A/N: Heeeeeey guys. I'm not dead! I'm sure you're all aware of how long this has taken, and I could spend the next few hundred words, but I think we'd all just rather you start reading. Enjoy!

This chapter's for my little brother (happy b-day bud!) and Lansfics7 from Ao3 (your review is what got me to finish this chapter!)

Chapter 28: Reaching the Peak (Again)

Steve looked at the two demigods as they turned to face the team. Their faces were determined, but he could see the fears in both. Not for themselves, no, Steve was starting to think it was impossible for Percy to have any self-preservation (he chuckled inwardly; Bucky would've hated him), but for each other. However, they did seem to have at least some kind of a plan. He wasn't entirely sure what Annabeth had been talking about earlier, but it hadn't sounded easy. Natasha and Clint had seemed to agree with the logic that had been presented, and their limited knowledge of past precedents presented by Tony's research had been helpful. While Percy and Annabeth had been talking (read: hugging and kissing), he'd been explaining what Annabeth meant about Ouranos, the primordial of the sky. Apparently, Tartarus was also a primordial, and by luring him out of his domain, they could destroy him, hopefully without dying in the process. Steve would have preferred to have more information, but the gathering storm at the top of the mountain was a good incentive to get the show on the road.

Five minutes later, they had a plan. Annabeth and Clint would take the Quin-Jet to Camp Jupiter, which was apparently the Roman version of Camp Half-Blood. Because this world just kept getting bigger and better. Percy had already mentioned Roman demigods to him a few days ago, so he'd been more prepared for this than Tony (it'd taken a while to distract him enough so that he'd stop pelting Percy with questions), but Steve was definitely going to ask him and Bruce to synthesize more of that super-soldier Advil as soon as this was over. The stress and world-breaking news he's been given in the past two weeks was getting to be too much. He was going to have a serious headache when this was all over.

Percy, Steve, Tony, Natasha and Bruce were heading up the mountain. Clint had only agreed to leave because Annabeth didn't know how to fly a jet. Apparently she could fly a helicopter, but not a jet. Go figure. Steve could tell that Annabeth wasn't to happy to be leaving either, but a shared look between her and Percy thankfully seemed to settle her disagreement. The plan was for the two of them to warn the Roman camp before somehow sending a message across the country without using phones to Camp Half-Blood. Steve didn't even want to know.

Percy led the way up the mountain. He seemed to grow more haggard and worn as they drew closer. Steve thought back to the stories the teen had shared with them about this place. He hadn't shared much, but what he had had definitely been concealing a lot of pain and regret.

Steve wrinkled his nose. The smell of eucalyptus was definitely growing stronger the closer they came to the summit as well.

"You know," Tony spoke from just behind him with a poorly concealed gag, "you could have warned us about the threat of suffocating by cough drop smell."

Percy grimaced. "Eucalyptus. I'm not a fan either, trust me. But apparently dragons love it."

Steve really wished he could tell when Percy was being serious.

Despite all of the clear reluctance in his body language, Percy only hesitated once before diving into the storm cloud mixed with fog near the top of the mountain. As they emerged from the bank, Steve gasped.

The garden before them was absolutely stunning. The color and plant life around him was so diverse and beautiful, it was almost impossible to resist the temptation to just stare at it forever. However, it was helpful that there was a giant dragon to distract him.

Ladon, as Percy had called him, lay awake around the center tree and stared at them from his post. Some of his many heads laid limp on the ground, similar to the hydra before they'd killed it. Before him stood four women tending to his wounds. Each was strikingly beautiful, with black hair and caramel skin, and clothed in Ancient Greek dresses. Steve nearly slapped Tony to distract him from staring open-mouthed.

"Perseus Jackson," the eldest said, turning to them as they entered the garden. "We did not believe we would ever see thee again."

Percy nodded, a grimace on his face. "I certainly hoped that would be the case, Lady Hesperide."

The Hesperide scanned their small group and a small smirk crossed her face. "I see thou once again bringeth companions, but not the traitor?"

