AN: Welp, I did it. I finally managed to complete this chapter, and what a hell of a long time it took me to do. I finally found out where I want to go with this and how it's going to play out. If you're still patient enough with me to keep following this story and my characters, you'll be happy to know they're getting more depth! Lots of practice and tumblr rping has given me the ability to finally see how flat my characters were turning out to be. I hope this was worth the wait. Dear gods I hope it was. I'm going to update again in August at least once more before I head off to college. If anyone reading this is going to Le Moyne college this August, you'll be happy to know I'm going there too! Well, enjoy.

Oh, and by the way, those links on my page finally work. Now you can view the cast, though lately I'm thinking about going in and changing a few of them, particularly Ryan and Landon. The rest are perfect, but Ryan's and Landon's faces will probably end up changed. Just keep an eye out darlings :D.

My eyes hurt, but not just from the tears that were welling up underneath the soft and permeable lids that protected them. No, they hurt because those tears mixed with the blistering December cold was a sensation that my body wasn't used to and of course, didn't want to adjust to. That only made my mood go down from the already record low it had been at for the holiday season.

It was sad really. A young boy like myself traveling around New York City, alone, the day or two days after Christmas, a breakup being the most prevalent thing on his mind. It wasn't something I had planned on doing really, but hell, I wasn't opposed to the idea. Not now.

I'd heard stories about what I should be careful about and what I should avoid when it came to roaming around these giant pillars of concrete and steel, but right now, my brain was too foggy and too fucked up to even consider the thought of using rational and dare I say logical thinking patterns. Could I blame it? After all, my whole world was just turned upside down. I pushed the thought down though, trying to not have one in general as my brain tried to grasp the reality of the situation. I wouldn't let it though. I didn't want to accept it myself.

People were calling after me, yelling for me to slow down, to take a second to talk about some meaningless and trivial product they were trying to sell. At least, I thought someone was coming after me, but when I looked back, nobody was there but an array of measly merchants, venders, and vagabonds. Pity, I thought someone would try to find me - someone with sky blue eyes, hair the color of sun-kissed chocolate bar, and a smile that could warm the frozen tears that were trying desperately to fall down my paled cheeks that seemed to glimmer like the sun on freshly fallen snow in the middle of the day. I thought that would be happening right now, not this. Not… nothing.

I'm pretty sure someone in my frantic and sporadic turning propositioned me for a night on the town, their smile a bit sleazy and grimy compared to the people I was used to. I had half a mind to accept that offer though, but I couldn't do that. I was on a mission; a quest with my friends. That was more important, so maybe another time I told the man, the smile on my face as fake as a snowfall in July. There was a god of lies, right? Well, I guess that was me giving them praise for existing.

My mind was only on one thought though - finding somewhere to collect myself and let the shock my body had just gone through simmer down to a meaningless tremble. There were too many options about where to go though - the most obvious being back at the van with Jennifer, and the most obscure being the Hudson bay fifteen blocks from where I was. Maybe that was the best option, actually. The water always seemed to help me think anyways, even if the Hudson itself wasn't the most cleanliest of places.

I thought of Amphitrite then and her oceanic self swimming to the bay and snatching me, and needless to say that crazed step momster was not someone I planned on dealing with right now. Who knows, I might actually find a way to kill a god, given the right motivation. I'd always wondered what Ichor looked like.

That thought actually made me laugh a bit as the pace to which I took my steps increased, people blurring into mindless zombies, going in and out of shops to return damaged, unwanted, or even ungrateful presents they'd received the night or two before. I couldn't even remember when Christmas itself was, and I didn't care to know either.

"Nothing but a bunch of fucking little ungrateful pricks." I muttered to myself, hands shoved in the cloth pockets of my long, black pea coat. It was a nice fit too, a present from my dad. He said it was something my mom always wanted me to have - a nice coat so that I wouldn't freeze to death when I'd stay over at Camp. Well, at least it's good for something after all. Merry fucking Christmas from a father who only relied on me when he needed me most.

I realized a bit too late that my tone and word choice was a bit less than chipper and jolly considering the holidays were still technically in full swing. Christmas was the time of joy, and the week from Christmas Eve to New Years Day was just full of those good feelings. I couldn't let myself, and my mood, ruin what was supposed to be the best days of my life, even if a certain demigod of the sky was a no good cheating asshole.

