Chapter 3

Annabeth,

"Annie? Annie, wake up!" I felt my body being softly shook. I forced my eyes open to the painful sunlight.

"Owie." I moaned feeling my leg ache. I didn't want to look down to it, because once you look at the wound it hurts even more. My eyes traveled over to the 12 round eyed girls sitting in front of me.

"Where's Percy?" The words escaped my mouth before I could even rethink about it.

"Percy?" I looked over to my left, looking at Thalia's cautious face. I knew Percy was a touchy subject, since last time I almost put a knife through her leg..hey! I said sorry!

"Yes, Percy. He told me he'd see me soon." I insisted, even thinking about that gave me hope. My Seaweed Brain wasn't dead..he was just..uhm..

"Oh really?" Penny piped in, skeptical. I didn't really have a grudge against Penny but she was pretty annoying. She tried to show me up a lot.

"Yes, Percy." I growled, glaring at her. Everyone else backed up, being smart. But Penny being her dumb self, just continued.

"Percy. A boy? A dead boy to add." She wrinkled her nose in disgust. I felt my eye twitching and Thalia rushed to me, holding my arms in hers.

"Now Annie, you know how slow Penny is. Don't kill her." She tried to soothe me down, but I was fired up.

"Dead boy? Dead boy? I'll show you dead!" I snarled, whipping back in fourth in Thalia's arms, trying to get loose. My leg felt like it was on fire and I felt like curling into a ball and dying, but I was mad. No one talked about Percy like that around me.

Penny yelped and cowered behind Ashlynn. Typical Penny. She was a good fighter and amazing at it but would hide behind someone else if she knew she would lose. She was a daughter of Aphrodite, but didn't really like love herself. She grew up with an abusive father, but didn't end up like Luke,hating the gods.

"Don't let her kill me!" Penny cried.

"I think you need a little lesson." I grunted. Man Penny was lucky Thalia had a good grip on me. Suddenly Thalia's grip slackened and I fell face first on the forest floor. Everyone had lined up formally while I was brushing the dirt off of me, grumbling curses.

"Now now, you must not act so formal." A warm yet steady voice laughed. A small thirteen year old girl came into view, and like the others I lined up. You always wanted to be safe than sorry.

After everyone had settled down and we had made camp, Artemis told us all to gather around for a meeting.

"It seems, our old, ah...friends in Halfblood have a small crisis, and require my assistance for explanations." Her eyes flashed over to Thalia when she said it, and I could tell she was trying hard to avoid me. But why?

"Of course, I will have to take a small patrol to the camp to help with the situation." Her eyes skimmed everyone but me.

"Penny, Janie,Ashlynn." She said calmly. I wanted to jump up and protest, but I did value my life. Well ever since I heard Percy's voice saying he was going to see me soon.

"Thalia will stay behind and look behind the others, of course." She bowed, a business like look on her face. I loved camp halfblood, all my friends were there. Why wasn't I going?

"Now I have to talk to Thalia for a moment." She dismissed the meeting. Penny shot me a smug look, and I had to do everything in my willpower not to kill her.

I walked over to my tent and dived into the small comfortable blow up mattress I had.

"Yes Artemis?" I heard Thalia on the other side of my tent. I froze, they hadn't gone that far..and I wasn't the spying type. I scrambled to my knees(because the tent wasn't tall enough to stand) and began crawling to the entrance. I was about to unzip the tent when I heard Thalia's voice

"P-percy Jackson? The Percy Jackson? Are you sure my Lady?" She sputtered. I froze again then flashed to the other side of the tent and pressed my ear to the side, craving for more.

"Please Thalia, voice down. Yes, it seems Mr. Jackson was found this morning at the beach I had found Annabeth, and had dragged himself to the camp. I haven't been able to get into contact with Hades, so I have no idea what it is yet."

"Percy...alive." She repeated hopefully. I knew where she was getting from, I missed Percy so much.

Yes, now listen very carefully Thalia. We mustn't mention this to Annabeth, she would go completely off the charts. She must remain here, understood?" Her voice was edged with stress, but I didn't care. Not tell me? Why? He was my boyfriend!

My Boyfriend.

That's why.

Hunters weren't aloud to have boyfriends, swearing off men for eternity. I had only agreed because my heart had been broken beyond repair. No one could take the place of My Seaweed Brain, not even one of those guys from that famous band. What was it called again? One Direction.

But now that he was back, I was even questioning myself. I'd give up my life in a heartbeat for Kelp for Brains. He was the love of my life.

I know, cheesy, but I had lost him once and I wasn't losing him again.

But how could I get to Percy when I wasn't aloud to go along?

I stayed up all night wondering what to do, how to go along. Artemis would never allow me to go, and Thalia wouldn't question Artemis. She even scared her a little.

I tossed and turned in my tent, and got some complaints from the other hunters when I accidentally threw my shoe out of the tent and into another.

I just couldn't go to sleep.

When dawn approached and everyone got up at about 7:00 am, the little patrol left with Artemis. I refused to look at Thalia, hurt. How could she keep this from me? Why would she? Even if Artemis said too, she was exposed to be my best friend!

"Annabeth, are you ok?" Thalia came up to me, looking concerned. I glared at her, still mad.

