"Woah," Piper exhaled as the six of us landed in the middle of the forest, the grass and dry leaves crunching beneath our feet as we got our bearings. "What is this place?"

"Sonoma," Thalia muttered, scowling as she gestured towards the beat up minivan her mother drove stopped in a clearing.

The world around us was hazy, signifying that we were in an older memory, but from all the little details, like the fact that there were four decently sized dents in Beryl Grace's car and that it was extremely overcast and much colder than it should've been this time of year in California, let me know that Thalia hadn't forgotten much about what happened on this day.

I stood next to Thalia and took her hand in my own, giving her it a reassuring squeeze as a show of support. She'd told me about what happened to Jason when I'd gone on a hunting trip with her and the Hunters, when I'd found her holding a small blue baby's shoe clutched to her chest, crying on July 1st, Jason's birthday.

The minivan made a weird groaning noise as it shuddered to a stop, nearly running into a tall redwood. Coach Hedge muttered some unflattering words about Beryl's recklessness but quickly shut up, just as curious as everyone else to watch the scene unfold before them.

Thalia visibly flinched when Beryl got out of her minivan, moving to grab something, or in this case, someone, out of the back seat.

Jason gasped. "Is that…is that our mother?"

Thalia didn't say anything, her eyes screwed shut.

"That was your mother," I corrected gently. "She, uh, she died a few years ago. A DUI. I'm sorry."

Jason merely frowned while Piper grabbed his hand, holding it close to her chest. Leo made a low noise in the back of his throat, almost like a whimper, and I gestured for him to come closer. I then pulled him into a side hug, feeling him release a sad sigh.

"Mom, what are you going to do with Jason?" Thalia had asked her mother, her arms still protectively wrapped around her younger brother's chest. "Why can't I come, too?"

"It'll be okay. She told me it'll be okay," Beryl Grace muttered to herself, violently yanking Jason out of Thalia's grasp, ignoring his cry of protest from the sudden action. Then, not having been fully paying Jason any attention, she bumped his head against the roof of the car, causing him to start crying.

"You hurt him!" Thalia had cried, extremely distraught. "Mom, please, let me come with you!"

"No!" Beryl snapped, setting Jason onto the ground, ignoring his cries as she tightly clutched onto his tiny wrist, which only made him wail even harder. "You. Stay. Here," she yelled at Thalia, slamming the door shut.

Thalia began pounding at the window, calling out for Jason as Beryl led the both of them deeper into the forest, disappearing out of Thalia's sight. Thalia desperately tried to get out of the car, attempting to unlock the doors, roll down the windows, or even break the windows if it came to that, but the car was so old and beat up that nothing save for the keys themselves controlled anything, and Beryl had taken those with her.

"Jason! JASON!" Thalia had screamed, tears streaming down her face as she continued banging her fists against the window.

After what felt like an interminable amount of time, Beryl Grace stumbled back into the clearing, her clothes all torn up, twigs and leaves sticking out of her once perfect hair. She whooped and wailed something awful, clawing at herself, leaving deep cuts all over her arms and face.

"She took him!" Beryl was crying, falling to her knees, beating her fists against the ground. Her entire body trembled with grief. "She took my son!"

"Mom?" Thalia had asked, the horror evident in her voice despite the fact that she couldn't have been more than ten or eleven in this memory. "Mom, what did you do? Where's Jason?"

"Gone, gone, gone! He's gone!"

"HOW COULD YOU?" Thalia screamed, her face contorted with unimaginable fury and hurt. "YOU'RE THE WORST MOTHER EVER!"

That was enough to break Beryl out of her misery, her sadness quickly transforming into unbridled rage. "Apologize, now."

"No."

"Then you asked for this, you ungrateful little-" She then began spewing a list of degrading insults at Thalia until she threw open the door of the minivan, dragged Thalia out of the car, threw her into the middle of the clearing, and started beating her up.

Beryl punched and kicked and pulled Thalia's hair, which had been long enough to reach her waist, yelling the most hurtful slurs that any mother could call at her daughter, only stopping once she hit Thalia so aggressively that she broke Thalia's nose, her blood staining her mother's hand.

"Never talk back to me again, you worthless brat," Beryl sneered, throwing Thalia back into the car and slamming the door once again, ignoring her daughter's cries as she tried to move the bone back into place, cupping her broken nose as blood stained the backseat.

Instead, Beryl took the opportunity to reach into her coat's pocket and pull out a packet of cigarettes, lighting one up and taking a long drag, blowing out a puff of smoke into the chilly air. She then smoked two more, stamping them out on the ground and leaving the cigarette butts there, causing for Coach Hedge to curse her out for hurting nature as well as attacking her own child.

