A/N: Well then, I am so sorry it took so long to update this story. I'm falling behind. I've been adjusting to a new job over the last few weeks. I'm finally settled and will be back into the swing of things. I'm so glad everyone seems to be liking the direction this story is going. I can't thank you all enough for reading. Also, I'm going to try a new format when characters are having a conversation. Let me know if you like the new format or if I should go back to the old one in a review or PM. On that note, on with the chapter.

A/N: Okay, so the reviews are unanimous that no-one likes the new format. So, I've edited the chapter and reverted it to the old format. Sorry about that. Just trying something new. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't...

Disclaimer: I do not own the Percy Jackson series or the Heroes of Olympus series. If I did, I'd have gone much further with the stories. So many myths, so little time...

Chapter 5

The Next Day

As morning arose, the demigods met with the Olympians to set out on the first ever quest of this type. Olympians and Demigods working together in a close nit team for the fate of... well, Fate itself. The Olympians—Percy, Hestia, Hera, and Athena—were standing at the gates of Olympus discussing the upcoming journey as the demigods—Katie Gardener and Lou Ellen—arived.

"Well, as this is a quest," Athena said, "everything must be done naturally and manually in regards to transportation. Thus, we cannot instantaneously travel using or divine powers. Also, I'd say we cannot use our divine forms, as the demigods could get caught in the crossfire. Are we in agreement up until this point?"

The gods present nodded their agreement. Percy saw the approaching demigods first and greeted them. "Hello Katie, Lou Ellen, how are you this morning?" They both mumbled a quiet good morning as they tried to wake up. With a large yawn and a small bow to the gods present, Katie asked:

Katie looked to Athena,"So, how are we starting this thing? I've actually never been on a big quest before. Unless you count the battle of Manhattan, which I don't..."

"Katie, Lou Ellen, since we are going to be on this quest together for an undetermined length of time, there will be no need for formalities." Athena explained. "Bowing will just take up time we don't have. At times, we may disguise ourselves as mortals to get through various obstacles. To answer your query, We will be traveling across the country to Las Angeles to the Underworld. There we will descend into the Pit to begin our search."

"What about the doors of Orpheus? Aren't they here in New York?" Lou Ellen asked.

"Yes, but can anyone here sing or play an instrument well enough to open them?" Hera asked. No one answered. "That is why we must make the journey across the states."

"No offense my lady, but I don't think we can run across the country non-stop like you can." Katie paused. "Percy gave us his blessing, but we don't have limitless stamina like you do."

Hera just smiled, looking at the demigods. "Girls, I'm well aware of mortal limitations. Gods do have mortal transportation. We just rarely use them, except in times when we mingle among the mortals for various reasons. I personally hide among mortals at times to monitor their marriages. Are we ready?"

Getting nods from all present, Hera led the way out the gates and into the elevator. As the elevator began its descent to the ground floor, the music began and a collective groan was heard from all six.

Percy groaned, "I forgot to ask Apollo about the music selection again..."

Hestia giggled a bit at that, then frowned when she remembered something. "Percy, Apollo isn't in control of the music here. It is the responsibility of the Muses. They are rather set in their ways too. I wish you the best of luck if you try to convince them to change the music."

Percy's head lowered in defeat. After a few minutes the elevator made it to the ground floor and the party stepped out into the lobby. The guard bowed when he saw the four Olympians. Hera walked up to him and handed him a small note. He read it briefly and typed something in the computer in front of him. "Done my Lady. It will be in front of the building at the valet pick up in two minutes." He then went back to... whatever it is he does.

And so the unlikely group stepped out. After a brief wait, a blue BMW X5 seven passenger luxury vehicle was pulled up in front of the waiting gods and demigods. Percy, Katie and Lou Ellen were staring at the car. Percy was nearly drooling. "Glad you all like it," Hera said dryly. "Well? Get it."

That was all they needed to hear. Hera took the driver's seat with Hestia sitting passenger. Percy sat behind Hera and Athena behind Hestia. Katie and Lou Ellen were in the very back. Despite being a seven person vehicle, it was very spacious. More so than it should be. The demigods marked that as being a perk of godly magic. And so, once everyone was settled in, Hera set off towards the West. The drive was going to be a long one. About 43 hours if one were to drive non-stop. After factoring in gas stops, bathroom breaks for the demigods, food stops, and stopping to sleep, it would be about a week on the road. And that's if nothing went wrong. No one expected to get there in less than a week, as something always goes wrong on quests.

