A/N: Please don't throw things at me! Hope everyone had a great march/spring break, and easter/Passover, summer, Thanksgiving, and any other holiday I missed! Brownie points too . . . Venita-Daughter-of-Pandia, Melody Pond, graciegirl000, GallagherGirl54, PANDAFiiED, saphire130, xXSatanSkittlesXx, wolfgirlisawesome, laryssaluvsya, Rima16, no one knows me like my twin, PurpleKyuubi, Love To Read –P, Andrea Andrews, creamfeathers, marywillow, GreysonDrew, Myrna Maeve, Reading-is-4-life, SilentTalker2000, Guiltysnowkitten, beccster96, Kisa Megimi, lakinjones17, .Myths.x, grrawesome, youngtitansraven101, 874irene, La'Rae and Ninjas Incorporated, DeanFan92, Evangeline43, amongthestarsx, MonkeysGoBoo, mrscullenbby, xxSlytheringirl101xx, AmalaseHunter, kayli42, sciencelover, Demigod-girl43, CompulsiveShopper16, julie662, angletricia,teamleoluver, CatJinx26044, xXCherrydawnXx, darkhuntress621, Milena Picarte, LissaCupcake, RougeReaper, Gifted and Talented Blonde, and Nikkie995.

Anonymous: Thanks! Did not know that so thank you I will be sure to go back and change it

PurpleKyuubi: haha thanks! Definitely feelin the love :p

lydia: Hope you enjoy this chapter

trivia101: Sorry! :P hope this makes up for the cliff hanger!

Myrna Maeve: Glad you enjoyed it! I'm glad somebody appreciates the little one-liners :D

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Ivsanam Lavraga: Yes, and so it begins . . . enjoy

teamleoluver: That's very high praise! Thank you so much! And sorry for the long wait but hope this does the cliffy justice

LissaCupcake: Thanks! Enjoy this chapter! Sorry it took so long!

And now . . .

Chapter 12: Summer Lovin'

The giants were the first to burst through. It felt as though my ears would burst when I heard their battle cries and I couldn't imagine what the pack felt. I watched as one of the giants swung the Ares phalanx sideways with a great cry and all of a sudden everyone was in battle mode.

"FIRE!" came the great cry from Beckendorf and it was like someone flipped a switch. Jake, Leah, and Quil instantly went into attack mode, as Jared helped fire off the catapults. Arrows were flying left and right and just as it seemed we were getting the upper hand, out came the dracaenae.

Thank Gods for the Hephaestus cabin. Dracaenae were thrown left and right as they hit spikes, trip wires, and Greek fire, becoming easy targets for the Apollo kids. Argus and the Athena cabin rushed out taking the dracaenae head on.

Then came the hellhounds.

Percy, Paul, and I took off immediately. The battle around me barely registered as I weaved in and out of fights, knowing I was most needed with the satyrs. I caught glances of campers fighting and falling, and Tyson riding a giant, though I'm not sure how he managed that. I saw Nico summon the dead soldiers to take care of the stray dracaenae, Paul pounced on the closest hellhound, the two locking jaws, and simultaneously giving me a heart attack as I worried for him. I watched Percy dive straight into the fight without blinking or over thinking. Part of me was terrified for my little brother, the other part couldn't be more proud.

I swung my sword across the front leg of the hellhound I was fighting, effectively giving him a limp. It made to pounce at me, faltering due to the extra pressure on it's leg. It gave me just enough time to stab my sword through it's chest.

That's when I heard Percy yelling for me. I turned and saw the fire, knowing what he was trying to do. The combined effort of both us Poseidon kids caused the fire as well as pretty much everything else.

I looked around as I surged into battle once more. This could be it. We might actually make it. Little did I know, I jinxed us. As soon as I thought it, none other than Kampê shot into the sky. And she was one ugly, angry, dangerous motherfucker.

I heard Chiron's cry as Kampê dodged his arrow. I heard Tyson's cries to fight. Then all of a sudden Annabeth, Percy, and I were running side by side towards her.

"Well, this would be the way to go," I said

"Nice fighting with you, Water-heads," Annabeth commented.

"Ditto," was Percy's reply.

And that's all we needed. Those were the goodbyes of soldiers in the field.

