He stepped forward then looked away. Phoenix laughed.

"Oh gods you people are pathetic!" He smiled. Percy just stood there his whole body visibly tensed. But then he stepped closer to me and leaned to my ear.

"I'm sorry." He pushed a strand of hair behind my ear and turned back to a map that was plastered on one of the pillars. I felt my heart sting and walked to the deck rail and hung over it, he wanted me that much was true but... he just couldn't. I understood that and I respected it. But every time he was near my heart would impound as fast a second hand on a clock. Hope would burn within me as he would smile. Just to be crushed when he would turn away, I let a tear roll down my cheek. Then vigorously wiped it away, I did not want to appear to look like a drama queen.

"Phoenix…um were supposed to visit this hospital a few blocks away. It's where Pearl and I are guessing Asclepius's throne is." I felt a lump forming in the back of my throat. I tried to swallow it but it only my throat swell and a sob was just waiting in the crevices of my throat waiting…

"Ok hold up for one second." He grabbed something off a table that sat on the deck. And then leaped off the boat and started walking I followed after him. My eyes burning with tears. As we ventured farther away from the ship, my lump was let loose and the sob was released. I started to cry. For no real reason, I always knew deep within he was so untouchable. For a quick second I saw concern flash before Phoenix's face. But he ignored me and blew a piece of hair out of his face. He ran a hand through it and turned to me.

"Why do you like him? He's got a cute face? He saved your life? What is it?" He asked his tone cold and hard.

"I don't know he's made me stronger, and braver, and-… I don't know Phoenix if I knew I'd I…" I broke down once more.

"Listen to me." He grabbed my arm and pushed me against the side of a building. He studied me, his eyes softened a little bit, and then flashed back with coldness. "You're a very pretty girl, Percy's cool, but you know boys will come faster then you know. I know its heartbreaking being thought as yourself as the one for her… I mean him, and then you see he likes someone else. But has feelings for you, though. It's hard as walking through the River Styx! I know how you feel, but just listen to yourself crying over a guy who won't even touch you." He looked me square in the eyes, his blue eyes were piercing and cold but something was deep in them nestled inside of them. I couldn't figure it out.

"Phoenix I can't control it, I thought we shared something."

"You did, he likes you, you like him, but sometimes Aphrodite doesn't like things to work out for the way you like." He glared at the sky, like he shooting Aphrodite a dirty look. I felt Phoenix was giving this lecture from his own experience. But my question was, what girl wouldn't fall for Phoenix the second they saw him? Me.

"Come on, we have to get to that hospital." He grabbed my hand and pulled me along and not in the nicest way either. We arrived at St. Clair's and saw the sky was darkening, I'm sure visiting hours would be over soon enough. We had to hurry so we ran inside the building, and I smelled the scent of old musty building, but also a over powering air freshener. I crunched my nose and we headed on to the desk.

"Hello sir, how can I help you today?" The secretary asked. I furrowed my brow, why hadn't she asked me? I looked and saw Phoenix had taken the shape of a handsome man, who showed resemblance to me.

"Well my sweetie here," He put his arm around me, I glared at him, "has come down with something." He smiled charmingly at the secretary, and then kicked my ankle, hard. I bit my lip in pain, and faked a cough.

"Well for a man such as yourself, I'm sure we can make a exception without a appointment." She smiled and batted her eyelashes.

"Thank you." He winked at her. She nodded and got up quickly. Phoenix quickly turned back to me, then let a little growl out, and grabbed my hand and pulled me. He glanced around and then he closed his eyes for a brief second I felt warmth radiate through his body, and then he opened his eyes. His pupils were tiny and he got a look of a hunter on his face. He gripped tightly to me, I wanted to resist because it hurt, bad. But I had a feeling Phoenix knew where he was going. He dragged me like I was nothing and then we found a janitors closet.

"A janitors closet really?"

"Just opened the gods damn door." His voice freaked me out, because it was overlapped with another one. I cringed at the sound of his voice and closed my eyes and then pictured the invisible ceiling hanging vine. I pictured it was connected to the other side of the door then I pulled. I heard a door squeaked open. I opened my eyes. Yes! I walked in after Phoenix and he quickly bent down and looked at a old shelf, he moved it away with one hand. He then wiped away cobwebs that had been abandoned for many years. I saw a little door with a ancient Greek symbol inscribed on it. I placed his hand on it and the door lit with flame and opened slowly and surprisingly quiet for a two hundred year old door. He crawled in and I crawled be hind him. We were met with so many cobwebs I gagged as one found its self into my mouth. Then Phoenix stood up and I found myself in a giant dome shaped building. Those Greeks sure were good with collaborating with space. The dome had cobble stone lined the ground and counters filled with doctors instruments were strewn across the room. I saw a chair sat at the center of the room. A red chair with a sun on it, symbolizing Apollo, I guessed, and a medical sign.

