The sky was painted with the pink and orange tinges of the early morning when I woke up.

I got out of bed and started to make my way to the kitchen, my stomach moaning about the lack of food.

Hermes sat at the table, calmly sipping a cup of tea and looking through the books and papers that were spread all over the table from one of my failed study sessions.

"What are you doing here?" I hissed.

"Your presence is required at Olympus," he said, getting up and brushing his hands on his jeans, not seeming to care about the fact that he had just broken into my apartment.

"Better get going," he added.

I sighed.

"Whatever."

***

"600th floor," I said to the security guard.

"No such thing," he replied, drowsily, looking past me and probably daydreaming about his bed.

Seriously, didn't the guy recognize me by now?

"I have a appointment," I said and his eyes widened as he reluctantly pulled out the elevator card.

I took a deep breath, stepped in the elevator, and squeezed my eyes shut, nails digging into my palm, until I heard the soft ding that informed me of my arrival.

***

My friends were standing in the Hall of the gods, looking both slightly bored and slightly nervous. Probably more bored though.

Nico caught my eye and gave me a knowing nod, somehow transmitting comfort and sympathy to me through his gaze. Hades must have told him.

"Ah, Perseus, you have decided come to join us after all," Zeus said, the edges of a smirk playing at his mouth.

"Brother," Poseidon warned, his tone careful.

"Well, since our little hero," he spat the word, "has arrived late, we must inform him of the news."

Athena nodded, sternly.

"It seems that you have quite a strong influence on your friends, and they have declined immortality, requesting for other wishes instead."

She shot a calculated glare and Annabeth, who only ignored her.

As soon as Athena stopped talking, Annabeth ran up to me and gave me a huge hug.

"I did it, Seaweed," she said,"I overcame my hubris."

I picked her up and span her around as she giggled.

I pecked her on the lips and she smiled, completely content in that moment.

"Annabeth," Athena called and my wonderful, wonderful girlfriend sighed, shooting me a apologetic look as she walked towards her mother.

I looked down at the skyline of Manhattan, marvelling at how small everything looked from a distance. The intricate buildings and cement seemed like a little child's play city, something Annabeth would build out of Lego, or something.

Nico snuck up on me, walking out of a shadow, like a particularly stealthy cat.

"So, godhood, huh?"

I looked away, not meeting his eyes.

"Percy, there's nothing to be ashamed about," he said, his tone surprisingly gentle.

"Nothing?! I'd do anything just to be normal and be left alone! Is that too much to ask?!"

Nico didn't answer, instead looking down at the City. I wondered if he was thinking the same things I was, about lost chances, things I wish I could change.

"Sorry," I offered, taking a deep breath.

"I guess it's a lot to handle," he muttered, " but at least you have me and Annabeth and all the rest of the Seven."

I sighed. "I know, but..."

"Yeah. I understand," he said with the slightest hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

I stared out at the horizon, watching the sun creep slowly over the horizon, spreading its heat and light over all the buildings.

"I just wish Leo was here," I said and Nico nodded in response, though his movement was much more weary, like he had almost, almost given up hope.

"Someday, we'll see him again," he said softly, though he didn't seem sure.

I grunted in agreement. "I hope so."

***

"Hey Mom," I said as I entered the room, unconsciously scanning for monsters.

Mom looked up from behind the kitchen counter and smiled.

"How did it go?" she asked, washing her batter stained hands.

I shrugged. "I missed most of it."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's okay. Not much happened, anyway."

Mom bit her lip, pouring the bright blue mixture into the pan as it sizzled under the heat.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"It's okay," I insisted," I don't want to talk to them like this anyway."

"Percy," Mom said, the stern Mom note creeping into her voice.

"Yeah?" I looked up at her.

"You're still you. There's nothing in any of the nine worlds that would change that. Your friends will understand that. If they don't, then they do not deserve you."

"Mom!" I said. "My friends are my friends. I would never let them down."

"Maybe that's the problem," she said, gazing out of the window as the first beams of sunlight peeked through the window.

Suddenly, the buzzer sounded, making us all jump.

Mom sighed with a half smile and said,"Yes?"

"This is Apollo," the voice rang out in an accent that was decidedly old.

Apollo? Honestly, don't these gods have enough to do already?

"The god Apollo," he continued, "Is Percy home?"

Why me? Those gods were intolerable. Couldn't they just leave me alone?

"Don't let him in," I groaned, as Mom tossed the pancake onto a plate, the steam still coming off the pan.

"Percy," Mom warned.

"I just want to be left alone, you know? Just for once?"

"Why don't we just let him in, Percy. You don't want to face his anger, do you?"

"Fine." I mumbled, "but don't expect me to be nice."

I slumped over to the door. This guy better bot take my blue pancakes.

"Why?" I growled, as I threw open the door, my voice coming out harsher than I meant it to.

Glancing down, I noticed short, scrawny, acne covered teenager standing on my doorway, accompanied by a girl, around twelve, with smudgey red rhinestone glasses.

"Percy Jackson, my blessings upon you!" my visitor said, with a fake smile on his face, "I am in need of assistance."

"Who's your friend?" I demanded.

"This is Meg McCaffrey," he announced gesturing to her, "a demigod who must be taken to Camp Half-Blood. She rescued me from street thugs."

"Rescued..." I muttered to myself.

"You mean the 'beat-up teenager' look isn't just a disguise?" I asked, trying to make sense of his looks. Usually, Apollo didn't look any less than awsome. "Dude, what happened to you?"

"I may have mentioned the street thugs," he said as if that explained everything.

"But you're a god."

"About that...I was a god."

I blinked in surprise as my early morning coffee deprived brain attempted to make sense of all of this nonsense. "Was?"

He took a deep breath.

"Also," he added, "I'm fairly certain we're being followed by malicious spirits."

I was ready to punch this guy. Why, why, why me? They always, always, only ever come to me if they need my help.

I took a deep breath. Better get it over and done with quickly, especially before those 'malicious spirits' turned up. I couldn't gave monsters in my apartment.

"Maybe you two should come inside."