A/N: made a slight change to the previous chapter towards the end. If you care to go look at it, cool. If not, well it's not very plot changing anyways.

Sitting in her seat aboard one of the buses the Praetorian Guards were using, Zoe watched the metroplex pass them by as they headed to Dover. Though calling it a bus was a bit of an insult. The interior had been torn out and retrofitted with several couches, lounge chairs and three separate rooms. One was the driver's, separated from the rest of the bus with a wall and glass door. The other rooms were a war room, where Reyna made plans with her centurion, and Reyna's room, where she filled out paperwork from New Rome. Even half a country away, Reyna couldn't escape her job. The second bus was set up in a similar way but the rooms were used for recreational activities and sleeping quarters. Diego rested in her lap, the raccoon lightly purring as she pet him. Her trip down domain lane not only gave her a splitting headache, but also about a fifty mile radius of where Percy could be. They would have to figure it out from there. She'd also managed to not fracture apart her wards. Which was nice...apparently. After a quick change of clothes that Reyna had bought them and breakfast, the questors and legionaries had departed Baltimore. Zoe had a lot of time to think over the past few days. She thought about her family. Her father who loved her and Reyna who, for all intents and purposes, was a mother for her. She thought about her friends Karina and Liam, among others, and how they supported her. She would forever be grateful to have such amazing people in her life. To have been raised the way she was. Without fear or peril. She knew she was lucky and she never allowed herself to take her life for granted. She always worked hard to learn all she could, to be the best warrior she could be. She refused to waste her opportunities. So when her father gifted her Riptide for her tenth birthday, she made a promise to herself to prove herself worthy of wielding such a legendary weapon.

She didn't quite feel worthy. So far in their quest they had been beaten at almost every turn, only to barely escape with their heads still attached. The Minotaur put her through a tree, if it wasn't for the abilities from her father, she would have been crippled. Again the Minotaur had burned her leg and Liam had been running on fumes. If not for the Hunters, they would have been barbecued. Then there was Pallas. Now most would be satisfied with simply surviving a fight against an immortal. But Zoe had to win that fight. It was what she had trained for years for. To fight the enemy and protect those close to her and she failed. Through some miracle she stopped him before he could kill anyone, but that still hung over her head.

A weight settled into the seat next to her. Zoe shifted her gaze from the window to see her visitor. Reyna sat in her lorica segmenata. Engraved into the strips of metal was two pilum crossed behind a legion shield, the symbol of Bellona. Her armored skirt hung to her knees and her purple cloak was swept to one side over the seat. Greaves and bracers were strapped over black cargo pants and black sleeves. While Reyna had gotten Zoe and her friends new clothes from the mall, they lacked any armor on the bus that would fit any of them.

"Hey," Reyna greeted, a smile across her face. "How are you doing?"

Zoe returned the smile. "I'm doing okay. Just thinking."

"About what?" Reyna asked her. The bus hit a bump, lifting everyone up. There were some whoops and hollers.

"You know just stuff," Zoe said shyly.

Reyna raised an eyebrow at the girl. "Zoe, have I ever made you feel like you couldn't come to me with anything and everything?" she asked her.

Zoe shook her head. "No."

"Then talk to me," Reyna told her ward. "We are about to go into battle. We can't be distracted now that we are so close."

Zoe met Reyna's eyes, she knew all of this was true. She sighed. "Do you think I'm worthy?"

"Worthy?" Reyna repeated. "Worthy of what?"

The daughter of Perseus shrugged. "Worthy of Riptide? Worthy of the effort you and Dad put into training me? Worthy of the faith you seem to have in me?" She looked to the floors

Reyna's gaze turned confused. "Zo. Of course you are worthy," her hand found Zoe's far cheek and turned her face back to her. "Why would you think otherwise?"

"I couldn't beat the Minotaur on my own. Dad did it when he was twelve and didn't even understand what was happening," Zoe said with reluctance. "I know I stopped Pallas but it was something that was truly out of my control. Even at my best I was child's play to him. Dad beat Ares at twelve. Every step of this journey I haven't been good enough. Pallas is going to be there, maybe his brother too. How am I suppose to save Dad when I can't even hold my own against one of them?" Tears stung her eyes. She felt pathetic for worrying about things out of her control, but she couldn't help it.