Steve watched Percy's hands tighten into fists, sea-green eyes darkening. His eyebrows knit in confusion. Traitor?

"No," Percy growled out, "and you know why."

"Indeed I do, young half-blood," she sneered. "She deserved it."

Steve grabbed Percy's arm as the teen moved to rush forward when he heard a threatening growl from Ladon. He struggled for a moment before giving Steve a quick look to show he had his anger under control. The captain obliged and let go, but not before giving his arm a quick squeeze as both a comfort and a warning.

"Let us pass!" Percy spat, fury and grief barely contained within him. "You all know what will happen if we don't stop them. They'll destroy everything, including you."

"This is true," the Hesperide conceded, nodding her head, "and we will let thee, and thy companions pass. I merely meant to give thee a warning."

"And what might that be?" Percy hissed.

"The Lord of the Pit will enter this world with or without thine intervention. But why dost thou think he chose here?"

Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "Because of Mt. Othrys," he said suddenly uncertain, "the old Titan stronghold."

The Hesperide shook her head. "No, spawn of Poseidon. Mt. Othrys is relatively new to this place, it only regenerated here during Kronos' return. It is pitiful compared to the power Tartarus needs to enter this world. Our uncle, Koios, chose this mountain for our father's prison. Thou hast held it before, have you not?" the nymph said, quirking an eyebrow before stepping back with her sisters. "You know how much power Tartarus would gain if he were to take control of it. He would allow everything within a hundred miles to be crushed, and the chaos that would unleash would grant him enough power to cross and claim the domains of Gaea and Ouranos for himself."

Even without the nymph's ominous tone, Steve understood the gravity of the situation when he saw Percy's face go white. He'd never seen the teen look so terrified.

"He- he'd be unstoppable," Percy stammered. "The power of Earth, Sky, and Hell. It can't be possible…"

The Hesperide inclined her head solemnly. "Why do you think he was so desperate to catch you? The seas would be the only thing out of his control. True, he wants revenge, but he mostly desires thy power, and until he can take it from thee, he would force thee to use it for him. That is why he also desired thy beloved."

Steve could see the horror dawning on Percy's face, and it matched his own. If the Titans had managed to capture Percy before Annabeth had escaped, it would've been over. They could have had one of the most powerful demigods in the world on his knees. This was what Chiron had been scared of when he'd warned Tony and Steve that first night in Camp Half-Blood: Percy in the hands of the enemy.

Steve was suddenly grateful that Percy had managed to convince Annabeth to leave. That was one risk they didn't need.

The Hesperide continued, completely disregarding their shock. "Good luck demigod. Thou must make haste, Tartarus prepares for his entrance. And despite what thou may believe, we do hope that thou wilt find victory, if only for the world's sake." She waved her hand in front of her, and suddenly they were on the opposite side of the garden, on a steep, rocky trail leading farther up the mountain to the summit. When Steve looked back, mist obscured the garden behind them.

And then the winds hit them. Steve cursed as he grabbed a nearby rock as the gale caught him by surprise. After a moment, he had steadied himself, and he quickly checked his teammates to make sure they were alright. Nat and Bruce had sheltered themselves behind Tony, who's suit was providing a nice anchor, and Percy was standing stock still, gazing up into the storm without seeing anything. Steve laid a hand on his shoulder and the boy flinched before making eye contact. The super soldier was floored by the fear in Percy's eyes.

Steve was fiercely reminded that Percy was barely an adult. In his eyes, regardless of how much power he had, the demigod was still just a child. And he was scared.

Steve swallowed his fear, forcing himself not to let Percy see. He squeezed his shoulder tightly, and nodded, projecting as much confidence as he could.

"We're with you, Percy," he proclaimed solemnly, nearly shouting to be heard over the wind. "Lead the way."

Steve knew he'd said the right thing when he felt Percy's shoulder straighten under his hand, and courage and gratitude drowned out the fear in his eyes. The teen nodded to him, before facing forward, gritting his teeth, and charging.

They all followed without hesitation.

SPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPSPS

As Percy ran forward, he forced himself not to think. He couldn't dwell on what he'd just heard, he had to keep moving. There was no time for speculations about what could have happened or what might happen. The only option right now was to be there before Tartarus emerged. If he was allowed to reach Atlas' burden, everything would be lost. San Francisco, the entire Bay Area, Camp Jupiter…

Annabeth.

Percy cursed. Don't think about it! he mentally screamed at himself. Stay focused. You won't let that happen.

A glance behind him showed the Avengers hot on his tail. Steve was less than a stride behind him and to his right, Nat on his left, Bruce directly behind him, and Tony cruising just above them. Steve's shield was in ready position and Natasha had a gun in one hand and a dagger in the other. Percy didn't even need to think before Riptide was out of his pocket and uncapped. The soft glow of the celestial bronze lit up the mist in front of them with a golden glow. He honestly wasn't sure if he'd summoned it to his hand or if he'd pulled it out.

A wall of cloud and mist appeared in front of Percy and he slowed as he drew closer. The Avengers copied him, and he approached the nearly-solid barrier cautiously. He warily stretched his hand out and touched the clouds, trying to understand it. An unclear picture appeared in his mind. The water in the barrier was so thick it provided him a good idea of what lay before him. He closed his eyes and focused on it.

"The top is just ahead," he called back to his team. "We cross through this and we're in the eye of the storm." He opened his eyes and turned his head towards them before continuing. "The trail goes on for a couple more yards before plateauing, forming a large, open space only interrupted by the occasional pile of rubble. There are also going to be monsters. A lot of monsters. Everyone remember the plan?" He received four nods, though several were reluctant. "Then let's do this."

Percy faced the fog before closing his eyes once again and breathing in deeply. They only had one shot at this.

If Tartarus wanted Percy Jackson, then that's what he was going to get.

Percy stepped through.

(A/N: I was going to end it here folds but, because I love you, here's some more!)

Percy didn't know what he was expecting when he crossed through the barrier of mist. A few guards, dark and gloomy atmosphere, maybe Koios waiting for him, maybe some dramatic lightning and thunder to signify the coming of Tartarus, but it definitely wasn't this.

Quiet.

It was just… completely quiet.

After the roaring winds that had been surrounding him and the team for the past few minutes, the contrast was jarring.

The silence had a certain weight to it, as if several extra pounds were weighing Percy down, making him feel just off-balance. His pounding heartbeat seemed loud enough to alert the entire mountain to his presence. He looked around nervously to see if anyone had noticed him emerging from the mist, but no one was around.

I'm hurt, no welcoming committee? Percy thought jokingly, trying to shake the oppressive silence, but the joke fell flat even in his mind.

Percy closed his eyes and inhaled deeply before focusing his gaze on the peak. It was just a few yards ahead and a few feet above eyelevel. Steeling himself, he scaled that last incline easily, readying himself for another fight.

As his eyes crested the peak, they widened before he quickly ducked behind a large boulder a few feet off to the side, his heart pounding. Thankfully, only the top half of his head had shown above the cliff, and the guards stationed there hadn't glimpsed him. But behind them…

He'd known there'd be a lot of monsters, but that was more than even he had expected. There were more monsters up there then he'd seen in one place since the Battle of Manhattan.

Percy reached for the bead from that summer, but his hand grasped empty air. Inhaling sharply, he frantically searched his neck before realizing it was gone. He hadn't had it since he'd woken up in the Avenger's custody. A deep sense of loss enveloped him before he shook it off. He couldn't afford to worry about that now. He clutched Riptide, a comforting weight in his hand before he stepped fully into the light, in full view of every monster as they faced the axis point of the earth and sky, which was some sixty feet to his right.

The guards stationed at the trailhead immediately stepped back several paces, startled by his sudden appearance. It hadn't helped that they'd been also distractedly watching the show to their right. Their shouts of surprise and fear immediately alerted the rest of the monster horde, causing immediate panic.

Just how scared of me are they? Percy thought idly, slightly amused as he watched them scramble for weapons and position and the so-called guards moved even farther away from him.

