Percy wasn't sure if he preferred when his dreams changed from black and white into color. On the one hand, color dreams meant he would be getting some interesting information, or in Lyra's words, the "curse of prophecy." On the other hand, that meant he then had to decipher whatever he was about to see.

The pleasant backdrop of his last dream began to fade, leaving little more than a haze in its wake. He frowned. It had been many months since he had a dream like this, floating in between realms, where he was the agent. His heart began to ache, recalling the beautiful moments he had shared with Thalia under similar circumstances.

A soft pink glow pierced the fog, dimly illuminating the dreamscape. Slowly, the fog began to coalesce around the source, the appearance reminding Percy of a screen. As he willed himself over, a movie began to play.

Immediately, Percy recognized the scene. The Olympians on their thrones looking down on him, Grover, Annabeth, and Thalia. Zeus and Artemis were discussing Thalia's potential recruitment. An uncomfortable lump formed in Percy's throat. Had he failed? Had Thalia already joined the Hunters?

Heat pricked at his eyelids and breathing became a Herculean task. He had just gotten her back; performed some kind of experimental soul surgery, held the sky, fought countless monsters, and now she could be gone forever. A rational voice in the back of his mind said that the crushing scene in front of him couldn't be real, as he was here in the dreamscape, and not in the throne room. But the thought of Thalia leaving him was still too painful to entertain, even in nightmares.

"Have you ever considered that it hurts because you want to spend the rest of your life with her?" Aphrodite's melodic voice echoed into the dream. "Of course you want her to be happy, but I think you desperately want her to be happy with you."

Percy blinked rapidly, clearing the still forming tears from his eyes as his brain finally caught up.

"Why do you enjoy messing with me?" He groaned. "I'm not your personal tv show."

From the pink shimmering glow, the goddess of love materialized. Unlike their first meeting however, her appearance did not flicker and change between different looks. Short black hair, a silver nose stud, and electric blue eyes. Thalia, just a few years older than now. "Give me a little grace," She teased, pouting Thalia's soft mouth at him. "I was the one who told you to bring the hoodie. Boys really don't know anything about love."

"Who said anything about love?" He replied a little too quickly. "I mean, yeah, of course I want her to be happy, but I want that for all my friends."

"My dear, you are lucky that love is such a fickle thing," Aphrodite said, moving closer to him. "Would your father recognize the sea? Would Zeus not recognize the sky? Just as you know the water, I know the heart."

Percy began to fidget. Of all the gods to irritate, Aphrodite was probably the worst. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend."

She brushed him aside with a small wave. "No need to apologize. Like I said, boys don't understand love. In a way, it's quite endearing." She gestured to herself. "Tell me, who do you see?"

Her likeness was unmistakable. Percy closed his eyes for a moment and willed himself to see someone else. He cracked an eye open. Aphrodite's impressive imitation still stood before him. But it's not really Thalia. The thought left him feeling hollow.

"Thalia, of course." Percy said, then under his breath. "Just like last time."

"It's not too late, you know." Aphrodite said, reading his mind. "Thanks to you, she's still alive, and as of now, she hasn't decided to become an eternal maiden." She leaned forward to whisper, even though they were alone. "Between you and me, I don't think she, or you, wants that."

Percy wanted to argue, but he didn't have it in him. He had been obsessing over that dream since he had been shown it. Hell, Aphrodite had decided to replay it right in front of him and he was nearly choking on his grief. Thinking back to his night on the beach with Rachel, he couldn't even focus on her, instead thinking of how Thalia might feel in his lap instead. His cheeks heated as that salacious thought refused to leave his mind. He considered hiding his face, but he figured it probably wouldn't do him any good.

"Unfortunately, I do not come to give only good news, nor do I come to help in your journey of self-discovery." Aphrodite said. "I'm here to deliver a warning. Despite your best efforts, Zoe Nightshade, Lieutenant of Artemis, perished from her injuries."

Another uncomfortable lump formed in Percy's throat. Despite their rocky relationship, he could respect Zoe for what she was: a natural leader, and an exceptionally skilled warrior. Plus, she was the only one who knew what was going on with his dad, and now, the one link he had to the past was now severed.

"Artemis needs a new Lieutenant then." Percy said. "Just like in the dream."

Aphrodite sighed. "Yes, the nature goddess needs a new Lieutenant." She repeated. "But it is not too late."

