The griminess on her skin made her want to rip it off. Thalia didn't even realize how sweaty she was, but now that she was alone, her clothes clung to her. Small granules of salt stuck to her arms, creating a scratchy, abrasive layer. Briefly, she wondered if an industrial scrub brush would be a worthy investment.

The trek to the showers in the Big House was an unfamiliar one. Normally, she used the ones in the communal bathrooms like everyone else, but it was late enough that it wasn't a feasible option. Chiron had given her a key to the private one to be used in emergencies, and she figured if there was an appropriate time to use it, it was now.

Her jaw tensed. It was just a trip to the bathroom. Nothing special. The dark hallway loomed in front of her. Why is the house dirty? Instinctively, Thalia flinched. She quickly darted her eyes from side to side, scanning for the source. No, it couldn't be. Why would her mother be here? A hundred possibilities swarmed in Thalia's head. Her mother was dead, yet the voice was undeniable, taunting her, as real as it was every day of her childhood.

Her hand began to buzz, and tiny tendrils of electricity sprung forth, illuminating the walkway. It wasn't much, but the soft blue glow was enough for her to see the ground in front of her. She quickly scanned the hallway, looking for ghosts, ghouls, poltergeists, and even another camper playing another practical joke, but there was nothing. Taking a trembling breath, she continued her trek down the hallway. In her mind, a mantra began to repeat. She was safe. There was nothing to worry about. She was just seeing things.

It's all your fault. Dr. Thorn's voice mocked her. The blood of innocents is on your hands.

"Fuck you," Thalia replied, spinning in the direction of the phantom voice. The only response was the soft echo of her own voice bouncing off the hallway. She willed her lightning light to shine a little brighter, tendrils reaching out like a tesla ball. The air around her began to vibrate in response to her commands.

A sharp pain singed her fingers, and she winced, nearly extinguishing the light. Slowly, she made a fist to assess the damage. A dull ache was all that remained, permeating her bones. Puzzled, she repeated the action. Same result. Maybe you'll remember next time Thorn's insidious voice whispered in her mind.

"Go away!" Thalia yelled. "I'm armed!"

Silence was all that greeted her. She picked up the pace, now facing the bathroom door. She fumbled around in her pocket for the key, her trembling fingers unable to grip the slippery brass. Get in the door, then turn on the lights. A simple enough task. A nice relaxing shower, then time to turn in for the night.

You deserve it, you know. You only had one chance. Now Luke's voice rang out.

Instinctively, she zapped in his direction, or at least what she thought was his direction. She expected to hear his cries of pain, maybe begging for mercy, or at least a grunt of some kind. Instead, there was a crashing sound next to her. A picture on the wall, now shattered on the floor, with broken shards all around.

"Who's there?" Thalia shouted.

Down the hall, Chiron appeared, puzzled. "Thalia, my dear, are you alright?"

Thalia blinked. Even the curlers in his tail seemed normal compared to the night she was having. "Er, yeah." She said slowly, "I think so."

The centaur cautiously made his way over, stopping at the border of the broken picture to avoid slicing his hooves. "Are you sure?"

"Mhmm," Thalia said, nodding her head. "I just, I mean, I bumped into a picture frame, is all. It startled me."

Chiron looked unconvinced, his shadowed face looking flat. "If you need anything, please do not hesitate to ask." He looked down at the picture as he flicked on the light. "You are not the first demigod to break something, and you will not be the last. Do not worry. I'll take care of it."

"You sure?" Thalia said. "I can go get something for that. I'm sorry."

"You've had a long day, my dear," Chiron said. "Just focus on getting some rest." He sadly looked down at the picture. A closer inspection revealed that it was more than a photograph. Thalia wasn't sure exactly what it was, but it looked like some kind of hyper realistic painting. At the center was a younger Chiron, his beard a vibrant black. Next to him was a towering demigod with an immaculate physique. In his hand was a massive bronze sword that looked a lot like Percy's.

"Is that–"

"Hercules." Chiron finished. "Yes, my dear. Percy is not the first wielder of Riptide, as you may notice. It's a complicated weapon." He looked like he wanted to say more but stopped himself. "I'm not sure it's my story to tell, but do not fret. The image itself is preserved. The casing can always be replaced."

