Whatever Annabeth has been expecting, it certainly wasn't this. Sure she knew that certain events were much more likely to happen in the same order, but for the love of the gods, couldn't this be an even that didn't have to happen?

When she had realized Percy was missing, she had automatically told Sally and Paul who, thanks to her, were now out of their minds with worry. Never mind that she assured them that everything was going to be fine because her reasoning of "it's a feeling" would not have been reassuring to her the first time.

"Percy's missing. Chiron, we need to talk."

She hadn't even waited to see if he would follow her. Considering the news she had just blurted about the all powerful son of Poseidon going missing, the centaur might be frozen in shock.

Annabeth waited patiently in the Big House.

"I decided to tag along," Nico announced as he followed Chiron into the room usually reserved for Head Counselor meetings. "I figured I could help you do what I think you're going to do."

The underlying message of I remember how bad it was before, let me be there for you , was clear. Annabeth appreciated it.

"What could possibly be happening?" Chiron asked her urgently. "Percy is missing you said? I need to know what happened? Where could he have gone?"

Annabeth held up a hand. "At this moment, I have no idea where he is. In June he should be somewhere in California. But that's beside the point." She exhaled sharply. "You know how I said Percy and I had been to a place no demigod has ever survived on our quest to save the world? I wasn't being exactly truthful. However hard to believe it might be, last summer after Kronos was defeated… Percy, Nico, and I just kinda… woke up."

"Not in the sense that we were asleep," Nico added. "More like we suddenly had these moments flashing before our eyes and then BAM!" He clapped his hands together, startling Chiron. "It was like a whole new set of memories."

Chiron's eyes narrowed. "I think I understand what you're saying. What you are describing… it sounds a lot like time travel to me, but time… that's my father's domain."

"I don't know why we came back," Annabeth admitted. "It wasn't him . I don't think there's enough of him to do anything right now. When Percy and I were down there, I could feel the monsters, but I never felt anything from him ."

"Down there? Di immortales!" Chiron exclaimed. "You were in Tartarus?"

Nico nodded. "Yeah. Not my idea of a picnic. Anyway, point is, Hera's taken Percy and hidden him away until she can do her whole exchange camper program. Percy will go to the Roman camp and Jason is suppose to come here to the Greek camp."

"Hera plays a dangerous game," Chiron said lowly. "The camps have been separated for years. However, I suppose everything turns out for the better?"

Annabeth's face darkened. "It did for some of us. The Seven of the prophecy that is. Then everything kind of…"

"Everything that could go wrong went wrong," Nico finished for her.

.

Percy's nosebleed flashed before her eyes. It shouldn't have mattered. What was a small insignificant nosebleed compared to the numerous gashed and injuries Percy had taken over the years.

But the blood of Olympus was all Gaea needed to wake.

They rushed to Camp Half-Blood as fast as they could which was faster than they ever thought possible considering Zeus chucked them across the world.

When the Seven arrived at Camp Half-Blood, the Greeks and Romans were united against Gaea and her monsters. For a moment it looked like they were winning.

Leo snatched Gaea from the Earth and shot into the sky on Festus. Jason and Piper were quick to follow. Annabeth prayed to every god and goddess she could name off the top of her head that this would work.

A fireball was launched into the sky at Leo who was still holding Gaea captive. Jason and Piper were free falling towards the ground. The fireball climbed higher and higher. It shot past Leo and Festus by inches. Then the world ended.

"FOOLISH HEROES," Gaea's voice rang out.

And suddenly the ground was no longer solid. It was a shifting mass. And then the gods and goddesses appeared, frantically grabbing hold of as many demigods as they could.

"No! Nico don't you dare!" Annabeth could hear someone shout. Was that Will Solace? "Nico! Ni-" She didn't want to know why his voice cut off. Either a god had disappeared with the young son of Apollo, Nico had shadow traveled Will, or Will was…

"Annabeth!" That was Percy. He stumbled towards her, feet fumbling over the shifting ground. "Come on! We have to get off the ground."

"Agreed." Jason looked exhausted. He had Piper tightly against his left side. "I'll give you a lift."

Percy pushed Annabeth towards him. "Take Annabeth! I'll find my dad."

An explosion rocked the sky above them.

"Leo!" Piper shrieked.

Jason wrapped his right arm around Annabeth and shot off into the sky with one last look at Percy.

Whether it was the shock of it all or the fact that Jason had left Percy, Annabeth passed out. When she came too, there was silence. Well, not quite. Hushed whispers in the silence would be more accurate.

"You're awake!" Percy grinned. "Just in time. We're about to meet to discuss battle plans."

Annabeth sat up. She was in a hospital bed. "Battle what? Percy, what happened?"

Percy's smile fell. "What do you remember?"

"Gaea," Annabeth murmured. "The Earth wasn't gods… they came to help us escape, right? Where are we, Percy?"

"Surprised you don't recognize your own handiwork," a subdued voice said. The man had dull blonde hair, but he looked familiar. "You're on Olympus."

"Apollo got let out of time out," Percy explained. He looked sad. "It's all hands on deck now. The gods got most of us out in time, but… not all."

