Hey everyone! MERRY CHRISTMAS! Heres your present; an early update and chapter! Hope you have a good one. Anyway, some of you seemed to miss the cliffys, so that's awesome. You see, you guys? This is why I add them. Admit it, you love them. No? Okay.

unclerick: It is. And yes she did. She's a tough one. And I'm glad you think think that! I absolutely love Sally, and I see her as the mom we wish we all had (not that I don't love my mom- just saying) but yeah. She's amazing. Thalia was done with Percy. She let it all out. I loved writing that scene. Also, I had to include that nightmare in there to show how much guilt Percy is carrying on his shoulders. That was hard. It was a healing sort of chapter, I'm glad you noticed that. I enjoyed writing this chapter. It was a nice break from all the fighting and stuff- well, excusing Percy and Thalia of course. And thank you! I have lots of fun, and I love seeing what you guys think, feel, or want to do to me after every chapter (: Thank you, and have a good one :3

Stargazer1300: I had to add that line in there, cuz I'm sure we can all agree. And uh oh. Hope you have enough tissues there (; Omg, stop with all your words. They're making me laugh. But yeah. They were both on fire that morning. And of course she did. She's Thalia. HOPE YOU HAVE A MERRY-ASS CHRISTMAS BBG!

Cinder Luna: I love him too (: It's all much more fun writing about him too. And thank you so much, Cinder ((: I love putting my own flare to the characters and their attitudes. It's so much fun and I get to add my own feelings through them. So thank you for noticing that. I love you lots too! And I'm looking forward to The Order! Awwwwww, you're so SWEET! Thank you so so much on all your support. It means a lot xxxx

michellePJOHOO: No problem (;

Percabeth4ever: Hmmm...maybe. You just have to keep on reading, my friend. Oof, Percy, you'll have to tone it down a bit there, man. I'll see what I can do, but with what I have planned, I think you'll enjoy my version ((:

Guest: OooOH another person left speechless. I'm awesome.

greekdemigodwannabe: Well, sorry for the late gift, but here you go! Merry Christmas, darling. I love the relationship Annabeth and Sally have. It always warms my heart. I'd be too cruel to make Sally be a bitch to Annabeth. I'm not that much of a monster. And hopefully. Really? That sounds like fun. Hope you're enjoying/enjoyed your trip over there! Hope you didn't or don't get lost. And that sounds awesome! I hope you have a lot of fun when you go! That's a great movie. And thanks! ILYSM xxx

sapphirelg: I'm tired as hell right now. I feel like I'm about to collapse at any moment. The emotions in the last chapter were both. I get what you mean. That's what I was aiming for. I'm a very emotional person too. And honestly though. Let's see how that goes. That's a cute name! Adorable name for a cute animal (: I would be obsessed with it too. I hope you have a wonderful week too, and no, I don't have any snow where I live. Yet. But I honestly don't want any because I hate snow. I'm the one who ends up having to shovel it. Go to sleep! You're going to get insomnia. I don't want to get that blame.

Meistar: Okay, okay, okay, I'll keep writing. Damn, don't do that to me! French fries are so good. I'm used to all the complaints. I have one foot in the grave now anyway. Don't die, cause I'm here now ((:

percabethlover: Thank you! I don't know how I keep doing this, actually. You guys help. I'm glad you found it adorable. Thank you so much and HAPPY LATE MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Guest: Aww, that's not true. But thank you so much. I will!

Guest: THANK YOU!

Gauti: You're welcome! I decided you guys needed to relax for the holidays. And definitely some more Leyna. It is the best, isn't it? Finally, some sleep... I'm so happy to have been able to make you relax. Perfect timing is everything. I'm sure you did wonderful on your test. And really? That's awesome. And of course! Perhaps for the next story you can be my beta ((: Not pushy at all. And no, it's not short for Catherine. I'd been searching up different ways to say my real name in different places, and Katherine had shown up (as Dutch) so then my friend began to call me Kat ((: So yeah, I guess. And yes she is. I love her. Thank you so much! I will most definitely not let anyone give me any bullshit. And I'm Senpai now? Damn. I'll see where I can squeeze that in ((:

percabeth824: Really? That's awesome ((: Have fun. I hope you had an amazing Christmas! Thank you so much!