Despite Chiron's assurance, the guilt gnawed away at her. What was wrong with her? Obviously, there was nothing here. Even though that was true, she kept hearing voices and lashing out at the closest pieces of furniture, which were obviously very sentimental to her mentor. She bit her lip, the uncomfortable sensation providing an eerie sort of control and comfort.

"Again, I'm sorry Chiron." She said, shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"Like I said, nothing that can't be fixed," Chiron said, shooting her a warm smile. "It looks like you were about to shower, so I'll leave you to it." He turned around, giving Thalia one last look before the clopping of his hooves retreated back into his room, flicking off the hall light that was right outside.

If only it were that easy for me. Thalia's inner voice taunted her. The horse can fix his paintings. But nothing will ever fix you.

She quickly found the key in her jeans pocket, placing the brass bit into the lock. The tumblers rotated, the door unlocked, and she swung it open, slinging on the light switch. The lights were nearly blinding, but she took a sigh of relief. Nothing could sneak up on her now.

She stripped down and turned on the water, the warm steam quickly filling the room. Glancing in the mirror, she grimaced as she took in her new physique. Her ribs protruded slightly, and the black lightning scars, while they looked badass, stood out on her pale skin, feeling more like a cattle brand than a cool tattoo. The gray streak in her hair stood out like a sore thumb, but she got the sense that no matter how many times she tried to dye it, it would remain until the day she died. An uncomfortable lump formed in her throat. This was her new normal, and her feelings were mixed at best.

She sighed. Every change was a menacing reminder of what had been done to her. Despite her best efforts, she wasn't able to ignore the uncomfortable memories that resurfaced nearly every moment since Percy had fallen in her lap on the Mountain of Despair. Unsavory recollections threatened to pull her from the present, like the worst movie of all time, forcing her to relive it all again.

Cautiously, she scanned the room one final time before stepping behind the shower curtain. Her hands wouldn't stay still, itching to fight something, and the compulsive need to watch her back overwhelmed her every few seconds. Her heartbeat pounded in her head, drowning out the rest of her thoughts. Shakily, she took her shampoo bottle and poured some into her hand, scrubbing at her scalp, hesitantly closing her eyes as the soap ran down her forehead with the water, desperate to cleanse the grime from her skin.

Despite the water, the compulsive urge to open them was nearly overwhelming. What if someone was coming? What if this was all a dream, and she was still trapped? She scrunched her eyes tighter. No, she was in the bathroom, taking a shower, in the Big House. The sensation of the warm water began to fade away, panic now filling her bones. Without thought, she opened her eyes, now burning with the watery soap running down her face.

In front of her was the dank gray cell on the Mountain. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, her mind screamed. Her hands were shaking violently, and her heart was shaking. Her jaw trembled, clenching so tight she thought her teeth might crack. In the edge of her vision, she saw Thorn approaching, and she fired a bolt in his direction, his devilish smile taunting her.

Her head hurt, and she began seeing double. Blinking, the white porcelain of the tub slowly came back into focus, a massive chunk now missing. It took her a long moment to realize that she was now on the floor, curled in the fetal position. Her trembling hands picked up the sizable chunk of porcelain lying next to her head. The more she tried to focus, the more her vision refused to cooperate. The intensity of the pounding in her skull only increased, and she was forced to close her eyes, tears now streaking down her face.

You should've joined me ,Luke's voice taunted. Thalia opened her mouth to respond but found herself frozen, unable to move. Distantly, she thought she heard screaming, although she wasn't sure whether it was all in her head like the rest of the voices. Her eyes refused to open, falling victim to the paralysis that overtook the rest of her body. The only thought she could piece together was that she was a monster. She was a monster, and this was her punishment for her sins.

Icy, cold water sparred her to action. Immediately, she got to her feet, scanning for threats. Instead, a face full of cold was all she got in response. Right, she was in the shower. Her pruny hands betrayed she had been in there longer than she anticipated, but she wasn't sure the exact length of time. Quickly, she turned off the faucet, figuring her time soaking would have done its job.

