Aphrodite stared at the woman who sat in front of her. She was short but beautiful, with a temper that most of the gods and goddesses shied away from. Her name was Rona and she knew almost everything, from prophecies to monsters. Rona had sought out Aphrodite to tell her the new information that she had discovered and Aphrodite was astonished and it took a lot to surprise her. She didn't know if she should laugh, squeal, or just pretended that she never heard what the petite woman said.

"So explain this to me again…it's not a prophecy?"

The small woman crossed her arms, rolled her eyes, and sighed, "you know its hard to make prophecies about love…prophecies are about heroes and battles, they can include love but they do not focus on love."

Aphrodite just shook her head again and felt the smile and then started laughing, "So what do we do?"

"If we do nothing, then he will die anyways..."

Aphrodite felt something stirring in her heart and she stood sighing, "I can't just sit here and do nothing…I'll be back, do not leave little one."

The woman glared at the beautiful goddess, "I'm older than you!"

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Hera listened to Rona talk and although she knew that she should be upset, she was truly elated. Finally! She had her way out!

"Do what you must…I will not be the one who denies true love and powers greater than the twelve Olympians."

Apollo was watching the scene and was shocked, "Rona you are talented and beautiful!"

Rona chuckled and stood up, "Well then, do what you must with this information. I have done my duty and now leave it in your hands. But I must warn you, the boy…he must say "it" by the end of six months…if he doesn't then the one we all look to for strength will die…"

Apollo shook his head, "That is silly…"

Aphrodite sighed, with a dreamy look in her eyes, "No it makes sense. True love that great…its like a life sustaining substance in its self."

Hera nodded, "We will help with everything we can…it won't be easy."

They all three looked at her shocked. She blushed, she knew what they were thinking, and "I've grown up the last four hundred years…"

Apollo shook his head, "Well whatever….how are we going to do this…"

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Percy watched the waves…getting that feeling again. It was like he was missing something and he couldn't find his place.

Camp Half Blood was almost completely deserted, even Annabeth was gone, and only four or five campers remained.

It wasn't like him to be so aggravated next to water and he could feel the waves calling to him, but he didn't feel like stepping in.

Instead he buried his head in his hands trying to understand the feelings swimming inside of him. He wasn't normally so indecisive but the feeling of belonging no where and the restlessness where setting him in some sort of limbo.

"Why are you so sad little one?"

Percy jumped a foot and almost screamed, but instead he just stood gaping at the beautiful woman that stood before him. He knew who she was, by the colors of her eyes, they looked like peacocks.

"Lady Hera…"

The woman's dark hair swayed with the waves and Percy felt immediately uncomfortable, like he did around most of the Olympians…or was that just girls in general?

"Percy Jackson. I have a quest for you…but it involves no Oracle, there is no right or wrong, only how you feel in your heart…"

Percy winced…he didn't like the sound of this, it sort of sounded like Aphrodite. That thought alone almost made him run from the goddess.

"I don't know…"

Hera continued to smile at him, and sat down in the sand, watching him, "You've been feeling restless, like you don't know where to go from here. You don't want to go home because you feel like your mother deserves her own time. You also do not want to go to your father because you feel like you do not belong in his world…"

Percy swallowed hard, narrowing his eyes a little, "H-How did you know those things?"

Hera chuckled softly, "Mother's know best, my dear. Every mother has intuition about children, especially their own. I can sense these things about you Percy and it's not hard to figure out anyways. You won't go into the water, you are not at home and you seem so lonely…"

It was hard for him to look at her, because he wished she was wrong, "What do I have to do for this quest?"

He heard her intake of breathe and when he looked up he thought that for a second he saw hope spring into her eyes, but it was gone before he was sure, "I am…taking a leave of absence. I need you to be a companion to my husband."

It took Percy a while to think through what she just said. So many parts of the statement seemed wrong.

"Why are you leaving?"

Hera shrugged a shoulder, "We Gods do from time to time…but if this goes right..."

She stopped short and Percy watched her but knew she wouldn't continue, "I don't understand the second part…about being a companion to your husband…

The goddess's eyes brightened and the intense colors in her eyes where almost blinding, "With me gone he needs someone to stay with him and keep him company…"

He could feel that she wasn't saying something but he also could feel that no matter what he said she would not tell him.

"So what exactly do I have to do?" Percy knew something was going on…he could feel it but he could also feel the restlessness fading and every fiber of his being told him to except the quest.

"You will come to Olympus, live there and…help my husband while I am gone."

Percy didn't trust any of the gods or goddesses… they all had secret agendas, and used heroes…but he couldn't ignore the feeling that was pushing at him, "Fine…"

The goddess clapped her hands together and smiled, "It's all been taken care of, grab my hand!"

Percy was taken aback by the speed of everything and didn't have time to think when Hera grabbed his hand and they…transported… he wasn't sure if he liked the feeling of it, his insides felt twisted and he wanted to throw up…but it was fast.

Hera ushered him into a huge room, and Percy's mouth dropped open.

There was a huge bed with silky sea green sheets and the entire room was decked out in ocean decorations. But it wasn't Wal-Mart fish wallpaper…no fish were actually swimming in the wallpaper.

There was a mini beach in one corner of the room and a plasma screen TV in the other. Percy could hear the sound of the ocean and instantly he felt better…because even if this quest was crazy at least he had a little piece of home.

Hera was watching him and he smiled at her, "So I just help Zeus for a while…"

Percy watched at the goddess bit her lip, "Sort of. You will have friends to help you along the way. Apollo and Aphrodite understand and will help you with anything you need."