Anon: She is! I love her so much. Merry late Christmas! Hope you had a great one ((: Thank you so very much!

Guest: Number one: Thank you so very much! Your words are greatly appreciated ((: Number two: I tried my best! I was so excited to write that part. Thank you thank you so much! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

SapphireTrafficker: Maybe I should start rewriting what you reviewed last time so you know XD And thanks! I'm sure your alternatives are great ((: There are always so many.

Faulcrum Tano: Thank you! You'll see what they feel for each other soon (; Don't worry. Not sure about a Christmas special though, since they're in the middle of August in the story. Thank you so much though ((:

Gwpf: Thank you! I'm so happy to hear that you're enjoying it. And yay! You read that one? I loved writing that one-shot. Tratie is amazing. And you like Octachel? Never met anyone who did. Hm. And you're welcome! You guys needed to relax for the holidays (;

SeaGreen101: Welp, perhaps you'll get one this chapter. There's a mix of people saying they're relieved, or that they wished for a cliffy. I liked writing the Thalia-Percy talk. It was fun. Especially the argument, though that sounds mean. But you get what I mean? It did bring them closer. And that's true. I kinda gave that whole thing away, but whatever. Still a surprise that he had a little sister. I'm excited to introduce her more ((: Don't worry, the invite has been sent (':

Disclaimer: Do not own


Annabeth's POV:

I woke to the feeling of someone stroking my face.

I shifted from my place on the floor, gripping the blanket tighter between my fingers. The fingers were calloused yet soft, scarred. They felt like Percy's.

I leaned into the caress, a sigh emitting from my lips. "Percy..."

I heard a low chuckle, the sound chilling me to the bone. Whenever Percy chuckled, it came out husky and made my heart swell. This chuckle though, ever so familiar, held a malice to it that made my blood run cold.

Also, Percy wasn't supposed to be where I was. He shouldn't be here.

My eyes fluttered open, only to meet with icy cold blue ones, dark and deceitful.

I inhaled sharply and scrambled out from under the covers, my mind still drowsy from sleep. "Luke," I breathed, my heart thumping. "What are you doing here?"

His lips curled into a cold smile as he sat back on his heels, his eyes glinting. "Looks like you still have feelings for that pathetic excuse of a man. You're even dreaming of him."

My mouth felt dry as it opened and closed, finally snapping shut. I had been dreaming of Percy. We'd been having a picnic in that same place he had took me to after he'd taken me on his motorcycle, lying together on the grass and gazing up at the sky, in pure sereneness and peace. Something I would never have with anyone.

"I asked you a question, Luke," I spoke through clenched teeth, keeping my eyes leveled with his. His pure presence made me want to scream and break down crying, but I would not let that happen. Not when he's hurting so many people. Not when he thinks I'm still afraid of him. "What are you doing here?"

He shrugged, lips twisting into a lazy smile as his intense eyes raked my figure. I stiffened. "Watching you sleep," he said casually, as if he might've said that he was taking a walk in the park instead. "You look so beautiful when you do."

"I'm awake now," I snapped, feeling my pulse quicken. "So you can get out already."

His eyebrows raised slightly, and he grinned wickedly, the gesture sending a chill down my spine.

"I think I might stay a while," he purred, moving closer to me. I recoiled from him without thinking, an instinct I was working on getting rid of. But with the presence of this man, I don't think I'd ever be able to get rid of it.

"Luke," I hissed, narrowing my eyes at him as he still moved closer, now arm's length away from me. I glanced quickly at the sleeping figures of Sally and Isabelle. Sally was facing away from me, while little Isabelle's was facing me. Her face looked soft and pale, like a little angel. But she was still so thin, and thinking of my father making her spend her whole life down here fueled me with anger.

Luke reached out to tuck one of my curls behind my ear, his fingers stroking my cheek. "Remember when you were mine, Annabeth?" He whispered, his eyes dark and predatory as they stared into mine.

"It's something I don't like to recall," I replied, my voice icy cold as I reached up to take his hand away from my face. "Now get out. You've made life worse enough. I'm sure you couldn't possibly do anything else to ruin it even more."

