Ok, so I know I said I was going to post the next chapter on Sunday, but I finished the story. The final chapter will indeed be posted tomorrow... Sunday. That WILL be the final chapter.

Disclaimer: In these last few chapter I have quote a lot of Rick Riordan's words due to required dialog. I don't own those words and yes the copied words from the books are correct. That is why some words may look familiar because they are.

ENJOY!

"Demanding my response
Don't bother breaking the door down
I found my way out"

The day that war broke out in the city I forced the huntresses to follow me into the city. I had a feeling that Artemis was doing all she could do where she was and it was our job to help the demigods in New York. Some of the huntresses complained but I ignored them as we trekked into the city.

We hit a wall of time stopping magic. I had to make sure that we wouldn't let us slow us down. Mortals were more susceptible to the type of magic that immortals used. But, if you focused enough you could force yourself past it. That's exactly what we did as we traveled through the Lincoln Tunnel.

I saw a group of half-bloods gathered together at the front of the Empire State Building. I quieted my steps as we got closer. The girls around me followed lead suit behind me. Percy didn't notice any of us. He said something about taking care of boats. He began to send the different cabins to different bridges. I made a mental note on his general genius to cut off the different entrance points of Manhattan, though holding Manhattan seemed a bit excessive.

The campers listened for more instructions standing around and contemplating something. I think it was Travis and keeping a phone or two. I noticed the white fur sea of our timber wolves wander to our sides. Hunting falcons swooped in having finally made it past the time barrier. The owners held out the arms and stroked their heads carefully before focusing back in one me.

"Hold it, Percy," Some camper held out a hand to halt the on going feud about the cell phone. "You forgot the Lincoln Tunnel." A smile broke across my lips as I motioned for us to continue to walk.

We crossed Fifth Avenue as I called out. "How about you leave that to us?"

Percy seemed to just stare at me for a while. A smile began to grow at the corners of his mouth as he thought about how I had just saved his but with the tank that had followed us through that tunnel.

"Thalia!" Annabeth cried.

"The Hunters of Artemis, reporting for duty." I grinned in his direction letting him know I was here to help, not fight with him.

My fellow huntresses stood back as I greeted the other campers warmly. It was all I could do to let my guard down enough to trust the others not to start shooting the campers. Luckily, they stayed civil and no one died due to a miss fire.

"Where have you been the last year?" Percy asked me after the welcome died down. "You've got like twice as many Hunters now!"

I laughed. "Long, long story. I bet my adventures were more dangerous than yours, Jackson." My competitive nature kicked in a smirk cracking my face.

"Complete lie," He answered with a condescending grin that had no affect on me.

"We'll see," I promised shaking my head slightly. "After this is over, you, Annabeth, and me: cheeseburgers and fries at the hotel on West 57th."

"Le Parker Meridien," He assured the name to me nodding. "You're on. And Thalia, thanks."

I shrugged. "Those monsters won't know what hit them. Hunters, move out!"

I slapped my silver bracelet and Aegis spiraled into full form. The head of Medusa I had heard could make someone cringed. I had never really looked at my shield though. The campers around me did take a few steps back. We took off down the avenue, the wolves at our flanks. We were there to protect the Lincoln Tunnel. For now this was our part in the war.

I don't remember much after the fighting begun. I'm not sure if I want to remember. People traveled along the back lines of the titan forces heading to different bridges to face off against the other demigods. I didn't blame them. They weren't getting past here.

I remember seeing Luke. That's all I truly remember. I hacked off one monster and it exploded to dust around me and I whipped around to look at my troops and saw Luke looking at me. I stabbed another monster and turned back to where he had been standing to find him gone…

All time froze at one point except for where I was standing. I whipped around one or twice until I spotted Luke with golden eyes standing a couple feet away from me. His eyes flashed that all so familiar blue I knew. There was no smile on his face that told me he was actually Luke. He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. Time started for a second and then halted once more.

I thought about it watching as Luke buried his face in his hands as if he had a headache. He looked up his eyes changing from gold to blue as rapidly as a strobe light until the blue settled in. I thought time would start up again, but he seemed to have some sort of control over that and held time in its place.

"Thalia, this is your last chance. Come with me back to camp tonight." He begged. He seemed to be holding back some sort of information as Luke's voice echoed from his body instead of the cold voice of Kronos.

