Chapter 10

"What are you doing here?" I asked, visibly shocked. I'm still holding her arm, to which she tries to shrug off. I let her go, knowing she can't exactly run anywhere except off the plane.

"I'm sorry I don't know who you are…" she said backing away, keeping her head down and not looking in my eyes.

"Reyna I can see you." I reminded her. She looked at me finally, tears in her eyes. There had been a lard portion of crying in the past few days and it was started to get very trying.

"I'm so sorry Percy." She cried, shifting forwards and falling into my arms. I tried my best to comfort her in the middle of the plane, and leaned to the side when people wanted to pass. "I- I didn't mean for anything to happen to Frank and now it's all my fault!" she said, sniffling.

"It's ok- we're working on fixing it now. We're on our way to confront Hera." I said and Reyna turned to face me.

"What?" she said, shocked. "When- how- whats…" she tried, overwhelmed by all the questions in her head.

"I know it's a lot to take in but we're working on it." I said, trying to not make a scene as people sat in their seats.

"Who's we?" she paused.

"Hazel" I said, and her face fell even further.

"Oh God's Percy don't make me see her. She probably hates me." Reyna reasoned, and I laughed awkwardly. She wasn't exactly wrong.

"She doesn't hate you- we just need to know what exactly happened with Hera. How much has she done?" I asked, and Reyna shook her head.

"It was such a petty argument. Frank and I were arguing over who we should put the new war memorial in honor of, but we couldn't decide. I had a dream one night and Hera came to me. She threatened to hurt Frank and myself unless we chose her, but I wasn't really sure about it at the time. I couldn't tell if it was a dream or a… a demi god dream." She said, and I nodded having been in the same position several times. "The next day I fought for Hera in the decision and when things grew too heated I ran out, and Frank flew away as a bird. When I heard what happened to Frank I thought it was my fault… and the next thing I knew I was halfway out of San Francisco and making my way- well, here." She finished and I nodded, looking around me. A small kid in the seat in front was looking at us with his eyebrows raised. I smiled at him.

"We're acting- waiting to audition for a play about Greek mytho-" I started, trying to give him the best lie I could come up with. This wasn't one of them.

"I really don't care" the kid said, turning back to his iPod, and I shook my head in disbelief. Smart ass.

"Where were you actually planning on going?" I asked, and her eyes fell to her feet, where she awkwardly shuffled around.

"I don't know- New Yotk seemed pretty logical. I have family up there on my dads side." She explained. "Why are you going to New York?" she asked, and I turned to look at Hazel sitting in her seat.

"We're going to see Hera." I replied, and watched as Reyna's eyes glazed over. It was easy to see that there was nothing she could possibly want less.

"Percy you can't! She's too dangerous- and angry." She tried.

"It doesn't matter. She cant just go around killing people because she doesn't get what she wants. She may be immortal and live past us all, but so are her actions. If Frank dies, camp half blood will remember- so will camp Jupiter!" I said, my voice raising slightly.

"What about Annabeth- she'll never be safe if Hera's angry with the both of you! Think of your kid." Reyna said. "Where is Annabeth anyway?" she asked.

"Looking for you."

"What? Percy- you can't let a pregnant women loose in San Francisco, especially pregnant women named Annabeth." She said, and for once I agreed.

"I know that, but it's Annabeth. She made her choice- do you really think I had a chance changing her mind?" I said, and we both went silent, before laughing. Immediately I felt a weight lift off of my chest.

"So, what now?" she asked, looking down the plane.

"I'm sure Hazel would love to see you." I said, and she closed her eyes, cringing as we made our way to our seats.

Hazel and Reyna actually got along pretty well, considering Hazel was close to ripping her head off when they first met again. When the plane landed we were already making plans for a Taxi to the Empire state building. Though none of us was saying it, we were all pretty nervous, but I mostly just wanted to get in touch with Annabeth to tell her the news. I was about to ask Reyna for a drachma when a distant roar echoed from behind the baggage claim doors. All three of us tensed, having been through this one too many times.

"What was that?" Hazel asked, and I felt the hair on my neck rise, ears yearning to pick up just one more noise that would send me into battle mode. It wasn't a thunderous roar that came next, but the scream of a voice I recognized- we all did. Immediately I dropped everything and ran, riptide in my hand.

"Percy!" Reyna called after me, but I ignored her call and left them no choice but to run after me. When the doors opened into baggage claim, my eyes adjusted to the scene. A couple hundred tourists and native new Yorkers stood waiting, not aware of the 7 foot monster that stood before them.

It was at times like these that I stood in awe of the mist and its frightening powers. I looked around for Annabeth, praying that the agonizing scream I heard before wasn't her last. I couldn't see her trademark blond hair anywhere, and I begged for the chance to see it again. A part of me knew that the chances of her being in New York were a million to one, but maybe I'd been away from her so long my mind was playing tricks on me.

The monster (one that I did not recognize) gave a roar, which brought me back to reality. "Hazel, you target his left, Reyna his right, and I'll go-" I heard It again, another of Annabeth screams. Only this scream wasn't one of terror or surprise, but a battle cry. I looked once more for her, but I couldn't see her. The monster was roaring in pain, stumbling. Something clicked in my brain, and Annabeth's Yankees cap of invisibility crossed my mind. Annabeth was here, and I needed to help. "Go- go!" I yelled, running at it.

I really hoped that the mist was working wonders, otherwise those at the airport would be considering that we were just crazy desperate to collect our luggage. Luckily no one seemed to fazed by our sprinting for no reason, though I did almost knock over a little kid who I swear popped out of no where. The girls distracted the monster, while I carefully made my way behind him, wondering where Annabeth was hiding, and if she was carefully formulating a plan which would coincide with mine. I ran at the giant monster, knowing it was focusing its attention on the constant stabs Reyna was focusing at his abdomen. I held riptide tightly as I jumped on a conveyer belt and getting a running start. I was aiming for the head, and began running before leaping in the air and pushing the sword into his spine. The brown standing reptile let out a shriek and tried to grab me off his shoulder, or pull out the sword. I dodged his hand, but unfortunately I didn't see his tail ready to take me out. It hit me with such a force that I was knocked across the floor and skidded 3 meters.

"Percy!" Annabeth called from not far away, but in second I was on my feet again, ready to face whatever might come. Luckily my blow had pretty much took him down, and Hazel wasn't leaving him alone either, as though she refused to believe it was over. She continued to stab it, until at last it vanished, leaving a blood spattered Hazel in misery.

Finally I saw the flick of a blond pony tail as Annabeth finally took off her cap.

"Thank the gods." I said, making my way over to her. Before she could say something about me owing her my life, I grabbed her and kissed her, pulling her tightly to my body. She stood, surprised for a moment, before against my lips.