Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson

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When we came within a few feet from the doors they swung open by themselves, revealing a very… magnificent stateroom.

Huge, arched windows curved across the back wall, looking over the stern of the ship. A Persian rug covered the floor. Two, very plush, very soft-looking sofas occupied the middle of the room, with a canopied bed in one corner, and a mahogany dining table in the other. On that table were pizza boxes, bottles of soda, and a stack of roast beef sandwiches on a silver platter.

The only thing that wasn't very pleasant was the ten-foot-long golden casket sitting on a velvet dais at the back of the room. The sides were engraved with Ancient Greek scenes of cities in flames and heroes dying gruesome deaths. If I stared it too long I'd see flashes in my head of these scenes come to life. I could feel the heat of the flames; hear the roaring. I saw the blood, and heard the screams of those heroes.

I shivered, closed my eyes, and shook myself. He was trying to get to me. I couldn't let him do that.

Instead I focused on all the fancy things that didn't have an evil aura. Like the couches. They looked extremely comfortable.

"Nicer than Cabin Eleven, huh?" Luke asked propping his sword against one of the sofas. I went up to the other one and picked up one of the pillows.

"I'll say." I muttered. "Is this silk?" I asked pointing to the pillow in my hand. Luke shrugged with a look that said, "Why not?" I sighed and sat down. It was comfortable. So comfortable I almost fell asleep. You couldn't blame me; I didn't get a very good night's sleep last night.

Alas, the worrying overcame the sleepiness I was feeling.

Luke seemed to notice, like he always did. He sat down next to me.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

I stared down at my interlocked hands, biting my lip. It was now or never. It had to stop here or Kronos would accomplish his goal. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.

"Tori?" Luke asked when I hadn't answered him for a while.

I summoned up the courage to look at him.

"We need to talk." I whispered.

Luke looked worried and concerned but nodded.

I couldn't help it, but tears formed in my eyes, and before I could stop them they spilled over. I quickly stood up and took a couple steps forward. I wiped my tears away.

"This… has to stop." I said not being able to keep my voice from shaking. I heard Luke stand up.

"Tori, I don't think I understand—" he started.

I spun around and pointed to the coffin. "This!" All the confusion cleared. His eyes froze over. "This can't go on."

"You're just like them." he said through clenched teeth.

I felt like I was running a marathon—my heart was racing, my breath was coming out in gasps.

"What-what do you mean?" I asked.

"The gods!" he clarified. "You used me! You lied to me!"

"No! No! I didn't use you!" I yelled over him as he yelled, "Do you even love me?"

"Of course I do. How can you ask that?" I whispered.

"Because you used me." Luke repeated looking hurt.

"No! I didn't… I didn't. I love you. You have to believe me." I blinked and big, fat tears rolled down my cheeks. I quickly wiped them away again. "You have to believe me. I love you so much, Luke!"

Just then one of the oak doors opened and a… monster sidled in. He was a beast, eight feet tall, chest covered in a thick layer of shaggy fur, with claws for fingernails and feet like paws. His nose was snout-like with pointed canine teeth. He was wearing blue jeans.

"Sir," he said his voice deep, and gruff.

"Not now, Agrius." Luke snapped not taking his eyes off me. Agrius tried to talk again, but Luke started speaking to me before he could. "How do I know you're not lying to me again?"

"I'm not lying to you! I was never lying to you!" I cried. "I'm doing this because you and Mrs. Alexander are my only family." I told him my voice just barely above a whisper. "I'm doing this because you are all I have left. I love you."

He growled shaking his head and turned away from me just as Agrius tried to talk again. "But, sir, it's really important."

"No now." Luke said again before turning back toward me. "You just don't understand! You! Of all people! The one who I thought I could trust most! The one who I thought understood me! You're pathetic!" he spat.

It hurt, but I pushed through the pain. I was going to save him whether he liked it or not. Whether our relationship was going to make it through this or not.

"But I do!" I cried, not caring about wiping away my tears anymore. "I do understand you! Maybe not in the same way, but I do."