There I went again thinking negatively of someone who probably had a valid explanation that I just didn't want to hear right now. It's sad though, because deep down, I wanted to listen and believe. My body just reacted naturally, at least as natural as it could in that given situation. I guess maybe I found my fatal flaw; hubris. I couldn't accept the fact that maybe he had an excuse, and that maybe it was all a lie. My pride needed to get me out of there before I turned into a blubbering buffoon.

I didn't like cheaters very well, and still don't, but I guess it's my luck that I ended up with one. My mom hooked up with one after she had me and dad was nowhere to be found, and he wasn't the best person in the world. No best step dad mug for him. I hope he fried for when he'd hit my mother, for all those times I hated having him alone with her while I was at camp, but she refused to let me stay, refused to let me protect her. She didn't want me to do anything about it, saying it wasn't my place to worry about her like that. Like hell it wasn't my place. She just didn't want me to kill him myself, which I can respect. Doesn't mean I didn't fight her on it though.

"Jesus, Ryan. Calm down why don't you? You're going to end up exploding the closest sewer if you keep this up." I had to laugh as I walked down some random street talking to myself, now seeing the van in sight. I guess my legs unconsciously took me back there. At least Jennifer was someone I could talk to, even if she'd probably badger me about what happened. She cared in her own way, and she was family after all.

Just then, a figure stepped in front of me out of nowhere, and I accidentally bumped into her and that… peacock broach? Okay, that was tacky, but why did that seem familiar. "My apologizes, ma'am." I said, putting on a smile that was less than my usual, but thankfully this woman didn't know that.

She smiled a smile that gave me chills down my spine, and not because of the cold. It was regal, powerful, but most of all ominous like she had something up her sleeve just for me. "No, no. It's okay, sweetie. I was just on my way to visit my husband at work. We all know how the holiday rush can get for retail people, especially big bossing like him. After all, I found the most adorable bracelet earlier that I was just dying to show him. Glad he doesn't sell jewelry though, otherwise I'd be in danger" Her tone itself was as powerful as her aura - one that I just couldn't wrap my brain around.

Why did she feel so familiar, yet so dangerous?

"Oh, then my apologies increase, miss. Please, go to your husband." Little did I know this woman was going off to see the man that seemed to have a large distrust for me, and a certain distaste for Landon himself. The thought didn't even cross my mind, especially since she was wearing jewelry that was odd yet stylish for her - minus the tacky peacock broach. I figured a bracelet was just another accessory she'd wear to adorn her image. Nothing more, nothing less.

She tilted her head to the side as her gaze of me turned to one of confusion, and almost shock. "You're more pleasurable that others of your type," she started, then figured she had to add something by the look on her face, "Teenagers I mean. Usually the lot of you are nothing more than obnoxious little hooligans who do nothing more that ride those skateboards around the streets to annoy us. You're decent, so for that, I'll give you a treat." She reached into her pocket and pulled out… a cloth? "I think you'll figure out what to use it for when the time comes." And with that, she walked away, with the most awkward sway in her hips that I'd ever seen.

For a second, my mind was more confused than before. What the fuck was that, who was that crazy bitch, and why did I now have a hankie that was monogrammed ZHO? I was half tempted to drop the cloth on the ground and walk away, but I knew better than to do that for some reason. This piece of fabric felt powerful and useful all at the same time, which was unusual for something so average other than the monograms. I shoved it into my pocket, figuring at least if I need to blow my nose I had this woman's rag to do so. Maybe she knew deep down I was going to end up crying later and spared me the idea of finding a tissue.

Jennifer was peering out the window at me, her chocolate brown skin dawned with the largest of smiles on her face, and her curly black hair framing her face beautifully. She opened the door, patting the seat next to her with a look that almost read like she knew what was going on already. Maybe someone had messaged her and told her that the quest was on temporary hold until shit got fixed or something like that. At this point I didn't even care, and it looked like neither did she. Right now, she was going to be the big sister I needed, even if technically I was older than her.

