A/N- Final chapter, guys! It feels like I just started this yesterday, honestly. Wow. Anyway, last chapter was...intense so we're going to slightly dial it down. And when I say dial it down, I mean turn it the hell up! Nah, I'm just kidding but the last sentence of the last chapter was kind like oooh, what's Percy going to do now and what he does will be revealed in this chapter. Um, I'm going to leave the whole Annabeth thing alone because I don't feel like dealing with it now. I'm a pro, I know. We'll deal with Nico and go on our date then! Let's go!

When the party on Olympus ended, Percy, Grover, and I got in a cab and jetted back to camp.

At the top of half-blood hill, Nico di Angelo was tinkering around with one of his mythomagic cards, looking somber.

I took a deep breath and walked up to him, begging my hands to stop shaking. "Nico, I've got some bad news-you may want to sit down."

"I know." His eyes were watery but I think he was trying to be strong. "I know about Bianca."

I gasp, stumbling backwards. "W-what? How?"

"I felt it-she's being judged right now, in the fields of Asphodel." Nico sighed, wiping away tear. "I know you had nothing to do with her death-she sacrificed herself. She appeared to me as a ghost and told me. I-I just wish-"

His voice cracked and my heart was bleeding. He was just a kid and now he's by himself. What he was saying didn't make any sense, that is unless...

"Nico, I think you're a child of Hades." I whispered, reaching into my pocket and pulling out the figurine Bianca had told me to give to her brother. I turned it over.

Hades.

"That's ironic," Nico took the figure gingerly, holding it to his heart. "It was the only figurine I didn't have. I can't believe she's gone..."

Instinctively, I wrapped my arms around the boy, pulling him close. I didn't know what else to do. "Nico, I'm so so sorry. It should've been me-I know it should've been. I promised you I would protect her and I failed."

"Hey it's okay," Nico pulled away and tried to form a small smile. "I guess I forgot to tell you Bianca does whatever she wants to do. I'm glad she had a friend like you in her last moments-she wanted you to know she doesn't regret going on the quest. And I don't either-I mean, without her death, I wouldn't have know about my godly parent and I can always talk to her. It'll just be...different." Nico smiled sadly then beamed. "But that'll all change soon-I'm bringing her back to life!"

I blinked a few times. "What? No, that's impossible-even for a child of Hades."

"Well, let me rephrase that," He corrected. "Bianca's choosing rebirth so I'll find the rebirth version of her. Easy peasy, lemon squeasy."

I heard footsteps behind me which meant that Percy and Grover joined us. I'm not sure how much of the conversation they heard but I think they gathered a few key points here and there.

"I'm afraid Thalia's correct, kid." Percy grimaced, pitying the young demigod. "Those who choose rebirth may end up miles or even continents away from their original bodies origin. She could be a Pacific Islander in the next life-she could be an infant. She might not even be a halfblood and it's unlikely she'll remember any of this. She might not remember you."

"She's a child of Hades and my sister-she'll remember me." Nico's voice was passionate, full of the determination. He looked down for a second. "She has to."

"You'd have to leave camp to look for her and that's not the best choice considering you're a child of the big Three and by yourself." Grover pointed out.

"That's why I wanted to see you guys before I left-I came to say goodbye." Nico said. "And I'm not going to be alone-there's this guy I know who can help me. When we find Bianca, I'll be back. In the meantime, kick some serious monster ass for me, okay?"

Percy toussled the ten-year olds hair. "Hey, watch it with the bad words, kid. I might have to wash your mouth with soap."

"I'd like to see you try." Nico taunted, sticking his tongue out him.

I smiled and Percy faked a punch to his abdomen. Nico squealed, giggling.

I nodded, releasing a breath I hadn't known I was holding. Nico di Angelo was going to be alright, he'd need to heal but in the end, he'd be okay.

"Take care, Nico." Grover patted his shoulder and the boy gave him a smile.

I gave Nico one last smile. "Don't have to many sweets, you hear? I don't want to see any cavities when I see you and Bianca again."

"Yes, ma'am." The child of Hades saluted then took a step back. Around him, the shadows seemed to move and suddenly, they enveloped him. I blinked and Nico di Angelo was gone.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

I tried to focus on anything other than the fact that I was 152,000 feet in air, trapped in a compressed metal bird.