"What do I need to do?" Percy said quickly. "I mean, I don't want the Hunters to be without a leader and whatever, but I don't know, I just don't want Thalia to do it either." The words began spilling out of him, faster than he could even process. "I want her to be happy, and I know I've made mistakes, but the thought of her being away from me forever tears me apart."

A small, knowing smile graced Aphrodite's face. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but she really misses you. Her world has been turned upside down, and she doesn't think she deserves any sort of love."

"Well that's ridiculous," Percy blurted. "Why would she think that?"

Aphrodite sighed. "The mind is a powerful thing, especially when it is broken."

He thought back to Thalia's nervous ramblings and her turn beneath the sky. His heart ached as he thought about what Luke had done to her.

"Then I'll put her back together." He said. His gaze hardened into a glare, and he felt the dreamscape rattle around him. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. "And I'll gut those responsible."

"The future is not fixed," Aphrodite chided. "Remember, I am on your side, but now it's up to you. I cannot make the choices for you, but I have given you the tools to succeed."

The soft hue of the dreamscape started to crack, and Percy felt himself waking up.

"You can do this." Aphrodite said, patting Percy's shoulder. "You're smarter than you think, and you have more in common with your love than you realize."

Percy turned red at that, but he didn't object. Just like last time, Aphrodite, morphed into Thalia's likeness, planted a kiss on his cheek. The dreamscape faded.

A soft golden light shone through Percy's eyelids. As he came to and carefully moved his limbs, he was greeted with a bone deep ache. He opened his eyes to find the source, and was greeted with the sight of a massive golden hospital bed. The rest of the room matched the bed, the overwhelming gold nearly blinding him.

Anticipating his shoulder injury, he tentatively brushed his fingers against the exposed skin. Gasping, he looked down at the space, rolling his shoulder experimentally. Instead of the pain or even stiffness he had been expecting, there was nothing. No wound. No pain. His shoulder was perfectly fine, functioning as though it had never been sliced open.

"Good evening." Percy startled at the sudden voice. Looking up, he found the source of the greeting.

"Artemis asked me to bring you here and fix you up." The god cracked a smile. "You're crazy. You know that?"

Percy stared at the god in front of him, dressed in traditional Greek ceremonial clothes. The golden hue to his surroundings suddenly made a lot more sense. Considering his only previous encounter was in the sun chariot, the contrast was striking.

"Welcome to Olympus." Apollo said, as though he could read Percy's mind. "I am the god of knowledge, after all, so I have a pretty good guess as to what my patients are going to ask."

Percy swallowed nervously. Olympus? That's never a good sign. Last time he was here, Zeus had tried to kill him. His heart raced as his eyes skirted around the room, feeling increasingly panicked. He forced himself to take a deep breath. Apollo wasn't going to kill him, and now he needed to figure out what was going on. Still, the next question came without any thought. Aphrodite was right about one thing, he did not want Thalia to join the Hunters.

"Where's Thalia?" Percy blurted. "I want to see her."

Apollo flashed him a blinding smile. "Patience. You're not supposed to be out of bed yet."

"I need to see her." Percy repeated. "What happened?"

Apollo sighed and summoned a chair. He sat down, like a normal doctor would when delivering bad news. Percy's heart began to pound in his ears, silencing the world around him.

"Where is she?" He asked again, beginning to tear the thick golden sheets away from his body. Apollo placed his hand on Percy's healthy shoulder, calming him.

"I have good news and bad news." He said. "I'll start with the good. She's alive. To be honest, I don't know how. Her very essence was ripped apart, but it looks like it was mended expertly. That's a kind of healing I don't touch." He flicked a speck of lint from his tunic. 'Souls aren't really my thing."

Relief washed over Percy, and he stopped his rather pathetic attempt at escaping his golden hospital bed. Almost immediately, the thought of Thalia's mangled body and thousand-yard stare burned itself into his mind. He shuddered. "And the bad?"

"Physically, I was able to heal most of her injuries. The only ones that remain can be healed by ambrosia." He held up his hand, preemptively silencing Percy's myriad of questions. "I don't know what they did, but she's not going to be the same girl you knew before. At least not for a while."

"What do you mean?" Percy asked. "Like PTSD or something?"

Apollo sighed. "The human mind is a sensitive thing, and there will certainly be elements of that. Deep down, I think she's still the same, but you and her will forever be unique." He paused for a moment, and when he spoke again, the words came out careful and calculated. "Other than Heracles, you two are the only mortals to ever take the sky. Of course, Heracles is a god now, but nevermind that. We are in unfamiliar territory."

