Thalia glared at Percy who grinned sheepishly.

Everybody withdrew their glares from Artemis to look at Thalia.

Artemis assured us that dawn was coming…nationwide manhunt… again.

Everybody snickered.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Nico said

The Hunters broke camp…explaining her decision to join the Hunt.

"Yeah, I didn't like it though." Nico said

Percy sighed and hugged the younger boy.

Will was glad that his boyfriend had Percy with him. He and his brothers were asking their dad if he was okay which he said he was.

I couldn't help thinking how selfish it was of her, abandoning her brother like that.

Percy tightened his grip on Nico as he felt a few tears of Nico on his shirt.

Thalia and Grover came up…That stuck-up, no good—"

Zoe looked down.

"I'm sorry Zoe, you aren't like that, just bad experiences." Thalia winced

Chiron sighed, this was going to be a hard book and it was going to be getting worse. He was pained and he figured the gods would be too once they got to the extremely traumatizing parts.

Percy must have noticed this.

"Hey Chiron, you okay?"

"Yes my boy, it's just that this is going to be difficult book for you children and a few gods too and well it's mostly going to get worse." Chiron said

The demigods sighed.

"Who can blame her?"… " Grover swooned.

Artemis raised her eyebrows at Grover who was blushing fiercely.

"You're nuts," said Thalia…"Yeah."

Grover buried his head in his hands.

"Gods." He muttered

Everybody laughed but made sure not to look or sound mean.

Finally the sky began to lighten. Artemis muttered, "About time. He's so-o-o lazy during the winter."

"You're just as lazy during the summer." Apollo smirked

Artemis rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

"You're, um, waiting for sunrise?" I asked…Apollo could drive the sun.

"Yeah, people often get confused about that." Apollo grinned

"It's not exactly as you think"… "So, it's not like he'll be pulling up in a—"

"In a what?" Thalia asked

"A big fiery ball of gas." Percy blushed

Apollo chuckled.

There was a sudden burst…convertible Maserati Spyder.

"Those are good but I prefer Porsche." Leo grinned

"Me too." Nico grinned

It was so awesome it glowed.

Everybody laughed.

"That's the reason I glow too." Apollo laughed

Percy chuckled.

"I figured out the real reason."

Apollo pouted.

Then I realized it was glowing because the metal was hot.

"So am I." Apollo grinned

Everybody burst out laughing and Apollo joined in.

Percy sneaked a glance at Thalia who glared at him.

"Lester was adorable too." Will teased

Apollo chuckled.

The snow had melted…and more playful

"Perce only the hair color is same, they look pretty different." Beckendorf said, looking at Luke and Apollo

Luke nodded and so did the other demigods.

Apollo grinned.

"Glad you like my smile." he said, flashing a grin.

Everybody laughed.

They were very comfortable with Apollo after the Lester adventures.

Luke didn't do much more… sleeveless T-shirt.

"I should smile more." Luke sighed

The people next to him chuckled.

"Wow," Thalia muttered. "Apollo is hot."

Everybody stared at Thalia and Apollo raised an eyebrow and gave her an inside joke wink.

Thalia shook her head.

"Well that was old me." She grinned

Apollo chuckled.

Knowing that Thalia was fine with it, everybody laughed.

"He's the sun god," I said.

"That explains why Percy is so oblivious." Thalia snickered

Percy grinned sheepishly.

"That's not what I meant"… And I am not your little sister."

"It's easier for me to consider that as you look like a twelve year old." Apollo said

Artemis sighed.

"Hey, I was born first"… "I feel a haiku coming on."

The demigods groaned good-naturedly.

Apollo pouted to play along.

The Hunters all groaned…waiting for applause.

"The last line was only four syllables." Lee said

"That last line was only four syllables," Artemis said.

"Huh, I was right." Lee muttered

"You didn't expect to be?" Will asked

"I thought I could have made a mistake." Lee said

Apollo frowned. "Was it?"… There once was a goddess from Sparta—"

"Hey, they sounded good!" Apollo protested

"I've got it!"… Thalia blushed. "Hi, Lord Apollo."

Apollo chuckled and Artemis raised a playful eyebrow.

The demigods stifled their laughs.

"Zeus's girl, yes… Man, I remember one time—"

Apollo sighed sadly.

Brother," Artemis said.…Then they blew stuff up.

"I can't blame you for thinking that." Hades sighed

"I don't blow stuff up anymore." Apollo said

The demigods grinned at him, knowing that he had changed.

