Wow. Okay, so I was going to give up on this story, since I haven't updated since the summer, and I know that most of you guys have probably forgotten about it altogether. But I decided that since it's winter break, I should revisit my old obsession :). Before I start, I want to thank all my reviewers who are still submitting review, even though it's been like four months. Also, I would like to thank Chenoamisae for persuading me to continue:) And now...ON WITH THE STORY! Making this a long chapter because I waited for like 5 months haha. Review pleaseeee :D

The next afternoon was boiling hot. The sun pressed down on my shoulders, and the air was sticky with humidity. Sweat poured down my neck and into my shirt as trained, swinging my sword around in a deadly arc. Annabeth, and Thalia stood nearby, listening halfheartedly to Grover attempt to play "teenage dream" on his reed pipes.

Suddenly, a black sword came out of nowhere and knocked against my blade with a loud clang. Riptide flew out of my hand and skidded across the dirt. Looking up in surprise, I saw Nico Di Angelo twirling his stygian iron sword around his fingers. He grinned at me, his deep black eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Looks like you're losing your touch. You don't usually let someone take you off guard like that."

"Haha," I laughed sarcastically.

After the war, Nico had grown quite a bit. His hair was black and hung naturally to one side. He had gotten taller and had managed to pack some muscle onto his once lanky body. Despite the heat he was wearing a black camp t-shirt and dark blue jeans. The most noticeable difference about him was that he seemed to spend more time locked up in his new cabin at camp. I hardly see him anymore.

I settled down onto the grass, it's sharp blades poking at my legs. I took a swig of water, the coolness instantly revitalizing my energy. Nico plopped down beside me and stared across the hills toward the pavillion. Thalia, Annabeth, and Grover walked over to join us.

"So," I finally said. "Where have you been all summer? I've barely seen you around camp."

"Yeah," Annabeth chimed in. "It almost seems like you've disappeared."

Nico slid his sword into his sheath. "I've been around," he sighed. "Been doing things in my cabin and training a lot."

"Training?" I asked quizzically. "I've never really seen you training."

Nico smiled in amusement. "I train at night," he informed me. "I find it easier to concentrate. Besides, people don't bother me at night because no one else is willing to break curfew."

"Oh, so you're like a vampire?" I joked.

Nico rolled his eyes. "Very funny," he grumbled.

We sat in silence for a moment. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. Maybe Nico should also join in on our journal readings. After all, he was just as much involved in the prophecy as we were.

I exchanged looks with Annabeth. She understood immediately and nodded warily.

"Hey Nico?" I mumbled.

He turned his head slightly. "What?"

I told him all about the journals and what we had been doing the past few nights. The whole time I was explaining, Nico just looked at me with a black stare. After I was finished, I expected him to want to jump right in on it and read Annabeth's journals right away. His response surprised me though.

"No thanks," he answered quickly, his voice cold.

I blinked in surprise. "What? You don't want to hear about all our adventures before you got here? Annabeth also wrote about the years after that, you know...like when you first came to camp? Don't you want to read about all that? I thought you would want to be included in all this."

Nico just shook his head, a strand of black hair falling in his eyes. "That's alright. I don't need to be reminded of the past. I've spent this whole summer trying to forget about it. I don't need any dumb journals to remind me of my stupid mistakes and all the shit that happened to me in the past few years."

And with that, Nico got up and walked away toward his cabin, letting his screen door slam behind him.

We all sat there stunned, staring after him with a dumbfounded expression. Finally, Annabeth spoke.

"I didn't know he still felt so bad about everything," she mumbled, almost to herself.

"Yeah, but I guess you can't assume these things," Grover sighed.

Thalia stayed quiet, her eyes glued to the ground. I studied her with concern.

"Thalia? Are you alright?" I asked.

She looked up and smiled, although it seemed a little forced. "Yeah of course," she answered quickly. She got up and dusted off her knees. "I should go," she said, looking off towards the woods. I need to...meet with my hunters about something." And with that, she jogged off to the common area without looking back.

Annabeth stared after her worriedly. "I hope she and Nico are okay," she mumbled to herself.

That night Thalia didn't show up to read the journals.

"Where is she?" Annabeth asked for the umpteenth time. "She should have been here a long time ago."

I nodded in agreement, but something in my gut told me we should probably leave her and Nico alone for a while.

"Lets just read without her," I suggested. "If she wants to, we can catch her up with what happened later."