Reyna wrapped her arm around Zoe's shoulder and pulled the smaller girl into her. "You are more worthy than you can imagine," she assured the girl. "Your father beating the Minotaur was just as lucky as you stopping Pallas. Percy didn't beat Ares. He wounded the god who made the mistake of not taking him seriously. Your father has had his victories but also his defeats. He lost to Luke on the Princess Andromeda. He lost to the Manticore at Westover Hall. He failed to protect his friends many times. But what makes him a hero?" she asked Zoe.

Zoe looked up to her guardian "He never gave up?" she answered.

Reyna nodded, a small smile on her face. "He never gave up," she agreed. "He always rose to the occasion. He did everything he could to save as many as he could. You're going to have failures Zoe. There will be times where you have to make a choice and live with it. But to be worthy is not to be the strongest hero. It is not to have never lost. It's that you rise dispute your failures. That you do what's right because it is right. And you my dear, are as worthy as any to ever exist," she praised the girl and kissed the top of her head. "Okay?"

Zoe smiled at her. "Okay," she agreed. "Thank you."

"Of course," Reyna responded with her own smile. "It's my job to pick you up when you're down."

The two sat in silence for several moments. Having your life threatened countless times in less than a week tended to teach you to appreciate the time you had. Finally Zoe broke the moment. "Hey...Reyna?"

"Hmmm?" Reyna hummed in response.

Zoe fidgeted with her pen. "Why aren't you and Dad together? Aphrodite kinda mentioned why but I want to hear it from you."

Reyna's eyes widened and she released a puff of air. "Well," she started. "Wasn't expecting that. Why do you ask?"

The girl shrugged. "I never really thought about it until she brought it up, but I don't know why you were never together before. You work together so well."

"What exactly did Aphrodite tell you was the reason?" Reyna asked her, a thoughtful look in her eyes. Like she was in debate with herself.

"Well...she said I was the reason," Zoe said hesitantly.

Reyna sputtered and squawked, drawing the eyes of several others on the bus. They quickly returned to looking forward when Reyna glared at them. She turned back to Zoe. "Gods almighty that goddess can be a pain," Reyna complained as she rubbed at her temples. She then grabbed Zoe by both shoulders and turned the girl towards her in the seat. "Zoe, I want you to listen very carefully, okay?" she asked, satisfied when the girl nodded. "You. Are not. The reason. Okay?" Zoe nodded. Reyna sighed heavily. "Your father was in a bad way after the Giants War. His mother and stepfather had been murdered in their home. The love of his live had been killed by Polybotes in front of him. Then he spent time in the Pit. Only to come out of the war and find that he couldn't join his family or Annabeth in the afterlife. That's not even mentioning how he started the war between Romans and Greeks."

"I thought that was Leo firing on New Rome?" Zoe asked with wide eyes.

"Later," Reyna promised. "After Leo's plan to kill Gaea failed, Percy was made a god by the Olympians against his will to combat the primordial. Realizing he couldn't join Annabeth. He tried to convince Zeus and Hades to bring her back. They refused."

"Why are you telling me this?" Zoe asked in confusion.

Reyna smiled at her. "Because I need you to understand that your father was not okay. He spent decades on autopilot like a robot. Even when he broke through that he was still a depressed heap of a man. Nico, the Seven, and I, as well as Vesta and Salacia, spent a century trying to bring him back to the man he was," she shook her head. "Sorry. I was getting off track. The point is, your father didn't need a lover. He needed a friend. And I was okay with being that for him."

"What about now?" Zoe wondered aloud.

"Well. After you came along, we had more pressing concerns. First of all was raising you, second was preparing for war. So being in a relationship was not a priority," Reyna explained to her.

Zoe watched her guardian intently. She had grown up with her, she recognized that look in her eyes. "There is more isn't there?"

Reyna's eyes widened as she looked at the girl. She chuckled. "You're to smart you know that?" she tried to stall. Zoe gave her an unimpressed look. "Fine. Several months ago, your father and I...well...Percy argued that in the next few years everything could end so we...kinda...got together?"

Now, being the daughter of the legendary "Seaweed Brain," Zoe was intimately familiar with the phrase 'gape like a fish.' Even without a mirror, she knew she was making her aquatic relatives proud. Several moments passed as guardian and ward starred at each other, each waiting for the other to respond. Zoe to shocked to really process it. Reyna waiting for the girl's reaction. Zoe finally shook her head. "You guys are...together?" she clarified.