"Hey." I said softly as my body climbed into the van, resting my head on her shoulder. There wasn't even a second thought in my mind about doing that, since this was something we'd done frequently in the past few weeks we'd known each other. She was different than Percy in a lot of respects. She seemed to understand me a bit more than he did. He was too boyish.

Her arms wrapped tightly around my frame, which would have looked odd if anyone was watching us since usually a girl doesn't hold onto a boy like this. Oh well, I guess technically we weren't average boys and girls here, even if you take out the demigod in us.

"Tell me what happened, darling." Her voice was so soft and warm that I couldn't help but let my guard down, and with that, a few tears from my eyes. She wiped the tears from my eyes though, her cheek pressed against my forehead.

It took me a couple seconds before I managed to muster up enough composure to speak without sounding too crackly. "I don't know. I just left when I assumed." Truth be told, I should have given due process to Landon. He earned at least that as my boyfriend after all. "Landon and Percy were having secret conversations. Annabeth thought they were cheating with each other when she saw him kiss David." I started rambling on and on about nonsense that she seemed to know all about, and as much as I wanted to be angry for wasting time, I knew why she was doing it. She was letting me get it out, and I really couldn't have thanked her enough for this.

When I finished, she was smiling softly and reassuringly down at me. "While I do think in your position you made a rash decision based on what you knew, I probably would have done the same thing." She chuckled softly, which was at least somewhat comforting. "However, I'm going to tell you that Landon wasn't cheating on you, idiot." She flicked the back of my head, and I knew I was getting off easy. "He was planning something special for you for your birthday in a few months. Almost everyone in our little group knew about it, aside from you and obviously Annabeth. I bet she's being told now though, and feeling like at least half an ass if it helps."

It did, but I didn't want to admit it.

My mind was more focused on the something special surprise that Landon was planning for me, and the fact that I A) accused my boyfriend of cheating and B) slapped in and ran away. Smooth move, idiot was probably the best thing anyone could have told me, as well as slapped me once for good measure.

"I probably fucked up a lot of things." I admitted softly, reaching up and wiping my eyes with my hands, completely forgetting the cloth in my pocket.

Her smile was obviously in agreement with my statement, which didn't help in one respect, but at least it proved I was thinking clearly. "Ryan, let me give you some advice." She said softly, sitting me up straight and making me want to look at her eyes. "You don't need a boy to make you happy, and you shouldn't be with one until you can realize that for yourself. You and Landon, yeah, everyone loved you guys together. It was obvious you two were the it couple out there to beat out Percy and Annabeth, but you seemed too attached to him. It's time to take a step back and figure out who is Ryan Pavid. Only then will you be strong enough to go back into a relationship."

Her words cut like a knife through warm butter, and everything she said was completely and utterly true. Over the past 8 ish months, I had developed and almost unhealthy addiction to my boyfriend that I'd only known for just that, 8 months. We'd slept together before actually dating. Everything we did, we did it backwards. It was almost like this breakup was my chance at redemption, at growing up and proving that I was ready for a mature relationship. Yes, it would help Landon grow too, and hopefully it would be long enough for him to find another. "When did you turn into Rachel?" I teased softly, remembering the spitfire from back home who seemed to be rattling off mini prophesies about who'd find the lost satyr in the woods or some other meaningless task.

Jen just laughed, pulling me closer for a snap second and sighing. "It's called relationships. They suck worse than Byzantine leeches at times, and you learn to cope with them as they come and go." Her thumb started brushing the side of my face, very similar to how my mother would do when I'd have a nightmare.

For a split second, I let my mind return to one of those memories, focusing on the face of my mother - her full cheeks that resembled seashells and her short figure that my father whenever he stopped by would claim she looked like a piece of coral with a shell on top. At that time I figured it was a compliment, and to this day I still do. I guess that would be one when your father rules the oceans.

"I don't know what I'd do without your right now." That was a lie. I'd probably be down at the Hudson bay, dipping my feet in the water and waiting patiently for Amphitrite to try and take me. I liked this option better.

There was a knock on the window, and a familiar blonde headed girl with a sad expression on her face opened the door. "I, um…" she began, but it was obvious that Annabeth wasn't good with words of apologizes. Taunts were more her thing. "Sorry I kind of blew everything out of the water." She said, rubbing the back of her neck and taking her blonde ponytail into her hands. Watching her suffer didn't help me one bit when it was right in front of my face.

