II

(A/N: Reviews are appreciated. Bring on the constructive criticism- it's helpful! Anyway, tell me any ideas you have for stories I should write- I'm at a loss for inspiration- and yes, I write several stories at once lol. Thankssss)

Percy POV:

Annabeth forged ahead of me, now almost to the top. It wasn't that I wasn't fast or agile, but Annabeth could always find the best foot and handholds, and I could never find the right ones. She smirked down at me as she made it to the top.

"Guess who gets to be pushed off?"

"I don't think I need to guess."

"But I want you to."

"Me?"

"Correct!" I boosted myself to the top of the cliff beside her.

"Fine, you win." I said defeatedly.

"I know," she said, triumphant. She and I stood up on the cliff, staring out at Long Island Sound. She smiled and wrapped an arm around me. She looked content, yet in her eyes there was a hint of… mischief. Annabeth was not the type to be trouble maker, so that didn't make much sense until a few seconds later. She shoved me off the edge of the cliff into the waters, laughing as a fell. I pulled myself into a dive, landing perfectly. I heard her applaud from the top of the wall. I rolled my eyes and swam to shore. Annabeth climbed down the wall, and once she was down she ran over to me, smirking at me. She opened her mouth to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of the conch horn. She and I headed to the pavilion for lunch. The day got nearer and nearer to its end, and I felt an overwhelming sense of dread. My girlfriend was going to hate me for doing this to her. I was about to go on a quest to who knows where- making a stop to talk to the Olympians first. What if I died? How could I do that to my Wise Girl. But it was out of my hands. I continued on and made the most of my day.

Eventually, it was after dinner and we all sat at the campfire. I watched as my friends and fellow demigods laughed and sang songs, smiling sadly. My arm was wrapped around Annabeth, and she leaned into me. "You tired yet?" She asked me.

"No." I said solemnly. I wasn't ready to say goodnight yet. It would be the last time I saw her for a long time. She looked at me with worry evident in her eyes.

"Are you all right, Seaweed Brain?"

"Of course, Wise Girl."

"Why don't you tell me what Chiron told you."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I love you, Annabeth, but I can't."

"Please just tell me why."

"Because there's no need to worry you this early. We don't know if there's really a threat or not."

"Okay… I just don't like it when you keep things from me."

"I know, Wise Girl. I'm so sorry."

"You don't need to be sorry."

"I do, though."

She glanced at the campfire, glistening in the dark sky.

"I love you, Percy. I hope you know that."

I grinned. "I know, Annabeth."

She smiled back at me and kissed me on the cheek. Chiron glanced at me with pity in his eyes. He knew what I was going through. The campers smiled and laughed with each other, having a great time. I sighed and pulled Annabeth closer to me. She sighed contentedly. Finally the time came. Curfew hit and we had to go to bed. Annabeth followed me to my cabin to say goodbye as she did every night. But this night, I knew, would be so much different. She smiled when we reached my cabin, and hugged me tight, I felt my eyes fill with tears as I hugged her back. I kissed her gently.

"Goodbye, Wise Girl. I love you."

"Aww, thanks Perce. I love you too." She slid her hands down to mine.

"See you tomorrow?" She asked.

"I love you." She raised an eyebrow.

"You already said that."

"I know."

"And that had nothing to do with what I asked you."

"Don't care."

She laughed. "Good night, Seaweed Brain."

"Goodnight, Wise Girl." I kissed her again and watched as she walked to her cabin, making sure she got in safe. She turned and waved to me, and I waved back. She walked in and I watched as she closed the door. I finally left to my own cabin, and shut the door. I packed for the morning, so I could get out of camp early tomorrow morning, before anyone noticed. Finally, I was so tired I lay down in bed and passed out.

Once the morning arose, I groaned. I was not happy to see the piercing light. I grabbed my stuff and opened the door. The camp was empty. It was 5:00 am, so I guess that would make sense. I made my way to Half-Blood Hill and once I made it to the top, I glanced over the camp. I saw the endless fields of strawberries, the Big House, the cabins arranged in a U-shape, the Infirmary, the dining pavilion, the forest, the arena, Long Island Sound. I sat there looking over the camp, feeling a sense of melancholy with a hint of doom wash over me. I didn't know whether or not I would return. I was leaving Annabeth, and all my friends, and all the people that rely on me… without even telling them. Annabeth would have no idea where I was, but I figured (and hoped) it was better for her and the rest of camp not to know of the overwhelming threat. If Chaos really was against us… no. I didn't even want to imagine. Us demigods had faced Kronos and Gaea, but Chaos is another power that we really could never defeat. If we defeat the universe, we're dead. If we don't defeat the universe, we're dead. If we were up against Chaos, we would have to convince her not to kill us. Which is the least enjoyable (and possible) thing we could do. There was no hope for us. But for now, it was up to me to find out whether or not she actuall did want to kill us. I pulled out the picture of Annabeth and I that I'd put in my pocket, just in case I needed a little encouragement ever. I smiled and put it back. I would be fine. I would return to Annabeth alive, just as I always did.

Finally, I turned my back on Camp-Half-Blood, staring out at the road, about a quarter mile down the way.

"Well?" I heard Argus say; the camp van was parked on the road.

