Disclaimer: I am not Uncle Rick and I do not own the rights to these characters. I just ship them immensely.

A/N: Here we go! Just on time :) As always, I love to hear the feedback. If you've been reviewing as a guest, I'd just like to give a quick shout out to you and say thanks for enjoying the story. I'd love to reply to your comments, so I would totally love if you created an account, even if you don't ever post a story, so that we can chat! (Heck, that's what I did for a few years before creating this story!)

"I still can't believe we're doing this." Thalia was shaking her head as she brushed her hair. Last night she had stayed up late with Zoë, discussing new changes to their set designs.

"Oh relax. It's not really haunted...I think," Zoë replied with a smirk.

Zoë had helped Thalia pick an outfit for the day, something understated and casual, but something she insisted that Luke would like. This outfit consisted of black skinny jeans and charcoal colored combat boots, as well as an ivory half-sleeve top with a moderately low neckline. In return Thalia had helped to make sure that Zoë looked impressive herself for her first face-to-face meeting with Luke. She was wearing a grey, white-striped over the shoulder sweater and white leggings, and she was wearing matching white sandals.

"Whenever you say 'I think', something happens to go wrong," Thalia said dubiously. She playfully threw a towel at Zoë, and returned her attention to the hotel mirror where she was adding the finishing touches of her makeup.

Zoë just laughed at her and stood near the door, waiting for her coworker. When they were both confident that they looked good enough to be seen in public, Thalia joined her and they took the elevator to the ground floor, where Luke would be waiting to drive them to the cruise ship where their tour would be taking place. He had been kind enough to offer to take them, despite Thalia's attempt to dissuade him.

Thalia elbowed Zoë when they emerged from the hotel, where Luke was leaning against his rental car. Zoë had let out a low whistle when she had first caught a glimpse of Thalia, and Thalia was silently willing Zoë not to embarrass either of them.

"You girls look lovely," Luke told them as he opened the passenger door and the rear door. As Zoë neared, he extended his hand. "I don't believe we've met in person. Luke Castellan."

Zoë smiled kindly and took his hand. "Zoë Nightshade."

"It's nice to meet you, Zoë Nightshade," Luke said. "Well girls, if you would kindly climb into my vehicle, we'll be off." He smirked playfully, well aware of the suggestiveness of the sentence. Zoë started laughing first, followed by Luke and Thalia's own outbursts chiming in. Zoë winked at Thalia as she moved to the rear of the car, leaving the passenger seat to her comrade. Luke closed their doors and walked around the front of the vehicle to the driver's seat, started the engine, and drove them away from the hotel.

Luke stopped the car when they reached the port on Long Beach. There was the Queen Mary before them, lit all over with white, softly glowing lights. The ship seemed inviting enough, but from the end of the pier, there was definitely a strange, eerie quietness.

"Ready, gals?" Luke asked them, shifting the car back into drive and circling the pier to find the parking lot.

"Oh, yes. This is a once in a lifetime experience, and I intend to enjoy every second," Zoë said with a nearly malicious smirk.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Thalia said with a meek shrug. Truthfully, her stomach was churning. She hated the paranormal stuff, at least when it messed with her physically like all that poltergeist stuff. She could watch paranormal horror shows, but she preferred to be safely separated from them by her TV screen. Not that she would admit that to anyone.

Luke escorted them to the entrance, and they each fronted the money for their individual tour tickets. Thalia saw a sign that dictated that large groups were recommended to reserve tickets in advance because they could not be guaranteed to be in the same tour otherwise, but she paid the warning no further attention. The trio passed the security check with ease (having nothing to be checked since they were not staying overnight) and waited in line for their tour to begin. Already there was a large crowd.

Zoë was still grinning with excitement, but Thalia's lips were drawn tight with obvious tension. Zoë started chatting about the ship's history, which she had previously researched in their hotel room, not caring necessarily if Thalia or Luke were listening.

Luke stood behind Thalia, and noticed her silence. He leaned in close to her and whispered, "You don't have to do this."