The parting warning from Ouranos slithered in his head. The toll will always be paid. "It's really weird, you know?" Percy said quietly. "Talking to a primordial."

"I'll take your word for it." Apollo said, looking at him thoughtfully. "But things won't ever go back to how they were." He was silent for a moment. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry. In my professional opinion, I think she'll be okay. Eventually. But she'll need some time."

A million thoughts and what-if's raced through Percy's mind. On one hand, he was grateful he hadn't had to see everything they had done to her. But he had heard her. He'd seen her. Her delirious ranting, the bags under her eyes, the broken bones and displaced joints. She'd practically been through Tartarus this last week. He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat as the thought crossed his mind: What if I'd gotten there sooner? A day earlier? An hour? What if he had been too late? Why had he listened to Rachel and spent the night with her? What if he had listened to the shadows, made a deal with them? The thought of their double-edged promises snapped him out of his spiral.

"I almost forgot." Apollo said. "Artemis made sure to bring this for you, too." He grabbed Percy's backpack and placed it next to him on the hospital bed. "I figured you would want it."

Percy snatched it, turning the pack over in his hands. There didn't seem to be any damage to it. In fact, it almost looked new. He unzipped it, tearing through the contents and sighing in relief when he found what he was looking for.

Right on top, exactly where he left it, was Thalia's Green Day hoodie. He reached for it, but hesitated. He ignored the itching, nagging feeling as he recalled the fear on her face the last time she had seen him, so different from her usual bravado and confidence.

"Green Day, huh?" Apollo observed. "A pretty great band, if I do say so myself. And as the god of music, I think my opinion wins."

Percy managed a small smile. "Yeah, they're pretty great aren't they?"

Thalia was obviously a much bigger fan than he was, but the skater-punk scene in New York had quite a bit of overlap. Welcome to Paradise was a bit of a niche choice for a favorite, but whenever that song played in their dream meetings, Thalia would relax. She never admitted it directly, but it was obviously sentimental to her.

An idea popped into Percy's head. "Do you take requests?"

"Excuse me?"

"You're the god of music. You could perform something, right?"

Apollo frowned, deep in thought. "It' s a bit more complicated than that. Asking me to perform an existing song would kind of ruin it, you know? Like, covers are great, don't get me wrong, but they'll never be the same as the original."

Percy tried not to let his disappointment show, but he couldn't help the way his heart squeezed painfully. "I get what you mean, but if what you're saying about Thalia is true. I think I know what will help."

Apollo looked conflicted. "Look, I believe you, but I don't really perform anymore. I can't just–"

"Oh come on man." Percy interrupted. "I know gods have weird rules, but godly bullshit sucks."

For a brief moment, Apollo looked angry. A fiery glow emanated from him, and his eyes shone bright and hot. As quickly as it came, it vanished, replaced with a fallen expression. "You don't need to tell me how much godly bullshit sucks," he said bitterly. "Especially when the king of godly bullshit is your dad."

Considering Apollo's normal happy-go-lucky, boyish charm, his fallen expression unsettled Percy slightly.

"I'm sorry." He said, "I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"It's not your fault." Apollo said, quickly shooting Percy a smile, though it looked a little forced. "You've had your fair share of stuff too." He snapped his fingers. "I'll cut you a deal, what you want is music related, so how about I give you this."

In his hand appeared a device that looked suspiciously like an iPod. "It's for ease of storage." Apollo said, "but it can do so much more." As if to prove his point, the iPod transformed into a CD player, then a miniature stereo system. "Any song, if you can think of it, will play on command."

It was perfect. It could be just like old times in the dreamscape. He wasn't entirely sure if his plan would work, but playing her favorite song was a start. As Apollo held out the gift, Percy hesitated. Gods didn't just give things for free as Annabeth had warned him when Hermes had given them gifts before their trek into the sea of monsters. There's no such thing as a free lunch.

"What's the catch?" Percy asked. "Gods don't just give out favors."

Apollo sighed. "Then consider this repayment, for rescuing my sister. If it wasn't for you, Artemis would still be laboring beneath the sky." He shot Percy a wink. "Or should I say, sisters."

Despite himself, Percy blushed. "You sure?"

Apollo offered his device, once again returned into the form of an iPod. "I swear on the River Styx."

Thunder rattled the medical bay, startling Percy, who took the gift and slid it into his pocket. Apollo did not react, instead opting to stare into the distance. "I'm glad you got to meet Lyra."