"I think were in the right place." I said quietly.

"Ya think?" Phoenix said, his voice was normal once more. That was a relief, I don't know if I could have with stood that voice once more. I studied the chair closely I knew the answer to the one of the lines of the prophecy was in it. As I looked at it more closely I noticed it had a slight tint of color to it. I looked up and saw the sun was brightly shining through the dome's window.

"Phoenix look at the sky." He stopped studying the chair and glanced up and his brow furrowed. He gripped a stone that hung on the wall and began to climb. He reached the top and his eyes widened.

"It's frekin Greece!"

"What?" I wanted to see.

"Its in Athens…which is weird, was Asclepius born in Athens?" Hmm…"

"Phoenix help me up!"

"I wonder if I punch the glass the picture will crumble. Hey look it's my dad's temple!" He went on ignoring me, but a smile was building on his lips. But then the smile died and he looked out onto something. "Bingo." He jumped down to the ground and ran over to the chair he sat in it, and his eyes rolled back into his head. And his head fell back against the chair's boarder. I screamed, and ran to him.

"Phoenix!" I felt my heart thud in complete helplessness, what was he doing? "Phoenix!", I shouted and grabbed his hand. His eyes came back and he looked at me and smiled.

"Penelope, my you have changed." He smiled.

"Phoenix? What are you talking about?"

"I'm not Phoenix, listen I'm Asclepius, Phoenix was a nice enough boy to let me have his body for a short interval." He smiled and his blue eyes glittered. "But you have questions I have answers, ask it."

"Why did Zeus kill you?" He sighed and his face became overwhelmed with anger.

"My grandfather killed me for a reason, and one reason only. He could be the only one with power around here! He always said to my father that he should watch me. I raised my beloved Blettina from the dead, because I missed her so, and look at me now. I was killed by my cruel and foolish grandfather. I thought families were supposed to love, I suppose not. Heed the warning my dear, don't trust Zeus whatever he offers you to come to Olympus, you'll fade just like Pan."

"I'll bare it in mind, but perhaps you can answer my other question, why are you the god without a throne?"

"Well my dear, this will answer that question." He held his hand down to chair's armrest, and a small compartment opened and he held open a map it glowed a faint brightness, green. "My dear, I was murdered because of this one symbol of map. It wasn't so much raising my beloved Blettina but rather this map." He handed it to me, a greatness washed over me and I felt better. I looked at it and glittered, the whole map was in 3-D, I was struck with awe. It was a gorgeous place wherever it was. It looked like somewhere in Canada. The graphic trees swayed in the wind and fields of green luscious grass with flowers poking up rose to the sun. Wild mustangs grazed in the fields while wildlife was abundant.

"Did Pan give this to you?" I asked.

"No I… made it for myself to find the sacred place, but I never got the chance, they say if you find it… you're granted eternal happiness."

"I don't know what to say, Asclepius…Thank you."

"No thank you, my dear for letting me speak my final word. So many have not let me." He gave me a warm smile, and he reached for my hand and squeezed it. And then he was gone, and Phoenix's head rolled back against the chair and he slumped down against the seat. He looked like he was sleeping peacefully. But he opened his eyes and they were bright and kind. But he glanced at me and they soon returned stone once more. He leaped off the chair and saw the map in my hands.

"What's that?" He asked, his voice hard.

"Asclepius gave it to me."

"Ug, the guys sure a softy, got a mind of an angel."

"So what's wrong with being nice?"

"You know what happens to nice people, they get eaten alive by something. Not physically all the time like a monster, but mentally, by people who are selfish, petty, and have no life."

"How do you know what that feels like?"

"Because I used to be like you…nice." He pushed his hand to the door once more and the flames erupted and the door flew open and we walked into the janitor's closet. We walked out of it and noticed the hospital had a dull glow, we had to get out of here. Phoenix was one step ahead of me he bolted grabbing my hand, he went the speed of light. We fell down on the cement outside of the hospital. I doubled over laughing; Phoenix himself gave a sly smile. Then stood up and started walking the direction the way we had come. I ran to catch up. We walked in silence, but for once it wasn't awkward or pressured. We just didn't have anything to say. We reached the ship about fifteen minutes later. I heard Pearl and Percy arguing.

