Hey guys, sorry it's a little late than usual...I had midterms last week, and then this really important quizzing event on Saturday, so I didn't have to time type up the chapter. However, it's here now, and extra long to make it up to you guys. It's a little different than the rest, but hope you like!

Disclaimer: I do not own Austin & Ally, Percy Jackson, or anything else you recognize.

August's POV

It happened as she was taking on six demigods by herself. Despite the one to six ration, August was holding her own pretty well. Following her brother's instructions, she didn't stab or slash—she only used the flat of her blade to hit the Romans, especially their helmets, effectively knocking them out. However, this was costing her some serious scratches, since the Romans didn't care if they killed her or not.

August ducked under a blade and hopped over another. She manipulated the earth to flick a Roman off his feet and opened a chasm beneath the feet of another. Both fell unconscious. Unfortunately, two other demigods took their place, and she was once again facing a grand total of six fighters. She knocked out two more, and once again, two others replaced them.

The daughter of Poseidon didn't' know how much longer she could keep fighting. She was beginning to get tired, as there was only one of her and a million, or what felt like a million, Romans fighting her at once. She could only hope that someone would come to her aid soon, because if no one did, she was dead meat.

August continued to fight, but she was slowing down. Suddenly, she felt a piercing pain in her right leg, and immediately collapsed. Looking at her leg, she realized that she'd been stabbed.

The Romans advanced, completely surrounding her as they pointed the tips of their swords at her. She struggled to stand, but her legs were too weak to support her, and she once again fell to the ground. Blood ran down her leg and joined the rest of her blood on the ground, blood she had lost from various injuries during her fight. Her vision began to blur, and the world became a distant place.

Through the haze, she saw one of the Romans raising her sword, and August closed her eyes, waiting for it all to end.

But the blade never came. Instead, she heard a voice from above her, and suddenly, she was surrounded by bright light and intense heat. She tried to force her eyes open, but they wouldn't budge. In fact, she no longer had control over her own body. August felt herself being picked up by someone.

"Holy Hephaestus, August! Please don't tell me you're dead."

There was only one person August knew who used that term.

"August?" Leo's voice asked. "Are you in there? Are you still alive?"

She wanted so bad to say something, to open her eyes, to move a muscle—anything to let him know that yes, she was alive, but it was as if her soul was trapped in a lifeless body. She couldn't do anything.

August felt the wind blowing in her face, then felt herself being lowered to the ground. Leo, or who she assumed to be Leo, knelt beside her and gripped her hand.

"Festus," he said.

Festus? August thought. Is Leo talking to me?

The next sentence that came out of his mouth answered her question. "Fly around and help anyone who need helps. No killing, got it?"

No, definitely not talking to me. Then who is he talking to? Who's Festus? August wondered. She remembered the flying sensation, and thought, a pegasus, maybe?

A strange metallic creaking confirmed that it was most definitely not a flying horse. What in the world is that?

Wind blew in her face again, and August guessed that whatever Leo was talking to had left.

"Isaac!" Leo yelled. "Get out here!" August assumed she was in front of the infirmary.

"Someone get Percy!" Leo added. "Like, right now! Tell him it's an emergency! Hurry!" Then, his voice softened, and finally began talking to her. "August, you have to hold on, okay? Don't die on us now. Percy will not be pleased if that happened. Hang on, got it?"

"Leo?" a voice interrupted. "What happened?"

"Isaac," Leo greeted. "Not sure. I found her lying on the ground with six Romans surrounding her. Festus blasted a circle of flams around her so the Romans couldn't get to her, but she's in bad shape. Look at all those cuts. They're really deep."

August found herself a bit annoyed. Leo was making such a big fuss about her scratches. They weren't serious at all! It was her head that was killing her. She'd gotten a headache as soon as she'd hit the ground—probably hit her head—and all the yelling was only making it worse. She wished they would stop.

Hands rolled up her jeans and cleaned the wound on her leg. After wrapping it up with bandages, they moved on to her other leg, then her arms, and her stomach. Something warm was put in her mouth, and automatically, she swallowed it. The liquid tasted like a strawberry milkshake, her favorite. Nectar.

"Well?" Leo asked anxiously.

Before Isaac could reply, running feet signaled that Percy had arrived. "August!" He yelled, picking up his pace. Worry was evident in his voice. "What happened?"

Leo repeated what he'd told Isaac.

Another hand gripped her free hand. Percy.

"How is she?" Her brother asked.

It was Isaac who answered his question. "She's lost a lot of blood," the healer said. "There's a ninety percent chance she won't make it."

For some reason, this news didn't bother August at all. She was going to die anyway, so she figured it might as well be now, in battle.

Percy, on the other hand, didn't take the news so well. "No!" he erupted. "That can't happen!"

"Are you sure there's nothing you can do?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure," came the reply. "I've already wrapped everything up and given her too much nectar. There's nothing else I can do."

However, the boys wouldn't accept her fate. "What about ambrosia?" Percy asked.

"Percy, nectar and ambrosia have the same healing qualities. You know that," Isaac said. "She can't eat the ambrosia, so I gave her nectar. I already gave her too much. Anymore of the godly food and she'll die for sure. I'm sorry."