He watched her for a second, Apollo was fine, he liked the sun god more then most of the other Olympian's, except maybe his father and Hermes.

Aphrodite…he was skittish around and Athena also-. "Wait isn't Annabeth visiting sometime this summer?"

Hera smiled a motherly smile at him, "I had forgotten that she was, but that is great news, you will be much more comfortable with a friend."

He walked to his bed and sat down, smiling at the feel of it. It was warm and squishy and made him feel like he was riding a wave, "Who designed this room?"

"Hermes and Apollo."

"Does Hermes know about this quest?" Percy walked along and petted one of the fish on the wall before looking at the goddess.

Hera shook her head, "No but I think he will be of much help, he understands far more than a lot of the others give him credit for."

Percy nodded and sat back down on the bed, "Well my child, get some rest…I hope you succeed in this quest…"

The way she said it gave him chills and again he got the feeling he was in something greater then Hera was letting on. Before he could ask anything the goddess smiled and disappeared.

The feeling of loneliness assaulted him again and he quickly stripped to his boxers and rolled under the covers, hoping the waves would help him sleep.

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It took a moment at first to realize what was going on. He had awoken to what he thought was a thunderstorm but now as he started at Zeus, a very angry Zeus, he knew he was mistaken.

"What have you done with my wife and why are you here, sea brat?"

Percy bristled at the nickname and gritted his teeth together to stop from saying something back.

He rose from bed and glared back at the God trying to calmly say, "I haven't done anything with your wife… She's the one that brought me here."

Zeus watched him for a moment and Percy then realized he had very little clothes on.

Now Percy was almost eighteen, he was semi experienced in the ways of the world and he knew that showing a little skin wasn't all that bad…but he was Percy and just couldn't stand it, call it shyness or just plain weird, being even partly naked in front of others scared him.

He looked over at the god and saw him wearing jeans and a sweater vest, but instead of looking like a nerd, Zeus looked like a professor... a very young professor. He now had curly black hair that passed his ears, and still had those piercing gray eyes. Percy immediately felt even more self-conscious.

He slipped on sweatpants and a t-shirt, completely ignoring the god that stood a few feet from him, but he could feel his gaze and that was enough for Percy to hurry along.

Just as he pulled over his shirt, Apollo and Aphrodite came striding into the room. Aphrodite had a look of worry on her face and ran to Percy crushing him to her chest, "He didn't hurt you did he! What a mean old man Zeus is!"

Zeus rolled his eyes and it almost made Percy laugh…rolling your eyes just didn't seem very godly. Apollo chuckled and looked over at Zeus, "It is true; Hera disappeared last night and dropped Percy off."

Zeus clenched his fist together, "I know that and normally I wouldn't have blinked but this letter," a letter appeared in front of Zeus and he glared at it, "tells me different."

Aphrodite flitted over and grabbed the letter despite Zeus's look of discouragement, "Well this is sort of the same letter I received, would you like me to read it aloud? Percy should have a better feel of what's going on…"

Zeus glanced over at him, sighed and sat down on a chair. Aphrodite giggled and cleared her throat,

Zeus,

While you may never realize why I've left, I hope you are not too proud to realize that better things come along for a reason. Percy will be there to assist you in anything that you need, please be nice and understand that he doesn't have the slightest idea of why I'm gone. I've left letters with Apollo and Aphrodite; they are the best for the situation that has risen. No Oracle will be able to tell you what is going on, this is not a prophecy, This is you finally realizing that although we are Olympian's we have human feelings….

Hera

Zeus glared at the letter, and Percy had a feeling he wished it was Hera. Percy wanted to ask why he cared so much about why the woman left, his track recorded proved a lot about what he thought of marriage.

"I don't like hidden meanings and I do not like being in the dark." Zeus glared at everyone in the room.

Aphrodite rolled her eyes and danced back over to Percy, kissing him on the cheek, "No one likes to be in the dark Zeus. But sometimes things happen for a reason…even for us. Now I'm going to eat, Zeus maybe you should show Percy to the dining area, he is human and while we might not need much food, he does."

Apollo winked at Percy, "I will talk to you later, Percy!"

They were left alone and Percy was again being glared at by stormy gray eyes, "I'm sorry about Hera…but it's not my fault."

He refused to look at Zeus until he heard a sigh, "Will you tell me what happened?"

Percy looked up to see the God watching him carefully, "Umm…sure. I was on the beach and Lady Hera came to me and said she had a quest for me. She said I had to live on Olympus and help you…"

Again Zeus rolled his eyes, "I do not need help."

Before Percy could even think about holding his tongue he blurted out, "You have horrible pride…hubris right?"

The god glared at him and he blushed realizing he probably shouldn't have said anything. But Percy wasn't one to cower away especially if it was his mouth that had gotten him in trouble. So instead he just glared back at the God, watching his gray eyes.

"Percy Jackson…you are one stupid little sea brat."

Percy felt his blood boil and he glared at the older man, "And you're a rude old man who thinks too highly of himself."

He walked passed the god and tried not to think about what he had just done. Instead he focused on finding a way to the dining hall, his stomach was growling.

"It's the left."

He jumped a foot when he realized that Zeus was next to him motioning in the opposite direction he was heading. He couldn't help himself and he just glared at the man before heading the way he pointed.

Something about Zeus irritated him, sort of how Ares made him want to punch people and objects, but it didn't make a lot of sense to Percy. Ares made him want to hurt people because he was the God of War, it wasn't like Zeus was the God of Annoyance.