"I don't know, am I?" I shot back, moving away from her. I felt her dumbfounded gaze following me as I walked out into the forest.

I hated crying, but I had done it a lot since Percy died. I tried to keep it in my tent and quiet, but the next day all the girls would be quiet around me and I knew they had heard.

I began running through the trees, not caring about the small branches that were slapping me in the face. I could feel the tears coming to my eyes and I fell down, racked with sobs.

Unlike the other times, they were sobs of relief.

Percy wasn't dead. I was so relieved. I didn't make it to his funeral, I had tried so hard, but I broke down on the way and didn't make it. I have always regretted it, but everyone said it would've hurt more to see him go into the ground.

Sally tried to have a friendship with me, but I didn't want it anymore. It was too painful to look at her at all, she reminded me of him with her kindness. I didn't want anyone I knew around me, I didn't want to let them see the condition I was in.

"Annabeth." I heard someone whisper behind me. I turned around and saw Thalia standing there, the wind whipping through her hair and making her look like a warrior. Her hair had grown longer, I noticed.

"Go away." I sobbed, hiding my face in my hands. I was embarrassed.

"Oh Annie." She cooed, coming over and sitting next to me. She wrapped her arms around my shoulder and gently hugged me. She was a really good friend, and I tried staying mad, but it didn't work.

"I should've told you." She whispered into my ear. I didn't look up but I heard her laugh.

"But you already heard, I could see it in your eyes. I can't keep something like this from you, it's about Percy." I looked up to her then, confused. Where was she going with this?

"Well, to the point. Percy's alive, and you should go after him. No one can stop you and your true love, not even the Gods." Thalia smiled softly down at me, and I heard a small rumble of thunder in the sky.

Thalia looked up nervously, "I mean, uh the Gods can..do whatever they want. But they are kind enough not to ruin lives." She looked around like she was waiting to be zapped. Her father still held a grudge because she joined the hunters.

"So I can go?" I whispered, scared someone would interrupt and stop me.

Thalia nodded slowly, "I'll regret it later, but I'll cover for you. Tell Kelp Head I said Hey." She teased, laughing. I let out a small laugh and wiped my tears away.

"You are really a good friend Thalia." I stood up and engulfed her in another hug.

"Ahh Shaddup." She joked, hugging back.

I rolled my eyes at her and gave her a lopsided grin. We stood there for a few more minutes in awkward silence, and I shifted my weight from foot to foot.

"So do I..uhm get ready?" I asked uncomfortably. Thalia smiled at me, amusement glittering in her eyes.

"Start packing."

I nodded and followed her back to the camp. Everyone was staring at us in curiosity, but when I returned the stare they quickly looked away. I walked over to my tent as casual as possible and zipped it up.

I didn't want anyone to find out I was leaving, so I carefully took the necessities.

My dagger, a canteen of water and a pack of food and money.

And of course, my ring.

I looked down at it lovingly and picked it up tenderly. I loved it dearly, it was the last thing I had left of Percy besides his sword, which was also in my pocket. I closed my hand around the ring and made a quick prayer.

Lady Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, please help me with my quest. Mother, I know you dislike Percy, but please help us. I...I need him

I begged my mother. She disliked Percy since he was poseidon's son. She had grown a little to him, trying to stand him, until he died. She didn't really say anything encouraging to me except What did you expect? Marriage? Or It was bound to happen sometime.

Her words had made me feel worse, and I started feeling resentment towards my mother. I had drifted farther, even though we weren't really close. I started drifting from everyone actually. Everyone tried to comfort me and say sorry, apologize for his death. Once I had snapped and yelled at all of them If you were sorry you would've stopped it! Which shut everyone up to my happiness and guilt.

Travis and Connor avoided me, along with pretty much all of the campers. Rachel had been there for me, but I had been rude and told her to get away. She didn't need to be told twice. Piper and Leo had stayed by my side along with some of my siblings. No matter how much I yelled at them they didn't abandon me.

I snapped out of my thoughts and finished packing, waiting for the sun to go down and for it to be dark. I looked up to the sun and predicted what time it was.

9:20? I wanted to scream in frustration, but then realized something after thirty minutes. I could sneak away in broad daylight, and if anyone asked I'd just say I was going out and exploring. Hopefully no one would want to come.

I couldn't help but feel paranoid, sneaking out. Everyone was in the clearing, but I just walked right past. No one questioned me or anything luckily.

Once I had reached the end of the forest I remembered something very important. And I mean very important.

Percy was in New York.

And I was in Illinois.

How could I have forgotten that?

I wanted to rip my hair out in annoyance. What was I going to do? Take a airplane? No, out of the question. I didn't like air travel, I became sick too easily. I couldn't walk, of course.

Think Annabeth, Think! Hmm..ooh..train! I smiled to myself in satisfaction as I walked past a train station. I walked right up to the man and gave him all of the money I had, which left me with about a buck and three nickels.

"New York City, all aboard!" I heard a conductor yell. Good, I was just in time. I took my ticket and thanked the man at the concession stand before jogging off, ready to get on the train.

Right when I got onto the train I noticed all the bodies compacted together. The train made me think of the time when I first met Percy and the furies had gotten on the bus.

I walked down the aisle and sat down in a comfortable looking seat, staring out the window the whole ride.

"I'm coming for you Percy."