Annabeth nodded unenthusiastically. "Alright," she conceded, reaching for the journal. Looking our current entry, she shuddered at the memory. Grover sat munching on tortilla chips next to me, scattering crumbs everywhere.

"Lets read," he declared through a mouthful of snacks.

The three of us stared down at the withered pages and continued where we left off.

July 12, 2005

Words cannot explain how wary I was that Ares wanted us to do something for him. He obviously wanted us to do it rather then him. He even toyed with Percy's emotions to bait him along. Something was not right here...but I couldn't figure out what the Hades it was!

By the time we arrived at the water park Ares told us about, my feet were sore and it felt like my clothes were weighing me down. Despite all that, I still struggled not to drag my feet. I wouldn't let Percy know that I was feeling weak. He's already shown me up countless times. I have to prove that I'm not a weak little girl everyone already sees me as.

I felt my cheeks redden. All those years Annabeth needed to prove to herself that she was good enough. Looking at her now it's hard to believe that she could ever see herself as anything less than amazing. I opened my mouth to tell her all this but Annabeth shook her head, already knowing what I was going to say.

The waterpark was pretty depressing, with peeling paint, and empty pools. It was too...quiet. Caution and nervousness grew in the pit of stomach. Something bad was going to happen. I could sense it.

"If Ares brings his girlfriend here for a date, " Percy said, breaking the silence "I'd hate to see what she looks like. "

I cringed, thinking of who he just insulted.

"Percy, " I warned. "Be more respectful. "

He looked at me quizzically.

"Why? I thought you hated Ares. "

"He's still a god. And his girlfriend is very tempera-mental, " I answered, the glowing goddess entering my mind.

"You don't want to insult her looks, " Grover added.

Percy furrowed his brows. "Who is she? Echidna?"

I sighed, once again getting frustrated with his cluelessness. Does it make me a bad person to feel this way? Probably. But what can you do?

"No, Aphrodite, " Grover swooned. "Goddess of love. "

"I thought she was married to somebody, " Percy pointed out. "Hephaestus. "

"What's your point?" Grover asked.

"Oh. " Percy glanced at me for a second. I looked away. "So how do we get in?"

"Maia!" Grover's shoes sprouted wings. Grovew managed to fly over the gate, leaving me and Percy staring at him from the other side of the pointed wires.

"You guys coming?" he asked smugly.

Percy and I grabbed ahold of the barbed wire fence and began to work our way up. As I was crawling up, I couldn't help but wonder what the Hades I was getting into.

Once we climbed over, we began to walk. I held my hand by my side, ready to grab my knife in case any monsters sprang out to meet us. I wouldn't be caught off guard this time. This time, I would be ready. I would be the hero for once.

We were still walking when a small souvenir shop caught my eye.

"Clothes, " I moaned in longing "Fresh clothes. "

Percy stared at me like I was crazy . "You can't just-"

"Watch me," I interrupted him, walking towards the open entrance. Once inside, I grabbed everything I possibly could and stuffed it into my pack. I stripped down, hiding behing a clothes rack so Percy and Grover wouldn't see and put on some new Waterland clothes. Okay, so I didn't look like a model, but who cares? It's not like I was trying to impress Percy with my appearance. He wasn't Luke.

Ouch. I winced, and continued on, but not before Annabeth wrapped her hand around mine and squeezed it.

I emerged a few seconds later in my new attire, Percy and Grovew scrutinizing me with approval. "Eh, what the heck," Grover conceded, walking into the store, Percy following close behind. Soon, they too were walking advertisements for the park.

"So Ares and Aphrodite, " Percy said, in an attempt to break the silence. "They have a thing going?"

I sighed, that feeling of irritation rising up in my chest once again.

"That's old gossip, Percy, " I informed him. "Three-thousand-year-old gossip. "

"What about Aphrodite's husband?" he asked.

"Well, you know, " I sighed. "Hephaestus. The black-smith. He was crippled when he was a baby, thrown off Mount Olympus by Zeus. So he isn't exactly handsome. Clever with his hands, and all, but Aphrodite isn't into brains and talent, you know?"

"She likes bikers," Percy noted. I smiled despite myself.

"Hephaestus knows?" he asked.

"Oh sure, " I said. "He caught them together once. I mean, literally caught them, in a golden net, and invited all the gods to come and laugh at them. Hephaestus is always trying to embarrass them. That's why they meet in out-of-the-way places, like ... "

I stopped, looking straight ahead. "Like that. "

An old, disheveled water ride stood before us, cupids lining the edges, their smiles eerily painted on. An old peeling sign above it read: THRILL RIDE O' LOVE: THIS IS NOT YOUR PARENTS' TUNNEL OF LOVE!

