Hello, everyone! How are we doing today? Good? Good.

Okay, anyway, here is Chapter 16.

Let it commence.

Percy

We managed to find a bus station and get tickets for a bus to LA. Once we got our tickets we walked outside and boarded the bus. My chest was still slightly throbbing, but the bandage was working.

I couldn't stop seeing Annabeth's face in my mind when she pulled off my shirt. She was already blushing furiously, and when she found out that she had to take off my shirt, I thought she was going to keel over. It was slightly funny, but my ribs hurt and I felt embarrassed, too. I couldn't even take my freaking shirt off! And when she wrapped the bandage around me and her fingers brushed my back…I could just feel the goose bumps again. Her fingers were warm.

She got on the bus before me.

"Where should we sit?" she asked, looking around.

"I don't know, but dibs on the window seat!" I said quickly.

She pouted. "I wanted the window seat…"

"Sorry, dibs," I said.

She sighed. "Fine."

I tried to push past her in the aisle, but it was too small. She fell backwards into a seat and I grabbed her shoulders and pulled her back up. She tried to right herself with out my help, and it just caused her to slam into my ribs.

"Agh." I hissed through my teeth.

"Oh, my gods! I'm so sorry!" she said. "Maybe I'll give you some of the cracker."

"No," I grunted. "I'm fine. Just a little…bruised. What kind of elbows do you even have?"

"Stop whining and get your stupid window seat."

I tried to hide a grin and got a seat near the back.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Annabeth said, looking worried. "What if something bad happens? Like, another monster?"

I looked around. "There's an emergency exit door in the back. We can book it out of there."

She nodded, her eyebrows still scrunched together, and sat down next to me.

Man, she looked cute when she was worried.

What the heck? Where did that come from? Get a grip.

The doors closed and the bus lurched forward. There weren't that many people on the bus, so I was able to put my seat back and lean against the window. I yawned hugely.

"You know, it's a long drive to LA, so I'm just gonna…" I mumbled.

"Go to sleep, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth said, smirking at me.

"But what if you want someone to talk to?"

"Trust me, your conversation gets boring after a while. Just go to sleep. I'll be fine."

"If you insist," I said, closing my eyes.

The last thing I saw before sleep took over was her rolling her eyes before leaning forward to the seat in front of us, resting her head on it.

Her hair's really pretty, I thought drowsily.

I stood at a beach, facing the water. It lapped gently onto the shore, and I could feel the ocean's power from where I stood. It was nighttime.

I heard singing behind me. I turned and saw firelight flickering through the trees. Curious, I started to walk forward, but then I heard someone behind me.

It was a man. He had black hair and beard, and was wearing a printed Hawaiian shirt with khaki Bermuda shorts. He had a hat on with fishing lures that said NEPTUNE'S LUCKY FISHING HAT. He was barefooted.

He smiled at me. "Ignorance is sometimes a blessing, is it not?" He gestured to the trees to where the singing was coming from. "They know not to what has happened to you and your friends."

"Who are you?" I asked. "Where am I?"

He just remained smiling. "I think you already know the answer to one of your questions."

"You're…my father, Poseidon."

He walked towards me and put an arm around my shoulders. "Walk with me? I don't have long before Zeus finds out."

We started to walk along the beach, leaving behind the singing and the firelight.

"I'm here to give you advice, and a gift," Poseidon said, staring off at the ocean. "It's incredible how events can turn in the opposite direction. I'll admit, I did not see all of this coming. A large wave can be the beginning of a storm, Percy."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You're memory loss. It was lurking in the shadows, hiding. The plan was well concealed. Even us gods did not see it."

"Is that your advice? About the ocean?"

"Partially. The other…is uncomfortable to talk about. You are near something great. Something that can make you a better person. Don't let it get away. It could become lost forever if you don't understand and make the move. You've made a great choice, Percy. Even if other's don't approve."

"I don't understand," I said, confused.

He chuckled. "I think you do. You're smarter than you look."

"Thanks—I, hey!"

He let out a laugh and the ocean surged. "You're smart, Percy. Very smart. And now for the gift."

He bent over and picked up a small drawstring bag in the sand. He placed it in my hands.

"You will need this for later. I think you'll know when."

"Why are you telling me stuff that you think I already know?" I asked, feeling slightly frustrated.

He chuckled again. "Sometimes people just need a slight…push, in the right direction. I'm here to give you that, even if it is vague hints."

