Percy's breathing was ragged. "Chiron. It's been hours. She's still not up."

Chiron's face looked grim when he said, "There is nothing we can do, my boy, other than wait."

Percy had expected her to wake up within one, two, maybe hours, but Kia still wouldn't wake up well long after that. Every few seconds, her face would twitch, and she'd shuffle, and her limbs would twist into hurtful positions, so much so that both Annabeth and him had to hold them down until they stopped struggling. He didn't know where her mind was or what she was seeing, and it was killing him that he couldn't protect her. On top of all that, he was still feeling guilty for being the thing that induced her into this state.

In Kia's dream, she was in front of Morpheus. His arms spread welcomingly, and she thought he was grinning behind those shifting faces. She had never felt so scared in her entire life. She scrambled back and whimpered pathetically, and Morpheus seemed to be amused.

"You are scared of me," he noted. He started taking steps closer to her, and Kia pressed her back against a wall that was suddenly there. Her chest was palpitating and her skin was covered in sweat. She couldn't breathe properly. Why was the air getting thinner? "Funny. I thought because you were a hero you'd be more brave. Pity."

Kia couldn't even find the courage to be angry at the insults, at the mocking. She was absolutely petrified, for a reason she didn't know. Panic was the only thing shooting through her veins, and even though there was no proper source of the terror, it felt as if it was coming from all around her. Achingly close, but mind-crushingly far away, was the thing that was scaring her. It was too close for her to relax, and too far for her to fight.

Morpheus looked like he was enjoying the blur of panic-stricken thoughts polluting her mind in her present state. Kia tried to look intimidating.

"Don't come near me," she command, but it came out as more of a weak plea.

"Oh, darling, I won't hurt you," he said sympathetically. Kia relaxed a little. Why was she scared of him? He didn't seem like he really wanted to hurt her. "I'm here to take care of you, kohana."

He came even closer, and with what little self control Kia had left, she hesitantly stayed out while the pad of his right hand's index finger touched the crown of her head. Immediately, a surge of strength came through her, and it felt as if all her wounds had been stitched up with golden thread made out of ichor and ambrosia.

"Feel better?" Morpheus asked.

Kia nodded shyly. She felt guilty for ever believing he was evil just because of his powers; he was her father, of course, he loved her.

"There's no need to worry, kohana," he said, as if he knew what she was thinking. "I'm used to being thought of as evil or vindictive. Although, I'd be lying if I said it didn't sting a little coming from my own daughter."

Kia felt guilty. She was his daughter, his seed, she was supposed to be different from everyone else, but she'd ended up painting him as the bad guy like anyone else. She was disappointed in herself. "I'm sorry."

"Really, darling, it's fine," Morpheus said breezily. He said tentatively, "So. You're fighting for the Olympians."

"Yes," Kia said unsurely.

He looked at her then, and in her mind she knew he was staring at her distastefully. "Why? Just out of curiosity, of course. What have the Olympians ever done for you."

"Well," Kia started steadily, looking out for any signs of hostility. He clearly didn't mean her any harm, and she should've felt free to tell him anything, but something inside her was fighting against it, screaming at her something she couldn't hear. "Apollo saved me when—"

"Ah, that god," Morpheus said spiritlessly. "You thank him for 'saving' your life, as you call it, but would you not have held resentment if he didn't? What differs the action as something simply the minimum kindness to be expected of him?"

Kia was at a loss for words. There was no way to prove Morpheus as wrong, because he wasn't; and that was what scared her most. She'd gotten used to Apollo's inexorable efforts to get her to like him, and to think that, this was something he might've done for any other demigod, was not something her mind was at peace with. Perhaps it was selfish or conceited of her to believe or even want that Apollo's attention remain solely on her, at least in a special way, but she couldn't help it; the thought of him being so tender and sweet to someone other than her that wasn't his children wounded her.

"And what of these other Olympians? Have they ever done anything to be worthy of your service, Kia? They are just as bad as the passers who wouldn't bat an eyelash to a puppy getting kicked. Why are you fighting for them?"

"Because... because—"

"Join me, Kia. You're a wonderful girl who can think for herself. Your friend has already fallen victim to his father's honey-coated words and false promises. Don't let the same happen to you."

Kia was confused. She felt scared and cornered again, and she didn't know how to get out. The thing tugging at her chest was pulling harder than ever now. "I–I—"

Suddenly, he said calmly, "Think about it, Kia. I trust you'll make the right decision."

"Wait—"

"I will see you again." It had never sounded more like a threat than it had now.

Morpheus snapped his fingers, and Kia found herself on a couch, shooting up straight.

Percy, who was sitting in an armchair next to her, immediately got up and rushed over to her. It felt distinctly familiar to when Kia had first woken up; it felt like they had lived lives between that moment and this.

"Kia!" Percy hugged her tightly, as if he was afraid that if he didn't, she'd disintegrate into thin air. He didn't realise his eyes were wet. He choked out in a whisper, "I'm so glad you're here."

Kia, as distracted as she had been by the things her father said to her, had her thoughts immediately flushed out and relaxed with worry for Percy.

"Hey, hey, hey," she coaxed, patting him on the back in the awkward position where he was hunched over hugging her and she was reaching up to hug back. "I'm here, alright. I'm here."

He drew back slightly, and he looked at her with red eyes. "I just–I thought I'd... I'd lost—"

"No, no," Kia interrupted gently. She brought him back down and circled her arms around his neck. "You won't lose me, Perce. Wherever you go, I go, too, okay?"

He sniffled a little, but smiled. "Okay."

Chiron came in, Annabeth trailing after not far behind. Kia explained everything to all of them, leaving out certain details so as to not concern them (namely Percy) such as Morpheus' talk about switching sides and Apollo.

"That's it? He nearly gave me a heart-attack and that's it?" Percy asked incredulously.

Kia didn't meet his eyes.

Chiron looked at her like he saw right through her, but didn't prod any further.

Later, after Annabeth and Grover has left, Percy and Kia stood on the porch railing, staring out at the strawberry fields.

"There's something you aren't telling us, isn't there?" Percy asked, but phrased it more as a statement, because something between them had now formed so that they couldn't hide anymore. There were no layers, no illusions, no walls between them.

Kia didn't answer.

"It's okay if there is," he said again, "because I know I can count on you, Ki."

I should probably explain a few things. For the whole 'source of terror coming from all around her' part, remember that she is in a dream, Morpheus' realm, and that is why she feels the object of fears all around her. Second, I'm not sure whether I want the whole unprecedented fear thing to come in general or from Morpheus willing the fear into her mind, so I'll leave that up to interpretation. Thirdly, it really isn't Percy's fault, but hey, he's stupid. Really short chapter, sorry. That's the end of The Titan's Curse. Let's get ready to rumble because the next book is... The Battle of the Labyrinth! I hope you guys are just as excited as I am!