The missing chunk of porcelain sent cracks from the corner throughout the remainder of the tub. Another twinge of guilt slithered its way into her heart. Now, Chiron would have even more to fix, and it was all her fault. She quickly shook her head and grabbed her towels. Just get to your room. She told herself. You probably just need some sleep.

Rerobing into her pajamas, consisting of shorts and an oversized t-shirt, she quickly gathered her things, preparing to head back. Her rapid heartbeat had refused to slow since she entered the Big House, an uncomfortable reminder of how she would spend her waking moments with her mother. She shook her head, desperately trying to hold those thoughts at bay just a moment longer.

She hated herself for it, but she left the bathroom light on, allowing it to illuminate the hallway. Every time she flicked the switch, allowing the darkness to envelop the house, she couldn't force herself to take another step, her mind flooded with awful memories. Besides, the Camp's expenses were already paid, and she figured Chiron would rather deal with a slightly higher power bill than with more broken furniture.

Her arms refused to uncross from her chest, like some sort of security blanket. Hesitantly, she looked around, checking behind her every few steps. She told herself to stop and that she was acting like a lunatic, but every time she ignored the compulsion, her mind would scream at her that she was in danger, forcing her to either acquiesce, or fire off another lightning bolt and break more pictures. Tomorrow, She thought. Just get through the night doing whatever you need to. Despite her paranoia, the voices didn't return, the light holding the awful whisperings of the night away.

Stepping into the familiarity of her room had Thalia sighing in relief. The posters on the walls brought back pleasant memories, and she smiled despite herself. Her cot sat against the wall, completely undisturbed from her hasty departure. The only thing absent was the note she left for Percy, warning him of her whereabouts.

Her scattered clothes spawned mild pricks of irritation. It wasn't anybody's fault, of course, but now the thought simply wouldn't leave her mind despite her exhaustion. In spite of her sudden desire to organize, she climbed into bed, hiding her face beneath the blankets on her cot. Maybe she could pretend the mess didn't exist.

No position seemed comfortable. Thalia's hands itched for her spear across the room. Every time she closed her eyes, the haze began to approach, threatening to drag her into another world of unpleasant memories. Frustrated, she threw the blankets off the bed and began to clean, hoping she would eventually just crash. It was a safe bet that no one would bother her in the morning anyway.

She began furiously and meticulously folding her clothes, placing them in the proper drawers. Slowly, the cluttered junkyard that was her room became pristine and organized. No more weird shadows were cast from the lamp in the corner. Satisfied, she took a deep breath.

Thalia frowned, breathing in again. The soft aroma of wine filled her nostrils. Given Mr. D's constant residence, it wasn't abnormal, but the scent usually avoided her room. On the rare occasion it got in, it usually triggered a nightmare, but at the present, it was little more than an annoyance.

Satisfied with her work, she finally returned to her cot, eyes heavy. Before she could get comfortable, the smell of wine got stronger, seeming to concentrate around her. The unpleasant haze began to return, threatening to pull her into it. Frustrated, she climbed out of bed once again. She began pacing quickly, weighing her options. She could sleep outside, which meant she wouldn't sleep. Sleep in the Zeus cabin, again, no sleep for her. She could ask Mr. D directly if he could turn off the wine smell, or try to tough it out and deal with whatever nightmare was about to plague her.

Metallic blood coated her tongue, and she winced. She had been biting her lip, and now she was paying the price. Yet, in a sick sort of way, the pain sliced through the mental haze that was threatening to pull her away to an inescapable land of horror. She went over to her nightstand and grabbed a paper towel, letting the blood soak it crimson.

With newfound mental clarity, she settled in for the night. She was fifteen, not a child. One night alone wouldn't kill her, and it wasn't the first time she'd dealt with Mr. D's carelessness. The encroaching memories finally seemed to ebb, allowing her to close her eyes without her chest tightening and her heart racing. Slowly, she drifted into an uneasy sleep.

