A/N: Hey guys! Sorry its been a few days! I will finish responding to reviews after I get this posted. There is a surprise waiting for you guys down at the bottom! Two actually. ;)

You guys are flipping awesome, and I cried tears of happiness over the last reviews. I was feeling down about my writing, and you guys sure know how to boost my spirits. ILY GUYS! :D

The measure of a man is what he does with power.

Plato

-Percy-

I went downstairs to check on Addie, fully expecting for the shield to still be up. To my surprise, it wasn't. I ran down, looking in the every stall, but she was nowhere to be found.

I've never been a huge fan of the god's antics, and I have to admit, the looks on their faces after Addie left was priceless. Their faces ranged from shock, anger, guilt, to grudging admiration. I was kind of disappointed only Jason, Annabeth, and me were there to see it. Nico had made it out with Hazel just before everything went to Hades, so he missed the big show. We tried to find out what was going on, but that was like pulling teeth. Zeus simply picked up the key, stuck it in his suit pocket, and told us to get back to our ship. It was that, or he'd blast us. He was such a nice guy. He and the others vanished, but Apollo and Athena lingered for a moment. Apollo met my gaze, while Annabeth looked questioningly at her mom. Instead of giving us an answer about what was going on, they both just looked at each other and vanished after the others. I know the gods had an easier time keeping themselves from going all bi-polar and stuff on us, but to me, they still seemed to be what they normally were: annoying, unhelpful, and relatively non-existent.

I knew Addie had orders to stay around the ship, so my first instinct told me that is where she had gone. The minute I couldn't get past the stairway to the stables, I knew that's where she was. Even with Annabeth and Leo's help, she wouldn't let us in. With what Addie had explained things to Zeus and from what we had pieced together, Annabeth and I had a decent idea of what was had happened. Still, I felt like there were a couple of things missing. What had the gods lied to Addie about that would want to make her join Gaia? It felt important somehow, but I couldn't figure out how. We shared what had happened with the others, but no one had any insight. The only way we were going to get answers was going to be from Addie, and she was blocking us out.

I marched dejectedly up the stairs, back to the dining room. Everyone was eating breakfast, sitting around the table. Annabeth looked up at me, but I shook my head.

"She's not down there anymore." I sat down beside Annabeth, reaching for a doughnut. She just pushed what was left of her eggs around her plate, sighing.

"Probably got ordered somewhere, I hope she's not in trouble," she noted worriedly.

"I doubt it," Nico said from across the table. "Euadne seems particularly apt at staying out of trouble."

"I get in a lot more trouble than you think. That's only on a good day," said a familiar voice from the doorway.

Addie leaned against the opening, a small smile on her face. Her eyes seemed a lot brighter than the last time I had seen her. She looked happier. Obviously, something had substantially improved her mood. There was something about the way she held herself, like she was still angry but trying to get over it. It was the happiest I had seen her since I had met her. She walked into the room, and we all stared open-mouthed at her. She sat across from me, right beside Leo. She reached for a cinnamon roll, her eyes closing as she swallowed the bite.

"Oh my gods, I am starving," she groaned as she took another bite. "And this is so good!"

I think she realized everyone was staring at her, and she gave us all a weird look.

"Something wrong?"

"You seem….cheerful," Leo surmised.

"Overly cheerful," I added.

"The gods didn't kill you for insubordination?"

Our gazes turned to Frank, who looked astounded that Addie was sitting at the same table he was.

"What? I was just asking what most of us are thinking!" he retorted. She swallowed the bite in her mouth, a careful blank mask now on her face.

"I've had a good morning," she explained, a smile touching her lips. "And no, they haven't killed me yet. My death is inevitable, but I think I'm safe from them for now," she added as she popped the last bite in her mouth.

"Inevitable," Jason repeated, his tone deadpanned. "Uh, huh."

"I'm actually surprised I haven't heard anything from them. They've had enough time at this point to figure out what to do with me. I haven't been punished which means one of two things: either they are going to ignore it because I helped them, or they are going to make sure I die. With the whole prophecy thing, I'm leaning towards option one, that they are choosing to ignore it. If they want me dead, they think that will happen soon anyways. But hey, who knows?" Addie made an apple appear in her hands, and she began to nibble on it. "They do surprise me sometimes."

My head started to hurt I was so confused. Nothing made sense, and I was so desperate for something to come clear.

"Addie, what the hell is going on? We know what you told Zeus, but I'm really confused. Your brother is dead, or at least, he was. Is he working with Gaia? Is that why the gods thought that you were too?"

"Not all of them thought that," she mumbled. I gave her a pointed look, but she stared at the table. I cleared my throat expectantly. She groaned and looked at me, then at the rest of those sitting at the table. Some of that sadness that was lurking underneath had come back. It wasn't something that I thought anyone could get over in a day. Addie was trying to keep it covered though. "I guess it's all out in the open now, isn't it? No use in hiding it anymore."

