So sorry about the long wait! I needed to wait for The Last Olympian to arrive from the Gold Coast Library. I've had half the chapter typed out since the last time I updated, but I needed the book to write the rest. And not to mention the fact that my internet has been stuffing up, so I couldn't access FanFiction.

But, anyway, thanks to all who reviewed, very much appreciated.

Chapter 2:

What Words Cannot Convey

I can't sleep. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that my siblings are restless in their sleep- some snoring, some grunting, moaning, even laughing, though there's absolutely nothing funny about being a demigod. Especially a demigod in love.

I sit up and stare out the window. Shrouded in darkness, the camp no longer looks friendly and cheerful, like the place I have come to know as home. It looks more like the deepest, darkest part of the Underworld. And, believe me, I know what I'm talking about.

It literally hurts to admit it, but I'm scared. Of falling asleep. Laugh all you want, but I'm afraid of what my subconscious will show me in my dreams.

I push off the covers, put on my Yankees baseball cap that happens to have the ability to turn the wearer invisible, and tip toe across the cabin. I step on a squeaky floorboard and wince, pausing, glancing furtively around the cabin. No one stirs. I push open the door, creep down the steps, and then I am outside, striding purposefully across the Omega arrangement of cabins.

Towards cabin three.

I hesitate on the porch, reality striking me. What am I doing? But the urge to go in is stronger than my rationality. I push the door and it swings in on its hinges. I am hit in the face with a waft of salt water. I try to ignore the part of me that wonders if I am being warned by an unseen force- perhaps the deity that this cabin is in honour of…

Despite mine and Percy's parents' feud, the smell of salt is comforting. It stirs up my earliest memories of Percy and me, back when I thought he was retarded and useless and ignorant and stupid and reckless. Not that he isn't still stupid, reckless and ignorant… very ignorant. Blissfully ignorant.

I let the door slip through my fingers and walk over to Percy's bunk in a daze. Without thinking, I wriggle under his ocean blue and green coloured covers, trying hard to ignore the pair of boxers hanging off the railing above me, and the empty jars of peanut butter everywhere.

His bed is soft, and I sink into a dreamless sleep immediately.

The next morning, I wake to an angry centaur and an even angrier looking Malcolm staring down at me.

"What?" I yawn, stretching. I close my eyes and scratch an itch on my tummy. Then my eyes flash open again, and I realise that I am not in my own cabin. Panic sets in until I remember my late night escape, how I had slept in Percy's bed.

Geez, Annabeth. Get a grip on yourself. You don't go around saying that a guy's not your boyfriend and then sneak out of your cabin and sleep in his bed instead.

This explains the disapproval in Chiron's deep brown eyes and the plain fury etched across Malcolm's face.

I sit up and rub my eyes. "Morning, Chiron," I say airily. "Malcolm," I nod my head in my brother's direction.

"Annabeth." Chiron greets me coldly, crossing his arms over his chest. I gulp. Chiron rarely uses that tone of voice. He especially reserves it for those times when he is really REALLY mad. Like now.

"Yes, Chiron?" I squeak.

"Annabeth," he says again, shaking his head. "I'll have business with you later. After breakfast, report to the Big House. Mr D will not know of this- he'll throw a fit and most likely turn us all into dolphins." Chiron gazes at me sadly. "I expected more of you, Annabeth." And somehow that hurts ten times more than if he had screamed at me and granted me a month of toilet cleaning duty.

I wince, nodding and running my hands through my hair, which is probably a rats' nest of tangles.

Chiron trotted out of the cabin, leaving me with my fuming brother. He's been so silent I forgot he was here.

"Annabeth_"

"Look, Malcolm," I cut in. "Let's not make an issue out of nothing. Really, what was my great crime? I slept in a vacant friend's cabin. Big deal."

"Yes, but if this is what you do when he's not here, what am I supposed to assume you do when he is here?" Malcolm counters.

Oh gods. He thinks that Percy and I… That we… "Malcolm!" I cry. "It was a once of, alright? First time, last time. And Percy and I are only friends. It's not like…" By now we are both blushing furiously.

"I was just taking precautions for my little sister…" Malcolm starts backing out of the cabin. "I'll just, um… go now…" He runs.

But now he has put me to thinking. I flop down on Percy's bed, stomach to the mattress. It's not like I haven't thought about this before, but… what if Percy and I actually became… actually formed a relationship that wasn't friendship… if he finally got it through his thick skull to ask me out.

But that brings up another thing. Percy and Beckendorf aren't back yet.

A stab of worry pierces my train of thought. What if Beckendorf is dying right now? Or worse… Percy. His name sends a chill through me.

Something is wrong. Terribly wrong.

The day wears on. I've set Connor Stoll on guard duty at the beach, if Percy were to wash ashore. Travis Stoll is on lookout on Half Blood Hill, keeping Peleus company.

And I… I am waiting in the Big House with Silena, scared that if I were to be around other people, people who would try to convey pity to me, I would snap. Maybe Chiron should have disarmed me. I look wearily at my bronze knife, but still keep it sheathed to my jeans. Old habits die hard, you know?

The sun sinks lower in the sky. I have bitten off all the whites of my nails. Silena has fallen asleep on the worn leather couch. I guess all the worrying has worn her out.