"Well, thanks," I said, slightly sarcastic.

"So much like you're mother," Poseidon murmured. Thunder suddenly rumbled across the sky. "I've been here too long. Remember what I've said."

He patted me on the back and walked backwards into the ocean and seemed to melt away into the water, leaving me standing alone on the beach, holding the bag, and feeling more confused than ever.

I woke up blearily, rubbing my eyes. Something smacked in me in the eye, and after letting out a curse, squinted in the faint light to see what it was. It was a string from a bag. The same green drawstring bag in my dream.

Huh. Weird.

It was dark outside, and lights flickered on inside the bus. My cheek was pressed against the cool glass, and I unstuck it, rubbing it to get warmth.

I looked around, and realized something.

Annabeth was using me as a pillow.

Her head was in my lap, and she had twined her arms around my legs. After getting over the general shock, it was kind of nice. Her legs stuck out in the aisle, and her shirt was slightly riding up. I gently pulled it down and she rolled over so her face was pressed against my stomach and she tucked her arms in between us.

Her hair fell into her face and I brushed it away. People always looked so peaceful when they were asleep, including Annabeth, no matter how much she acted like she thought I was an idiot.

Annabeth was beautiful, including the small string of drool that was coming out of her mouth and onto my shirt.

She ran her tongue over her lips, and realizing that she was waking up, I leaned against the window and pretended to be asleep again. I didn't want her to know that I was watching her. I cracked my eyes open a sliver, just to see what she was doing.

She rubbed her eyes, and sat up, her hair everywhere. She looked around blearily, and then noticed what she had done. Her cheeks went slightly pink, but she brushed her hair in a ponytail.

Annabeth looked at me, and satisfied that I was 'asleep', she leaned forward in her seat and looked me over. Here eyes settled on my shirt and the spot of drool she left behind.

She clapped a hand to her mouth. "Oh, gods."

I decided to 'wake up'. I shifted around in my seat and sat up, rubbing my eyes. I looked around and saw her staring at me.

"Good morning," I said.

"Er, hi," she said, still pink.

"What, is there something on my face?" I asked, pretending to be confused. I looked around and then saw the spot of drool on my shirt.

"Did you drool on me? Wait, wait, so that means that you were using me as a pillow!"

She tried to look annoyed. "Everyone drools, Seaweed Brain."

"Yeah, you're right," I agreed. "But I don't drool on people."

She punched me in the arm and I pretended to get hurt. "Ah! That hit my ribs!"

Color drained from her face. "Oh, my gods! I'm so sorry! Here, I'll get you some—"

I lost my composure and I started laughing. "That was too easy!" I said between laughs.

"You're dead, Percy Jackson," she said, eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, and what are you going to do?"

Annabeth leaned toward me, but before she could do anything I remembered something.

"I had a weird dream," I said, holding up my hands to protect myself.

"A dream. You think that can distract me from—"

"No, I'm serious. My dad was in it."

"You're dad?" she asked, moving back to her seat.

"Yeah, he gave me something," I said, pulling out the bag from the backpack.

"Where did you get that?" she asked, taking the bag from me.

"I just told you, my dad gave it to me."

"No, that's not possible. How can he give you something in a dream and then you have it in reality?"

I shrugged. "Well, he is a god."

"I guess…" Annabeth said, turning it over in her hands. "Have you opened it?"

"No, not yet. I just remembered I had it."

She tugged at the strings and the bag fell open. Inside were tons of these weird gold coins.

"Coins?" she asked, pulling one out to examine.

"He said we'd need it soon. I don't know what for, though."

"Huh," she said, putting it back. She tightened the strings and handed it back to me. "I'd be careful with something like that. If it really is from your dad, it has to be important."

I was about to answer when a voice crackled over the intercom. "Everyone, we've made it to LA. Thanks for traveling with us," the driver said. He pulled into a parking lot and everyone stood up.

"Well, here we are," I said. "Let's find the Underworld."

Huzzah for long chapters! They're the best.

I don't really have anything to say. Eh, eh, eh...there's nothing else I can say.

Sorry about that. Quoting Lady GaGa is a personal low. I apologize.

I'll see you guys soon with a new chapter!

Oh, and I wanted to say thank you to Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm569 (did I get enough 'm's? ;) for the nice review that you gave me both on Missing and Forgotten. You're so awesome :)

Oh, and their username really doesn't have that many m's. I was just doing that to be stupid.

Review for lame flirting in the story!

OKAY BYE.