"You don't know the feeling of growing up afraid of your own mother! And having a father that totally abandon you when you needed him most!" he yelled.

"Yeah, well, growing up not knowing your mother and your father isn't that great either!" I shot back.

"You know who you're father is." Luke countered. "And your foster mother isn't horrible."

"Yeah, after sixteen years! And I didn't find out because he claimed me! Well, that's beside the point. I still don't know my biological mother is. Why? Because she gave me away. She left me sitting there on the sidewalk, months old, crying. My parents don't care about me one little bit. They both abandon me. I know what you're feeling!" Luke tried to talk but he'd gotten me going. I was on a tangent now. "You know, I actually met Apollo, with my brother. Did I get any recognition? No. Did Dan bother to say anything? No. He was sitting feet away from me, and he didn't say anything about being my father.

"He knows, how can he not? So what does he do? Nothing. Why? Because he doesn't care about me. He regrets having me as a daughter. They both do." My jaw ached from the pressure I was putting on my muscles to keep my voice from shaking.

"Then join me! Help me take the gods down." he whispered grasping my upper forearms. "If you really hate the gods so much, then help me help Kronos rise again."

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I gently pushed Luke's hands off my arms. "I can't." I whispered looking away, not wanting to see that pain, or anger in his eyes. Things were silent for a moment after that.

"Sir, I really think that you need—" Agrius tried again.

"Shut up, you!" Luke and I yelled, turning to look at him, simultaneously. We looked back at each other. "Then how can you say you care about me? How can you say you love me?" he asked through his teeth.

"That's just it!" I screamed trying to get the point across to him. "I'm doing this because I love you! Because I care about you!"

"By making me think I could trust you? By playing along with this just for your own sick enjoyment?"

"No! You've got it all wrong! I wanted to show you that I do care about you! That I do love you! That's why I kept your secret. That's why I wore the necklace. I wanted to show you, you could trust me enough when I tell you that Kronos is the one using you!"

"Don't say that!" Luke barked turning away from me. He closed his eyes, and his jaw went rigid. "Don't… say that."

"Don't you see? It's true!" Before I could stop it, it all came rushing out in one big breath. "I know what's he's planning." I said quickly, my voice low. "I know what you're doing for him and I'm telling you now, that he'll dispose of you as soon as he's strong enough. You are a pawn to him. Don't let him use you like this."

"You don't know anything! You're lying!" he shouted turning toward me. His eyes were… different. I couldn't exactly tell why, but they looked… they looked like they weren't his. I mean, they were still that beautiful wintery blue, but….

"He's talking to you, isn't he?" I asked. "Right now."

Luke turned away and closed his eyes again.

I walked up to him. "Don't listen to him." I urged. "Listen to me. Listen to my voice." I whispered hesitantly reaching up to caress his face and gently turn his head to look at me. "I love you." I whispered. Luke kept his eyes closed, but his jaw was working. "Open your eyes." His eyelids didn't move. "Please, open your eyes, Luke." There was a pause before he finally, slowly opened his eyes. They still weren't his.

They were cold, and filled with hatred directed at me. They burned into my face. I fought the urge to look away.

"I don't believe you." Luke snarled slapping my hand away.

"Sir, this cannot wait any longer. It's very important." Agrius's voice came from the doorway again.

"What is it?" Luke demanded not looking away from me.

"Stowaways, they were trying to escape when we found them. It was right around the time, this one here"—he gestured to me with his javelin—"sounded the alarm."

"Bring them in." Luke ordered still not looking away from me. Agrius left. "We're done here."

"Luke…" I murmured cautiously reaching for him again. I felt the back of his hand connect with my face. I let out a small yelp more out of surprise than pain. My head snapped back to him. I would say I was shocked, but that would be an understatement. I was beyond shocked. I didn't even know—I was totally—I can't even begin to explain….

Luke's eyes cleared.

"Tori," he breathed taking a step toward me. I cringed away and took a step back.