I tried to focus on the man in the corner, rapidly speaking into his Bluetooth, making gesticulations as he does so.

I tried to focus on the latest Green Day album that was blaring through my earphones.

I felt an earbud being removed from ear. I tilted my head to the left and met a startling pair of golden eyes.

"What are you thinking of?" He asked, eyes searching mine.

"The concert-apparently my chemical romance is performing as a launch for their reunion tour." I cleared my throat, preparing myself for my Gollum impression. "My precious Gerard Way."

Percy raised a fist to his mouth, trying to stifle his laughter. "Okay, well we're almost to Las Vegas so you will see your precious Gerard Way soon. Close your eyes-we'll be there before you know it."

"Okay." I laced my hand with his and leaned back, closing my eyes.

A brief silence passed before Percy broke it. "Wait, so do you think that Gerard Way is good looking? Better looking than me?"

I opened one eye. "Ask me that when you're in a band."

Percy's jaw clenched. "I can get a band together. It will be called...Percy Jackson and the Olympians. I'll be the front man and do that really cool screamo thing with my voice."

"That's...attractive."

The demigod smiled, genuinely proud of himself. "That's what I thought."

I chuckled then ran my thumb across his palm before closing my eyes once more.

Everything will be fine.

Sometimes I wonder if this is all a dream.

I wonder if I'm still a tree, just imagining all of this. Imagining the quest to save Artemis. Imagining the friends I made along the way: Bianca and Zoë.

Everything I've done felt real. Fighting monsters at every turn felt real. The constant paranoia felt real. The moments when I thought I wouldn't make it felt so real.

Letting Bianca sacrifice herself felt real.

Zoë dying right before my eyes felt real.

Running my spear through Lee felt real.

And it was real.

Even though I wish it weren't.

"Hey, wake up. You need to see this."

"Huh?" I sat up, slightly dazed.

"Look, up ahead. Caesar's Palace." Percy was saying, one arm wrapped around my waist.

It took my eyes a few seconds to readjust and take in my surroundings. We were in a cab, most likely nearing the Bellagio, where the concert was being held. I gasped at the sight. Palm trees lined the Vegas Strip with lights so bright they were almost as blinding as Apollo's teeth.

I pointed out well-known hotspots like Caesar's Palace and the Eiffel Tower at Paris, bouncing around excitedly. Percy laughed at me, shaking his head while smiling.

"What?" I asked him, unable to help the smile spreading across my face. "It's beautiful."

Percy's smile gradually faded and he looked into my eyes, genuine sincerity shining through. "Yeah, you are."

I nearly choked on my saliva. Graceful, I know. "Wow, you're really gunning for the brownie points today."

"All day. Every day."

The cab stopped by the entrance to the Bellagio hotel and I got out while Percy paid for the cab. I heard the door close and felt Percy standing beside me.

"Shall we?" I asked, holding out my hand.

"We shall." He took it gingerly and I took a step back to really look at him. He had changed.

Literally.

He was sporting a black blazer and slacks which fit him nicely. I hadn't seen him like this since the Winter formal at Westover Hall. I chuckled softly, shaking my head. After almost a week of continuously fighting and running for our lives every second, it was just nice to clean up and be somewhat of normal teenager.

"What?" Percy asked, raising a brow.

"Nothing. You just look nice, did you change on the plane?"

"Yeah, I did." He grinned at me. "I knew you'd give me the time of day if I cleaned up nicely."

"Artificial, but nice try." I pulled him away from the curb, toward the concert.

Don't get me wrong, Olympus is practically heaven and arguably one of the most beautiful places in the world but it had nothing on How the Edge stole Christmas.

The atmosphere was fresh and exciting, causing my blood to course through my body like a shot of pure adrenaline. Everyone, regardless of which band they liked, was there to have a good time.

And so was I.

Just as Green Day was wrapping up their set list, I pulled Percy out onto the dance floor, slipping around bodies as I searched for a spot. Finding one, I pivoted around. He watched me curiously, almost like he was saying, Are we really doing this? We were. Smiling, I stepped up to him, draped an arm around his neck, and placed my other hand on his waist.

I started to move against him, letting the music guide my movements.

It took a few seconds of stiffness to find the beat to the song and loosen up muscles that hadn't really seen any action recently, but when I did, the rhythm of the music resonated in my head and then through my body, my limbs. Swaying to the music, I whirled around and my shoulders moved with my hips. Percy's arm crept around my waist, and I felt his chin graze my neck.

