A/N-Hey guys! I'm Percyjacksonfan16 and welcome to the Child of Time: Chosen. This is the fourth fic in a series so if you want to actually understand what's going on, I highly suggest you read the last three fics. For you story vets out there, I tried to fill you in on the major points of the last fic in this chapter so you're somewhat caught up. Warning: Sally and Annabeth are EXTREMELY OOC right now. In due time, they will revert back to their original character. Disclaimer for this story is on my profile and that's all! Happy Reading!

I wasn't sure what woke me. The howling wind form the first hardcore blizzard of the year had calmed last night and my cabin was quiet. Peaceful. I rolled onto my side and blinked.

Eyes the color of a dark sky stared into mine. Eyes somewhat familiar but lackluster compared to the ones I loved.

Sally.

Clenching the blanket to my chest, I sat up slowly and pushed the tangled hair out of my face. Maybe I was still asleep, because I really had no idea why Sally, the mother of the boy I was madly, deeply, and quite possibly insanely in love with was perched on the edge of my bed.

"Um, is...is everything okay?" I cleared my throat, but the words came out raspy, like I was trying to sound sexy and, in my opinion, failing miserably.

Sally lowered her gaze. Thick, sooty lashes fanned the tips of high, angular cheeks that were paler than they should be. If I'd learned anything. Sally was damaged goods.

I glanced at the clock. It was close to six in the morning. "How did you get in here?"

"I let myself in." She responded. Her responses were always like that-brief, disembodied sentences. "You should lock your door."

With anyone else, that would've creeped the hell out of me, but I wasn't afraid of Sally. "I've never really thought to. You know, there's a magical border that keeps monsters out so I figured I was safe. Have you slept?"

She nodded. "I couldn't sleep. I haven't slept."

"At all?"

"No. Percy is affected by it." She just stared at me, as if willing me to understand what she couldn't put into words.

Percy-hell, everyone at camp--was coiled tight, waiting for his evil titan father, Kronos or at least Kronos' minon and my ex-friend, Luke to show up as the days ticked by since Sally escaped his evil clutches. She didn't 'escape' per say. She told us that Luke visited her in Tartarus and said that Kronos was letting her go. No strings attached. They blindfolded her, took her to Montauk beach, and she made her way to Camp Half-Blood.

That was it. But it shouldn't have been that easy-Kronos had to have a reason behind that. I wasn't the only trying figure Kronos' latest play either, his son was desperately trying to come up with a theory.

At the same time, Percy was trying to be there for his mom but he was wary. And though evil storm troopers and monsters hadn't busted into the camp yet, none of us were relaxed.

Everything was too easy, which usually didn't bode well.

Sometimes...sometimes I felt like a trap had been set, and we'd galloped right into it.

"What have you been doing?" I asked.

"Walking," she said, glancing out the window. "I never thought I'd be back here. Not here, as in camp. I mean, the outside world."

The stuff that Sally had been through was too horrific to even think about. She barely spoke about her sixteen years in Tartarus but she didn't need to. A deep ache filled my chest. For her and her son.

But Sally... she needed someone. "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shook his head again, strands of brown hair partially obscuring her eyes. Sally and Percy had similar-even identical features, but right now, they looked nothing alike, and it was more than the hair.

"You remind me of him-Paul."

I had no idea what to say to that. During her time in Tartarus, she encountered another mortal-Paul Blofish. Well, I should rephrase that-Sally wasn't in Tartarus the entire time. Occasionally, she was taken elsewhere-somewhere similar to a maze, she said. Paul was in that maze, at Kronos' will. He was a doctor and Kronos needed him to heal Luke who had been badly injured whilst undergoing a series of tests in order to host the titan lord's body. Paul wasn't clear sighted like Sally so he didn't see monsters in their true nature. After Luke was healed, Kronos left Paul in that maze to rot. Sally was taken back to Tartarus several times but when she was brought to the maze, she found Paul and somehow, they found hope within each other. That was about two years ago. For two years, they clung to each other and to that same hope.

Hope that they would both escape that living hell. But that didn't happen-Sally was freed and she had no idea whether Paul was still alive.

A shiver ran down my spine. If she loved him half as much as I loved Percy... "I'm sure he's alive, he has to be."

Sally's gaze met mine. A wealth of sadness and secrets were held in its depths. "I know, he's strong." She paused, lowering her head. "You...love my son?"