The three of us jumped right in. Percy and Annabeth each took a side trying to divert her attention between both sides while I took care of he scorpion tail. It didn't work. It was as if each limb had a mind of its own. It was three independent fights. Suddenly, the Gods-damned poison came out of nowhere causing a burn in my eyes and lungs as no one moved to help.

And then Paul was there. He came out of nowhere biting at her legs as three of Chiron's arrows struck Kampê in the chest.

"Now!" Annabeth roared. Percy and I needed no encouragement as the three of us charged, getting inside her guard. But then the freaking bear head came out of nowhere, causing us all to jump back. And that millisecond was all it took for Kampê to get us on the ground.

This was it. This was wear we would die.

Next thing I knew, Kampê's weight was gone as Paul, Leah, Jake, and Quil all came to the rescue slamming into Kampê. And then Mrs. O'Leary joined in too, the damned hellhound.

And there was Daedalus.

And Briares.

And all of a sudden we were winning.

And then the dracaenae said, "Ssssslay them! Kill them all or Kronossss will flay you alive!"

I'm sorry could you work on your pronunciation. Slay has one s so pronounce it once please and thank you.

But apparently we weren't scary enough because they attacked with renewed force. And then Grover opened his mouth.

Ho. ly. Shit.

The enemy turned tail and ran, and frankly I was tempted too. I mean what the HELL was that?! I didn't have time to wonder.

I ran frantically trying to find the pack. I lost them after the fight with Kampê. Then there was Leah, hugging Ty, and I watched Embry, Jared, and Jake running to Zeus' cabin. Where was he?

That's when I heard Quil's panicked voice, "LANTA!"

No.

No. No. No.

Nononononononono. He had to be okay. Being hurt was not an option.

That's when I saw him lying there. It looked as if his whole right side had been shredded.

"Kampê got him," Quil whispered, his voice shaking just slightly.

I felt my world crashing as I collapsed to my knees. He was still breathing. Why wasn't he healing?

"We're made to fight vampires. We must react differently to mythological creatures," Quil answered, with a sad attempt to lighten the mood.

I hailed one of the Apollo kids down immediately and he got a stretcher and Paul was in the infirmary getting patched up right away.

I felt numb. It was as if nothing worked. I was on autopilot as I listened to Percy explain everything at Paul's bedside. Nico in the infirmary for summoning too many dead. Daedalus coming to correct his mistakes. Briares coming because of Tyson. Daedalus' great sacrifice. Giving Annabeth his laptop. Nico's decision not to trade a soul for his sister. Percy taking care of Mrs. O'Leary. It all passed over me in a haze. I barely heard the information, not retaining any of it.

Why wasn't he healing?

He should be fine.

He should have bounced back by now.

Why wasn't he healing?

I watched as the hours went by, the wound slowly starting to stich itself up as the super-healing kicked in. Millimeter by millimeter it started to close until at long last he woke up and I pounced on him.

"You're never fighting again. I'm locking you in the cabin next time. You're not allowed to woory me like that. I'm supposed to be the reckless one. Never again. Never. Ever. Ever ever ever."

He just laughed at me. "Mhmm, love you too, angel." And we stayed, curled up in that tiny infirmary bed, not moving, just basking in the after-glow and the fact we were both ok and we had both made it through. Until Percy came to get us to go to the amphitheater.

"I thought I was going to be up there saying goodbye to you today," I whispered to Paul as I watched Pollux choke with tears after trying to say a few words for his brother. Paul just held me tighter and whispered, "Never. I will never leave you." I squeezed his hand and snuggled farther into his chest as the shrouds were engulfed in flame.

That night Paul and I barely slept. Both of us were strung from the battle and the thought of loosing each other. It was definitely something we would have to work on, especially with what was happening in my world. We stayed curled in bed, holding each other all night, never letting go as if once we stopped touching the other would disappear.

Needless to say that meant at the Council gathering the next day we were both exhausted and short on patience. More short than usual that is.

After Chiron convinced Silenus to let Grover recount his story, several eyewitnesses explained what they heard come out of Grover's mouth at the battle.

"It was panic," insisted Juniper. "Grover summoned the power of the wild god."

"Panic?" Percy and Paul asked, both confused as all get out.

"It's named after the god, Pan," I said.

"During the first war of the gods and the Titans, Lord Pan let forth a horrible cry that scared away the enemy armies. It is—," Chiron started.

"Was," I injected.