The sudden change of topic was jarring. "Oh, um yeah." He stumbled over his words. "She seems nice."

"Of all of my children, she knows best what it is like to have the curse of Prophecy." Apollo took a deep breath. "I have made many mistakes, and I will make many more, but I hope Lyra knows that I am sorry. I did not wish for her to have such a painful life. Prophecy spares no one, not even the gods."

The small waver in his voice told a million stories. His bright smile was as prominent as ever, but beneath were millennia of broken hearts, unfulfilled dreams, and discontent. "Sorry," he shrugged. "Godly bullshit sucks, but it's better than the alternative."

"For what it's worth," Percy said quickly. "She understands, and she doesn't blame you for her birth. I'm sure she'd love to see you."

Apollo relaxed slightly, letting a comfortable silence pass between the pair. He smiled, as though he was recalling an inside joke. "I probably shouldn't tell you this, but be prepared for fireworks." He shot Percy a wink, a gesture that did not go unnoticed. "Athena may be good with the whole wisdom thing, but between you and me, I think she just likes being a heartless bitch and calling it 'being wise.'" He laughed softly. "Although you probably shouldn't tell her I said that."

Percy shrugged. "Don't get me wrong, I like Annabeth, she's one of my best friends, but I have no love lost for her mother."

"At least your dad knows how to pick fun rivals." Apollo quipped. He clapped his hands, standing from the bedside chair. "I'm glad to see you acting like yourself again, although I do have one more bit of bad news. The Winter Session of the Olympian Council is starting, and Zeus has personally requested your attendance."

Percy groaned, flopping back onto the pillows. "Can you tell him to go suck a lightning bolt? I'm not going to go to another meeting where he tries to convince everyone that it's better to kill me."

Apollo began to laugh hysterically, tears forming in the corners of his eyes. "Well, I could, but then he'd probably just smite you where you stood, or sat in this case." He took a few deep breaths, calming himself as Percy sat back up, sighing. Looking up, he watched as Apollo turned to him, a mischievous glint flashed in his eye. "Thalia will be there, so if you want to see her, then this is your best chance." His expression quickly turned neutral. "Although I am sorry. I don't want to go to this thing either, but between you and me–" he leaned in close, "–let's just say this meeting will be incredibly consequential."

Truthfully, Percy didn't care at all about the meeting, not the least of which being the upcoming debate to kill him. But if that was where Thalia would be, he'd be there. "Are you sure I can't see her right now? Away from all the godly spectacles?"

"They're in session right now, actually." Apollo said. "Zeus let me go to come fetch you, and he's getting impatient." As if in response, the strong scent of ozone began to permeate the medical bay.

Immediately, the decision became crystal clear. Zoe was dead, which meant Artemis needed a new Lieutenant, and Thalia was the obvious choice. Why do you care so much? The question kept rattling around in his head, but every time he tried to answer it, or dismiss it, his stomach turned into knots. Aphrodite's line seemed to taunt him. Of course you want her to be happy, but I think you desperately want her to be happy WITH you.

"Has Artemis asked for a replacement yet?" Percy asked, swinging his legs from the bed and standing. "I know about Zoe."

Apollo shot him a knowing smirk as they left the medical bay. "Not yet, but we should hurry. Let's go."

The energy was crackling in the room. Arranged in the same horse shoe pattern as the cabins at camp were the twelve Olympian gods. At the head sat Zeus, regal as ever in a purple pinstripe suit, master bolt was leaning against the side of his throne. To his right, was Hera, the Queen, wearing a brightly colored dress that looked more like a peacock than reasonable formal clothes.

The remainder of the gods sat in the same order as their cabins: the boys on the left, and the girls on the right, plus Mr. D. At the center, behind Zeus, was Hestia, tending the hearth, casting a warm motherly glow throughout the hall. The only addition was Hades, sitting at the tail end of the left horseshoe, looking disgruntled, as though he would rather be anywhere else. Compared to the ornate thrones of the Twelve Olympians, each reflecting their personal preferences, Hades' looked like it was someone else's. Percy imagined that if it were up to him, Hades would have mimicked the design of his throne in the Underworld, with massive gemstones and skulls lining the seat, Black Tourmaline absorbing all visible light. Instead, Hades sat on a simple bronze throne, with Persephone over his shoulder, shooting unpleasant glares towards her mother.

