Hercules by Sara Bareilles

(Hey there! It's been a while! At least a month! But you must know my schedule and writer's block played dual parts in this. This chapter is not the best, but not the worst. Oh, and I forgot to add in the last chapter: Nelly is a part of Camp Half-Blood after the huge memory wipe. She is not a part of the Hunters anymore. But before I go, does anyone watch Bones on here? I love that show! I started watching it on Netflix, and I'm obsessed. Sweets is my favorite character! And I'm currently cranking Sara Bareilles to type this chapter for you, so I'm going to start writing song inspirations at the top of the chapter, starting with this one! So, I promise, the next chapter will be up soon, hopefully in less time than this one, and I'll talk to you later! Word count: 3,208 words.

AUSTIN:

"Uh—the end of it?" I said, confused. "You were awesome!" I smiled at her. "What do you call the song?"

"Who We Are, and thanks." She tucked her hair behind her ear, and looked down at her feet, and her cheeks reddened.

"Seriously, you're great! Have you ever thought of, like, getting a record deal?" I smiled at her, and her cheeks turned more plum.

She reached up, and nervously scratched her head. "No, I really don't think so. My fate's already set in stone. Literally. And music's haven't been a big part of my life for a really, really long time. I've lost all interest in it." Ally blinked at me, waiting for my response, like she really wanted me to believe her. I couldn't.

"Then what was that? Really. You want me to think…that this is not a connection?" I touched a finger to the worn, creamy page. It had only been a second when Ally tore the book from the piano stand.

"Don't touch my book!" she scolded me. I laughed when she realized with again blazing cheeks that she had contradicted herself. She sat down at the bench to the piano then, quiet as she asked, "You can't write any songs?"

"Not very well." It was my turn to blush as I settled next to her, her hip grazing against mine, but it felt like the pressure was enormous. Layla never touched me when we were writing, always enough space between us. I didn't hate the feeling of Ally against me; in fact, I quite enjoyed the feeling, like I was coming home, and comfortably settling in again, like I had never left.

"I'll help you write one if you want." She drew out the end of her sentence like a question.

"All right. Do you got any ideas?"

"Yeah, actually I have a couple." Ally flipped a few pages to the right, closer to the middle. After examining a few lyrics on a page, she pointed, "Here." I peered at the words.

"I remember life before,

Faraway dreams and locking doors,

Then you came…then you came,

Afraid to fall…to be free,

Always my own worst enemy,

I took time to realize,

That I couldn't do it by myself,

Myself…

There's no gravity,

When you're next to me,

You always break my fall,

Like a parachute,

When you're holding me,

So weightless I can barely breathe,

You always break my fall,

My fall…

Like a parachute,

You're my parachute.

With you…it all begins,

Feeling okay in my own skin,

So alive…I'm so alive,

I know…this life isn't gonna be perfect,

The ups and the downs they're gonna be worth it,

As long as I'm…I'm with you.

There's no gravity,

When you're next to me,

You always break my fall,

Like a parachute,

When you're holding me,

So weightless I can barely breathe,

You always break my fall,

My fall…

Like a parachute,

You're my parachute.

With you…it all begins,

Feeling okay in my own skin,

So alive…I'm so alive,

I know…this life isn't gonna be perfect,

The ups and the downs they're gonna be worth it,

As long as I'm…I'm with you.

When I'm standing at the edge,

It's such a long way down,

If I second-guess myself,

You're there to catch me now,

Woah…Woah…Woah…Woah,

I'll never touch the ground!

There's no gravity,

When you're next to me,

You always break my fall,

Like a parachute,

When you're holding me,

So weightless I can barely breathe,

You always break my fall,

My fall…

Like a parachute,

You're my parachute.

With you…it all begins,

Feeling okay in my own skin,

So alive…I'm so alive,

I know…this life isn't gonna be perfect,

The ups and the downs they're gonna be worth it,

As long as I'm…I'm with you!

You're my parachute,

My parachute."

[1]

"Wow." I sucked in a breath before I continued, "This was amazing! Who did you write it about?"

"Write it about?" Ally asked, flustered.

"You know, your inspiration for the song?"

"It's just a song."

"Ally, it's a love song."

"Yeah, which had zero inspiration. It's just a song that I wrote about a long time ago." Ally looked down at the piano keys, ashamed.

"Ally, when did you stop?"

"Stop what?"

"Writing."

She sucked in a breath. "Two years ago. When I went to, um, boarding school. It just caught up to me. That I could never be a singer or a songwriter, ever."

"Why? You have talent!"

She wiped tears from her cheeks as she spoke. "My school is nothing like yours, Austin. You go there, and you learn what they tell you to, you leave when they say to, and you be what you are there to be."

"Ally."

"Yeah?" She peered at me with the saddest eyes imaginable.

"Will you be my partner?"

"Austin…"

"Yes?"

"Okay, we're partners."

"Yes!" I suddenly realized we were hugging, and not just that. Ally was hugging me back. And I don't think we were going to let go anytime soon.

