AN: Now, it begins. Also, sorry for not putting in as much detail as I should of in the last chapter. If it bugs anybody, let me know and I'll fix it. I think that's it, so enjoy the story.

ANNABETH

Annabeth was standing on the deck of the Argo III, gazing out over the clouds. The sun had gone down awhile ago, and everyone was asleep. At least, that's what she thought, before she heard a voice.

"Not the first place I thought I'd see you." Said a male voice. She turned to see A.J walking up to her.

"What are you doing here?" Annabeth asked. She meant to sound surprised, but it must have come out as something a bit more snotty, because A.J flinched. She made to apologize, then stopped.

"I just came out here to think." A.J said. He stood next to her and leaned on the railing. "Everything has been moving so fast." That reminded Annabeth about some questions she wanted to ask him.

"How did you know who everyone's loved one was?" She asked him. He looked over at her, then looked back out to the clouds.

"Straight to the point, eh?" He asked. "Who do I start with?"

"How about Jason and Piper." Annabeth said. A.J nodded.

"I saw them holding hands when I was telling you guys about myself. You know, after I fought with Jason." He looked over at her I order to see her nod. "It was really just a guess, but I guess I was right."

"OK, then how about Leo and Calypso?" Annabeth asked.

"A variety of clues. Firstly, I am very familiar with Calypso's myth. If Calypso was with this guy, it must mean he must have met her, and if he met her, he most likely went to her island. If he went to her island, then her curse would have made her fall in love with him." A.J took in a long breath. "Secondly, tied for firstly, when Leo was going on that rant like five minutes after I met him, he said 'and then my girlfriend tries to kill Percy.'" Annabeth scratched her head in embarrassment.

"What about me and Percy?" Annabeth asked.

"You were the first two I met, and you were very close. I could tell that right away. Then, I notice how you almost never left his side the entire way. That and the fact that he kissed you goodnight last night was a big giveaway." Annabeth stepped back in shock.

"How could you possibly know that?" She asked with that shock still in her voice. A.J looked back at her with a grin.

"I didn't know. It was just a guess, until now." He chuckled slightly at her embarrassed expression. He looked back out to the clouds. They were quiet for a few minutes, when A.J surprised Annabeth again. "You've been through it, haven't you?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" Annabeth asked.

"You've been through... the underworld, haven't you?" Annabeth could tell from his hesitation that he was going to say something else. Annabeth also had a pretty good idea of what he was going to say.

"I'm not fragile, you know!" She said angrily. "Don't sugar coat things." Then she calmed down. "Even if I do appreciate the thought."

"So, is that a yes?" A.J asked. Annabeth looked at him cautiously.

"What does it matter if it is or is not?" She asked sharply.

"Because, whatever it is that happened to dump you there, whatever you did, is something I would never have the courage to do." A.J said. "It makes me admire you more."

"And why do I care what you think of me?" Annabeth snapped. A.J didn't reply for awhile. When he did, it was with another question.

"You don't like me very much, do you?" He asked. Annabeth 'Hmph'-ed.

"And what genius analysis did you do this time?" She asked. A.J shook his head.

"Is it because I threatened you with a sword?" He asked. "Or is it my arrogant nature?" He looked over to see Annabeth's shocked face. A.J grinned. "I'm more perceptive of myself than you think." He went to looking back at the clouds. Then he sighed. He turned around and began walking back to his sleeping quarters. "Well, whatever it is, I hope I can get you to be my friend someday. Goodnight Annabeth." With that, he disappeared below. Annabeth looked out at the clouds, slightly confused at the entire meeting.

The next morning, Annabeth was eating breakfast with Percy, Jason, and Piper, as the others had either not yet woken up or in Leo and Calypso's case were working on the engines. A.J walked in, got some breakfast, and sat down near them. He didn't make eye contact with her.

"Morning." He mumbled as he began eating. Jason looked over at him curiously.

"Are you okay man?" He asked. A.J nodded.

"Yeah, I'm alright." He said. This time, Percy looked at him.

"You know, you have an uncanny resemblance right now to one of my friends." He said. "His name is Nico Di Angelo. He was always a kind of depressed person too." A.J looked at him.

"Di Angelo? 'The angel'?" Percy nodded slowly. A.J looked like he was deep in thought. He mumbled something. Annabeth could just make it out.

"Twins snuff out the angel's breath." A.J whispered. Jason nearly chocked on his breakfast, Piper spilled her milk, and Percy fell out of his chair. They all heard him.

"How do you know that line?" Jason demanded. A.J snapped out of his look of thought. He looked confused.

"It came in a dream. Why?" He asked. Percy looked at him seriously.

"You need to tell us." He said. A.J looked like he was about to protest, but then he gave in.

"Alright." He said, with slight reluctance. Annabeth had time to wonder why he would be reluctant, and then A.J told them all about his dream.

A.J

FLASHBACK

He was waling down a gray road. The road was lined with torches, all burning with a familiar ruby light. He eventually came to a branch off in the road. A black figure suddenly appeared out of the ground.

"What is happening?" A.J asked the figure. The figure's only reply was an intense stare. Suddenly,the figure began to speak. What it spoke made no sense, however.

"Spirit passed through Death's known door,

Companion he is longing, for

Twins snuff out the Angel's breath,

And he shall join her in Death."

Then, the figure disappeared.

"Wait!" A.J cried. "What does that even mean?" A.J was suddenly lifted of the ground by some unseen force. The road below him opened up like a giant pit, and A.J fell.

ANNABETH

Annabeth just sat there with the others after A.J just got done explaining his dream. He looked around at their quiet faces.

"Well!" He demanded. "Say something." That seemed to break whatever trance everybody was in.

"What do want us to say?" Piper asked. A.J shook his head.

"I don't know." He said. "Something." Annabeth leaned forward.

"Well, how about-" She started, but was cut off by Leo's voice over the intercom.

"So, we'll be arriving at camp Jupiter in just a few minutes. Wish us all luck in the home stretch." Just then, a warning alarm went off, and red lights began flashing. Leo and Calypso burst out of the engine room, coughing on the smoke that followed them.

"You just had to say something, didn't you?" Calypso cried over the alarm. Leo started running around, looking for something.

"Sorry, sorry." He said. "But now we have to find a way to fix this." Percy looked over at him.

"What do you mean?" He asked. "Fix what?" Jason and Piper looked over at each other.

"The engine has had a lot of strain put on it, and it's about to blow." Leo practically shouted over the alarm. Immediately, A.J jolted out of his seat. He ran over to Leo. He actually picked him up and threw him over to Calypso. He landed at her feet.

"What are you doing? "Annabeth shouted. A.J didn't bother to answer. Instead, a ring of ruby fire surrounded Leo and Calypso. The fire then turned into chains, which wrapped around the two completely. By the time it was done, they looked like two cocoons chained together. A.J immediately turned to Jason and Piper, and the same thing occurred. Annabeth tried to lunge at A.J with her sword, but a ring of fire sprouted around her and Percy. Soon after, they were both in cocoons. As the chains wrapped around Annabeth's face, she saw that a ring of fire had sprouted up around A.J as well. Then, she was enclosed entirely in the chains. She struggled to get out, when suddenly there was a sound like nothing she ever heard. It sounded like the engine itself had gotten torn out of the ship, and was then crying in agony. The sound was followed by an immense Shockwave, which was itself accompanied by extreme heat. Annabeth could only stand it for so long, but then she blacked out as the ship exploded.

AN: So, here we are. Please let me know what you guys think. It makes me happy to read opinions on my work. Thanks.