Percy's arm tightened as the beat picked up and so did my movements. "I think I like this."

All around us, bodies were slick and shiny with sweat, as if they'd been dancing for years. That was the thing about places like this—you get caught up and hours go by but it only feels like long minutes.

Percy spun me back to him, and I was on the tips of my boots, facing him. His head lowered, forehead pressing against mine, our lips brushing. A rush of power went through me, transferring to him, and in the flashing lights, we were lost in this world. Our bodies surged with the beat, fitting together fluidly while others seemed to thrash beside us, never able to find the right sync.

When Percy's lips pressed more firmly against mine, I opened up, not losing the rhythm even though he was stealing my breath.

When the need for air became more apparent, Percy pulled away smiling as rested his forehead against mine. "Gods, I don't think I ever want to leave your side again."

"Then don't." I whisper. "And keep dancing."

"Don't have to tell me twice."

I laughed and by the end of the concert, I don't think I ever once stopped smiling. Just when I thought my smile couldn't get any wider, Percy took me backstage for our VIP meet and greet with some of the bands.

And before you ask-yes, Gerard Way was there. And looking fine as hell, but that's not the point.

He said he liked my Green Day shirt and I responded in a language that wasn't quite english but somewhat close to gibberish. Before I could ask him to marry me, Gerard Way was whisked away, most likely to the Black Parade.

I felt an arm snake around my waist and my blush intensified. "Great english skills there, Sweetheart. Mind giving me a lesson?"

"Shut up, Percy." I leaned into him, smiling.

"What do you say we get out of here and get some sushi, huh?" Percy's eyes glittered under the bright lights.

"Thanks gods, I'm starving." I laughed and let him lead me outside the Bellagio hotel and onto the Vegas Strip.

The nearest shushi place was less than a minute a way and the service was fast. Less than five minutes after we ordered, the food was served.

"I've never actually had shushi before," Percy commented, picking at his california rolls. "I've always felt like it was sacrilegious, you know."

"Son of Poseidon and all?" I guessed, taking a bit of my spicy tuna roll.

Percy nodded, bringing a roll up to his mouth. He took a small bite, eyes widening. "Forgive me, half Father for I have sinned. That was amazing."

I laughed then threw him a look. "Hey no half-blood stuff, remember?"

He held his hands up, surrendering. "Right, it's your birthday-no half-blood talk whatsoever. My lips are sealed."

I stilled, chopsticks clattered to my plate. "I almost forgot. It is my doomsday birthday."

I looked down, pulling my shaky hands into my lap. "I'm surprised the rapture hasn't started yet."

"Hey, no. Don't talk like that." Percy reached under the table and held my hand. His voice was soft, eyes kind. "Besides, your actual time of birth is at midnight on the dot. We've got...twenty five minutes till then."

I drew in a shaky breath. "It's so weird how you know things like that. Since your birthday is tomorrow, what time were you born?"

Percy's eyes shone. "12:05."

"That's insane." I commented, squeezing his hand.

"I know." He leaned back, flashing deep dimples.

I turned away for a brief second then looked at his side of the table. One small circular dish was wiped clean. I looked at Percy who shifting his food around in his mouth.

"Percy, what happened to your wasabi?"

"W-wasbi?" Percy's mouth was practically convulsing at this point. "I thought it was guacamole."

"Oh my adorable cinnamon roll, no. You didn't just eat all of that, did you?"

The son of Kronos and Poseidon was too busy spitting out the remainder of the substance onto a napkin to respond. After a minute he looked up, sweat emitting from his face. "We should get going."

I frowned, puzzled. We did what we came to do-go to how the Edge stole Christmas and dinner. We were supposed to get on a plane and jet our tushes back to camp.

"Where?" I asked.

I squinted at the sign above, trying to decipher it despite my dyslexia. "Lotus Hotel and Casino?" I asked.

"Huh? Yeah." Percy was fidgeting, seeming nervous.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine." He answered quickly. "Let's go in-it's almost twelve."

I shrugged, looking at the door. The entrance was a massive, vibrant neon flower, the petals lighting up and blinking. No one was going in or out, but the glittering chrome doors were open, emitting air-conditioning that smelled like flowers—lotus blossom, maybe. I'd never smelled one, so I wasn't sure.

