The Child of Time: Untamed

by Percyjacksonfan16

After being thrown into modern world, Thalia has to work with Percy Jackson, a stabworthy son of Kronos in order to save a goddess. And thanks to some bizarre connection, their lives are tied together. Against all odds, she falls for Percy. Hard. There's only a few minor problems: his mom is stuck in Tartarus & a sworn maiden catches his attention. Then again, that's minor. Book #3

5. Chapter 5

A/N- Alright, it's 2 am in the morning where I'm at and I've spent days writing this chapter. Hence, why I couldn't get it up last week. First off, I would wait until tomorrow to post it but I'm going out and will probably be gone all day so I figured I'd post it now. Second off, this chapter is 16k+ words. I know, it's alot. This is the longest chapter I've written and I wanted to split it but because it takes time over a period of three months, I wanted to leave it as one whole chapter. When the chapter starts getting into the months, please note that these are specific scenes from that month. I didn't describe everyday of that month in chronological order so it may seem jumpy. Happy reading and settle down, you're going to be here for a while if you read this in one sitting.

---

I'd never been more eager to get to Ancient Greek in my life. How the hell did Percy know I was that sick? The dream I had about the lake couldn't have been real. No way. If it was...I was going to...I didn't know what I'd do, but I was sure my flaming cheeks would be involved.

Silena was the first to arrive. "Yay! You're back! How are you feeling? Better?"

"Yeah, I'm doing okay." My eyes darted to the door as it opened. It was Annabeth.

She waved to me as she passed, smiling. "I'm glad you're doing better. We were all worried. Every time I checked in on you, you were mumbling, calling out for someone."

Oh, no. "I did?"

Silena giggled. "You did."

Taking pity on me, Annabeth kept her voice low. "You were calling out for Percy."

I dropped my face in my hands and moaned. "Oh, God."

Silena giggled again. "It was kind of cute."

"So the lake thing...it wasn't a dream?" I said through muffled hands.

Annabeth cringed. "No, that was real. Percy got Lee and me after he took you to the infirmary. I was the one to place you in dry clothes, by the way."

I laughed. "I was hoping that was you."

"Although he did volunteer for the job," she said, her eyes rolling. "Percy is so helpful."

Wanting to get my mind off the son of Kronos and Poseidon, I changed the subject. "So when are we heading to Westoverhall?"

"We can go late this evening, if you're feeling better."

"Yeah, sure." I agreed. "I'm one percent a-okay."

"That's good to hear." Annabeth smiled at me before turning to talk to Lee.

A minute before the bell rang, I felt an all-too-familiar warmth on my neck and glanced up. Percy swaggered into class. Textbook-less as usual. He had a notebook, but I don't think he ever wrote anything in it.

He passed by without so much as a glance.

I twisted around in my chair. "I need to talk to you."

He slid into his desk chair. "Okay."

"How did you know I was sick in the middle of the night?"

Percy stared at me for a moment. "You don't remember?"

"No. Not really."

"Well, it was probably the fever. You were burning up."

My eyes snapped back to his. "You touched me?"

"Yes, I touched you...and you weren't a lot of clothes." The smug stretch of his lips spread. "And you were soaked...in a white T-shirt. Nice look. Very nice."

Heat crept over my cheeks. "So did I go swimming in the lake?"

Percy leaned forward, which put him in the same breathing space as me. "You did. Not something I expected to see on a Monday night, but I'm not complaining. I saw a lot."

"Shut up," I hissed. He threw at sexy smirk at me and I made a face, turning back to the front of the room. After class ended, I managed to get through the rest of the day and get to my cabin to pack. After packing, I dragged my duffel bag down Half Blood hill, toward the van.

Lee was already there, along with Argus, the one hundred eyed security guard and driver.

"Hey, Thalia," The son of Apollo pointed to my bag. "Want me to get that for you?"

"Sure." I handed him the bag and he took it gingerly. "Thanks."

Lee grunted as he closed the trunk. "No problem."

"Oh, Annabeth's coming-she just forgot something." He explained. "Percy should be here any moment."

"I don't suppose we could just leave him?"

As Lee laughed, I saw a flash of blonde hair coming down the hill.

Annabeth waved at Argus, who gave a nod in response, then turned to us. "Found the book." She stated, holding up a small, dusty leather bound book.

"What's that?" I asked, it had no title.

"An ancient book of illnesses, spells, and potions." The daughter of Athena answered. "I was thinking that your high fever and sickness might be a result of your power decline but there's nothing matching your symptoms in here. It must've been the flu. Figured I'd bring anyway-for light reading."

"Actually, I think my powers are back now." I waved my hand and the winds picked up, the sky turning slightly dark. "Maybe the fever helped bring it to the surface."

"Maybe." Lee agreed.

"Let's hope so." Percy strolled down the hill, a backpack in hand. As my face soured at his arrival, Percy jerked his head toward the van. "Shall we?"

We all got in the van, taking up the four backseats. Lee sat on the far right, Annabeth and I occupied the middle, and Percy sat on the left. I wasn't too fond of the seating, though.

After we were well on our way, I frowned. "Hey Annabeth?" I asked. "Did you say that book also had spells in it?"

"Yeah, all sorts. Anything from incantations to simple spells-I got it from the Hecate kids."

"Well, I had this dream-"

"Did you, Martin Luther King Jr?"

"Shut up, Percy." Annabeth hissed before turning to me. "Go on."

I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore Percy's intense stare. "I had this dream of these three old women, and they were knitting. Then, one of them looked at me and said something then the other two joined in." I repeated the line which caused Annabeth's face to pale.

"The Fates." She said, opening the book and flipping through it. "This is not good, Thalia. Not good, at all. Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"I didn't think of it till now." I frowned. "What do you mean not good-they're just old ladies, right?"

"The fates are three white-robed personifications of destiny in Greek mythology. They control the metaphorical thread of life for every living thing from birth to death." Lee explained. "Did they cut the thread?"

"I...I can't remember but I didn't see any scissors."

"Find anything, Annabeth?" Percy asked.

"Unfortunately," Annabeth's face looked grim. "Lee, you said her symptoms were a high fever, nausea, confusion, and extreme heat?"

"That's right." Lee nodded, glancing at the book. Right then, his face paled as well.

"Well?" I asked, getting worried.

"The Fates cast a binding spell over you," Annabeth said. "It links you and someone else together. If you die, the other person dies as well."

"What?" I had to kept my voice down a notch to keep from yelling. "Why? Who am I bonded to?"

"I don't know why but it says that both people should be aware of each other's presences before they're even visible," Lee explained. "Have you felt like a tingling sensation or a sudden onset of heat whenever a particular person comes around?"

Percy's head whipped towards me and I-involuntarily-did the same.

"Shit." We both said together. I huffed, at least there was one thing we could agree on.

"You're bonded to Percy?" Annabeth said in disbelief, then rubbed her temples. "Two children of the Big Three bonded together-not good. Not good, at all."

"I can't believe this." I leaned back, shooting a distasteful look at Percy. "This blows."

"Gods, why did they tie me to you-the child of the prophecy?" He groaned. "It's like they want me dead."

"Excuse me?" I retorted, almost nose-to-nose with him. "That's a whole better than being tied to a reckless idiot, not to mention an assassin."

The daughter of Athena held up a hand. "Hold up, Percy has a good point. I don't think they want you dead-they want Thalia alive, so you can live to fulfill the prophecy."

"To increase those chances, they paired you together. You two are fighters, survivors." Lee added. "They want you alive, Thalia and binding you to Percy would only help that."

"Then why not bind me to a god or some other immortal being? They can't die."

"It can only work between two half bloods." Annabeth shut the book. "There's no way to end the connection, it will just have to fade on its own. I think it'll fade when you turn sixteen."

"When do you turn sixteen?" Percy looked as stressed as I felt.

"December 22nd," I counted on my fingers. "It's October now so...three months from now."

"Percy, when is yours?" Lee asked.

Percy looked grim. "December 23rd. You probably beat me by a few hours."

"Oh lucky me, I get to face the evil Titan Lord and possibly die. Can't wait."

Annabeth frowned. "I thought your birthday was in August."

Percy's chest rose slowly. "No, that's just canon."

We were all quiet for the rest of the drive. Annabeth fell asleep on Lee's shoulder, who was also out cold. Percy had brought his stupid pen with him.

"What's your deal with that thing, anyway?" I jerked my head toward the pen.

Percy blinked. "I kind of need it to survive, Thalia."

I shrugged, not understanding what he meant. Eventually, I felt the car come to a halt, parking.

"Wake up, lovebirds." I shook the two sleeping demigods while Percy got out of the car.

"Hmm?" Annabeth asked drowsily, stirring slightly.

"Up." I repeated. "We're here."

Lee opened his eyes but the were obscured by the mound of dark hair that fell on his face. He gently eased a sleepy Annabeth up, getting out the car.

Percy was outside and had managed to get the bags out of the trunk. "What took you guys so long? Almost thought I'd accidentally stopped time."

I rolled my eyes, turning around to face the boarding school. It was a massive, Victorian-style castle. Exactly what you'd expect a military boarding school to look like. The only thing it was missing were those gargoyle statues that gave me the creeps.

Argus gave us nod before driving off which left the four of us alone.

"Shall we?" Percy asked, picking up his backpack.

"We shall." I responded, slinging my duffel bag across my shoulder.

---

Grover met us at the front entrance, looking slightly nervous. "I'm afraid I have some bad news." He started. "You guys might be staying here for a long time."