My chest hurt at the desolation in her voice, as if she never expected to love again if Paul was truly dead, couldn't really even believe in it anymore. "Yes."

"I'm sorry."

I jerked back, losing my grip on the blanket as it fell lower. "Why would you apologize?"

Sally lifted her head, letting out a weary sigh. Her eyes seemed to be lost in that past. "Paul used to have these marks-like wire cuts-when I saw him," Sally said quietly, her voice barely a whisper. "The monsters in that maze always seemed find him."

Nausea rose, and I swallowed.

"He couldn't see them, not without me at least, so every time I wasn't there..." Sally trembled. "Things were better when I was with him. The monsters were ordered not to hurt me so he was safe. For a some time, at least."

I gasped, my heart racing. Although her hands were shaking, her voice was steady. Sally was morose and distant. Besides talking to her son, from what I knew, she hadn't said a word to anyone else about Tartarus. Chiron, my mentor and camp director, thought it was best no one pushed for more.

Sally glanced down at her hands. "Percy... He loves you, too?"

I blinked, brought back to the present. "Yes. I think so."

"He told you?"

Not in so many words. "He hasn't said it, said it. But I think he does."

"He should tell you. Every day." Sally tipped back her head and her closed eyes. "I haven't seen the snow in so long," she said, almost wistfully.

"I haven't seen it snow like this ever," I said, looking out the window. I had been a tree for six years so I hadn't seen too many seasons, and I'd gotten a couple of freak ice storms before but never the white, fluffy stuff.

A small, sad smile appeared on her lips. "When the sun comes up, it'll be beautiful. You'll see."

No doubt. Everything would be encased in white.

Sally stood up and quietly made her way to the door. A second later I felt warmth tingle along my neck and my heart rate pick up. She looked away. "My son is coming."

No more than ten seconds later, Percy was standing in the doorway of my cabin. Hair messy from sleep, flannel pajama bottoms rumpled. No shirt. Three feet of snow outside, and he was still half naked.

I almost rolled my eyes, but that would've required I take my eyes off his chest...and his stomach. he really needed to wear shirts more often.

Percy's gaze slipped from his mother to me and then back to his mother. "Are we having a slumber party? And I'm not invited?"

His mother drifted past him silently and disappeared into the night.

"Okay." Percy sighed. "That's been my life for the last couple of days."

My heart ached for him. "I'm sorry."

He sauntered over to the bed, his head cocked to the side. "Do I even want to know why my mother was in your cabin?"

"She couldn't sleep." I watched him bend down and tug the covers. Without realizing it, I'd grabbed them again. Percy pulled once more, and I easily let them go. "She said it was bothering you."

Percy slipped under the covers. easing onto his side and facing me. "I've been sleeping in the Big house with her. She gets...nightmares. Sometimes, I don't notice when she's gone."

The bed was way too small with him in it. Five months ago I would've run laughing into the hills if someone said the hottest, moodiest boy in history would be in my bed. But a lot had changed.

"I know," I said, settling on my side so that we were face-to-face. My gaze flickered over his broad cheekbones, full lip, and those extraordinarily bright gold eyes. Percy was beautiful but prickly, like a Christmas cactus. It had taken a lot for us to get to this point, being in the same room with each other and not overcome by the urge to commit first-degree murder. Percy had to prove his feelings for me were real and he did finally. He hadn't been the nicest person when we first met, and he had to really make up for that. Momma didn't raise a pushover. "She said I remind her of Paul."

"She seems to talk you about a lot of things." He looked down at his hands as if they were going to give him answer. "She doesn't talk to me as much."

"Percy, it's not like that..." I started but he chuckled and waved a hand in the air, a smug grin was plastered on his face.

"Honestly, as much as I love my mom, I'm not sure how I feel about her hanging out in your cabin. I want you all to myself." He reached out with a muscular arm and used his fingers to brush a few strands of hair off my cheek, tucking them behind my ear. I shivered, and he smiled. "I feel like I need to mark my territory."

"Shut up."

"Oh, I love it when you get all bossy-pants. It's sexy."

"You're incorrigible." I closed my eyes.

A moment of silence passed before I opened my eyes, finding Percy hadn't taken his off me. "About Sally…"

"I don't know what to do." he admitted, trailing the back of his knuckles down my throat, over the swell of my chest. My breath caught. "She barely talks to me. Most of the time, she stays in the Big House or out wandering in the woods. I follow her, and she knows." Percy's hand found its way to my hip and stayed.