After a full minute of panicking, Koios made his way to the front of the crowd, and started to cross the distance between them. Percy casually uncapped Riptide, causing a ripple of fear to spread through the crowd, keeping the sword by his side, point to the ground. The icy Titan paused briefly, carefully examining Percy, before continuing his advance. Percy kept his face as passive as possible as Koios approached, stopping once he reached ten feet away. He squirmed slightly as he was studied, the Titan no doubt trying to decipher Percy's next move. Well, he joked bitterly, this will probably surprise him.

Percy lifted Riptide to the classic duel starting position, straight up, blade turned so the edge faced your opponent. He watched Koios' eyes narrow in slight confusion and smirked slightly before spinning his blade and stabbing it into the dirt. Now eyes were widening in surprise all across the crowd, with small shouts of surprise accompanying them. Then, a single hellhound howled in victory, with the rest following suit, breaking into cheers and then taunts and insults were thrown at Percy. He ignored them all. Just kept eye contact with Koios' icy eyes that were now narrowing in suspicion.

Percy stepped back from Riptide, finally breaking his staring contest with Koios to stare longingly at the faithful sword that had served him for so long as he let his fingers slip from the handle. Knowing he had to do this, he allowed his hands to fall to his side. Immediately, Koios beckoned several dracaena forward. They slithered forward nervously, and Percy considered flinching just to get a reaction, but he repressed the urge and held still as the snake-women grasped his arms and yanked them behind his back non-too gently. But he made no noise, only raised his eyes once again to Koios' and fixing his wolf glare on him. Lupa would be proud, he thought as a flash of uncertainty crossed the Titan's face.

However, the flash passed quickly, and Koios quickly stalked forward before he was towering over Percy, forcing him to have to look up to keep his eyes on him. The Titan was several feet taller than him, with Percy's head barely coming up to icy diamond set in the Titan's breastplate. The temperature around the demigod lowered substantially as he was studied, but he forced himself not to shiver. Instead, he focused on the water around him. He drew comfort from his father's element, closing his eyes and exhaling slowly before adopting a neutral expression. He stared straight ahead, not even acknowledging the cold shackles that closed around his wrists and ankles, leaving only just enough chain to shuffle forward. He didn't react when Koios backhanded him across the face with enough force to knock him several yards back if not for the tight grip on his arms and split his lip, narrowly missing breaking his nose. He simply didn't react. No sarcastic comments or witty remarks this time.

He was jerked forward harshly as Koios turned and started forward. He moved calmly, patiently enduring the taunts and rocks thrown his way as they walked through the crowd which was quickly becoming a mob. He'd received several bruises and cuts but after a particularly nasty hit just above his eyebrow, Koios ordered they cease. However, the jeering continued, and Percy winced internally as some of the insults hit a little too close to home.

"Not so powerful now, are you, Jackson?"

"Where's your pretty girlfriend, did we hurt her too bad?"

"You were a fool to come here alone, Poseidon scum! Now you'll end up just like the Hermes brats!"

"You're nothing!"

"So much for loyalty!"

"Where's daddy now? Doesn't he care enough to save his own son?"

"Should have run away while you had the chance demigod, after all, its what you do best!"

"Weak!"

"Pathetic!"

"Coward!"

Block it out Perce, he chided himself, while blinking away the blood streaming into his eye. It's nothing you haven't heard before. Concentrate. Remember the plan.

The taunting continued all the way through the crowd, but suddenly became silent when a pulse of energy erupted from the weird rip thing in front of Atlas' prison. The sudden whiff of sulfur and decay was nearly enough to make him gag, but he managed to hold it in.

However, the surge drew his attention to a worrying detail. Koios was headed straight for the Rip, not towards the holding cells as they'd planned. Percy felt his stomach sink. Something was about to go very wrong.

He was pushed to the front of the crowd before he stood in front of the Rip. Just being this close to it was threatening to send him into a panic attack, and his breaths came slightly quicker and he tensed, ready to fight if they pushed him in. They may have a plan, but Percy drew a line at returning to Tartarus. He'd rather die than return there.