I raised a brow, frowning as he led us through the empty halls. It was nighttime-the staff and students were asleep.

"You see, originally, I only called you guys to help me escort these two half bloods to camp. They seem powerful and um, well I just didn't want things to go wrong." Grover looked at me apologetically. I nodded, we definitely did not a repeat of six years ago. "But a few days ago, the school got a new vice principal. I asked around and everyone's been acting like he's been here all year. He's manipulated the mist. I have yet to see him but I can smell him, he's definitely a monster."

"He must've smelled the two half bloods." I concluded. "He hasn't made a move on them?"

"No, not yet. I think he only suspects what they are." Grover replied. "Hopefully, all four of you-being demigods-will throw him off."

"So let me get this straight," Percy raised a hand. "There's a monster here and we have no idea what he looks like or what he's capable of. And we're bait, essentially."

"Correct." Grover confirmed.

"Super." Percy muttered.

"Here are your dorms." Grover stopped at the end of a long hallway, a series of doors on each side. "Annabeth and Thalia, you guys are room 101. These are the girls' dorm and one of the half bloods, Bianca di Angelo-is directly across the hall. Room 113. I'll bring by your schedules tomorrow, I've made sure at least one of you have a class with her."

Annabeth had a hand on the door, yawning. "Well, bye boys. See you in the morning."

"Bye Lee," I said. "Bye Grover. Have a nice night."

"Bye, Sweetheart." Percy said as the boys went back down the hall.

I rolled my eyes and before I closed the door, I heard Grover say, "So Percy, you're going to have a roommate. Nico di Angelo."

"Great." Percy muttered and I didn't need a connection to know that he was rolling his eyes.

Month One~October

The next day, Annabeth and I got up around seven for breakfast. The cafeteria was a standard size for any school, a few benches and a lunch line. Annabeth and I picked up some raisin bran and a piece of toast before joining Percy and Lee at a nearby table.

Percy had his head in hands, groaning.

"You look like you slept well." I commented, smiling.

"Haha." Percy yawned, his gold eyes a dull color. "I can't stand that Nico kid-mythomagic this and that."

"Mytho-what?" Annabeth asked, spreading jam onto her toast.

"It's this stupid collector card and figurine game he plays." Percy explained then glanced at his coffee cup. "I need something that's more than coffee but less than cocaine."

"You should get some Vitamin C-the sun can do wonders for the body if taken in moderation." Lee added.

"Percy's not exactly a um...sunny person." I said, sticking my tongue out at the demigod.

"Is this coffee bitter?" Percy asked, taking a sip. "Nope. It must be you." His gold eyes flashed to mine, becoming more vibrant.

"Haha. Has anyone ever told you how funny you are? No-I wonder why."

"Alright, you two." Annabeth flashed us both a warning gaze. "Simmer down."

"I wasn't doing anything," Percy claimed. "She provokes me-"

"Hey guys," Grover interrupted, two timid kids behind him. One was a girl with black hair and olive-toned skin. She looked around my age, a few years younger. The other was a boy, around nine with the same colored eyes and hair. The Di Angelos. Grover was right-their auras were strong. "This is Bianca and Nico Di Angelo. Bianca and Nico, these are my friends. They just transferred here."

Grover pointed us out individually. "That's Lee."

"Hey," The son of Apollo greeted, waving.

"That's Annabeth."

"Good morning, guys."

"That's Thalia."

I waved.

"And that's Percy."

"Percy!" Nico exclaimed happily. "I didn't finish explaining the game to you last night."

"Good morning, Nico." Percy grumbled. "I see the assassin's have failed."

"Shut up, Percy." Annabeth hissed before turning to the Di Angelos, "So what grade are you guys in?"

Bianca tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "I'm in the seventh grade and Nico's a fourth grader."

"Cool," I commented. "So how long have you guys been here?"

"Two years," Bianca said then frowned. "I think."

"Can I see your schedules?" Nico said, excited.

"Umm, we don't have them ye-" I started before Grover interrupted.

"Oh! I forgot to hand you guys your schedules." Grover placed four papers before us.

"Hey, look B." Nico nudged his sister. "You have Chemistry with Thalia and Annabeth! And Percy! Then English with Percy and Lee! Actually, you have a class with at least two of them every period. What are the odds?"

"How coincidental," Percy leaned across the table, his face (and lips) dangerously close to mine. The gold in his eyes intensified. "Not only do we have a connection, we have chemistry together."

I leaned in, our noses touching. "This whacked out bond isn't a connection, it's torture. I know you're desperate and all, but this 'thing' between us is solely for survival. Got it, buddy?"

"Oh, I got it, Sweetheart." Percy held up his hands in surrender, dropping himself back in his seat.

"Okay..." Grover cleared his throat, getting my attention. "So classes start in an hour and lunch is at noon."

Annabeth nodded, getting up. "Come on, Thalia. Let's go get ready."

I nodded, following her out.

---

My foot tapped anxiously as I waited for Chemistry class to begin. Annabeth had her nose in that book of spells, probably looking for a way to reverse the bond-which was probably impossible. I felt Bianca staring at me out of the corner of my eye.

Suddenly, a look of understanding crossed her face. "Do you have ADHD, Thalia?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I do. It gets worse the more anxious I am."

"Me too!" Bianca smiled. She had a nice smile-I could tell that she didn't smile all that often. Not because she was angry, but probably because she had so much responsibility. She told us she had taken Nico ever since she could remember. She had a lot on her plate and that was only going to get worse when she finds out she's a demigod.

"What are you anxious about?" She asked.

I looked at the door distractedly then at the clock. Two minutes until class started and Percy was still not here. "Huh?" I turned to Bianca.

"You mentioned your ADHD gets worse the more anxious you are." Bianca repeated. "What are you anxious about?"

I felt a familar warmth dance across the back of my neck and looked up. A second later, Percy Jackson strolled in. "Him."

Bianca frowned. "Is Percy your boyfriend?"

"Oh god no, would you date that?" I laughed then sighed as he placed himself in the only seat available. Behind me. Great. "He's just...Percy."

Bianca gave him a small smile then turned back around.

I twisted around in my chair. "We need to talk. In private."

His expression was blank as he leaned back in his chair. "Meet me in the library at lunch. No one really goes in there. You know, with all those books and stuff."

I scoffed, turning back in my seat. After class, I told Annabeth and Bianca that I'd be late for lunch.

---

Percy wasn't waiting at the double doors to the library. Shouldering my bag, I entered the musty smelling room. A young librarian glanced up and smiled as I looked around. The back of my neck was tingly, but I didn't see him. Knowing Percy, he was probably hiding so no one would see His Coolness in a library. I passed a few students at the tables and computers eating their lunches, then roamed around until I found him back in the nosebleed section-Eastern European culture. A basic no-man's-land.

He was lounging in a cubicle beside an outdated computer, hands shoved into the pockets of his faded jeans. A wavy lock of hair covered his forehead, brushing against thick lashes. His lips curled into a half smile.

"I was wondering if you were ever going to find me." He made no move to clear up any space whatsoever in the tiny 6x6 hole.

I dropped my bag outside the walls and hopped up on the desk opposite to him. "Embarrassed someone would see you and think you're capable of reading?"

"I do have a reputation to maintain."

"And what a lovely reputation that is."

He stretched out his legs so that his feet were under mine. "So what did you want to talk about"-his voice lowered to a deep, sexy whisper-"in private?"

I shivered-and it had nothing to do with the temperature. "Not what you're hoping."

Percy threw me a sexy smirk.

"So just for confirmation," My eyes held his gaze. "I went swimming in the lake?"

Percy pushed off the desk and took a step forward. "Like I said before, you did. I saw a lot."

"Shut up," I hissed.

"Don't be embarrassed." He reached out, tugging on the sleeve of my cardigan. I smacked his hand away. "I'd be more than happy to do a replay so you can see it live-in action."

I came off the desk swinging. My knuckles only brushed his face before he caught my hand. Wowzers, he was fast. Percy pulled me up against his chest and lowered his head, eyes full of restrained anger. "Don't hit, Sweetheart. It's not nice."

"You're not nice." I tried pulling back, but he kept my wrist secured in his hand. "Let me go."

"No can do. I must protect myself." He dropped my hand.

"Oh, really, that's your reason for-for manhandling me?"

"Manhandling?" He pressed forward until my lower back was against the cubicle desk. "This isn't manhandling or whatever the hell that is."

Visions of me and Percy getting hot and sweaty danced around in my head. Parts of my body tingled. Oh, so not a good sign. "Percy, someone is going to see us."

"So?" He gently picked up my hand.

I drew in a deep breath. His scent was on my tongue. Our chests touched. Body said yes. Thalia said hell no. I wasn't affected by this. Not by how close we were or how his fingers were sliding under the sleeve of my cardigan. It wasn't real. His fingers were completely under my sleeve, smoothing up my forearm. His skin-it hummed like electricity. There was nothing like it.

"Why do you keep touching me?" I asked, flustered.

"I like to."

Gods, I liked it, too, and I shouldn't. "I can't wait till this bond fades. I can't stand you." Somehow, and I really haven't a clue how, my free hand was against his chest. His heart was fast and hard. So did mine.

"Keep telling yourself that." His chin brushed my hair and then slid over my cheek. I shivered. A spark passed from his skin to mine, humming in the charged air around us. "If that makes you feel better, but we both know it's a lie."

"It's not a lie." I tipped my head back. His breath was a warm stroke against my lips.