Thalia still glared murderously at her mother, no longer crying, having snapped the bone back into place, ignoring the bruising that started to show around her eyes.

Once Beryl finished her third cigarette, she got back into her car, took a swig out of an open beer can, turned on the minivan, and peeled out of the forest, leaving skid marks behind her until she got back onto the main road.

"When we get home," Beryl said, taking another drink from her beer at a stop light. "Get rid of all of Jason's stuff. He won't be coming back. She made sure of that."

"Yes, mother." Thalia seethed, but I knew that deep down she was grateful that she was in charge of taking care of Jason's stuff. That's how she still had those blue baby shoes of his.

Sensing that we were at the end of the memory, I removed my fingers from Thalia's temple, bringing the six of us back into the real world. Thalia's face was ashen as she stared into the fire, so I gave her a piece of chocolate, telling her that it helped with the dizziness that came with reliving memories like that.

She ate it halfheartedly.

"No wonder Chiron thought you should be dead," Piper said, shaking her head.

"That can't have been easy," Leo said. "But where did your mom take you afterwards? And who took you?"

"Hera," Thalia said, her voice full of annoyance. "I should've known something was up from the moment Mom said that we were going on a family vacation. We never went anywhere. And when we got there, well, you all saw how skittish she was. The next day, I got in a taxi and went back to that park, looking for you. But Mom found out, and she dragged me away kicking and screaming.

"I was in hysterics for the next few days. I don't exactly remember what happened afterwards, but I called the police on her, and they questioned her for a long time. Once the police had left, she beat me again, saying that I betrayed her just like Zeus had done to her twice, and that I should just accept the fact that Hera took you and believe that you were as good as dead. That was the last straw for me. I ran away after that – cut my hair and everything – so no one could find me.

"And after I ran away, I never went back, not even when Mom died a few years ago. I never told anyone about you, Jason, not even my two best friends – Annabeth and Luke. It was just too painful."

"Then how did Andy know?" Jason asked.

"Just because Thalia didn't talk to anyone about it didn't mean she never thought about you," I said. "One day, when I was asked to stay with the Hunters for some time, I found Thalia holding some blue shoes, small enough for a young child. They had lightning bolts on the sides, so I figured they had something to do with Zeus and asked-"

Thalia blushed, cutting me off. "She asked me if I was pregnant, which didn't make any sense. I'm still the lieutenant of Artemis, you know, sworn off the company of men and all that jazz."

I held up my hands in surrender. "You know the story of Callisto as well as I do, so sorry for thinking that the same thing had happened again." I shook my head. "Anyways, that's when Thalia finally told me about you, seven years after we first met."

"But that's not true," Jason insisted. "I swear to the gods, we've met before, Andy, before Hera stole my memories. I've known you for longer than three days."

Thalia frowned. "Is that true, Andy?"

"Maybe I've run into you before, Jason, on missions for the Olympians, but I haven't formally met you until you arrived at Camp Half-Blood," I said, shooting a dangerous look at him. "I would've let you know that Jason was alive if I'd been able to, Thalia, you know I would."

"Alright," she relented, thankfully passing over the loophole that I'd just given myself. "I believe you. So maybe you have met before but didn't realize he was my brother."

"I wouldn't blame her," Leo said, speaking up for the first time in a little while. "I mean, you two don't look anything alike, not to mention that you're smoking hot."

Thalia wasn't amused by the compliment. "Hey, you think we could restart time now? I need to catch up to my Hunters soon."

"What about Aeolus?" Piper asked, nudging Jason lightly in the arm. "We need to see him before we rescue Hera, and we have no idea where he is."

"I'll take you to Aeolus's palace," Thalia agreed, getting to her feet.

I didn't do the same, knowing that the second I released time, I'd fall over. I set out a square of ambrosia onto the ground beside me just in case.

"We can't leave Andy here by herself," Leo argued, noticing what I was doing.

"Yes, you can, and you will," I said sternly. "You have a quest to complete, one that doesn't require me at the moment. If something changes and you need my help again, I will come in a heartbeat, but let's just say that if I come to Aeolus's palace with you, I'll just slow you down. Leave me here. I'll be fine on my own."

Thalia nodded in agreement. "Andy's one of the strongest people I know. Such a shame that she's dating Luke, or else she would've been an excellent Huntress." I blushed. "I'm just teasing, you know. But we really should get going."

"If you can't take us, it's okay," Jason said, though he sounded kind of distressed.

"Oh, please." Thalia smiled and helped him up. "I haven't had a brother in years. I think I can stand a few minutes with you before you get annoying. Now, let's go!"

"Good luck!" I said before releasing my spell and slumping over, my body heavy with exhaustion as my fingers closed around the little square of ambrosia, bringing it up to my mouth.