"She needs time, right?" I kissed the tip of his nose and pulled back. "She's been through a lot, Percy."

His fingers tightened. "I know. Anyway…" Percy shifted so fast I didn't realize what he was doing until he'd rolled me onto my back and hovered above me, hands braced on either side of my face. "I've been remiss in my duties.

And just like that, everything that was going on, all our worries, fears, and unanswered questions, simply faded into nothing. Percy had that kind of effect. I stared up at him, finding it hard to breathe. I wasn't 100 percent on what his "duties" were, but I had a very vivid imagination.

"I haven't spent a lot of time with you." He pressed his lips against my right temple and then my left. "But that doesn't mean I haven't been thinking about you."

My heart leaped into my throat. "I know you've been occupied."

"Do you?" His lips drifted over the arch of my brow. When I nodded, he shifted, supporting most of his weight on one elbow. He caught my chin with his free hand, tipping my head back. His eyes searched mine. "How are you doing?"

Using every ounce of self-control I had, I focused on what he was saying. "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me."

Percy nodded and brought his lips to mine. This kiss was sweet and soft, and I felt it in every part of me. "I can't help it." His mouth was on mine again, taking it deeper and longer.

"Well, help it." I placed my hands on his smooth cheeks. "I'm okay. And we have enough things to worry about than me. In the big scheme of things, I'm nowhere near the top of the list."

He arched a brow and wow, I did sound kind of uber-mature. I giggled at his expression, ruining my newly discovered maturity. "I have missed you," I admitted.

"I know. You can't live without me."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Just admit it."

"There you go. That ego of yours getting in the way," I teased.

His lips found the underside of my jaw. "Of what?"

"The perfect package."

He snorted. "Let me tell you, I have the perfect-"

"Don't be gross." I shivered, though, because when he kissed the hollow of my throat, there was nothing flawed about that.

I would never tell him this, but beside the…pricklier side of him that reared its ugly head from time to time, he was the closest thing to perfect I'd ever met.

With a knowing chuckle that had me squirming, he slid his hand down my arm, over my waist, and caught my thigh, hooking my leg around his hip. "You have such a dirty mind. I was going to say I'm perfect in all the ways that count."

Laughing, I wrapped my arms around his neck. "Sure you are. Completely innocent, you are."

"Oh, I've never claimed to be that nice." The lower part of his body sank into mine, and I sucked in a sharp breath. "I'm more-"

"Naughty?" I pressed my face into his neck and inhaled deeply. He always had this outdoorsy scent, like fresh leaves and spice. "Yeah, I know but you're nice under the naughty. That's why I love you."

A shudder retired through him, and then Percy froze. A stuttered heartbeat passed and he rolled onto his side, wrapping his arms around me tightly. SO tightly I had to wiggle a little to life my head.

"Percy?"

"It's okay." His voice thick, he kissed my forehead. "I'm okay. It's… early still. Just for a little while we can pretend that crazy doesn't wait for us. We can sleep in, like normal teenagers."

Like normal teenagers. "I like the sound of that."

"Me, too."

"Me, three." I murmured, snuggling against him until we were practically one. I could feel his heart beating in tandem with mine. Perfect. This was what we needed-quiet moments of being normal. Where it was just Percy and me.

"We still haven't talked about it, you know." He couldn't meet my eyes but I knew what he meant.

Last week, Percy had basically hijacked my inheritance. Well, technically it was a prophecy that was meant for the oldest child of the three most powerful gods. So far, they were only three kids from those gods that we knew of. I was the oldest, a daughter of Zeus, the king of all gods and lord of the skies. The second oldest was Percy, a son of Poseidon, the lord of the sea. Well, he was partially his son. The youngest was Nico, a son of Hades, lord of the dead and Underworld. This so-called 'Great Prophecy' was supposed to foretell my destiny and whether I would save or destroy Olympus.

A lot of information, I know.

Anyway, as I mentioned before, Percy was only partially related to Poseidon. His other dad was Kronos, the evil titan of time. Although it seemed impossible to have three different sets of DNA-it happened. While Sally and Poseidon were...procreating, Kronos temporarily possessed the sea god and Percy was a product of a strange threesome.