"My bad." I said and made my way down Half-Blood Hill to the road. I made it to the car and stood next to him. "Ready, Argus." His excessive amount of eyes blinked. He grabbed my bag, opened the door to the van, and flung it inside.

"I'll take that as a yes." So, I got in the front of the van, and we drove off toward Manhattan.

We reached the Empire State building after a long drive into the city. I hopped out and grabbed my bag from the back.

"Thanks, Arg-" I started before he slammed the gas and drove off back to Camp-Half-Blood. "Okay then." I walked into the Empire State Building. The man at the counter glared at me as I approached him. I smiled innocently.

"600th floor?" I asked, sliding a pile of drachmas toward him. He bit his lip.

"Fine." He gave me the key card and I boarded the elevator. Once the door was securly closed, I scanned the key card and the 600 button appeared. I pressed it and I was on my way. I think I've mentioned how much I hate elevator music before, but let me say it again. I really hate elevator music. And I had to deal with it until I finally made it to the top. The door slid open and there stood the elegant Mount Olympus. Long walkways filled with all kinds of mythical creatures and minor gods and goddesses. The area was crowded with shining temples and statues of the Olympians. The walkways were lined with gold, and steps made their way to the throne room. I sighed. Why were the gods so extra? Is I made my way to the steps I heard nymphs, satyrs, dryads, and even some minor gods whispering, "is that the Percy Jackson." "Is that really him?" "Wow, he's so cool!" I rolled my eyes as I ascended the steps to the throne room. I glanced at the thrones, arranged in a U, and a hearth in the middle. Hestia glanced up at me and smiled softly. Most of the other gods glared at me.

"What are you doing here?" Zeus asked menacingly.

"Nice to see you too, Uncle." I said, sarcasm evident in my voice.

"I assume you know of the predicament we've been facing." My dad, Poseidon, asked.

"Yeah, it looks like you've been working real heard fixing it too." I mocked, glaring at him.

"Look, Percy. You know we can't walk among mortals."

"I just want to be normal, and live out the rest of my life without doing everything that you guys are capable of doing yourselves."

"We have already decided that you doing this is the best option. So, let's talk about it shall we?"

"Fine. Talk."

"Well, as you probably know, a lot of us gods have had the vision of Chaos."

"Yep."

"So we believe that she wants to end humanity."

"Right."

"So, we want you to go find out if she really wants to end humanity.:

"And…. if she does?"

"Well, then we will assemble a team-"

"Of demigods?"

"Well, yes."

I scoffed. "Seriously? There is no way that a group of demigods could have any real impact on Chaos; who, by the way, is the universe."

"Well, it's not like we could even…"

"You guys are gods, and you're telling me you would have less of a chance of defeating Chaos than we would?"

"There is so many things about this that you wouldn't understand, Percy."

"Humor me."

"No, but I can tell you where you need to go to find Chaos."

Percy sighed, exasperated. "Fine. Where?"
"You might want to sit down."

"No thank you."

"Nyx is the only one that could really know what Chaos's plans are. Nyx is the daughter of Chaos, one of the first primordials. If anyone knew what Chaos's plans are, it would be her."

I stood frozen in the throne room. Suddenly my thoughts shifted to my time in Tartarus, seeing Nyx on the end of a cliff and convincing her we were tourists. I remembered jumping off the edge into Nyx's mansion, I remember how terrified Annabeth and I were. It suddenly felt like I was there again. I felt the fear, I thought I could never return to the real world alive. We both thought we were going to die. But that's where Nyx was. Tartarus. And if Nyx was the only one that knew, that meant I had to go to Tartarus again. But this time I'd have to do it alone.

My eyes shifted back to reality, and I heard my dad. "Percy! Percy, are you all right?"

Then I heard Apollo. "Did you look at me too long? I can sometimes be too hot to handle."

"I seriously doubt that, Apollo." Artemis spoke.

"S-sorry guys. Just… zoned out." I said quietly.

"Looks like a flashback due to PTSD to me." Apollo said matter-of-factly.

"I'm fine. But Dad… do you mean I have to go back to…" I couldn't even say it.

"Tartarus? Yes. I'm sorry, son, but you;ve survived it before! I'm sure you'll be just fine."

"And how exactly would I get out? It's not easy to find the doors of death."

"Right. If Nyx is nice enough, she has a way to get you out. Bring water and food, and you'll be fine." I didn't know what to think. There was no way I could go back… there. And all alone? No way. "I know it's alot to take in, but you are the strongest and most powerful demigod in centuries." I didn't believe that one bit.

"First of all, that's a bit biased. Second of all, that place gave me PTSD. It was the hardest part of my life, and I would've died if I didn't have Annabeth. And this time, I won't have her. I'll be alone. I can't go back there, dad."

"But you need to for the sake of the world. Every hero makes sacrifices."

"Well, I don't wanna be a hero anymore." I muttered.

"You are our only hope. We are relying on you and only you. Hades will grant you access to the Underworld. You will find the entrance to Tartarus that you found when you were 12. Then you will find Nyx. Is that clear, Percy?"

I'd never felt such hate for someone before. "Just like Zeus thinks, I wish I'd never been born, and that you wouldn't treat me like this." With that, I stormed off, toward the elevator. Now, I guess, I needed a way to get to Los Angeles. It looks like I'd be taking an unwanted trip to the Underworld.