A/N:

And we're back with the new and remodeled chapter three.

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson or Heroes of Olympus. For the sake of your tears, be glad of that. :P

"...that if desperate calls for desperate measures, then I'm free to act as desperately as I wish."

-Suzanne Collins

3

River

When I woke, I was unpleasantly surprised to find that I was alive.

My whole body ached, especially my throat, head, and back, and I bit back a groan. I reached back and touched my inflamed scar and winced as a shiver crept down my spine.

Where was I? The last thing I remembered was the poison taking over.

A girl was softly speaking to a boy just outside the room. The door was open, and light spilled into the room. My hands shook as I realized whose voice it was.

"-it's been a week, Will. Why isn't he awake?"

"I don't know! I told you, I've never seen that poison before, nor the antidote. I had Annabeth analyze it, but-"

My mind froze. Annabeth? But… I couldn't be back…I couldn't!
Fear curled inside me and my throat felt tight and dry. Shaking slightly, I forced myself to calm down, but I was still afraid.

How could I have been so stupid? So careless?
Maybe I could sneak away, get to Olympus and explain to Hera how I had ended up in camp. Maybe everyone could still be saved…

I struggled to sit up, and nearly puked when the wave of nausea hit me. I couldn't help but let a tiny groan slip from my traitorous lips. The pair outside the door fell silent and slowly, the doorknob begam to turn. With wide eyes, I stared as she poked her head inside the doorframe.

She stared at me, and I stared back. Then she darted out of the room with a curtain of hair barely making it out before the door shut behind her.

What the hell?

Still blinking, I watched as the door opened yet again, with Will this time behind the doorknob.

Will had just poked his head into the room when time froze. Like, actually froze.

The blanket that had been cascading off me was static in the air, hard as rock. Will was in the process of blinking, so his eyes were mostly closed and his nose was scrunched up.

A fly was in midflight and stuck as if in amber, and I felt uncomfortably like someone had pressed 'pause' on the room.

Suddenly there was a flash of light, and Hera, wife of Zeus and goddess of family, marriage, and ruining-my-life was standing in front of me.

"Hera," I snarled, awkwardly attempting to wriggle out of my stone-like blankets.

"Percy," Hera replied regally.

I glared at her. "My name is River."

Hera sighed. "So you say. What do I do about this?" She waved her hand at Will, eyes filled with disappointment and anger.

"Let me go? Leave camp alone?" I suggested, but Hera continued as if I wasn't there.

"You didn't come here on purpose…" she mused, tapping her fingers on the bedside table. She lowered herself into a rickety old chair placed beside the bed as if it were a throne.

"Like you said, I didn't come here on purpose," I argued. "The poison-"

"I know!" Hera said, utterly oblivious to anything I was saying. She swung one knee over the other, snapping her fingers. A smile crept over her features and I had to suppress a shiver. That smile was creepy. "Stay here for the next two months. Prove that you can leave your friends behind after reuniting with them."

I stared at her in disbelief. "Why? What do you get out of this? Isn't the whole point of me not going back to keep them safe? Why on earth-"

"You need to be taught a lesson," said Hera. "And you must be hidden. Fear is catching on, Percy-"

"River."

"-to where you are and who you were. He knows you will be avoiding camp and will not at first think to look for you here. We need you alive at least a little longer."

"Don't you realize how hurt the people here- your family- will be once I reveal-"

"You must keep your identity a secret," Hera said in a bright voice.

My jaw dropped. "Are you serious? Two months is a long time! They'll discover who I am and-"

"If you are discovered, boom. Bye-bye Camp Halfblood. Make them hate you, River Jackson. Become despicable. Make them glad to be rid of you. After all, Percy would never be a jerk, or at least consciously. They would never expect it!" Her eyes narrowed and she gave me a cold smirk. "It shouldn't be too much of a stretch, after all."

My blood turned to ice. Hera beamed at me as if she were giving wonderful news.

"Good luck, River," the goddess said, disappearing in a flash of blinding light. Time resumed.

Will finished blinking, and the fly continued buzzing around the room. My blankets collapsed on my lap, and my tongue felt heavy and dry. I was a much better liar now, but I didn't think I could pull this off, whether or not I was as much as an asshole as Hera thought I was. Strangely, I felt odly hurt by that thought, even if I was so much more of a jerk than Percy.

My thoughts were interrupted as Will entered the room. His hair was damp, probably from a shower. I quickly put a mask on my face and frowned at Will.

"Who are you?" My voice was raspy. "Where am I?"

Will raised an eyebrow. "A better question would be who you are."

I scowled. "Sorry, that's classified information."

Will sighed and handed me a cup of amber colored liquid. Nectar. I held it, feeling the chill from the ice in the cup permeate my hands. I raised an eyebrow, deciding on a more ignorant, exagerated version of myself, someone who had no idea about the world of monsters and gods other than that they attacked him.

"What is this? Are you trying to drug me?"

Will's eyes widened. "Why would I do that?"