"Do you ever think of anyone but yourself?" Percy yelled.

"Yeah, but at least I don't suck up all the praise that I get and let it get to my head!"

"I don't let it get to my head! And for information I just saved your sorry bum from getting killed, with the War of the Titans, but oh wait you didn't help at all."

"Shut up do you know how much I've done for your stupid New York! I've made sure when Poseidon gets angry and causes mass tidal waves that he doesn't destroy it. I make sure you were safe in the water on all those stupid quests. I've been around New York to many times to know it's going to die if someone doesn't wake up and smell the roses!"

"You know nothing, shut up and don't say anything."

"And guess what Percy, my dear brother, your getting a little brother, and he's normal. Ehm, excuse me I mean mortal." I heard a door slam and angry footsteps go up the stairs. I had no idea Percy had so much going on. I felt my heart ache for him. Phoenix walked in first then I followed behind him, I saw Pearl was standing up her fists still quenching. She growled and stomped out of the room. I heard her curse in ancient Greek, then in Spanish, French, and Italian. I couldn't help but giggle. I noticed Phoenix was gone leaving me all alone. I unrolled the map and studied it, if we kept heading north we'd end up in Canada in a few days. I wanted to know where in Canada it being so vast and unpopulated.

I decided to check the library for small towns tomorrow, right now it seemed to dark to see my hands in front of me. I rolled the map back up and went into the room Pearl I shared. She lay on it her back facing away from me. I knew she was angry with Percy, angry with herself, angry with Poseidon, and most of all angry because she was angry.

I climbed onto my bunk and laid down. The bed I slept on was hard but I was almost so tired that I could fall right asleep. I closed my eyes and was almost asleep, until I heard something knocking below me.

"Penelope are you awake?" Pearl asked.

"Uhh, I am now." I felt the silence of the room begin to lull me back into my slumber.

"Penelope!" She punched the board.

"What?"

"What's with that map?"

"Asclepius gave it to me."

"Its glowing green it's a little creepy."

"Well then its alive! Roar!" She laughed.

"Yup, sure is…What did he say?"

"Nothing much, I mean it wasn't like he's a guy with a lot to say. He died an unfair death…"

"Oh I see, so you like Percy heh?" She questioned.

"I…I- I can't answer that question." I stammered.

"Aphrodite is mean some times watch out for her."

"I think I already learned about her." Then I rolled over. My eyelids felt like a thousand pounds had been pressed on them, and the room was slowly beginning to slide out of focus. I felt myself loose grip on reality and fell asleep, free to have my own thoughts and dreams. But that wasn't to be.

I awoke in a castle, I looked around and noticed. That it was crumbling to pieces and the foundation didn't look that sturdy. I ran as fast as I could. I found the doors of the castle slammed them open and then I found myself overlooking a cliff with the sea crashing into the side of it. I took a step back from the ledge and then saw the castle was starting to crumble. I could either jump or die of rocks hitting me. I leaped into the sea. Then felt the water sting my eyes, I saw the girl from the campfire swimming towards me. But she was in full form now a beautiful woman with sky blue eyes and a coral tiara was placed on her head. She had long wavy brown hair. But something caught me off guard. Her smile, it was Pearl's. Pearl's mom!

"Take care of her, for I am no longer able to." She gave a sweet smile and I was lost in her beauty for a quick second. Then she touched my arm and I felt a chill run through my body. Quickly my vision blurred then I stood in the dessert deserted by any kind of mankind. The sands were whipping together and forming some kind of sand monster. He was large and had the ugliest two fat eyes square in his head, he had no nose or ears, but a mouth. He was smiling as he fiddled with a skull of an animal. I felt fear ripple through my heart. What is it? I tried not to look at him in the face, but I had to. Around his bulging neck around it was a small medallion. It matched the sword that Pan had given to me. It shimmered in the blistering sunlight and I saw it flash with a face of a man, a goat. The symbol of the satyr I guessed. I was about to start to climb up his leg to get that medallion. But he was a lot quicker then he seemed.

"Stop half-blood!" He barked, and the dunes in the distance rippled from the sound waves ricocheting off of them. I obeyed but my brain was struck and all's I could do was stay frozen in place.