"No, it's fine." I lied, pretty effortlessly too which was surprising. Usually my lies were so obvious even a child could tell.

Her face turned pained, the tears welling up in her eyes trying their hardest to come out, but Annabeth was a strong girl. She'd never let them fall. Not in front of us at least. "I just can't lose him, Ryan." She admitted in almost a whisper that almost sounded like she hadn't meant to say it at all, and her melancholy swaying from side to side as she stood outside the van was even starting to make ME seasick. "I've already had to bury Luke, lose Thalia twice, watch my friends die for Olympus, and lose my father when he moved away. I can't lose him, Ryan. He's all I have left."

Her words cut through me as if they were laced with lemon juice and salt. I had put the thought in Percy's head to test out his relationship with boys if he felt off. I had convinced him of his thoughts. I had inadvertently taken away the thing Annabeth felt most precious for.

And then she had done it to me. If there was a god of karma, he or she must have been working in overtime today too for all this to happen. Karma, lying. Looks like the gods weren't on my side.

"You're not going to lose anyone, Annabeth." I said reassuringly, knowing that was probably a promise I could never keep. I felt obligated to say it though for being the cause of all this discourse happening. If Landon and I could have kept our big mouths shut, then maybe Percy wouldn't have done that. Maybe he'd be here, kissing Annabeth right now, and maybe Landon would be here too.

This whole day just seemed to be getting worse and worse.

Her eyes looked up at me with some false hope in them - something she knew she probably shouldn't count on but did nonetheless. "Thanks, Ryan." She said softly, reaching up with her shirt to wipe the tears from her eyes so that none of them fell. A proud girl was Annabeth, something I both feared and respected. She'd play out to be a more valuable asset to this quest than I originally thought - which also meant I'd need to keep a closer eye on her.

"Annabeth, did you ever find a book that might explain who or what Brent is trying to bring back to life if it's not Kronus?" I figured that was a valid conversation starter. Hell, at least it was something to get our minds off the present situation.

Excitement flooded her face at that, then fell away as soon as she remembered what happened. "The books are back in that alleyway. I couldn't tell you where they were or if they're still there." She sounded honestly disappointed by that, and who could blame her. From the sounds of it, there was something important in that book.

Luckily for her, I remembered how to get there. "Just stay here. I'll be back before you know it with the book." My legs extended out of the van with a few cracks - a bit stiff since I hadn't walked in a who knows how long while curled up in a ball. Just four blocks over, round two corners after that, and bam, that alleyway. I remembered it because of the distinct smell of slightly salted water emanating from the sewers.

Jen moved and let me out completely, and Annabeth was giving me a look that was almost apologetic again, like she'd completely fucked up and she knew it. I couldn't bare to see her like this. "Seriously, Anna, don't beat yourself up over this. Landon and I needed a break after all. You know, too close to each other." I gave her the best smile I could muster up, which wasn't much of anything compared to what I knew my usual was. My cheeks didn't even hurt from it, that's how I knew. "And I'll knock some sense into Percy for you." If it's the last thing I do. I wasn't going to let my own faults get in the way of someone who was happy.

Her smile broke my heart, because she believed me. She believed the words of a no good dirty rotten asshole who was to blame for this in the first place. Great. "Thank you." She said, wrapping her arms tightly around my body to the point of almost strangulation.

I didn't want to stay any longer. Her presence gave me chills and waves of regret that I couldn't cope with right now. Sure, it might sound juvenile to say that I couldn't handle when things were my fault, and right now, everything seemed like that. I almost felt like I was going insane.

My legs - thank the gods - knew where to take me, because my mind was not focused on my location. It was busy searching for a solution to my problems. We had David, but for who knows how long. That situation was tricky alone because he was our in when it came to what was happening with Brent, so we wanted to make sure he was happy. Not to mention who knows what he's going through living with that bastard who seems to be going crazier and crazier each time they see visions of him. Basically, it was going to end up where one of my friends - both extremely valuable and meaningful to me - was going to get hurt. That alone wasn't my choice thankfully, but I pitied Percy for having to make it. There was no way it was going to be easy.