"You can trust us Addie," Piper said, assurance in her voice. She took Addie's hand in her own, and I saw Addie tense for just a moment in surprise and then relax. Piper probably let some charmspeak ease into it. Addie looked at me, and I nodded my head.

She began to explain everything. This time, it seemed like she didn't leave anything out. She talked about her past, the same story that she told Annabeth and me in Tartarus. She talked about what happened, how her brother had come back, hoping she would seek revenge with them. Gaia had wanted her to get the key, so that she could take down the Olympians with more ease, and how she used that information to get a hold of it. She said that some of the gods came to her, and how things were explained and an apology was given. She didn't say the name out loud or go into details, but I knew it had to be Apollo. Her lips turned up into the ghost of a smile when she spoke about that.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the key before we went to get it. I wanted to leave my brother out of it, to try to get in and get out before everything caught up to me. None of you got hurt, right?"

We all shook our heads.

"Your brother seems like a douche," Nico stated. "OW!" Hazel hit him in the arm, rolling her eyes.

"My brother is not a bad person. He's just angry. I mean, wouldn't you be? My brother has always been pretty rash. He acts before he thinks."

"Reminds me of someone else I know," Annabeth noted, pointing at me when I couldn't see. I turned to her, disbelief on my face.

"Hey!" I protested. Annabeth just stuck her tongue out at me.

"At least you don't have a temper like my brother. You never wanted to see Orion mad, kind of inherited that from my father's Roman side."

"Neptune never had that good of a rep with us," Jason admitted. "We always feared the seas."

"And for good reason. This isn't my brother's fault. Gaia talked him into this. He's doing this just as much for me as he is for himself. I have to get him out of there. He deserves a life and forgiveness. It's my fault he's stuck in the middle of all of this."

"It's not your fault, Addie," Annabeth told her. Addie just shook her head.

"Maybe, but he is my brother. And even if he hates me, I still have to try to save him."

It was silent for a beat while we all thought about her words.

"Why did you do it?" Nico asked. Addie looked up at him, confused. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the world isn't ending yet, but honestly, I would have wanted to."

"Part of me did," she admitted quietly. "Gaia showed me some things, showed me what I could be capable of, and it frightened me. My mortal father, Marcus, used to teach Ry and me, preparing us for a life in the Senate. He told us that to be demigods meant that we had a responsibility to the people, to serve in their best interests with respect to the gods. We could bridge the gap. There was a quote by Plato he always told us: The measure of a man is what he does with power. True character and strength are found in restraint, not in a show of power. Sure, I could have gotten revenge, but a lot more would have been lost in the process. Speaking of, I'm sorry, Nico. I truly am. I was only trying to do what was best, and there could have been other ways to handle it."

Nico stared at her, and then got up and walked around to where she was sitting. He held out his hand to her. "I may have misjudged you. Truce?" Addie took his hand, nodding in agreement.

"You know what that story of you and your brother remind me of? Thor and Loki," Leo hypothesized. "You are Thor, and he's Loki! He's not all bad, he just acts like it." Addie started chuckling, shaking her head.

"They might get angry, hearing you say that! I thought I was Black Widow?"

"Okay, then your brother is Hawkeye, and he's just being controlled."

"I am so confused," Hazel said.

We all laughed for a moment. It was funny how detached from the current world you became when you were a demigod. Super hero movies and fads didn't mean much when you had the world to save. That's exactly what Addie had done. I knew that this fight was far from over. In three days was the Feast of Spes, the day Gaia would rise. We were going to need all the help we could get, and I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page.

"Addie," I interjected. Everyone went silent. "I'm sorry for doubting you." She opened her mouth to protest, but I silenced her with a look. "I know I already said it, but I wanted to say it again. I know that there are rumors about you, and I know they are not true. You are not a traitor, and I never should have doubted you. I did the same thing to you they did, and I'm sorry for that."

"Me, too," Annabeth admitted. "We're your friends, Addie, and friends have each other's backs."

"You are most definitely not a traitor. I'd fight beside you any day," Jason told her. The rest gave their assent, and Addie smiled.

"Thank you," she murmured. It was quiet for a few minutes, and then Annabeth slammed her fist against the table.

"That's it!"

"What's it?" Piper asked.

"The truth revealed! What if this has something to do with the prophecy?" she responded excitedly.

"Wait, you found the books?" Addie asked. Annabeth launched into the tale, telling her the last words from Ella's prophecy.

"We need to get that book somewhere safe. It doesn't need to get into the wrong hands, and I know the perfect person to give it to."