Poor girl.

A horrible thought strikes me. If it comes down to between Percy and Beckendorf, could I choose between them? If only one could come back, would I be glad if it was Percy? Of course. But I'd mourn just as hard for Beckendorf if that were the case.

And if Percy doesn't come back? I try to avoid thinking about that likely possibility. I start gnawing at my fingers again.

The door suddenly bursts open. "Annabeth!" Chiron pants. "Silena! He's back!" I jump up immediately, new life returning to my limbs. Percy. I have to reach him, touch him, be 100% reassured that he was alright, all in one piece.

I shake Silena. None too gently, either. She grumbles something unintelligible, then opens her eyes, her brilliant blue irises glaring at me.

"Hey!" I say. Silena perks up at the contained excitement in my voice. "Guess who's back!" I don't wait for an answer before practically pulling her arm off in my haste to get out the door.

It doesn't even strike me that Chiron said 'he's back', not 'they're back' until I am speeding down the hill, excitement making my heart pound.

Silena and I raced behind Chiron as he galloped towards the sand dunes, eager to hear about the mission.

I can't see past the crowd of demigods, satyrs and nymphs. But then the crowd suddenly stops. I keep following Chiron. Percy's standing at the dining pavilion, not meeting anyone's eyes. Wait a minute- he's alone. That means- oh, no. Crap. Beckendorf didn't survive the mission. Crap. Crap. Crap.

Chiron galloped right over to Percy. If there hadn't been a huge crowd assembled, I'm sure the old centaur would have pulled Percy into a tight embrace in relief. "Percy! Thank the gods. But where…"

That's when I enter the pavilion, running at a mad pace. If we were alone, I might have squeezed him half to death. Kissed him, even. In relief, mind you. Only in relief.

But instead, I grab his arm. "What happened?" A sudden thought strikes me. If he blew up the Princess Andromeda, then- "Is Luke_"

"The ship blew up." Percy says in a flat tone of voice that immediately spells trouble for me. "He wasn't destroyed. I don't know where _"

Just then, Silena pushes through the crowd. Oh, no. Please, someone take her away before – "Where's Charlie?" she demands. She looks around, glaring at everybody with bloodshot eyes, like we might be hiding him from her.

Percy looks at Chiron desperately. I bite my lip. This is not going to end well. Chiron clears his throat helplessly. "Silena, my dear. Let's talk about this in the Big House_"

"No." Silena mutters. Her expression is heartbroken. "No. No." She starts to cry. I feel paralysed. Beckendorf. Gone. It doesn't register. Beckendorf can't just be gone.

Finally Clarisse la Rue, daughter of Ares, comes forward. I don't know how the Hades those two got acquainted, but they seem to be on pretty good terms for a daughter of the war god and a daughter of the love goddess.

Clarisse slings her arm around Silena's tiny, quivering shoulders. "C'mon, girl. Let's get to the Big House. I'll make you some hot chocolate." Clarisse speaks in a gentle sort of tone I've never heard before. I am utterly stunned.

Everybody wonders off in twos and threes. Only Chiron and I stay with Percy.

Throughout the whole scene, I haven't even realised that there is tears running down my cheeks. I wipe my face, hoping nobody has noticed. "I'm glad you're not dead, Seaweed Brain," I say. Okay, that's not how I wanted that to come out. I had wanted to convey to him… stronger feelings. But Chiron was standing right there, watching us with an intense expression. I met his eyes, and he grinned slightly, a knowing look in his eyes. I blushed and looked away. And the urge to hug Percy hard was becoming stronger and stronger. I clenched my fists.

"Thanks," Percy says, meeting my eyes. Our gazes hold. "Me too."

Chiron puts his hand on Percy's shoulder. "I'm sure you did everything you could, Percy. Will you tell us what happened?"

Percy tells us the story. I gaze down into the valley throughout the whole thing. I can tell he's keeping something from me. I don't press it, though. He'll tell me when he's ready. And it's not like I haven't kept plenty from him over the years.

When Percy concludes his story, Chiron says gravely, "We must call a war council immediately to discuss this spy, and other matters."

"Poseidon mentioned another threat." Percy says. "Something even bigger than the Princess Andromeda."

"We will discuss that also," Chiron promises.

"One more thing," Percy takes a deep breath. I brace myself. "When I talked to my father, he said to tell you it's time. I need to know the full prophecy."

I don't see Chiron's reaction. I'm trying to keep my nerves contained. Percy can't see the full prophecy yet! It gave me nightmares for years! And, sure, I was ten when I first read it, but still.

Percy won't be able to handle it. Much as I like him, I still have to admit that he never really grew up anymore after fourteen.

I only tune back into the conversation when I hear my name. "Annabeth, we will show Percy the truth- all of it. Let's go to the attic."

I reluctantly follow Chiron and Percy to the attic, where Percy will meet his doom.

I can only hope he can maintain his fear to a certain degree, and not show the other campers- or me, for that matter- how much this prophecy will scare him. He is looked up to as a leader. And leaders are not allowed to show weakness.

Well, you know. In my opinion.

What did you think? Is it too boring? Should I keep going? Think we can get to 15 reviews?

Thanks for reading, guys

- MashPotatoeSquishBanana