Reyna seemed to juggle with something in her head. "We are-boyfriend and girlfriend are, for lack of a better word, inadequate titles. If you want to label it, paramours would be more applicable. We wanted to tell you on your birthday, but then your father disappeared and it never seemed appropriate to bring up."

"But Aphrodite said you two weren't together," Zoe asked in confusion.

Reyna smirked. "You are not the only one with wards protecting them," she stated cheekily.

"Who is the one passing around these wards?" Zoe asked.

Reyna contemplated before she decided it wouldn't hurt. "Vesta. When you came around, we went to her for advice. She placed the protection wards upon both of us to protect you."

"Why would you loving Dad affect me?"

"It would bring to much attention to you," Reyna explained. When Zoe frowned Reyna released a sigh. "Zoe, what was the reason Aphrodite gave you?"

Zoe released a puff of air. "She said that I was the reason you two would never get together," she said reluctantly. Reyna took a quick breath next to her. "She said that you spent so long trying to help and just when it looked like you two could get together, he turned up with me. And that there was no way you two would get back together after that betrayal."

"Your father never betrayed me Zoe," Reyna corrected her. Zoe raised am eyebrow at her. "Yes. I love your father now as I did then and he loves me the same. However your birth was not a betrayal. A surprise to be sure but not a betrayal." She raised a hand and stopped Zoe's next question. "I know you do not understand but once again we can not get into it right now. Once we free your father and get out of here, we will explain everything. I promise," Reyna swore. She then took Zoe's hand. "You don't mind your father and I being together do you?" she asked in slight concern

Zoe wanted to argue. She wanted to know what exactly Reyna was talking about. But she also knew that arguing with Reyna, especially over her safety, was a fight she would not win through words. Instead, Zoe smiled at her guardian. "Of course not," she assured her. "I have been waiting and wanting for you to get together for years Reyna. You two have always been good together. As long as you two are happy then I am thrilled," Zoe beamed at her guardian.

Reyna's response was interrupted by the bus coming to a halt. The two looked out the window. Outside was a common supermarket, with bystanders coming to and from the store and their cars. Completely ignorant of just how close they could be to the end of the world. The occupants of both buses exited the vehicles. Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder did not pair well with being confined in a big metal box. Zoe and Reyna met with Liam, Karina and Centurion Bernard, the older man the image of pristine despite spending several hours crammed in the metal beasts.

"Alright, Dover Delaware," Reyna stated, looking between each of the other demigods. "Percy is suppose to be somewhere in this city, just have to figure out where. Any ideas to narrow the search?"

Liam raised his hand. "We split up and look around." Both Karina and Zoe face palmed as Reyna held in a chuckle. Bernard simply raised an eyebrow at the young boy.

"Or," Karina offered. "In the interest of saving time. I could just use the Mist. One god causes a heavy blanket of Mist to collect in an area. The place Percy is being held has also had multiple titans and powerful monsters roaming around so it should light up like a beacon."

"Why didn't you do that on the bus?" asked Liam.

Karina starred at Liam wide eyed. "Because I-well-I didn't think about it," she stammered out, her arms crossed as she turned away.

"Anyways," Reyna interjected before Liam could speak and given the smirk he was projecting, Karina greatly appreciated it. "Karina that sounds like a great plan."

Karina's shoulders relaxed and her eyes were filled with gratitude. "Just give me a minute and I will have a trail for us to follow," she informed the group before closing her eyes. She took a deep breath and held her hands like she was holding a ball before her chest. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the space between her hands filled with water vapors and the Mist formed. The small grey cloud like ball sparkled with various colors. A tendril of Mist snaked out of the ball and traveled out of the parking lot and down the street. Karina relaxed and released her breath. Her eyes opened to reveal two swirling pools of green, a faint hint of purple laced throughout. "We just need to follow the tendril and it will lead us to the largest collection of Mist in the vicinity."

The rest of the group looked at each other. "Well, as the Good Witch said," Reyna spoke, drawing the attention of the others. "Follow the yellow brick road."

Liam frowned. "But the road's not yell-gah." He was interrupted by Zoe, smacked the back of his head.