Jason gave a soft smile to Apollo with a thumbs up which made Apollo grin very wide.

Apollo studied me, but he didn't say anything, which I found a little creepy.

"Sorry about that Perce." Apollo said

Percy grinned and waved it away.

"Well!" he said at last… "Here, sweetheart. Let me get that."

"Wrong person." Percy snickered

"Zoe is one hunter you do not call sweetheart." Thalia shook her head

Zoe smirked.

Zoë recoiled… "I'll find out. I see all. Know all."

"Well except this time and it absolutely sucked." Apollo sighed

"You know dad that was a pretty good dialogue." Will said, thinking

Apollo smirked.

Artemis snorted… melted into the snow and shadows.

"That's cool." Leo said

Apollo turned and grinned, jangling the car keys on his finger. "So," he said. "Who wants to drive?"

"They better not get hurt." Poseidon warned

Apollo gulped.

The Hunters piled into the van… highly infectious males

"Ah, Percy and his thoughts." Beckendorf snickered

Percy grinned.

Bianca sat with them… Nico didn't seem to mind

Though this Nico looked down.

Will went over, hugged him, kissed is forehead and went back.

Nico grinned and blushed.

"This is so cool!"… but at least I got this cool car."

The romans frowned.

They'd never really thought about that.

"But how does it work?" Nico asked… puny little mortal lives.

Apollo flinched.

"Your lives aren't puny." He said

The demigods smiled at him.

The chariot is a manifestation… Nico shook his head. "No."

"It makes absolute sense." The Apollo kids said

"More to you than us." Percy said, shaking his head

"Well then, just think… "Can I drive?"

"NO!" Hades exclaimed

"No. Too young."

He sighed in relief.

"Oo! Oo!" Grover raised his hand… "Too furry."

Hermes and Dionysus raised their eyebrows at Apollo.

"What? I didn't want to get fur on my seat, takes ages to get out but Grover can drive now." Apollo said

He looked past me and focused on Thalia.

Thalia paled and color drained off Jason's face.

He knew how his sister was afraid of heights.

Daughter of Zeus!" he said… "That's my birthday! December twenty-second."

"Nice." Luke grinned

"If you forget somebody's birthdate then ask Apollo." Reyna grinned.

"Which means you're old… honor like driving the sun chariot."

"I'm pretty sure she was not going to say that." Clarisse said

"That's not what I was going to say"… WARNING: STUDENT DRIVER.

Everybody snickered.

"We should keep books upside down to read then.' Connor grinned

"Take it away!" Apollo told Thalia. "You're gonna be a natural!"

The people on the bus snorted.

I'll admit I was jealous… to be sick.

Zeus and Thalia currently looked in a similar state due to the curse.

"What's wrong?" I asked her… "N-nothing is wrong."

Zeus frowned. It seemed like his daughter was afraid of something but he couldn't place his finger on what was causing the fear.

She pulled back on the wheel. It tilted, and the bus lurched upward so fast I fell back and crashed against something soft.

"Yeah and that something soft was me." Grover said as he and Dionysus rubbed the bruises.

"Ow," Grover said… But she kept it floored.

"Percy knows more about driving than you do." Annabeth pointed out.

"Loosen up," I told her… me into Grover, who yelped.

Dionysus and Grover cringed.

"So we've learnt that Grover makes a good pillow." Travis snickered

"No!" Grover said indignantly.

"The other left," Apollo suggested… starting to look black.

"Too high." Hermes winced.

"Ah…" Apollo said, and I got the feeling he was forcing himself to sound calm.

"I so was." Apollo said

"A little lower, sweetheart… I'd never seen her like this.

Zeus and Thalia looked exactly like the description.

The bus pitched down… "Take the wheel!" Grover begged him

Everybody snickered or laughed.

"No worries," Apollo said… Trees and rooftops were catching fire.

"Whoa, you need to pull up fast." Will said

There was a wild light in Thalia's eyes… 'Dead' is only an expression."

Everybody laughed.

Thalia was thundering toward… "BRAKE!"

Everybody laughed again.

Thalia slammed her foot… woven wicker baskets.

"Poor naiads." Triton sighed

Percy snickered though he did feel bad for Thalia.

The bus bobbed to the surface… anyone important, shall we?"

Everybody laughed again.

"Done." Katie said

"I'll read." Amphitrite said.

Katie gave her the book.