Chapter 17! Yay! OMG! I graduated today! So sad and happy. Leaving my friends 2moro cause I'm going to a different school. =( I'm gonna miss them. Yes! I got this chapter fixed. Sorry, it didn't show all of this chapter, so I re-uploaded it. Sorry if you got confused.

Annabeth's POV

I closed the humoungous door behind me and found Percy sitting in the corner, staring at the floor. I straightened my shirt and sat down next to him. He looked up, his eyes no longer the angry shade of green. But now they looked sad, sorry.

"Are you okay?" I asked delicately. I was proud that he stood up to the gods, but surprised. I never saw the mad side of him before. It had shaken me up a little. And I was scared Percy might still have some anger inside of him, just begging to take it out on me. But he just looked down again.

"Yeah. Just . . . . thinking," he stated simply.

"About?" I wondered aloud.

"About us. If this is going to work." Okay, panic time.

"What do you mean 'if this is going to work'? Of course it's going to work. Why would you think that?" He just shrugged.

"Our parents." I shook my head.

"Who gives a crap about what they think?" I can't believe it. That was the first time I insulted one of the gods. It makes me feel . . free, independent.

"You know they can still blast us to pieces," he said, giving me a slight smile. I gave him a face that meant Oh, well. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Oh trust me. I can handle the gods. They always insult each other's children. It's their nature," I joked. He finally gave in and smiled a real smile. I couldn't help but smile back. "Come on, I want to change into my fluffy owl pajamas and climb into my warm bed," I fantasized as we walked out to the elevator.

Grover's POV

After Annabeth left the room, it was silent. Surprise was still hanging in the air like last night's dinner odor.

I couldn't help it. Don't blame me. I let out a loud "Blaaahhh!" Hey, I said don't blame me. I do crazy stuff depending on my mood. You definitely do not want to see what I do when I'm pressured. Anyway, Thalia smacked me upside the head for that.

I kept on looking at Athena, since Percy's outburst was mostly directed toward her. Her expression didn't change. A face of anger and surprise.

We heard a door slam shut. Athena strode to the windows, most of which were shattered. "So, Percy and Annabeth decided to leave." She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she watched Percy and Annabeth walk down the bridge to the elevator, holding hands. "Well, if she's so insistent." She turned back to the rest of us. "I will leave both of them alone, as long as he doesn't harm her." I couldn't help but feel triumphant for my two friends. Athena held her dress up and swiftly walked to the exit. "I just hope she knows what she's doing," she muttered.

Percy's POV

You know I can never get used to the feeling in the elevator to Olympus. Everytime it goes down, back to Earth, it always feels like it going two hundred miles per hour with no brakes. And I have a strong stomach, but that ride makes me want to barf when I get out. When I'm in the moving elevator, it feels like part of my insides were left behind somewhere along the way to the bottom. It took me about five minutes to adjust when we got out, so I wouldn't throw up on Annabeth.

After a few minutes of deep breathing and leaning over a trash can, I stood up straight, though I still didn't feel so good.

Annabeth raised one eyebrow. "You get that sick from an elevator ride?" she asked with a smirk.

I shrugged. "I usually don't feel that bad, but I guess it was something I ate earlier."

Next morning

Annabeth's POV

I sat down at my table with my siblings giving me odd looks. Malcolm kept on looking back, most probably at the Poseidon table. I don't know why but my siblings just can't get used to the fact that I'm dating the son of Poseidon. Sheesh! They're so uptight.

Malcolm looked back again, and I turned around to see if something was wrong. But nothing. I just saw Percy sitting at his table, eating. But there was something off about him. Was it his hair? No, still messy and unruly as usual. Was it his eyes? Maybe. It did look different. Like he was worried. It's not like I haven't seen him worried before. It's just different from his usual sarcastic, joking self. Not only that, he looked like he was sick. Sort of green-ish complexion. He looked like he hadn't gotten any sleep. His eyes were red-rimmed and blood-shot. He was sniffling and coughing. He looked terrible.

I couldn't stop thinking about what happened to Percy all through breakfast. So right after I gave my dishes to be cleaned, I ran after Percy as he walked to the Big House. "Percy, are you okay?" I said, taking his hand. He rubbed his eyes, clearly trying to hide it.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just have a little common cold. Nothing to worry about." Oh yeah, then why do you look worried? But I didn't say that.

"Are you sure?" He nodded.

"Yeah. I'm just going to ask Chiron if I can just rest today so I can get rid of my cold."

"Okay," I said, though I wasn't entirely convinced he was telling me gave me a reassuring hug and walked inside the building. I jogged to my cabin to get ready to go to the sword-fighting arena, but not without taking a tentative look behind me at the Big House.

There's Chapter 17! Don't forget to review. Or if you want me to put some scenes in here, tell me. See ya soon with another chapter. =)