Lucky: I don't own PJO blah, blah, blah. I'm not quite done with this yet, but it was all I could get done tonight and I don't know if I can update tomorrow, so I'm putting up what I can. Enjoy, review and all that other shiz.

Jason: What about me?

Lucky: You're not in this story. Get lost.

Annabeth liked to think of herself as tough. Tolerant, independant and strong. But running away from home, living your life being hunted down by monsters, and losing one of your best friends is a bit much for any eight year old to handle.

So, naturally, when some irritated son of Apollo got tired of her being underfoot and snapped at her, she scrambled back to her empty cabin and burst into tears.

After sobbing for what seemed like days, she heard the door fly open. Annabeth attempted to burrow into her sheets and out of sight, but she soon felt a pair of hands lift her out of her bundle and plop her on the bed.

Carter, her seventeen year old half brother, was the head of the Athena cabin. Usually, he was easy going and helpful, but now he was frowning at her disapprovingly.

"Alright, Annabeth," He started gently but firmly. "I don't think I've mentioned this yet, but I'm not much for sniffling and tears. I won't tolerate it. So stop crying. If you have an issue, use a tissue."

Annabeth wiped her big, gray eyes. "Isn't that from Austin Powers?"

"Austin Powers was a wise man."

Normally, she would have gone off on her brother about the absurdity of the rule. But her voice was weak and trembling at the time, so she settled for the washed out apology and a pat on the head from Carter.

Four years later, the young daughter of Athena stood on Half Blood Hill, gazing at the camp for the last time until next summer. Her departure was not made any easier with the betrayal of Luke, who'd set a scorpian on her new friend. She bit her lip, refusing to cry.

At the bottom of the hill, her father, step mother and half brothers waited for her. Her father gestured for her to come. She turned her head again to Camp Half Blood, taking a deep breath.

I. Will. Not. Cry.

Annabeth swore to herself.

Despite her best efforts, a hot tear rolled down her face. She wiped it away quickly and hurried down the hill to her family.

Sitting in the backseat, she watched as the trees sped by. The trees that she'd known for so long... Oh, gods, she was going to cry. This was not happening. She was not going to show weaknesses, especially not in front of these people.

"Are you alright, Annabeth?" Her father asked her from the front seat.

"I'm okay," She assured him. "Just a little tired."

Dear Athena, she seriously needed a tissue right now.

After losing her boyfriend, Annabeth found herself in need of Carter's words of wisdom.

Though she would never admit it, she'd cried once or twice... a day. She had an issue- and she'd used a tissue. Several boxes, actually.

In the months since Percy had disappeared, Annabeth had become more and more tempermental. She had screamed at nearly everyone in camp, told Chiron to shove it, and even brought back the bathtub method- something she swore to ban from the Athena cabin as soon as she'd stepped up as head counsler.

In short, Annabeth was on the verge of having a breakdown.

Sitting at her desk, lost in blueprints and tears, she reminded herself that there was one more box of tissues in her secret stash- and she refused to request a box of tissues. Dear Athena, they'd know that she'd been crying.

This time, she couldn't use a tissue for her issue.

She'd have to call Carter and chew him out.