Thank you, Cory Monteith for gifting me with your character of Melchior. I will never hear Spring Awakening without thinking of you. You were gone too soon, but may you rest in heaven.

Thanks to: Alexandra Jackson Rocks Hades, I Love Good Books, lileverlark, The Favorite of the Gods, and SummerSpirit18!

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Enjoy!

"In fifty years or so
It's gonna change, you know,
But, oh, it's heaven
Nowadays!"

~Nowadays, Chicago

Chapter Three: Boarding, Neighbors, and the Night Before

September 8th. The beginning of the end.

Walking through the same airport they did a week or so ago, the girls remembered strutting through it, ready for a new beginning, a new adventure. Most of all, they were ready to face it together.

Together is not the same concept it was two months ago.

….

The gate was C23.

They had just passed C18.

The six girls' walking had slowed drastically, trying to hold on to their last moments as the full-fledged six Daughters of Olympus.

Finally, they arrived in hell. Otherwise known as gate C23.

The girls sat down in those uncomfortable chairs and made small talk, somewhat like strangers. What could they talk about? School on Monday? Where to go out for dinner? Two of the girls won't be in their lives anymore. They'll be friends, but it won't be the same.

Soon, the conversation trails off, leaving the girls in uncomfortable silence.

"Flight 877 to Maine is now boarding, Zone A,"

Thalia and Katie were in Zone B.

The remaining Daughters of Olympus stood up and helped Thalia and Katie get their carry-ons together. For a few seconds they just stood there looking at each other, not sure what to say.

Piper decides to break the silence. "I guess this is it, then."

All of a sudden, the six girls launched themselves forward into each other. (Almost like that day in the eighth grade.)

Soft murmurs spread though the clump of girls embracing in the middle of an airport.

"I'll miss you more than anything," and "Call when you're off, you swear?" were mumbled and they stood there hugging, trying to memorize each other, the sparkle in each others' eyes, the specific live sound of their voices.

Before they knew it, the annoyingly perky flight attendant turned on the microphone and said the words that have been haunting them for the last week;

"Flight 877 is now boarding Zone B,"

With tears in Katie's eyes and an unconvincing smile on Thalia's face, the two boarded the plane.

Annabeth, Piper, Hazel, and Reyna stood frozen at the oversized window, watching the jet carrying their best friends float out of Manhattan.

Annabeth broke out of the daze first, and the others slowly broke out of it too and grabbed their bags, turned, and with heads held high, walked out of the airport.

…

Dionysus was waiting for the girls at the limo with his signature scowl on his face, but he didn't make any comment on Thalia or Katie to the other girls' pleasures.

Piling in the Hummer, the girls dropped their strong facades, leaning back on the mushy leather seats, exhausted.

Three girls gone, four to spare.

…

Lying at home, the four girls draped themselves on the long red leather couch and watched a happy episode of Doctor Who.

Even Annabeth started to feel a little bit better.

Until the doorbell rang.

…

After about thirty seconds of nudging and Reyna pushing Annabeth off the couch, Annabeth straightened up her hair and peeked through the peephole.

Opening the door, a boy with wild black hair (he couldn't have bothered to brush his hair, could he?) and shockingly green eyes stood with a dumb grin on his face.

"I heard someone new moved in next door and I thought I'd come and say hi. I'm Percy Jackson." Percy looking sheepish, nervously rubbing the back of his neck.

It was nice not to be recognized. But Annabeth was in a really, really, bad mood.

"We've been in this pent for about a week and a half. I don't know if we're considered new, especially because we've lived here before." Annabeth snapped, a challenge evident in her voice.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Just trying to be nei-" Percy raised his arms in surrender, but interrupted himself. "You're Annabeth Chase," (So much for not being recognized,) "from the Daughters of Olympus. I always thought you'd be pretty down to earth, but I think I was wrong." Percy retorted, the harshness making Annabeth's eyes narrow.

"Did you just come over to insult me? Nice of you," and with that, Annabeth shut the door on Percy's angry face.

Yes, she felt a little guilty for bring harsh, but he was just as rude as she was. Typical jerk.

…

Walking back in the living room, she spotted Reyna, Piper, and Hazel's eyes glued to the Tenth Doctor but the moment the three heard Annabeth enter the room they burst into side-ripping laughter.

Annabeth just stood there with her hands on her hips.

They calmed down after five minutes Hazel, wiping the tears from her eyes said, "Well, you guys got off on the wrong page didn't you?" Which brought all of the girls into hysterics.

Catching her breath, Annabeth responded with, "He was being a snob! Don't blame me…"

…

The four girls forgot how much Sunday nights suck. The earlier bedtimes, the book bag packing, lying under the warm sheets- wide awake.

It hit all the girls while getting everything together, that the last first day of school they had had, Bianca was walking arm and arm with them into the school.

Bianca fogged all of their memories, and the four vowed to let go, no matter how long it took.

…

The memories from elementary and middle school flooded back to them. Picking out the special first day of school clothes, school supplies shopping at Wal-Mart and Target, and being on the phone for hours before bed making sure each others' outfits didn't look weird together.

Each of them closed their eyes, hoping to fall asleep fast so they didn't have to dwell on tomorrow.

…..

The vaguely familiar beep of the alarm clock shook each girl out of their haunting dreams of Bianca, and made them remember what today was.

The First Day of School. Wonderful.

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Rest in the arms of the angels, Cory Monteith.

~Daisy

Don't forget to R&R!