Massive golden steps led up to a dias in the center of the room. At the top, Thalia and Annabeth were having some kind of discussion. Next to Artemis were the three Hunters who had survived the quest, whispering back and forth amongst themselves. Percy ran up the steps, making for the center of the group, just like Apollo had told him to do.

As he reached the top, his backpack felt heavier. Taking in the circle of Olympians that surrounded them, Aphrodite shot him a smile as she teasingly morphed into Thalia, changing back quick enough that no one else noticed. Percy's cheeks heated at her message. Apollo, who had put in some earbuds, gave him a quick thumb's up.

Approaching Thalia and Annabeth, he was relieved to see that their physical injuries had been healed. Thalia even had a soft smile on her face, and he felt his heart jump in his chest. She always looked beautiful, but compared to the last few times he had seen her, she looked especially vibrant now. Her pale face had regained most of its color, and her voice no longer sounded shattered. He closed his eyes, carefully reaching out for her soul. He practically sighed in relief when everything felt normal.

The only outward sign of her time beneath the sky seemed to be her gray streak in her otherwise black hair. Her long sleeve shirt covered her, but Percy knew she also had black lightning scars running up her arms that looked more akin to tattoos. They were nearly identical to the ones on his own arms and hands.

His heart did a somersault and his mouth suddenly felt very dry. What was he going to say? Her terrified expression etched across her face as he collapsed onto her suddenly made things a lot more complicated than he thought. Why was she scared? Was it him? He wanted nothing more than to hold her hand, sign to her, and play her some music and tell her that everything was going to be okay. Yet, the monumental task ahead suddenly seemed impossible.

He slid in beside her, waging an internal war on whether to say anything. She shot him a wary look before facing forward again. Her smile had vanished, and his heart dropped. Guess that solves that problem.

"How kind of you to join us." Zeus' voice boomed, face pinching in a scowl. "We have business to discuss."

Percy glared but said nothing. While he wanted nothing more than to hurl a stream of expletives at Thalia's dad, he could be vaporized in an instant. He also had a feeling they were going to debate on letting him live again, and he decided against antagonizing Olympus' judge.

"Welcome heroes." Artemis greeted. "I apologize for the eventful last few days." Held within her words was a subtle challenge.

"No one would deny they have done well, especially my daughter." Athena spoke. "Even the wretched son of Poseidon managed to pull his weight."

"I wouldn't call him wretched, mom." Annabeth grumbled.

"Still," she continued like she hadn't heard her. "That does not negate the inherent risk posed by the other two. That is something that should be heavily considered today."

Percy's heart dropped, although he wasn't exactly surprised. Next to him, Thalia's hands shook, but she looked passive. Resigned. For a moment, he debated throwing his bag down, hugging her and returning her hoodie. He nearly moved, but an overwhelming sense of doubt overtook him. The timing just didn't feel quite right. He couldn't feel any of Aphrodite's itching, nagging magic. He looked up. Despite the ongoing debate, the goddess of love shot him another smile of approval.

This felt a whole lot like being called into the godly principal's office, and the thought made his stomach churn. He had still had a small sliver of hope before this. Hope that maybe the gods had changed. After all, he had willingly taken the sky to rescue an Olympian, and he had done all of their dirty work for years now. But it looked like the song and dance would remain the same. Laughter broke Percy from his mental spiral.

"For being the goddess of wisdom you really are stupid." Apollo quipped, grinning as he pulled one earbud from his ear. "Risk is a part of living. What would it say about us if we are willing to kill our children because of something they might do."

Athena shot a glare across the throne room. "As the God of Prophecy, you know full well what is upon us. We cannot be too careful."

"Oh do tell me," Apollo spat. "Would anyone here deny the importance of demigods to us?"

No one spoke up, but there were a few disgruntled faces.

"Exactly. Now, by show of hands, who here has a good relationship with their children?" Apollo asked. No one raised a hand.

"Objection." Athena snapped. "That's not a fair question. We are not permitted to show favoritism or even contact our children. The Ancient Laws forbid it."

Percy bit his tongue, choking down the stream of expletives that filled his mind. He had heard of the bullshit "Ancient Laws" excuse since he knew he was a demigod. That didn't make it hurt any less. It was more like absent parents trying to justify it by paying child support, except instead of child support, they got cool superpowers.

"And then you wonder why they hate us?" Apollo asked, his voice rising. "You've never wondered why our demigod children scorn us? Why would they do what is needed when we do not even grant them the praise they deserve?"