"Apollo?" I suggested, smiling. Addie gave me a look, one that I could pretty much interpret as a shut up look.

"So what happens now?" Frank asked.

"We need to find out where Gaia's army is at," Addie concluded. "My brother took me there when Gaia spoke to me. All I know is that they are in Greece somewhere. I don't think it's going to happen near Mt. Olympus."

"Why not?" Nico asked.

"Because Olympus may have been the home of the gods, but-"

"Athens was the heart. Athens was the capital of ancient Greece. Oh my gods, it going to happen here," Annabeth gasped. "There are only ten of us, how are we going to fight an army?"

"We have the ghost army," Nico pointed out. "That should help out. Plus, there's not really any point, if the gods don't help us."

"Oh, they will," Addie assured him bitterly. "That's one thing they are really good at, protecting their thrones."

"All right, then let's get a group together. Some of us can stay here and get the ship ready, and the others can go scouting," Jason commanded.

We broke off into groups. Annabeth, Nico, Jason, Piper, and I would go looking for the army. Frank, Leo, Addie, Hazel, and Hedge would stay on the ship, getting it outfitted for war.

We all split up to get ready, but I stayed behind, wanting to talk to Addie alone. She was rubbing her forehead, while finishing her apple. I had noticed something earlier when her head had moved, and a little anger and curiosity rose in me.

"Are you being summoned?"

"Yes, but it's just when I am free. It should be a quick run, so I have a minute to spare," she said off-handedly. "What's up?"

"Where did you go last night?"

I probably sounded like an overly protective brother, but hey, isn't that what brothers are supposed to do? Addie's cheeks blushed furiously, and my suspicions were all but confirmed.

"Were you with Apollo?"

"No."

"Oh really?"

"Really," she responded smugly.

"Oh, so I'm guessing that's a bruise from the fight on your neck?"

"Excuse me?"

I pointed to a spot on the left side of her neck, just underneath her ear. Her hair covered it until she tiled her head just right. I don't even know how I noticed it, but I did. Her expression remained calm, but she blushed even darker. I may have not known Addie long, but she was still my sister, and I didn't like the idea of anyone taking advantage of her. Her blush was all the confirmation I needed.

"If he's taking advantage of you, I swear on the Styx-"

"Percy-"

"Friends are fine, but you of all people should know better-"

"Percy-"

"And if he's making you-"

"PERCY!"

"What?"

"I appreciate your concern, but I know what I'm doing! I am a big girl! And no, he didn't command me to do anything," she whispered furiously.

"So are you, like dating him?" I choked out incredulously. "Because it's not good to just-" She made a squeaking sound, covering my mouth with her hand. Part of me thought this was funny. The other part of me wanted to beat the living daylights out of the god of the sun for making out with my sister. Or gods, what if…

"Will you be quiet!?" she moaned. I looked determinedly back at her. She wasn't getting away with not answering me so easily. She backed me into the wall, her glare keeping me silent.

"hmm-hum-huh-hum?" I said through her hand.

"What?" She removed her hand, looking around to make sure no one was in the room.

"Do you like him?" I uttered again. "Like really like him?"

"Yes," she ground through her teeth.

"And is he treated you like you should be treated?" Addie nodded her head, making her exasperation evident. "Good, he better be, or I'll-"

"You will do nothing, Perseus Jackson! This is a secret, so you can't tell anyone, understand me? Not even Annabeth." I nodded my head, but her grip on me tightened.

"Swear it on the Styx!"

"I swear on the Styx that I won't say anything to anyone about your love life," I vowed.

"Thank you."

She pulled me into a quick hug, kissing me quickly on the cheek, and left the cafeteria. Ten drachma she was going to heal it.

Kind of a building/ funny/ fluffy chapter, but I really hoped you enjoyed it! Please excuse all the typos. I was in a hurry, so I know I missed something.

NOW TO YOUR CHRISTMAS SURPRISES! :D

1. So, with Apollo and Addie in the last chapter, in my head, it went further than where I left it. I left it at that because this is rated T, and I normally do not write smut. I wanted to leave it up to the readers imagination as to what continued. I wrote a continuance of that chapter for what happened between them in my head. It is a little smutty, but I don't go into vivid detail. My friend just said it was hot, and she laughed when I called it classy smut. Its probably crappy, but if you are interested, it will be posted shortly after this as a one shot! :D

2. If you go to my tumblr (link is in my profile), and look under the "My Writing" tab/tag, you will see some casts of what I picture Apollo, Addie, and Orion looking like (Orion will be posted shortly)! These were as close as I could get to what I had in my head. You can look even if you don't have a Tumblr account.

3. The next short will be the first time Addie and Nico meet, which should be ready by Christmas!

That is all.

PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW! :D