Another chapter, one that I actually really like. I barely skimmed through it, because I'm lazy, but whatever. It's a massive Word document, 53 pages, and it's quite daunting. Most of my chapters will likely be unedited, if you haven't already noticed. I've also been writing another beginning to a fanfic because I ran into a wall with this story. I really don't know where it's going, but I likely won't upload it.

Also, we hit 90 reviews! This story has gotten far more favorites and follows, and I wanted to let you all know that I appreciate each and everyone of you.

Regardless of what Percy wanted, he needed to make it to Mount Othrys. Having already talked to Nereus, he knew there was no way he could stop and talk with his friends.

Apollo was right, Nereus was helpful. Percy had asked what the bane of Olympus was, and had learned that it was Bessie the sea serpent. Having spent too much time in the library, he realized it was the Ophiotarus, the innocent monster that could destroy the world.

Kneeling by the water, he called for Bessie. She quickly appeared and seemed happier now that she had seen Percy. "Hey girl!" He said happily, letting the creature rub against his hand.

He closed his eyes, and prayed to his father. Lord Poseidon, please keep Bessie… I mean the Ophiotarus, safe and out of Kronos' hands. I have nothing to offer, but think of your absence in my life forgiven. Percy prayed to his mother that his father would listen.

With a flurry of bubbles, Bessie disappeared. Percy smiled and muttered a thank you, standing up and cursing as he saw his quest mates behind him.

He quickly disappeared in a flash of flames, hoping that nobody had seen him.

Zoë noticed flames out of the corner of her eye and turned, sheathing her dagger. Her eyes widened in recognition as she saw the faintest outline of a human.

She felt a pang in her chest as it reminded her of her lost friend. She tried to believe that he wasn't dead, but it felt like she was only giving herself false hope. But part of her felt that he must be alive. What else could be the fire?

She felt Phoebe's hand on her shoulder and turned. "Are you alright?"

Zoë nodded, turning away from where she had seen the flames. "Yeah." She paused, regaining her bearings. "Have they gotten the car?"

Phoebe nodded just as the car pulled up. Thalia rolled down the driver's window. "Get in, we've got to get to Mount Othrys."

Once they were all settled in, Thalia drove off. "Why does Zoë look like she'd been slapped?" Thalia asked, glancing in the mirror at her crestfallen face.

Zoë disagreed, she most definitely did not look like she'd been slapped. If she had been slapped, she would be clutching her dagger and most definitely attacking the person who had slapped her.

Phoebe, having known Zoë for millennia, voiced her thoughts. She then launched into a conversation about how Zoë had seemed off in some way, and Zoë scoffed.

"I'm sitting right here." She commented.

The car sat in silence until Annabeth turned from the passenger's seat to look at Zoë. "Zoë, what's wrong?"

She looked out the window. "I think Percy is alive."

Thalia pulled the car over. "What do you mean, you think Percy is alive? We all saw him die!" Thalia all but yelled, her voice breaking.

Annabeth grabbed Thalia's hand. "Thals, Zoë doesn't mean to upset you." She reasoned, voice soft.

A tear slipped from Thalia's eye but she nodded. "I'm sorry." She muttered, brushing it away.

Zoë smiled sadly. "No, I shouldn't have told you. It's holding onto false hope."

"What did you see?" Phoebe asked, the only one who wasn't too affected by Zoë's words. She tolerated Percy, that was all.

Zoë took a deep breath. "The tour guide and the naiads hinted about it. And I saw something—flames—before you came up. Like fire travel."

Annabeth looked out of the window. "I don't want to have false hope, okay? But what did they say?"

"The tour guide said 'he's waiting,' and the naiad was far more helpful. She said 'all hope is not lost; the boy resides with the light.' I remember it because it was so weird."

"The light?" Annabeth said, a grin forming on her lips. Zoë nodded, and Annabeth's grin grew. "The light! It must be Apollo!"

Zoë looked at her for a minute. "It makes sense."

Annabeth turned to Phoebe, looking for an unbiased opinion, and Phoebe rolled her eyes. "It makes sense, Zoë's right. Why else would two people bother to tell Zoë this? The tour guide was probably Apollo." Phoebe paused. "But how would he survive?"

They all turned to Annabeth. "Apollo is a god." She stated simply. "He's also the god of medicine, he could've saved Percy."

"But why?" Thalia asked, her voice far softer than before. "I mean, Percy's practically my brother, but why would Apollo save him?"

Annabeth didn't have anything to say to that. Percy was a demigod, and gods didn't tend to care about demigods.

Zoë cursed, realizing why Apollo might save the demigod. If he truly was meant to be the prophecy child, he would know. Apollo would likely save him, just as the fates wanted in the end.

On top of this, Percy was Hestia's only child—albeit by adoption—and biologically Poseidon's son. Zoë knew that Zeus had never been a father to Artemis nor Apollo, and Poseidon had helped them assimilate to the godly lifestyle. Although Artemis no longer talked with Poseidon as much, she had no idea if the same went for Apollo.

Hestia was also regarded as one of the kindest goddesses on Olympus. There was not a single god or goddess who could speak ill will of her. It wouldn't become as a surprise to Zoë if Apollo would save her child.

"Zoë?" Annabeth asked, curiosity leaking into her voice.

"Apollo has a reason." She stated.

"And that reason is?" Annabeth goaded, anxious to know the answer.