Luckily, the first day was uneventful so far. They had been in the car for just over 9 hours and had made it to Columbus, Ohio. Being hungry, they decided to stop at a Waffle House just off of Interstate 71 on E. Dublin Granville Road. After eating their fill, they all went out to the parking lot to set off again, but as they were getting in the car Athena sensed something. She threw herself at the demigods, knocking them to the ground and covering them with her own body. The other gods followed suit and dived away from the car as it exploded in a massive ball of green flame. The heat of the flames burned Athena ever so slightly as she was the closest and protecting the demigods. Standing up, the six looked around for whoever had caused this. Hearing sirens in the distance, Athena spoke up.

Athena stood up and said, "I think it would be best to depart from here before the mortals arrive. Unless you want to waste time and energy wiping the memories of every mortal in the area. I'll have Hecate manipulate the mist for a good cover story."

"Actually," Lou Ellen interupted. "Mom taught me how to manipulate the mist for that purpose over a small area. I can do it for the people around us who saw it, if you'd like?"

Athena nodded and Lou Ellen set her mind to the task at hand. After about a minute she was sweating profusely with the effort it took to manipulate the memories of so many people. When she had finished, she began to collapse, only to be caught by Hestia. "Rest Child. You did well."

And with that, Lou Ellen passed out in the small goddesses arms. Hestia took her adult form, so as to better accommodate for the weight of her passenger.

"Sooo... what exactly just happened?" Percy asked everyone in general.

The gods and Katie set off to a local hotel just up the road. It was a decent 3 star place called Hawthorn Suites.

"It seems someone is tracking our quest," Athena said with a frown. "Whoever it is set up a greek fire bomb on the car. Sorry, Hera. I didn't sense it until it was too late."

Hera sighed. "No matter. What concerns me is that whoever set up the bomb was able to slip by without being sensed. And by four Olympians no less. This does not bode well."

Hestia pondered this for a moment. "No, it does not. We will have to be more vigilant. I suggest we get two rooms side by side. Two Olympians and one demigod per room. It would be safest for Katie and Lou Ellen."

Percy looked a bit uncomfortable but said nothing. Of course this did not go unnoticed by the goddesses. They guessed—correctly—that Percy was a bit uncomfortable sharing a room with two women.

'Something is bothering him besides sharing a room with women,' Hestia thought. "I will take a room with Percy and Lou Ellen while in my child form. We can rent the room as three siblings. That puts Katie with Hera and Athena. I can use this time to help Lou Ellen recover using my power over the hearth for healing. Any objections?"

No one had any. Though Percy was uncomfortable, this plan made the most sense. If the others didn't disagree, who was he to?

"We will meet in Hestia's room in the morning to discuss our next move then," Athena said. "Until tomorrow."

Hestia nodded, as they walked in to rent the rooms and rest for the night. The whole time, Percy was wondering in the back of his mind who could be tracking the quest. Something wasn't right.

Percy, Hestia and Lou Ellen's Room

Entering the room, Hesita immediately set Lou Ellen on one of the two queen size beds. She muttered under her breath in ancient greek and her hands glowed with a warm orange aura. She waved her hands briefly over the demigod and began to rejuvenate her.

"She lost a lot of energy manipulating so much of the Mist." Hestia was talking to herself, but Percy spoke anyways.

"How long will she be out?" Percy asked. "I know when I used more energy than I should I would pass out anywhere from a day to a few weeks."

Percy was remembering all the times he had been unconscious for doing something stupid. Mt. St. Helens being one of the most prominent in his mind.

"She should be up in the morning actually." Hestia informed him. "Her condition isn't as bad as it seems."

"That's good." After a short delay, "I'm sorry you all got dragged into a quest like this. I shouldn't have asked Rachel for a prophesy. I should've just gone alone and searched for the sisters myself. Then you all wouldn't be in danger..."

"Percy, don't. You don't need to do that."

"Do what?"

Hestia looked at him dryly. "Blame yourself. It's not your fault. It never has been. All the times you've blamed yourself you have been burdening yourself with guild that doesn't belong to you."

Percy looked away as he spoke next. "No, most of it is my fault..." He was barely whispering, but Hestia could hear him none the less.