"Was," Chiron conceded, "his greatest power—a massive wave of fear that helped the gods win the day. The word panic is named after Pan, you see. And Grover used that power, calling it forth from within himself."

"Preposterous!" Silenus bellowed. "Sacrilege!"

"Who the hell says 'Sacrilege' anymore?" Paul whispered in annoyance. Frankly, I had to agree. Welcome to the 21st century, find a new word!

"Perhaps the wild god favored us with a blessing. Or perhaps Grover's music was so awful it scared the enemy away!" Silenus persisted.

"That wasn't it, sir," Grover stated calmly. He was good. I would've been pissed if I were him. Actually, I was pissed. How dare they accuse Grover of lying over something like a God dying!? Pretty sure that's a one way ticket to Tartarus!

"He let his spirit pass into all of us," Grover insisted. "We must act. Each of us must work to renew the wild, to protect what's left of it. We must spread the word. Pan is dead. There is no one but us."

"After two thousand years of searching, this is what you would have us believe?" Silenus cried. "Never! We must continue the search! Exile the traitor!"

Some of the older satyrs muttered assent.

"You can't just choose to exile someone because you disagree with them!" I interrupted. Silenus needs to get off his freaking power trip. This is ridiculous.

"Fine then! A vote!" Silenus demanded. "Who would believe this ridiculous young satyr, anyway?"

"I would," said a familiar voice. No fucking way. Every person, satyr, and being in the room turned to stare. In strolled Dionysus in a black suit, purple tie, and violet dress shirt, looking so professional I barely recognized him. But he looked sad. Not just his normal wine-withdrawal sad but truly and deeply sad. And that's when I remembered Castor. He had lost a child.

The satyrs scrambled over each other to stand and bow as Dionysus simply waved his hand to create a thrown beside Silenus'.

"Miss me?" he stated simply.

Cries of 'Oh yes!' and 'Of course!' and 'Very much, sire!' came from the satyrs as they all strived to please the God.

"Well, I did not miss this place!" Dionysus snapped. "I bear bad news, my friends. Evil news. The minor gods are changing sides. Morpheus has gone over to the enemy. Hecate, Janus, and Nemesis, as well. Zeus knows how many more."

Zeus' angry thunder rumbled in the distance. Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the sky today. The sun was probably in the west when he got up, the old cow. Not that I'd ever say that to him . . . well.

"Strike that," Dionysus said. "Even Zeus doesn't know. Now, I want to hear Grover's story. Again, from the top."

"But, my lord," Silenus protested. "It's just nonsense!"

Dionysus's eyes flared with purple fire, the kind that happened when no one, not even me, dared to question him. "I have just learned that my son Castor is dead, Silenus. I am not in a good mood. You would do well to humor me."

That shut Silenus up. And so Grover started his tale again.

"It sounds like just the sort of thing Pan would do. Grover is right. The search is tiresome. You must start thinking for yourselves." He turned to a nearby satyr. "Bring me some peeled grapes, right away!"

"We must exile the traitor!" Silenus insisted.

"I say no," Dionysus countered. "That is my vote."

"I vote no as well," Chiron put in.

"Us too," I threw in.

"You don't count," Silenus snapped.

Well I tried.

Silenus set his jaw stubbornly. "All in favor of the exile?" He and the two other old cows raised their hands. Stupid, stupid, stupid. All three of them. Stupid.

"Three to two," Silenus said.

"Ah, yes," Dionysus said. "But unfortunately for you, a god's vote counts twice. And as I voted against, we are tied."

Silenus stood, indignant. "This is an outrage! The council cannot stand at an impasse."

"Then let it be dissolved!" Mr. D said. "I don't care."

And that was the end of that.

Grover turned to the satyrs that were left, rallying them in the name of Pan, sending some to national parks and big cities, some to the last wild places in the world, to save the wild.

They grow up so fast.

"I think that was the quickest council meeting I've ever been to," I said.

"That was quick?" Paul deadpanned. "Dear Gods, I don't want to know what a long one is like."

I giggled. "I think I'm rubbing off on you."

He cocked an eyebrow. "And why do you say that?"

"You said, 'Dear Gods,' plural. That's a half-blood thing." I smiled. "You spend way too much time with me."

He smiled right back. "I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future."

I wrapped my arms around him. "Good."

Then he leaned down and kissed me. And life seemed perfect.

