To Be Loved

Chapter Nine

(Zoë's POV)

Summary of the quest:

We (Grover, Thalia, Phoebe, Bianca, and I) planned to go on the quest. Phoebe couldn't come because of the Stoll brother's prank (I'll kill them later) so we set off with four.

Annabeth snook out of camp too come along and help find Percy. I was suspicious of her feelings towards him.

Bianca had join the huntresses. She was reluctant at first, but eventually agreed.

And then—

Well, you already know what happened. Some details changed, but they're not important.

Well, when Bianca died, well that was important.

But we had to put all of that behind us for the moment as we got towards my old home.

I drove Annabeth's dad's car up the misty hill. But we barely got out of it in time for lightning to hit it. Thalia was shaken.

We met my three sisters(they weren't very kind to me) and Ladon, who bit me. It was painful, but I didn't show any sign of it, because I didn't want the others to notice.

I think Percy somehow managed to rub off on me, even with all of our time apart. He's always so selfless. A true leader, a true hero, unlike that Heracles.

So we went up there to see Artemis in chains. I saw Percy standing at Luke's side, his hands cuffed behind his back, and a gag in his mouth. Luke had his sword at Percy's throat, and as I briefly looked into Percy's eyes, I could actually see that he looked perfectly calm. But there was a slight sadness in his eyes as he met my eyes, and I wondered what could make him feel that way, and what could make him almost unable to hide it.

I looked back to Artemis with the slightest hesitation and ran to her. I couldn't help Percy yet, and I knew better than to risk hurting him if I could. I knew better than to take a risk that big.

And I cared about Artemis too. She was practically my mother. I tagged at the chains that she was chained with as tears ran down my face.

A booming voice spoke behind us: "Ah, how touching."

We turned. My father was standing there in a brown silk suit. I mentally cursed. How could I not notice him there? He was standing practically right next to Luke and Percy.

This was the first time that the others noticed Percy, Luke, and Atlas though.

"Luke," Annabeth snarled. "Let him go."

Luke's smile was pale and weak. He looked worse than in DC three days ago. "That's the general's decision right now, Annabeth. But it's good to see you again."

Annabeth spat at him.

Atlas chuckled. "So much for old friends. And you, Zoë." He addressed me. "It's been a long time. How's my little traitor? I will enjoy killing you."

Then, one of the most unlikely people stood up for me.

Thalia said, "I won't let you hurt Zoë."

Atlas sneered. "This is a family matter, you have no right to interfere."

"A family matter?" Thalia frowned.

"Yes. Atlas is my father," I told her bleakly.

Thalia looked between the two of us, and I could tell that she noticed the resemblance. I glanced at Percy, who was glaring at Atlas murderously with a muffled growl.

I turned back to Atlas. "Let Artemis go," I demanded.

My father walked closer to the goddess. "Perhaps you'd like to take the sky for her, then? Be my guest."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Artemis said, "Do not offer, Zoë! I forbid you." I shut my mouth again.

Atlas smirked. He knelt next to the goddess and tried to touch her face, but she almost bit his fingers off.

My father chuckled. "You see, daughter? Lady Artemis likes her job. Maybe I'll have all the Olympians take turns carrying my burden."

Percy growled louder, startling everybody. Luke pushed the sword further into his neck, and I saw some blood trail from the tip of the sword. Percy didn't even flinch, just stood there, seemingly calm, but his eyes blazing with anger.

I, for one, knew how much this all meant to him. He went through a lot before he even met me to get rid of the Titans and help the gods stared to rule.

But Percy also seemed to be trying to tell me something, but all I could do was stare. His black hair was now streaked with grey.

"From holding the sky," Annabeth muttered. "The weight should have killed him."

Well, I thought, he is a god. But you don't know that.

I looked back to Atlas. He studied Thalia and Annabeth, then glanced at Percy. "So these are the best heroes of the age, eh? Not much of a challenge."

"We'll see about that," Annabeth muttered. Atlas ignored her as he turned his attention fully to Thalia.

"As for you, daughter of Zeus, it seems Luke was wrong about you."

"I wasn't wrong," Luke managed. He spoke every word like it was painful. "Thalia, you can still join us. Call the Ophiotaurus. It will come to you, look!"

He waved his hand, and a pool of water appeared.

Luke repeated the request.

"Luke. . ." Thalia's voice was full of pain. "What happened to you?"

(A/N Blah blah blah. I'm skipping this conversation.

Meanwhile, in my brain:

*reads ahead in the book*

*somehow imagines this up*

Percy: *talks in Thalia's mind* Don't do it!

Thalia: *mutters * Oh great, now I have a voice in my head. . .

Percy: *speaks in Luke's mind* Could I use your sword to facepalm with?

Luke: Now I am too.

Me: How did my brain even think that weird scenario up?

Anyway, back into the story. . .)

Annabeth looked at us as Thalia refused Luke's offer. "Now," she said. Together, we charged.

A/N Wasn't even a thousand words. *glares with disgust at my writing* anyway. . . Thanks for wasting your time by struggling through another chapter of this terrible story!!

~Shatter