"Do you take me for an idiot?" Athena spat. "Of course I understand why our children may resent us, but you know as well as I that we can't have relationships with them. We are immortal, and they are not. Do you not remember the storms in the early days, of the grief shared by perishing children?"

"Our children do not have the memories of the past." Apollo argued. "You and I were born after the tyranny of the Titans, but if we do not remember, why would our children?"

Athena sighed, like she was tired of making the same point repeatedly. "That is precisely why children of the Big Three are so dangerous. They possess abilities considered unnatural even for demigods. There is an inherent risk every second we let them live."

"She's right." Ares butted in. "It would be easier while we've got them here…"

"We are not killing my son." Poseidon's voice sounded, low and dangerous. "I will not allow it."

"Do you even hear yourselves?" Apollo threw his hands up in exasperation. "We are currently debating whether the greatest heroes in a generation get to live or die all because of some prophecy."

"Wise counsel is often unpopular." Athena argued. "Regardless, what we decide to do is not my place to say. It is the council's role to act on potential threats."

"And logical counsel would dictate you're a dumbass." Apollo said. "You're not always the smartest person in the room. The campers have a greater loyalty to Percy and Thalia than they do to us. Killing them would only exacerbate the demigods' exodus. Prophecies will come to pass whether we like it or not."

"Oh that's rich, coming from you." Athena snapped. "Last I checked, I've never been forced to turn mortal because of my arrogance." She took a deep breath, putting a lid back on her simmering anger. "Regardless, we cannot escape the truth. My Father and Uncle have broken the oath, siring children. I do not think it bears repeating the immense danger we are in."

"Mother!" Annabeth said. "How can you say that? They just helped save Olympus."

"And they remain the only key in destroying it too." Athena said, cutting Annabeth off with a sharp look. "If the prophecy is to be believed, the gates of Olympus can only be destroyed by those with the keys, demigods who stand as first among equals."

"I never thought I would say this." Artemis began, "But my brother is right."

Apollo mimed wiping away a tear from his eye. "After all this time, you truly do love me."

She shot him an exasperated glare. "Regardless of circumstance, Perseus freed me from beneath the sky, a feat that none of you seemed willing to do. Through the heroism of these demigods, the plans of the Titans have been delayed once more. I will not punish the heroes who have done us a great service."

Small murmurs of assent rose around the room, although the indifference hurt more than the outward hostility that greeted them. Thalia trembled next to him, silent tears streaking down her face. Annabeth looked downright murderous.

To everyone's surprise, Mr. D spoke up. "May I remind you, Perseus Jackson, that upon your return from your mission at Westover, you directly threatened treason if the gods did not decide in your favor? And, might I add, that after being forbidden from rescuing Annabelle, you decided to go anyway, in direct contradiction of godly orders." Mr. D began to glow purple, his eyes staring directly through Percy. "You are unreliable at best, and outright dangerous at worst. You hold no loyalty to the gods." He then turned to Thalia. "And you, young lady, are no better. You defied orders, and when Percy stood against me, you joined him in his defiance."

"Leave her out of this." Percy shouted. "Thalia hasn't done anything wrong." He pointed directly at Mr. D. "It was only because you wouldn't do anything that she was forced to leave in the first place. If you actually gave a shit, maybe we'd listen."

Mr. D, just smiled. "Just like I said. Unreliable and impulsive. They will do whatever it takes to get what they want, going through mortals and immortals alike."

"Why should we give a fuck about any of you if you don't care about us!" Percy yelled.

Athena grinned smugly, confidently, as Percy's comments sat in the air. "Then I believe the matter is settled. They will not serve us. We should put it up for a vote."

"Are you fucking insane?" From the hearth, Hestia's usually timid voice now rang throughout the throne room. "Look at them! Can you not see the pain of the children, listening to their parents debate whether they even deserve to live?" She turned towards the eldest five on the Council, fixing them with a deadly stare. "Do you not remember the cruelty of our father? Forcing us to live in his stomach out of his paranoia?" She began to glow. "If you go through with this decision, then this Council deserves the same fate as Him. " She spat out the last word as though it were the worst expression in the universe. The stark contrast to her usually soft and motherly demeanor left the room unnaturally still.

Thalia opened her mouth, but immediately closed it, her glare directed at her father. Percy couldn't fight the feeling that normally she would've said what was on her mind. He had already said his piece, but he could see the signs Apollo had mentioned. She still swayed slightly. She was unsure of herself, as if she couldn't quite process what was in front of her. The gods continued arguing, but Percy could only focus on Thalia.