"And how do you figure that?" Hestia asked.

Percy gritted his teeth before speaking. "Because I was an ignorant child half the time. I got myself into situations that I couldn't possibly hope to come out of unharmed, and yet I managed to survive. But my survival and reckless actions have cost the lives of a lot of good friends."

Hestia got up, having finished healing Lou Ellen. She walked over to Percy and lifted his chin, turning him to face her. "You were a demigod involving yourself time and again in the world of immortal gods. You have done more for Olympus than anyone in history when you didn't have any true obligation. You stayed loyal to your family that you had never met or knew about until you first traveled to camp half-blood. I'd say that, if anything, you are deserving of far more than you have. You deserve happiness for all that you have accomplished, not to blame yourself for everything that has happened outside of your control."

Percy pulled away, looking down at the floor. "It doesn't change the fact that I'm here and my friends aren't. Not only that, but now I can never join them. What's to say the Lou Ellen and Katie aren't going to end up the same way while on this quest? And all because of me! They are following me into Tartarus for Olympus sake! Demigods aren't meant to go there. Annabeth and I were lucky to survive it when we fell the first time. And I was the most powerful demigod alive at the time." Percy was barely succeeding at holding back tears for his fallen friends.

"Percy... You're not alone," Hestia said gently. "There are three Olympians descending into the Pit with you to help on this quest. We can and will help to keep them safe. But you need to let go of the past. Stop blaming yourself for the deaths of your friends. None of it was your fault."

"Yes, it was. I could have, no I should have taken on the prototype Talos that killed Bianca. I shouldn't have let Zoe fight Atlas alone. If I hadn't blown Mt. St. Helens I could have succeeded in the Labyrinth. Then the battle that killed Lee Fletcher and Castor wouldn't have happened. They would still be alive. Beckendorf died on the Princess Andromeda because I got caught. Michael Yew died because I destroyed the Williamsburg Bridge. Silena Beauregard would still be alive, she would never have tried fighting the drakon if Beckendorf was still here. Ethan Nakamura could've been saved if I had done a better job of convincing him to come back to our side. If I hadn't let Gaia rise, all of the Hunters of Artemis and Amazons wouldn't have been killed by Orion! All of those deaths are on my hands! How is none of that my fault!?"

By the end of his rant, Percy was shouting and in tears. He collapsed to the ground and began hyperventilating. Hearing the commotion, The three in the next room came rushing in, weapons drawn expecting an attack of some kind. "What's going on?" Hera asked.

Seeing the state Percy was in, Athena asked Hestia what happened. Instead of answering, Hestia knelt down with Percy and began to talk to him in a soothing voice, channeling the calm of the hearth to settle his heartache, at least tempararily.

"Percy, you're wrong. None of that was your fault. Bianca triggered Talos, not you. She was already fated to fall that day, there was absolutely nothing you could do to stop it. Zoe, too, was destined to fall by her fathers hand. At that time, you could not change their fates. Had you not blown the mountain, the scythe would have been done sooner, and more would have died than already have. Don't forget all the good that came from the Battle of the Labyrinth. You rescued and befriended Briares, who joined your father below the sea. You prevented the camp from ever being attacked from the Labarynth ever again. Beckendorf is not dead because of you. My father is responsible for his death. Silena's death was by her own hand, not yours. She died leading the Ares campers into battle, without which the battle could have been lost. Ethan Nakamura chose his course long before he met you. As for the Hunters and Amazons, Orion had a grudge against them for a long time. Gaia's rise was not the cause, Orion himself was. And like I said before, Athena, Hera and myself are here and will help you keep Katie and Lou Ellen safe in the Pit. You are not alone. You never have been and you never will be."

Hestia took Percy up in a hug as he wept into her shoulder. Years of guild had finally caught up to the young god. The others in the room had a sad look of sympathy and understanding on their faces. Knowing there wasn't much they could do, they went back to there own room. Hestia stayed on the floor with Percy as he wept, until at last his exhaustion made itself known and he passed out in Hestia's arms. She lifted him gently off the floor and set him on the other bed. She then joined Lou Ellen in the first bed as she too drifted off into sleep.

A/N: Okay, I know this was a shorter chapter. But I feel like this would be the best place to end it. So let me know what you think. Did you like it? Did you hate it? Next update will be in approximately a week and a half. Maybe less. Big maybe.