So, I did finish this chapter faster than I thought I would've so I'm giving it to you now. But no promises on how soon the next one comes. Boxes are being unpacked and things are being moved to their rightful places. The move went pretty smoothly and school's been...different. I've never been new to a school before now. It's an experience. On an unrelated note, anyone of you an Eminem fan? Listen to his newest album (Marshall Mathers LP 2)? I like it. Pretty good, if you ask me.

To the people who submitted OCs. I'm not sure which ones will and will not get used in this story cause, you know, not sure how long I'll be able to keep this story up. It's a highschool story sure, but it is more like a story where they go to the same school but it focuses more outside the actual school. It's just full of little arcs, some connected and others irrelevant. So if your submitted OC doesn't get used here, they'll probably turn up in other stories. Cause I have more PJO stories on my flashdrive that I'm working on, so...

Anyway! Enjoy your early Christmas present.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing!

Chapter 21

Midnight

Manhattan, New York

Lilac Residence

"Are you sure you're okay sweetheart?" Jennifer Lilac asked, clearly concerned for the well-being of her daughter. She had woken up screaming and had refused to go back to bed. As far back as Jennifer could remember, Danielle Gabriella Lilac had never been afraid to go to sleep. Had never had nightmares that scared her away from sleep until two weeks ago.

"I'm fine Mom," Danny assured her mother for the third time in the past ten minutes. She kept her hands wrapped tightly around her mug of sweet tea. While her mother hadn't been looking, she had poured a small amount of her father's 'special occasion' vodka that wasn't nearly hidden well enough to hide from a sixteen-year-old girl. Danny figured this was indeed a special occasion. "It was…just a bad dream. That's all."

Jennifer pursed her lips. It was clear she was concerned for her daughter. "If—if you're sure that…that you're okay, I'll just go on back to bed. Try and rest, sweetheart. You need to sleep."

Danny nodded and tried for a smile, for her mother's sake, even though she knew there would be no rest for her that night. She pinched her eyes shut and tried to rub the awful lingering pain of the dream out of her eyes but was only haunted by an afterimage of the dream. A bloody dagger held tightly in her grasp…a face, a stone-cold dead face that looked so much like Max…she forced her eyes back open and refused to allow herself to squint against the brightness in fear of an image appearing in the small amount of darkness she would've given her sight. She couldn't risk it…she wouldn't. She didn't want to see Max dead.

What am I going to do? She thought desperately, dropping her now empty mug of sweet tea and vodka in the sink.

12:04 AM

Long Island, New York

Camp Half-Blood

Bianca paced the room in the Big House. She couldn't sleep. The voice of Hades mocked and taunted her each time she tried. So she paced and thought about what Chiron had done when she arrived with Lottie and Marco.

"Chiron!" Marco had screamed desperately. "Will! Somebody, help!"

Chiron had quickly wheeled himself onto the porch of the Big House as lights started to flicker on across the camp. Loud complaints could be heard from the Hermes cabin as even louder snores from an unfamiliar looking cabin muffled them. Bianca was confused as she tried to recall the camp from her last visit. There hadn't been this many cabins then…had there? No…there had only been twelve cabins…she counted at least twenty now. Had they expanded to accommodate for all the excess unclaimed campers? And if so, why were there so many?

As Bianca tried to solve the mystery of so many additional cabins, Marco had taken an unconscious Lottie inside for Chiron to take a look at her. Bianca still had her back to him when he called out to her.

"Child, come inside, please. I'll have a bed made for you tonight inside the big House and we'll get you moved in to a cabin tomorrow. It's late," Chiron sounded kind as always, but also anxious to get a look at his patient. Bianca turned quickly at the sound of a familiar voice, hair whipping into her dark eyes making her blink rapidly, and stared at the centaur in the enchanted wheelchair. She watched his eyes change from the kind glint they always had to shock and disbelief, confusion and apprehension. He glanced over his shoulder and Bianca was able to see them; Marco was kneeling next to Lottie, who was on the couch, completely out of it. There was a large gash in her hairline that Bianca hadn't noticed earlier that was bleeding profusely. She must've hit her head at some point.

Bianca hurried inside and avoided meeting Chiron's eyes again. He started to say something but stopped and wheeled back to Lottie. He focused on his patient instead of his should-be-dead daughter of Hades. It was just easier, Bianca knew, to focus on the tasks you knew and understood rather than ones you don't—or can't remember, Bianca thought bitterly. She listened as Chiron explained to Marco that Lottie would be fine but needed bed-rest for a few days. Marco had nodded and scooped up his girlfriend once more and hurried to take her out to her own cabin. That had left Bianca and Chiron alone. Bianca had to retell her story and beg Chiron not to Nico she was there…not until she remembered what it was she had to tell him.

