After All This Time...

Chapter 1

The Doors of Death were heavy.

Annabeth shoved her entire body against the left door, pressing it toward the center. With as much force as she could muster, she stabbed Riptide into the right door and used it as a handle to pull it towards her and hold the doors closed. As the elevator car ascended, the Doors shook and tried to open, threatening to spill them into whatever was between life and death.

Annabeth's shoulders ached. The elevator's easy-listening music didn't help. If all monsters had to hear that song about liking piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, no wonder they were in the mood for carnage when they reached the mortal world.

But Annabeth was almost glad for the job of keeping the Doors closed. The terror racing through her heart at least kept her from dissolving into misery. She was so close to making it out of that hell hole. Gritting her teeth, she told herself she only had to make it through the next 12 minutes. She had held the sky for an entire day, she could hold a pair of damn elevator doors for 12 minutes.

For years at Camp Half-Blood, she had chafed as other campers went on quests while she stayed behind. She'd watched as others gained glory...or failed and didn't come back. Since she was seven years old, she had thought: Why don't I get to prove my skills? Why can't I lead a quest?

She'd certainly proved herself now, she thought bitterly. She had been on five quests now, each more daunting and dangerous than the last. Surely, now the fates would let her rest. The gods couldn't possibly ask her to do anymore on their behalf. But Annabeth remembered the cold, disinterested look in her mother's eyes on the subway when she handed her the coin and charged her with following the mark of Athena. The gods didn't care about her.

The panels had started to slide apart, letting in a whiff of...ozone? Sulfur?

She hated it, but she didn't have time for self-pity. She blinked away her tears, and tightened her grip on Riptide and pulled the crack closed.

Annabeth could feel anger bubble up in her chest. She hated her mother. She wanted to kill Hera. She was going to rip Gaea apart with her bare hands.

Annabeth knew that she was being irrational. She remembered Tartarus's boast. He could not be killed. Neither could Gaea. Against such power, even Titans and giants were hopelessly outmatched. Demigods stood no chance.

But she let herself be angry. It made it easier to hold the doors.

"Twelve minutes," she murmured. "Just twelve minutes."

She prayed, but not to any any god. She prayed for strength and wisdom. She wondered what she would find once they reached the top of this elevator ride.

If her friends weren't there, controlling the other side...

"They'll be there" Annabeth told herself. "They have to be."

Suddenly the was a hand on Annabeth's shoulder, shaking her awake.

Groggily, Annabeth opened her eyes and found Thalia standing over her. It took her a moment to realize that she wasn't in Tartarus. She was in her tent, with all the other hunters, and she was safe. It didn't matter that Annabeth had been a huntress for 48 years, whenever she dreamt of that horrid place it away surprised her to wake up and be safe.

"Is it morning?" Annabeth asked as she sat up and surveyed the sleeping forms of her sisters in arms.

"No," Thalia whispered, "I need to talk to you."

Disentangling herself from her blankets, Annabeth rose and followed her out of the tent. The campsite was illuminated in silver moonlight, and Annabeth could see her breath. Wishing she had taken one of her blankets with her, Annabeth shivered and wondered why it was so cold.

They were in the pine woods of Texas hunting down the Neman lion. Sure, it was the dead of winter (only a few days after the solstice), but Texas was supposed to be warm year round. At least, that's what Leo had once told her.

Thalia gestured for Annabeth to follow her and started walking to the other end of the campsite. When Annabeth realized where Thalia was leading her, she grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"What are you thinking?" Annabeth hissed. They were standing a few feet from Artemis' tent. It wasn't that the hunters were forbidden from seeking out the goddess during the night, after all it wasn't like immortals slept. But Annabeth could hear muffled voices coming from the tent, and it was never a good idea to eavesdrop on a god.

But Thalia didn't seem to be worried about that. Instead she shot Annabeth a glare and pressed a finger to her lips before creeping up to the side of the tent. After a moment of deliberation, Annabeth followed her.

In their new position, Annabeth could clearly hear the goddess speaking.

"You know boys are forbidden from having contact with the Hunters." She was saying.

"Well," a deep voice answered, "I suppose it's a good thing that I'm not a boy."

Annabeth shot a look at Thalia, who was looking at her with raised eyebrows.

"You're a man," Artemis conceded, "But that isn't much better."

"I can change that," and after a moment, a softer, more boyish voice spoke, "See?"

There was a moment of silence that Annabeth wasn't sure how to interpret. Maybe the goddess was thinking over whatever this stranger was asking of her, or maybe she was turning him into a jackalope.

"This is less than ideal." The goddess finally spoke.

"I know it is," The voice answered, "But I need your aid, my lady. You are the best tracker and Aphrodite's anger is a dangerous thing. I do not know how much time can be spared."

"Know that I do not do this for you. If you you so much as wink at one of my hunters—" she let the threat hang in the air, the unsaid promises of the horrors she'd unleash.

"Thank you." It sounded sincere.

"Now that this matter is settled, I will deal with the eavesdroppers."

Thalia looked at Annabeth with eyes as wide as saucers. Quickly, Annabeth grabbed her hand and started to sneak back towards their tent where they were supposed to be sleeping, but they didn't make it far before the flap of the tent was pushed aside and the goddess herself stepped out of the tent.

She was in her usual form, a twelve year old girl nearly an entire foot shorter than Annabeth, but that did not stop the chill of dread she felt when the goddess trained her steely gaze on them.

"Lieutenant," She addressed Thalia first, "Annabeth."

"My lady." The girls chorused as they snapped to attention.

"You should not have been listening in on my private conversation. The two of you will cover latrine duty for a fortnight."

Annabeth didn't have to fake being embarrassed, as she looked down at her bare feet she could feel her face heating up. She may have the body of an eighteen year old, but she was much older than that and it was mortifying to be punished like a child.

"But since the two of you are awake, perhaps you would like to come in and meet our guest. He will be accompanying us on our next hunt."

The hunters exchanged a look. Apollo? Annabeth mouthed, and Thalia only shrugged in response. They followed the goddess back into her tent.

When her eyes landed on their supposed guest, Annabeth froze. It was as if she had suddenly become a tree, her body a rigid trunk rooted to the spot. Thalia stood beside her, mouth slightly open in silent surprise.

"Hey, Thalia. Wise Girl."