~ ☼ ~

Okay, that's dramatic. None of us flew off into the sky; rather, we all fell to the rooftop on our knees and hands, while Hemmings' knees crumpled. Immediately, pain hit me like a rocket, somehow sharper than the pain I'd felt earlier. Earlier, I think I'd romanticized it a little because it was all very heroic, falling from Olympus and being saved by a pegasus. Now I just felt like a kid who'd skinned their knees on the playground.

"Di immortales!" Liz swore, immediately jumping to her feet. I did the same, while Lacey held her head back and took a deep breath.

On this random roof, we had a beautiful view of the city. I think we were in Greenwich Village, which is basically just the next neighborhood over from where we were before, but I couldn't be sure. Maybe it was Soho. Maybe it was Alphabet City. Maybe it was the neighborhood where AJ Hood, Lacey Gonzaga, and Liz Weiss were stranded.

Because when I say roof, I don't mean the same sort of roof as the one on Red Square - with a staircase down and maybe a few deck chairs or something. This was flat, with absolutely no barrier between us and the open air and no objects on it except a couple vents. We'd gotten lucky not sliding off like hockey pucks.

There was no way down. Not with Hemmings injured.

"Oh, Hemmings," I said, immediately running over to him. I bent down beside him, moving my hands towards him - but he closed his eyes and moved his head aside as if to say, dramatically, "Leave me alone."

My eyes scanned his body, but he had the knees he'd hurt tucked under his hulking body, and I was not trying to move that.

I let out a breath, terrified.

I had to wonder where Alec was. I had to hope he was okay. That was who I'd wanted Hemmings to retrieve. I was both relieved and disappointed he hadn't found him.

"Who," said Liz, stomping over to me, "Was. That!"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed, spreading out my hands. "I have no idea! He could control weapons ad objects that might be used as weapons. And he was guarding the armory. He called himself the lord of destruction."

Remembering liakada left behind, I felt a wince of pain, like I'd lost an arm. An infected one, maybe, but an arm nonetheless...

"Perses," said Lacey, narrowly.

"Wait, which one?" asked Liz. "Perses of Colchis, or Perses son of Crius?"

"Son of Crius, if he was really a titan," Lacey said. "I don't think Perses of Colchis was important enough to still be living."

This meant nothing to me.

At my blank stare, Lacey added, "Perses, son of Crius and Eurybia. Brother of Astraeus and-"

"Wait," I said. "Astraeus? God of beekeeping?"

Lacey scowled. "No. That's Aristraeus. Gods. Keep up."

My excitement fizzled out. I watched as Lacey stormed over to meet her sister, bending down beside Hemmings - as if she could possibly help.

She reached for his front leg, trying to pull it out. At first, Hemmings didn't react. A moment later, when she kept trying, he turned his head towards her and snapped his jaw. She jumped backwards.

I had to try so hard not to laugh out loud.

"Fine," she said. "Be that way."

She got up, brushing dirt from her shorts, then looked around. I patted Hemmings, kissing my hand then pressing my hand to his face, then stood up, too. We were 5 stories up. At least from here I could see the Empire State Building, climbing high where the skyscrapers overtook the row houses again. I would ask how to get back there, but I really just wanted to keep my mouth shut around Lacey.

"We'll either need Hemmings to rest, or we'll need another pegasus," she said to Liz.

"What if he's injured and not just tired?" Liz whispered back.

"How did you guys even get picked up by him?" I asked, unable to help myself.

Both of them scowled.

"We were coming back from a raid Malcolm sent us out on. A lot of forces retreated at sunrise, so we were able to turn back. Then your pegasus saw us."

"What I don't understand is how a titan got into the city in the first place," Liz said, biting her nails. "If it is Perses, son of Crius, isn't that crazy? I mean, most of the other Titans are still outside city lines-"

"It's probably because he's so minor," said Lacey, at the same time as I said, "Maybe it's because the city's main defense is a bunch of kids!"

I was so angry as I said it that both of their faces fell. Liz looked away uncomfortably, but Lacey's expression shifted. Went almost... neutral. No way. Between that and the Lenin thing, could I actually make her tolerate me?

It didn't matter. She'd already rubbed salt in the wound the whole summer.

I turned around, then walked over to the edge of the rooftop, sending out my non-existent Spidey senses to sense someone I trusted - Riley, maybe, since she'd been near me just an hour ago. When that didn't work, I shouted, "Riley!"

That also didn't work, needless to say.

A moment later, though, there was suddenly a flicker of light. I turned, confused, then watched the flicker in mid air turn into a beam. It was like somebody had torn a slip in space time to walk out onto the roof; I turned and covered my eyes, groaning.

Then I could smell sunshine and cologne, and a voice said, "It's all right, kid. You can look now."

Just for that, I almost didn't want to.

But slowly I turned my head, and sure enough, saw the only person I would expect to be there - would expect to use sunshine to teleport. My father.

I felt a great sense of pride as the other two girls' eyes traced over him, Lacey immediately looking intrigued and Liz in awe. They both fell to their knees as any good half-blood would, but I remained standing. Staring him down. He looked the exact same as he had the last time I'd seen him in real life - red leather jacket, v neck that now made him look more hipster than biker. Blonde hair quiffed up and over. He was the bane of my fricking existence.

"I'm guessing you need a lift down?" Apollo asked, gesturing to Hemmings.

I didn't know what to say. I was speechless.

"AJ?" Apollo asked.