"We're still going to be seeing each other," he murmured. "And don't even lie. I know that makes you happy. You told me you wanted me."

Hold your horses. "When?"

"At the lake." He slanted his head, and I should've pulled back. His lips curved knowingly against mine, and he let go of my wrist. "You said you wanted me."

Both of my hands were on his chest. They had a mind of their own. I claimed no responsibility for them. "I had a fever. Lost my mind."

"Whatever, Sweetheart." Percy gripped my hips, lifting me onto the edge of the desk with an ease that was disturbing. "I know better."

My breath was coming in short gasps. "You don't know anything."

"Sure, I don't. You know, I was worried about you," he admitted, moving forward, easing my legs apart. "You kept calling my name, and I kept answering, but it was like you couldn't hear me."

What were we talking about? My hands were on his lower stomach. His muscles were hard underneath the sweater. I slid my hands to his sides, totally meaning to push him away. Instead, I gripped and pulled him forward. "Wow, I must've been really out of it."

"It...scared me."

Before I could respond or even give thought to the fact that my illness actually scared him, our lips met. My brain clicked off as my fingers dug through his sweater, and...and oh, gods, his kisses were deep, scorching my lips as his hands tightened on my waist, pulling me against him.

Percy kissed me like he was starving for water, taking long, breathless drafts. His teeth caught my lower lip when he pulled away, only to come back for more. A heady mix of emotions warred inside me. I didn't want this, because it was just the connection between us. I kept telling myself that, even as I slid my hands up his chest and circled them around his neck. When his hands inched under my shirt, it was as though he reached deep inside me, warming every cell, filling every dark space within me with the heat from his skin.

Touching him, kissing him, was like having a fever all over again. I was on fire. My body burned. The world burned. Sparks flew. Against his mouth, I moaned.

There was a POP! and CRACK!

The smell of burned plastic filled the cubicle. We pulled apart, breathing heavily. Over his shoulder I saw thin strips of smoke wafting from the top of the ancient monitor. Good gods, was this going to happen every time we kissed?

And what in the hell was I doing? I'd decided I wasn't going to let this happen with Percy, which meant no kissing...or touching. The way he'd treated me when we first met still stung. The pain and embarrassment still lingered in me.

I pushed him. Hard. Percy let go, staring me like I'd kicked his puppy into traffic. Looking away, I wiped the back of my hand over my mouth. It didn't work. Everything about him was still around me, in me. "Gods, I don't even like this-kissing you."

Percy straightened, coming to his full height. "I beg to differ. And I think this computer tells a different story, too."

I shot him a dirty look. "That-that will never happen again."

Percy sighed. "Thalia, you enjoyed that-just as much as I did. Why lie?"

"Because it's not real," I said. "You didn't want me before."

"I did-"

"Don't you dare say you wanted me, because you treated me like I was the Antichrist! You can't just undo that because there's a stupid connection between us." I sucked in a sharp breath. "You really hurt me then. I don't think you even know how much."

Percy looked away, dragging his fingers through his hair. A muscle popped out in his jaw. "I know. I'm...I'm sorry for how I treated you, Thalia."

Shocked, I stared at him. Percy never apologized. Like, ever. Maybe he really...I shook my head. His apology wasn't enough."Even now, we're all the way hidden in the library, as if you're ashamed of being seen with me. And I'm supposed to be okay with that?"

His eyes widened. "Thalia-"

"I'm not saying that we can't be friends, because I want to. I do like you a lo-" I cut myself off before I said too much. "Look, this didn't happen. I'm going to blame this on the aftereffects of the flu or that a zombie ate my brain."

His brows furrowed. "What?"

"I don't want this with you." I started to turn, but he caught my arm. I glared at him. "Percy..."

He looked at me dead in the eye. "You're a terrible liar. You do want this. Just as badly as I do."

My mouth opened, but no words came out.

"You want this as badly as you want to go to How the edge stole Christmas this winter."

Now my jaw was on the floor. "You don't even know what that is!"

"It's a group of punk-rock and alternative bands and performers who play a set list at an event. This year, they're playing in Las Vegas." Percy grinned, proud. "I overheard you talking about it with Annabeth. I'm pretty sure you said you'd give up your first born to Kronos to go."

Yeah, I kind of did say that.

Percy's eyes flashed. "Anyway, back to the whole you-wanting-me part."

I shook my head, dumbfounded.

"You do want me."

Taking a deep breath, I struggled with my temper...and my amusement. "You, my friend, are waaay too confident."

"I'm confident enough to wager a bet."

"You can't be serious."

He grinned. "I bet that by Christmas Day, you will have admitted that you're madly, deeply, irrevocably-"

"Wow. You want to throw another adverb out there?" My cheeks were burning.

"How about irresistibly?"

I rolled my eyes and muttered, "I'm surprised you even know what an adverb is."

"Stop distracting me, Sweetheart. Back to my bet-by Christmas day, you'll have admitted that you're madly, deeply, irrevocably, and irresistibly in love with me."

Stunned, I choked on my laugh.

"And you dream about me." He released my arm and folded his across his chest, cocking an eyebrow. "I'll bet you'll admit. Probably even show me your notebook with my name circled in hearts-"

"Oh, for the love of the gods..."

Percy winked. "It's on."

Spinning around, I grabbed my backpack and hurried through the stacks, leaving Percy in the cubicle before I did something insane. Like throw common sense aside and run back to pulverize him.

I went through the rest of my classes, thankfully-Percy was in none of them. After my last class, I headed to my dorm room, Bianca walking beside me.

When I placed a hand on the door knob, Bianca gasped. "Thalia-I live in 113. We're directly across from each other."

"Wow, that's something." I feigned surprise. "First we have classes together and now we have dorms right next to each other. The school administration must really want us to be friends or something."

Bianca laughed, her dark eyes illuminating. "Yeah, I guess so. I'm glad that you guys are here anyway. Nico really likes Lee and Percy and it's nice that we have some time away. Don't get me wrong-I love my little brother. But sometimes I just need some time to myself, you know?"

"I get it. Totally." I smiled at the girl. "Well, goodnight Bianca. See you in the morning."

Bianca Di Angelo opened her door. "'Night, Thalia."

I entered my plain dorm room. There were two twin beds and a door that led to bathroom. Apart from that, there was a small kitchen and a laundry room. I looked at the wall and frowned; I had to get some Green Day posters up.

The daughter of Athena sat on her bed, reading that book of spells again.

"Hey, Thalia." She greeted without so much as a glance.

"Hey, nerd." I plopped myself down at the feet of her bed. "Find anything new?"

"No, unfortunately." Annabeth closed the book, admitting defeat. "I was searching for the extent of this bond-that part where if either you dies, the other does too. I'm starting to wonder if the same thing happens if one of you gets hurt."

"You mean like if someone breaks my arm, Percy's will also?" I asked.

"Yeah, like that." My roommate ran a hand through her gold locks, sighing. "I don't think the Fates would make it that extreme. They know you two are demigods-you're bound to get hurt at any given time. I think I'm just looking for anything-something to know more about this. I've never been so uninformed about such a big thing."

I nodded, understanding.

"I mean, there's nothing in Greek history about this. I have no idea what were up against here."

"Well, thanks for restoring my confidence." I muttered, my heart beginning to accelerate slightly. "Don't stress out about it, Annabeth. This will all end when I turn sixteen."

Annabeth nodded. "You're right, Thalia. Anyway, you didn't show up at lunch. What happened?"

I hesitated. "Percy happened. I wanted to talk about the whole lake thing."

"How'd that go?" Annabeth asked then a look of alarm flashed across her face. "You didn't kill him, did you?"

"What? No!" I sighed. "I wanted to, though."

"Can't say I blame you." Annabeth sighed, sliding under her covers. "Well, I'm going to take a nap."

"Would you like me to wake you up when September ends?" I asked.

Annabeth laughed at my Green Day reference. "Preferably."

I patted her feet before standing up. "I'm going to get some water. Be back in a sec."

"Okay." She mumbled, beginning to doze off.

Percy was coming down the hall just as I shut the door behind me.

He took a step towards me. "Sweetheart."

"Hey." I avoided his extraordinary eyes and face, because, well, I was having a hard time not recalling what his mouth had felt on mine earlier. "Where, um, so what have you been doing?"

"Patrolling. Just in case that monster/Vice principal shows up." As I stared at the wood floor, I could feel his gaze on my face and the heat from his body. He stood close, too close. "Everything is all quiet on the western front."

I cracked a smile. "Nice reference."

"It's my favorite book, actually."

My head jerked toward his, narrowly missing a collision. I hid my surprise. "I didn't know you knew how to read the classics. Actually, I didn't know you knew how to read."

A lazy smirk appear, and I swore on baby Zeus that he had somehow managed to get closer. Our legs touched. His shoulder brushed my arm. "Well, I usually prefer books with picture and simple sentences, but sometimes I step out of the box."

Unable to help it, I laughed. "Let me guess, your favorite kind of picture book is the one you can color in?"

"I never stay in the lines." Percy winked.

"Of course not." I looked away, swallowing. Sometimes it was too easy to fall into the easy banter with him, too damn easy to imagine doing this with him every night. Teasing. Laughing. Getting in way over my head. "I've got...to go."

He swung around. "Where are you headed?"

"To get water." I answered, walking towards the cafeteria.

Percy walked beside me, grinning. "No problem."

