AN: I hope you enjoy the chapter; I only edited it once so sorry for any mistakes. I was anxious to get it posted...Enjoy! (And sorry i took forever to post!)

Disclaimer: I own all original characters and the plot, but not the POJ characters. Those wonderful characters belong to Rick Riordan.

L is for Lost

Electra POV

Despite just having saved the group from crazy elf/nymphs, everything still felt the same. I was still alone and possibly a burden for the others. I had fallen towards the back of the group again and only my pet gryphon, Danger, kept me company. We walked most of the night through the back streets of the warehouse area. I was glad no one was there to notice the giant gryphon following the group. I didn't know how other people would react if they saw Danger. I had read about something called The Mist, while I was at the library in Camp Half-Blood. It was supposed to be a veil of some kind to hide the truth about monsters and gods. If only I was still oblivious to the truth about where I came from; perhaps then I wouldn't have to run for my life.

"You alright, Electra?" Leo asked me.

I frowned since my thoughts had been interrupted, "I think so…I mean I just fought a bunch of creepy elf monsters. I'll live."

Leo grinned and kissed my cheek, "Too bad I was unconscious to see you fight. I bet you were Boss."

I flushed, "No I don't think so…"

"Either way, thanks for saving us."

Suddenly the night wasn't so cold anymore. My face had suddenly become warm and sweat beaded on my forehead. The palms of my hands here sticky and wet; it felt absolutely gross. I wiped my hands onto my jeans to dry them off. Sadly it didn't work. "Um…yeah well someone had to do the job." I tugged at the neck of my sweater as the heat rose to my face. I didn't dare look at Leo. I was too petrified to do so.

"You're not a bad person, you know that?" Leo told me.

I stole a glance at his face and saw a sincere expression. He looked like he absolutely meant it. I shoved my sweaty hands into my sweater pockets. "Maybe, but I could kill someone on contact." I looked at my feet. I noticed my shoes were still covered in sewer gunk. I frowned when I realized I possibly stunk as well. I stepped to the side to get away from Leo. I didn't want him to smell me.

"Yeah you can but we all have our own burden with our skills." He smiled at me and pulled out small parts out of his work belt. "I have the ability to make fire. It's taken me time to fully understand what I can do. Percy over there can practically make a hurricane and your brother Nico is a freakin' Ghost King."

"I don't see how any of those are a burden." I slouched as I said, "I might be the one this mission called for, but I am pretty useless. I don't know anything about the Gods and I don't even know where we're going. Percy and Annabeth are the ones who are leading this group…not me."

Leo fiddled away with his tools. I noticed how his curly brown hair bounced in rhythm with his footsteps. It was actually somewhat cute… "You're going through a rough phase." He smiled at me, "You'll find your place. We all have at one point." He smiled at me again only this time a bit more bitterly; as if something reminded him of a terrible past. I was tempted to ask but I didn't have the courage to.

I nodded and let him continue with his project. It seemed like he always had his hands busy. I supposed it was a trait that the Hephaestus children shared. I wondered what a Hades' children trait was…perhaps it was angst. I sure felt full of it. I noticed how everyone tried to offer me help and guidance. I didn't want to sound ungrateful but I wasn't sure they knew what I was going through.

In all honesty I felt like I was alone. I was absolutely lost. I had no clue where we were going and what we were supposed to do. I was a fifth wheel in this group. They all seemed to have such a strong friendship…I wasn't sure I was going to be able to connect with them in the same way. How was I supposed to make a lifelong friendship in just a few days? How was I supposed to even bond with a brother I didn't even know I had? And what was I going to do about Leo?

I wasn't qualified to lead a quest and it was proven that I wasn't in charge. The ones who ran this quest were Annabeth, Percy and my brother Nico. Leo was even more involved than I was. All I ever managed to do was get lost in the sewers; it was rather embarrassing. I was lucky enough to have been found by Danger while I was down there. He seemed like a guide down in the sewers and up here on the streets as well. It's something I'm not sure I will ever understand.

We walked for hours and I wasn't entirely sure where we had gone. My feet ached and lower back throbbed. I didn't want to walk any further but Percy insisted that we get out of the city first. We ended up somewhere in the woods. Where? I can't say I knew. However, when we finally arrived we found a nice clearing to settle in. The sun was still down and the stars seemed to appear out of the deep black sky.

It reminded me a bit of my home. There weren't too many city lights where I was from and so the sky was always clear. There were no pesky lights to veil the night sky and the stars were always visible. It was almost as if I could reach out and pluck a star out of the woven silk that made up the night sky. I sighed as I looked up and thought of my mother. She loved to tell me the stories of each constellation. Now that I looked back on the stories I realized that several of them were Greek based. Actually they were all Greek mythology… Had my mother known who my father really was? I wondered why she hadn't told me and why she kept such a large secret away from me.

"We're going to rest here for the night." Percy said; interrupting the thoughts of my mother.

I looked around at the group who had seemed more than happy to stop walking. "We'll move again in the morning. We have no time to lose." Annabeth continued.

I nodded silently and sat down by a tree. I watched as the others settled down. Leo's curly brown hair bounced as he helped gather fire wood; he lit the fire his hand. It amazed me how he was able to make fire out of nothing. I had no talent like his. I was far from special…

"C'mon and sit with us." Leo said as he gestured towards the group.

"Me?" I asked.

"You're the only one not in the group."

I looked around and noticed he was right. Even Danger was curled up near the fire and I was the odd girl out. "Well…okay." I stood and pick a spot at a safe distance from the others. I didn't want to accidently touch someone.