His face crackled with anger, as quick as lightning. But just as soon as it was there, it was gone. His eyes glinted with something that looked like hurt and irritation. "You think I ruined your life?"

"No," I said, my voice steady and quiet. "I know you ruined it. You never cared for me, Luke. You were just following my father's orders. That was not care. That was not love. It was all a lie. All pretend."

Luke was quiet as he stared at me, eyes burning into mine. It was almost as if little sparks of fire had lit up inside them, flaring and angry.

"How are you so sure that's true?" He whispered, voice low and menacing. "How are you sure that I never loved you?"

"Because you did things to me that no man would ever do to the woman he loves," I answered, my voice quiet. I swallowed hard. "And if that's how you show your love, then it's a pretty fucked up way to do it."

Luke's jaw was locked, the veins in his neck visible and pulsing. "I'm sorry, Annabeth," he said tightly. "Is that what you want to hear? Then fine. I'm sorry."

"Sorry won't cut it anymore, Luke," I whispered, shaking my head. I felt my eyes burn with tears. "Not after all the things you've done to me."

Suddenly, I was being pushed down to the floor, and Luke was suddenly on top of me, his mouth pressed against mine. I felt fear and anger wash over me at once, pulsing through my veins and making my head pound painfully.

"Luke, stop," I gasped, pressing my hands against his chest and pushing hard. Tears had flowed out of my eyes as I struggled against him. So much for keeping them in.

"You think I never cared for you?" He growled in my ear, his breath hot against my skin, raising the hairs all over my body. "I thought of you every single day since you left. Only then I realized how much of an idiot I'd been." He chuckled, low and hostile. "If I'm being honest here, I was surprised you hadn't left after all the shit I'd done to you."

"Luke, get off," I snarled, digging my nails into his shirt as I pushed. I heard the bed creak, but didn't glance over in the direction. I winced. I didn't want them to wake up. I would get this bastard off and away from me one way or another.

"No," he said, running his nose down my neck and up to my ear. He licked at my earlobe and I flinched. "Not until you understand how much I missed you."

"You only missed my body," I snapped ferociously, trying in vain to shove him off.

"You're right," Luke whispered against my ear, sending dreadful chills through me. "I missed that most of all."

He trailed kisses from my ear to my jaw, his hands gripping my thighs tightly. My legs, I thought frantically.

"You're mine," he said hotly, his mouth persistent. "You've always been mine. Jackson doesn't understand that, does he?"

"Luke," I snarled, gripping his shoulders and trying to pull him off of me.

He brought his mouth against mine once again, tongue prying into my mouth. I recoiled and turned to the side.

"You care for him, don't you?" Luke growled, gripping my chin between his fingers and forcing me to look at him. His eyes were blazing, hungry and angry. That was never a good combination.

I glared up at him, feeling my own anger pound through my head. "Yes. I do."

His face hardened and he leaned close to me, his mouth pressed against my ear. I caught my breath as my heartbeat quickened, so hard I was sure he could hear it.

"Well then," he whispered, voice low and threatening. "Looks like the next time I see him, I'll have to teach him a thing or two about touching things that are mine."

My eyes widened, and I tightened my grip on his shoulders, bringing my knee up to knee him in the groin. He groaned in pain and rolled to the side, effectively freeing me. I scrambled to stand up, my breathing hard and harsh.

"When will you learn, Luke?" I breathed, shaking my head as tears pooled out of my eyes. "Touching me and possessing me like that is never going to make me love you again, or love you more. Never."

He glowered at me from the floor, and with some difficulty, he stood up, his breathing labored.

"Now get out," I said sharply, glaring at him.

He stared at me for a while more, eyes lit up with anger. Luke turned and stalked towards the door, pulling it open in one swift motion.

Before leaving, he turned back to me, his blue eyes dark.

"Keep in mind that I can always come back, Annababe," he said, voice filled with malice and hunger, using that god-awful nickname. "And when I do, I'll take back what's mine. I'll get what I want from you. Because you belong to me, and only me. Jackson needs to learn that."

His lips curled into a wicked, wolfish grin. "I'll gladly take you again, Annabeth."

Then he shut the door behind him, the only light outside winking out of existence.

I collapsed to the floor, my knees giving out beneath me. My body trembled, but no tears came out. I was breathing hard, anxiety and anger and fear flowing through my veins.