"Don't—!" I exclaimed holding my hands up slightly. "Don't touch me."

I saw Luke's eyes flicker to the doorway. I briefly looked. It was just Percy, Annabeth, and Tyson being guarded by Agrius and another monster that looked just like him.

"If you want me to leave—" I started in a low voice.

He didn't even let me finish my sentence before he said, "Leave." in a cold, monotoned tone.

We stared at each other for a moment before I turned to exit. Agrius and the other monster's javelins came down, pointed right at my chest. I stopped, took a deep breath, my hands balling into fists, my jaw tight, telling myself I couldn't take on one of these guys, let alone two.

"Stand down." Luke ordered quietly.

"But sir—" Agrius started.

"That-is-an-order." he hissed.

The two beasts reluctantly moved their javelins. I then shoved my way through the spot between Annabeth and Percy. The oak doors slammed closed behind me. I turned the corner to come face to face with one of the half-bloods I'd knocked out before. He was smiling with a cruel look in his eyes, like he'd heard what had just happened.

"Aw, did the poor girl get her heart broken?" he asked in a mocking tone.

"What's your name?" I asked in a calm voice.

He paused and looked at me cautiously. "Adam," he finally answered.

"Well, Adam," I said pulling my sword out on him and holding the tip to the hollow of his throat. "Would you like to know what it feels like to have someone punch a hole in your chest, reach in, rip your heart out, and then leave that hole, throbbing, bleeding, raw." I whispered reaching up and putting a hand on his chest, right where his heart was. He didn't answer. I pulled back and sheathed my sword. "I didn't think so. Excuse you." I told him waving my hand, telling him to move.

With a black look at me, he stepped aside.

I quickly walked past him. And I just kept walking. At first I wandered the corridors. It was kind of nice because all the people were in a trance, so they didn't stop to talk to me. I got tired of wandering though, so I went to sixth deck and out onto the balcony there. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and there was a warm sea breeze, the water a beautiful, deep blue that glistened in the sunlight.

I wish it had been raining, because I couldn't stop the tears from spilling over. I had never thought it would come to this. I still didn't want to believe it, but… he hit me. He hit me.

I let my head fall into my hands, and actually sobbed this time. When I'd cried enough that I was able to hold my tears back, I stared out over the ocean. Not even a second later the sirens went off, and red lights flared. Monsters and half-bloods ran past me, but I stayed put, not even moving a muscle.

When the sirens stopped wailing, and the red lights stopped flashing, there was some yelling, but everything soon quieted down again. The zombie-like people continued with their day and the monsters and half-bloods went back to whatever they were doing before.

The air had gotten slightly chilly when the day started to end. The sun started its decent below the waves of the sea, turning the sky an array of colors. Ranging from light purple, to pink, and orange. And turning the water a turquoise-ish color. It was very alluring.

I heard Luke come up behind me and put his coat over my shoulders before coming to stand next to me just as the sun sunk below the waves. (The sky turned a dark blue, and the water turned a midnight blue.) I would've totally taken it off and thrown it at him (or into the ocean), but two things stopped me: (1) I realized just how cold I was and (2) it smelled really, really nice. Don't look at me like that! It did, you can't blame me. I was still mad at him (but I did still love him with all my heart). It makes sense.

"You know, I wish, sometimes, that human error was like technological error." he said looking out across the open ocean.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"Because with technology you just have to find what's causing the problem and fix it. After that it's all better." he explained. "But with human error, you can't just fix things. It doesn't work that way. You don't realize just how much collateral damage you cause to someone else's life until you go back to fix it." He paused. "And in the end… all you have is, 'I'm sorry.'" Luke turned to look at me. "And I am. I'm sorry. I'm not going to blame anyone else but myself."

I sighed and put my hands on the railing. Luke mimicked me.

"So… what happens now, then?" I asked quietly looking over at him, not failing to notice one of Luke's hands move an inch toward mine.

He looked at me as well. "I'm not quite sure." His hand moved another inch. I pretended to ignore this. "Am I forgiven?"

