When I got into my room, I sat on my bed most of the night and stared at my phone, all of my pictures that Lee and I have taken together...Each one had me staring at Lee, there were few where Lee was staring back at me, it was inly like that because I was bad with the camera so Lee took over and a lot of the time he would be looking right into the lens. All that time together, my eyes were always on him. A lot of my nights are usually like this, I said I've moved on, and that I'm not hurting, but who am I kidding? I absolutely loved Lee, let's not forget that I don't have anyone else that I could have possibly liked, since...I talked to no one but Lee.

Beating myself up has become the norm, it really has to change, but of course how can, I, change that? As I sat there for hours with Lee's pick in my hand, I thought about the what ifs again, what I mean by that is, 'What if I had done this...Instead of this?'

But what ifs, are just a painful reminder me that I completely fucked up...But then again I get to think about what Lee and I would do together when we grow up, what kind of life we would live, how many kids we would have, what we would name them, how much I would change, how much he would change, how our children would grow up with us...

I am so pathetic, how can I call myself the best demi-god to ever live, when I can't even forgive myself? As I turned Lee's pick in my palm, tears rolled down the side of my cheek, "If only I had died instead of you..."

I wiped my cheek, sniffling quietly, time to sleep.

When I was finally about to sleep, my eyes shot open, I looked around cautiously, everything stopped...The hum and rocking of the ship, and the winds that blew against the ship as we flew high above the ground. At least that's how it was for me, I felt something in this world shift, of course with us up here that should be impossible, but I could hear it, no, I could feel it.

Death's door being forcibly opened.

I am by no means a god, but...I felt what every god probably felt, something horrible has walked out of the underworld. With that happy thought my hearing came back, and everything seemed as it was a few seconds ago, "W-what the hell was that...?" my hands shook, not even a monster, god, titan or giant could scare me this much.

As morning came, I sat in my room pondering what that was I felt, and why I felt it. After about ten minutes I finally calmed down, I really hope we don't meet whatever that was...A few minutes later the breakfast bell rang and outside in the hall I heard someone knock on Piper's door, "Yo!" It was Leo, "We're landing!" He yelled, guess I'm not getting any sleep today.

On my way up to the deck I passed Leo who was in a hurry, "Oh hey Katrina!"

"Hey." I said and let him pass, right away he noticed I wasn't in the mood for talking, "When everyone's up and we're landed, we're gonna have a meeting." He told me and ran up. Guess I'm just gonna listen today, my thoughts will not help with the state I'm in.

When everyone was up and above deck, Annabeth took Piper's bagel out of her hand and took a bite, but Piper didn't seem to mind, "So! We're here, what's the plan?"

"I want to check out the highway," Piper said. "Find the sign that says Topeka 32." Leo spun his Wii controller in a circle, and the sails lowered themselves. "We shouldn't be far," he said. "Festus and I calculated the landing as best we could. What do you expect to find at the mile marker?"

Piper explained what she'd seen her knife, the man in purple with a goblet. My guess would be Bacchus, Mr. D's roman counterpart, "Purple shirt?" Jason asked. "Vines on his hat? Sounds like Bacchus." Called it.

"Dionysus," Percy muttered. "If we came all the way to Kansas to see Mr. D-"

"Bacchus isn't so bad," Jason said. "I don't like his followers much."

"But the god himself is okay," Jason continued. "I did him a favor once up in the wine country."

Percy looked appalled. "Whatever, man. Maybe he's better on the Roman side. But why would he be hanging around in Kansas? Didn't Zeus order the gods to cease all contact with mortals?" I didn't get to talk to Percy much after the war against Kronos, and when the others rescued him, I'd catch him staring at me from time to time, but didn't say anything.

Frank grunted, "The gods haven't been very good at following that order," he noted. "Besides, if the gods have gone schizophrenic like Hazel said-"

"And Leo said," added Leo.

Frank scowled at him. "Then who knows what's going on with the Olympians? Could be some pretty bad stuff out there."