The bag of books were still there when I arrived, as was an unexpected surprise. Two people - one male and one female - stood there. She had long, brown colored hair with piercing eyes the color of the sky. He had a mix color of hair, and eyes full of a contradiction of life and death. Cat and Jeremy, but why?

"Guys, how did you know…" My mind was too focused on the fact that it was physically impossible for them to be here now. Their faces just filled me up with joy - so much joy that I was barreling at them to the point where I almost fell down.

Cat held up her arms, signaling for me to slow down, and I did just before I was going to run into her. "Don't touch us!" She yelled, and at that moment I noticed her voice sounded off; like she was speaking into one of those old telephones I used to have.

Jeremy nodded, hands in his pockets and a slightly more matured look on his face. Since hanging around with Nico, he'd aged a lot, and it suited him. "We have a message for you, Ryan. It's, um, not a very good one." His face turned grim, and my whole body shivered. Oh great, more bad news? What could it possibly be this time.

Unconsciously I sighed at that, rubbing the bridge of my nose. "Alright, just tell me." I wasn't going to fill them in on Landon and I just yet. I'll leave that part for another time.

Cat ran her fingers through her hair, an old habit she had from way back when. "Another prophecy has just been told. Chiron says it's rivaled with the Prophecy of Seven they're currently trying to decode." Another prophecy? So this day could get worse. "What's it say? Does it have anything to do with me?" That sounded selfish, but I had a gut feeling they wouldn't be here if it didn't.

My question was answered pretty quickly with a nod from Jeremy. "I don't remember it completely. Something about the seven of the past and Geminis and some shit like that. When we know more, we'll let you know." He tapped his finger to his lips. "Oh, and they said a son of the water would drown or wash the Earth."

That part caught my attention as I was leaning down to pick up the bag of books. "A child of the water? I can see why you're calling me." I was the only son of Poseidon who fit the bill. Jen was a girl, and Percy wasn't a son of the past. I had a sneaking suspicion that meant one who was in the wrong time period. "Anyways, how are you guys here?" I'd save the chat about prophecies for another time; preferably one on a day that wasn't already full of bullshit.

Cat smirked. "Iris Messaging got face time." She teased, spinning around. "She invented holograms. Aren't they neat?" She stopped spinning just in time to yell, "Watch out!" but it was too late.

There was a thud, and I went blank.

Something rang in the back of my head; a voice. It was calling to me, giving my head the most irritating of migraines. It was calling not just for my name though. It wanted something else; my blood. What could it be though?

Pavid. You've stolen from us for far too long. It called out, like serpents with a lisp. It was quite comical, if not for the ready-to-drink-my-blood part. You'll pay, Pavid. Just you wait.

Needless to say, I planned on waiting far longer than they probably intended. Whatever or whoever was after me now, they didn't sound happy with me stealing something. I'd apologize to them, but somehow I didn't think that'd make them like me any better.

"Ryan." Annabeth called out, tapping my shoulder and rousing me from my daze. How long had I blacked out? "Come on. We've got to go." When I opened my eyes, it was like some sort of miracle. I was back in the van, it was dark outside, and everyone was here.

A soft and needing groan left my lips, and from the corner of my eye Landon looked like he wanted to reach over and give me a hug. Part of me wished I would let him in, but I didn't want him to know I'd forgiven him. Not yet. I needed to find out what type of person I was on my own before that happened again. "What happened?"

That seemed like a logical place to start.

Jen sighed, pulling me close to her and rubbing the side of my face with her thumb. "Percy found you on the ground about four hours after you left. Landon had already come back when Percy carried you here. You must have passed out or something."

I knew I didn't pass out. There was no way in hell Cat would have screamed to me if I had just passed out, but I didn't want to worry the team about that. My main question was why had they left me there? Again, something I needed to know. Today just sucked.

"Where to now?" Percy said, figuring that it was time to get back to business. We all knew it would take us all night to get to Cleveland if we drove, so I had a feeling Percy already knew where to go. From the smirk on his face, he knew what to do too.

"The train station." I said weakly, still tired. "We're ordering five tickets to Cleveland overnight."