"Nico," Annabeth mumbled. "I heard Will Solace yelling at Nico. Are… are they okay?"

"Nico's fine," Percy answered. "He will be at least. He shadow traveled himself, Will, and Lou Ellen to Olympus as soon as he realized what was happening. From what I heard, Will flipped out about it. I think he's waiting for Nico to be an actual substantial thing before he beats him up. I guess Nico wasn't supposed to do that anymore." He didn't say anything else.

The walk to Athena's temple was quiet. Percy had explained that the battle planning was done in the temple of the wisdom goddess, but said little else.

"Daughter," Athena greeted.

But Annabeth's eyes were on the group of her friends from the prophecy. Jason, Piper, Frank, Hazel. Leo was missing. What had happened before she passed out? Piper had yelled something. She yelled for Leo. Leo wasn't here, and the Seven looked much more miserable than anyone else. Leo was dead. Of that she was sure.

"Mom," Annabeth acknowledged, chin trembling. Before she could stop herself, Annabeth threw herself at her mother and sobbed into her shoulder.

Athena said nothing as she hugged her brightest daughter.

"How long do we have?" Aphrodite, the most serious Annabeth's ever seen her be, asked Athena.

Athena finally let go of Annabeth. She contemplated the answer. "A few weeks if not days," she replied finally. "We have in our charge half the Greek campers and half the Roman campers. They are all mortal and require food. We aren't prepared to handle that. Ambrosia and nectar will only hold them over for half a week at most. Us gods will last longer, but eventually we'll fade."

"We'll do a supply run," Percy said forcefully. "You said we can last on ambrosia for a few days. We just need to last until Jason or Nico are fully healed. Jason can fly, Nico can shadow travel."

"Nico won't be awake for a few more days at best let alone capable of shadow traveling," Apollo argued. "I'm doing my best, but he needs rest. Jason might be able to grab a few snacks if he goes alone, but I don't recommend it yet."

"How did this happen?" a Roman girl asked softly.

Piper glared at Percy and Annabeth. "Ask them! It was their blood that woke her up!"

"What did you expect?" Percy spat. "We were fighting monsters, Piper! When you fight monsters, you get hurt, okay? Don't blame us for something that we had no control over!"

"If your stupid nose hadn't started bleeding, Leo would be alive!" Piper shouted. "Leo's dead because you woke up Gaea!"

"Enough!" Reyna shouted over the yelling. She addressed both camps. "Fighting gets us nowhere. What's done is done. If it was not Percy or Annabeth, it would have been one of us at Camp Half-Blood. We are stuck on Olympus because the Earth is going to swallow us whole if we go down there. The only way we can get out of this is to work together. Percy had a good idea."

Jason nodded. "I can grab a few bags of chips and candy from gas stations and stuff. A trip everyday. We last as long as we can on ambrosia, then start on the real food. Should have a good stock pile by then."

Artemis looked at Ares. "We will train the heroes. My brother is needed in the infirmary." She looked at Thalia. "Gather the hunters. I want them to assist in archery practice."

Thalia nodded. "Of course." She dipped her head in respect before leaving the temple in search of the hunters.

.

"We stayed on Olympus for a month," Annabeth said quietly. "Artemis and Ares trained us until we were dead on our feet everyday. That's when the giants attacked. They forced their way into Olympus. We would kill them and they would just keep coming back."

"It was two weeks before the giants retreated," Nico added. "They weren't getting anywhere, and we were stranded in Olympus. What did they have to fear?"

Chiron listened sadly. "How did you come back here?" he asked gently.

Annabeth shook her head. "We don't know."

An iris message shimmered to life in front of Chiron. A familiar face looked at them.

"I've got two," the satyr said to Chiron. "A lot older than they should be."

"Gleeson," Chiron sighed. "You startled me. Have they shown any indication of knowing who they are?"

Coach Hedge shook his head. "Not yet, but they're pretty powerful. And there's definitely a monster somewhere. I don't know where though."

Chiron nodded. "Keep an eye on them, and keep me updated. We'll send someone if things get worse."

"How old are they?" Annabeth blurted. "Who are they?"

Coach Hedge gave her a strange look. "Who are you?"

"Forgive, Annabeth," Chiron said. "She's just curious. Although, I must admit my curiosity as well. How old are they?"

"The boy, Leo Valdez, is fifteen, and the girl, Piper McLean, is also fifteen," Coach Hedge explained.

Nico let out a low curse. "They should have been claimed. Percy made them promise."

"It doesn't matter," Annabeth said sharply. "Nico, let's go." She lead the son of Hades out of the Big House and down towards the beach. With a glance around to make sure they were alone, Annabeth said, "You need to go. You can't be here when they arrive."

Nico twisted his silver skull ring. "Yeah. I know. I'll Iris message you when he shows up." He headed back towards the main area of Camp. Probably to say bye to Will.

"Is it true then?"

Annabeth glanced behind her at Clarisse. "Thought you went home for break."

"Chiron asked me back for a few days," Clarisse answered, crossing her arms. "So? Prissy's gone?"

"I'll find him," Annabeth said forcefully. She stood up and walked off.