"Sounds dangerous!" Leo agreed cheerfully. "Well you guys have fun. I've got to finish repairs on the hull. Coach Hedge is gonna work on the broken crossbows. And, uh, Annabeth-I could really use your help. You're the only other person who even sort of understands engineering."

After that I didn't hear what they were talking about, I zoned out and I guess I probably looked super worried cause Annabeth walked up to me and put her hand on my shoulder, "Hey...Everything alright?" She asked carefully, I nodded, "Yea...Just didn't get much sleep last night, sorry. I'm okay though." I put on a fake smile, "But you look-

"It's nothing, like I said, didn't get any sleep last night." I said softly, and showed her Lee's pick, right away her worried expression turn into pain, then she looked at Percy. Like she was imagining what I must be feeling right now. After a few minutes of awkward silence, everyone broke up into groups, I went with Percy, Piper and Jason.

Leo said we were close...But his idea of 'close' needs work, we were eight miles away from where we needed to be, "Correct my math," Percy said, "but doesn't that mean we have eight miles to walk?"

"No cars" Jason said. "But I guess we wouldn't want to hitchhike."

"No," Piper agreed, gazing nervously down the highway. "We've already spent too much time going overland. The earth is Gaea's territory."

"Hmm" Jason snapped his fingers. "I can call a friend for a ride."

Percy raised his eyebrows. "Oh, yeah? Me too. Let's see whose friend gets here first." Jason whistled while Percy closed his eyes and concentrated.

A minute later thunder crackled in the clear sky.

Jason smiled. "Soon."

"Too late." Percy pointed east, where a black winged shape was spiraling toward them. "A black pegasus?" she said. "Never seen one like that."

The winged stallion came in for a landing. He trotted over to Percy and nuzzled his face, then turned his head inquisitively toward Piper and Jason.

"Blackjack," Percy said, "this is Piper and Jason. They're friends."

Then Blackjack saw me and trotted next to me and stood next to me, "Huh." Percy said, puzzled, "That's a first."

Jason's horse was amazing, but Blackjack on the other hand impressed me, the last time I caught a ride from Blackjack he was fast, but he glided with such grace as well, always readjusting himself so I wouldn't fall or feel uncomfortable, "It would seem he likes me." I said. Blackjack then turned back to Percy and nickered, "Uh, maybe later" Percy answered.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"Donuts," Percy said, "Always donuts. He's willing to take two trips if-"

Suddenly the air turned cold. My ears popped. About fifty yards away, a miniature cyclone three stories tall tore across the tops of the sunflowers like a scene from The Wizard of Oz. It touched down on the road next to Jason and took the form of a horse-a misty steed with lightning flickering through its body.

"Tempest," Jason said, grinning broadly. "Long time, my friend."

The storm spirit reared and whinnied. Blackjack backed up skittishly.

"Easy, boy," Percy said. "He's a friend too." He gave Jason an impressed look. "Nice ride, Grace."

Jason shrugged. "I made friends with him during our fight at the Wolf House. He's a free spirit, literally, but once in a while he agrees to help me."

Piper got on with Jason and I was with Percy, we were in the air and they were racing down below us. In no time we were at the thirty-two mile marker, Blackjack landed. Both horses pawed the asphalt. Neither looked pleased to have stopped so suddenly, just when they'd found their stride.

Blackjack whinnied. "You're right," Percy said. "No sign of the wine dude." I snickered at Percy, he turned in his head and tried to protest, but someone from the fields said, "I beg your pardon?" The wheat parted, and a man stepped into view. He wore a wide-brimmed hat wreathed in grapevines, a purple short-sleeved shirt, khaki shorts, and Birkenstocks with white socks. He looked maybe thirty, with a slight potbelly, like a frat boy who hadn't yet realized college was over.

"Did someone just call me the wine dude?" he asked in a lazy drawl. "It's Bacchus, please. Or Mr. Bacchus. Or Lord Bacchus. Or, sometimes, Oh-My-Gods-Please-Don't-Kill-Me, Lord Bacchus."