"If you've got something to say, you should say it." Percy whispered, playfully nudging her shoulder. "They're shitty parents anyway."

"It doesn't matter." She shrugged, her uncharacteristic lack of fight evident as her shoulders slumped. Her voice trailed off, a broken whisper. "Besides, they know what I've done."

She began to tremble again, her breaths coming faster and shorter. She began shaking her head, rhythmically, as if the physical action would stop the onslaught of memories. Annabeth squeezed her hand, attempting to ground her, but it did little to help Thalia's steadily shallower breaths.

"I…" Thalia began to stammer, her mouth opening and closing, but no sound coming out. Percy got in front of her making sure she could see him before he signed:

It's okay. Deep breaths.

Tears fell as she closed her eyes, but she listened, taking a deep, shaking breath.

"I…" Her voice broke once again, a heart-wrenching sound that tore Percy's heart in two. Despite everything he and Apollo had done to heal her, Percy could see that she was only a shell of herself. She looked at him again, and Percy swore her electric blue eyes were a few shades dimmer.

Don't push yourself. Percy signed. You don't need to say anything right now.

She gave her head a small shake, jaw clenching in defiance. "N-no. I-I can't." Her free fist was clenched on her side. "W-we d-don't…don't have t-time." Her voice broke on the last word, and Percy couldn't take it anymore.

The chatter and arguing of the throne room faded away as he threw his arms around her, pulling her against him. Annabeth's grip on her hand slipped. Thalia struggled weakly, trying to pull away, but he wasn't willing to let go. His chest muffled her sobs as she cried into him, his t-shirt absorbing her tears. He could practically feel the flurry of emotions coursing through her right now, but only one thought filled his mind. Thalia was safe. She was here. He knew it would take time for her to be truly okay again, but she was here. He hadn't failed.

"Y-you don't…you don't u-understand." She said, crying harder as she spoke. "I-I'm a m-monster."

He squeezed her even tighter. Those words were wrong. Felt wrong, on every level, Thalia wasn't a monster. In his eyes, she was practically a goddess.

"I don't think a bigger lie has ever been told." Percy said, softly brushing his fingers through her hair. He pressed a quick kiss to her head before releasing her. Her hands immediately went to cover her face as he slung his backpack off his shoulder. Opening it and pulling out Thalia's hoodie, he felt another approving nudge from Aphrodite's magic.

A full blown argument was erupting in the throne room, but Percy tuned everything out, focusing only on the girl hiding herself in front of him.

Percy gently nudged her hands away, hooking a finger beneath her chin and bringing her beautiful, tear stained face up to look at him. One look in his eyes had Thalia tearing up again. Percy stroked his thumb along her jawline comfortingly as the words poured out of him.

"I've killed many monsters, Thalia Grace, and seen many more. But all I see right now is the face of a shattered angel."

He pressed the hoodie, the Green Day hoodie he had been protecting with his life, into her hands. "We can talk about everything later, but I wouldn't have dragged this across the country and back for a monster."

A dozen emotions flitted across her face as the tears pooled and overflowed, cascading down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, and Percy placed a gentle finger against her lips.

"Don't fight me on this one, Thals. Please." He rubbed her arm soothingly. "We can talk about it later. Just put your arms up."

She inhaled shakily before nodding, stepping back to raise her arms and Percy helped her slip the hoodie on. He grimaced internally as he noticed how easily it slid over her body. He had felt her ribs protruding far more than he thought they should be when he had hugged her.

He wanted to say more, maybe a million things at once if he could, but the thoughts got all jumbled up in his brain, creating a logjam.

"I'm sorry I wasn't any faster." He whispered, pulling her trembling form against him again. "Please forgive me."

Eventually, her shaking stopped and her breathing slowed. It could have been five seconds or five years, but Percy just held her. For the first time since she had left, that little bit of hope he had been trying to bury finally broke free.

She placed her fist on her chest between them and made a circular motion, a sign of apology.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Percy said fervently, threading his fingers through her hair as he held her.

He wasn't entirely sure if she believed him, but when she finally returned his embrace, it felt like his heart would explode out of his chest. Gods, he would do anything for this girl. The thought of fighting the entire Olympian Council felt like child's play considering what he was protecting in his arms right now. This strong, beautiful girl and her shattered heart and soul. He would do anything, everything, to help her pick up the pieces.