The doorman smiled at us as we passed the threshold. Once inside, my mouth dropped.

The whole lobby was a giant game room. And I'm not talking about some shitty old Pac-Man games or slot machines that you find at laundromats. There was an indoor waterslide snaking around the glass elevator, which went straight up at least forty floors. There was a climbing wall on the side of one building, and an indoor bungee-jumping bridge. There were virtual-reality suits with working laser guns. And hundreds of video games, each one the size of a widescreen TV. Basically, you name it, this place had it. There were a few other kids playing, but not that many. No waiting for any of the games. There were waitresses and snack bars all around, serving every kind of food you can imagine.

"Am I in heaven?" I asked, my feet immediately gliding over to a guitar hero game.

Percy chuckled then motioned for me to wait. I did, staring at that game while he went over to the front desk. He came back to me and handed me a silver card.

"Platinum card, it works for any and all the games. There's no cash or anything on it so you play for as long as you want. Here's a room key," He handed me another card. "Room 4001."

"Where's your card? Aren't you staying?"

For some odd reason, Percy looked torn. "I'm so sorry for this but I can't let you take this burden. You deserve a normal life-as normal as a half blood's life can be."

"I don't understand..." I trailed off, moving towards the guitar hero game. Part of me wanted to pay attention but the other part of me really wanted to shred on that guitar.

"I'll pick you up later, Thalia." Percy pivoted around and walked out of the hotel.

I shrugged then turned around to look at a clock.

12:04 pm.

There was something important about the time but I couldn't remember. My guitar vibrated in my hands, commanding my attention.

I turned towards it and chose a killer song. The more I played, the more it felt like time had just stopped. I had no idea how long I was there but eventually I began breaking the game's records and advanced to the highest level. People began swarming around me and for a second, I noticed their outfits. One guy looked like someone straight out of Grease another one looked like he had just time traveled from the eighties.

It turns out Grease guy was a beast at the bass and eighties dude had some sick vocals. Together, we formed the Unholy Trinity and played guitar hero until we could barely stand.

"Alright, guys-I think I'm going to hit the sack." I set my guitar back on the stand and laughed when the nearby crowd sighed.

"Groovy, grasshopper Thalia." The Eighties dude gave me a peace sign before reverting his attention back to the game.

"Night, guys."

"Goodnight!" The crowd responded.

I made my way to my room, crashing on a queen sized bed. My eyes closed and I drifted off into a deep slumber.

The next morning I got up and took a shower. I changed into a camp t-shirt and shirts which I figured Percy had brought up to the room after we had arrived last night.

I wondered what had happened to him last night-he was perfectly normal at the concert and dinner, excluding the wasabi-guacomole mishap-but when we got to the hotel, he was so anxious.

Before I could further evaluate his behavior, the back of my neck felt warm. I opened the bathroom and smiled at Percy who was sitting on the bed, twirling riptide.

"Happy Birthday, Seaweed Brain." I smiled.

"Ha ha. Thank you though." Percy plastered on his trade mark smirk and all my worries ceased-he was perfectly fine and everything was normal. I was worried for nothing. "Let's get going, plane leaves in an hour."

I nodded and head towards the door, Percy behind me.

We made our way past the lobby and although Percy had to practically peel me away from darting towards the guitar hero game, we made our way to the airport.

One nerve wracking plane ride later, we made it to camp.

Three days ago. That was the last time I'd seen Percy since our date.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't the type of girl to cling to a guy after one date but this was a guy who had literally taken a bullet for me-his absence didn't make sense. And the funny thing was that everyone else was used to it.

According to Grover and Chiron, Percy came and went as he pleased. He was an ally, not a camper, so he wasn't bound to stay at camp full-time. I just thought since it was Christmas day, he'd make an effort to show. But although I wanted him here, I realized I shouldn't expect anything from here. We were dating, not officially in a relationship.

Presently, I was sitting on my bed, staring at the clock.

11:45. Fifteen minutes until Christmas was over.

Suddenly, the back of my neck felt warm and I nearly darted across the cabin, throwing open the door. And there he was.

A light layer of snow rested on top of his raven hair, his golden eyes searching mine.

"Merry Christmas, Sweetheart."

"Merry Christmas, Percy." I smiled, letting him in.