LINE BREAK

Dinner that night was weird. And I say weird because it was normal. We all gave our sacrifice to the Gods in gratitude. And I had a lot to be thankful for this night. Camp was safe for now. The kids were okay. The pack had made it through. My brother, Annabeth, and Grover were growing up into kids I could be proud of. And Paul was alright. Even through the scare, Paul was okay.

But Nico wasn't. I saw him lingering on the edge of camp in the shadows. And nudged Percy. He saw my look and nodded. Nico and Percy were close. Whether they knew it or not, they understood each other. I knew Nico wouldn't stay, but I knew it was important for him to say goodbye and to know that no matter who his dad is he would always have friends and a place hear.

That night at the camp fire, I looked around as everyone smiled and laughed. The danger was over. Things were going back to normal. Chris Rodriguez had been cured. Dionysus no doubt, though I still haven't figured out why. He and Clarisse were trying to be discreet about their hand-holding but we all saw it. Though we would never say anything. They were too cute.

The rest of the summer went by fast. Paul stayed at camp with me though the rest of the pack went home. They know they are always welcome. It was a normal summer. No surprises. No epic battles. Many capture the flag games.

Percy and Annabeth avoided each other. I thought one of them would grow a pair by the end of the summer and say something, but that didn't happen. Kids! What can ya do!

Things between Paul and I progressed both emotionally and physically. We had our first fight. Verbal and physical. That was a doosy. Needless to say, neither of us are nearly as petrified as the other going into battle anymore. We both realize that there are dangers out there but we can't stop each other from doing dangerous things. I will admit it was mostly about me being reckless, but Paul also had to realize that this is what I do. It was pretty bad. We didn't talk for a few days. That was the worst few days of my life. It hurt to be so close and yet we were so closed off from each other. Never again. Ever.

Percy told me about his little heart to heart with Hera before leaving. Bitch better stay away from my brother. I don't care who she is. I will smite her ass all the way to Timbuktu and back!

Then summer was over. Lucky for me, my house was still there, along with my untouched truck. Thank Gods! I thought someone would've stolen it by now. But I guess that's La Push. And being friends with the pack probably helped. No one would touch my stuff now for fear of it getting back to the boys.

And of course Paul and I surprised Percy on his birthday. We couldn't bring the whole pack due to the size of Sally's apartment, but the two of us went as representatives. The pack got Percy a water gun. Ha-ha. They think they're funny. I was a good sister and got him a sentimental present. It was a necklace. Odd for a guy I know, but it was basically an everyday version of his camp necklace that he could wear all the time without getting weird looks and a lot of questions. It had the three charms on it, identical to the ones on his camp necklace. He loved it and I was awarded sister of the year.

Paul got to meet Paul. Blofis, I mean. Sally's boyfriend. That got confusing fast.

Tyson was there too. I loved that kid. He was truly a son of Poseidon with a heart of gold.

At one point while we were blowing us balloons Paul leaned into me and whispered, "Paul's asking Percy for permission to marry Sally." It changed my view of Blofis completely. I was even more ecstatic when Percy gave him permission.

Then Dad showed up. Talk about awkward. Sally handled it beautifully. I almost burst out laughing when Dad called Blofis Blowfish. It took a lot for me to hold it together. Paul just took me and buried my face in his chest so I wouldn't laugh loudly.

I was glad I didn't burst out going 'Dad!' Blofis looked weirded out enough when Tyson sprang forward with a great cry of "Daddy!"

As Dad passed me, leading Percy away we simply shared a look and a nod. He was there for me no matter what and he knew that La Push was my home now. I have no doubt that he would pop in (literally) to visit once in a while.

Now it was September. I'd said screw it to school this year so the days were spent wasting away with Kim at Emily's until the two of us could find a job. That ended up happening near the end of October. We both started waitressing at Sue's diner. Well, we waitressed during the day and Kim waitressed at night while I bartended. It was a lot of fun, surprisingly. Near the middle of November Paul moved in with me. It was a big step, but we were ready for it. He needed to get out of his mom's house and I was more than happy to have him live with me. It saved him from having to sneak over every night.

And for you nosy people. Yes Paul and I live together. No we have not done the dirty yet!

A/N: Tada! The end of Battle of the Labyrinth. I don't know if I want to continue in this story or create a sequel for the last book. Let me know what you think. Hope you all have enjoyed this and don't worry I will be finishing the series! Ta!