I gave him a mysterious smile before turning to look up at the sky. The moon was a sliver, but shone just as bright as the full moon.

His hand finally brushed mine. Little electrical zings flew up my arm and spread through my body. There was some hesitation before he gently rested his hand on mine. It was very warm. It felt nice. I took a small step closer to Luke… and then another… and then another, until I was standing so close to him I could feel the heat coming off his body.

He put a strong, muscled, pleasantly warm arm around my shoulders. I leaned into him heavily—rested my head against his shoulder—feeling drowsy. How late was it?

A few minutes later I felt my eyes slide closed. I blinked and woke up, but only for a moment, because I was so sleepy. But I didn't want to sleep. This little moment with Luke felt nice. Especially after that horrible fight.

Unfortunately, the 2 to 3 hours of sleep I'd gotten last night was now hitting me full force. Add to the fact that I had worn my body out, hadn't eaten, and was practically running on adrenaline all day, you could say I was tired.

Luke, who seemed very in tune to me, noticed this. Half-asleep, I felt him lift me into his arms (bridal style) and start walking, back to the admiralty suite—was my guess. It was at this time—with a full blast of his scent hitting me and being slightly delirious, mind you—that I thought, he smelled absolutely amazing, for one; for two I wondered what kind of shampoo, or soap, or cologne he used. Hey, I was on the brink of falling asleep and I was a teenage girl.

Sometimes I'd jolt myself awake, but my eyes wouldn't even open anymore. I was fighting the inevitable, and managed to do it pretty well, too. That is until I felt myself being laid down on something soft, like a cloud. It was too nice, I couldn't resist. I let out a heavy sigh and let my conscious mind slip into quiet, peaceful blackness.

Well, I thought so at least.

I went from being warm and bathed in the soft light of the suite, to being cold with darkness surrounding me. I looked around; my heart beating irregularly, and realized that I wasn't standing in darkness. I was standing in a cave. My breath caught.

Kronos. I thought.

You insolent little girl, he roared, the power of his voice too much. My knees buckled and I fell to my hands and knees. The whole cavern shook. You are a fool! I should've disposed of you when I had my chance! I'll show you just what happens to puny, pathetic half-bloods like you that decide to mess with me!

A pressing force hit my back, knocking me to the rocky floor. The breath rush from my lungs. I gasped trying to take a breath in, but there was no air to take in. I coughed and choked, trying to breathe, trying to supply my lungs with oxygen. But nothing was working. My head started to hurt and pound. My body felt heavy and throbbed as my oxygen-deprived blood tried to pump through my veins.

My world started to become darker and colder than I thought possible in the depths of Tartarus.

I woke with a choked gasp. I thought, maybe now that I was awake that I'd be able to breathe, but that wasn't the case. It felt like something had constricted around my heart, making it harder for it to pump blood.

I sat up gasping, my breath wheezing in and out. Luke was suddenly there. He took one of my hands into one of his, and brushed some hair out of my face with the other.

"Tori," he asked in a strained voice.

"I can't… breathe…!" I panted. Luke pulled me into his lap with my back pressed up against his chest.

"Just try and breathe when I do." he whispered. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the rise and fall of Luke's chest. "Feel my heartbeat." he murmured in my ear, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist.

We sat there in silence the only sound my broken, ragged breathing. Until, finally, the constricting feeling eased up and I felt like I could breathe easier again. Air rushed into my lungs. I never thought air could smell so good.

I relaxed in Luke's arms, feeling tired again, but it wasn't as overwhelming as last night.

We were both sitting on the canopied bed in the stateroom.

"Are you all right?" he asked. I turned slightly to look at him.

"I am now." I answered.

"How did you sleep?"

I grimaced. "I'd rather not talk about it." I muttered looking away. Then I remembered something embarrassing and blushed.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "What?" he asked reaching up to stroke my cheek.

"My foster mom told me I talked in my sleep." I mumbled. "Did I… did I say… anything?" I didn't know why I was asking. I guess because my curiosity was getting the best of me.