I let out a sigh and rolled my eyes. "Hmm… I dunno….because you are a stranger offering me a strange-looking drink?"

"It's to help you heal." Will said patiently.

I snorted. "I've heard that one before. Not a lesson I'm keen to repeat."

Will looked worried for some reason. "Where are you from?"
I shrugged. "Last couple weeks I've been in New York."

"What's your name?" Will tried. I crossed my arms.

"Tell me your's first," I said obstinately.

"My name is Will Solace." Will said, smiling benignly. "I'm the son of-"

But whatever Will was going to say faltered as the doors to the room crashed open, and Annabeth Chase marched inside.

I paused for a moment, staring at Percy's old girlfriend, who I hadn't seen since before Tartarus. "So he's awake," she said, crossing her arms.

Annabeth was going to be the most suspicious of any of the people at camp. I had to figure out a way to keep her off my trail. Anything that could dispel any suspicion as to who I was was going to be needed.

"Who're you, princess?" I said, smirking at her.

"Don't call me that." Annabeth said. "Will, I'll take it from here."

Will nodded and left. Annabeth ignored the rickety chair and stood at the end of my bed.

"What's your name?" Annabeth asked.

I laughed, but it wasn't a joyful or warm one; it was cold, high, and hard. Even I was surprised by it. Then again, I had not laughed since escaping Tartarus.

"What's so funny?" Annabeth said crossly, although her eyes looked unnerved.

"Honestly princess, you expect me to just give it away?" I gave a sly grin. "Name's River, sweetie."

"Don't call me that," Annabeth hissed. Then she recovered herself. "Odd name."

I shrugged.

"What's your last name?" Annabeth asked.

I gave a lopsided smile. "Have none."

"Why?"

"No one around to give me one," I shrugged. "Didn't need a last name, couldn't remember one, so here I am."

Annabeth's eyes softened. "Too bad," she mumered. "Must have been hard."

I shrugged again, and saw a flash of irritation in Annabeth's eyes. I remembered that she hated shrugging.

"So what's your name?" I asked. "Can't keep callin' you princess forever."

"Annabeth," Annabeth drew herself up proudly. "Annabeth Chase, architect of Olympus, daughter of Athena, and counselor of the Athena cabin."

"Athena?" I said, saying the word as if were foreign to me.

Annabeth sighed, as if she wished she hadn't been stuck explaining the craziness that was out world to me. "Do you know about the Greek gods?"

"Like…Zeus?" I said, crinkling my eyebrows. When did I become such a good actor?

"Exactly." Annabeth said, nodding. "Well, they're real. And alive."

I stared at her. "Nice." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "So I've been kidnapped by a crazy gang. What are you, princess, Queen Slut?"

Annabeth's eyes went turned to steel, and I could she was barely holding back from attacking me, shoulders tight and ready to spring. Good.

"No," Annabeth said, her voice strained. Her fists were clenched. "This is a summer camp for demigods."

I blinked. "I dunno what 'demi' means, but godly…hmm.." I gave her another crooked grin. Then I frowned. "There may be monsters- I'll give you that, but there ain't no gods."

Annabeth sighed. "Believe me, River, there are."

"I'll believe it when I see it," I said stubbornly. "Even if there are gods, how d'you know I'm a demigod?"

"A mortal would not have been able to defeat so many monsters. Besides, a mortal would have not been able to ingest nectar and ambrosia without literally being burnt to ash."

I glanced down at the still-cold drink in my hands suspiciously. "This is nectar?"

Annabeth nodded.

"So it is some kind of drug!" I said triumphantly, setting the glass down on the bedside table and pushing it away from me.

"No!" Annabeth said, clearly exasperated. "It's the drink of the gods!"

"That's what they all say!" I argued, swinging my legs off the bed, and ignoring the pain it caused. I patted my pocket, and felt the pen and twig that hid my swords. "So princess. Where can I get some food? Assuming it's not drugged."

Annabeth glowered at me. "Dinner was an hour ago."

I swore. Annabeth's glare became more intense. Damn. She was scary.

"We have little kids here," Annabeth said sternly. "Swearing is not tolerated."

Raising an eyebrow, I simply shrugged. That was a weird rule. I got up off the bed, hiding a wince as my scar twinged. I longed to have some more nectar and ambrosia, at the least so I could stash some away, but it wasn't possible yet as River.

I stretched, feeling the last waves of nausea fade away. The poison had run its course for now, but I knew that it would come again next month.

"Look princess," I said. "I'll happily leave as soon as I figure what the hell is going on in this nut job camp of yours."

Annabeth shot a look of pure dislike at me.

"I'm sure Chiron would love to meet you," she said. "For now, I'll give you a tour."

Nodding, I silently followed her from the room.

I had succeeded; Annabeth hated me, and she hopefully would never be able to figure out that I was once Percy Jackson.

So why did I feel so miserable?

Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read so far. You guys rock!

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edited 9/27/15