Like I said before, Kronos always has a reason for doing anything. He chose Sally and Poseidon specifically because Poseidon was one of the strongest gods, a trait he would certainly pass onto his offspring. You see, Percy and I were half-bloods-half god and half mortal. Percy was also half-titan but his godly side is what Kronos is depending on for a proper host. Eons ago, my father and his siblings chopped Kronos in pieces but now he is back and needs a host. A host that won't burn away when the titan takes over.

Something durable, like a god. Therefore, a child who is half-god and half-titan should be durable enough to sustain an evil titan.

Long info dump over, back to the situation at hand. I was attempting to convey that Percy was also the son of Kronos so he had powers over time. He could freeze people or objects in time just by holding up his hands. He always knew the time, right down to the milisecond. This power was especially handy in the Lotus Casino, a hotel he had taken me to on my sixteenth birthday. Sixteen also happened to be the age that the child of the prophecy would be when they decided the fate of Olympus. Knowing this, Percy had taken me to that hotel, where time literally stopped. Being the son of Kronos, he was immune to its effect and unlike me, was able to walk out and turn sixteen. I stayed inside and was still fifteen for a few hours.

The next day, he picked me up and I honestly believed I was still older but that all that changed at the counselor meeting. You see, the gods noticed that doomsday hadn't occurred on my birthday so they decided I need to read the prophecy for some sort of clarification. I went to see the oracle and she turned me away, stating that the prophecy was no longer mine. Lo and behold, when Percy spoke with the oracle, the prophecy was his.

At the time, I was angry but there wasn't much time to talk since Sally just walked in, back from her sixteen year vacation in hell.

"Are you done with your long explanation?" Percy asked, flustered. "I mean, they could just go back and read the last book."

"I have no idea what you're talking about-I just wanted to refresh their memories." I chuckled then sighed. "Percy...there's nothing to talk about. You took my prophecy and now you'll have to square up with an evil titan lord. You can't protect me from everything and this wasn't your burden to bear."

"Yes, it was," Percy's jaw was set, his arms stiff around me. "I allied myself with the gods to defeat Kronos. I became an assassin to train and find any information about him. You see what he's done to my mother, it's personal now. Even if I hadn't taken you to the hotel, I would've still tried to kill him. I have to."

"And you might die," My hands shook as I glanced at him. His eyes were cold, calculating. "He's an ancient, evil titan lord. You are the only child he hasn't digested! I've seen you do amazing things but you can't go up against him. He's too powerful."

"But you could?"

"Yes, but I would die too." My voice was hollow. "That's how I know what's going to happen to you. Usually, you tend to have a sense of self preservation but when it comes to Kronos, you'll do anything to kill him...even if it means dying."

He said nothing. Did nothing reassure me or at least give me some false hope.

I smiled sadly, pulling away from him. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"Thalia, I-"

"Don't. Seriously." I cut him off, sighing. "I'm over it, Percy. Have fun with the doomsday prophecy. I just wished you'd told me before you did it."

He raised a brow, skeptical. "I did tell you-I told you I'd fix it. Remember? On Olympus?"

"Wow." I breathed. "How was I supposed to know that was code for 'hey I'm going to take you to a hotel that stops time so that I can steal your prophecy. K? Thanks'"

"Well, context clues never hurt." He chuckled then reached for my hand. "I'm sorry, Thalia. I really am but I'd do it again if I had to."

"I know. You're forgiven." I threw him look. "But try that again and I'll-"

"Shank me?" He finished, grinning. "Because I'd like that."

"I'm this close to sending massive volts of electricity throughout your body."

"Sweetheart, I love it when you talk kinky."

"Shut up, Jackson." I buried my head in the crook of his neck, slipping my hand over his chest. "Goodnight, Percy."

"Goodnight, Thalia."

The next morning, Percy and I woke up to chaos.

Outside my window, campers scampered around, yelling incoherent phrases at one another. Percy was now up and alert, opening the door.

Beckendorf, a son of Hephaestus, ran up to my cabin, breathless.

"Hey, I need to check your cabin." He wheezed, out of breath.

"Why? What's going?" I asked while Percy let him in.

Beckendorf didn't respond, he swept his gaze across the cabin, checked the bathroom and closet before turning his attention to us. "There's an intruder in camp."

And with that, the demigod disappeared into the chaos.

"Monsters?" I looked at Percy, head tilted. "If so, who invited them in?"

"Maybe. I have no idea." He looked at the door then back at me. "I have to find my mom."

I blinked. "Of course, I'll help you look for her."

"Already taken care of." Another voice rang and I sucked in a sharp breath.