Percy urged Blackjack forward, though the Pegasus didn't seem happy about it.

"You look different," Percy told the god. "Skinnier. Your hair is longer. And your shirt isn't so loud."

The wine god squinted up at him. "What in blazes are you talking about? Who are you, and where is Ceres?"

"Uh, what series?"

"I think he means Ceres," Jason said. "The goddess of agriculture. You'd call her Demeter." He nodded respectfully to the god. "Lord Bacchus, do you remember me? I helped you with that missing leopard in Sonoma."

Bacchus scratched his stubbly chin. "Ah, yes. John Green."

"Jason Grace." Jason said, "Whatever," the god said. "Did Ceres send you, then?"

"No, Lord Bacchus," Jason said. "Were you expecting to meet her here?"

The god snorted. "Well, I didn't come to Kansas to party, my boy. Ceres asked me here for a council of war. What with Gaea rising, the crops are withering. Droughts are spreading. The karpoi are in revolt. Even my grapes aren't safe. Ceres wanted a united front in the plant war."

"The plant war," Percy said. "You're going to arm all the little grapes with tiny assault rifles?"

The god narrowed his eyes. "Have we met?"

"At Camp Half-Blood," Percy said, "I know you as Mr. D-Dionysus."

"Agh!" Bacchus winced and pressed his hands to his temples. For a moment, his image flickered. i saw a different person-fatter, dumpier, in a much louder, leopard-patterned shirt. Then Bacchus returned to being Bacchus. "Stop that!" he demanded. "Stop thinking about me in Greek!"

Percy blinked. "Uh, but-"

"Do you have any idea how hard it is to stay focused? Splitting headaches all the time! I never know what I'm doing or where I'm going! Constantly grumpy!"

"That sounds pretty normal for you," Percy said.

Bacchus' nostrils flare, one of the grape leaves on his hate burst into flame. "If we know each other from that other camp, it's a wonder I haven't already turned you into a dolphin."

"It was discussed," Percy assured him. "I think you were just too lazy to do it."

I jumped off Blackjack, well if Percy is going to do this, may as well not get caught up in it, but for some reason when Bacchus finally noticed me he calmed down, "Rubrum daemonium." I stared at Bacchus puzzled, "What?"

There is no way that he should know about me, granted all of the Greek gods know about me, but their Roman side I doubt would know anything about me, I have never seen or heard of the Roman side of these gods until I found that book last year. Jason turned to me, "So even the Roman gods heard of you? He called you 'Red demon,' just a second ago."

"Why did you call me that?" I asked, Bacchus looked me over carefully, "I see you cannot..." He trailed off, "It is nothing, now. Back to-

"Lord Bacchus," Piper interrupted, slipping off Tempest's back. "Piper, careful," Jason said.

"Sorry to trouble you, my lord," she told the god, "but actually we came here to get your advice. Please, we need your wisdom."

Bacchus then went on about party themes and what kind of food was expected at a party, "Not about parties," Piper interrupted. "Although that's incredibly useful advice, Lord Bacchus. We were hoping you'd help us on our quest."

She explained about the Argo II and their voyage to stop the giants from awakening Gaea. She told him what Nemesis had said: that in six days, Rome would be destroyed. Piper described the vision reflected in her knife, where Bacchus offered her a silver goblet.

"Silver goblet?" The god didn't sound very excited. He grabbed a Diet Pepsi from nowhere and popped the top of the can. They went on for a while about the quest the others had to do, Piper tried her best to get Bacchus to help them, but he refused, cause he only helps those who pay proper tribute.

Another ten or so minutes went by and Bacchus said, "It's unlike Ceres to be late, unless she sensed something dangerous in this area. Or..." The god's face suddenly went slack. "Or a trap. Well, I must be going! And if I were you, I'd do the same!"

"Lord Bacchus, wait!" Jason protested.

The god shimmered and disappeared with a sound like a soda-can top being popped.

The wind rustled through the sunflowers. The horses paced in agitation. Despite the dry, hot day, I shivered, this cold feeling...I'd know it anywhere.