I felt a light tap on my shoulder and looked up through the curtain of hair hanging around my face to see Isabelle, her eyes wide with worry.

"Are you okay?" She asked, kneeling in front of me.

I pushed my hair away from my face and forced a smile on my face. "I'm fine."

She stared at me with big green eyes, twinkling under the dim light. "He touched you."

A dry chuckle escaped from my lips, and I looked down at my hands, still wrapped with bandages. It's not the first time, I wanted to say, but her gaze was intense and focused, not looking away from my face. It broke my heart to see such a little girl, spending her whole life locked down here. Instead, I said, "I guess he did."

She was quiet for a while, cocking her head in an adorable way. Her brown hair was in dissarray from sleeping, but she looked alert despite having just woken up.

"Do you know that man?" She asked me, eyes shining with childlike curiosity.

I hesitated. The truth was, I didn't really know him. The man I thought I'd known had just been a facade. Pretend. A prince from a fairy tale. This new man- this awful man, I did not know at all.

"No," I replied at last, my voice soft and sad to my own ears. "I don't know him."

She fiddled with the end of her sweater, hands delicate and fragile. "I had never seen that man before. And I see many men."

"Really?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in genuine curiosity.

Isabelle nodded, her angelic face serious. "Sometimes they come in here. They talk to Mommy. They can be so mean. They make Mommy cry."

"What do they do to her?" I asked, horrified.

Her eyes turned sad, the expression so heartbreaking to see on a girl so young. "They sometimes hit her or say things that make her cry. Whenever they come, she tells me to pretend to sleep. But I can always see them and hear them. I don't like when they make her cry."

I swallowed bile. This poor girl. She has no idea what's going on. She's just worried about her mother.

"What's your favorite color?" I questioned, changing the topic from that awful subject.

Isabelle blinked, momentarily surprised, before frowning in thought. "Blue," she replied. "Like Mommy's eyes."

I smiled. Percy's favorite color is blue as well. "That's a very pretty color," I commented.

She nodded, her lips twisting into an adorable smile that warmed my heart. "Mommy has very pretty eyes. I wish mine were blue like hers."

"Your eyes are beautiful," I reassured her, giving her a wistful smile. I couldn't help it. Percy's eyes flashed through my mind, gorgeous and unique. The way they darkened or lit up in different shades depending what he was feeling. They darkened from lust and anger to lighting up with that excitement he got when he knew he was about to wreak havoc. "Your eye color is rare and unique."

She frowned. "What does that mean?"

"It means that not many people have that color of eyes," I answered. "Your eyes are very special."

Her eyes glittered. "I didn't know that."

I smiled at her, "Well, now you do."

She peered at me, her gaze full of wonder and that childlike gleam. "Your eyes are very pretty. I didn't know people could have gray eyes."

"Thank you," I responded. "I didn't know that either."

"Do people get their eye color from someone else?" She asked curiously.

"Most of the time," I said, shrugging slightly. "I get mine from my Mom."

"Where is your Mom?"

"She's..." The words died in my throat. Fucking Frederick hadn't shown me where she was. "She's somewhere close by."

She hummed softly in response, looking distracted and deep in thought. "I wonder who I got my eyes from."

My throat constricted tightly, and I suddenly felt as if I couldn't breathe. Oh, Isabelle. If only you knew.

"I wonder," I whispered, straining a smile as I reached forward to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"Are you my friend now, Annabeth?" She questioned, staring at me intently.

I chuckled softly, clasping her small and soft hand in mine. "Even better. We're best friends. Thank you for talking with me. I really needed that."

She yawned and gave me a weary smile. "You're welcome, Annabeth."

"Sleepy?" I asked, a teasing lilt to my voice.

She nodded tiredly, her eyes fluttering shut before opening again.

"We should both go to sleep," I said, starting to stand up. "It's bedtime."

I held out a hand and she took it, standing up. I walked her over to the bed where Sally was sleeping and watched as she climbed back in, snuggling under the covers next to her mother.

"Goodnight, Isabelle," I whispered.

"Goodnight, Annabeth."

