Sally had just put a fresh batch of blue cookies in the oven when she heard a knock on the door. She wasn't expecting anyone and didn't think it could be any of Percy's friends – Percy had left just a few days earlier for Camp Half-Blood and his friends were all there with him. Suspecting it was someone trying to sell her something, she sighed and went to open the door.

She was not expecting to see Annabeth standing at the door with puffy red eyes.

"Annabeth? Honey, what's wrong?"

"It's P-Percy." Sally could tell her son's girlfriend was doing her best to hold herself together, but she burst out into tears. She could also tell that Annabeth wasn't crying because Percy had done something stupid like break up with her; this was much more serious.

"Come in. I'll get you something to calm you down." She ushered Annabeth into the kitchen and got her a glass of milk. She probably should have made tea or something, but milk always used to calm Percy down when he was younger. Maybe it was just nostalgia or wishful thinking.

Annabeth downed the glass before she was able to calm down a little.

"Percy's missing," Annabeth blurted out.

Sally's stomach hit the floor. She sat down. "What did you say?"

"He's g-gone. Without a trace. No one knows what happened to him." Sally saw now that in addition to her puffy eyes, Annabeth also had deep bags beneath her eyes as if she hadn't slept in days.

"Why don't you start at the beginning?"

Annabeth sniffled. "Well, on Friday, I met him at camp as soon as he arrived. We were so excited to spend the week together. We didn't think that we'd see each other for that long until next summer. After the campfire, he walked me to my cabin. He spent the whole walk talking about what we'd do this week. Archery, snowball fights, swimming." She chuckled. "He didn't seem to get that just because he could swim in the Sound in the middle of December without freezing didn't mean that I could as well." Sally chuckled as well. That sounded like her son.

Annabeth continued. "When we reached my cabin, we said good night. And that was it. That was the last anyone has heard from him."

"He's gone? Just like that?" Annabeth nodded.

Sally looked at the calendar. "But it's Monday! He's been missing for three days?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't want to alarm you. I had to be sure." Annabeth sounded so miserable.

"He'll be back," Sally said confidently. But Annabeth was shaking her head.

"I don't know. I think—I think he's in trouble. This isn't like him, leaving like this without a word. Without saying anything to me!" She was getting angry. Sally poured Annabeth some more milk. Deep down, she knew Annabeth was right. It wasn't like her son to just run off without a word. Especially without telling Annabeth anything. She was Percy's anchor and strategist. The only feasible explanation for him leaving telling her was that he didn't leave willingly. And the fact that he hadn't contacted anyone in three days when he knew they'd all be worried sick… It wasn't looking good.

"Do you remember Mount St. Helens last summer?" Sally saw Annabeth's cheeks redden. Apparently she did. "Chiron Iris messaged me and told me that you all thought Percy was dead. There was that explosion and then no one heard from him for two weeks. Everyone was giving up hope. You were all getting ready to burn his shroud. But I knew. I've listened to him describe his adventures with you over the last few years and all of the monsters he's fought. Hydras, gods, giants, Titans. It never ended. I was never able to predict what he'd have to face next. But I know my son, and I know that there's one thing I can always count on: he'll come back." Sally reached for Annabeth's hand and was glad when she didn't pull away. "When Chiron told me Percy was dead, I didn't believe him. It's not that I was in denial. I just knew it wasn't true. I knew then that he'd be back, and I know now that he'll return. He wouldn't just leave you like this. I promise."

Annabeth was silent. She sniffled and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. It was a while before she spoke again.

"So what do we do now?"

The timer went off for the oven. Sally squeezed Annabeth's hand.

"Well right now, we're going to pig out on chocolate chip cookies, and then we're going to wait. That's all that we can do."