As he took off his coat, I noticed the roses in his hand.

"For me?" I squeak, heat creeping into my cheeks.

"No, for Grover." He threw me a look then grinned, handing me the roses. "They're um, 'I'm sorry for going MIA on you these past few days' roses.'"

I took them gingerly and set them by the window sill. "It's fine, Percy. Really. I'm just glad you're here now."

"Me too." He sat down on my bed, the mattress creaking under his weight. "Come here, child."

"Shut it, Jackson." I laughed but climbed into his lap, wrapping my arms his waist. "If you don't mind me asking, where have you been?"

"You know, everywhere. Nowhere." He maneuvered us in such a way that his head rested against the head board. "I had some assassinations to do."

"Oh." I cleared my throat. "Were you successful?"

"Yes." The corner of his lips pulled up. "We don't have to talk about this, Thalia. Not if it makes you uncomfortable."

"No, no, it doesn't." I said too quickly. "Actually, I'd like to know more your life as an assassin. Have you ever killed another assassin?"

"Once or twice."

"Wow." I breathed, pulling away to see his expression. "That's like...assassin-ception."

"You like that, don't you?" He nodded, working on the buttons of my sweater, laughing softly when he came to where they were buttoned incorrectly.

I lifted my shoulders, and he helped me shrug out of the sweater.

Blood pounded as I yanked off my socks and lay back down. "I…I kind of like the sound of that."

"Kind of?" His hand was on my stomach, slipping down, moving under the hem of my shirt. "Kind of isn't good enough."

"Okay." I jerked when his fingers splayed across my skin. "I do like that."

"So do I." He lowered his head, kissing me softly. "I bet you love that."

My lips curved into a smile against his. "I do."

Making a deep sound in the back of his throat, Percy trailed kisses over my cheek that scalded my skin and lit a fire. We whispered to each other, the words slowly stitching together the aching hole in my chest. I think they were doing the same for him. I told him about my terrible childhood because of my mother's alcohol addiction. He told me about growing up in an orphanage, feeling unwanted. The truths he admitted, I kept them close to my heart.

The fear he'd felt when he saw Luke and me fighting on Mount Tam was in every slight, delicate touch of his fingers. Those precious words may not have been spoken up until then, but love was in every touch, every soft moan. I didn't need him to say it, because I was surrounded in his love for me.

Time stopped for us. The world and everything I'd been part of only existed outside my cabin door, but in here, it was only us. And for the first time, there was nothing between us. We were open, vulnerable to each other. Pieces of our clothing disappeared. His shirt. Mine. A button came undone on his jeans…and on mine, too.

"You have no idea how badly I want this." His voice was rough against my cheek. Raw. "I think I've actually dreamed about it." The tips of his fingers drifted over my chest, down my stomach. "Crazy, huh?"

Everything felt crazy. Being in his arms like this. Being this close to him and liking it. I lifted my hand, running my fingers down his cheek. He turned to the touch, pressing his lips against the palm of my hand. And when his head lowered to mine again, I sparked alive under him, only for him.

As our kisses deepened and our explorations grew, we got lost in how our bodies moved against each other, how we couldn't get close enough. The clothes that we still wore were a hindrance I wanted to be rid of, because I was ready to take that next step and I could feel that Percy was, too. Tomorrow or next week wasn't guaranteed. Not that it ever was, but for us, things really weren't looking in our favor. There really was only now, and I wanted to seize the moment and live in it. I wanted to share the moment with Percy—to share everything with him.

His hands…his kisses were completely undoing me. And when his hand moved down my stomach, slipping even farther down, I opened my eyes, his name barely a whisper. A faint whitish-red glow outlined my body, throwing shadows along the walls of the room. Electricity surged through my veins and every sense felt heightened. There was something soul-burningly beautiful about being on the brink of losing control, tumbling over into the unknown, and I wanted to fall and never resurface.

But Percy stopped.

I stared up at him, running my hands over the hard planes of his stomach. "What?"

"You…you're not going to believe me." He pressed another sweet and tender kiss against my lips. "But I want to do this right."

I started to smile. "I doubt you could do this wrong."

Percy's lips stretched into a smug half grin. "Yeah, I'm not talking about that. That I will do perfectly, but I want to… I want us to have what normal couples have."

Stupid, damnable tears rushed to my eyes, and I blinked them back. Oh dear gods, I was going to bawl like a baby.