Before I could frown, he snapped his fingers, and the pipes below us screeched. The sudden trembling caused me to lose my balance, falling. The next thing I knew, he scooped me up into his arms. My heart leaped into my throat. "Percy-"

The pipes stopped creaking. "Did I tell you I carried you all the way back to your cabin the night you were sick? Thought that was a dream, huh? Nope. Real." He walked the hall as I stared wide-eyed at him. "Twice in one week. We're making this a habit."

When reached the cafeteria doors, he set me down then disappeared inside, reappearing with a bottle of water.

"Thanks." I took the bottle from his outstretched hand. Once more, he scooped me up and walked back to my dorm. I hope no one saw us.

My cheeks felt numb. "You...going to put me down?"

"Eventually." Our eyes met. There was a tender look in his eyes that warmed and frightened me. "Been thinking about our bet? Wanna give in now?"

Annnnd he totally ruined that tender moment. "Put me down, Percy."

He placed me on my feet, but his arms were still around me, and I had no idea what to say. "I've been thinking."

"You think?" I retorted.

A small smile appeared on his lips. "This bet isn't fair to you. Christmas day? Hell, I'll have you admitting your undying devotion to me by Thanksgiving."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure I'll hold out until Halloween."

"That was yesterday."

"Exactly."

Laughing under his breath, he reached forward, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. The back of his knuckles brushed my cheek and I pressed my lips together to stop a sigh. Warmth blossomed in my chest, having nothing to do with the simple touch.

It had everything to do with the ache in his gaze. Moments passed in silence. "You remind of my mother."

"Your mom?" I asked, puzzled.

He seemed to hesitate before answering. "Yes. She was brave and strong. My dad-Poseidon-he, um, once said she never put up with his shit. She was a clear sighted mortal and when they first met, she noticed his trident and called him out for it. You don't put up with my shit either, Thalia. I-I think I kind of like that."

A knot formed in my throat. "And your mom-what happened to her?"

Percy's eyes burned golden and I stared at the wall behind him for a long moment. I felt restrained, unable to move. Every breath I took was slow, shallow. Suddenly, a wave of release washed through me and when I tilted my head to glance up at Percy, he was gone.

Placing my hand against my chest, I stood there and tried to make sense of what just happened. He was so close to opening up to me and I was more than ready to hear him. Seconds ago, I wanted to unravel the mystery that was Percy Jackson. For a moment, a crazy moment, there had been something infinitely more than mad animal lust between us.

And it scared me.

I opened the door, Annabeth was fast asleep. I sat on my bed, trying to forget about what had just happened and focus on my history homework. Hours later, I felt the weird warmth that was becoming increasingly familiar creep across my neck. Closing the textbook, I hopped off the bed and crept toward the window. The full moon lit everything in a pale, silvery glow.

My gaze drifting over the ground below. I didn't see anyone. A yearning sparked inside my chest. I pulled the curtain back farther and pressed my forehead against the cool glass. I couldn't understand or explain how I knew, but I did. Somewhere, hidden in the shadows, was Percy.

And every part of my being wanted-needed-to go to him. The ache that had been in his eyes...it was so much, going beyond him and me. More than what I undoubtedly could wrap my head around.

Denying that desire was one of the hardest things I'd ever done, but I let the curtain slip free and went back to my bed. As I opened my history book again, I focused on my chapter.

Christmas day? Wasn't going to happen.

Month Two~November

Curled up on my bed after school on a Thursday, Bianca Di Angelo toyed with a ring on her finger. She had come over after class and we had been talking for a while. I noticed she didn't remember much of her past. Every time I asked her about her life before she enrolled at Westoverhall, she seemed confused-as if someone had tampered with her memory. In an attempt to figure out her godly parent, I asked about her parents. She said that her mother had died and she'd never met her father. That narrowed it down to a god but I tried to match her personality to a god and it wasn't quite working out.

"So the other day I was sleeping, right?" Bianca's voice caught my attention and I turned to face her, nodding for her to continue. "And then the pipes went crazy. I thought there was an earthquake but it was over as quickly as it started. That was weird, I don't think that's ever happened here before."

My face blanched. "Yeah, I felt it too. I have no idea what that was."

Bianca pulled her knees to her chest. "I was about freak out-not a big fan of water, you know?"

"Oh, I know." I replied. Well, that ruled out Poseidon as her godly parent.

A moment of silence passed before the door knob rattled and Annabeth came in, smiling. "Hey Bianca, hey Thalia."

"Hi." We greeted.

"Where have you been?" Bianca asked.

Annabeth ran a hand through her hair. "I was at the library with Lee. We left notes in our favorite books to future readers."

"That's really romantic, Annabeth." Bianca said.

I scoffed. "That's really nerdy, Annabeth."

"Each to his own, Thalia." Annabeth wagged a brow at me before sitting down on her bed. "For our first date, we went around with sidewalk chalk and drew hearts with calculus equations on random things. I know it sounds nerdy and all, but I had a really good time."

"That's nice," Bianca commented, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Where did you guys met?"

Annabeth's eyes flashed and I sucked in a sharp breath.

"We m-met at a summer camp." She answered.

My heart began racing, wondering if Bianca would ask any questions about camp.

"Cool." She said and a wave of relief washed through me. "How long how you been together?"

"Almost four months." Annabeth leaned forward, cocking her head to the side. "Anyway, enough about me and Lee. Any guys in your life, Bianca?"

"No, unless you want to count Nico." I snickered at that then she continued. "I'm not really into guys...or anyone, really. I think I like it better when it's just me and Nico."

"Keep it that way." I advised her. "Boys are so not worth all the trouble."

Annabeth lifted a brow. "You mean Percy's not worth the trouble."

"Shut it, nerd." I gave her a dirty look. "Nope, Percy's not even worth the air I breathe."

"You keep telling yourself that..." The blonde laughed and Bianca joined in.

"I will." I said adamantly.

---

Over the next month, things went quite well. We all bonded with the Di Angelos, there was no sign of the monster/vice principal, and Percy had been only mildly annoying. He occasionally reminded me of out 'bet' but other than that, he was actually a decent person.

It was a Sunday, and I was finishing up an essay for English. Annabeth had gone out with Lee, Nico went on a field trip, Bianca was working on research project with Grover. As the sun set outside, I picked a radio station that offered hits from the eighties, I turned it up loud enough I couldn't hear my own thoughts. There was laundry that needed to be done and a kitchen that could use a good scrubbing. I changed into a pair of comfy sleep shorts, little reindeer-covered socks that reached my knees, and a long sleeve thermal.

I looked like a hot mess.

Running through the room, I gathered all the clothes, sliding at times on the hardwood floors. I dumped a load into the washer and started singing along to one of the songs. "In touch with the ground. I'm on the hunt. I'm after you."

I scooted out of the laundry room and skipped down the hallway, arms flaying around my head. "A scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found. And I'm hungry like the wolf. Something on a line, it's discord and rhyme-whatever, whatever, la la la-Mouth is alive, all running inside, and I'm hungry like the-" Warmth spread down my neck.

"It's actually, 'I howl and I whine. I'm after you,' and not la la or whatever."

Startled by the deep voice, I shrieked and whipped around. My foot slipped on a section of well cleaned wood and my butt smacked on the floor.

"Sweet baby Zeus," I gasped, clutching my chest. "I think I'm having a heart attack."

"And I think you broke your butt." Laughter filled Percy's voice.

I remained sprawled on the floor, trying to catch my breath. "What the hell? Do you just walk into people's dorms?"

"And listen to girls absolutely butcher a song in a matter of a seconds? Well, yes, I make a habit of it. Actually, I knocked several times, but I heard your...singing and your door was unlocked." He shrugged. "So I just let myself in."

"I can see that." I stood, wincing. "Oh man, maybe I did break my butt."

"I hope not. I'm kind of partial to your butt." He flashed a smile. "Your face is pretty red. Sure you didn't smack that on the way down?"

I groaned. "I hate you."

"Nah, I don't think you do." His gaze went over me, down to my toes. His brows inched. "Nice socks."

I rubbed my backside. "Do you need something?"

He leaned against the wall, shoving his hands into his jeans. "No, I don't need something."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I wanted to be." He nodded at the mop in the corner. "Why are you doing chores on a sunday night?"

"I'm obviously that lame." I waved my hand and an open widow closed.

"That's true. Oh, listen!" His eyes shone. "It's 'Eye of the Tiger.' Do you want to sing to that? Maybe jog up the stairs and pump your fists in the air?"

"Percy." I shuffled past him, and picked up the remote on top of the TV, turning the song down. "Seriously, what do you want?"

He was directly behind me, forcing me to take an uneasy step back. Being that close to him did funny, bad things to me.

"Nothing. If you haven't noticed yet, I've been trying to clean up my act this month. I haven't thought about strangling Nico today at all." Percy smiled proudly then cocked his head. "Then again, he's been away on that field trip all day."

He shook his head. "Anyway, I'm trying not to be a douche bag."

A lump formed in my throat. "You're not that bad."

He arched a brow.

"Okay, you're prone to moments of epic dickdom, but you're not bad." I paused. "Do you want to know what I honestly think?"

"Thalia, if you don't have anything nice to say-don't say it at all."

I laughed. "There's a really nice guy under the jerk. I've seen glimpses of him. So while I probably want to beat the crap out of you most of the time, I really don't think you're a bad guy."

"There it is." Percy chuckled, a solemn expression on his face. "You're choosing to see the good in me when you know there's equally, dare I say more, bad in me. I'm half titan, Thalia. I have bad blood."

"And?" I rose an eyebrow. "You don't think I don't have temptations from the dark side? That's the thing about being Zeus' kid-I'm prideful and power hungry. I would betray all my friends and family if offered enough power."