I smiled and watched as her chest rose and fell with every breath she took. They looked so peaceful, almost as if they were in a real house, in a real room. It was only until they opened their eyes that reality unfolded itself and came into full view that they saw where they were really living.

I walked back to the pile of blankets on the floor, settling two on the floor and climbing under two more blankets, bunching up the sweatshirt Sally had given me for a pillow. Once my head hit the item of clothing, I fell asleep.

And as I slept, I felt someone move in beside me, rustling me from my sleep. The little body curled up next to me, burying their face in my hair. I craned my neck to see little Isabelle, lying right next to me, her angelic face pressed against my shoulder, her bow shaped lips stretched into a small smile.

My heart warmed at the sight, and I leaned over to a press a kiss to her head. I hugged her close, and only then, did I fall asleep, no nightmares at all.


Percy's POV:

I opened the door to see Hazel and Frank staring back at me, their faces serious and sad.

"Hey guys," I greeted with a strained smile.

Hazel sighed, her gold eyes shining with melancholy. She wordlessly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around me, pressing her face against my sternum.

"I'm sorry for everything going on with you right now, Percy," she murmured, shaking her head.

"Hey," I said, stroking her cinnamon curls. "It's not your fault, Haze."

She said nothing, simply tightening her arms around me. For a woman so small, she had a hell a lot of strength. "I can't believe she's dead," she whispered. I felt myself stiffen, sadness washing over me in a wave.

I shook the feeling away and nodded at Frank, who's face was grim and full of melancholy. "How's it going, Frank?"

He shook his head sadly. "Not good, man. Everyone's mourning the death of all these people, and now the news of Annabeth's kidnapping is spreading through The Olympians like wildfire. No one knows what to do."

I felt my heart begin to thump in my chest. The Olympians were spread all over the U.S in different groups and were led by high-ranking trustworthy members. I hadn't checked my phone at all lately, but I was pretty sure it was blowing up with calls and messages asking what the hell was going on. I would have to return those calls soon.

"Why don't you two come in?" I said, stepping aside. Hazel finally let go of me and once she looked up, her eyes were brimming with tears. I winced. I hated seeing Hazel of all people cry.

"Where are the other?" She asked, bringing her hand up to wipe away any escaping tears. I stifled a smile. There she is.

"I think they're all training downstairs. They've spent the past week locked up in their rooms. They needed some exercise," I explained, starting to lead them to the hallway that led to HQ. "I'm sure they'll all be happy to see you guys."

Frank laughed, a sound that was bitter and dry. "I'm sure they'll be ecstatic."


When we walked into the training room, it almost seemed like everything was back to normal.

Thalia and Nico were wrestling each other to the floor. Thalia currently had Nico pinned under her, but just as soon, Nico had flipped them over so he was on top, his forearm pressed against Thalia's throat. Thalia grinned and brought both legs up and kicked him off. Nico went tumbling onto the mattress, gritting his teeth.

Reyna and Jason were sparring with each other, the metal of their blades clashing and clanging. Reyna slashed at Jason, and he swiftly brought his blade up to block the strike. They twirled and moved in perfect sync, like skilled dancers performing a deadly dance. Reyna and Jason had always enjoyed swordplay with each other. It gave them a chance to learn more about each other. They learned each other's weak points, where they were stronger, what caught them off guard. Swordplay could be almost as intimate as kissing another person. You learned a lot about another person, so much that if you did it enough, you would learn things that could be both helpful, and dangerous. But with Jason and Reyna, it was intimacy and the fact that they got the chance to make fun of one another when one of them messed up.

Jason hacked at Reyna, and with lightning swiftness and grace, she rolled between his legs and stood up, turning and kicking him in the back. Jason stumbled and tripped, face planting the floor. Reyna laughed and said something to him, making him scowl. She laughed again and held out her hand to pull him up. Jason took it, and in the blink of an eye, he swung his foot under her feet and sent her crashing to the floor. Jason laughed as Reyna growled, and once again, the sound of swords clashing against one another resonated through the training room.

Piper and Leo were currently dodging through the obstacle course. Piper was ahead of Leo, gracefully moving across the equipment with Katoptris in her hand, stabbing the dummies set up across the course. She moved with the lightness and elegance of a dove, beautiful and angelic. Leo, unlike Piper, always had struggled with the obstacle course, and right now, he was swinging across the metal bar with a bit of struggle. He dropped to the floor in a roll and stood up, jumping up onto the platform set up.

