This chapter has a Thalia & Luke moment. I know most of you are probably thinking, 'Finally!' so here goes:

Thalia's POV:

I was running. Don't know why or for how long, but I was. And I was crying.

It felt good, to run, as if I were running off my pain. Sure, Luke was back, reborn, and my age. Like, perfect! But yet... he hadn't said that when he first saw me and recognized me. And, oh, I don't know, he nearly killed all of my friends! Sure he saved everyone in the end, and I had feelings for him up until he betrayed everyone, and maybe, if he hadn't, I still would. I thought I still did. But when I heard he was dead, I locked those feelings inside and gave up.

I didn't know what to feel now.

That was why I cried.

Running was stupid, though. I had only gotten to a forest, maybe five miles away, when he stopped me. He may have chosen to be reborn, but Luke was still a son of Hermes. He had caught up and then some, so I ran straight into him.

He held me, but I continued to cry. I screamed and sobbed and kicked and hit and punched, but he didn't let me go. I stomped on his foot, and by the way he tensed I realized it hurt him, but he still didn't let me go. He held me closer, and eventually I stopped fighting.

I just cried and stood, not stopping or hugging back. Just stood.

"Thalia," he said softly. "I know you're mad."

"No, duh!" I screamed. I then proceeded to list all the things he'd done wrong.

He still pleaded. "But what about taking you and Annabeth to camp? Helping you two fight monsters? Remember Hal? Together we figured out a way to escape, and in doing so you got your shield, Aegus. Thalia, please. I was good in the end; I saw my choices and picked good. Please. Please,"

I looked up at him, and through my tears I saw him smile. I buried my face in his chest and held him back.

-Linebreak-

Luke's POV:

I was glad Thalia forgave me. To me, right now was all that mattered in my life. Holding her, I felt whole again. Like I wasn't bad anymore. Like I really did have a clean slate.

All of a sudden, Thalia pulled away and looked at me with her stormy blue eyes, studying me.

"What's up?" I asked, perplexed.

"Luke..." She paused. "This is so wrong."

"So?" I laughed. "I like you, and you like me... I think."

"No... I... I'm a Hunter, Luke."

The words hit me like a rock. "Oh... so eternal maidenhood, right?" I mumbled.

"Yeah... but-" Thalia hesitated. "Crap," she said under her breath. "You know, we kind of have a choice: jump off a bridge and die together, take a deadly risk, or, you know, Artemis would kill you for taking me away from her."

"Uh... the risk, please."

She looked into my eyes. Hard. "The risk is scarier than being a pine tree for seven years. Possibly scarier than being possessed by a Titan King for one year, but I don't know what's up with that."

"Still. I'd choose to have a chance of dying over just plain dying." But if Thalia Grace was nervous, I figured I probably should be too. "Why? What's the risk?"

She bit her lip. "There's this... loophole to the Hunter contract-"

"There's a contract now? I thought it was just the oath."

She scowled. The old Thalia was now back. "Shut up, Castellan. The loophole says that if the Hunter really loves someone, to prove him worthy of one of Artemis's girls, he and the girl must complete three Trials."

"What are they?" I asked, bracing myself.

"One- The man must only use a bow and arrow as a weapon for all Trials. Two- He must respect the Hunter's wishes and not make her hurt. And three- you must survive for a week in the wild."

"And if I fail?"

"You die, and I..." She took a shaky breath. "I turn into a fox and Artemis and her Hunters get to hunt me."

Okay, what do you think? During the Trials, Amara and Bianca will be looking for them, and make some very interesting encounters. REVIEW! :)