My right hand tightened into a fist. "We all have our demons, Percy. You may have more than others but at the end of the day, you're here. You're on the right side. The good side."

Percy reached out and curled his fingers around my fist, static passing from my hand to his. "Do you truly believe that we're on the right side or are you only saying that because your family is on this side?"

"Yes." I answered, no hesitation.

"Okay. I trust you. We're on the right side." Percy squeezed my hand and then released it. Leaning against the bed frame, he reached one arm back and rested his head against his curved elbow. "I want to know something."

I frowned and sat down on the bed, stretching out my right leg in small space he didn't occupy. "What?"

"How often do you run around singing off-key?" he asked seriously.

I kicked at him, but he caught my toes. "You can leave now."

"I seriously love these socks."

"Give me back my foot." I demanded.

"It's not so much the fact that they've got reindeer on them or that they go all the way up to your knees."

"What vast distance." I commented.

Percy snorted before continuing. "But it's the fact that they're like tiny mittens on your feet."

Rolling my eyes, I wiggled my toes. "I like them like that. And don't you dare knock them. I will kick you off the bed."

He raised a brow and continued to inspect them. "Sock mittens, huh? Never seen anything like it."

I pulled my foot out of his grasp. "Whatever. I'm sure there are more cornier things than my socks. Don't judge me. It's the only think I like about the holidays."

"The only thing?"

"Yeah, I've never really celebrated Thanksgiving or Christmas. Or any holiday, really." I looked away for a moment. "M-my mom-she wasn't really big on holidays. Wasn't really around, actually."

I think Percy could tell that I was getting uncomfortable so he shrugged, changing the subject. "I was kind of surprised when I was in your cabin the day you were sick."

"I'm not sure I want to know about what."

"You had a Fall out Boy poster on the wall. No Green Day anywhere."

"That's because you haven't seen my Vinyl record collection. It's pretty much all Green Day. I'm also a huge fan of Twenty one pilots."

He looked surprised, launching into the history of Twenty One pilots, his favorite band. I was genuinely surprised that we had the same tastes. We argued over which Godfather movie was the best (It's part II, for the record) and which reality show was the stupidest. Hours flew by, and I learned more about Percy. And there was that different side of him, the one I'd glimpsed a few times in the past. He was relaxed, friendly and even playful without making me want to bash him upside the head. We did argue over a few things, a bit heatedly, but he wasn't a jerk.

It all suddenly felt easy, and that scared the crap out of me. It was past three a.m. by the time I'd realized how long we'd been talking. I pulled my tired gaze off the clock and looked at him. His eyes had drifted shut and his chest rose and fell evenly.

Percy looked so...peaceful. Not wanting to wake him, I pulled a blanket from Annabeth's bed and carefully spread it over him. I was surprised she wasn't back yet. I grabbed a smaller quilt and tucked it around my legs. I could've woken him, but I didn't have it in me. And yeah, there was a teeny, tiny-I'm talking real tiny- part of me that didn't want him to leave. I didn't know what that meant for me.

"Thank you," He murmured lazily.

My eyes widened. "I thought you were asleep."

"Almost, but you're staring at me."

I flushed. "I am not."

Percy pried one eye open. "You always blush when you lie."

"Do not." I felt the flush spread down my neck.

"If you keep lying, I think I will have to leave," he threatened halfheartedly, closing his eyes. "I don't feel like my virtue is safe."

"Yeah right." I smiled, snuggling down in my corner of the bed. "You do realize we'll get in so much trouble if we're caught together in here, right?"

"Didn't think you were one to shy away from danger." Percy's eyes opened and held mine.

"I'm not." There was a spike of something-excitement?-in my lower stomach as the silence stretched out for what felt like an eternity.

"Good." Percy winked before closing those extraordinary eyes once more.

---

When I woke up on Monday morning, I wasn't sure exactly how things were going to play out when I saw Percy in class. He'd cleared out of the dorm while I was asleep. Spending time with him hadn't really changed anything between Percy and me. At least, that was what I kept telling myself. It was just a good moment in a long string of bad ones. And I had bigger and better things to think about. Like why hadn't the Monster/Vice Principle hadn't attacked us yet or how we'd get the Di Angelos to camp.

But my thoughts kept straying back to Percy, and a deep fluttering started in my stomach when I thought about us side by side on the bed.

Warmth tingled over my neck while Bianca was telling me about a book she was reading. I kept my eyes glued to her, but was well aware of the fact that Percy was there.

He took his seat behind me. A second later, something I'd oddly missed in a messed-up way happened. Percy poked me in the back with his pen.

Bianca's brows arched, but she wisely said nothing as I twisted around. "Yes?"

His half grin was all too familiar. "Reindeer socks today?"

"No. Lightning bolts."

"How fitting." He commented, toying with his ball point pen. "Sock mittens?"

"Regular," I said, fighting a stupid grin.

"I'm not sure how I feel about that." He tapped his pen on the edge of his desk. "Regular socks just seem so boring after seeing the reindeer socks."

Bianca cleared her throat. "Reindeer socks?"

"She has these socks that have reindeer on them and are kind of like a mitten for the toes." he explained.

"Oh, I have a pair like that," Bianca grinned. "Mine have stripes on them. Love them in the winter."

I threw Percy a smug look. My socks were cool.

Annabeth frowned, joining the conversation. "Am I the only person who is wondering how you saw her socks?"

"I see lots of things." Percy's lips pulled up at one corner.

I shook my head frantically. "No, he doesn't. He hardly sees anything."

"Blushing," he said, pointing at my cheeks with his pen.

"Shut up," I said, fighting a grin.

"Anyway," Annabeth started, looking at us straight in the eye. "There's a winter dance coming up. Word is that the administration will be there-including the Vice Principal."

Percy and I nodded but Bianca frowned.

"What's so important about the Vice Principal?" She asked.

"Um, well..." I looked at the other two demigods for assistance.

"Lee wants to start an archery club." Annabeth finished quickly. "He figured he'd ask the vice principal about it."

"He does talk about archery sometimes." Bianca added, buying the lie.

"Yeah, it's kind of in his blood." Percy winked at Annabeth.

"So you guys are coming, correct?" Annabeth asked.

"Sure." I confirmed.

Percy poked my cheek with his pen. "I'll be there."

---

When thanksgiving arrived, the school threw a banquet of some sorts. Annabeth and Lee invited me to come with them to the cafeteria but I wasn't feeling it. Instead, I sat in my dorm room, alone.

Around six evening, I felt that now-oh-so-familiar tingle on the back of my neck right before Percy knocked. A ball of confusing feelings raged inside me as I hurried to the door.

The first thing I noticed was the large box beside him, and then the scent of roasted turkey and yams.

"Hey," he said holding a stack of covered plates. "Happy Thanksgiving."

I blinked slowly. "Happy Thanksgiving."

"I come bearing gifts in the form of nutrition." He held up the plates, wiggling them.

I stepped aside, waving my hand to summon the wind. The box lifted and landed on the kitchen counter.

As I shut the door, Percy grinned. "Nice trick."

"Thanks. It's kind of in my blood."

"I brought a little of everything." He headed toward the kitchen. "There's turkey, yams, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, mac n' cheese, green bean casserole, some kind of apple crisp thing and pumpkin-Sweetheart? Are you coming?"

Peeling myself away from the door, I went into the kitchen. He had pulled out a small table and was setting the table, uncovering the dishes. I...I didn't know what to think.

I shuffled to the table and sat, watching him with eyes that were blurry. He made me a plate and sat beside me. I cleared my throat. "Percy, I...I don't know what to say, but thank you."

"Thanks aren't necessary," he said. "I didn't want you to be alone."

Lowering my gaze before he could see the tears gathering in my eyes, I focused on the food.

He nudged me with his knee under the table. "Dig in before it gets cold."

The food was divine. Throughout our little makeshift dinner, I ate everything on my plate, including second helpings.

By the time I stabbed the pumpkin pie with my fork, I was starting to believe that there was something more than just the connection propelling him. That maybe he did care for me, because I was able to fight it-sort of-and I know damn well that Percy could if he wanted.

Maybe he just didn't want to.

Cleaning up dinner was a strangely intimate experience. Our elbows brushed several times. Amiable silence descended as we washed the dishes, side by side. My cheeks felt flushed. My thoughts were way too giddy.

I followed Percy to the door afterward. "I grew up in an orphanage. We never did much for thanksgiving so this in a way, has been my first Thanksgiving. And, um, I don't think there was any one else I would've wanted to spend it with."

That was it. The lump in my throat was back, but there was no stopping it this time. I raced toward the bathroom, tears sliding down my cheeks. Emotion clogged my throat as I wiped under my eyes.

Percy appeared in front of me, blocking the bathroom door. His eyes were wide, bright amber. I tried to turn away but he quickly enveloped me in his strong arms. "I didn't do this to make you cry, Thalia."

"I know," I sniffled. "It's just..."

"It's just what?" He cupped my cheeks, his thumbs brushing away the tears. My skin tingled from the contact. "Sweetheart?"

"I don't think you know how much...something like this means to me." I took a deep breath, but the stupid tears kept falling. "Not one's really cared to do anything like this for me before-not even my mom. And I'm sorry to cry, because I'm not sad. I just didn't expect this."

"It's okay." Percy tugged me forward, and I went. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me close as I buried my face into the front of his shirt. "I get it. Good tears and all."