Piper reached the end of the course and turned, watching Leo with a look of amusement on her face.

"Stop dragging ass, Leo!" She called, cupping her hands around her mouth like a megaphone. "I'm already done!"

Leo, startled, jumped off the platform and tried to land in a crouch, but stumbled and fell on his face. Piper busted up laughing, and behind me, Frank snorted and Hazel stifled a laugh.

"He was always bad at that," Hazel noticed, shaking her head and laughing.

The sound of Hazel's voice made everyone's heads turn, and it was then, looking at the broken and hidden sadness in their eyes that broke any sense of normality the scene beheld.

Leo scrambled up from his spot on the floor and grinned at them. "Hey guys! You wanna train with us and break possibly one or more of your own bones?"


"Where are the dogs, Frank?"

We were all seated around the meeting room table. With Annabeth and Bianca now gone, two spots were left open for Frank and Hazel. The thought of their absences made my chest constrict painfully, and I pushed the observation away.

Piper, having asked the question, was wiping the sweat off her face with the hem of her soft pink tank top, her cheeks flushed and hair matted to her forehead.

"They're in the garage. I took them out of the van and fed them some food and water. I figured we might need them," Frank replied, shifting in his seat.

"Good," I said, tapping my fingers on the table. "They might help us track Annabeth. If I do send you and Hazel, it'll be to Lower Manhattan. I don't believe anyone's checked there."

Hazel nodded. "All right. Who will come with us?"

"Clarisse and Connor and Travis's groups will go with you," Jason said, him and I having already discussed the matter. "You'll cover more ground that way. Each group will get a dog."

"What about Rachel Eliza-Bitch Dare?" Thalia asked, twirling a hunting knife on the table, her blue eyes flashing.

Leo stifled a laugh at the nickname, and I compressed a smile of my own as the others snickered.

"She can rot in that cell, for all I care," I replied, shrugging. "But sooner or later we might have to ask her some questions."

"And Jordan?" Nico drawled, twisting the ring on his finger.

I sighed. "He said that in two days we should be getting a video conference from whoever's leading this shit-hole. I told him that if I don't get answers, I'll go over there and kill him."

"Do you think he's telling the truth?" Hazel asked, her gold eyes glinting.

I shrugged, though I felt a twinge of doubt. This was Jordan, a guy I'd trained and helped for years. I had trusted him then, but now, that trust was all gone.

Trust is like medicine, I remembered Annabeth saying to me. It wasn't long ago, but it felt like ages. Abuse it's goodness and it can be the end of everything.

"Unless he wants to die," I said nonchalantly. "Then he needs to tell the truth."

"What if they're not even in New York?" Reyna asked, her face pensive. She looked at me, her eyes flashing with doubt. "What if they took her somewhere else?"

I felt a sharp stab to my chest. I had been thinking of that before. What if she wasn't even in America anymore? What if she's even in another country? No. I can practically feel her near me. She isn't so far. She's somewhere nearby- somewhere in New York.

"No," I said, voicing my thoughts. "She has to be somewhere in New York. It wouldn't make sense if they took her some place else. If they want her to bargain with, she should be near, not thousands of miles away. She's the fish. We're the hook, trying to reel her back in. And fishes are always near the hook, one way or another."

They all stared at me, expressions thoughtful and uncertain.

"Well," Leo said, breaking the silence. "That's a weird way to put it, but you're right. She shouldn't be too far. As long as we have something of hers, we can use the help of the dogs to track her down."

I nodded and turned my gaze to Piper, Nico and Leo. "You guys will have to alternate staying in the monitoring room all day tomorrow. I'm not sure how that video will arrive to us, but I presume it'll be through those cameras."

"And if it doesn't come?" Nico asked, eyes dark.

I shrugged. "We go to Jordan and kill him," I said simply. "Jason, Reyna, Thalia and I will accompany Frank and Hazel. We'll go tomorrow early in the morning tomorrow."

I looked at Leo, my eyebrows furrowed. "Did Hephaestus say anything about the cameras when you talked to him earlier?"