Annabeth.

The daughter of Athena glanced at Percy distastefully. "She was wandering in the woods-you really should keep a closer eye on her. She's in the Big House."

"Thank you." Percy's voice was a whisper.

The blonde turned toward me, gray eyes softening. "There's a meeting in five. Chiron's wants the both of you there."

"We'll be there," I said. "Be careful."

"You too." She pivoted, leaving us alone.

I took one step forward, trying to go after her but Percy laid a hand on my shoulder.

"She still needs time. We owe her that much."

I bit my lip, shaking my head. "It's not fair. She hates you. She really hates you for something you didn't do."

He didn't respond.

There was no proper response for what I'd done. I was the reason Annabeth needed time. Two weeks ago, I killed her boyfriend, Lee, attempting to aim for Luke. Someone who actually deserved to die. But things went so wrong and Percy took the fall for me, causing his best friend to loathe him. And I felt so, so incredibly guilty and I didn't know how to fix it.

I slipped past Percy and towards the Big House. A moment later, he was behind me, trying to weave through the mass of campers. When I entered the house, the demigod counselors were perched on the tennis table, few of them opting to sit in a chair.

Percy left my side and walked over to the other side of the room where his mom was talking to Clarisse, a daughter of Ares. I glanced at the front of the room where my mentor stood, a look of worry on his face.

"Campers," He called us to attention and the room became silent.

Annabeth crept up beside me and together we stood, listening.

"The rumors are true: there is an intruder in camp half-blood. As you all know, the magical border that surrounds this camp is enchanted to keep monsters out. This intruder is no monster as they were able to pass the border."

"Then how do we know it's an intruder?" Michael Yew asked. "Maybe it's half blood that got lost or something."

"I wish it were so, my dear." Chiron looked down, a solemn expression masked his true emotions. "The intruder is a half-blood, that much we do know. We know that their intent is malicious because they killed Peleus, the dragon that protects the fleece."

A gasp rang throughout the room.

"We need to find this half blood and do so without raising any more attention." The centaur gestured to the window, pointing out the chaos that had ensued.

"What if they're gone by now?" Silena's bright sapphire eyes slid across the room. "Maybe this person has gotten whatever they want and they've gone. That's a possibility, right?"

"An unlikely one." Percy voiced, stepping forward. "They've killed a dragon-that shows they're not below killing. They could be here to murder someone."

"And what would do next, Percy? If you were this intruder and everyone was after you?"

The son of Poseidon and Kronos cocked his head, contemplating Chiron's question before answering. "Do whatever I came to do. And by the looks of it, this person is willing to kill anyone in their way. In the interim, I'd hide. This person obviously knows their way around camp if we still haven't found him."

"Are you saying that this could be former camper?" Chiron's voice was thick, filled with emotion.

Percy leveled his eyes with his half brother's. "Yes, that's what I'm saying.

"Luke. I felt his presence lately-he's here but he's...he's different."

My head whipped toward the voice, eyes wide.

Well, everyone pretty much looked at Sally, since that was the first time she'd spoken more than two words.

"Different how?" Annabeth questioned.

"Like Kronos," Her voice cracked. "As if it he were Kronos."

"That's not possible, right?" Beckendorf looked towards Chiron. "Kronos doesn't have a body, right? So it can't be him."

"Luke may have already merged with the titan lord for all we now." My mentor said and the room became deadly silent.

"Well then we have to kill him before he kills us." Annabeth said, voice shaking as her eyes darkened, filled with fury. "There's more of us than him."

Oh, no. My stomach sank.

"Annabeth," Percy said, stepping forward. "I know-"

"Don't 'I know, Annabeth' me." Her lower lip trembled. Her gaze shook me to the core and it felt like a kick in the stomach. "You lost that privilege two weeks ago when you murdered my boyfriend."

Percy reacted as though she had hit him with her words, he stilled and said nothing.

"Lee wouldn't have wanted that," Silena said quietly, sitting back against her chair. "More deaths. He was a pacifist."

"Too bad we can't ask him how he really feels about it, isn't it?" Annabeth's spine stiffened, as though she was forcing herself to bite out her next words. "He's dead."

Apologies bubbled up in my throat, but before they could break free, Chiron spoke. "No one is killing anybody. Annabeth, Lee's death wasn't Percy's fault. It was an accident."