There was something warm and right about being in his arms. And I wanted to deny it but for the first time. I stopped-I just stopped. Even if Percy saw me as one giant Rubik's cube he had to crack or if it was the bond mojo, it didn't matter. Not right now. I grabbed a handful of his shirt and held on. He may have thought he knew how much this meant to me, but he really didn't. Percy would never know.

I lifted my head and reached up, clasping his smooth cheeks. With his help, I brought his lips to mine and kissed him. It was a quick and innocent kiss, but I felt the zing all the way to my toes. "Thank you. I really mean it. Thank you."

He brushed the backs of his fingers over my cheek, smoothing the last of my tears away. "Don't let anyone know about my sweet side. I have a reputation to keep up."

I laughed as he turned around, a hand on the door knob. He opened his mouth as if to something more but instead nodded at me then left. The door closed and although I was alone, for the first time in years, I wasn't lonely.

Month three~December

Everybody knew each other at Westover hall. Couples had been together their entire high school stint. Friends were shacking up with another to go to the dance. And I, having no real connection to anyone, seemed dateless. Total killer for the self-esteem. After spending Chemistry class ignoring Percy's attempts to tick me off-he had gone back to his douche bag lifestyle recently but I liked it that way, he was easier to hate-Logan appeared by my locker while I switched out one heavy, useless book for another heavy, useless book.

"Hey," I said, smiling. "You look like you fell asleep in class today."

He laughed. "I kind of did. And I was dreaming about Chemical Nomenclature and Stoichiometry. It was all very frightening."

I laughed, shoving the textbook into my backpack as I nudged my locker door shut with my hip. "I can imagine."

Logan Lerman (Fight me) was in my Chemistry class so whenever I was avoiding the boy the behind me, I talked to him. He wasn't bad looking. Not if you had a thing for big, burly jocks who looked like they tossed bales of hay during the summer. He had arms the size of tree trunks and a charming-enough smile. Pretty blue eyes, too, and when he smiled, the skin around those baby blues crinkled. But his eyes weren't gold, his lips not poetic.

"I've never seen you at any of our games," he said, his skin doing that crinkly thing. "Not a fan of football?"

Logan was the starting fullback or lineback. Honestly, I had no clue.

"I went to one," I told him. And I'd left at halftime with Annabeth. Both of us had been bored out of our minds. "I'm kind of into overall sports-like the Olympics. Football, however, isn't my scene."

I expected him to leave after that comment because football was like a religion around here, but he leaned against the locker next to me, folding his arms over his chest. "So, I was wondering if you had plans next Saturday."

My eyes went up to the red and black banner above his head. Next Saturday was the Winter Formal dance. "Just planning on going to the dance."

"With anyone?" He asked.

I shook my head, adjusting my backpack strap.

Logan looked relieved. "Would you like to go? Together?"

My first thought was to say no. I barely knew the guy, and I thought he'd been dating one of the limber cheerleaders, and I wasn't interested in him. Besides, I was going to dance to scout out the Vice Principal and possibly take him down. I didn't want to leave him hanging just in case the monster tried something. Then a horrible thought popped into my head. I couldn't wait to see Percy's face when he learned I had a date. I told Logan yes, and we exchanged dorm numbers and that was that. At lunch, I broke the news to Annabeth, thinking she'd be excited.

"Logan asked you to the dance?" Annabeth's mouth had dropped open. "Did you say yes?"

I nodded. "Yeah, and I know we have to help Lee ask the Vice Principal about the archery club but I'll find a way to keep Logan occupied. I've got this."

"Logan has a reputation," Bianca winced, eyeing me over the lunch table. "Like he wants to be the Westoverhall bicycle-he wants to give everyone a ride."

"Well I'll just make sure not to be one of his bicyhoes." I poked the salad around my plate. "And he was kind of cute when he asked."

"Him and Nadia broke up a week or so ago," Bianca said. "Supposedly, he was cheating on her with Lydia."

Ah, Nadia. That was the limber cheerleader's name. "Does he have a thing for girls' names that end in A?"

Bianca snorted. "Aw, just like you. It's a match made in heaven."

I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, the school's letting us have this afternoon off. We should get an Uber and head to the mall for dresses."

"Deal." Annabeth and Bianca agreed.

When I left after school that day, I went to the back of the parking lot, waiting for my two friends and the Uber to arrive. The lot lined up with the track and football field, which was empty. Cold wind whipped down, blasting the entire area of the gravel. I wanted to command it to stop but even though the lot was desert, I couldn't risk a possible exposure.

"Thalia!"

I turned around, recognizing the deep voice. My heart leapt in my throat. I didn't feel the wind anymore. Squeezing the strap on my bag, I waited for him to catch up to me.

Percy stopped in front of me and reached out, fixing the twisted strap on my bag. "A little windy out here, isn't it?"

Caught off guard by the gesture, it took me a moment to respond. "Yeah, a bit."

Percy towered over me, his hands shoved into his pockets. There was a dark look to his gaze, a tightness to his lips.

My stomach dropped a little. "Is everything okay? It's not...?"

"No," Percy ran a hand through his hair. "Nothing...uh, godly related."

"Good." I breathed a sigh of relief. "You scared me there for a second."

He twisted toward me, and like that, there were only a few inches between us. "I hear you're going with Logan Lerman to the dance."

I pushed back a strand of hair that blew across my face. The wind knocked it right back. "News travels fast."

"Like Hermes." He reached out again, but this time he caught the piece of hair and tucked it behind my ear. His knuckles brushed against my cheek. The slight touch brought that weird tingle along with a slight shiver. "I didn't know that you liked him."

"I don't but he's not bad," I said. Kids were rolling out on the track, stretching and getting ready to run. "He's kind of nice, and he asked me."

"You're going with him because he asked you?"

Isn't that how things worked? I nodded. He didn't immediately respond so I glanced around the parking lot, looking for the Uber or my friends. "Are you asking anyone?"

Percy inched closer, his knee brushing my thigh. "Does it matter?"

I bit back a string of curses. "Not really."

His body angled toward me. "You shouldn't go with someone just because he asked you."

I glanced at the pencil in my pocket, wondering if I could stab him in the eyeball with it. "I don't see why this has anything to do with you."

"We need you to help take down the Vice Principal and get the Di Angelos to safety. When it's go time, I can't have you taking up time to find an excuse to tell Landry."

"His name is Logan." I shook my head. "And when the time comes, I'll just lie and say I'm going to the bathroom. Save your breath, Percy. I'm not backing out because you have a problem with it."

Cursing under his breath, he gritted his teeth. "I don't want to see you get into any kind of trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" I scoffed.

One dark eyebrow arched. "Knowing you, I can't even begin to imagine how much trouble you'd get in."

"Oh yeah, because Logan's not a mortal and instead is a son of Poseidon and Kronos out to annoy me to death."

"You are so frustrating," he snapped, eyes flaring with irritation. "He had a reputation, Thalia. I want you to be careful."

Before I could respond, the Uber pulled up and Annabeth and Bianca were already in the backseat.

I pushed past Percy and opened the passenger door. "Nothing is going to happen, Percy. I can take care of myself." With that, I got in and closed the door. Annabeth and Bianca waved a goodbye to Percy and the car backed out of the lot, leaving Percy in the dust.

It didn't take us long to find the dress shop we wanted to go to. I'd expected there to be nothing left to pick from when we walked into Sherri Hill, but their racks were full. Bianca already had an idea of what she wanted: a dark mid thigh-length dress with maybe some embossment or flowers on it. Annabeth seemed to gravitate towards short, gray dresses with an open back and sleeves. I wanted to find a dress that didn't look like it'd been bedazzled by a grandmother or swallowed by a bow factory.

Annabeth ended up picking up a red Grecian-style dress for me that cinched under the waist and hung lose around my hips and legs. It had a scallop neckline and more importantly, pockets.

Bianca found herself a black halter top dress and eyed herself in the mirror while Annabeth tried on a knee length silver dress she'd found. Taking her hair out of the cap she usually had on, Bianca smiled sheepishly. "What do you think, Thalia?"

"You look hot," I told her. And she did. She had the perfect figure for the dress.

Annabeth stepped out, looking absolutely stunning in silver. The sleeves on the dress were lace and the open back hit just shy of her waist. She took one good look at herself before turning to us, "We like?"

"We like." Bianca and I confirmed.

Annabeth nodded proudly, as if she had solved some math equation then went back in to change.

When it came my turn to try my dress on, I had to give it to had a remarkable eye for style. The dress fit my body like it had been made for me. I twisted in front of the mirror, checking out the back. Not too bad.

"You should pull your hair up," Bianca said, appearing beside me. She reached up, artfully twisting my shoulder length hair atop my head. "You have such a long neck. Show it off. I can do it for you if you like and your makeup, too."

I nodded. "Thank you. I'm not a huge dress fan but this one is really nice."

Bianca let go of my hair and nodded over to the shoe racks. "Now you need shoes."

"In accordance with the color scheme and pattern, anything clear or red would work." Annabeth said.

I poked around the shoes, picking a pair of red heels. They were divine and not too high-just in case I had to run. After trying them on for size, I went back into the changing room and changed into regular clothes.

When I got out, Annabeth and Bianca had chosen their shoes and were ready to roll.

At checkout, I noticed Annabeth's shoes-black converse. "Converse at a formal dance?" I asked.

Annabeth winked. "Thought I'd match with Lee."

I shrugged and after we checked out, we went to the parking lot where the Uber was waiting for us. We folded up our dresses carefully and placed them in the trunk while Bianca climbed in the backseat. Shutting the trunk, Annabeth faced me. A small smile was on her face.

