IMPORTANT A/N MUST READ

Hey just so you guys know I have been transferring this story to Ao3 because I have been slowly leaving fanfiction I am rarely on this unless to update a story whereas on Ao3 I tend to be on a lot more. I will finish out this story here before I finish the rest of the series on Ao3. The parts of the story I do have on Ao3 they are the edited versions of the story. I edit these but some of the earlier chapters kinda suck with the whole writing this so yeah. also the story on there is slightly longer with only 9 chapters and about 15k words. so if you would like the link is here

/works/5786596/chapters/13336789

Chapter 13

When I woke up the sun was shining brightly and it felt like it was trying to burn my retinas off. I blinked my eyes open trying to get rid of the sleep that was still lingering and trying to get my eyes to adjust to the assault the sun was making. When I looked around me Grover and Luke were no longer sleeping near me. I glanced around our little camp sight I saw Luke and Grover about 10 feet away from me. There was a pink fluffy thing in Grover's lap and he was talking to the ball of fluff in a hushed tone. Luke was next to him with his arms crossed and glaring profusely at the ball on Grover's lap like it had personally offended him somehow.

I groaned sitting up stiffly over my eyes still feeling heavy. Grover's head shot up looking at me offering me a smile as I tried to stretch my tense muscles from sleeping on the ground. My back arching uncomfortably until it popped a couple times. Luke let out a chuckle glancing in my direction with an eyebrow raised. I quickly retracted my hands from the air and dropped them into my lap an embarrassed blush spreading over my cheeks.

"What is in your lap, Grover," I said trying to quell my blush.

"This is Gladiola," Grover told me nonchalantly. "Say hello, Percy."

"I'm not saying hello to a poodle Grover," I told him.

Luke outright laughed at that and with amusement still riddled in his voice he spoke: "If I had to say hello to the poodle you have to say hello to the poodle."

"Hello to the poodle," I responded with a smirk.

"That is not what I meant!" Grover protested.

I gave out a chuckle as I stood up to make my way over to them. When I sat down Gladiola let out a quiet growl in my direction but I ignored it because how much damage could a tiny pink poodle inflict on me.

"So I'll ask again why the poodle?"

"Oh it's going to get us to LA," Grover said like it was a known fact and completely obvious.

I looked at him with my eyebrows drawn and complete look of disbelief.

"How the-? What-? How do you-? What?" I stuttered out.

Grover gave me a flat look, "Gladiola can read Percy, duh."

My face still held complete and utter disbelief. My eyes flicking in between the poodle and Grover. It was at this time Luke promptly lost it. He broke out into laughter wheezing as he tried to catch his breath.

"Your face- oh gods that were great!" He spoke between laughs.

My face turned red at his laughter and spoke with a sarcastic bite, "Yeah real funny because of its the most apparent thing that a dog can read. Common knowledge really."

"Ok, ok good to know you can utilise the joy of sarcasm," Luke said, "Ok Grover we should probably return the poodle."

When we returned the poodle to its rightful owners they were absolutely overjoyed and gave us an extra 100 when Luke shared the oh so important fact that we found it in the forest 5 miles away and walked to return it. So now we had $600 in cash weighing out pockets and made it to the nearest train station.

Although the couple who owned Gladiola gave us quite a bit of cash it was only enough for three tickets to Denver. Which to be honest was farther than I would have thought.

We all settled into the slightly too small seats Grover, Luke in the aisle, and I placed in between them in the dreaded middle seat.

We all started to relax as the train started its course down the track. Grover was leaning heavily against the window and looked right on the verge of sleep. Luke next to me slumped trying to get comfortable for the journey crossing his arms and pulling the hood of his hoodie over his head to sleep.

They were both out withing 10 minutes of the train ride even though it was only early evening. Although I could relate to the utter exhaustion as I was also feeling it though I couldn't get myself to relax.

I had too many thoughts flying through my head and I was already done with sitting. My legs were bouncing and I was tapping out a rhythm on the armrest. After another 5 minutes, I stood and climbed over Luke trying to be as quite as possible. Luke stirred slightly but otherwise didn't stir. With that, I walked down the train cart and kept walking till I hit the end of the train and turning around to walk the other way. I continued this till I finally felt like a had exuded all my excess energy and by the time that happened dark had long come upon me. I crawled back over Luke and sat back down in my seat turning over to finally sleep.

The rest of the train ride was quite the same with me pacing most for a couple hours and then maybe sitting down for a half an hour staring out the window. Luke would join me sometimes when sitting became too much and his ADHD was getting out of hand. When we all fell asleep Grover always ended up with his shoulder on me and even though I always fell asleep slumped into my chair I woke up with my head on Lukes' shoulder and his head placed on top of mine. This did not help my growing crush on the older boy but it's not like it would ever turn into anything more than a childish crush because I was 12 and he was 15. There was no way that could happen or would at this moment in time so there was no use in having a crush, right?

After two days the train stopped announcing that there was a four-hour layover in St. Louis. From the train window, we could see the arch and Luke told us we had to go because Annabeth would kill us if we didn't go. So with his decision we left the train and started walking to the Arch.

It wasn't very far only like 20 minutes and as we entered the arch area underground Grover's eyes started to flit back and forth.

"Whats wrong man?" I asked

"Smells like monster although my nose is probably clogged from Medusa." He told me in a hushed whisper.

"Ok."

We stood in line and eventually got into a very tiny pod-like elevator and all sat down in the seats. Through the speaker that was in the pod was telling us that we were the last people taking the trip up to the arch so we only have a short allotted time up there before we have to come down. A larger woman sat down in the elevator and had a small Chihuahua on a leash. I didn't even know that dogs were allowed.

"All alone dearies." The woman asked.

"No, our parents are outside scared of heights," I answered

"Both of them?" She asked tilting her head.

"No, just our mum but dad wanted to stay with her," I responded

"Ok, I'm glad your not alone children like you that would be a shame."

Once we all made it up a lot of people were already exiting on the elevators to take them down as Luke, Grover, and I looked around glancing out the windows to see the murky river bellow.

A few minutes later an announcement went on and everyone started to exit. Luke and Grover ended up getting in with a small family and when I went to join them one of the parks people grabbed my shoulder.

"Max of five. Get the next car." Pushing me away from the doors.

"We'll get out." Grover offered to head towards the door.

"Nah I'll meet you down okay," I told them as the doors shut.

"Ok, I just have to wait ten minutes," I whispered to myself as I made it back up to the observation deck.

When I got back up to the top I saw just the woman who orriginally rode up with us and a family of three left in the observation deck.

The woman from the elevators walked up to me and her kind smile morphed into a sick vicious grin twisting her lips.