It took a few more minutes of just laying motionless in the cave, next to the dying fire before I was strong enough to get back to my feet. Now, I know what you must be thinking: You're a goddess? Why do your powers still exhaust you so much?

To be completely honest, I really had no idea. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I was still learning to control time as well as my father could or that my strength was connected to sacrifices, like we did to the rest of the Olympians at the dining pavilion. But until I found out, I guess I'd just have to deal with the side effects of my powers like I've done before.

Eventually, I no longer felt like molten lead had replaced my bones and got up and stretched, wincing at the sound of my joints popping. Afterwards, I put out the fire, making sure that all the embers were extinguished before walking out into the forest, the cold air a slap in the face.

I shivered, more out of reflex than because I was actually cold, pulling my jacket tighter around myself. I glanced once more behind me, checking that the cave looked as deserted as it had been before Piper, Leo, Jason, and Coach Hedge arrived. The cave passed my exam, and seeing that I had no purpose milling in the middle of a freezing forest any longer than necessary, I shadow-traveled away with a new destination in mind.

I was going to visit Camp Jupiter first.

You know, for the amount of times that I've visited Camp Jupiter over the past few years, you'd think that the legionnaires would stop flinching whenever I walked past them. I guess my stern expression was enough to put them off, or maybe it was the omega above the six lines branded into my left forearm, but honestly, I know Reyna and Jason had given the camp enough speeches about treating me like any other Senator for them to keep acting like this.

Still, I made my way through the camp without too much of a headache, purposely ignoring the way that some of the Lares would hiss and murmur Graecus whenever I got too close, most likely sensing the Curse of Achilles, which I had no idea if it was still intact or not. But judging from the glares and sideways glances of the Lares, I'm going to guess that, yes, I still bore remnants of the curse.

I found myself heading for the Garden of Bacchus, where Reyna tended to spend most of her time this time of year, only to be cut off by the most annoying scrawny blond boy that has walked the face of this Earth: Octavian Bentley.

"Hello, Andromeda," he said cordially, his crazed blue eyes glinting dangerously as he glanced at my covered forearm, hungrily licking his lips, as if waiting for a fight. He held a mutilated stuffed lion in one hand and his ceremonial knife in the other, bits of fluff still clinging to the blade. "What brings you here at a time like this?"

I bit back the sneer I wanted to give him, forcing myself to keep a neutral expression. "Do you think that the gods are ignorant of what has transpired here, Octavian? Lord Jupiter is most upset by the disappearance of his son – one of the two praetors, as you know – and has sent me to investigate."

"Has he, now? Then why did you arrive today instead of two days ago, when Jason first disappeared?"

"I was sent to scour the rest of California first. Lord Jupiter assumed that the Twelfth Legion could manage to search Camp Jupiter and the surrounding area without his interference. Am I mistaken in this regard?"

Octavian looked taken aback. "N-no, of course not," he stammered out. "The legion has been endlessly searching for our missing praetor ever since his disappearance."

"Good. Now, I'm looking for Reyna. Do you know where she might be?"

"Last I heard, she was in the Senate House. Poor girl, she's losing her mind with stress." Octavian spoke with so much fake sympathy that I was debating throwing him into an acting class so that he could at least do it properly.

"You don't think Reyna is capable of running Camp Jupiter without Jason?" I asked, raising my eyebrows at his response.

"No, I do not," Octavian replied, not sounding at all indecisive about this belief. "She is a woman, far too sensible to be making decisions that should be left up to men."

"I see." I found myself glaring at the legacy of Apollo so fiercely that he flinched and took a step back. "Well, I'd be careful about how you speak of women in authority, especially when there are many who would be willing to knock you down a peg for your sexist views, Octavian, myself included. It is only because I have more important things to do than duel with a seventeen-year-old augur that I will be off to find Reyna. Goodbye, Octavian, and you better hope I never hear you say such things again."

I was only a few feet away when I heard him shout, "Or else what?"

I immediately spun around and held eye contact with him, reaching deep into his mind and bringing his fears to life. He feared failure and being forgotten, so instead of being kind and helpful and leaving a positive mark on the world, he'd rather act through terror and blackmail and general nastiness.

But seeing that I hate being cruel longer than absolutely necessary, I released Octavian almost as soon as I'd started, letting him fall to his knees as his breathing turned heavy, something short of sheer panic etched across his face.

"Be careful of who you antagonize," I warned before turning on my heel a final time, heading for the Senate House to talk with Reyna.

On my way there, I came across Hazel, who was walking next to a horror stricken Frank. Her gold eyes lit up when she saw me, grabbing Frank's hand as she pulled him towards me.