"I didn't want to tell you this because I'm sure you would've changed your mind about the dress."

"What?" I frowned. "Does it make my butt look big?"

She laughed. "No. You looked stunning in it."

"Then what's up?"

Her smile turned downright mischievous. "Oh, you know, just that the color red is Percy's favorite."

---

The night of the dance I was full of nerves. A huge part of me wanted to call Logan and cancel it, but then I remembered we had to take down the Vice Principal tonight. This was night he'd surely try to take the Di Angelos. Not to mention that Bianca had done an outstanding job making me look pretty. My hair had been curled and twisted up, exposing my neck. A few strategically placed curls hung over my temples and rested on my bare shoulders. She'd even sprayed this vanilla-scented glittery stuff in my hair, so when I turned, my hair shimmered. My eyes were a bright blue due to the smoky outline she had given them. I was also pretty sure she'd applied fake eyelashes, because my lashes had never been this long or thick. As a final touch before she went to get Nico ready for the dance was a bit of lip gloss, turning my lips a shade of ruby. I inspected myself in the mirror and it was like staring at a stranger, and I made a mental note to wear makeup more often.

When I came out of the bathroom, there was knock on the door. Logan stood there, dressed in a tux. His eyes, which seemed a little bleary, drifted down me in a way that made my skin turn the color of my dress.

"You look hot," he said thrusting out a corsage that went around my wrist.

I winced, taking the corsage and letting him in. "Thanks." I slipped the corsage on and grabbed a leather jacket from the closet. The dress had seemed fine earlier, but now with Logan practically drooling my my cleavage I felt uncomfortable.

As we walked down the hallway toward the gym, Logan took one more look at me.

"Man, you do look hot." He popped a breath mint in his mouth.

I hoped he wasn't planning to use those breath mints later. If so, may the gods help him. "Thanks. You look nice too."

That was the extent of our conversation. Turns out Logan wasn't a witty conversationalist. Shocking. The long walk down the stairs and to the gym was long and awkward, and I was gripping my leather jacket like no there was no tomorrow. Several times he glanced over, smiled, and popped another breath mint. As we descended the stairs, I found out why he was popping so many mints. Logan pulled a silver flash from the inside of his tux and took a long swing. He offered it to me.

He was drinking. This was already starting off great. I declined, already making plans to ditch him even before Operation Find Vice Principal/Monster began. I wasn't a big fan of drinking, especially since alcohol had contributed to my mom's death.

Seeming not to care, he shoved it back in his jacket. "Hold up. I'll help you down."

He hopped down to landing after the stairs and helped me down the last steps. "Thank you."

"No problem." Logan took my hand and led me to the gymnasium.

Outside, I could her the steady thump of music from the gym. We stopped before the fogged-over doors, and Logan pulled me toward him an awkward hug.

"I'm glad you wanted to go to the dance with me," he said, his breath minted and tinged with the harsh smell of liquor.

"Same here," I said, trying to mean it. I placed my hands on his burly chest and pushed back. "We should go in."

Smiling, he slid his arms away. One of his hands slipped down my back, over the curve of my hip. I stiffened and told myself it was an accident. It had to be. If he truly meant to cop a feel like that, I was going to cop a feel by kicking strategically between his legs. The gym had been converted over to an autumn themed dance. Strings of fall foliage hung from the ceilings and covered the doors. There were pumpkins and cornucopia horns full of leaves stacked in the corners and lining the stage. As soon as we stepped inside, we were surrounded by Logan's friends. Some of the looked me over and gave Logan a not-so-discreet high five or clap on the back. It was like now they could tell I had boobs, I was suddenly cool. Boys could be so juvenile. While they passed around the flask that Logan had brought in, I exchanged strained greetings with the other guys' dates. They were all cheerleaders. Yawn. I scanned the crowd, spying Bianca at a table.

"I'll be right back."

Before Logan could stop me, I darted off toward her. I smiled. "You look gorgeous." I had to yell to be heard over the music.

"So do you!" She gave me a quick hug then pulled back. "Is he behaving himself?"

"So far. Do you mind?" I placed my jacket on the table when she shook her head. "They did a nice job on this."

Bianca nodded. "Still a gym, though." She laughed. "It has that smell."

"That's true." I pulled the girl onto the dance floor. "Let's dance!" We danced with each other, giggling and being plain out stupid. Another girl-Alexandra Daddario-joined us, smiling. Alexandra danced like a double-jointed hooker, and I think Bianca did the running man at one point. I caught a glimpse of Annabeth talking to Lee near the stage. Giving the girls a quick wave, I made my way over to them. "Annabeth!"

She turned toward me, her gray eyes glistening under the dazzling lights. "Hey!"

Lee gave me a smile before stalking off into the throng of dancers. "Any eyes on the Vice Principal?"

"Yeah, we've even got a name-Dr. Thorn. His eyes are multi colored-blue and brown. He looks human so don't be fooled. He hadn't tried anything yet but regardless, we have to get the kids to camp tonight."

"Got it."

After a minute, Annabeth smiled. "Anyway, you look great! That dress is to die for."

"Thanks. You chose well."

Annabeth laughed, pulling me into a tight hug. "How's your date?"

I glanced around, not seeing him. "Probably drunk somewhere."

"Oh no." She brushed a strand of hair back. She'd worn her hair down and straightened it so that it cascaded over her shoulders. "Bad?"

"Not yet. Anyway, dance?" I started pulling her toward the dance floor.

Annabeth and I skirted the edge of the dance floor, hand in hand. I was looking for Bianca in the mess, but then I came to a complete standstill. There was a small candle covered in glass on a white table. It sent a soft flickering glow over Percy's high cheek bones and full lips. Percy's stare was so concentrated I took an unintentional step back, but we didn't break eye contact. A craving unfurled deep in my stomach, shooting through me like heated lightning, and that-that was the kind of feeling you couldn't force, couldn't even replicate even if you wanted. Then Logan was in front of me, capturing my hand and pulling me away from Annabeth and onto the dance floor. It wasn't a slow dance, but he wrapped his beefy arm around my waist and pulled me against his chest anyway. The hard edge of his flask cut into my ribs.

"You disappeared on me," he said, his lips brushing my ear, dousing my neck in alcohol fumes. "I thought you up and left me."

"No, I saw friends." I tried pulling back, but I was stuck to him. "Where are your friends?"

"Huh?" he yelled, unable to hear me as the music increased.

"Your friends?" I asked again. One of his hands was low on my back, his finger resting on the flare of my bum.

"Don't know. Somewhere." He answered and I maneuvered his hand off my rear.

I didn't bother responding. I was too busy avoiding his hands, which were everywhere. We danced another song before I could successfully extract myself, and the only reason I could was because Annabeth saved me. She informed me that Grover had got eyes on the Vice Principal but couldn't identify what kind of monster he was. Annabeth was informing the rest of the group and Lee was keeping eyes on the Di Angelos. I glanced over at Percy who was staring at the floor. Several bathroom breaks and dances later, I ended back up with Logan.

For a mortal, he sure knew how to sneak up on someone. He didn't reek of alcohol this time around, but dammit, his hands were super friendly as we moved in a tight circle. I could feel every last inch of him, and he didn't seem to mind. I was starting to sweat when one of his hands dropped off my shoulder, narrowly avoiding my boob. I jerked back, glaring at him. "Logan."

"What?" He looked innocent. "Sorry. My hand slipped."

His hand slipped my rosy red butt. I looked away, about to turn around and leave him.

"Mind if I cut in?" a deep voice asked from behind me.

Logan's blue eyes widened as I twisted around. Percy stood there, a hard look on his face. He wasn't looking at me. His eyes were focused on Logan as a challenge. As if he dared the boy to say no.

After a tense second, Logan released me. "Perfect timing. I needed to get a drink anyway."

Percy cocked a brow at Logan and then looked at me. "Dance?"

Having no idea what he was up to, I gingerly placed my hands on his shoulders. "This is a surprise."

He didn't say anything as he wrapped one arm around my waist and reached up, taking hold of one my hands. The music slowed down until it seemed to crawl by in a haunting melody about love lost and found again. I stared up into those extraordinary eyes, stunned that he could hold me so...tenderly. My heart thudded as blood rushed to every point in my body. It had to be the dance, the dress-the way he filled out his tux. He pulled me closer.

Excitement and dread warred inside me. The dazzling lights overhead reflected in his midnight hair. "Are you having a good time with Happy Hands?"

I bit down on my lip. "Such a constant smart ass."

He chuckled in my ear, sending shivers through me. His hand rested above my hip, having a totally different impact on me. My skin tingled underneath the chiffon. Percy cleared his throat as he glanced away. "You...you look beautiful, by the way. Really too good to be with that Linus idiot."

"Logan." A blush stole over my skin, and I lowered my gaze. "Are you high?"

"Unfortunately, no I'm not. Though I am curious why you would ask."

"You never say anything nice to me."

"Good point," he sighed. Percy moved a little close and turned his head slightly. His jaw grazed my cheek and I jumped. "I'm not going to bite you. Or grope you. You can relax."

My witty retort died on my lips when he moved his hand from his hip and guided my head to his shoulder. The moment my cheek touched his tux covered shoulder, there was a dizzying rushed of sensations. His hand settled on my lower back again and we moved to the music. After awhile, he started humming under his breath, and I closed my eyes.

This...this wasn't nice. It was thrilling.

"Seriously, how's your date going?" he asked.