Grover crept toward the edge, peering over cautiously. "Guys, look. "

Percy and I walked forward, kneeling over to see Ares's shield glinting in the light.

"This is too easy, " Percy stated in disbelief. "So we just walk down there and get it?"

I was about to answer him when something caught my eye. I looked down, studying the small greek letter carved into the base.

"Eta," I mumbled to myself. "I wonder..."

"Grover, " Percy called, "you smell any monsters?"

"Nope, nothing," he called back as I sat there thinking.

"Nothing-like, in-the-Arch-and-you-didn't-smell-Echidna nothing, or really nothing?" Percy asked, a hint of irritation in his voice.

Grover looked on, hurt. "I told you, that was underground, " he protested, his tone sad. Percy's face changed.

"Okay, I'm sorry," he apologized, his voice sincere. "I'm going down."

"I'll go with you," Grover volunteered, his voice shaking a bit.

"No, " Percy told him. "I want you to stay up top with the flying shoes. You're the Red Baron, a flying ace, remember? I'll be counting on you for backup, in case something goes wrong. "

I couldn't help but feel a little admiration for Percy. He was surprisingly quick to apologize to Grover and made sure he felt better when something wrong slipped out. I hate to admit it, but that's something I have not been able to do yet. No matter how annoying that kid is, he really does have a good heart.

Grover smiled, a little light returning to his eyes.

"Sure. But what could go wrong?"he asked.

"I don't know," Percy admitted. "Just a feeling. Annabeth, come with me-"

"What?" I interrupted him before he could finish. My cheeks erupted into a bright red, and a weird tickle started in my stomach. "Are you kidding?"

"What's the problem now?" he demanded, looking annoyed.

Ugh. Did I have to clue him in on everything?
"Me, go with you to the ... The 'Thrill Ride of Love'? How embarrassing is that? What if somebody saw me?"

Percy's cheeks also darkened when he realized my point.

"Who's going to see you?" he protested, despite his embarrassed expression. He rolled his eyes. "Fine, " he told me. "I'll do it myself. " He slid down the side of the pool, and began to walk off without me.

"Wow," I said. "Sorry something like that is too embarrassing for you."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on."

I smiled. "Too bad that happened then. I don't think it would have been a problem for us now," I teased, flicking a chip at her.

"Hmmm," she said, pretending to contemplate it.

"Very funny," I grumbled.

"Oh you know I love ya Seaweed Brain," she laughed, kissing me on the cheek.

"Uh, HELLO? Still in the room!" Grover complained from his spot on the floor.

"Oh, you're welcome to join me in the Tunnel of Love next time," I joked. Grover threw a pillow at me.

I sighed, about to let him go on, but then it hit me. Percy was about to be the hero again! No way, not this time. I slid down after him, grumbling to myself.

When the two of us reached the boat, we noticed Aphrodite's pink scarf shimmering with a thousand different colors. Percy gently picked it up and stared dreamily at it. I ripped it out of his hand and stuffed it in my pocket.

"Oh, no you don't," I warned. " Stay away from that love magic. "

Percy looked at me with disappointment. "What?"

I sighed, not wanting to explain. I wanted to get out of there fast. I still had that unsettling feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Just get the shield, Seaweed Brain, and let's get out of here," I ordered, feeling impatient.

Percy reached out, but his hand touched a few strands of transparent wire that I hadn't noticed before.

"Wait-" I cried out.

Percy glanced up at me, him noticing it too. "Too late."

"There's another Greek letter on the side of the boat, another Eta. This is a trap," I cried with a horrible realization flooding through my veins.

The ride suddenly came alive with noise as all the statues turned and aimed their arrows at us. grover yelled for us up above, but there was nothing he could do.

Percy grabbed the shield and we ran, struggling to get up the slippery slope.

"Come on!" Grover shouted.

Above us, a speaker boomed, "Live to Olympus in one minute ... Fifty- nine seconds, fifty-eight ... "

"Hephaestus!" I screamed in fury. "I'm so stupid. ' Eta is H. ' He made this trap to catch his wife with Ares. Now we're going to be broadcast live to Olympus and look like absolute fools!"

Percy and I almost climbed to the top when a hatch opened and a swarm of spiders crawled out of the hole.