August listened as her brother began to cry.

"You can't leave," he sobbed. "I just found you, and I don't want to lose you again."

His words broke her heart, and suddenly, August was determined to open her eyes, just to see him one last time before her body ran out of oxygen to function. She already couldn't feel her legs. She didn't have much time.

Percy continued to speak. "I—I can't lose you again. We have to make up for all the years we missed. We have to make new memories together. You have to meet Mom. August? Come back. Come back to me, please."

Somehow, August regained control over her hand and weakly squeezed her brother's, hoping he would feel it.

He did. "August?" His tone was full of hope. "August!" Then he yelled, "Leo! She just squeezed my hand! It's not too late! She can still wake up!"

"Keep talking to her, Percy." Leo's voice was also full of excitement and hope. "Come on, August," he muttered under his breath.

"August, you've got to wake up. You can't die yet. Not yet. I barely know you. I only met you a few weeks ago, and we've been so busy preparing for war that we've barely had any time to get to know each other. But, when all this is over, we'll go somewhere, we'll do something, just you and me, and we'll get to know each other, okay? I promise. I mean, I don't even know what your favorite color is! How sad is that? So please come back to me. I'm begging you. Please."

The girl couldn't take it anymore. Everything her twin had said was true, and she wanted nothing more than to get to know him better and spend some quality sibling time together.

Come on, she told her eyes. Open up already! She strained against her heavy eyelids. Open up! She tried again. Don't die on him! She tried a third time to open her eyes, and this time, she succeeded. The world slowly came back into focus.

When her eyes adjusted, she saw the faces of two very worried boys hovering above her—Percy and Leo. Isaac was nowhere to be found, and August assumed that he was back in the infirmary tending to the injured.

She swallowed hard, then forced her mouth to move. "Percy?" she whispered. "Leo?"

"August!" Both boys cried at once.

She winced. "Could…could you not do that?" she asked weakly. "Makes my head hurt."

"Sorry," they whispered in unison.

Despite the ache in her body, August grinned. They were both so protective of her. It made her feel all warm and fuzzy. After seventeen years and around ten foster homes, she finally felt like she belonged somewhere, that someone actually and genuinely cared for her. Too bad she wouldn't live to enjoy it.

"I love…you guys," she whispered, "Even though…I've only known…you guys for a…couple weeks." August knew the end was coming. She now couldn't feel her legs or her arms.

"Oh no you don't," Percy said. "You aren't dying on me."

"Sorry," August muttered. No longer having the strength to keep her eyes open, August took one final look at Percy's face and let them close.

"No!" Percy cried, panic laced in his voice. "Stay with me," he begged.

August didn't have the energy to reply, so she settled for giving his hand a small squeeze.

Suddenly, Leo spoke up, all excited again. "Percy, the lake."

"What?"

What? August thought, echoing her brother.

"Water can heal you, make you stronger, right? Maybe it'll do the same for August. Maybe, she'll can be healed!" Leo explained.

"You think?" Percy asked hopefully.

August could imagine a wide grin on Leo's face. "Only one way to find out."

Without saying another word, Percy turned and whistled for Blackjack. Less than a minute later, the rustle of feathers told August that the pegasus had arrived. She felt herself being lifted onto the horse.

Percy climbed up behind her and held her tight. "I got you," he whispered. "I won't let you fall."

And she knew he meant every word.

"Leo, you coming?" Percy asked.

Leo hesitated. "Can he carry all of us?"

Blackjack whinnied.

"He says yes," Percy translated, "especially when it comes to the—you know what? I'm not going translate that. Yes, he can carry all of us."

"What did he say?" Leo wanted to know.

Percy wouldn't tell him. "It doesn't matter. Hurry up and get on."

August laughed to herself. She guessed Percy didn't want people to know that the horse had called him "boss-man".

The ride was only a minute long, but neither Percy nor Leo spoke. When they landed, Percy dismounted, gently picked her up, and starting walking. The sound of footsteps behind them told August where Leo was.

"I'm going in the water now. You might get wet, since you're really weak right now," Percy warned.

A few seconds later, August was completely submerged underwater. During the first few minutes, nothing happened. She was beginning to think that she was going to die when a current suddenly ripped her away from her brother. Too weak to do anything about it, she let it carry her wherever it was going.

As August rode along, she felt herself getting stronger. Slowly but surely, the feeling in her arms, then her legs, was coming back. By the time she was unceremoniously dumped on a glowing white path at the bottom of the sea, she'd regained all feeling in her arms and legs, all her cuts had closed, and her headache had vanished. She was back to normal. Now if she could figure out where she was.

August pulled herself up and looked around. The path she was standing on led to a majestic underwater palace. Obviously, someone important lived here, but who? There were many underwater gods.

"Where am I?" she spoke aloud.

"Welcome to my palace," a voice behind her said, causing her to turn around and come face to face with a familiar face.

"Dad!" She was happy to see him again, and gave him a hug, which she returned.

"Hello, August," the sea god chuckled. "I've been watching you and Percy these past weeks. You've improved your power so much. You make me proud."