Cupping my cheek, he let out a strangled sound. "And the last thing I want to do is stop, but I want to take you out again—go on a date or something. I don't want what we're about to do to be overshadowed by everything else."

With what looked like a great amount of effort, Percy lifted off me and eased down on his side. He wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me back against him. His lips grazed my temple. "Okay?"

Tipping my head back, I looked into his golden eyes. This…this was more than okay. And it took me several tries to speak, because my throat was burning with emotion. "I think I might love you."

Percy's arm tightened around me as he kissed my flushed cheek. "Told you."

Not what I expected as a response.

He chuckled, rolling onto his side—onto me, really. "My bet—I won. I told you that you'd tell me you loved me on Christmas Day."

Looping my arms around his neck, I shook my head. "No. You lost."

Percy frowned. "How so?"

"Look at the time." I tipped my chin toward the clock. "It's past midnight. It's the 26th. You lost."

For several moments he stared at the clock like it was a monster he was about to blast into oblivion, and then his eyes found mine. Percy smiled. "No. I didn't lose. I still won."

The next morning I woke up, feeling airy and…happy. I needed to shower and get ready for the day. There was a part of me that felt wrong for the smile on my face. Should I be content after everything? I wasn't sure. It didn't seem fair.

And I needed to see Annabeth.

After I stepped out of the steamy bathroom wrapped in my robe, I wasn't startled when I saw Percy lounging on my bed, freshly showered and changed.

I made my way over to the bed. "What are you doing?"

He patted the spot beside him, and I crawled onto the bed. "We need to stick together over the next couple of weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if Luke shows. We're safer together."

"Is that the only reason?"

A lazy, indulgent grin played across his lips as he tugged on the belt of my robe. "Not the only reason. Probably the smartest, but definitely not the most pressing."

Things had changed between us in a matter of hours. We talked more last night…and kissed some more before falling asleep in each other's arms. Now, there was an openness, a partnership in things. He was still a total smartass. And yeah, that smug grin still irked me.

But I loved him.

And the jerk loved me, too.

Percy sat up and pulled me into his lap. He kissed my forehead. "What are you thinking?"

I burrowed my head into the space between his shoulder and neck. "A lot of things. Do…do you think it's wrong to be happy right now?"

His arms tightened. "Well, I wouldn't send out a mass text message or anything."

I rolled my eyes.

"And I'm not entirely happy. I don't think I've really come to terms with everything. Lee was…" He trailed off, his throat working.

"I didn't mean to kill him." I whispered. "She's hurting so badly right now and it's all my fault."

"She needs time. We owe her that much." His lips moved against my temple, and my heart raced.

My throat tightened. "You're her best friend, Percy. I don't want her to hate you for something you didn't do."

"Well, that's not up to you." He placed two fingers under my chin, tipping my head back.

I stretched up, kissing his lips. "I'm sorry about Zoë-I know you two were close."

He sighed, stroking my hair. "Thank you."

A brief silence followed before I spoke again. "Do you know what's happening at the counselor's meeting today?"

"Something about the doomsday prophecy." His eyes darkened and he watched my expression intently.

"Figures." I try to smile. "Something must be off because it's four days since my birthday and no doomsday. I mean, what gives?"

"No idea."

"Well, we better find out." I sighed and wiggled out of his grasp. A change of clothes later, Percy and I were in the big house, taking our seats next to Silena Beauregard and Beckendorf.

Silena gave me a small smile as Micheal Yew took a seat behind us. He was rubbing his palms together nervously.

"Hey, you'll do fine, kid." Beckendorf winked at the son of Apollo.

I sucked in a sharp breath, averting my gaze. Micheal was Lee's replacement and therefore, new counselor of the Apollo cabin.

My head whipped around, searching for Annabeth. I had to talk to her-to explain myself.

"She's not here," Percy whispered in my ear. "She's on duty-she sent Malcolm to represent the Athena cabin."

"Oh." My voice was a whisper. She'd rather guard the fleece than attend the counselor meeting and see me. Or rather, Percy. I shook my head; there had to be some way to make this right.

"Counselors," Chiron's voice boomed throughout the room and all conversations practically ceased. "I've called you all here today to discuss the future of our world as we know it. As many of you know, Thalia has been revived through the golden fleece and is the oldest known child of the big three. On her sixteenth birthday, she was supposed to decide the fate of Olympus but for reasons unknown, this event has not occurred yet. The gods have decided to allow her to receive the prophecy now to further investigate this issue."