Massive pine trees stretched out as far as she could see. A cool spring wind blew past her, and her hair, oddly, didn't fly into her face. Thalia froze. Her usually short hair was now long enough to be pulled back into a ponytail. She used to keep it the same way before she had to flee home. Trembling, she held her hands out in front of her face, confirming her worst fears. Her body felt too small, and her control felt wobbly at best, as though she were fighting another force for command of her limbs.

Hesitantly, she took a step forward, nearly collapsing in the process. Her bones ached, and she was nearly paralyzed from some kind of exhaustion. Cautiously, she looked back, trying to gauge where she was.

Her stomach lurched. Behind her was her mother's charred corpse, the pungent stench spreading throughout the forest. Vultures began circling the carcass, ready to scavenge whatever they could off Beryl Grace's slight frame. This wasn't how it went. Thalia thought to herself. I never looked back.

Yet the scene was unmistakable. Thalia's breaths came faster, and her head began to spin. No, no, no, she thought. That's not how it went. I know it. Without thinking, she began to run. To where she wasn't sure, her thoughts numb. Whatever force she was fighting began to take control, freely guiding her back home.

The background slowly began to melt away, and dissonant voices chirped at her. You're a monster, they said. View who you truly are.

She ran directly into an invisible wall, knocking her on her back and leaving her gasping for breath. She sucked in the air, desperate to regain her composure. "What's going on?" She yelled. Not even an echo greeted her. Quickly, she turned around, desperate to continue her flight away. From what, she wasn't sure, but in the back of her mind, she hoped she could outrun whatever unseen monster was tormenting her.

Unceremoniously, she smacked into another invisible wall directly behind her. She held out her hands, and the realization dawned on her that they were closing. Scrambling, she sprinted parallel to the wall, keeping her left hand on it to see if it ended. Its unyielding frame began to shrink, forcing her to the center of her new prison, halting nearly all progress. Outside the walls, the outside world began to dissolve, leaving nothing but a black void, consuming all in its path.

"What do you want from me!?" Thalia shrieked. "Just leave me alone, whoever you are."

Suddenly, the invisible prison stopped shrinking. Panic surged through her as she realized that the cell she was in now was roughly the size of the one she had been thrown into at the Mountain of Despair. Trembling, she began feeling every inch of the walls, scratching at them to find a way out.

Witness who you really are. A voice that sounded eerily similar to Thalia's rang through the prison as though she was hearing herself on a recording. On command, the invisible walls suddenly became mirrors, every side reflecting back at her. Thalia screamed, an animalistic howl that sounded nothing like her.

The minor physical changes were lost on her in her haste to escape. Staring back at her was not the twelve-year-old girl who killed her mother. Instead, the figure in the mirror was taller, and her limbs were unnaturally long. Instead of fingernails, sharp claws now protruded from her hands. Razor sharp teeth taunted her, and suddenly the taste of raw meat poisoned her mouth.

Behold Thalia Grace, her mimicked voice taunted. The Queen of Monsters.

Thalia curled into the fetal position, screaming in an attempt to drown out the taunting voice.

Her eyes shot open. Her racing heart pounded, drowning out her thoughts. She felt lightheaded, her rapid breathing bringing floating dots to her vision. Her throat felt raw and scratchy. She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She threw off her blankets and dashed over to the mirror on her wall. The fingernails on her hands looked normal, but she continued picking at them. The realism of what she had just experienced forced her to double-check.

Much to her relief, everything was as normal as it could be. Her hands looked the same as when she went to sleep, the menacing black streaks taunting her. She bared her teeth, desperately searching for any new points, but they shone back at her, completely undisturbed. She began to shake her head rhythmically. Everything is okay, she repeated in her mind. It was just a nightmare.

The sour aroma of wine swirled its way into her nostrils, and she gagged at the repugnant stench. Instead of dissipating like it usually did, the aroma only seemed to intensify, once again threatening to drag her out of her room and back to her childhood once again.

"Fuck you Mr. D," she muttered.

Her room became unbearable. She felt so exposed and vulnerable in the one place where she was supposed to be safe, as though her mind had set a vicious trap and she walked into it willingly. The thought of lying down to sleep sent tremors through her body. Despite her increasingly anxious pacing, her heart refused to slow, feeling as though it would leap out of her chest.