"It's just an illusion…" My phone blared from my pocket. Ally jumped from my arms, and I pulled the phone out into sight. It was Layla, of course. Asking me to meet her at Mini's. 'Sure.' I typed back. "Ally, I have to go meet Layla now."

"Okay, tell your girlfriend I said hey." She winked at me, before grabbing her book and her bag, and walking out the door. Wait. WAIT. Does she think Layla and I are…dating? That's…wow.

"See you later!" she shouted as I ran out the front doors.

"Yeah!" I shouted back, but I still couldn't shake the uncomfortable feeling of Ally thinking that Layla and I were together. Well, it would pass.

ANNABETH:

Navigating Miami was like the Labyrinth all over again. The sidewalks twisted into alleyways that just ended in dead ends, and the streets were a maze of gray concrete. Three cars almost ran me over twice, and one almost destroyed Daedalus's laptop, which I disguised as a smartphone—two times!

And then it happened. I saw a unicorn running down the street toward me, and I stepped back reflexively, but I was already too late. The unicorn had launched itself at me, it's hooves landing square in the middle of my chest, and I was down on the pavement. "Oh, sorry about that! Jasper just loves a good tangerine shirt! He smelled it from three blocks away!" A redhead, probably was more of a ginger by the look of it, helped me to my feet, grabbing my wrists, and pulling me up. My vision was still clear, which was a good sign. I probably didn't have a concussion; thank the gods. Looking toward the unicorn, I actually was able to figure out that the "unicorn" was a white miniature pony with a purple horn stuck to its forehead. "Are you sure you're okay?" The redhead boy waved his pale hand in front of my face—which I hated; one of my pet peeves. I smacked his hand away.

"Yes, and plus your unicorn is sniffing up the wrong shirt. This is clearly a dark, saturated orange." I stretched the fabric away from my body, toward the boy to show him. "See?" Why was I even bothering to explain to this clearly addled stranger? To spare him some trouble with color?

"Mmm…no. Sorry, but this is clearly a very juicy tangerine. Just ask Jasper, remember? Unicorns' noses never lie. They know their color smells."
I wasn't getting into this. I WASN'T getting into this. Too late. "Imbecile!" I screamed. "Unicorns aren't real." I was about to boil over when a short, round Latina girl stepped in.

"Excuse me," she said calmly, "But did you just call Dez an imbecile?"

I froze. "Uh, yeah…I think I did." I looked over at the redhead's—Dez, I guess—face, broken down. "I'm sorry, Dez. Something just got into me. I get that from my mom. She's usually calm, but when something snaps, she's gone. A few moments pass, and now Dez is slowly starting to smile again, nodding like he understands.

"It's okay. I mean, plenty of people don't believe in unicorns like they do in Beiber. And at least you apologized, unlike this one." He jerked a finger at the Latina girl, who was still squinting at me. "Trish never says sorry, and neither do I. Its part of our agreement to dislike each other forever—literally. Jasper had to get me a lawyer the other day."

I let out a cautious laugh. The girl was still scowling, and it was really not helping the awkwardness of this encounter. "Listen," I pulled out the smartphone, which again, thank the gods that it was okay. "can you show me where this house is?" I showed them the map application that looks a lot like Google Maps.

"Dez! That's your house!" the Latina girl peered at the screen harder, as if it would provide the answers to the universe. Dez looked over her shoulder.
"It is!" He reeled back, staring at me. "Why are you looking for my house?"

"I'm actually looking for a girl. Her name is—"

"Why are you looking for Didi?" he asked.

"Didi?"

"Yeah, my sister."

"Um, I heard she was sick, and I have her homework in my bag." I was so glad I brought it. "Why do you look so suspicious? Geez."

Dez's face relaxed again. "Okay, come on." He grabbed Jasper's leash—the "Unicorn" had escaped when we hadn't been looking—and turned to Trish. "Text Austin that I'll film his video later—or call Spike Stevens. He owes me a favor for last month."

Oh no. These guys knew Austin? It was already too late to turn back now, I guessed. And Dez led me away, a unicorn's leash in hand, and I was terrified.

AUSTIN:

She was sitting at a table, her hair loose, and swept to one side, secured with a white clip. "Austin!" Layla shouted, her blue eyes bright. I felt sick. I couldn't do this, but it was too late. Our roads had already diverged. I had met Ally, and it was time. I sat down next to her, and took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. But something came over me. And my fear pulled the words out. "Layla, I can't do this anymore."

Layla looked up from her momogrammed notepad, confused. "Austin, what do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm done with this partnership. I've met someone else who has a fresh perspective."

"Great, then, Austin, they can help us write songs. Hopefully they know how our style works."

"Layla, this is what I'm talking about. The songs you write are your style. Not mine."

She looked harder at me, her face slack. "You're breaking up with me?"

"We were never together."

"But, Austin," her voice turned to poison as I stood up, "Ally will never stay with you."

I spun toward her, "How do you know her?"

"I know a lot more than my creators sent me to be. And now, I am free of them." She got up, and walked away. She turned at the edge of the food court, and whispered through the crowd, over the yells, and the loud chatter. And I was the only one who could hear it. "She's not who you think she is."