"I-" I started. "Um... yes."

But I didn't really want a lift down, not if that meant leaving Hemmings behind. Maybe Apollo figured this; he knelt down beside Hemmings a moment later and touched his neck. Touched his neck with such tenderness and care that I lost my breath. Somehow I'd forgotten Apollo was the god of healers. He would definitely love those doctors who thought they were better than everyone else because of it.

A moment later, Hemmings glowed gold, and slowly, Apollo helped him come to a standing position. As he did, Lacey stood slowly, too, though Liz was too awed to move from her knees.

I felt too startled by how quickly my pegasus had been healed to say anything, once again. I had so many insults on the tip of my tongue, but in the end, I couldn't get any of them out. Even as Apollo grinned at me and came over my way.

"Now," he said. "I have a favor to ask of you."

"What?"

"Do you know where Alec Thompson is?"

"No," I said. "I don't."

I was telling the truth, but he frowned.

"Come on, kid. Help me out here."

"No," I said. "I can't help you- I don't know where he is. I fell off of Olympus last night and lost contact with him."

Surprise danced across Apollo's face. Then he said, "You fell off of Olympus?"

My cheeks went hot. "Yes. Hemmings saved me."

"Wow," said Apollo, genuinely impressed. He shook his head. "That's... amazing. That's my daughter."

He leaned forward and clapped me on the shoulder. And though I should've pulled away, should've spat in his face (okay, not that, he was still a God after all) I didn't. I just stood there, images of Alec, lonely this summer, and Michael, dying in a blaze. Our foot soldiers against their foot soldiers. However the Titans saw the minor monsters, like the dracanae and lycanthropes, that was how the gods saw us. Like pawns on the chess board.

And yet, my father's saccharine approval made me go warm.

"I swear on the Styx," I said, as he pulled away. "I don't know where anybody is except for these two-" I pointed towards the daughters of Athena. "I've been isolated almost the whole night."

"Where's your sword?" Apollo asked, noticing its absence in my sheath.

"I left it behind," I said, fast. I think a part of me wanted him to go get it for me. "There's a Titan Armory in the East Village, and there was this titan guarding it. We think it was a titan - Perses?"

Genuine concerned flashed across Apollo's tan, water polo player face.

"Lord of Destruction," he murmured. "Where was this?"

"In the East Village," I repeated. "In this apartment complex called the Red Square. You'll know it by the clock tower at the top. And half of it is crumbled to the ground."

I decided not to explain the Lenin statue.

He swore in Greek, and suddenly I was reminded that this was a very, very, very, very old god. Like, a million greats, if he had been a grandfather rather than my direct father. It was always crazy to remember.

"I can't believe a minor titan made it into Manhattan," said Apollo, shaking his head. "That's crazy."

"That's what I said!" interjected Liz. Apollo hardly gave her a passing glance.

"Well," Apollo said, suddenly giving me a gleaming smile. "I have to find Alexander."

My mouth parted, but I didn't get a chance to say anything.

"I'll stop by this armory, though," he said. "See what I can do."

I frowned. If he found Demeter's sickle, or if my credit didn't get back to her, Alec would be furious. He might go full demi-titan at that. But I had no control over Apollo's actions, so I couldn't say anything. My only relief was when he said, "I'll get Liakada, too, if I see it. Stay safe, Artemis."

He patted me on the shoulder again, then disappeared with a burst of light so quick that I hardly had the chance to look away. As I did, tears appeared in my eyes, because he'd remembered that that sword was mine. When he'd given it to me, I don't even think he'd said its name then. 

A moment later, I stood, astonished. Hemmings and I were both staring at the spot he once was, then we met each other's eyes, and his were as wide as mine. Then I turned towards Lacey and Liz.

Liz's eyes were wide, like she'd just run into the Jonas Brothers. Lacey's were narrowed. Slowly, she looked at me with... respect.

"You know your father that personally?" she asked.

I didn't know what to do other than nod. I wouldn't say I did, but I guess my angst combined with Apollo's way of acting like he was buddies with everybody he met might've given that impression.

Slowly, Lacey pursed her lips.

"I've never met my mother," she said, looking away. "You must be special."

She didn't say it angrily. It was more like she was resigning herself to the fact - like maybe she wasn't completely right to bully me. On one hand, at least she had values, but on the other hand, I really don't think anybody deserved to be bullied whether their parent had contact with them or not...?

Children of Athena had weird moral systems.

Without another word, she walked over to Hemmings and began to board him. Or - tried to board him. He moved away; it took me coming over and getting on first to let her on, then Liz.

"Do you think you'll be okay this time?" I asked Hemmings, gently. He let out a breath, but didn't say anything else. Of course he didn't. He was a freaking horse. I had to wonder if all our conversations were in my head.

And I had to hope that Apollo's healing magic left some leftover energy in Hemmings, because he took off a few moments later.

"Where are we going?" I asked Lacey, over the wind, though we weren't high enough yet for it to be bad.

"Home base," Lacey said.

From behind her, Liz added, "Go to the Plaza Hotel, Hemmings!"

The Plaza Hotel. You had to be freaking kidding me. That was right next to Central Park.

~ ☼ ~

A/N: Now, 12 year old me, I have a question for you. Why did you cast an actor you were attracted to as a character you were attracted to, then proceed to make that character your self-insert's dad? Hm? What was the intention there????????

Shout out to Freddie Stroma I'll always think he's so hot