So, I'm basically turning this story into a series of one-shots from Annabeth's perspective from the books, up to The Last Olympian. I'll be focusing mostly on the angst and jealousy she goes through.

-Reyna

That night I couldn't stop tossing and turning. The events of the day had left me completely shaken – not to mention annoyed.

When finally I saw that I wouldn't be able to sleep, I quietly got out of bed. I strapped my knife to my thigh, put on my sneakers and, wrapping my bathrobe tightly around me, left the cabin for some fresh air.

Yes, I knew that it was risky, and probably a dumb idea. But I guess that stupid Seaweed Brain rubs off on me a little sometimes.

I kicked a rock out of my path as a walked toward the arena.

Ugh, why does that boy have to be so damn annoying? Yeah, sure. Go right ahead Percy, blow yourself up in a freaking volcano, leave me for two weeks without any clue where you are, come back alive, lie to me about where you were, and then tell me that you're having another, not to mention mortal, girl lead my quest.

I made my way in the direction of the Big House, because I figured the harpies would be less inclined to eat me if Chiron was closer. Somehow the prospect of receiving kitchen duty for a month was a more enticing punishment for being out of bed than turning the tables on a chicken dinner.

I'd almost gotten to the porch when I almost walked through an Iris-Message. Startled, I stepped back automatically and rubbed my eyes. I frowned. "Eurytion?"

The laid-back son of Ares looked worried. Naturally this worried me. "Annabeth. How did it go with Hephaestus?"

"Umm…both well and badly. Percy got blasted out of a volcano and only just came back this morning. How about you?"

He wrung his hands. "That's why I'm calling. DiAngelo is gone."

I felt like I'd just gotten slapped. "Nico? How? Why?"

"He's been making sounds in the night now for days. I figured it was just post-traumatic stress, or sleep-talking, or insomnia. But I think he's been consorting with Minos again."

"Where'd he go?" I asked, even though I thought I knew the answer.

"Orthus tracked his scent as far as the cattle guard."

I muttered every Greek curse in knew and made up a few just to be thorough. "I'll tell Percy in the morning." I said, and waved my hand through the message.

Shaking a little, I walked back to my cabin and lay in bed, wondering how the heck our luck could possibly get even this bad. The next thing I knew, I was being shaken awake my Malcolm, telling me to get up and get ready.

[LINE BREAK]

Later that morning found me sitting next to Percy in the camp van, being driven to his mom's in New York by Argus. I stared out the window, pondering what had happened last night and watching the green hills gradually roll into the city.

We were both silent until he spoke. "Bad dreams."

I shook my head without looking at him. "Iris-message from Eurytion."

"Eurytion! Is something wrong with Nico?"

I told him about Nico escaping the ranch into the labyrinth, and the rancher's speculations of him talking to Minos' ghost again.

"He's in danger," Percy told me, stating the obvious – again.

"No kidding. Minos is one of th judges of the dead, but he's got a vicious streak a mile wide. I don't know what he wants with Nico, but –"

"That's not what I meant." I turned to him, surprised. I noticed that he was pale, as if he didn't sleep well either. "I had this dream last night…about Luke."

My chest tightened at the name. "Yeah?"

"And, he was in the maze, talking about 'the thread' and that 'Quintus would come through,' like he was working for him or something. One of his scouts told him that they'd found a lone half-blood wandering around in the maze."

I grit my teeth. "That's very, very bad."

"So what do we do?"

I raised one eyebrow at him, a little gratified he was asking me for advice again. Still, I wanted to throw it back in his face. "Well, it's a good thing you have a plan to guide us, huh?"