"Hades does not let his spirits escape his realm, not even his children," Chiron had stated grimly as Bianca made her way to the guest room where she would be staying. "You are in danger my dear. Hades will not take your escape lightly."

Bianca paused in the doorway. She squeezed the doorframe so tight that her knuckles turned white. She stared tiredly ahead of her and didn't dare turn to look at the centaur, not wanting to show how scared and exhausted she truly was. She swallowed hard. "I understood the risks when I left and I understand them now. I don't plan on going back to the Underworld in a long time."

Now Bianca had barricaded herself in her room and kept all the lights on. She had opened the windows so that she could stare at the moon. She wondered, briefly, if Artemis would accept her again…if, maybe, she were a huntress again, Hades couldn't haunt her. She wasn't sure and she didn't want to put her Lady Artemis in the position. She would've been joining the Hunters of Artemis for the wrong reasons (not that her reasons the first time had been entirely just).

She stared longingly at the glowing silver cabin that was in clear view from her window. It was empty, as it should be when the hunters weren't around. She wondered who the new Lieutenant of Artemis was, seeing as she had run into a peaceful spirit that had been Zoe in Elysium. She hoped, whoever it is, they are as loyal and dedicated to Artemis as Zoe had been. She started to think of the quest that claimed her life. The look Percy had given her before she had run off to the automaton; the little Mythomagic figurine of the only god Nico didn't have, Hades; the pain and the relief that had consumed her as she died.

Bianca hadn't realized she'd started crying till a stray drop of salty water found its way to the corner of her lips, slipping into her mouth. She wiped them away quickly as a loud crash could be heard throughout the Big House.

2:09 AM

Manhattan, New York

Blofis-Jackson Residence

"Percy," Annabeth whispered for the hundredth time (she should know; she's been counting). After leaving Max and Lottie's house, Annabeth and Grover crashed at Percy's. Grover insisted on taking the couch, saying it'd be much more comfortable for him seeing as he usually slept on the grass in between the roots of Juniper's tree. Percy and she had decided not to think too much about the statement. The look that Paul Blofis had shown clearly stated he had thought too much about it the second Grover had said it. Annabeth really couldn't blame him and Percy just shrugged in response to Paul's questioning gaze. "Psst. Percy." She shook his shoulder.

Percy squeeze her waist and groaned in response. "Hmm?"

"Did you see the face?"

"Who's?" the sleepy response came as he nuzzled closer. Her body immediately relaxed against his. They often found themselves sharing a bed at night when they were at camp. Annabeth usually went to his cabin since he had it to himself and she shared hers with quite a few brothers who were more than willing to lay down the law if the caught Percy and her in one of those bunks.

"The girl's. Before the ambulance took her away," she whispered an explanation. He's a lot slower when he's still half-asleep, a feat that Annabeth thought impossible. Annabeth adjusted her position so that they were facing each other. His green eyes were light, like pure ocean water further out in the ocean away from civilization, meaning he was having a good dream.

"No…does it matter?"

"She looked so familiar…like someone we know…" Annabeth closed her eyes and she could see the lifeless face: dark brown, almost black hair and olive-fair skin, the dark eyes that reminded her of someone. She just couldn't place it.

"Maybe she's a demigod. Got unlucky, y'know?"

"Maybe, but Percy—" She was cut off by Percy pressing his lips against hers, despite both their bad morning breath.

"Shh. Sleep. Good," Percy smiled playfully before his eyes closed shut and he was back to snoring softly. Annabeth smiled in spite of her thoughts. Percy was right. She should sleep; sleep would help clear her thoughts and in the morning after a good rest for the both of them, they'd be able to place the girl's familiarity to whoever it was that she reminded Annabeth of.

Yep, that was that. Another chapter done. What's Bianca's message for Nico? What's going on at the Big House? What the hell is up with Danny and her freaky dream?

Don't worry. You'll find out eventually *evil laughter*. Sigh, I'm tired but I can't sleep (that's what got this chapter done so fast). Don't think I'll be writing anymore right now though. If I try right now it'll turn to shit. So this last A/N is pretty much me rambling aimlessly to avoid going to bed.

Yeah...see you all...sometime. Still trying to get back into the habit of writing and writing because I want to and love to rather than it being a motion to go through. I've written a couple short stories since the A/N chapter I posted in November. Check out my blog to read one. Still transferring the others from my notebook to the blog, so, yeah.

~Teen Author