"Bacchus is right," Piper said. "We need to leave-"

'Too late,' said a sleepy voice, humming through the fields all around them and resonating in the ground at Piper's feet. Percy and Jason drew their swords. Piper and I, stood on the road between them. The power of Gaea was suddenly everywhere. The sunflowers turned to look at them. The wheat bent toward them like a million scythes.

'Welcome to my party,' Gaea murmured. 'What did Bacchus say?' the goddess mocked. 'A simple, low-key affair with organic snacks? Yes. For my snacks, I need only two: the blood of a female demigod, and the blood of a male. Piper, my dear, choose which hero will die with you.'

"Gaea!" Jason yelled. "Stop hiding in the wheat. Show yourself!"

'Such bravado,' Gaea hissed. 'But the other one, Percy Jackson, also has appeal. Choose, Piper McLean, or I will.'

I should have stayed on the ship, I'm too tired for this. "You're insane!" Piper shouted. "I'm not choosing anything for you!"

Suddenly Jason gasped. He sat up straight in his saddle. Jason!" Piper cried. "What's wrong-?"

He looked down at her, his expression deadly calm. His eyes were no longer blue. They glowed solid gold.

"Percy, help!" Piper stumbled back from Tempest.

But Percy galloped away from them. He stopped thirty feet down the road and wheeled his Pegasus around. He raised his sword and pointed the tip toward Jason.

"One will die," Percy said, but the voice wasn't his. It was deep and hollow, like someone whispering from inside the barrel of a cannon.

"I will choose," Jason answered, in the same hollow voice. "No!" Piper yelled.

All around her, the fields crackled and hissed, laughing in Gaea's voice as Percy and Jason charged at each other, their weapons ready.

As Jason and Percy charged at each other I chanted the blessing and waited for them to get in close. Piper dove out of the way, they both slashed downward at me at the same time, which made it easy to get them off their horses. I grabbed hold of their swords' and pulled them down, I threw their weapons in the fields and watched them get up, Jason got to his feet, and rushed me.

Whatever was in Jason's body didn't understand how it worked, it was always overextending punches and it's footwork was sloppy, another heavy punch and I grabbed his arm and was about to throw him over my shoulder, but then Percy came out of nowhere with his weapon, prepared to strike Jason down. I caught Percy's sword once again, but this time I pulled him in and let Jason go. I put my hand around Percy's throat and lifted him in the air, he dropped his weapon and then started struggling, hitting my arm and kicking at me.

Come on, just pass out already!

Percy's eyes started closing, but then I was tackled from the side, the blessing wore off a lot faster than it ever has. I grunted and pushed Jason off me, we both got up while behind me I could hear Percy coughing and gasping for air. "Alright, I think it's time to end this."

Percy was no longer coughing, which means he has his weapon, I turned in time to see Percy trying to stab me, I side stepped and elbowed his wrist, his sword falling out of his hand, I then grabbed the back of his neck and his arm then placed my foot in front of his and pushed hard, "Sorry about this Percy." Percy's head hit the asphalt with a loud and ugly thud, he was extremely dazed, but I didn't want to chance it, I punched him hard and he went limp. I looked for Jason and found him diving at me with his weapon, I couldn't move or Percy would be dead.

"Stop!" Piper screamed, Jason stopped, then turned, the gold light in his eyes flickering uncertainly. "I cannot stop. One must die." Something about that voice it wasn't Gaea. It wasn't Jason. Whoever it was spoke haltingly, as if English was its second language.

"Who are you?" Piper demanded. Jason's mouth twisted in a gruesome smile. "We are the eidolons. We will live again."

"Not if I can help it." I said coldly, my Katana in my hand, our blades met with a loud clang and sparks flew. I pushed back and Jason fell back, these eidolons really don't have a handle on these bodies, I sheathed my katana, and walk over Jason who tried to get to his weapon, "Goodnight Jason."

