A/N: Hello lovelies! In case you hadn't noticed, I have a poll on my profile for the story I'll do next. I'll probably end up writing all of them, but go pick the one I'll do first.

In other news: I'll be going to my uncle's around the first week of July for a few days. My cousins, though cutesies, are high-maintenance little girls. So for three days, I will be watching Sophia the First and playing Adventurers (I introduced them to the game after inventing it for this fic. Bad idea.) with four-year olds. No that I mind. Much.

Oh, and I made a -Winter'sFangirl tumblr. Just for fanfiction stuff. I'll probably have polls there and whatnot. One-shots, stuff I wouldn't put on my normal tumblr (writing), art tutorials and whatnot. I'm not particularly active with it yet, but you can go look at it. It's the same as my username, so... Yeah. (It *might* have previews to the ending. Hmm? Oh, I didn't say anything.)

And I would like to point out the sweetness that are your guys' reviews.

I got the sweetest one ever (thank you Bee!). They really makes my day go from mundane to Elysium. With frosting.

So thank you!

Okay, I've blabbered enough. You probably want more Percabeth. Wait, what? Leo- err, His Royal Hottness- would like to remind me that this chapter contains his brilliance as well. And I would like to remind HIM that he is not Kuzco, and unless he wants to be turned into a llama he'd better shut off the thought stream from his metallurgics-filled head.

Percy

Fifteen minutes later, the six of us are crowded into Leo's mom's minivan. Nico and Frank have the bucket seats in the middle, Jason's got shotgun, and Annabeth and I are squeezed into the back seat with Frank's drums in our laps and my guitar in between us. The radio blasts Skillet so loud that we have to shout to hear each other.

Leo's driving, of course, which makes this ordeal even more terrifying. It's not that he's a bad driver- not that he's terrific or anything- but that he sucks with directions. He's also a thrill seeker, and it's a wonder he passed his test. From the slamming brakes and sharp turns, you'd guess otherwise.

We were in the middle of one of those sharp turns ("Go left! No, the other left!") when the bass fell over and knocked into my head.

Just as I reached up to rub it, Leo takes another sharp turn and Annabeth crashes into me, too. My cheek presses into the back window, and I wonder what we must look like to passing cars.

"Sorry!"

"It's nothing!"

"Your friends..." She yelled. "Are crazy!" And though she sounded terrified, a wide smile graced her face.

"You-" another sharp turn. From what I can see around the headrest, Nico's scared to death. His form is stiff, and his back's pressed into the seat. His fists clench the armrests like a lifeline. I am probably a mirror image. "Are crazy! How is this fun?"

Annabeth lets out a whoop and leans to avoid getting crushed with a drum.

"Are we there yet?" Nico shouts.

Jason turns around, and says something unintelligible.

"I SAID!" The short, skinny boy takes a deep breath and screams louder than a banshee. "ARE WE THERE YET?!"

"STOP DISTRACTING THE DRIVER!"

That doesn't answer his question, Leo. We'd better get there soon, 'cause Frank's starting to look a little green.

"BUT HOW MUCH LONGER?"

Leo cranes his neck around to shout, nearly driving us into oncoming traffic. "YOU DON'T HAVE A DAUGHTER!"

A pit forms in my stomach. I should have insisted on driving. This can only end badly. A cold sweat makes my skin clammy, and Annabeth notices.

"Hey!" I turn to look into comforting eyes, and she takes my hand. "It's going to be okay."

I have no choice but to believe her.

Thalia

Annabeth made her escape early this morning, but I wasn't so lucky. I could probably sneak off somewhere, but what's the point? If Carol catches me near Luke, she'll sense something's up.

Since Annabeth's busy, I've decided to double (and then triple) check the supplies.

Three more days, I remind myself. Three more days and we're home free. I'm not sure what to do about my father. If I make an escape, I'll be leaving behind the only blood relatives I have left... No, focus, Thalia! If he cared at all he would have looked for you. Besides, you don't need blood family. They're annoying and required to claim you. The bond you have with Annabeth is stronger than that.

I sigh when I think of Annabeth. She doesn't want to leave; I see it in every expression she has. The way she doesn't respond when we discuss plans, the pain in her eyes when I bring up leaving.

Luke and I are asking so much of her. She's been dealt a rough hand in life, and then she finds Percy. He makes her happy. And we're asking her to leave all of this behind.

No, he's in the wrong, here. He brought her here and is forcing her to marry him.

But that isn't true, Thalia Grace, and you know it.

Both of you, just shut up! I mentally scream, putting in earbuds and turning on my iPod.

I'm drowning my feelings in music. I don't want to think anymore.

Percy

It isn't five minutes until we're clambering out of the van, eager to find solid ground once more.

"Next time," says a very shaky Annabeth. "I drive." She points a finger threateningly in Leo's face. "If you ever get behind the wheel of a car again, I will kill you."

Leo laughs it off. "Okay, whatever you say, Annabeth."

"No, I don't think you understand." Her voice is like ice, slow and sharp and cold. I have no doubt that she's seconds away from murder. Her finger is centimeters from Leo's forehead, the painted nail threatening to stab him if he moves. "The driving was bad enough. But you had a car full of people and instruments and-"

"Annabeth." People in the parking lot are staring at us, and I don't blame them. Six teenagers with random musical instruments standing by a minivan while one of them yells and another looks sick? "Calm down. People are staring."

"I AM CALM!" She turns her fury-filled eyes on me, and I'd bet that if she could shoot lasers from her eyes I'd no longer exist.

"You guys are cute. Hey, Perce, remember that time-"

"No!" Anytime Leo ever said 'remember that time', it was something you'd typically want to forget. I was not in the mood to be embarrassed right now.

"Okay, pansies, stop arguing. It's not that big a deal." Jason, the hypocrite, intervenes. He and Leo argue over who gets the last orange straw for their milkshake, so he doesn't really have the right to talk.

"Can we please go inside now?" Nico asks, struggling to carry one if Frank's drums. "This stuff is heavy, and I have to pee."

So we do. Together, the six of us walk throb the front doors of the elegant glass building that is Olympus Records.