Tears began to form at the corners of her eyes. What if the dream wasn't just a dream, but a prophetic warning? Demigods have weird dreams like that all the time, right? After all, Percy's dreams usually meant something; it's how he knew exactly where to look for her. She subconsciously brought her nails to her teeth and began to chew on them, desperate for any comfort. Maybe she was Thalia Grace, Queen of Monsters. Ironic that Artemis wanted her to lead the Hunt, where she herself would've been responsible for leading the Hunt against the vile creatures.

A warm memory began to slice through the oppressive haze that was overtaking her. It was the first night she had returned, a night she had refused to think about since. It was a disorienting shift, as though she had woken up from the longest sleep imaginable, her only moments of respite from her coma with a particular boy with green eyes.

Except this time, it was no respite, it was her new reality. Instead of the dreamscape fading, she opened her eyes to see the night sky of Camp, fighting the familiar feeling of panic that had become nearly second nature to her. Just as reliably, Percy placed his hand on her thigh, always knowing the little things that she needed to keep her anchored, to help her adapt to her new reality. He briefly gifted her his hoodie as she shunted in the cold, her body unable to withstand the sudden change. For the briefest of moments, before it all came crashing down in her ignorance, things felt like they might be okay.

Her eyes stung. Her trembling body told her one thing. She needed to leave. Immediately. Otherwise, broken furniture would be the least of Chiron's worries. The smell of the wine was just too much, and her mother's grating voice was inching closer, mocking her at every turn. Without another thought, she threw open the door and fled the Big House, into the cold night.

It shouldn't have been a surprise that she ended up where she did. In front of her loomed the Poseidon cabin, its gray walls reflecting in the moonlight as though the sea itself was contained within. Its relatively low roof stood in contrast to her father's, the tallest of all, as though it needed to prove a point to the rest of the cabins. The rules against campers being in cabins that weren't their own were pretty strict, especially if the owner of said cabin could be considered a rival of your parent. Yet, despite the alien feeling of the sea, she felt drawn to it, to the only place where she'd felt safe since returning.

She shivered, the cold night air slicing through her. She hadn't even thrown on a jacket in her haste, leaving her with little to brace against the cold winter air. She hesitated, despite her heart screaming at her to go in. Her goosebumps agreed. What if it didn't work? Or what if he didn't want to see her? Disaster scenarios raced through her mind, and if it wasn't for the horrific nature of the Big House, abandoning the idea seemed like the safer option.

Suddenly, the door opened right in front of her. Briefly, she considered lying, though she knew that was a fruitless endeavor. Percy's bleary-eyed face appeared, looking straight at her. He tilted his head, brows furrowing.

"You doing alright?" Percy asked. The concern in his voice nearly broke her. "It's cold out, and you're only in your pajamas."

Thalia's face flushed against her will, her cheeks immediately feeling warm. "You see, I-I mean…"

Percy quickly scanned the camp, making sure no one was watching. "Come inside. You're shivering like a madwoman."

Thalia was too tired to protest, and she followed Percy into his cabin.

His green eyes bore straight into her soul, as though he already knew all of her secrets. Instinctively, she tensed, ready to fend off whatever deep questions he was going to throw at her. Instead, he cracked a small smile. "Couldn't sleep, huh?"

Thalia nodded. "Mhmm, just one of those nights."

"Same." He said. "I dozed off for a little bit, but then I just got antsy and couldn't go back to sleep." He shot her a warming smile. "Guess it worked out then. Otherwise, you would've been freezing out there all night."

"Would not," Thalia said, pouting. "I would've just gone somewhere else."

Percy raised an eyebrow as he sat down on his bed, beckoning Thalia to join him. "And is that why you were just standing there? You didn't even knock or anything."

Thalia shivered again, still warming up from the cold, indirectly answering his question. Percy laughed as she plopped on the bed next to him. "It's alright. I get it." He said. He studied her for a moment before placing a hand on her thigh. "I hope this is alright?"

Thalia just nodded. She didn't even realize that she had begun trembling again, but his stable touch sent calming waves through her, reminding her that she wasn't alone. She was tempted to chew on her lip again, even though it still throbbed from earlier. She settled for tapping her hands against her legs, letting the repetitive movement calm her.

