AN/: I'm back! Sorry for the wait for this episode I've been really busy with college and other things in life. Anyway on with the chapter I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 10

Percy POV

Chloe skipped towards me and Thalia while Artemis followed behind her.

"So I take it you've joined the Hunt?" I asked the energetic 9 year old.

"Yeah, Lady Artemis is really nice!" She said while taking a seat on a log to my left.

"Thalia," We turned to Artemis who had reached us now. "Can you get the girls so they can be introduced to their newest sister."

"Of course Milady," Thalia said before jogging off to find the hunters.

"Lady Artemis?" Chloe asked the goddess.

"Yes Chloe,"

"If the Hunt's just for girls then how come Percy is staying here?" The daughter of Apollo asked.

"Well, the Hunt is just for girls so while Perseus is a male he is staying with us because I'm going to be turning him into a girl." As the child-goddess explained I felt the blood drain out my face. Chloe burst out laughing and it wasn't long before Artemis joined her. "No I'm just joking," Artemis said between breaths, "Due to a prophecy from your father Perseus has to stay with us for some time."

To say I was confused was an understatement, since when did the man-hating goddess Artemis make jokes?

"We're here Milady," Thalia's voice broke Artemis and Chloe out their laughter. The group of hunters were looking at Artemis strangely, they were probably wondering why she was laughing.

"Milady, why are you laughing so much?" Phoebe asked her patron goddess.

"Nothing girls, we were just laughing at Perseus," Artemis explained. "Well anyway, I called you all here to introduce you to your newest sister. This is Chloe, she is 9 and the daughter of my brother. I'm sure you'll make her feel at home here in the Hunt."

The hunters all swarmed Chloe, asking her questions. I could tell Chloe was a little nervous with all the attention from strangers, I gave her a reassuring smile to which she grinned back. I just stood out the way watching Chloe be introduced to her new sisters.

"Perseus, can we talk for a moment?" Artemis asks me.

"Of course,"

"Come, follow me," she said before leading me off into the forest.

I followed the auburn haired goddess through the trees for maybe just over 5 minutes before we came across a lake. Artemis kicked her boots off before rolling up the leg of her pants, she sat in the sand and dipped her feet into the water.

I stood there awkwardly, I had never seen Artemis act like this and I wasn't sure how to behave.

"Come sit, I wish to talk and the waters very relaxing," the goddess said.

I pulled my shoes off before also sitting down careful to leave a few feet between me and the goddess. I relaxed as I felt the water lap against my feet, although it wasn't the sea the water still invigorated me.

We sat there in silence just enjoying the feel of the cool water and the warm sand. I didn't say anything as although Artemis had been treating me better than most males I still didn't want to get on her bad side. I had no idea why she wanted to talk to me.

After around 5 minutes of silence she spoke.

"Thank you Perseus," she said softly.

"For what?" I asked confused as to what she would be thanking me for.

"For bringing Chloe here," she answered. "I love all my hunters but I always feel something slightly different for my nieces. Maybe its because they are the closest I have to blood daughters of my own or maybe its because I know how difficult it is being related to my younger brother."

"Its nothing, Chloe is a sweet girl and was in a situation that no one ever should be in. I'm just glad that I helped her get away from her dickhead of an uncle." I replied. I hadn't been expecting the conversation to be this personal.

"Anyway thank you, you are different to other males,"

"Thank you, coming from you that means a lot," I reply, genuinely honored.

We fall back into silence for a minute.

"How-" Artemis begins. I look at her and see her uncharacteristically fiddling with a braid of her hair. "How are you?" She asks surprising me. Why would she care how I am?

"Err, I'm okay thanks," I answer slightly awkwardly.

"No really. You've been through a lot and going back to where you used to live can't have been easy." As she spoke she seemed to gain back some of her usual confidence.

"Well," I took a deep breath. I had thought that I had been getting over everything a little, however now I realized that I hadn't got over it I had just pushed my feelings down. "I don't know to be honest. I thought I was doing better but I realize that I'm not. I still blame myself for letting them down and getting them killed. I feel so alone, I always had Annabeth by my side and now I don't I feel lost. I can't even IM my mom for advice."

I realize that tears had formed in my eye and a few rouge one had escaped down my face, I wiped them away with the back of my arm.

Artemis POV

I looked at the demi-god sitting to my side, it was clear that he was broken. I could tell that he had been pushing his feeling down and now they had boiled up to the surface again.

As the demi-god fought off his tears I surprised myself by scooting a little closer to him and putting my hand on his shoulder reassuringly. To most people this would be normal but this was about as much physical contact I have with anyone, let alone a male.

I felt Perseus heave as he tried to hold back a sob. Eventually he couldn't hold it all back and started silently sobbing. For a reason unknown to either of us I started to rub his back in a reassuring way.

"It's hard Perseus, it really is. I know what its like to lose someone that has always been by your side." I said once he had regained control of himself a little more. "You will be able to move on in time though, I'm not saying to forget them or that someone will replace them." I teared up myself at the memory of my late best friend and lieutenant, Thalia was a great lieutenant but Zoe will always been my greatest huntress.

"As for feeling alone, Hestia will always be there for you, she cares for you more than I've seen her ever care for anyone else. You really are a son to her and she will help you in any way she can. Thalia also is incredibly happy to have you around although she doesn't always show it, she was also hit hard by Annabeth's death and having you here is helping her."

"Thank you Lady Artemis," he says to me. "I'm sorry for loosing control of myself there."

"It's nothing, emotions are not a sign of weakness and anyone that has gone through what you have would be in at least the same state you are in, if not worse." I said. "If you're ready we should get back to the Hunt. I say before standing up and walking back to my boots. "Ah Hades," I curse, "I don't have a towel."

"Here," Perseus said from behind me, I turned and he waved his hand at my feet. The water flew off them leaving them perfectly dry.

"Thank you."

"No problem," he said while pulling on his own boots.

Once he was finished I led him back through the forest to camp. We walked in silence for the most part, I occasionally laughed when he tripped over a root or rock he didn't see. As we approached the clearing that the camp was sent up in I felt a horrible chill up my spine like something was wrong. I stopped walking and gestured for Perseus to do the same. I summoned my bow and slowly stalked towards the clearing.

What I saw in the clearing made my heart momentarily stop, I saw the Titan of war, Pallas holding his sword to the throat of a very beaten up Thalia. Around Pallas was a collection of monsters, there was a fine layer of golden dust on the floor showing that my hunters had put up a fight. However the only one still standing was Thalia, the rest were either captured or unconscious. It worried me to see that Chloe was nowhere to be seen.

I suddenly felt an intense heat from behind, I whipped around already preparing an arrow. However I didn't fire because I saw Perseus had followed me and upon looking at the situation the hunt was in his right arm had burst into flame. I was unsure if it was intentional or not. The look in his eyes made me want to shiver a little, his eyes were not the funny sarcastic ones they had been in the past, nor were they the broken and depressed ones that he had worn since the fall of Gaia. His eyes were the eyes of someone who had been pushed past their limit and now held no reservations, I could tell that anyone who got in his way would feel his wrath. I new he was close to Thalia and I suppose as one of the only people he had left he was very protective of her.

Before I could say anything he had uncapped riptide and walked into the clearing. I was about to call out to him to get back here so we could make a plan but before I could he did something very characteristic of Perseus.

"Hey, get the fuck away from my cousin!" He shouted before sprinting at the titan. All I could do was try and form a plan to help him as he charged the powerful immortal.

AN/: Well that's the chapter done. Again I'm sorry for the wait and I apologize for the short length. I'll try get the next one out sooner.