All it took was two hard punches to knock him out, "We need to get back to the ship!" Piper exclaimed, I nodded in agreement, "Take them, I'll walk back, then when blackjack drops you off, he can come pick me up."

Once they were gone I yelled, "Gaea! I swear, on the river Stix, I will trap your soul in this blade like I did the titan lord of time, Kronos! You will never wake ever again!"

'My child, you are wrong, I will free Kronos and destroy the gods. You felt it...My champion forcing their way out death's doors, they will see to it that you will fall, everything. Will. Fall.' Gaea murmured and then retreated. Champion? What is it? Can't be a god...Or titan, definitely not a monster. So what...?

As I was thinking, Blackjack came back for me, as we headed back I couldn't stop thinking about what she said, I shall fall at the hands of her champions...Or champion I guess, but she said 'they' or is she bluffing entirely? Shit! This is starting to get complicated!

When I got back I found Piper and the boys in the sick bay, they just woke up, "What happened?" Percy asked and started rubbing his cheek, "You tried to kill each other, and freaked out Piper too." I told them, they still looked confused, "Okay...But who stopped us?" Jason asked.

I pointed to myself, "Yours truly."

Percy sighed, "No wonder I hurt all over before." He lied down, "And why does my cheek still hurt!"

Jason didn't look happy that he was beat by me, "You had to have had help from Piper," He said, Piper was next to him, she slapped his arm, "She could have killed you!" Piper's anger made Jason smile, "I doubt that."

Children of Jupiter, they're so much more prideful then children of Zeus, how is that possible? "You seem to doubt my abilities at every turn, is it because I'm a woman? Are we supposed to be weaker than you?" I asked, Jason paled and looked at Piper who now had her hands on her hips, "Uh- No!- I didn't mean-

I laughed, "I was kidding man. Where'd all that bravado go?" Jason blushed, and Piper looked at him with wide eyes, then she looked at me, "Yes?" I asked, she pushed her hair behind her ear, "Uh- I-it's nothing."

"Messing with you two might be as fun as messing with Percy and Annabeth when they like this." I chuckled, they frowned. I hope nothing else happens...I am too tired to even think about helping out. After ten minutes of sitting around everyone gathered around the dining table, and Piper explained what had happened at TOPEKA 32, their conversation with Bacchus, the trap sprung by Gaea, the eidolons that had possessed the boys.

"Of course!" Hazel slapped the table, which startled Frank so much, he dropped his burrito. "That's what happened to Leo and Katrina too."

"So it wasn't my fault." Leo exhaled. "I didn't start World War Three. I just got possessed by an evil spirit. That's a relief!"

"But the Romans don't know that," Annabeth said. "And why would they take our word for it?"

"We could contact Reyna," Jason suggested. "She would believe us."

"Exactly what makes you think she'll believe us? I couldn't even get her to believe that I'd kill her and everyone there if she didn't let me go." I said, "You didn't..." Annabeth sighed. I nodded, although if I wasn't so tired, I would have been proud about that. Percy burst out laughing, "She probably wanted you out of there as soon as possible!"

Frank and Hazel smiled but seemed unsure whether to laugh or not, Leo on the other hand didn't care, he just let loose. Annabeth was amused but she usually stays professional, and then there's Jason, looking very angry for some reason. "So what, you're calling her weak?" Jason snarled.

"Nothing get's past you." I said.

Lightning sparked from his fingers, "You don't want to play this game Jason, step it down a notch." I warned.

"Jason...Calm down." Annabeth ordered, "Why are you letting her push you guys around?" Jason really doesn't want to let this go, for what? Rayna's pride? She isn't even here, "Granted she is strong, but she's still weaker than me, want an example?" I stared Jason down, he didn't back down so I said, "A normal demi-god can kill up to ten to fifth teen monsters, a child of the big three can kill up to fifty monsters on their own, Rayna, she is between one hundred monsters or one hundred fifty monsters, but me? Try a thousand single handily."

"And that was when I was at my lowest."

Thanks for reading! Have an awesome night/day!

Rilurz~