Chapter Four

"Hello Hermes." Percy knew it was him, even though she hadn't turned to look. She was on Montauk beach, staring out at the ocean, but not touching the water. She had swam all the way here, so of course her father knew she was here, but she pretended he didn't

"Good evening Persephone." he sat down beside her in the sane and dug his fingers into it, letting it sit through his fingers slowly.

"Breaking the laws again?" she sent him a wry smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. Instead, exhaustion hung there.

"Of course." he sucked in a deep breath "Why are you here? You should be sleeping."

"No kidding." she leaned her forehead against her knees for a moment, before lifting her head up to look at him "Nightmares, I can't even close my eyes, they're so close."

"So you came to an abandoned beach." he nodded like it made total sense, but Percy shrugged

"I don't like being around the others when I feel like this, I feel I drag them down too much." she sighed, staring longingly out at the water.

"Oh Percy." Hermes sighed as well before opening his arms wide "Come here." Percy looked at him for a moment before shifting so he could wrap his arms around her. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "It's going to get better, okay?"

"In all honesty, I'm so far past freak out mode." she pulled away slightly and Hermes frowned "I'm beyond stress, beyond hysteria, I'm in that grey misty indifference that happens right before complete shutdown of all but emergency services in my brain." her eyes were a misty sea green, like the calm before the hurricane, where the clouds are rolling in and you can just see the rain line coming in.

"Come on," he stood, brushing himself off, and holding out a hand for her to take "We are going for a walk."

"No offense Hermes but I'm not sure how much farther my legs can travel." he frowned but didn't comment on her statement.

"You won't have to walk." he quickly pulled her to her feet and bent down with his back facing her "hop on."

"Seriously?" she looked at him like he was crazy, but he didn't answer, so she shrugged and hopped onto his back.

"Where we going?" she questioned as he set off towards the lighthouse in the distance.

"I have no idea but we are going." Hermes answered.

Xxx

They'd been playing twenty questions for the past two hours, lying on a rocky outcrop and listening to the waves crash below them. Every once and a while, a salty spray would hit them, but it wasn't uncomfortable.

"I should take you back to camp." Hermes stated after several minutes of silence. Slowly, he began to sit up, waiting for her answer.

"I wouldn't mind a bit of sleep." she answered wryly, throwing him a small grin as she sat up as well, slowly at first then throwing herself into standing position.

"Thanks Hermes." she held out a hand to help him to his feet and he took it, frowning at the sudden submissiveness about her.

"It's no problem honestly, I needed a break." he paused "We should do stuff more often."

"Yeah?" she sent him a questioning look and he ducked his head, "Yeah we should." Hermes glanced over at her with a small smile

"On a scale of one to ten, how bad-"

"If it involves me, then it's going to be a twenty." she answered quickly, watching a slight frown form on his face.

"You didn't even let me finish the question!" he was mock angry and she could see laughter in his eyes.

"Yes but it more then likely involves me and seeing as it does," she gave him a knowing look "It's a twenty."

"I'm trying to have a serious conversation with you!" he was trying to hide his grin and Percy nudged him in the ribs, forcing a small laugh from him

"And I'm trying to subtly avoid it, so let me have my twenty." she grinned at him for a moment before realized their close proximity and stepping away, suddenly uncomfortable. "You were going to ask how bad it will be if my uncle finds out."

"Yes, I was."

"Then I have a question for you," she folded her arms "Do you trust me?"

"No, not completely."

"Smart man," she rolled her eyes "For this, I need you to trust me though, okay?" she gave him a pleading look and saw his resolve crumble.

"Fine." he sucked in a breath and she gave him a mock look of surprise before grinning. In reply, he held out his arm for her to take. "Let's get you back to camp oh princess of the sea."