Umm... hi, guys! Long time no see, huh? Sorry about that.

Anyways, thank you guys as always for the lovely comments and love, it really makes my day! I really hope you enjoy the chapter!

Annabeth whirled round to face the vengeful being, her muscles tensing and her hand grasping to reach the dagger in her back pocket. But before she could clamp the smooth and worn hilt and brandish it before her, stormy grey eyes connected with striking gold.

No, no, no! It couldn't be possible. It shouldn't be possible.

And yet, right before her stood Kronos, the Titan of Time in Luke Castellan's body.

He looked almost identical to the last time she saw him alive, the same clothes, the same smirk that half graced his lips, the same aura of power around his body. Nevertheless, the evidence of a battle long since passed were gone; his clothes were no longer ripped, the strange crazed look of a kill upon his eyes was gone and there was no evidence of blood anywhere.

But the last time she saw him, Luke's body was beyond repair; the big, gaping hole in the side of his stomach should have been proof of it.

"Long time no see, huh, Annabeth?" His voice was so unlike Luke's; inhospitable and wicked with a touch of detestation mixed in with his seemingly casual words. And yet, at the same time, he was so like the Luke she had witnessed the last year he was still himself, the last year they were still a proper family. The same hatred that was now directed at her had been struck towards the Gods and their negligence. The same strong build and determination that appeared to be fused into his muscles were present. The same weary look rested upon his shoulders that were the only evidence that he had been through hell. No, Annabeth chastised, it's not Luke. The being before hadn't truly been Luke in a long, long time.

"Kronos," her voice matched his completely, fighting his disdain with malice and hatred of her own. "How in Hades are you here?"

A broken, crooked smile that was as dead as the body he was possessing grew. "You didn't think I'd stay gone forever, did you Annabeth?" He took slow, leisurely steps towards her like a confident predator stocking its prey. "Let's just say that I had a little… assistance."

Annabeth frowned at this, shock and confusion swirling together at what he was saying. In reality, her mind was whirling with such intensity, such ferocity, that nothing was really making sense. The only impressionable thing that was surfacing her mind was the overwrought thought of constantly circling words Protect them. Protect them. Protect them.

"Well, you shouldn't have wasted your time." Her voice was surprisingly steady.

Protect them protect them protect them.

"And why's that?"

Protectthemprotectthemprotectthem.

"Because I'm going to kill you and send you back right where you belong."

A surprised chuckle escaped Kronos' mouth and for the first in their encounter, it appeared as though he wasn't in complete control. At this thought, a smug smile graced Annabeth's lips as she unsheathed her dagger and stepped forwards.

"Oh Annabeth," Kronos clicked his tongue in mock disapproval. "I was merely here to deliver a message but seeing as you have gained some… arrogance, I think I should remind you of where your boyfriend currently resides."

Stone cold waves crashed down throughout her body at that sentence and Annabeth could feel herself swaying. "What do you mean where he is?"

Kronos went to unsheathe his own dagger, gently scraping it along his forearm in a somehow threatening manner. "Let's just say... he's not at peace as you once hoped for. What did you say again? Something about you hoping he would carry happiness for both of you?"

If it was at all possible, Annabeth's heart appeared to stutter more as the room seemed to spin around her in a violent mirage of colour. How how how could he have known what she has said to him in that abandoned field all those months ago when everything was burning around them. How how how could that have at all been possible, unless-

"Oh Annabeth, I really thought you were more observant than that. It appears that I was... wrong" he trailed off with that stupid crooked grin of his. "Despite how much fun this has been, I think I best be off. You know how it is, people to greet and people to kill."

Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed together in alarm at the abrupt turn this conversation was going, quickly stepping forward to stop him. "You're not going anywhere. Frankly, it was stupid of you to come in the first place. We defeated you once," she tried to speak while exuding confidence, taking another carefully analysed step forward. "We can definitely defeat you again."

Kronos' eyes danced with unresolved mirth and pleasure at her words, his smile fissuring further. "Oh, but Annabeth, it took your whole camp to defeat me. Look at you now. You're all alone. And-" Suddenly, he was right in front of her, the glint of his dagger racing towards her torso at a deadly speed. "-weak. You-" a sharp burst of pain burst from her cheek and eye. "can't do anything to stop me."

Annabeth stumbled from the unexpected obtrusion to her face but quickly righted herself to face her opponent. But, when she cracked her eyes back open, he was gone.

"Wh-What?" She stuttered while frantically turning in circles to find him. But it appeared that it wasn't a trick; he had truly vanished.

Slowly, ever so slowly that it was almost like it wasn't happening at all, The Avengers started to move and the sounds of life started to trickle back.

Annabeth, however, appeared to be paralysed in place, her eyes the only thing moving as they feverishly scanned the area.

"Annabeth?" her eyes snapped towards the table to see Bucky and Steve looking at her with squinted eyes as though she were a puzzle they were trying to figure out. She supposed she did appear quite like an enigma, standing there with her bag haphazardly thrown over her shoulder and a stream of blood oozing from her slash to the face. "Are you alright? Why are you bleeding?"

Annabeth scuffled her feet slightly, shifting her bag to relieve some weight. "Yeah, um-" she cleared her throat slightly before continuing "Yeah, there was just a little mishap in chemistry. A beaker exploded."

Clint's face popped from behind the fridge door as he frowned. "You do chemistry?"