Food was passed around…well it was more like junk food but still I was starving. I couldn't remember the last time that I actually ate a real meal. Well I had eaten while I was at camp but that felt like days ago. I munched on the jerky and chips that Leo had given me. I wasn't fond of jerky but I couldn't say no to the food. Strangely it tasted like the best thing in the world. I tasted every flavor that the stick of jerky contained: the beef; the seasonings… everything.

I sighed and wondered what had happened to the food that we had packed. I was sure that there was more than just jerky and chips. I looked over at Leo and noticed how he seemed more serious than before. Had I said something that insulted him? Or perhaps he found out that I truly was a repulsive person. I mean, who wants to be friends with a killer?

"Is everything alright?" Nico asked me.

I looked over at him and forced a smile, "Yeah, I'm just tired. I've never walked this much in my entire life." It was true, I was tried from walking. My feet ached, demanding that I never walk again.

"Is that it?" He looked right at me and I looked away.

"Yeah of course." I lied.

"Electra?" He placed his hand on my shoulder. I quickly moved and looked at him in horror. His already pale complexion turned almost transparent. I stood and rushed into the woods.

"Electra, wait!" I heard Nico call out to me.

I walked faster and found large pile of rocks, boulders, whatever one calls giant rocks in a pile. I climbed the pile of rocks and I sat at the top. I over looked the city below which wasn't too far away but the cars looked like little bugs zooming past the trees. I sighed, "Why couldn't I be the one who died…not my mom." I looked at my hands. This gift was more like a curse. It was just as bad King Midas' gift, only whatever he touched turned to gold and in turn whatever I touched died. I looked down and spotted a dark figure in the shadows. It was Nico…damn he was relentless.

"Electra," He said as he climbed up the rocks.

"Please go away." I said, "I've done enough damage today."

He sat next to me and said, "It's not your fault. I forgot about your…talent."

"Talent?" I scoffed, "More like… never mind." I looked right at him, "What do you want?"

"You should talk… what's bothering you?" He looked concerned and small worry lines painted the corners on his eyes.

I sighed and gave in, "I have no idea what we're doing. I feel like I just… like I'm and extra load."

He gave me a bitter smile; it seemed I made everyone smile that way, "You're not a burden. Look you saved everyone and even found a Gryphon. I hate prophecies as much as the next person but you were the one chosen for this. We are all part of it."

I thought, for a moment, about the words he had spoken. I had been chosen to take on this quest and I had chosen them to come with me… "You're right. I should just deal with it right?"

"That's not what I meant." He carefully moved a strand of hair out of my face, "Look, there are times where we must be strong and others where we have to let our feelings take over."

"What?"

"Emotions can make us stronger if we work with them…a friend of mine told me this." He smiled bitterly again. "You're important for a reason, we just don't know what for."

"What about Leo? What's wrong with him?" I frowned and fiddled with my hands, "He hasn't really seemed so immature anymore." I looked up at my brother, "Did I do something wrong?"

"I'm not sure what's wrong, but Leo hasn't been the same since the last war. Hopefully this quest won't get too out of hand. We don't need another Olympian war or war against the giants."

I looked at Nico and studied him. He looked so young, much younger than the others and yet he seemed so much older. It was almost as if he had come out of a different time. He had the seriousness of a lonely person mixed with the wisdom of a soldier. "You were in two wars?"

He nodded, "I was, but that was long ago. Before you were born, I think."

"Has it been that long ago?" I asked.

"Yeah, we were all there, Leo, Percy, Annabeth and me." He placed his hand on my shoulder again and I jerked away. I looked at him and he looked normal. "See you're not dangerous." He added.

"Why? Why didn't you get hurt?" I asked. I touched his face and nothing happened. His pale complexion remained the same. I watched in confusion; hoping that I was dreaming.

"I'm somewhat used to being pulled back from the dead."

"What?" I moved my hand away, "What do you mean?"

He smiled and shrugged, "I guess it's a Hades' kid thing."

"That doesn't answer my question." I frowned but I decided not to push it further. I looked at the cars as they zipped by just below us. "Maybe we should go back to the camp." I suggested, "I mean the little camp we made. Its late and I need the sleep." I lied; I just didn't want to talk about myself anymore.

"Hmn alright." He didn't seem convinced but Nico made his way down the rocks and I followed behind him. "We'll be leaving just before sunrise."

"Why so early?" I asked as I jumped down from the last rock.

"There are still some shadows I could use to help us move faster." When he noticed my confused expression he explained, "Shadow travel? No?" I shook my head in reply. He sighed and said, "I use shadows to sort of… teleport us long distances. It will make it easier for us to travel that way."

"Oh I see." I walked back with him to the small camp. He sat with the others who talked about the next move. I curled up beside Danger and soon fell asleep.

I wish I hadn't fallen asleep. As I had learned, Demigod dreams were more annoying than flies. The dream started off simple enough. I was walking down a dirt path that was lined with beautiful flowers. Just as soon as I realized how beautiful the flowers were they grew in sized. I was an ant compared to the flowers. I continued to walk the path, but a strange sensation caused me to walk faster until a castle came into my view. The dream shifted and suddenly the flowers around me burned.

Revenge is a dish best served hot. A male voice said. I ran towards the castle but the fire followed me. It's your fault she's dead, the voice said. And soon you will be too. You'll never reach those princesses in time. You'll burn!

AN: I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Sorry i took so long. Life and working on three stories at once is difficult. Read and Review :)