Leo nodded. "He even sent me a picture of them. They're really small. They'll be set up all over Manhattan tomorrow evening by the latest."

"Very well," I said, tapping my fingers against my knee. I glanced at the others, their expressions weary and exhaustion written all over their faces.

"It's late," I announced, starting to rise up from my chair. "We should all get some rest. I have to talk to my father and settle some other things. Hazel, Frank, there are plenty of spare rooms. Share one, for all I care. Just get some rest. You'll need it."

"What about you?" Hazel asked, her lustrous yellow eyes filled with worry. "Will you get some sleep?"

Of course I will, I was about to say, but I couldn't help but glance at Thalia, and I quickly caught myself. She was staring at me impassively, but their was a look in her eyes that made me rethink my answer.

Don't lie to them. Remember your talk with Thalia. Don't shut them out. Don't lie about what your motives and feelings really are.

I compressed a sigh. Right. This was harder than I thought.

I looked at Hazel right in the eyes, finally letting the sadness and miserableness show on my face.

"No," I replied honestly, my voice void of emotion. "Not until Annabeth is back safely in my arms."


I was heading up the upstairs with the others trailing behind me, but was cut short by the sound of the doorbell ringing.

We all immediately froze.

We waited for a little, and the doorbell rung again. On instinct, the others pulled out their weapons. I held up my hand, my eyebrows furrowed.

"Wait here," I ordered, starting down the stairs. Everyone had their weapons pointed at the doorway, and I approached it with caution. My heart was thumping wildly in my chest, my pulse pumping. What if it's Annabeth? I couldn't help but think.

My hopes up way higher than they should be, I pulled open the door as I pulled out my gun, pointing it at the man standing outside.

"Will?" I said, perplexed. His blue eyes were wide as his hands were held up in surrender.

"Don't kill me," he said, "It's me, Will Solace."

I help up my hand for the others, who I sensed lowered their weapons behind me. I heard them let out a sigh of relief, and I couldn't help but feel that too. But also, I felt disappointed. I was hoping it would be Annabeth so much it actually hurt. So much for hoping. All it did was make you feel like you were flying in the air one minute, and crashing like a fallen angel the next.

"Will, what are you doing here?" I demanded, still confused. "You know it's too dangerous to be out in New York right now. Much less being near me."

He cleared his throat, and his golden skinned cheeks suddenly took on a pink tint, even under the silhouette of the moon. What?

His cheeriness was gone, replaced by a bashfulness that almost made me smile.

"I, um, actually came to see Nico," he admitted, his ears a bright red. I heard someone let out a giggle behind me. Piper. I restrained from rolling my eyes. "Is he here?"

I stifled a smile. I vaguely remembered Will holding Nico as he cried when we were at the hospital. When Bianca died.

I looked behind me to see Nico hiding behind one of the columns of the living room. He was frantically shaking his head, eyes wide and firm.

I turned back to Will, grinning. "Why, yes he is. Come on in, Will."

He gave me a smile and stepped into the house, eyes scanning the entrance. Nico had stepped out from behind the column, now visible, clad in black, standing out brighter than a flashing red light in the creamy colors of the house.

He cleared his throat, his pale cheeks flushed. My grin grew even wider.

"Hey, Will," he muttered.

Will was smiling broadly. "Hey, Nico."

"Why don't you two head on upstairs?" Piper suggested, her eyes bright and flashing green, blue and brown. She was enjoying this way too much. "We were all headed up there anyway."

Nico discreetly shot her a death glare and turned back to Will. He sighed, cheeks still pink. "Come on, Will."

He lead the way up the stairs, Will trailing behind him like a bright, golden puppy. I let out a laugh. They were literally the living definition of 'polar opposites.'

Only when they disappeared out of sight that Piper and Hazel let out bubbly laughs.

"Oh, Nico," Hazel laughed, eyes shining. "Looks like he won't be single forever."

"Oh my God, this is perfect," Piper said, grinning brightly.

"All right, all right, calm down," I said, closing the door and starting up the stairs, chuckling. "Nico will kill you both if you keep acting like this."

"Too bad," Piper sang. "He's definitely hearing from me tomorrow."

"Looks like you have your death wish, then," Reyna sighed.

