I am so sorry guys for not uploading in the longest time, but now I'm back on track. I'm hoping I can get at least five chapters up by next Friday.

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson and the Olympians.

Percy's POV

We were pretty miserable that night.

We camped out in the woods, a hundred yards from the main road, in a marshy clearing that local kids had obviously been using for parties. The ground was littered with flattened soda cans and fast-food wrappers.

We'd taken some food and blankets from Aunty Em's, but we didn't dare light a fire to dry our damp clothes. The Furies and Medusa had provided enough excitement for one day. We didn't want to attract anything else.

We decided to sleep in shifts. I volunteered to take first watch.

Annabeth curled up on the blankets and was snoring as soon as her head hit the ground. Grover fluttered with his flying shoes to the lowest bough of a tree, put his back to the trunk, and stared at the night sky.

Then I saw a faint light in the woods. I squinted at the trees and saw what I think is a flashlight moving.

I called to Grover, "Hey do you see that light over there?" I pointed at the light.

Grover came down to look at what I was pointing at and froze almost immediately. His face was struck with horror.

I shook Grover's arm. "Dude, what is it? Why do you look like you're going to piss your pants?"

"Di immortales. She's not an Olympian goddess, but definitely a goddess. We should go." He walked off to wake up Annabeth.

I checked to make sure Grover wasn't looking and jogged towards her. I saw her flashlight shine towards me and then fly off in the other direction.

I broke into a run to keep up. Gods, she was fast! Eventually, I started to gain on her. Soon, I was close enough to grab her, but right when I was going to, someone tackled me to the ground.

I quickly stood up and prepared for a fight. Riptide gave me some light to see who it was. Realization struck me, and I shook my head. No way, it couldn't be him. It's impossible. Then again, I saw some crazy shit in my life.

"Percy!" I turned my head towards Annabeth's voice.

When I wasn't looking, the boy stood up. I looked back at him. He kicked me between the legs and ran off. I groaned and crashed to the ground. What is up with gods kicking me where it hurts most?

Annabeth heard my groan and ran to me. "What happened?" she asked.

"I got k-kicked." My voice cracked.

She kneeled down and rubbed my back, "Who did it?"

"Who else? Our favorite god."

"Apollo?" Annabeth coughed to try to cover it up, "I mean Grover said it was a goddess."

"There were two of them. I was chasing the goddess when I got tackled by . . ." I paused, and wondered if I should tell her who I saw.

"Well, who was it? Who tackled you?"

"It was another god. I don't k-know which one." I stuttered, and tried to play it off by groaning.

It came out as a moan, it lingered too long, and I gave her nervous glances the whole time. Damn, I am a terrible liar.

Annabeth grabbed my hand and helped me up, "Come on, let's go back to Grover."

I frowned. How did she not catch that lie? She is the daughter of Athena. I tried not to think too hard, and instead focused on Annabeth's hair.

When we got back, Grover grabbed me in a hug. Then he steps back and asks, "Why are you walking funnier than before?"

Annabeth cracks up, and says between her laughs, "He got kicked between the legs by a god."

"A god?" Grover turned to me.

"Wait, I walked funny before?" I say totally ignoring his question.

"Yeah, before you walked as if it was your first time using your legs. Now, you are walking as if your knees are bent the wrong way."

Annabeth fell to the floor laughing. I scowled at her, and turned to Grover, "There were two of them, a god and a goddess."

Grover frowned, "How did I miss that?"

I shrugged, "Whatever, let's get some rest."

Grover took the next shift to keep watch while Annabeth and I rested.

In my dreams, I stood in a dark cavern before a gaping pit. Gray mist creatures churned all around me, whispering rags of smoke that I somehow knew were the spirits of the dead.

They tugged at my clothes, trying to pull me back, but I felt compelled to walk forward to the very edge of the chasm. Looking down made me dizzy.

The pit yawned so wide and was so completely black; I knew it must be bottomless. Yet I had a feeling that something was trying to rise from the abyss, something huge and evil.

The little hero, an amused voice echoed far down in the darkness. Too weak, too young, but perhaps you will do.

The voice felt ancient—cold and heavy. It wrapped around me like sheets of lead.

They have misled you, boy, it said. Barter with me. I will give you what you want.

A shimmering image hovered over the void: my mother, frozen at the moment she'd dissolved in a shower of gold. Her face was distorted with pain, as if the Minotaur were still squeezing her neck. Her eyes looked directly at me, pleading: Go!

I tried to cry out, but my voice wouldn't work.

Cold laughter echoed from the chasm.

An invisible force pulled me forward. It would drag me into the pit unless I stood firm.

Help me rise, boy. The voice became hungrier. Bring me the bolt. Strike a blow against the treacherous gods!

The spirits of the dead whispered around me, No! Wake!

The image of my mother began to fade. The thing in the pit tightened its unseen grip around me.

I realized it wasn't interested in pulling me in. It was using me to pull itself out.

Good, it murmured. Good.