Her head throbbed, and her vision seemed fuzzy. Now that her adrenaline was ebbing, she could feel her head throbbing from her shower incident. She placed her head in her hands, swaying, and tried to steady herself as the world spun around her.

"What happened?" Percy asked, lightly rubbing her back.

"Hit my head," Thalia moaned. "Just a rough night."

"Here, lay down," Percy said, slowly helping her to lie on the bed. "Let me get something for you."

He grabbed a small package from his nightstand and unwrapped it, revealing a golden square.

"I stole this from the infirmary," Percy smiled at her. "You never know when you might need to sneak out to save a friend or two."

Thalia chuckled and then immediately winced, the laughter echoing in her skull. "Just give me some, please." She said, "It's not like I'm dying over here or anything."

Percy chuckled. "Can do." He handed over the square, and Thalia immediately put it in her mouth, allowing its healing power to wash over her. The pounding in her head quickly began to subside, and the spinning stopped. Her previously depleted energy reserves felt like they had been refilled, and her skin no longer felt clammy and cold.

"What does it taste like?" Percy asked, his soft eyes bearing deep into her. Her eyebrows rose, and he quickly started backpedaling. "You don't have to answer if it's super personal or anything."

Thalia pursed her lips. She realized the flavor had shifted slightly as the warm square melted on her tongue. The base was the same, a simple chocolate brownie that her mother used to make before she went off the rails. Now, there was a slight tinge of sea salt within the square, as though Percy had been the one to make them instead.

"Chocolate brownies," Thalia said, cracking a small smile. "I guess I'm not very creative. Ambrosia squares look like brownies. How about you?"

"Chocolate chip cookies," Percy said. "Just like my mom makes. She's been trying to teach me how to bake. It's so-so at the moment."

"Well, I'd love to try them," Thalia smiled, moving into a sitting position. "I'm sure they're better than mine anyway."

"Deal." Percy agreed. He opened his mouth and closed it, unsure of what he wanted to say.

A comfortable silence fell betwixt the pair. Thalia leaned back against the wall as the ambrosia worked its magic. At some point, Percy's hand found its way to her thigh again, and he was currently rubbing little circles against her skin with his thumb.

She wasn't sure how he did it, but every time she felt her heart begin to race or the memories threaten to overwhelm her, he knew exactly what to do. Percy felt like home.

"Did you know that Chiron wears curlers in his tail?" Thalia asked, the humorous image from earlier resurfacing.

Percy snorted. "Wait, really? Like an old lady?"

Thalia nodded, flashing a small smile of her own. "Whatever you're thinking, I can promise you it's a hundred times worse."

"Well, now I've gotta know," Percy said, leaning closer. "How did you figure this one out?"

Thalia clenched her jaw, immediately regretting starting this conversation. "I bumped into him in the middle of the night." She said tersely.

Percy raised an eyebrow, his eyes darting to her uncomfortable shifting. "What was he doing out of bed? Is something wrong? No one ever sees him after light's out."

"Er-" Thalia stammered. "I mean, it wasn't anything important." She said, averting her eyes from Percy's piercing gaze.

Percy sighed, his skepticism evident. He gave her a small pat on her thigh before getting up. "You're an awful liar, you know." He said. "You can fool others, but I know you better than you think."

He walked over to his dresser and pulled out his blue hoodie. Thalia's heart panged, remembering the warm embrace. Even here, she felt so exposed, like something was stalking her, just waiting for her to let her guard down. Percy held it in his hands, suddenly uncomfortable. He glanced back, his jaw tensed.

"I know we said we'd talk about it tomorrow…" His voice wavered, unsure. "But if you want it, it's yours." His gaze dropped to the floor. "Besides…you're still shivering."

Thalia wanted to protest. A million reasons why she didn't deserve it flashed in her mind. But as she opened her mouth to say no, the words wouldn't come out. The indents on her palms from her nails told her everything. Her jaw was clenched so tightly she was afraid her teeth might crack. She let out a resigned sigh and nodded her head yes, her scratchy throat unable to voice her thoughts.