"Silence!" Zeus' booming voice echoed through the throne room, causing the ever-growing debates to cease and Thalia to jump in his arms, peeking out from where her face was burrowed into his chest. "I will have order in my throne room. I have come to a decision."

"I propose a vote," Athena said haughtily. "About the fate of the demigods."

"There will be no vote." Zeus said firmly. He looked unhappy, as though he had been coerced into the decision. Given Hestia's insistence, and his father's hanging threat, Percy wasn't exactly surprised. "If our reports are to be believed, the Titans have been pushed back once again. Apollo is right, prophecies are often meaningless until after they have already passed."

Apollo's eyebrows shot up. He opened his mouth before closing it again, silent.

"Additionally," Zeus continued. "My Father has been stirring. And although this is nothing new, he has infiltrated the minds of men for generations. Therefore, until we receive new intelligence, this matter will remain closed."

Immediately, protests arose from the room. Artemis, pleading her case for action against the Titans. Athena and Ares, arguing on behalf of killing Percy and Thalia, and Poseidon looking like he wanted to gut his brother right where he stood. The only goddess who looked pleased was Aphrodite, who shot him a winning smile.

"Enough!" Zeus commanded, the room silencing once more as electricity cackled around him. "I will not hear another word." He glared, meeting the eyes of every god and goddess in the room, daring anyone to be foolish enough to challenge him. When none came, his shoulders relaxed, and his voice returned to its normal dulcet tone. "Now then, Artemis, I believe you have a request to make."

"Yes, I do." She regarded her father with displeasure before turning to address the room at large. The edges of her form flickered silver, and her voice wavered unsteadily as she began. "As many of you know, my faithful Lieutenant and closest friend, Zoe Nightshade, took her place among the stars following our defeat of Atlas."

"No." Percy said quietly, his heart racing. "This can't be it." He felt Thalia burrow into him, her breathing once again calm. "Look, Thals…you can't…I mean…" His words caught in his throat as he realized he wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to say. Did he love her? Was that even appropriate? Was that even accurate?

"Consequently," Artemis continued. "I require a replacement, someone wise beyond their years." Her gaze turned towards Thalia. "Someone who would benefit from my blessing far more than any other candidate, providing the easiest pathway to recovery after she bravely endured the worst the enemy has to offer."

The tension hung in the air as Artemis allowed the proposal to sink in. Worse yet, from what he could see, Thalia's eyebrows were scrunched, as though she were seriously considering the potential offer, weighing the options before her. Percy tensed, praying harder than he had ever prayed that he wouldn't hear those words pass her lips.

"Thalia, Daughter of Zeus, will you swear to turn your back on the company of men, join the Hunt, be blessed with immortality and all the benefits thereof, and serve as my new lieutenant?"

Thalia was quiet in his arms. Percy hugged her tighter, breathing her in and trying to commit this moment to memory. All he could do was hope that whatever choice she made, she would be happy.

And just as desperately, he hoped he could be a part of the rest of her journey.

AN: Hey ya'll! Really excited for this one! We're finally getting to the fluffy Perlia stuff, so we can finally get some justice for our girl. Feedback, reviews, and all the things are always appreciated, and I smile every time I get the notification that someone is enjoying an admittedly self-indulgent fic. I'll see ya'll in a couple weeks! Now, time for review replies

True Wielder of Riptide: Do not worry, it is in the works. The mysteries will be revealed (somewhat) in just a few chapters before we start the next arc

anaklusosdude16: Yes, the Perlia part of the story is about to begin. Considering the Behemoth this is planned to be, I wanted to also have an interesting story on top of it (One shots for JUST Perlia are planned as well)

CereysKerrigan: What is an author if not a bit of a tease?

theronjohn325: Nope! This was my own spin on the topic. I'll be getting pretty esoteric when it comes to some of the lore with Mycenaean gods. As far as what Ouranos did. Canonically, he was already dead, similar to the state of Kronos after his second dissolution. Fading probably isn't the right term, but bro just wanted to die. I would too after having only Atlas for company.

Me Myself and I 777: Glad you're enjoying! I have a ton of fun with this one (so much so that I'm going to take a hiatus for my other fic to work on this one)

Ginocide02: Completely called it on canon-Athena hating this version of Percy. Don't worry. Percy will be a badass by the end of this. Pay attention to the trauma processing between our main couple and how that relates to their character development.