Percy pushed Annabeth through the portal.

"Go! Go! Go!"

They heard the giant footsteps fade as they fell in a heap on what seemed to be a forest ground.

"Uh..." Percy groaned. "Where…?"

He pat the ground in alarm and stood up. "Is this a tree branch?"

"Are you surprised?" Annabeth mumbled "get offa me, Magnus!"

Magnus had landed squarely on Annabeth's back.

"Oops, sorry Cuz"

Hearth laughed silently as Magnus helped Annabeth up. Then suddenly, he paled and lunged for Annabeth….

Just as a brown blur with antlers raced past where Annabeth had been juts a second before.

"ANNBETH"

Percy ran to her and gave her a hug.

Magnus blinked in alarm. "Annnabeth, are you okay?"

"I'm...fine..." she whispered, clutching her heart.

Sam cursed in what was probably colorful Arabic. "One of the deer that roam the World Tree."

Percy looked at Hearth gravely. "Yous saved her. Thank you."

Hearth blushed and signed No problem. You okay?

Without missing a beat Annabeth signed Yes, thank you

Percy stared. "Since when do you know sign language?"

"You really don't know how boring winter session gets, do you?"

Hearth looked around anxiously and signed

R-A-T-A-T-O-S-K

Annabeth barely had time to signed what is that? Before the entire branch shook. And considering it was roughly the length of three hummers that was a feat.

"Run!" Sam called, dragging Magnus by the hand as they all dashed away just in time; a branch the size of a small elephant had fallen right where they had stood.

"What in Tartarus…?" Percy cried, pulling Annabeth along. He looked behind himself just as the noise turned to words….

You loser! You nearly failed every grade since kindergarten! You never had any friends! And once you did, you let them die!

Percy stopped dead in his tracks.

"Percy!" Annabeth shrieked "Come...on..."

But her eyes glazed over as the words washed over her…

Your parents didn't want you! They love your brothers better! Even your mother disowned you! And your boyfriend that "loves" you? You were just his runner up after a nicer, prettier girl rejected him!

And the worst of all

You abandoned your cousin!

Hearth and Blitzen sprung into action.

Blitz grabbed Percy muttering "Come on, kid" while Hearth silently took Annabeth's hand.

"Let's go!" Magnus called "I for one don't want to be squirrel food!"

His sword hummed what strangely sounded like "What do squirrels eat?"

Magnus scowled "Annoying talking swords if we don't scram!"

"There!" Frank said suddenly. There was an opening in the trunk that looked like a small cave. "Go, I'll cover you!"

Once again he changed into a lion and roared as they scrambled into the shelter.

When they had all filed in, Frank ambled in and before their eyes became a boy again.

He sat down heavily "Dang, that was close."

Sam looked outside "He's not moving soon and it's getting dark. We better make a fire..."

She took matches out and made a makeshift fire from branch parts. Soon everyone saw dozing off except for Annabeth and Magnus.

They sat in comfortable silence before Annabeth said

"I'm sorry"

Magnus blinked in surprise "For what?"

"I abandoned you" Annabeth blurted, echoing Ratatosk's words to her. "I ran away and I never even thought to bring you..."

"But I had my mom" Magnus said "I was fine! It was you who needed to leave."

"But even so" Annabeth said bitterly "It never even occurred to me that you may be a demigod...even we we were older I never thought to look you up...I could have helped you, I could have given you a home at camp after auntie died..."

Magnus took her hand "It's okay, Annabeth...I think...I think this was all supposed to happen the way it did...that I was meant to meet you again when I did. You can't blame yourself."

"But you were homeless and I could have helped!"

Magnus frowned "It's not your fault Uncle Fred didn't tell you Mom died….look"

He put his arms around her "What matters is that were together again NOW. The past doesn't matter, all that matters is going forward." he flashed her a grin "With my favorite cousin"

Annabeth smiled and hit him playfully "I'm the only cousin you know, dork!"

They both laughed and sat in silence, waiting for the sun to rise.

They didn't know when they too fell into a light sleep, but they were woken up by Frank's high, concerned voice

"Uh, guys? You should see this."

A/n: Sorry it's been so long since I updated!I've been pretty busy with school and work...as alwayd thank you so much for reading/reviewing/ect.!