Whatever Connor and Travis had done, it had gotten Annabeth and I first class service. The waiters attended to our every request, and actually ignored the other customers. Those Stoll brothers sure had connections. finally the food arrived, I took one bite and flavor exploded in my mouth, the food was absolutely delicious. "Good appetizers" I mumbled.

Annabeth looked at ne sideways with a sly grin.

"What?" I asked, immediately defensive.

"Percy, those aren't appetizers, that's the mane course."

I looked down at my plate. Tiny. That was the only word to describe the meal. Delicious, but tiny. "Hu," I said, "quality over quantity."

Annabeth smiled, "Hey, I told you you didn't have to take me here. Not quite worth the money now hu?"

"Uh.. more like recourses, not money..."

"What?"

"Nothing. To answer your question though, your wrong. The look on your face when you found out where we were going was worth anything to me."

"Damn boy, you keep that up and you might be getting a certain something for it later tonight."

At first I though she was offended at what I'd said and meant she was going to beat-the-living-hades out of me. I know that sounds pretty dull of me, but you've got to understand, girls weren't exactly my strong suit. It took me a second to realize what she actually might mean, and a little longer to believe it. I searched her expression, but she seemed as relaxed as normal. Guess I took it wrong, I told myself.

"Well," I said, "This might not sound to romantic but there's a certain issue with this meal, its small. What say we stop at Dairy Queen on the back and get a burger?"

"Sure thing seaweed brain, sure thing. Then we'll head to the theaters and watch that new movie?"

"What movie is it?"

"Uh... forget what its called, but you'll probably like it, lots of action and that. Its got something to do with these soldiers who blow up a battle ship or something like that."

I suddenly fell very silent, fiddling with the beads on my necklace from camp half-blood.

"Percy?" Annabeth asked, "What's- Oh. Oh gods, I'm sorry, I never thought... I never realized it would make you think of that night on Princess Andromeda, Percy, please, you have to stop beating yourself up... Beckendorf would agree with me too, you know that."

I nodded, and tried to sound normal when I said; "I know." But my words came out ushered, my voice dry and pained. I could still se it, the image was etched into my brain, as I asked what the timer was on the Greek fire bombs and Beckendorf had held up his fingers to make zero. No delay. I made it off the ship before it blew, but he didn't . The guy gave up his life to take out that ship, but more than that, he'd given up his life to save me. That was the part that bugged me, what was so great about me that he had to die in order for me to live? The war's over, I told myself, you have a beautiful girlfriend sitting across from you whose concerned, and the Titans have all been defeated, get over yourself. I managed to feel a little better, but it was mostly because Annabeth was holding my hand, concern filling her grey eyes as she looked at me.

"Come on, Percy, No movie tonight then, we can sneak into my dorm room later and kill some time, but for now lets go get you your burger."

A half an hour later, I could see the bright glow of the DQ sign in the distance, and my hopes rose considerably. I had Annabeth at my side, we were going to go hang out at her place, no monsters, no Gods, just us, the way id dreamed it.

Of course that's when the Dragon stormed out of an alley way on my left and blew a blast of white hot flames at me.