•as the world caves in•

•thalia drives the sun•

"This is so cool!" Nico grinned as we got in the van Apollo drove. "I thought Helios and Selene were the god and goddess of the sun and moon though. How come sometimes it's them and other times it's you and your sister?"

"Downsizing," Apollo shrugged. "Romans couldn't afford all the temple sacrifices, so they laid off Helios and Selene, then gave their duties to us."

"So what happened to them in the Greek world?" I asked.

Apollo paused. "Uh, I don't really know. Now that I think about it I haven't seen them since, well, since the Romans took over. Sometimes they randomly pop up but it's only for a second and then it's like you just imagined them."

Thalia frowned. "Well, that's definitely something."

Suddenly, a glint appeared in the Gods eyes. "Alright, Daughter of Zeus, how about you drive. Lord of the sky, it's perfect!"

"Oh, no," she shook her head. "No thanks."

"C'mon, how old are you?"

Thalia looked at her feet and shrugged. "I dunno."

I hated it, but it was true. When she was twelve, she got turned into a tree protecting Annabeth, Grover and I, along with a former friend, from Cyclopes. But, that was seven years ago. If we went by that, she was nineteen, but she felt like she was twelve, but she looked sixteen. The best Chiron could guess was she kept aging in the tree, but at a slower rate.

Apollo thought. "You're fifteen, almost sixteen."

I sighed. "Could've been sixteen going on seventeen."

Percy frowned. "What? Why?"

"Ah, the song!" Apollo grinned. "The Sound of Music, very great movie."

"What's that?" Percy asked.

I shoved him. "Ugh, seriously! How do you not know that movie? Once we're done with this, I'm gonna convince Chiron to get us that movie."

"Yeah, once we get there!" Thalia interrupted. "Right now, we need to get to camp and figure out how to save Annabeth!"

"So, you'll drive!" Apollo grinned. He pushed a random button by the wheel and a sign flashed saying something like: WARNING, STUDENT DRIVER. "Just for safety!"

Now that I was fourteen, my dad and Sam had started teaching me how to drive. Sam had an automatic, so that was fairly easy, apart from how bad I am at breaking. My dad, on the other hand, has a stick and it is hard to even attempt to learn that.

I was pulled from my thoughts as Thalia slammed on the gas, causing me to fall onto Percy. "Sorry!"

Percy held me steady. "You're fine, but I don't think Thalia has driven before."

I looked at her white-knuckles on the wheel and how stiff she was. "She definitely hasn't."

Thalia swerved around a tree, causing us to fall again. Percy shouted, "lighten up on the gas!"

"I've got it, Percy!" Thalia shouted.

"Loosen up!" I shouted.

"I am!"

"Hang a left!" Apollo shouted. Thalia turned. "Other left!"

I yelped as I flung into Percy for about the tenth time, and each time he held my shoulders and kept me steady as long as he could before another sharp turn or break appeared.

Thalia started the final stretch to camp, but showed no sign of stopping.

"Brake," Apollo said, looking like he was about to burst. Thalia kept on the gas. "BRAKE!"

She slammed on the brake and we landed in the canoe lake, steam billowing as the naiads ran out with their baskets.

~•~•~•~

I hadn't been at camp for winter in two years since I started school, so it felt a little bittersweet to be here on such strange terms.

The cabins had glowing Christmas lights on them, except they were real fire and weren't just for Christmas. Although we celebrated the Greek holidays, sometimes it was nice to pretend we were normal and celebrate huge holidays like Halloween and Christmas.

I smiled at all the snow and picked it up, feeling it crunch in my hands. I could remember all the snowball fights I'd had with Annabeth and Luke, Grover and other campers sometimes joining.

Zoë pulled me from the thought. "Tell Chiron we will be in Cabin Eight. Hunters, follow me."

I watched Grover lead them to the Cabin, and Percy try to talk to Nico, who looked upset that Bianca had gone off with them.

Not many campers were here. It was more empty than I felt it should've been, but it seemed a lot more campers had reconnected with parents, or some simply aged out. I knew Silena was here, she was always here for whenever I needed her.

Charlie was outside stoking the forge, clearly working on something, but I couldn't look now, as we had to find Chiron. I also spotted to Stoll brothers who were trying to pick the lock to the camp store, but didn't have much luck.

I turned to the Big House, and Percy was looking at me. "You okay?"

I sighed. "Yeah, it's just strange to be back during the winter. And it's strange without..."

"We'll get her back." Percy said. "I promise."

I nodded and smiled at him. "Thanks, Percy."

We looked at each other for a little longer before he turned to open the door. "Nico, get ready to meet Chiron."