"Well," Luke pursed his lips and thought about this. "I learned that, apparently, I smell good." he told me. I turned even redder and buried my face in my hands. How embarrassing! I totally thought I was just thinking that! "It's all right, Tori." Luke chuckled, pulling me into his arms and kissing my hair. "You also said that you loved me. But, I already knew that."

I pulled away to look up at him.

"What about you? How was your night?" I murmured reaching up to stroke the dark circles underneath his eyes.

"I was up all night, thinking about… stuff." he told me. I nodded understanding exactly what "stuff" he was talking about.

I turned and rested my head on his shoulder.

Silence spread out between us once again. It was tense, but comfortable at the same time… if that makes any sense. My rumbling stomach broke that silence. My face burned. Luke chuckled.

"Hungry?" he asked.

I thought about this. Well, I hadn't eaten anything since the night before last.

"Yeah." I said nodding and turning to look up at him.

Luke laughed again. "Breakfast is on the table over there, if you'd like."

"Are you going to eat?" I asked running my hands through his hair. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

"I already ate. But I'll be out on the sixth deck's balcony if you need me." he said before kissing my forehead and slipping off the bed. The door closed and I sighed. Outside looked nice. The sun looked like it had been up for a while, so I guessed it was probably around ten or eleven o'clock. The blue waters sparkled, the sky reflecting back its brilliant color.

I slowly slid off the bed and wobbled over to the table. My fatigue really taking a toll on me. I was delicately shaking my blood sugar was so low. I sat down heavily and when I saw the food my stomach growled louder again, excited to finally get food.

It looked good, too. Like almost gourmet. Smelling it I did think it was gourmet, but with my empty stomach anything probably would've smelled gourmet.

It was a full plate on a silver platter with scrambled eggs, two pancakes loaded with syrup and butter, and some berries on the side. I honestly didn't think I'd be able to eat it all because I wasn't usually a heavy eater, but I was so hungry, my plate was soon totally empty.

I sat back, content, and looked out the big, arched windows. I got up and slowly walked over to the windows, which, regrettably, had to be next to the gold sarcophagus. Chills ran down my spine and my heart twisted as I got closer to it. But I just wanted to look out the windows for a minute—not even a minute.

Luke was down there, on the balcony like he said. He looked lost and distraught. At least, to me anyway. Giving the coffin a nervous look, I quickly headed down to talk to him.

"Hey," I caught his attention. He turned briefly to look at me before looking back out over the ocean.

I walked up to the railing and stood next to him. We stood there in silence for a few minutes or so.

"I've been meaning to ask you," Luke started.

"Yes?" I asked looking over at him for a moment.

"How did you find me?" I felt his eyes on my face.

I bit my lip and looked down at the pool below us, with all the zombie people "swimming" and walking around.

"You're not going to like it very much." I muttered.

Luke's hands, which were resting on the railing, balled into fists. "My father." he said in a low, strained voice. "Hermes."

I nodded. "Yeah. I was leaving camp, just about to start my search when he appeared. We talked a little and then he directed to me to the ship that was sitting in the Long Island Sound." I shrugged. "When I arrived and met Kelli, I knew that you were here. If it weren't for him, I don't know that I would've ever found you. I didn't even know you were on a ship."

"Tori," Luke said. I looked up from the couch I was sitting on. Luke was sitting on the opposite couch. We were in the admiralty suite again, just so you know. We hadn't spoken since this morning on the sixth deck's balcony. "I hope you realize the dire consequences to suddenly switching sides, especially with the titan lord." he said in a low voice.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees, and let out a gusty breath. "I know." I replied. As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the whole ship started to shake, like an earthquake. I jumped up and ran over to the windows to look outside. Nothing had changed. The waters were calm, making only little waves. And there wasn't a cloud in the sky.

It was just the ship.

I looked over at Luke. He looked pale.