Zoë shook her head. "Drive. We're heading to Mount Othrys." She stated. "I can't tell you, so just drive. If I'm right, he'll be there."

She had no idea if he'd be there, but it was their best bet. She wasn't about to tell them all that Poseidon was his father.

Nobody moved. "Look," Zoë said, taking on a softer turn. "I would tell you if I could, okay? Can we just go?"

Neither of them seemed sated with her answer, but Thalia sped away, hoping that he would be there.

Percy reappeared in the beauty of Mount Othrys, gazing upon the beauty of the Garden of the Hesperides. The tree glistened with golden apples, the one-hundred headed dragon wrapped around its trunk.

He bowed his head in respect to the dragon—the fierce creature had been protecting the tree for its entire life. It was a feat Percy had to respect.

The four guardians of the garden stood in front of him. Each of them looked remarkably like Zoë, forcing Percy to realize how beautiful the hunter truly was.

They had coppery skin and the same volcanic eyes as Zoë, their hair flowing down their backs. Although they looked similar, they each held themselves differently. Percy was glad he had learned each of their names, as he could tell they would not tolerate his idiocy.

"Who are you?" Aegle asked. "Have you come for the apples?"

Erytheia chuckled. "Of course he has, sister. They all do."

"Do not be so quick to judge, sister." Hesperia chided, dark hair flying as she shook her head. "He is likely here for the goddess."

Four sets of eyes turned to Percy. "So?" Arethusa asked, goading him on.

"I am Percy Jackson, adopted son of Hestia. I'm here for Lady Artemis, and I am not the only one. Two demigods and two hunters will be coming soon." They collectively rolled their eyes, but Percy continued before they could say anything. "One of them is your sister, Zoë."

Aegle's faced hardened. "She is not our sister." Erytheia nodded in agreement, while Hesperia winced and Arethusa looked away.

"Aegle," Percy started, and Aegle was taken aback to hear that he knew her name. "She regrets what she did, Heracles manipulated her. A true family would not turn their back on her."

Hesperia looked to Aegle. "You were so quick to abandon her, sister. Even you, Erytheia, after Aegle renounced her." Aegle looked away and Erytheia deflated. "Is she alright, Percy?"

He nodded softly. "She is the lieutenant of the Hunt. She has found happiness in the mortal world." Hesperia smiled softly, but none of the other Hesperides had a visible reaction. "Aegle, Erytheia, Hesperia, Arethusa, you have to let them through."

The Hesperides all looked to each other. "Aegle." Arethusa spoke up, features soft. "Zoë is our sister, no matter what. We cannot renounce her for the rest of our lives. She is here to save Artemis and she will."

"What is the prophecy?" Aegle asked, turning to Percy.

Percy recited the prophecy, and the Hesperides paled as they heard Zoë's prophesized death.

"She will die." Erytheia took a deep breath.

The son of Hestia shook his head. "I will not let her die; she is my friend."

"Your friend?" Arethusa asked, eyebrows furrowed. "You are a male, and she is a hunter."

Percy looked away. "Yeah, and I haven't known her for long, but she's my friend. At first she didn't like me, which is to be expected of a hunter, but Artemis told the hunters to tolerate me. Despite her hatred of males, she treated me with an odd version of kindness.

"We agreed on a lot of things, like how Dionysus was a jerk and that fathers were rocky territory. We both had the same dream about Artemis, about her capture, and I told her that even if there was no prophecy I would help her find Artemis, and it was true.

"After the Capture the Flag game, the prophecy was revealed. I told her my real parentage, and why I needed to be on the quest." Percy chuckled. "She slapped me the second I said it. She already knew about my past, but she shared hers. I told her I wouldn't let her die on this quest, and I won't. She didn't ignore me on the quest either, she even said that I was her friend too. And gods, did it feel nice to hear. She talked to me and told me why she and Thalia didn't get along." Percy took a deep breath.

"And then when I presumably died in Hephaestus' Junkyard, I heard her scream, right before I fire travelled out of the machine and Apollo saved me. Gods, it hurt. Like part of my soul was being ripped out of my chest."

Percy realized just how long he had been talking for. "Oh gods, that was a lot."

Aegle smiled. "Our sister will be safe in her passage to the mountain."

Erytheia nodded as well. "Her quest mates as well, if they do not attempt to steal golden apple."

Percy nodded seriously, nodding his head in thanks.

"Percy?" Hesperia asked, a smile on her lips. "I am glad she has you as a friend. I trust you will protect her."

He nodded. "I will."

The leaves crunched behind them, the footsteps and murmurs of the quest members behind Percy and the Hesperides.

The demigod turned and immediately his eyes landed on Zoë, who hadn't even noticed her sisters. A breath was caught in her throat and she was torn between running over to Percy and hugging him or slapping him.

Annabeth and Thalia wanted to run over and hug the boy they considered to be their brother, but knew that Zoë was the one he needed to see first.

Neither of them were idiots. Zoë and Percy had something special—whether it was romantic or not.

Zoë marched over and slapped Percy, who only grinned.

"You complete idiot! You made me think you were dead! What in the gods' name is wrong with you?" She yelled, her face red. A single tear dripped down her cheek and Percy pulled her into a hug. Instead of slapping him again, she hugged him back.

"I missed you too, Zoë." He mumbled into her hair.

And for that one moment, everything was okay.