A/N: This is a bit of a fluffy chapter, but it had to happen for many reasons. For the Apollo/Addie fans, you will enjoy this :).

I'm sorry I didn't get this posted last night. I'm already into the next chapter, so expect at least one more update today!

Addie's POV

Zeus had dismissed me, and I walked in a daze back to my apartment.

My brain was swollen with new information, and I just wanted to go to sleep. It was just too much to deal with. I needed to break it down.

I checked on my armor, which Athena had sent to be fixed. It was sitting in my weapons chest, shined and ready to go. It was a good thing because I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to need it.

I spent the next few hours stocking up on potions. I made more, and summoned some nectar and ambrosia. While I worked, I had time to think.

I kept repeating the words that Rachel and Apollo had told me in my head.

Everything will be set right…It will be as it should have been…

What in the world did that mean? I was obviously missing something. Maybe this had to do with Percy and the others. Maybe she meant that the giants would all be defeated, as they were in the old days.

Go on the boat.

Now, I was going on the Argo II. Was that the boat to which she was referring?

You have to meet Death for the seven to succeed.

This is the line that bothered me the most. With Apollo's prophecy, that did not bode well. Apparently, I was going to meet and "have an encounter" with Death. To me, that sounded like I was going to die. In my two thousand years, I had never met Thantos, but for some reason, I highly doubted our encounter would consist of him inviting me over for tea and cookies.

I had never been scared of dying. I guess I was more frightened of what came after. I would most likely get sent to the fields of punishment. Spending forever there did not sound appealing for anyone, let alone me. I knew Tiberius and the others were in either Elysium or the fields of Asphodel. I was not looking forward to having them be so close and never getting to see them. Knowing Ares, my punishment could be anything from watching them forever and never being able to see them to endlessly fighting a monster. The gods could be pretty creative, and I did not put anything past them.

The path you travelled before, it must be taken again.

I had traveled many paths over my lifetime, but I had a sinking feeling in my stomach. I was pretty sure I knew what this line meant. The Argo II was in Greece, and there was only one path I had ever traveled in the home country. I would have to follow the path that we took to Athens. That was the last quest I had been on that was issued by an Oracle, and that quest was never finished. We never made it there. My past was coming back to haunt me. How convenient that the same quest that my brother, husband, and friends left on two thousand years ago had to be taken again. It was a sick twist of fate, but I just knew that was it.

The last line of Apollo's prophecy bothered me as well: become immortal with a final breath. I was already immortal, to speak. I was ageless. How could I become more immortal? There was no way I was ever becoming a god. They would never allow that to happen. Maybe it meant I would finally do something to be remembered by in a good way. Maybe it was not talking about me, and I was just self-absorbed. My head just hurt with the thoughts running through my head.

I sat down on the bench in front of my window, gazing down at the city below. The cars were so small from up here. Looking down at the tiny masses below, it should make me feel powerful and big. I did not feel any of those things. I felt small and helpless. Reyna's face kept popping into my head, calling me a traitor.

I hated being around Romans. It reminded me of everything that had gone wrong, and it just made me feel worse about myself. What would the Roman kids on this quest think of me? Probably the same thing every other one I had ever met thought.

As part of my curse, the Roman demigods always thought I was a traitor. Since my brother and I opposed the gods, we would have that mark forever. I cannot really explain how it works. It was like they were just wary or me, and no matter what I said or did, they did not trust me. I had met Reyna once before, at the battle with the Titans on Mount Orthys. She just assumed I was with the Titan army, and when I tried to explain it to her, she would not let me. Bellona had probably said something, but it was okay, I guess. There was nothing I could do about it. I just tried to help them without them noticing me.

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. I was exhausted from everything that had happened today. Mentally and physically I was just overwhelmed….

"Euadne, come here."

I walked over to Mars, who gestured for me to follow him. I was numb to everything. Tiberius was gone. Orion was gone. Magnus, Des, Philo, and Amadeus…I was alone. I would be alone until the day of my death.

And I would be alone even then.

I stared at the floor, not really paying attention to where I was going. I just followed Mars, my heart racing in my chest. He opened a door, waiting for me to walk in. I did as he instructed and stood in the middle of a room. It looked like a standard chamber, but I could not see the details. Everything was so blurry for some reason.

I heard the door shut, and I closed my eyes. I just wanted to disappear. Death would have been better. Anything would have been better than this. Because I knew what was coming, and there was absolutely nothing I could do to stop it.

Mars placed his hands on my shoulders. I flinched away instinctively, but his grip tightened.

"Do not move," he commanded.

I tried to loosen his grip and pain exploded in my head. It was so sudden and harsh, like a hot needle ramming itself into my head. Mars's grip on me tightened further, and I stopped. The pain vanished as soon as I stopped moving.

I felt him lean into me, his breath tickling my neck and ear from behind. One of his arms wrapped around my waist, while the other brushed the strap of my toga on my shoulder.

"What did I tell you, Euadne?"

I could not cry anymore. I had cried all that I could when I was alone. Now, just empty sorrow engulfed me.

"Tell me!"

"That I-I could n-not say no forever, L-lord Mars," I whispered quietly.