I smiled. "He's a little friendly."

"That's what I thought." He turned his head, and for a moment his chin rested against my hair, then he lifted his head. "I warned you about him."

"Percy," I said softly, wanting him not to ruin the mood. There was something peaceful about this. "I have him under control."

He snorted. "Sure looks like it, Sweetheart. His hands were moving so fast I was beginning to question if he was human or not."

I stiffened, my eyes opening. I counted to ten. I made it to three before he spoke again.

His hand tightened around mine. "Gods, you're way out of your league with that Lincoln guy."

"Logan." I corrected, pulling back to look up at him. We'd stopped dancing, oblivious to the other couples. Disbelief coursed through me. "Excuse me? I'm out of my league?"

His eyes narrowed. "You heard me."

"Whatever, Percy." My hand curled into a useless fist against his chest. "I'm not fighting with you today."

Frustrated, I looked through the crowd for my friends. Suddenly, I noticed that Bianca and Nico had disappeared.

"Percy?" I tapped him on the shoulder, the anger escaping my body. "They're gone. Bianca and Nico-they're gone."

Percy followed my gaze and shook his head. "Shit! Where's Annabeth and Lee?"

I glanced around for any sign of the blonde and the dark haired boy. "I don't know but there's Grover-he's coming towards us now."

The satyr had managed to weave through the crowd, panting when he came near. "Thorn is gone. I can barely smell him or the kids with all the people in here."

"We need to warn Annabeth and Lee." Percy said urgently, craning his neck to look for them.

"I'll get them." Grover nodded his head toward the exit. "You guys go get Thorn."

Percy and I nodded, weaving past the crowd and toward the exit. I stroked my bracelet, ready for it to transform in my shield, Aegis, whenever I needed it. I checked that I had my mace canister which also transformed but into a sword. As soon as we were out of the sight of the crowd, I kicked my heels off and Percy undid his tie.

"I'm taller than you again." he commented smugly.

"Whatever." I grinned stupidly, then kept running. At the end of the hallway, Annabeth and Lee joined us. Annabeth gripped her knife and Lee shouldered his quiver and arrow. Grover trotted behind them, bleating nervously.

He looked like a wreck and I knew getting these kids to camp was important to him. He didn't want a repeat of what had happened to me six years ago and I wasn't about to let that happen.

"He's outside-on that cliff." Percy pointed outside the widow, where Thorn had his back to us. "He's got the Di Angelo's cornered."

"Let's go." I ran outside slightly before realizing that I was on a cliff. Super high. Below us, the ocean waves lapped against the sand and I started to feel nauseated.

I was pretty sure I was turning green because Annabeth looked at me worriedly.

"You okay, Thalia?" She asked, her whipping wildly in the wind.

I summoned the winds to calm down which eased my nerves slightly. "I'm doing great."

"Great because there's no time for dialogue." Percy gritted his teeth, clutching his pen.

I frowned, pointing to the pen. "What's up with you and that stupid pen?"

Percy stared at me for a long moment then uncapped it, and it transformed into three foot long sword.

"Oh, that's whats up." I said stupidly. "Hold up, you've been poking with that thing all year-what if uncapped?"

Percy plastered his trade mark lazy grin. "Oops."

I wanted to punch him in the face but Dr. Thorn turned around. His face was ghoulish, but still human-looking. He had perfect white teeth and his brown/blue eyes reflected in the light.

"Ah demigods," He looked at us mischievously. "I thought I smelled more than two. You've been throwing off my scent for the last few months."

Percy, Annabeth, Lee, Grover, and I stepped out into the light, making ourselves visible. We stood in our defensive positions, brandishing our weapons.

"Guys?" Bianca's eyes widened. "What's going on? Why do you guys have swords?"

"Cosplay." Percy grinned.

Annabeth punched him in the gut. "Don't worry, Bianca and Nico. We're going to get you guys out of here-and safe."

I heard a chopping sound and looked up. A helicopter. He was taking the Di Angelos somewhere.

"I'm afraid you all are late." Dr. Thorn looked at us, smiling like a cat that had eaten all the fish in an aquarium. A movement flickered behind him, and a missile launched into the stone wall behind us, pinning Grover back.

Lee rolled away to avoid another missile and glanced behind the monster. "He's got a tail!"

"Great." I muttered, then focused back on Dr. Thorn. "Where are you taking the kids?"

"My dear child, you should be more worried about yourself. You will find out tonight-when you meet the general."

I frowned and glanced at the other half bloods who shrugged as a response.

Percy's face paled. "The G-general?" He stuttered, eyes wide.

Dr. Thorn threw another one of his missiles, this time at me and Percy. He ducked and I rolled away, getting back onto the balls of my feet. Growling, I rushed him with my spear. I barely got a dent in before he swatted me away like a fly. He sent another volley of arrows as I hit the snow and I deflected them with my shield. By this time Lee had managed to unpin Grover and together, they distracted the monster while Percy and Annabeth freed the kids. Lee launched a volley of arrows as an attempt to pin Dr. Thorn's tail and Grover played his reed pipe, causing roots to latch onto the monster's legs.

Dr. Thorn roared and began to change. He grew until his body was that of a lion, his face still human. His tail had become leathery and if possible, more spiky.

"A manticore!" Annabeth yelled.

Nico gasped. "He's got three thousand attack power!"

Percy and Annabeth had managed to get the kids away, towards our side but now we were cornered. I summoned the winds to stall the impending helicopter but they had their guns aimed at us, ready to fire. Things looked pretty bleak, to say the least.

Then I heard a clear, piercing sound: the call of a hunting horn blowing in the nearby woods.

"Dammit!" I stomped my foot, knowing who was coming. "The Hunters!"

The manticore froze. "No, it cannot be."

A group of girls came out to woods, sporting silvery ski parkas were armed with bows.

My favorite hunter stepped forward, that signature silver circlet braided into the top of her long dark hair. "Nice to see thee too, Thalia."

I gave her my number one salute.

"Permission to kill, my lady?" She asked the younger girl beside her. I sucked in a sharp breath-I just flipped off Artemis' lieutenant in front of the goddess herself. Good job, Thalia.

The auburn hair girl's expression was determined. "Zoë, permission granted."

The manticore growled. "If I cannot have these two alive, I shall have them dead!"

He lunged at Percy and me, knowing we were weak and dazed.

"No!" Annabeth yelled, and she charged at the monster. She leapt onto the monster's back and drove her knife into mane. The manticore howled, turning in circles as Annabeth clung on for dear life.

"Fie!" Zoë ordered.

"No!" Lee screamed, lunging toward the monster. But the Hunters let their arrows fly. They hit their mark and the manticore staggered backwards, wailing. Then before anyone could react, the monsters with Annabeth still on his back, leaped over the cliff and tumbled into the darkness. The helicopter sped away, realizing the failed attempt.

"Annabeth!" Lee and I rushed over the edge, desperately looking for the daughter of Athena. Percy decided to take the more drastic route and backed up, as if he were going to hurl himself off the cliff.

"Percy..." I said warningly.

He didn't hear me. His face wall full of anguish and desperation. With a heart-breaking cry, he ran forward, hurling himself off the cliff and toward the sea.

"No!" I yelled, shooting my hand forward and summoning the winds to carry him back. He landed back onto the cliff, gasping. As he tried to get to his feet, I ran over and held him down. When it was quite obvious that I couldn't hold him down, the Hunters joined in, pinning him down.

Artemis turned toward him. "Percy Jackson, I'm afraid your friend is beyond help. You will be of no aid to her if you try to hurl yourself off cliffs."

Despite that, Percy struggled. "Let me go!" He cried, tears streaming his face. "I can't lose her! Not Annabeth, I've already lost her. I can't go through this again-I can't."

He grasped my shoulders, a wild look in his eyes. "He's got her too. He's her for years! Now he's got the both of them."

"Percy, stop!" I pushed him back down, snow flying at the impact. "Calm down-we'll find her. I promise."

But that wasn't enough for the son of Kronos and Poseidon, he still continued to struggle. Meanwhile, Grover weaved around, making sure the Di Angelos were alright.

"Where's Lee?" He asked, concerned.

I glanced at the edge of the cliff, where the son of Apollo had been barely a minute ago. He was gone. I gulped. "He must've gone to find Annabeth."

Percy growled. "I have to go help him. We need to find her before he takes her to Tartarus, too."

I frowned. Tartarus? "No, Percy. It's too dangerous-you'll get yourself killed."

"Let me go!" He roared and managed to break through our grasp, running for the cliff again. Before I could stop him, Zoë appeared, her face stern.

"Percy, stop." She commanded, her black eyes clashing with his gold.

The demigod seemed to snap out of it, taking a step backward. "It's you." He whispered quietly.

There was a pained look in her eyes. "It is me."

My nostrils flared and I didn't need a connection to know that those two had history between them. Great.

---

A/N-Did you finally make it down here? Thank the gods. I used some lines from the Titan's curse because I'm lazy and it's convenient. Disclaimer's on my profile. This week is my spring break so I am trying to prewrite for this story and another, and also revise another story but I'll update on Saturday, and let you guys know how many chapters (hopefully) that I've prewritten for this fic. So yeah, I made Percy and Zoe have a background history. I thought it be funny to watch Thalia spaz out over it and even though, I've got none of it written- I think it'll be good. Yeah, Logan Lerman's a douche in this fic-you butcher my favorite character, you suffer at my hands. Plain and simple. Anyway, check out my poll and leave a favorite, review, or follow if you liked it. See you guys next chapter.