level of volume.

Mirrors on the ceiling, pink champagne on ice and she said, 'We are all just prisoners here, of our own device'.

The water always made him feel better, more peaceful. It cleared his thoughts of all the weird stuff Rachel had said. Now he might be able to look at Annabeth without going completely red in the face. Doubtful, but still. It was a start.

Percy was struck with the sudden thought that he should get back into swimming. He had been on the team in high school and won a couple of competitions but as he got more a more talented with a guitar, it had taken priority.

Welcome to the Hotel California.

His phone dinged and he grunted quietly, "Geez Pipes, I'm coming." But when he glanced at his phone, he saw an unknown number. That was weird, Percy always put the names of people in his phone, he was too prone to forgetting who he was talking to.

He looked closer, reading the messaging several times before his dyslexia settled on the words.

780-2674: If you could keep the off-pitch, Eagles singing in the shower to a minimum, that would be great.

Shit, Annabeth.

Percy dried of his hand with the towel nearby and typed: sorry about that.

Annabeth read his message but didn't respond and Percy decided not to take it personally as he checked the time.

Ten until six and lord almighty, Piper was going to kill him.

He hopped out of the shower, tossed on a T-shirt and jeans, shaking his hair before grabbing his keys and heading out after a goodbye to his triplet goldfish.

The sub was quick from his place to Nico's, only a few minutes, but Percy was freezing.

Live in New York City for almost twenty years, He thought to himself, clutching his guitar case as the train lurched forward, But never get used to the weather.

He wished he had thought to grab a jacket but it's too late now, dammit. Hopefully, Nico's apartment wouldn't be as cold and dead as last time. Percy shuddered at the memory.

Percy got off the sub somewhere near Harlem and tried not to look like a shivering piece of meat and easy prey as he walked up the block and the porch to the duplex that belonged partly to that weird ass di Angelo kid.

He could hear random instruments playing from outside. Percy knocked, his fingers numb, "Hey! Open up, I'm cold!" Frank opened it slowly, laughing softly at something and Percy pushed inside, "Where's my drink Piper?" He all but whined.

She frowned at him, pointing to the small kitchen's countertops, "Why aren't you wearing a jacket?"

"Dumbass." Nico grumbled, not even looking up from the acoustic guitar on his lap.

Percy seized the cup, holding it under his chin and warming his fingers, "Yeah. What Nico said."

Frank shut the door and sat back down on the couch with Piper, both of their instruments taking up all the room available.

Percy sat his case by the last chair, sipping the hot chocolate and keeping his limbs close to his body, "It's September, what the hell."

"It's also thirty degrees outside." Frank pointed out, plucking a C chord of his bass, "Don't you ever check the weather?"

Of course he didn't, weather checking was boring. And for adults. And losers.

"Yes." He replied, defiantly, "I check the weather all the time."

Piper snorted, tapping away at her keyboard, "You look like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer."

He held his hand over his cold nose instinctively, "Rude." Percy muttered.

"Anyway," Nico called from his chair with a single drum in front, glaring at them, "I was just telling Piper about how we need to write songs. And soon. If we don't write now, our producing won't be finished in time for Christmas break. This isn't a joke guys, this is the rest of our lives were messing around with."

Percy and Frank shifted uncomfortably but Piper waved her hand in dismissal, "Don't worry about it Neeks, we've got loads of--"

"Don't call me Neeks!" He burst out then took a big breath, "Look. Guys. I don't want to turn in a half-ass album."

"So . . . You want a whole-ass one then?" Percy wondered, giving him a funny look.

Nico buried his face in his hands, "Sure, whatever. I'm just saying, I'm trying very hard to take this assignment seriously and I feel like you guys aren't."

Frank hummed, "Well, we're pretty good at just jamming together . . . Maybe we could do some instrumental tracks."

Piper squealed, "Awesome!"

Nico gave them another serious look before starting to strum away, surprisingly soft and gentle, especially in comparison to his drum playing. Frank began to tune with an app on his phone and Piper started playing some legit Harry Connick Jr. stuff on her piano absently.

Percy chugged the rest of his hot chocolate then plugged his deep blue guitar into the amplifier near the couch, plopping back down and make sure he was still tuned as well.

After some quick adjustments, Percy plunked a few notes contently. There wasn't anything he loved more than the sound of a freshly tuned electric. Besides, you know, his family.

Nico was leading the group now with his acoustic, they were settling into the music like they always did.

And to Percy's utter shock, Nico began to sing quietly, staring at the floor.

Calm waters, calm waters all around

Sons and daughters, sons and daughters are grounded

And the roots are ashen gray

His voice was shaking but so very uncharacteristically soft that Percy began to study his chords, matching his rhythm and giving the harmony.

Follow me, lead me all the way down,

Follow me, lead me down to the way down,

Where are members are estranged

The four of them were seeping together into song, all grabbing to the bitter sweetness of Nico's words.

All our weapons cast aside

hand in hand we're weary eyed

Scars remain from things we've seen before

Tarnished ground is home to me

I've laid down with my enemy

End this brutal scene of civil war

End this brutal scene of civil war

For the first time since he began, Nico looked up and met their eyes, poetically standing before them in a light Percy hadn't noticed. It was hard for them to word, and yet, so easy for them to play.

Hear me brothers, hear me brothers while I cry,

The love you long for, the love you long for is inside,

But your tears they flood the way

Your fathers children, your fathers children are no more,

The walls of bondage, the walls of bondage cannot restore,

The heart of this old whore

Everyone saw their place and part like a beautiful, mechanical creation of sound and movement and fingers and words.

All our weapons cast aside

hand in hand we're weary eyed

Scars remain from things we've seen before

Tarnished ground is home to me

I've laid down with my enemy

End this brutal scene of civil war

End this brutal scene of civil war

Nico frowned in pain and started to lose grip on the neck of his guitar as they slowed, staring at something past Percy and perhaps past all of them.

Many nights I, many nights I lie awake,

Many daydreams, many daydreams I have you,

Planning my escape,

It's not your mothers, not your mothers tears to cry,

Not your fathers, not your fathers sins to die for,

For the fates have called your name

With a climax and a clatter of shaking voice, Percy knew his moment and there it was.

Then everything went soft.

All our weapons cast aside

hand in hand we're weary eyed

Scars remain from things we've seen before

Tarnished ground is home to me

I've laid down with my enemy

End this brutal scene of civil war

End this brutal scene of civil war

The room stayed quiet for a moment, all but the sniffle from Nico and faint brush of motion as he rubbed away his glistening cheek.

Piper looked at him apologetically, catching on to something Percy couldn't, "That was beautiful Nico."

"Thanks." He chewed on his lip, "I wrote it a long time ago . . . After . . . I guess I was getting desperate for content." Nico said the last words with a misshapen smile.

"You're a poetic bastard di Angelo, I'll give you that." Piper mused, smiling as well, "Track number one, all in favor?"

The three of them-Piper, Frank and Percy-all raised theirs immediately and Nico did too after flushing with embarrassed pride.

Piper grabbed a notebook and scribbled in black pen on the first page.

Track 1: The Fates.