Son of the Moon

25

-Percy-

It took all of about five minutes for Thalia to get frustrated enough to snap, "What the Hades are we going to do now?!" she yelled, her angry demand the first sound since they had gotten off the subway. He had been waiting for this having seen her get more and more agitated ever since they escaped the Sparti, having to run from the undead horrors, escape the mercenaries, as well as the fact that nobody would explain to her what was going on between Katie Castor had left her patience, already small enough as it is, to microscopic levels.

"We're going to find a train that can take us west," he said firmly "while most of these don't look like they've moved in years there has to be at least one damn train here that is going west and is still active.".

"You kids need to go west?" a voice asked behind them as they spun around, his hand going to the knife at his belt, only to see a pair of rather shabby looking homeless men who gave them toothless grins, waving grease covered hands at them cheerfully.

He was about to shuffle his friends away from the homeless men and their, admittedly inviting, garbage fire, before one of the men winked a sky blue eye at him and flashed a gold ring with a tribal sun on it before hiding the article of jewelry away. A moment later the second man flashed a dull silver ring that had a caduceus before hiding it like his companion.

"Yes actually," he said, ignoring his companion's shocked looks as he stepped to the garbage fire, "know of any trains heading that way?".

"Three freight cars down and then take a right, ya can't miss it." The man with the golden ring said happily "it's owned by our uncle who's a mechanic and machine lover, it's going to one of his workshops west of here.".

Nodding he pulled out a pair of gold Drachma, "Thank you for the information," he said with a grin, flipping the coins at the two men "come on guys.".

Following the direction they rounded the corner and he grinned at what was before him when he saw an automobile-carrier train, gleaming and free of snow, with the name 'sun west line' painted on the side.

Noticing the sunrise rapidly approaching he jumped up and grabbed the steel mesh covering as he climbed up and into a gap between the layers of mesh "I'd recommend you lot move now before the train moves." he called out, holding open the opening for the others as they quickly shook of theirs stupor and climbed up.

They had only been inside the train car for a couple minutes when it shuddered and began moving causing most Thalia, Castor, and Katie to stumble from the unexpected and sudden movement. "Alright," he said, shouldering his pack "we're going to be here until sunset so I'd recommend you lot pick a car and get comfortable, try to get a little shut eye while you have the chance.".

"But who were those guys?" Castor asked nervously, the son of Dionysus fingering his weapon "and don't we need someone on watch?".

"They were demigods," he said as he inspected the cars around for one he liked "a son of Apollo and one of Hermes. A few years ago the two gods had the idea of finding demigods who had a hard time getting employment in the real world and used them to make a network of information brokers for demigods. There aren't a lot of them admittedly but if you can find one then you are probably going to get some useful intel. I'm not sure but I think their father's sent them to make sure we had a ride west without being obvious, ancient laws and all that." At this point he cringed "Apollo is still horrible at subtlety though, I mean, a train full of comfortable high end cars in a seemingly abandoned train yard named 'sun west' lines along with two demigod information brokers? Not the greatest odds out there.".

Mollified by his words the son of Dionysus began looking around for a car along with Katie before the pair selected a mustang with a big backseat as they both climbed in and laid down together. Zoe had decided to crash in a Lexus on the top deck but he could still faintly hear her snores, he never knew how a hunter of all things could snore like a chainsaw.

Eventually he settled down in the driver's seat of a 1970 Viper. He had only just settled down when the shotgun door opened and Thalia climbed in, the daughter of Zeus nervously biting her lip as she gazed at him. "What's wrong Thalia?" he asked as she closed the door, having an idea but hoping he was wrong.

"I…I….oh to Hades with it." The daughter of Zeus said as she tried mustering up her courage before she grabbed his head and crashed her lips against his.

(AN: I was tempted, oh so tempted, to end the chapter here but decided not to for two reasons. 1. It was way too bloody short. 2. It would be a little too evil in what is supposed to be a Christmas gift update. So ON WITH THE STORY!)

Having expected her to try and confess to being in love with him he was at least somewhat prepared for what happened and was quickly able to push her off, holding her by her shoulders as he looked the beat red girl in the eye.

"Thalia," he said softly, getting the girl's full attention on him as the very air around them seemed to still "I…I know how you feel about me, I know that you're in love with me and that you have been for a while.". He saw the spark of hope enter her eyes at his words as he felt even more horrible for what he was about to do but he didn't have a choice "And while I'm flattered that you would see me like that…".

At this point he was cut off as Thalia positively beamed at him, lunging forward with an energy that surprised him as she escaped his grip and threw her arms around him, peppering his face with kisses as she cried out happily "I knew you shared my feelings Percy!".

Once again gripping her shoulders he pried her off of him and looker her in the eye, her enthusiasm draining away at the sight of his serious visage, "That's just it Thalia," he said sadly, "I don't share your feelings. My heart belongs to Bianca…and to Bianca alone.".

"N-no!" Thalia cried, tears streaming down her face as she stumbled away from him, her back pressed against the door "I-it's a lie! I could hear it in your voice! You were sad at having to pretend you don't love me!".

He could see in her eyes that she was desperate, wanting to hold on to that belief as it allowed her to keep her dream of them being together. "I was sad because you're my friend Thalia," he said softly, his voice shaking as he tried to avoid breaking down "and I don't want to hurt you much less break your heart…but I cannot betray my own. Bianca is everything to me Thalia, I love her and her alone. Someday you'll find someone who you can love that will love you in turn like you deserve…it just isn't going to be me.".

Thalia choked back a sob as she looked down at her hands which were clenched in her lap, her body shaking from the sobs she struggled to contain, her clothing darkening from the tears that rained from her eyes.

Before he could think of a way to bring a smile back to his friend's face her head snapped up at him, her eyes flashing like lightning, showing a steely resolve that shook even he, who had faced gods, monsters, and all manner of creatures that should never have seen the light of day, to his very core.

"Know this Perseus Jackson," she said in a voice that, while soft, seemed to resonate with the fury of thunder "I am not going to give up on you, you claim that you will only ever love Bianca but I will only ever love you. I will win your heart and make you forget about her. I will make you mine.". With that she rose from her seat and exited the car, stomping over to a Mercedes and slamming her door shut.

The train continued to scream west, taking them closer and closer to their destination. As they travelled each occupied car was home to a different act. In the Lexus a girl who was born a daughter of Atlas but was now a daughter of Artemis tossed and turned, her dreams going back and forth between nightmares about what her mother was suffering and memories of her happiest days when she was helping raise her brother.

In the mustang Castor and Katie slept peacefully, the two demigods holding each other close as they dreamt of their sleeping partners and the futures they hoped to have together.

Two occupants of the train were awake however, and each was doing the same even if for different reasons. In a Mercedes a daughter of Zeus was weeping as was a son of Artemis in a Viper. Both cried their hearts out, praying that nobody could see them. Thalia cried at the pain of having the one she loved reject her for another as she gathered her resolve to fight for the heart of Perseus Jackson.

Percy wept as he let out all the pain that had been building since Bianca left him, his bursts of anger only pushing aside his pain for a little while before it returned with a vengeance. He wept, so that he could begin to heal