Although there was a similar type of weather barrier around Camp Jupiter like at Camp Half-Blood, the air still stung from how cold it was. And it was visible in their cheeks that they were cold, a light pink dusted on their faces, even on Hazel's despite her darker skin.

Hazel seemed perfectly content in the cold weather, wearing a navy beanie pulled over her thick curls and a matching winter coat, her hands covered in black gloves. Frank, on the other hand, only wore a red sweater and jeans, and there was a black and blue scarf hastily tied around his neck, which I had a sneaking suspicion that it had been at Hazel's insistence that he now wore the scarf.

"Hey, Andy!" Hazel greeted, releasing Frank's wrist and launching herself at me. I hugged her back just as tightly, overjoyed that I could finally hug Hazel instead of holding my arms up like a ballerina while her soul just kinda stood there, not wanting to dissipate because of the proximity to living flesh. "I've missed you."

"I've missed you too, kiddo," I said with a smile, releasing Hazel from the hug to look at Frank. "Hi, Frank. How have you been?"

"You know Frank?" Hazel asked, her gaze flickering between the both of us.

"Y-yeah," Frank stammered out. "She was the one that brought me to the Wolf House. We're friends, I think."

"If you want to be," I said, smiling at the unclaimed son of Mars. "Listen, I'd love to do nothing more than catch up with the both of you, but I need to talk with Reyna. It's urgent."

Hazel nodded her head in understanding. "You're here because of Jason, aren't you?"

"I am."

She sighed in resignation. "It's so weird, all of it. He was here one day, then poof! He was gone."

"Uh, bad timing I know, but who's Jason?" Frank said, his face turning redder than a ripe tomato, and it wasn't because of the cold.

"You've met Reyna, right?" I asked; he nodded. "Well, she's a praetor, one of the two leaders of the whole legion. Her partner, the second praetor, was Jason Grace, son of Jupiter, but he's gone missing. Lord Jupiter isn't too happy about his son's disappearance, so I was sent to investigate after I was unable to find him anywhere else in the state of California."

"Why didn't you check the rest of the United States? Isn't it possible that he's outside of California?"

"Yes, and that's my next mission. But first I have to check that things will be in order here first. Personally, I have nothing but the utmost confidence that Reyna will be able to hold down the fort until Jason is found or a new praetor is voted in, but I was sent to minimize coups and potential conflicts."

"You mean you're Octavian damage control," Hazel said, the contempt palpable in her voice as she thought about the scrawny legacy of Apollo.

I chuckled. "Basically. So I'm just gonna make sure that Reyna knows the best ways to handle Octavian's little manipulative plans and how to contact me if something goes horribly wrong before I return on my search for Jason Grace."

"Well, I guess we should leave you to your plans, then," Hazel said, a sad smile on her face. "Next time you come, we'll properly catch up."

"I'd like that very much. Welcome, both of you, to the Twelfth Legion. I sincerely hope that you're happy here."

As I began to leave, Frank said, "Reyna's in her villa, by the way. I didn't know if you knew that."

I stopped dead in my tracks, my hands clenched into fists at my side as I fought the urge to find Octavian and suffocate him in the stuffing of his mutilated stuffed animals in the name of "offerings to the gods."

"Thank you!" I said with as much joy as I could muster before running towards the praetorian villas, muttering a stream of swear words about Octavian in a mixture of English and Latin as I went to find Reyna.

Don't get me wrong, when I first met Octavian when he was eleven, I tried so hard to be kind and patient with him, knowing that I couldn't hate his younger self for actions that he had yet to commit. But time and time again, he proved himself incorrigible and spiteful, finding joy in others' misery and always being a conniving little leech, using the absolute worst forms of blackmail to pressure people into giving him what he wanted.

I tried being his friend, tried to be a good influence on him, but after he almost caused a third kid in the legion to attempt suicide from how badly he'd bullied them, I didn't know what else to do with him. I even offered going to counseling with Octavian, to talk to someone who would only want the best for him, but he constantly denied this option, calling me all kinds of terrible names as he claimed that he wasn't crazy.

And as much as I wanted to help as many people as I could, and that included characters whose guts I absolutely hated, I eventually gave up on Octavian, our relationship as icy as ever. Honestly, he probably wished for my death at some point, but I don't care. I know Salina would never grant that wish, or any wish asking for someone's death for that matter.

I was broken out of my reverie when my feet collided with the stairs that led to the porch outside of Reyna's villa, causing me to fall on the stairs, cringing as I pushed myself upright. Yeah, those would probably bruise, but I really didn't care.

"Who's there?" Reyna demanded, her eyes scanning her surroundings before landing on me, her gaze softening. "Thank the gods you're here. We have much to discuss."

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Kwanza to all who celebrate! To those who don't, have a happy holiday season, and enjoy your time off from school!