"You aren't either!" I shouted at her. Everyone turned to look at me, and the chatter stopped, and when I looked toward where I had last seen her, Layla had disappeared.

"And I am free of you." I thought as I turned away. I had to find Ally.

ANNABETH:

The minute Dez opened the door, I saw her. "Didi?" I asked. The slim girl with red hair turned to look at me. "Annabeth?" she asked, cautiously.

"Why did you run away? Where's Nelly?" I threw my bag on the floor, and grabbed her shoulders, shaking her. "Where have you been?"

Didi pushed me away, easing herself out of my grasp. She nodded at the couch behind herself. "Sit down."

"No, not until you tell me what's going on."

"Just let me explain."

"Fine." I crossed my arms. "Explain."

"I'm not a Greek." She said it so simply, so carefully, that the words rattled inside my skull, and made my head spin.

"What?"

'I'm Roman."

"How...how in the Underworld did you figure that out?" I asked, my mind still muddled.

"It was pretty easy, actually." She shrugged like there was no bomb that just had dropped on me. "I don't understand Ancient Greek. I can speak fluent Latin. I sometimes refer to the gods in Roman form on purpose. I haven't been claimed in a month, and apparently, my dad isn't my real dad." She wiped a tear from her cheek, but more kept falling, and she finally refused to wipe them away. "Do you know what my mom just told me? That it was a mistake. That it meant nothing. But no one realizes that means that my mom thinks that I was a mistake."

"Why did you lie about your name?"

"Isn't it obvious? My mom. When I came to camp, I had just gotten into a fight with my mom, about everything. Nelly helped me with it. She understood everything about me. She was there when I felt empty."

"Where's Nelly?" I asked, more softly this time. I felt empty myself. How didn't I notice this girl feeling distorted and lost?

"She's getting me a ride to Camp Jupiter."

"How is she doing that?"

"She apparently has connections somewhere. We came back here so I could pack my stuff and say goodbye to my family."

"Do you know where she might be? Her cousin Ally is here with me, and she's super worried."

"Nope. The last time I saw her, she was heading into the park across the street."

"Can I use your phone?"

"In the kitchen." She pointed down the hall, and I headed in that direction, looking down at my feet. I couldn't meet Didi's eyes.

I dialed Sonic Boom, hoping anyone but Ally would pick up the phone, to spare her some time, however little it was, to not feel as numb as I did.

ALLY:

I wasn't expecting Annabeth to use a phone to contact me. In fact, I was in Sonic Boom, running the shop until Austin got back. That's how urgent it was. She had whispered into the phone. "Ally, you need to get over here. I've found Di—Sarah Rose." After giving me the address, I grabbed my bag, and I left, accidentally leaving my book on the counter.

"Ally!" Austin shouted. He was close, I knew. I turned quickly, and ran. I couldn't find me leaving him. Not now. When I arrived at the house where Sarah Rose was apparently, the door was wide open. I peered inside, and all I saw were curtains blowing in the breeze. I looked at the park across the street, and suddenly I knew. It was a feeling I knew well since I found out I was a demigod. I raced against time, my feet pounding the pavement. I jumped over the curb, painted yellow, and frantically looked for any signs of them. Heading further into the trees, I heard the key scrape into the lock. Hades' keys. And then I saw her. Nelly. Brown hair whipping in the wind, as she made a door to the Underworld materialize. And Sarah Rose standing next to her, gripping the hand of a lanky redhead committing a serious fashion crime.

"Nelly!" I shouted. "Nelly!"

Her head swiveled to look in my direction as the door opened and the three were sucked into the depths of hell. I sank to my knees, crying, and gripping my knees to my chest. Annabeth was nowhere to be seen.

AUSTIN:

I saw her book sitting there, and I knew. She was gone.

NEXT TIME ON "When It Comes Around, It Stays Around":

"You can have Manhattan,

I know it's for the best,

I'll gather up the avenues and leave them on your doorstep,

And I'll tiptoe away,

So you don't have to say you heard me leave,

You can have Manhattan,

I know it's what you want,

The bustle and the buildings,

The weather in the fall,

And I'll bow out of place,

To save you some space for somebody new,

You can have Manhattan because I can't have you,

Ah, ah, ah

You can have Manhattan,

The one we used to share,

The one where we were laughing and just being there,

Hang onto the reverie,

Do that for me,

Cause I'm just too sad,

You can have Manhattan cause I can't have you,

And so let go,

One foot after the other,

Til black and white begin to color,

And I know holding us in place

In fear of what's already changed,

Ah, ah, ah

You can have Manhattan,

I'll settle for the beach,

And sunsets facing westward with sand beneath my feet,

I'll wish there's a way,

Dismissing the days,

When I was 1/2 of two,

You can have Manhattan because I can't have you.

[2]

[1]- Parachute by Laura Marano, featured on the Austin & Ally: Turn It Up soundtrack, which you can find on YouTube.

[2]- Manhattan by Sara Bareilles, featured on The Blessed Unrest soundtrack, and also can be found on YouTube.

Reviews and criticisms, please!