Percy gave her a small, soft smile as he brought it over. "Just like last time. Put your arms up."

Thalia did as she was told, manually forcing her jaw to unclench. The sea-blue hoodie slid right over her, enveloping her. It was warm, like Percy had just been wearing it. Slowly, her breathing began to slow, her security blanket enveloping the shattered pieces of her, helping them slowly mend. Normally, oversized clothes felt oppressive, like she was swimming in them, but this felt different. Like it would keep her safe from anything.

Percy sat down right next to her, returning his hand to her thigh, right at the hem of the hoodie, which now covered her pajama shorts. He rubbed little circles with his thumb again, the repetitive motion calming. He looked straight into her eyes, understanding swimming in his own. "It's okay," he said. "I get them too."

Thalia turned towards him. "I'm fine," she said, injecting false bravado into her voice. "Just cold is all."

Percy smirked at her attitude. "Whatever you say, lightning girl."

"Your head is full of kelp," Thalia retorted quickly. "You don't know what you're talking about."

Despite the warm hoodie now enveloping her, nervous energy began to flood her. She needed to get up and move. Her eyes started darting around the room. The walls felt too close, the lights too dim. Images of her little prison resurface, and she took a deep, shuddering breath.

Percy sighed, standing from the bed again. "Come on." He said, holding out his hand. "Just trust me on this one."

She gave him her hand, focusing on how his skin felt against hers. She squeezed her eyes shut and let him guide her, up, up, up the stairs and to a little balcony, where the chilly night air greeted her again.

"Open your eyes," Percy whispered.

Thalia did, and immediately sucked in an awed breath. The cold air that had felt so biting just a few minutes ago now felt refreshing. Thousands of stars glittered above her head, the New York smog held back by the borders of Camp. Her panic quickly dissipated. Her nightmares couldn't touch her here.

Percy grabbed a step ladder, placing it near the wall and climbing to the top. He looked back at her. "You coming?"

Thalia nodded her head as she realized what he was doing. The ladder led up to the low roof, which was hung just several feet shy of the top of the ladder.

"Mhmmm." She mentally shook herself. "Yeah, sorry."

He climbed up onto the roof, beckoning her to follow. She reached the top of the ladder and gripped the tiled edge, straining as she pulled herself up. She cursed. Apollo had promised that her injuries had healed, but apparently, that didn't cover her conditioning. Percy grabbed her by the arms, helping her up over the lip of the roof.

"Don't worry about it." He said, releasing her and sitting. "It was hard the first time for me too."

"Well, it shouldn't have been," Thalia scowled, sitting so that her legs could dangle. "It's just a pull-up."

Percy chuckled. "I'm not going to pretend like it's not a little frustrating trying to get back into shape." He said, scooting right next to her. "After my first summer, I decided to go back and live normally. When I came back, originally, I felt fine, but I quickly learned how important it was to stay in shape throughout the year."

"Whatever," Thalia grumbled. "I'm still not happy about it."

Her legs felt cold again, now that she wasn't moving. She shivered. As warm as she was on top, she was still only wearing pajama shorts, now covered by the fringes of Percy's large hoodie. Percy noticed instantly.

"Don't worry," he said. "We can head back down whenever you want. I just figured you wanted a bit of fresh air."

Thalia nodded. "Thank you." She said, "I'm sorry about all that. I know you're tired."

Percy waved her off. "It's no big deal. Like I said. I was having a hard time sleeping, too."

She turned her gaze upwards to the sky, slowly naming all of her favorite constellations, the twinkling stars reminding her of who she was. Her heart twisted. She wasn't really sure anymore.

"Which one is your favorite?" Percy asked, now lying back on the roof, his arms crossed behind his head.

"Capricorn," Thalia said without hesitation. "I'm not really into astrology stuff, but it's still my sign." The corners of her lips tugged upwards. "Plus, goats are kinda cool. Look at Grover."

Percy laughed. "That's a good choice." He patted the space next to him. "I get it if you don't want to, but laying down makes it easier to look up."

