First I would like to apologize. It's been months since I've updated and I shouldn't have just left you all hanging with no idea if I'd ever write again. I ended up becoming busy over the summer and I won't lie, I forgot about this. However I'm back and am working hard to write again. And I am so grateful for everyone who has stayed with me, even though I wasn't the most consistent with updates. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the chapter!


Frank was the first to realize Leo was slipping. He had always been a light sleeper, especially when trying to nap on the back of a big metal dragon. For a while, he'd been sitting in the back, silently grieving for Hazel, and even Jason. He didn't know the blonde all that well, but Frank did know that he was a good person and didn't deserve to die.

Frank looked toward the sun. It was almost completely below the horizon and the once brilliant orange sunset was gradually turning into a dark night sky. Then it happened. Without a sound, Leo tilted to his left and slid off Festus's back.

"Hey! Leo!" Frank shouted loudly, startling the girls awake. Festus let out a stressed roar and started diving down toward Leo. Unfortunately he couldn't catch him, since with so many people on his back, the dragon couldn't afford to make sharp turns and risk throwing people off.

"He looks like he's asleep!" Annabeth noted, standing up, her hair flapping in the wind.

"Well he needs to wake up so he can use his fire powers and jet-pack himself back here!" Piper said, not quite fully awake yet. She was exhausted, and annoyed about being woken up.

"Annabeth, be careful!" Frank said as the blonde started tying a rope around her waist.

She handed one end of the rope to Percy. "Don't let go, Seaweed Brain."

"Anna?" He mumbled, rubbing his eyes and trying to keep a firm grip on the rope.

"I'll get him," she said matter of factly.

With that, Annabeth leapt off the side of Festus. She reached her arms out and did her best to maneuver herself through the air toward Leo. He had a head start, but he was smaller and lighter than her, so Annabeth was slowly catching up.

"Leo!" she screamed when she managed to grab his shirt and pull him up to her. She got a better grip on him and started trying to wake him up. "LEO!"

Leo remained asleep in her arms, and Annabeth was starting to worry. She had only tied the rope to her waist. The second they reached the end of the rope, it was going to pull so abruptly on her she would probably end up severely injured. And most likely drop Leo in the process. She was counting on him to wake up and, like Piper said, use his fire as a jet-pack.

Finally, Leo gasped and opened his eyes wide. "Dad!" he exclaimed before realizing where exactly he was.

He clung to Annabeth, terrified. "Why are we falling? What's happening? How long was I out?" His breathing turned panicked.

"I'll explain later, can you get us back to Festus?" Annabeth asked, relieved that Leo awoke.

Leo gulped and nodded. Annabeth practically hugged him as he pushed his arms down and summoned as much fire as he could. Like he'd done before, he propelled himself with the fire, although this time was a bit tougher as he had to be careful not to burn Annabeth.

They slowly made their way back up, although Leo was getting more and more tired and drained and eventually needed a break. Annabeth figured they looked like that flappy bird game, going up just a little bit then back down before Leo blasted his fire again.

At last they reached Festus and Percy helped them both up.

"You alright Wise Girl?" he asked, and before she could answer they kissed deeply.

"Bleh," Piper said, rolling her eyes. She looked much more awake now and turned to Leo. "You alright?"

"We need to find my dad." He told them seriously.

Frank frowned, not used to Leo being so serious. "Hephaestus? Why?"