August blushed. "Thanks, Dad, but I almost died."

Poseidon brushed it aside. "Doesn't matter. What matters is that you didn't die, that you're still alive."

"Did you have anything to do with that?"

Something twinkled in the sea god's eyes. "Water holds healing properties for my children," was all he said.

A thought suddenly hit August. "Oh my gods, Percy! He's going to be worried about me!"

Poseidon nodded. "Yes, I know, which is why I will not keep you long. I just have something I need to tell you. It's about the son of Apollo—Austin."

"Austin?" August echoed. "He's hurt really bad, but no one can figure out what's wrong with him. Wait a minute…are you telling me you know why he's unconscious?"

The sea god nodded. 'Yes. He is severely injured. However, the fall only gave him a broken arm and knocked the wind out of him. Your healers should know that by now. They've examined him. At first glance, his arm didn't look broken because it wasn't at an unnatural angle, as they were expecting. However, a closer look proves that his bone is indeed broken in two."

"The real problem, however, is the poison that is coursing through his veins as we speak. The Roman augur did this to him right after he fell from the sky with that griffon on top of him. It's really strong poison, but works slowly so that no one can tell that he has been poisoned. You can't get rid of it unless you have the cure."

"We don't have the cure, do we, Dad?" August asked glumly.

"Octavian was very sneaky, trying to pull this stunt off. All he had to do was inject the poison into Austin's system right after he hit the ground. Lucky for you, I happen to be the only one with the cure."

August gasped. "Dad! Really?"

Poseidon smiled and nodded. "And I will give it to you in exchange for your forgiveness."

August furrowed her eyebrows. "My forgiveness? For what?"

"For everything," her dad replied. "Separating you and Percy, making you go through all those foster homes, not protecting you well enough—"

"Dad," August cut in. "Everything that happened to me makes me who I am today. You have nothing to worry about—you're an amazing dad! I mean, how many kids get to say that their dad lives at the bottom of the sea and rules the underwater kingdom? Not to mention the horses and the earthquakes!"

They both laughed at that.

"You're an awesome dad who takes care of his children just fine. After all, I just almost died, but I didn't because you were there protecting me, looking out for me as always. And even though I went through many foster homes, you were always looking after me. I know you were. I saw you sometimes, you know? Especially when I went to the beach or the lake. You were constantly there making sure I was okay. Then, you led me to Camp Half-Blood and introduced me to my real family. So yeah, as far as dads go, you're the best."

"Yeah, yeah," Poseidon waved off the praise. "You're my daughter. You're supposed to say that."

"Dad!" August laughed, punching his arm. "I'm serious! So you've got nothing to be sorry for, okay?" She gave him a big hug, which he returned.

"Okay," he whispered in her ear.

They hugged for quite a long time. August didn't want to pull away, but she knew she had to get back to camp.

"I better get back before Percy dumps the whole creek on Camp Half-Blood because he's worried about me."

"Right." Poseidon handed her a small vial, which she tucked into her pocket.

"What's in the cure?" August wondered.

He smiled. "It's better if you don't know. I'll send you back with a current," he added. "And remember, I'm proud of you."

August grinned she knew it was hard for the sea god to say it, but she knew what he meant. "Love you too, Dad." She turned toward the open sea, then turned back around. "Uh, quick question. I thought the gods weren't supposed to interfere with their children's destiny. Something about changing fate, blah, blah, blah. So why are you helping me?" she asked. "Not that I don't want your help," she added quickly. "Just wondering."

Poseidon winked at her. "I only have one daughter, and I'm determined to spoil her rotten. She's my favorite, you know. But don't tell her I said that," he said, putting a finger to his lips.

August grinned. "Oh, I wouldn't dream of it. See you later, Dad. And thank you."

With that, a gentle current picked her up and sent her back to camp, where Percy and Leo were waiting for her worriedly.

"Where did you go?" her twin asked, rushing up to her when she emerged from the water. "One minute you were here in my arms, the next moment, you were gone! What took so long? Are you okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," August said, laughing. "Calm down! Hi Leo," she greeted the son of Hephaestus. "Thanks for your help back there," she added.

Leo grinned and waved back. "Anytime."

"August!" Percy interrupted. "What happened?"

August decided that he'd had enough torture, so she simply held up the vial and said, "I got a visit from Dad. And I know how to cure Austin."

And that's the chapter! I know, the first half was kind of emotional, but it got better in the end! :) This wasn't originally in the plan of the story, but I was listening to Smiling by Harry Gregson Williams from the movie "Man on Fire" while writing, so I couldn't help myself. Those of you who haven't heard the song, it's really short-2 minutes, but definitely worth listening to. It's a beautiful piece.

This chapter had more of a "family" warm and fuzzy feel to it, which I thought was appropriate for August, since she's never really had a family that genuinely cared for her before. And she is the only daughter Poseidon has, so I wrote their relationship to be a normal father-daughter relationship. What did you guys think about that?

Anyway, as usual, leave a review and let me know what you think! Also, I'm wondering what questions you guys have about the story...any holes that need to be filled up before the story ends?

Until next time,

~amillipede