Thalia rubbed the back of her neck, which was protesting the awkward angle. She slowly rolled back until she was laying next to him. She glanced over to find him already watching her, and looked away, trying in vain to keep her cheeks from flushing. The pine trees that lined the edge of the roof were no longer visible, and she directed her gaze to her unfettered view of the night sky. The tiled roof was still cold, and without thinking, she threw her legs over Percy's.

"Cold?" Percy asked with a smirk.

Thalia blushed, realizing what she had done. She curled into her hoodie, desperate to avoid questions. "Only a little," she muttered. "It's not my fault the roof wants to freeze my ass off."

Percy laughed, placing his hands on her thigh and rubbing warmth into her skin. "I don't think that would be fun for anyone involved," he mused.

Desperate to avoid further embarrassment, Thalia scanned the night sky once more, naming constellations and rattling off the attached stories. She paused as she came across one she didn't recognize in the area previously obscured by trees. It looked like Orion, a Hunter holding a bow. A tiara adorned the figure's head, the same way Zoe used to wear hers.

"That's my favorite," Percy said, reading Thalia's mind. "I think you can guess who it is."

"It's Zoe, in the stars. Just like Artemis said." Thalia surmised, her chest feeling a little tighter at the declaration.

Percy nodded before swallowing uncomfortably. "Yeah," he said. "It's her forever home." His voice caught on the last syllable. "I just hope she's happy."

"I'm sorry," Thalia murmured, memories of their rivalry resurfacing. "Have you read what she wrote for you?"

Percy shook his head. "I wanted to do that in the morning. Things are just…a little fresh right now."

Thalia gave him what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze on his arm. Percy returned it, and she melted into his side, telling herself it was just because he was warm.

"Isn't everything?" Thalia said, thinking about all the things they needed to talk about. She opened her mouth briefly, wanting to get the long train of confession out of the way, but a yawn interrupted her. She looked up towards the sky again.

"It's beautiful tonight." She whispered, grief constricting her throat.

"It definitely is." Percy said, his gaze flitting towards Thalia. "The most beautiful I've seen in a long time."

Thalia yawned again, snuggling deeper into Percy. She didn't even notice his gaze, a light in his eyes that she had never seen before. He gently kissed her forehead as she retreated deeper into his side, her fatigue finally overcoming her.

"My head may be full of kelp." Percy whispered teasingly, "But yours is full of pine needles."

"You take that back." The retort came out muffled. The warmth of Percy's hoodie was helping her eyelids get heavy. "Kelp head. You're silly."

Percy laughed, pulling her head to his chest. "I think you're just sleepy."

"Nuh-uh." She said, her words slurring a bit. "Definitely not."

She couldn't even open her eyes, instead curling further into him, incredibly warm despite the cool air. For the first time in a very long time, she fell asleep without worrying if she had checked for monsters. The next morning, the only thing she could remember was slowly stirring as he tucked her into bed, the gentle smell of sea salt her last memory before she finally fell deep into a dreamless sleep.

AN: Hope ya'll enjoyed! Our girl is going THROUGH it. Fortunately, a certain green-eyed demigod is there every step of the way, and vice versa. I wanted to give ya'll a bonus chapter for Christmas, so expect the usual on Saturday. Have a great Holiday season. Also, I'm currently debating cross-posting my other fic onto this platform if you guys are interested, so let me know on that front. Feedback, reviews, and likes are always appreciated. See ya'll on Saturday! Now, time for Review Responses.

Kaidofett: Part of that is a surprise, but rest assured, there WILL be themes from HOO.

panwild13: Thank you! I got frustrated at how little Perlia there was, so I went "fine, I'll do it myself, mode."

Ginocide02: You're in luck. The next chapter (coming Saturday like normal) will go into that. He will always cherish our little lightning girl. He's down BAD.

anaklusosdude02: I'm glad you like the characterization of the gods. I plan out individually how I want them (Aphrodite chaotic neutral for the drama is PEAK)

A Plump Hutt: I pm'ed you the reason, but largely for graphic depictions of violence and extreme depictions of mental illness and torture that I felt were inappropriate for minors (although they are still welcome to read, but I figure everyone should know.)