Koios noticed his nervousness and grinned. "Worried, sea spawn?"

Percy considered breaking his silence but chose to keep his mouth shut. He was worried his voice would betray him and show his fear. As he was pulled closer, the pounding in his ears increased, to the point where he almost missed the soft, "you should be," whispered coolly in his ear as he was marched forward.

He was dragged close enough that Percy had to close his eyes to avoid staring into it. As it was it was taking all he had to convince himself that he wasn't in that cursed elevator with Annabeth. But just as he felt the pull starting to drag him closer, his captors veered to the side, circumventing the Tear in reality and moving to what lay behind it. Percy's eyes shot back open as some of the pressure was alleviated from his chest. He could still feel the pull, and as he glanced back at the rip, he could see that it looked the same as it had from the opposite side. But before he could think to hard about it, he received a sharp blow to the back of his head, causing him to stumble. The short chain made it impossible for him to regain his footing, and he ended up on his knees, only narrowly avoiding a face-plant on the rocky ground. As it was, he hated how weak and helpless he felt in the position.. He immediately straightened as much as he could and glared at Koios, the first emotion he'd shown since planting Riptide.

The Titan just smirked, before stepping to the side, revealing the site behind him. Percy didn't have to look. He remembered just how they'd left Atlas, trapped underneath the weight of the sky. But he still glanced nervously at the General as Atlas sneered and taunted him, still wearing the suit that he had worn during the battle all those years ago.

However, now when Percy met the Titan's gaze, he couldn't help but feel a stab of guilt. Though they were more gray than silver, Percy still couldn't help but be reminded of Bob. It made a certain sense, considering that Iapetus had been Atlas' father, and gods, it hurt.

He tore his eyes away finally and redirected his gaze to Koios, who was standing just off to the left, holding Riptide. It took everything Percy had not to lash out in response to the Titan even touching his beloved sword. Instead he settled for a glare. He was definitely doing more glaring than usual today.

Koios twirled the blade idly, studying the blade's writing, Anaklusmos, and hilt with a trained eye, running his finger along the edge. The soft bronze glow turned his silver eyes into a sickly shade of ember. "This sword has been the bane of more monsters than I would care to count," he casually remarked, still studying it. "And yet, up close, it really isn't that impressive. But then again," he snorted, glancing at Percy, "neither are you."

Percy rolled his eyes, before demanding, "What are you playing at Koios?" At the sound of his voice, the crowd immediately stilled, growing quiet. Koios merely laughed.

"He speaks! For a minute there I had feared you'd gone mute." He suddenly whipped Riptide so that the point rested underneath Percy's chin, with just enough pressure to break the skin slightly. Percy stiffened at the sight and feel of his blade on his throat, hardly able to breathe without causing further harm. "And then I wouldn't get a taste of the famous Percy Jackson's backtalk."

The crowd behind him stirred, audibly licking their lips at the sight and scent of fresh demigod blood. Percy suppressed a shudder and instead sneered back at the icy Titan.

Pressure from Riptide forced him to turn his head back to Atlas before the blade was removed. Atlas moved back in front of him, grinning dangerously. But when Percy refused to speak, his face grew slack from disappointment, before turning to indifference. "Oh well. I was hoping for some fun banter, but you clearly want to move this along."

Quick as a snake, and without even a glance, Koios plunged Riptide deep into flesh, burying it nearly up to the hilt. Percy's eyes widened in shock. This really wasn't going according to plan.

A/N: I'm thinking two more chapters, sound good? I want to make this a round 30 chapters, it's a nice number for my first fic. I'll get working ASAP but I'm about to start finals so look for the next chapter around Xmas.

Please review and give me your opinions on this chapter and this fic as a whole! I always look forward to hearing from my amazing reviewers! Seriously what did I do to deserve you guys.

Also, if I'm still late on the next chapter, blame it on the CW. Crisis on Infinite Earths is wreaking me right now. Like seriously it's physically painful and I can't handle it. Why'd they have to do me dirty like this? Don't they know it's rude to mess with people's feelings.