I felt a pang at her words. Reyna, I'm sure we all have one now.


I picked up my phone from the drawer, clicking it on. I winced.

I had 23 missing calls, 35 texts, and 15 voice mails.

Oh, The Olympians. So persistent.

I sighed and pressed a hand to my forehead, sinking onto my bed. First things first, I had to call Poseidon.

I dialed his number and pressed the phone against my ear, the ringing sound sending a tremor through my body.

Finally, he answered.

"Perseus?" He said, and I clenched my teeth. "What's wrong?"

"Are you serious?" I snapped, feeling frustration begin to bubble in my stomach. Not even five seconds into the call and this man was already pissing me off. "You know why I'm calling. You of all people should know."

He didn't say anything for a while. I heard some movement, and I could imagine him sitting down in his chair in his office. He sighed. "Look, Perseus-"

"Percy," I replied sharply, cutting him off. "It's Percy."

He sighed once again, and I could practically hear him rolling his eyes.

"Look, Percy. I know about Annabeth. We've been trying to find her location but we can't find anything. The people we're dealing with have thought things through quite enough. Hephaestus is currently working on building new cameras to replace the others. They'll be set up tomorrow evening."

"I know that already," I said, closing my eyes. "I just don't know what to do right now."

"Well, I presume you know that Annabeth is their bargaining item," Poseidon pointed out. "They know you care about her, so much to give them whatever they want."

I sank down onto my pillows, rubbing my face. My head was pounding, the thought of her getting hurt because of me bringing on an unimaginable pain. It felt worse than anything I've ever felt before. Worse than any punch, kick or stab in my lifetime of danger. I should've never taken her in. I should've never showed her any kindness. I should've never cared for her.

"Perseus?"

My father's voice jarred me from my thoughts. I scowled. "But what is it that they want? Why now? Why when Annabeth was introduced to The Olympians? it just doesn't make sense. What could they possibly want from us?"

Poseidon clucked his tongue on the other line. "I have something in mind, and I'm hoping that's not what I think it is. Also, they seem to be targeting the Chase family specifically. Think about it. First Athena, now Annabeth. The leader of this thing seems to have some personal vendetta against them. What they did to anger that person, I have no idea, but it must've have been something very bad."

I rubbed my jaw. I needed to shave.

"But Annabeth hasn't done anything that might upset someone," I pointed out. "I don't think Athena has either."

"We don't know that," Poseidon said. "For all we know, this person might have some bitterness against them for years now. Besides, this whole thing is planned to elaborately to have been just this year. This situation has been planned over for years."

I pressed my lips together. This was true enough, and the more I thought about it, the more it filled me with dread.

"I guess you're right," I admitted. I sighed. "Jordan told me to expect some sort of video to give me some answers. I bet it's definitely going to include what they want from us."

"Well, if it does come, call me," Poseidon said. "One can only hope for the best. I have to go now, Perseu- Percy. I will talk to you soon."

"All right," I said, suddenly feeling exhausted. "Bye, Dad."

"Goodbye."

I hung up and set the phone down beside me, contemplating all of this. So many alternatives. So many questions. So much of everything.

As much as I felt tired, I knew I wouldn't be able to go to sleep. Now, even just closing my eyes, I had to open them again.

Because, like I told Hazel, with all honesty, I will not rest until Annabeth Chase is back in the safety of my arms.

Until then, I will not shut my eyes for a second.


AWW Percy. You're going to be the end of yourself because of your lo- I mean affection for the one and only, Annabeth Chase.

How'd you guys like this chapter? No cliffy this time, you're welcome. I snuck some Solangelo in there for y'all. It was about time. And oh, little Isabelle. I love writing about her. *Cough cough Isabelle Lightwood is a queen so this one should be one too cough cough* God, my throat hurts from all that coughing.

I HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HOLLY JOLLY MERRY CHRISTMAS! BE HAPPY AND AMAZING AND FANTABULOUS! Also, I have some ideas for stories on my profile page, so please go check that out. I need to start planning some new stories after this one's over. *Sobs* I can't believe it's almost over. So yeah! Check them out when you have time ((: I'll include my summary for a story I want to write, but still not sure on my profile too. Sometime soon.

LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!

~KAT! :DD