I got into the cutest pajamas I had. That sounds totally lame, but I still wanted to look nice in front of Percy. Something about him makes me super giddy and makes me want to feel special. Percy Jackson makes me feel special.

I brushed my teeth and brushed my hair as best as I could with my curls, and when I came out to the living room Peter raised his eyebrows. "So, your demigod son of Poseidon is staying the night, huh? Look like someone's been getting prepared." I walked over to him and smacked him with a pillow. One big difference between my brothers is that Peter never really cared about me and, you know, boy stuff. Charlie was the overprotective brother that would punch a guy in the face if he so much as looked at me.

I was tempted to ask Peter if it was okay if Percy stayed in my room tonight, but I didn't know if that would be crossing the line. After all, he is my older brother. But apparently, Peter could read my mind, because he said, "I can take the pull out bed from the couch."

Of course we have an extra room—Officer's room. But no one wants to disturb his room right now. It's too soon. So instead of arguing, I just nodded. "Thanks, Pete." I slid in next to him on the couch and looked at our living room. F.R.I.E.N.D.S was on TV. Our coffee table was now gone, because of the stupid monster. A picture frame hang crooked on the wall, one of me at a fifth grade concert. It was cracked in the middle. I looked over to Peter, who was already dozing off.

"You want me to help you pull out the bed?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Nah. I'll do it later."

I just nodded. I'm so used to Peter being bubbly and loud, that when a tragedy like this happened to Officer I just couldn't believe this sad guy next to me was my happy-go-lucky brother. He may seem like it, but this isn't him. He's just not himself. No one is.

"I had a panic attack," I admitted to Peter. He pushed himself up from his slouched position and stared at me with concern. "What happened?" he asked.

I started to explain that as soon as I thought about Officer, I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe. I told him how Percy comforted me, and that's what led to my sudden decision about having Percy stay over.

Peter nodded, like he knows the feeling. Then he confessed something, too. "Charlie had a freak out like that the other night, too."

Okay, now I was really worried. "What?"

"Yeah. The other night when him and Mack stayed over. Charlie woke up in the middle of the night, had a hard time breathing. Mack brought me downstairs to help calm him down. He said he was having a bad dream about dad."

That nearly broke my heart. Here was my oldest brother, trying to make sure I don't panic, but he is having his own nightmares. "Jeez, Peter why didn't you call me down?"

He shrugged. "You had a long day, Janie. You were dead tired and I didn't want to worry you."

"Too late! Now I'm worried!" I exclaimed. Charlie was kind of my rock. If he was having these panic attacks, I was extremely concerned. I started to feel nauseous.

Peter sensed my uneasiness. "Hey," he said. "Charlie is going to be fine. He's a tough guy. He'll be back tomorrow and you can ask him yourself."

I nodded. I tried to concentrate. Charlie is fine, I told myself. He'll be alright.

Then our intercom buzzed. Peter went over to ask who it as, which we already knew it was Percy, but we asked just to be safe. Don't want another giant incident.

I opened the door for Percy. He now held a grey duffle bag. I couldn't help but smile when I saw his face. He immediately calmed me down.

"Hello, son of Poseidon," Peter greeted. Percy came in and nodded to Peter.

"Peter, he has a name," I said.

"Yes," Peter agreed. "But now that I have this godly information I will use it to its full power. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to shower.

Peter got up and left for the bathroom. I led Percy to my room.

"Do you need a towel or something?" I asked him.

He shook his head. "Showered at home. My mom insisted." He smiled at me. "She also insisted I act on my best behavior."

"But Percy Jackson does not have a best behavior," I joked.

He nodded. "That's what I said." He laughed and sat next to me on the bed. I held his hand. We sat in comfortable silence for a while. Then Percy asked if he can change into his pajamas.

"I don't know if Peter's still in the bathroom," I admit.

Percy shrugs. "I can change in here, if you don't mind."

The way he said it was so casual, it took me by surprise. I found myself squeaking, "Sure." I'm a little embarrassed to admit it, but I've never actually seen a boy naked, or close to naked. I'm eighteen, and I haven't had a steady boyfriend since, ever, I think. But Percy and I are on a more mature level. I think I can handle it.

Percy starts rummaging through his bag. Then he starts small talk, probably to relive some tension. "So, are you going to school tomorrow?

"Crap," I say. Percy takes off his shirt. Oh, gods. I was so not prepared for this.

He has so many muscles from training, and even a few scars on his abdomen. I swallow hard. So this is what it's like to see a boy shirtless. "Um, I totally forgot about school. Are you going?"