"What could've gone wrong?" I asked.

"My dear, that is for you to find out." Chiron looked at me sadly, as if I was already dead. "Please visit the oracle in the attic and return to us."

"Okay." I tried to keep my voice steady but inside I was wreck. This was it. I was about to hear a prophecy that probably predicted my death.

I stood up, hoping that I looked braver than I felt.

Percy's hand latched onto mine and suddenly I was staring into his golden eyes. "Thalia, I-"

"I'll be okay, I promise." I tried to smile. "Everything will be okay. Keep my seat warm, kay?"

He opened his mouth as if to say more but shook his head and offered me a smile. "Of course."

Just as Percy sat back down, I walked up the stairs and opened the attic door, causing dust to fly around.

After a brief coughing fit, I made my way through the discarded materials and over to the Oracle. Presently, she was just a skeleton but soon her mouth would emit a green gas that foretold prophecies.

I steadied my heartbeat and took a deep breath. "As a child of the eldest gods, I've been issued a prophecy foretelling the rise and fall of Olympus. Oracle, tell me the Great Prophecy."

"It is not yours." Her voice was a raspy whisper.

"Yes, it is." I insisted. "I am the oldest known child of the big three."

"No, you are not. It is not yours."

"I don't understand." My mind was spinning, trying to figure out who it could be. The other children of the big Three-Percy and Nico were younger than me.

If a skeleton could look pissed, the oracle certainly did. "Girl, how many times have I got to tell you-it ain't your prophecy no more. Now leave and do your nae nae whip thing."

I jumped back, startled at her tone. The oracle closed her mouth and it didn't open again.

A million thoughts were racing through my mind as I returned to the meeting.

"Well?" Beckendorf raised a brow as I took a seat.

I was sure my face was as white as a sheet. My eyes glanced around, searching for answers. Luke had said that I was revived to use the Ophiotaurus as a weapon against the gods. I was the oldest child of the big three. This was my prophecy. The prophecy my father and his brothers tried so hard to prevent and now the oracle was saying it wasn't me.

Something wasn't adding up here. I was missing something.

"It's not me." I said, my voice ringing with finality. Though I was partially grateful, I was also a little angry. Sure, I ha d to face an undefeatable titan lord and possibly die in the process, but that was my burden. It was my glory. I was supposed to be a legend-like Hercules. I trained day and night for this, I honed my powers and now it was all for nothing?

I didn't believe it. I couldn't.

"Come again?" Chiron's mouth dropped.

"The oracle said I wasn't the child of the prophecy. I'm not the oldest-at one point I was, and now I'm not. That's all she said. She didn't tell me how or why. That's it."

"It can't be possible." Malcolm voiced. "Someone must have tampered with your age, Thalia."

"Well, you were a tree for a few years so maybe that has to do with it." Silena offered, looking worried.

"No, she reverted to the age she would've been if she hadn't been a tree." Beckendorf said. "It's not that-it's got to be something else."

While many theories were being thrown around, I looked at Percy. He avoided my gaze, staring at the wall ahead. His face was expressionless.

"Percy." The demigod looked up at Chiron's voice. "Visit the oracle and see what she says."

I blinked a few times. "He's a younger than me-even if by a few minutes. It can't be him-maybe it's someone we don't know yet."

"I'm aware, Thalia. Nonetheless, he must go consult the oracle."

Percy gave one quick nod before leaving.

The whole room was silent as Chiron focused his gaze on me. "Is there any other way your mind could've been tampered with, Thalia? Anything that you can remember?"

"No..." I started, unsure. I frowned-there was one place that time seemed to have stopped but I don't know... "I mean, maybe. Have you ever heard of the Lotus Hotel and Casino? In Las Vegas? Percy and I were there a few days ago and it felt as though time had just kind of sto-"

"Stopped?" My mentor finished, his face pale. I nodded and he continued. "Thalia, that establishment was created by Lotus-eaters so that anyone that entered would never want to leave. Time stops there so if you were there on your birthday and somehow, you happened to enter at your actual time of birth, for a short period of time-you were still fifteen."

"And when I walked out, time resumed and I turned sixteen." I concluded, my heart dropping in my chest.