You know when people talk about true terror? You always assume that people are exaggerating, right? What possible things in the world are enough to make you wish you're not alive? Well, I can tell you first hand, that this was one of the most t e r r i f y i n g moments of my entire life.

There were THOUSANDS of those creepy things, crawling down over us like a black sea. Horror consumed me and I let out a bloodcurling scream.

"Spiders!" I yelled. "Sp-sp-aaaah!"

Percy stared at me, completely surprised at my behavior. I wanted to stop. To compose myself and become the brave girl I always pretend to be. But I just couldn't. I didn't have it in me. I bolted back into the boat and Percy followed behind.

The spiders began to wash over us, and Percy started kicking at them. He was yelling at me about something, but I didn't pay any attention. I screamed in a voice I wasn't even sure was mine and shuddered as they overtook me.

I glanced at Annabeth. Her nose was wrinkled in disgust, remembering the awful memory.

"Fifteen...fourteen," The loudspeaker called overhead.

'Great,' I managed to think through my terror. 'Now all the gods will get to see what a coward I am.'

Percy yelled something I couldn't hear to Grover. Suddenly, I heard a different noise over the sound of my screaming...the sound of rushing water.

Water exploded out of the pipes and began to whisk our boat away and down the tunnel. Percy grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into the seat, fastening me in. The boat flew down the ride, into the whirlpool. I stopped screaming long enough to realize that Percy was controlling the water, his eyes squeezed shut in concentration.

Percy and I grabbed ahold of each other, screaming as we barreled across the water.

"Unfasten your seat belt, " Percy yelled over to me.

I looked at him in disbelief. "Are you crazy?"

"Unless you want to get smashed to death," he snapped, pointing towards the closed gate that was rapidly approaching. I strapped Ares's shield to my arm. "We're going to have to jump for it. "

I quickly realized Percy's plan and grabbed his hand.

"On my mark, " Percy said

"No! On my mark!" I yelled, unwilling to trust his math.

"What?"he yelled back.

"Simple physics!" I shouted. "Force times the trajectory angle-"

"Fine. '" he conceded. "On your mark!"

I hesitated ... Hesitated ... calculating the correct time then yelled, "JUMP!"

Unfortunately, I gave us too much of a lift. We shot into the air, then started falling towards the pavement below. I thought we were dead until Grover grabbed both of us behind.

"You're too heavy!" Grover groaned. "We're going down!"We spiraled toward the ground, Grover doing his best to slow the fall.

All of us tumbled onto the ground, scraped but alive. Percy and I thanked Grover then looked back over at the wreckage of our boat.

"Show's over!" Percy yelled at the cupid statues, their camera's still aimed at us. "Thank you! Good night!"

The Cupids turned back to their original positions. I struggled to catch my breath, still petrified from the whole spider ordeal. Looking at Percy's face I saw that he was pissed. Beyond angry.

Before I could thank him for saving my life he said, "We need to have a little talk with Ares. "

So once again, I was the damsel in distress. I was okay with this one though. Hey, if that boy wanted to save me from a bunch of metallic spiders, I'm not gonna argue. Something I was continually noticing however, was Percy's attitude when he did accomplish something. Never showed off or bragged about it. Never became cocky. I honestly still have no idea what to make of him, but he's earning my respect, little by little.

"Wow," I said, closing the pages. "This was a good one. I almost forgot about the spiders. Almost."

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "Haha, very funny," she muttered.

"I like this one too," Grover chimed in. "The few times I was actually a hero."

Annabeth and I were about to protest when my cabin door opened. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw Thalia standing in the doorway, her cheeks pink.

"Sorry," she apologized. "I kinda bailed on you guys."

I smiled, relieved to see her. "It's okay," I told her. "Where have you been?"

Thalia hesitated. "Talking to Nico," she admitted. "I just needed to...get closure on a few things."

Annabeth, Grover and I nodded in understanding. Suddenly, Thalia grinned.

"So I guess I missed out on a journal entry, huh?"

I smiled. "We'll fill you in."

"Dear gods," Annabeth groaned. Grover and I laughed.

The four of us laughed into the night, recapping the last entry that Annabeth dreaded the most.

Whew! That took some time! Hope you guys enjoyed it! That talk between Nico and Thalia is sort of hinting at my new Thalico fic I will be writing after this one! Once again, sorry for the EXTREMELY late update! REVIEW PLEASE! =D