"What—?" I asked just as the shaking stopped. I slowly walked away from the window, looking around the room. Nothing was shaking or swaying anymore. I walked over to the couch and was about to sit down again when Kronos's voice roared inside my head. It was so powerful and so enraged, I felt like my head was going to explode from the pressure and pain.

I let out a surprised yelp, clutched my head, and almost collapsed.

It's time I show who's in charge around here, he thundered. I looked up and saw Luke was doubled over in pain, clutching his head as well. So I wasn't the only one who was hearing him. You are a fool, Luke. You let this girl infect your mind with lies! Kronos hissed.

"Don't listen to him, Luke." I moaned, falling to one of my knees. I felt his voice directed at me, and I sunk closer to the floor, the pain almost overwhelming.

It's a shame. You would've been such a great asset to our side.

Just then the double oak doors burst open. Agrius, with his brother (whose name I later found out was Oreius) came in, followed by two half-bloods, two zombie guards from the ship, and Kelli. She looked smug.

The two guards came over to me, pried my hands from my head, and held my arms behind my back. One of the half-bloods ripped my sword from my waist and threw it across the room. I got to my feet and struggled to get out of the guards' grip, but they held my wrists and upper forearms tightly, almost cutting off my circulation.

"Luke!" I called, a horrible feeling forming in the pit of my stomach. He looked up and quickly got to his feet again reaching for his sword, but Agrius's fist shot out, hitting Luke so hard that blood spattered. I lurched forward my shoulders screaming in agony because of the two guards holding me back. "Luke!" I shrieked as he fell.

At first he didn't move. And I prayed. Get up. Get up. You have to get up. A tense moment passed before he groaned and slowly tried to get to his feet, while wiping his bloody lip. I let out a breath I was holding in. He was all right… well for now at least.

As soon as he was up, the two bear brothers grabbed his arms before he could do anything else. Luke may have been good, but I don't think the most skilled half-blood could go up against those two monsters by themselves. "Luke! What's happening?" I continued to struggle. I managed to rip one of my arms from the guards, but one of the half-bloods was there making up for the slip.

Now I was being held by four people.

Luke was shouting orders at them, but they weren't listening.

We are close to achieving our goal! Kronos said. I will not let something so naïve, and ludicrous like love get in the way. You can't trust anyone, Luke. I'm surprised you haven't learned your lesson yet. Kill the girl! he finished.

Panic shot up my spine and I struggled more strenuously.

"Luke!" I screamed. "Luke!"

He was struggling hard, looking almost desperate; trying to pull away from the Agrius and Oreius, but their grip never slackened.

"Tori!" he shouted back. "Stop this! This isn't necessary!"

Kronos merely laughed.

Kelli appeared in my line of view and went up to Luke, who was giving her a withering look.

"I don't think you'll mind if I borrow this." she said patting Luke's cheek while the other free hand unsheathed his sword. It glinted evilly in the sunlight streaming through the windows. The feeling of the two metals—celestial bronze and human steel—fighting against each other, was practically palpable.

When Kelli turned to me with the sword drawn, a huge smirk on her face, my heart lurched painfully in my throat. She walked up to me slowly enjoying the fear that was building inside me. Not only because of the pain that I was probably going to feel, but also because of the fact that I was going to die. Just thinking about that made tears brim my eyes.

"Tori!" Luke called. My eyes flickered over to him. He had stopped struggling (as did I), knowing the unavoidable. His beautiful blue eyes were so pained. "I'm sorry." he said.

I shook my head, telling him he had nothing to be sorry for, as Kelli finally came into striking distance.

"I've wanted to do this since the day I first met you, little godling." she said her tone bursting with satisfaction. She lifted the sword and ran it lightly down from my temple to the base of the throat. I gave her the dirtiest look I could execute. She simply smiled and moved the sword down lower, right below my ribcage.

I looked up and met Luke's eyes again.

"I love you." I mouthed right before Kelli plunged the blade into me.

Hope you enjoyed! I hope I did a good job writing the fight (because I hate writing those).

.happiness.

~ See you at Camp Half-Blood!