Wake! The dead whispered. Wake!

Someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes. Who I'm sure was the goddess from last night covers my mouth with her hand. I start to thrash, but her soothing words calm me down.

She whispers, "I am going to take my hand off now. Okay?" I nod, and she removes her hand.

I try to sit up, but she pushes me back down and says, "Stay still!"

"What are you doing here?" I whisper.

She lifts up the bottom of my shirt and frowns, "You're hurt. You fell on a pretty sharp rock."

I look down and notice a pool of blood on my belly. Now, it is only a numb ache. How did I not notice it?

She seems to read my mind, "You were so focused on the kick that you didn't think of the wound on your midsection." She does a small laugh, "So, it is true that the most important body part of a boy is their . . ." She notices my wide eyes and says, "Never mind."

"Why did he kick me?" I ask.

"Um, I didn't give him the full details, so he went to defend me by tackling you. Sorry about that." She smiles.

Shakily, she puts her fingers in my wound. I wince from the sudden touch. "Ow!"

"I'm sorry, but I have to get the piece of rock that is still in there. I can't heal you if I don't get it out."

"You can heal people?" I ask.

She nods, and then gets an idea. "Hey, want to hear some funny stories about your dad?"

"My dad?" I say surprised.

"Yeah, he was a master prankster in the old days. He could almost go head to head with Hermes! Believe it or not!"

"My dad?"I ask again.

She nods and tells me a bunch of stories about my dad. She told me how he painted all of Ares' weapons hot pink, and how he stole Zeus's belt so that his pants fell down in the middle of a meeting. He also showed everyone a video of Athena saying something stupid.

After a few more stories, she says triumphantly, "Finally!"

"What?" I asked confused.

"I got the rock out." She grins.

"You did?" I look at her hands and sure enough, she is holding a rock that is dripping blood.

She follows my gaze and looks at her bloody hands. "Ew! I think I might puke! How do people do this for a living?"

I lie back down and feel a bit light-headed. I touch my forehead and say, "My head hurts."

"Hold on, I am almost done." She says.

I sit up again, "What do you mean? Almost done with what?"

She rolls her eyes and says, "Healing you, dummy!" She pushes me down again.

She grips my arm gently, but firmly. I stare at her face as she heals me. Her eyebrows furrow after a few seconds. I feel like poking her because she is so focused on my arm. Even if I did poke her, I don't think she would notice.

"Stop staring at me. I'm not good at this." She mutters.

"What do you mean you're not good at this? You can't heal someone when you don't know how!"

"Stop!" She chokes as if she might cry, and I instantly feel bad. "Don't yell at me. I am yelled at enough."

"I'm sorry." I look around and notice that Grover and Annabeth are missing.

After a few minutes, she lifts her hands from my arm. I look at what used to be a wound, but is now a faint scar.

I look up at her to say thank you, and notice that she looks awful. She is holding her forehead and is having trouble standing. She is sweating like crazy and looks like she might faint.

I sit up and grab her arms to steady her, "Whoa, maybe you shouldn't stand just yet."

She shakes her head, "No, I…have to…" She passes out in my arms. I set her down on some blankets, and wait patiently—or as patient you can get when you are a demi-god—for Grover and Annabeth.

After a while, Annabeth comes and tosses me some snacks. She nods towards the goddess passed out on the blankets, "Who's the chick?"

"Guess."

Annabeth looks at her face and gasps, "No way, how long was she following us?"

I shrug, "Probably ever since the quest started."

"Why does she look like she is going to die?"

I scratch the back of my neck awkwardly, "She sort of passed out by healing me."

"Healing you?" She says confused. I stare at her until she notices the stain on my shirt, "Oh! What happened?"

"I fell on a rock when I got tackled last night." I explain.

Grover comes strolling in with a pink poodle. He tells us to say hi to Gladiola, so we say hi to Gladiola. He explains to us about the reward for Gladiola if he is returned. Then the goddess starts to stir on the blanket.

"Oh she's waking up." Annabeth so resourcefully tells us.

I go to her side. She opens her eyes and looks at me, "W-what happened?"

"I've been asked that question a lot lately." I smile, "You passed out when you healed me. Thank you by the way."

"How long was I out?" She asks worried.

"Not long, it was near twenty minutes."

"No, I'm late. I'm going to be in big trouble now." She tries to stand a bit too quickly and crashes on me again.

I hold her in a hug and say, "You need to rest."

"No, I need to —" She pukes all over my back.

"Ew!" Grover and Annabeth say at the same time.

I gag over her shoulder and hesitantly rub her back in soothing motions. After a few minutes, I hear her faint snoring. I set her back on the blankets, and take off my shirt.

"I feel bad for her." Annabeth says. She spent all her energy on healing me, just to pass out, puke, and pass out again. Apparently, she is going to get in big trouble for being late.

"I feel bad for Percy." Grover says. I was tackled to the ground and got a rock shoved in my midsection, I was kicked between the legs, and I was puked on.