Percy covers up with an old Pink Floyd tee shirt. "I don't think my mom would mind if I missed one day." Then he takes off his pants.

I look to the side, trying to look anywhere but where he is. I totally don't want to be like that girl Louisa at my school who only dates guys for looks, but I can't help but admire Percy's body right now. He just looks so . . . well, hot.

Finally he slips on some sweat pants and zips up his duffle bag again. Relief washes over me. He places it on the floor and sits next to me. "Are you tired?" he asks.

All I do is nod. I didn't realize exactly how tired I was, but it was almost one o'clock in the morning, and I feel dead.

I scoot over to the far edge of my bed near the wall and Percy lies beside me. Usually people would feel nervous or excited if their boyfriend or girlfriend stays with them. Me? I just feel drawn to him, calmer.

Percy slips his arm around my waist and pulls me closer to him. I snuggle up against his chest and listen to the slow steady beats of his heart. He turns off the lamp with his other arm, and together we lay in silence, giving each other the comfort we both need.

I'm almost asleep when Percy says, "Jane?"

"Yeah?"

"I should tell you something," he says.

I turn my eyes toward him. "What is it?"

He looks at me with what seems like pity, and I don't know if I should be angered or not. I hate being pitied. But after what he tells me, I realize it's not a pity look he's giving me—its fear.

"The Underworld," he starts. "It's still here today."

"Oh, yeah," I say. "I guess I forgot that the Underworld is also still around." I never really gave it much thought. Until today when the monster invaded my home, I just lived in the blissful existence of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. It never crossed my mind that the mythical evil was still alive.

"Yes but," Percy continues. "I can see how much your dad meant to you." He gives me a steady look to make sure I'm okay with him mentioning my dad. I try to overlook it. He says, "His soul is probably there. In the Underworld."

I sit up. "Percy, are you saying I can see my dad's soul?"

He sits up, too. "Technically, yes. But it's very dangerous, even for demigods. Annabeth and I—" He pauses and winces, like the memory hurts him. "We've been to the Underworld. We also fell into Tartarus."

I instinctively grab his hand. "Oh my gods." According to the myths, Tartarus is basically monster hell. It's scary down there even for the bad guys. I can't even imagine Percy being down there. As much as I felt intimidated by Annabeth before, this just raised the bar. Now I have more respect for Annabeth then ever.

"We barely made it out alive," Percy squeaks.

I hug him to my chest. "You are so strong, Percy Jackson. So brave. And Annabeth is a hero."

I can feel tears coming off of Percy's face, and I forgot how much I hate to see him cry. Watching Percy Jackson cry makes me feel almost as bad as when I used to see my mom cry. Because what can you possibly say to your hero that will make them feel better?

"Percy, if it's too dangerous for me to go, then I can't ask you to risk your life for me." I stroke Percy's hair.

He sits up. "Jane, please. Let me do this for you. Your dad, you can see him one last time."

I didn't want to say it, but I had other people I wanted to see, and I didn't want to sound selfish. This isn't just a trip to the grocery store. This is a trip to the Underworld. I could die. He could die. And I couldn't risk that.

But I still couldn't help myself from thinking about my mom. She had died from a brain tumor when I was eight. With both my parents gone it was hard to bear the pain. And now that Percy was telling me that there was a way to see them again, I felt like the world has been lifted off of my shoulders.

But I also wanted to see someone else. Someone that means so much to me, more than they could know. And this time I told Percy.

"Annabeth," I said.

Percy looked up at me. He nodded slightly. "I didn't want to sound selfish. But I have been wanting to see her for a very long time. I was just never ready for that until now." He took my hand. "You make me braver, Jane Fleming."

Some girls would feel jealous over exes. But when it came to demigods, all that goes out the window. Annabeth and Percy probably saved each other's lives more than I could think possible. And as much as I would like to be normal and hate all of Percy's exes, I can't help but admire how strong Annabeth was. My relationship with Percy is great, but I know that Percy and Annabeth have a totally different definition for their relationship, something I will never have with Percy. Something I would never want to take away from them. And so the desire to meet Annabeth becomes stronger and stronger inside my gut. I have to see her.

"Do you think I can make it?" I ask.

He tries for a smile. "I think the two of us can pretty much conquer the world."

He kisses my forehead and we lay back down. I don't tell him what I'm thinking, but for the first time, I don't believe Percy Jackson: I don't think Percy and I can conquer the world. I'll never be able to.

But I know Percy and Annabeth could.