"Then whose is it?" Annabeth's gaze met mine. "You were there and you didn't stop him. So is it your fault?"

I sucked in a sharp breath. "Yeah, it is."

Percy's body went rigid, and then, always the referee, Chiron jumped in. "All right, that's enough. Fighting and casting blame isn't helping anyone."

"It makes me feel better," Annabeth muttered, closing her eyes.

I blinked back tears and sighed, frustrated that I was even close to crying because I didn't own the right to those tears.

"Right now, we need to get along." Chiron went on. "All of us, because we have lost too much already."

There was a pause and then, "I'm going after Paul."

Everyone in the room turned to Sally again. Not a single thing had changed in her expression. Not emotion. Nothing. And then everyone started talking at once.

Percy's voice boomed over the chaos. "Absolutely not, Mom-no way."

"It's too dangerous." Annabeth said, clasping her hands together. "You'll get captured."

Sally's expression remained blank, like nothing her own son or anyone had said made any difference to her. "I have to get him back. I'm sorry."

It looked like a dumbfounded stick had smacked Silena in the face. I probably looked the same. "She's insane," the daughter of Aphrodite whispered. "Freaking insane."

Sally shrugged.

Chiron leaned forward. "Sally, I know, we all know, that Paul means a lot to you, but there's no way you can get him. Not until we know what we're dealing with."

Emotion built up Sally's eyes, turning them forest green. Anger, I realized. The first emotion I'd seen from Sally was anger. "I know what I'm dealing with. And I know that he'll die in there if I don't save him."

Prowling forward, Percy stopped in front of his mother, legs apart, arms crossed again, ready for battle. Standing together like that, it was surreal seeing them. Sally had a small frame but she stood in the same stance.

"I cannot allow you to do that," Percy said, voice so low I barely heard him. "I know you don't want to hear that, but no way."

Sally didn't budge. "You don't have a say over it."

At least they were talking. That was a good thing, right?

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Annabeth moving toward them, but Micheal Yew reached out, catching her hand and stopping her. I noticed she had a strange attachment to Sally. You'd think that she'd wouldn't pay much mind to her-maybe even hate the mortal-after what her son had supposedly done but I think Annabeth felt compelled to help her. To help Sally find the man she loved before it was too late.

Maybe Annabeth was trying to save another possible victim. Another Lee.

"I'm not trying to control you, Mom. It's not about that, but you just got back from hell. I just got you back."

"I'm still in hell." Sally replied. "And if you get in my way, I will drag you down with me."

A look of pain shot across Percy's face. "Mom…"

I jumped to my feet, reacting to Percy's response without thinking. An unknown urge propelled me to do so. I guess that urge was love, because I didn't like the pain flickering across his face.

A wind blew through the room, stirring the curtains and flipping the pages of books and magazines. I felt the everyone's eyes on me and their surprise, but I was focused.

"All right, you two." I took a breath. "Knock it off, I'll kick both of your asses. No offense, Sally."

"None taken." The woman replied, a ghost of a smile on her lips.

Now everyone was staring at me. "What?" I demanded, cheeks flushing.

A slow, wry smile teased Percy's lips. "Simmer down, Sweetheart. I mean, I'm all for you being bad ass and all but there's a time and place."

Annoyance flared deep inside me. "Don't start with me, jerk-face."

He smirked as he focused on his mother.

Beside him, Sally looked sort of..amused. Or in pain-one of the two, because she really wasn't smiling or frowning. But then, without saying a word, she stalked out of the room, the front door slamming shut behind her.

Percy glanced at me, and I nodded. Sighing deeply, he followed his mother, because there really was no telling what Sally would do or where she would go.

The demigod Kumbaya fell apart after that. I followed them to the door, my attention fixed on a lot of things, and then I had to try to explain myself. Forgiveness wasn't expected, but I need to try to talk.

I clenched the door knob until my knuckles bleached. "Annabeth…?"

And with that, the front door tore free from my hands and swung shut.

A/N-As usual, this fic is in first person, Thalia's POV and it will remain so until the next fic and I'm thinking first person but switched between Percy and Thalia, kind of like in the HoO series. If you guys have any questions, please check out my FAQs on my profile to see if its been answered already and if not, leave a review on any of my fics or PM the question(s) and I will get back to you on that.

Updates are weekly, on Saturdays. Sometimes I may update twice a week and if I do so, then it will be Tuesday and Saturday. Thanks for reading and I'll see you guys next chapter.