"Go back to your troops Luke. I'm done with this game. We'll beat you fair and square." I brought my shield to my front and waited for him to take those few staggering steps backward. He didn't. He had seen so much getting ready for this war it didn't bother him to the slightest.

"Thalia," He took a few steps forward and reached out a pleading hand to me. "I need help. Kronos is going to destroy –," He screamed in pain and took a couple steps backward holding his head. "No!" Kronos's voice erupted form Luke's form. "You will not defy me now boy." He hissed forcing Luke's body to stand tall. His eyes switch colors between gold and blue every now and then until they stopped on gold. There was no quiver to his voice.

Luke, he was still there. I knew it. I could save him… maybe. I blinked once and he was gone. I whipped around to see him climbing into the frozen forces to get to a skeletal horse in front of another line of forces. He mounted up and looked at me. His eyes flashed blue once more sticking to the color I knew so well for a couple seconds. I felt the tears prick my eyes as he looked away his eyes once again gold.

Time picked back up where it had left off as if nothing had happened. A soldier's blade crashed down against Aegis as I mindlessly help it up to protect myself. I shook my head once clearing it. I was done with this chasing game. I tried to convince myself at that point I would no longer let Luke get to me. Not during this war, he wouldn't get into my head.

The day passed. I remember slightly going to a hotel and helping Annabeth with a wound she had received. A poisoned dagger had gotten to her somehow. I wasn't sure why she would have put herself in harms way until Percy and Annabeth sat alone on the balcony together. I watched while some of the campers and a huntress spoke to me and argued at the same time.

Annabeth touched his back gently. I watched as Percy put a hand on her forearm. I half expected him to push her away. Instead, he moved her hand down just slightly and then shivered. He had just confided to her his life. Percy showed Annabeth where his Achilles' spot. She dropped her hand from his back and they simply held hands. They talked just a bit longer before Connor passed me and opened the door halting the moment and pulling Percy away from Annabeth.

I went to see where Percy went two of my girls flanking me. As I went out onto the terrace I stopped them from coming with me. I sat down on the ground next to Annabeth pulling my knees close to my chest. She was sleeping peacefully with slightly labored breathing.

"I'm sorry." I whispered resting my chin on my knees. I looked at the bandaged wound on her arm and sighed. "I shouldn't have…" I couldn't finish. I felt like I had started this. I was the one who left just before we went into camp. I was the reason that Luke would no longer put up with the gods.

"Shouldn't have what?" Annabeth yawned wiping the sleep from her eyes.

"Luke wouldn't have been this way if I hadn't been so stubborn. If I had just crossed that border with you guys, we could have gotten help, and I would have grown up with you guys. I would have stopped him." I hid my eyes not daring to look into those stormy grey eyes that could down size your confidence just that much more.

"He would have done this anyway. I know Luke. He wouldn't have stopped just because you didn't turn into a tree." A warm hand touched my back and I smiled as I looked back up at her. "We have a visitor." Annabeth was looking over my head at someone who had come onto the terrace.

"Sorry you guys." The boy was from the Apollo cabin and was frowning slightly. "I thought Percy would still be out here with Annabeth. Do you know where he is?"

"What's going on?" I demanded standing up to face him.

"There's someone who wishes to speak with Percy. Do you guys know where he is?" He asked looking around mindlessly.

"Who is it? I'll find him and tell him." I told him stepping closer. He seemed to get flustered with my close proximity.

"A Titan…" He responded. I nodded and took off inside the suite. I searched room after room. Aphrodite girls were gathering makeup they had picked up on their way back from the fight. All of it was waterproof and they were experimenting. I rolled my eyes and then continued to throw open doors. Silena Beauregard was sitting on a couch holding a picture of her lost love. I somewhere in the back of my mind registered the silver bracelet around her wrist, but I paid it no attention.

Finally, I opened the door to a large master suite. Percy had crashed on top of the comforter and was sound asleep. He said something like: "Rachel, no!" And, he fell silent again. I walked over and begun to shake him awake.

"Percy," I stopped his thrashing as he finally calmed down. "Come on. It's late afternoon. We've got visitors."

He sat up in the bed looking extremely tired. He seemed to sink down in the large comforter and looked far too comfortable. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and let out a heavy sigh that he probably wouldn't remember in the latter.

"Visitors?" He grumbled propping up his hands behind him to lean on.

I nodded grimly. "A Titan wants to see you, under a flag of truce. He has a message from Kronos."