Thalia half turned and looked at him. "I appreciate that, but I'm fine. Really." She forced a slight smile from the corner of her lips. She forced her sweaty palms into the pockets of her pants and tried to focus on anything but the haunted tour they were about to take. When the line started to move, Thalia remained still. Luke's palm rested softly on her elbow, and that was the only contact capable of making her move. She knew it was childish of her, but nonetheless she couldn't shake the feeling that she wanted to leave. But she didn't want to abandon Zoë and Luke after they'd already paid. Thalia squared her shoulders and followed Zoë, taking some selfish comfort in the fact that Luke's hand was still on her arm, almost protectively.

A man stopped them at the doorway of the ship and asked for their tickets. He marked them, returned them, and waved the trio through. They were the last people of their group. The tour had started. Thalia thought she felt the ship shudder beneath her feet, but when she looked at the other tourists, nobody else seemed alarmed, so she suppressed the panic at her throat and forced herself to relax. She began to sing a song in her head, using anything to distract her.

Not fifteen minutes had passed before Thalia's nerves got to her and she couldn't hide them anymore. Zoë was soaking the experience in, and even taking notes on the more haunting details-most of them Thalia assumed was just tales that the staff used to keep the guests entertained. When the group began to depart some metal stairs to the old bunks that the ship's crew slept in, Thalia turned away and wavered at the stairs edge.

Luke noticed Thalia's hesitation and got Zoë's attention. He pulled her near and whispered something in her ear. The other girl nodded and departed down the stairs with the rest of the group, but Luke stayed behind. "Zoë's gone to tell the guide that we're turning around...if that's what you'd like to do. You don't look too comfortable."

"I feel sick. I need air," Thalia croaked. She had begun to sweat, but it was a cold, nervous sweat, and she was beginning to feel dizzy. Luke's hand extended in her direction and she took it. Thalia forgot about a small partition in the floor that was raised above the otherwise flat surface, and the toe of her shoe caught the lip. She lost her balance and her body was flung in Luke's direction.

"Whoa, you're alright. Just don't throw up on my shoes, m'kay?" Luke acted quickly, catching her by her upper arms and using Thalia's forward momentum to lift her up over the partition and get her standing upright again. He wrapped an arm securely around her and led her back to the tour entrance. Thinking quickly, they made a turn just before the doorway that would lead them through the proper exit and save Thalia from any personal embarrassment at not being able to complete the tour with the group. Just past the exit, Luke spotted a bench, lit by a tall lamp post, and eased Thalia onto it, sitting close to her.

"How's that?" he asked her quietly, searching her face for any signs of sickness or pain.

Thalia mumbled a response, although she was just staring down at the wooden ground beneath them. Her breathing was quiet, but she was trembling slightly as she felt the nerves coursing through her body. She tried to control her breathing just as she did when she was working up on the catwalks, putting together lighting cables, but it only made her dizzier.

"Well, I'm here, and we're out in the fresh air. You're alright. I'm here...I'm here...you'll be just fine." His voice was soothing. As soft to the ears as silk was to the fingertips. Thalia took a few deep breaths and was finally able to sit up a little more. She avoided looking at Luke, but did speak.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you turn around. And those tickets were so expensive," she rambled. "I didn't think I'd get so worked up. I don't know what happened." She worked her hands against each other, and then rubbed them on her jeans to try and rid herself of the clammy, cold sweat feeling.

"Don't sweat it. Er, no pun intended. I'd rather you feel alright at the expense of my tour ticket than you suffering through the rest of the tour," Luke said.

Thalia smiled slightly. "That's very kind of you. I can't say anyone else has ever made such a kind gesture for me. And I am feeling better now. Thanks."

"I'm happy to have been the first, then. Although, maybe you'll have to make up for it with a milkshake tomorrow."

"Are you asking me on a date? I must be hallucinating."

Luke's laugh was like medicine, but the spoonful-of-sugar kind. It was helping Thalia's mind ease away from her nausea. She gave a weak laugh herself. Her eyes shifted to her hand when she felt the pressure of Luke's own hand on top of it. She forced herself to meet his eyes.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, Thalia Grace." His contagious smile influenced the small grin spreading on Thalia's face.

[To be continued. I have several chapters in mind for this story, so we'll see where it goes!]

Please rate and review! This is my first published fic, so I'd love some feedback! Critiques are welcome, rudeness is not.

A/N 2: Well, I've never been to the Queen Mary, but I did do a bit of research through their tour website. It's probably still got a few errors, but it's fiction! :)