"Precisely." The centaur confirmed.

"Wait, so whose idea was it to go to the Lotus Casino?" Clarisse asked.

"Percy's." I said, voice flat.

"But how would he know the exact time of your birth?" Beckendorf questioned.

"He's a son of Kronos. He made sure we were in there by midnight-that's my exact time of birth." I replied.

"As the child of the titan of time, Percy is immune to the casino." Chiron explained. "While time would still cease for him while in the casino, he isn't tempted by the allure of the establishment. He is complete control and can easily leave the casino unlike others. Thalia, did he leave you there?"

"Yes." My voice cracked and my heart was racing. "His exact time of birthday was 12:05 and he left one minute before that."

Chiron sucked in a sharp breath. "So you were inside, frozen at fifteen years old and Percy walked out-where time was normal-and turned sixteen. Therefore, he is the child of the prophecy."

I drew in a shaky breath. My head was spinning. I didn't know what to think. I was angry and heart broken. This wasn't how things were supposed to go. This wasn't his burden to bear.

I heard footsteps and someone entered the room. The back of my neck felt warm and for a moment I wondered when that feeling would stop. Annabeth had said it would when I turned sixteen-when the prophecy was complete but now that I was no longer the child of the prophecy, I wondered how this connection would work.

"It's me." Percy's voice rang out and I looked straight ahead, trying not to look at him. "She didn't tell me the prophecy but she said I have two more years. The prophecy's age has now been changed to eighteen."

No one spoke.

"What?" He asked, searching for answer.

I stood up, shoulders squared and looked him straight in the eye. In his eyes, I saw mine and they were a cold blue.

"Percy," I started, my voice strong. I already knew the answer but I wanted to hear him say it. I needed to. "What did you do to me?"

Before he could answer, the front door swung open, slamming against the clapboard like a gunshot. I froze, but Percy spun around, his hands closing into fists, preparing to face anything and expecting the worst.

Annabeth rushed forward, holding someone's hand. Strands of blonde curly hair streamed behind her. Even from where I was, I could see the tears glistening on her tan cheeks, under her swollen eyes. But she was laughing. She was smiling, babbling absolute nonsense, but she was smiling.

I strained my neck to see the person behind Annabeth. Percy took a step forward as the front door started to swing shut but stopped. A short and thin form filled the doorway, swaying like a reed. As the form drifted forward, Percy stumbled.

Oh gods, Percy never stumbled.

The why sunk in slowly, and I blinked—too scared to believe what I was seeing. It all seemed surreal. Like maybe I'd fallen asleep and I was dreaming something too perfect.

Because under the glow of the porch light was a woman with brown wavy hair curling around broad cheekbones, lips that were wide and expressive, and eyes that were dull but still such a striking shade of blue. They seemed to change colors in the light-kaleidoscope eyes. A female but similar version of Percy stood on the porch. Gaunt and pale, but beautiful.

"Mom," Percy croaked out.

Then he broke into a dead run, feet pounding across the room. Wetness gathered in my eyes, spilling down my cheeks as Percy threw his arms around her, his broader body blocking his mother's.

Somehow, some way, Percy's mom was here.

Percy pulled his mother to him, but she… she was just standing there, arms limp against her sides, her face as beautiful as her son's but painfully empty.

"Mom…?" Uncertainty carried in Percy's voice as he pulled back, twisting my insides into raw, nervous little knots that traveled up my throat, getting stuck and stealing my breath.

She blinked a few times like she was trying to recognize him and when she did, she cupped his face and held him close. "Percy, it's okay-I'm here now."

As the two embraced, tears of joy streaming down their faces, I looked at Annabeth. She was crying too, so happy for him despite the fact that 'he' killed Lee. I was filled with hope-as long as Annabeth still saw something in Percy, I knew I could fix this. She didn't hate him and after he had been through, she knew how important this was to him.

Little did I know but in that moment, everything would change…for the better and for the worse.

The end of Book Three

A/N-Once again, thanks so much for reading this chapter and all the previous ones, I really appreciate it. Like always, I have two A/Ns after the last chapter-one lets you guys know the release date for the next book and another alerts you the day the fourth fic comes out. So please, don't unfollow this fic yet and if you guys don't want to read the A/Ns just follow me (as an writer) and you will be alerted when the fourth book comes out!