"And now," he said as he brushed his lips against the skin of my neck, "you cannot say no to me at all."

Fear coursed through my veins, and I prayed for someone, anyone to save me from what was about to happen. A bright light filled my vision, blocking out everything. Warmth flooded my system, and for the first time, I felt peace….

I blinked furiously, my eyes adjusting from their sleepy state. Something held me, a pair of strong arms accompanied by an outdoorsy smell.

Apollo gently put me down in my bed, and I caught his gaze with my own.

"I was trying not to wake you," he whispered to me. "You fell asleep by the window," he explained. He pulled my blanket up around me, brushing my cheek with his fingers.

"I was tired," I admitted to him. "I may have overdone myself today." I could still feel Mars's hands on me from the dream. I was shaking, and I could not stop.

"I'd imagine so. Oracles tend to do that to people," he said. He paused and looked at me in concern. "Are you cold?"

I shook my head. "No, just a bad dream."

"Want to tell me about it?"

I shook my head again, closing my eyes. I took a deep breath and told myself to get a grip. He was not here, and I was fine. I opened my eyes and focused on Apollo.

Our eyes locked for a second, and for some reason, I did not want him to go anywhere. I needed him to help me forget. I made room on my bed, looking up at him hopefully, and he smiled and climbed in with me. Apollo wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to him. The warmth was wonderful, and I sighed in contentment. All those negative thoughts from before and the dream seemed to drift away when I was around him. He made me forget, even if it was just a few precious minutes.

"Are you frightened?" he asked. "Of what my Oracle said?"

I looked into his eyes and nodded my head. It was the truth. I could not deny that I was scared.

"I don't want you to be scared. You of all people know how Oracles and prophecies work. It can have multiple meanings. It is usually not the thing that you think it is." He sounded liked he was trying to convince himself more than me. I just nodded my head again, looking down. Apollo had on a soft, navy blue t-shirt, my favorite color.

"Zeus is going to give you more orders in the morning. Basically, he is going to tell you that you are not to do their tasks for them and to only help when needed. He says you are to stay with them at all times, that you are not go anywhere on your own."

"I figured as much," I sighed. I'd take it. This was more freedom than I had in years.

"There is going to be a lot of danger and fighting on this quest."

I tiled my head, just enough so that he would know I heard him.

"Addie?"

I looked up, and his lips brushed mine. It was not rushed or heated. Well, it was warm, and it did make my blood boil in a very good way. It was more comforting than anything, like he was trying to assure me of something. Exactly what, I did not know. I was just enjoying the moment, and I liked having someone who cared, even if I was not sure of the extent. He pulled back, his eyes earnest and pleading.

"I don't want you to die."

"I don't want that either," I assured him.

"You have to promise me that you will do everything you can to come back. At the end of this, when Gaia is defeated, I want you back safe and sound. You have to find a way back to me, no matter what. That is order," he said firmly. His hand was on my neck, his thumb stroking my jaw line.

"I promise," I whispered to him.

Apollo pulled me to him, his hand tracing my back. It was so easy to forget with him. It was easy to forget that I had no free will, that I had been miserable. With him, I felt more than amity, I felt like he truly cared. I hoped I was right, and that this was not a cosmic joke. Slowly, I fell back asleep, wrapped in the comfort of his embrace.

When I awoke, Apollo was gone. My hand reached for him instinctively, but all I felt was the soft cotton of a pillow. His body, which I am decently sure my head had rested on most of the night, had been replaced with a pillow, and I clung to it instead of him. I'll admit I was a little disappointed. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I looked to my nightstand, and a piece of golden paper caught my eye. I reached over and picked it up. The paper was warm, like it had been lying in the sun for hours. I ripped open the seal and began to read the unfamiliar handwriting.

I'm sorry I wasn't here when you woke up. Father was calling me. I'll see you tonight.

Come to me in my dreams, and then
By day I shall be well again!
For so the night will more than pay
The hopeless longing of the day.

I could not help but blush furiously, and a huge grin erupted on my face. My heart was racing, and I just wanted to scream in joy. I had not felt this giddy and content since Tiberius was alive. I carefully folded the note back up, and set it on the nightstand. I did not know what was happening between us, but I was glad, infinitely glad.

I got ready, changing into my standard mission clothes. I put on a pair of skinny blue jeans, my boots, and tank top. I put my vest armor on over than and concealed it with a grey v-neck t-shirt. Now, I just had to choose my weapons. My bangles were on my wrists, and I slung my sword across my back. I debated on grabbing my bow. It was a gift from Artemis, and it was similar to the bows the Hunters used. It would blink in and out of existence from the quiver, and it could not hurt to take it, so I slung it across my back as well. I grabbed a spare backpack, sticking two changes of clothes and some potions in there.

I felt the call from Zeus in the back of my head. I stuck the note Apollo left in my pocket and headed out the door towards the throne room.

I was scared, but maybe Apollo was right. I could not spend my time and energy worrying about what Rachel had said.

After all, if the fates will it, it will happen.

Yay! The building chapters are for the most part over! Whoot whoot! Next chapter some drama/action starts up :D.

The lines Apollo writes Addie are from a poem called Longing by Matthew Arnold. :)

Please review and tell me what you think!