This will be from Percy's Mom's perspective since Chiron isn't in this chapter much

I hurried home from the candy store with a bag full of assorted blue candy.

Percy was coming home today. He might be there when I got to the apartment… If you could call it that. What with Gabe's poker parties and me having to work all day, it was a disaster zone. I stepped off the subway and got on a taxi and said, "East One-hundred-and-fourth-and-first."

I thought about Percy's father. Poseidon. Just thinking about him made me feel good, warm and peaceful. I missed him so much, but understood that he couldn't see me anymore. He loved me too much, which, though I hate to admit it, made me feel a little prideful. He was becoming too human and was forbidden to see me.

At least we had Percy. He reminds me so much of him father. Stubborn and rebellious, but extremely how protected of… me I guess. Life as a half-blood in a mortal world was hard, especially when you didn't know who you were. I just held on to the hope that he would be a great hero, but not a hero's fate.

I was glad he had Grover. I had never met Grover, but Percy talked about him often. I knew the story of Thalia all too well, but I understood that Grover did what he had to do. I was grateful he was Percy's protector.

I stepped out of the cab and walked into the apartment building giving the workers a warm smile. I took the elevator up to our apartment and walked in. I sighed. Gabe was playing poker with some of the other guys that were there almost constantly.

I detested Gabe, but I loved Percy more. Sometimes I felt like just leaving. Running to the ocean and seeing where it took me. I knew Poseidon wouldn't let anything happen to me, but then I thought of Percy and knew I had to stay strong for him.

"Percy." I called. I so wanted to see him. I walked into his room. Immediately I knew something was wrong but did my best to smile as though there was not a care in the world. I just crushed him with a hug and ordered him to tell me everything that happened.

Then came my surprise. With a sparkle in my eyes I said, "we're going to the beach."

His eyes widened. "Montauk?"

"Three nights-same cabin."

"When?"

I smiled. "As soon as I get changed."

Gabe appeared in the doorway and growled, "Bean dip, Sally? Didn't you hear me?"

"I was on my way, honey," I told Gabe. "We were just talking about the trip."

Gabe's eyes got small. "The trip? You mean you were serious about that?"

"I knew it," Percy muttered. "He won't let us go."

"Of course he will," I said evenly, though felt less certain. "Your step-father is just worried about money. That's all.

Besides," I added, "Gabriel won't have to settle for bean dip. I'll make him enough seven-layer dip for

the whole weekend. Guacamole. Sour cream. The works."

Gabe softened a bit. "So this money for your trip ... it comes out of your clothes budget, right?"

"Yes, honey," I said. I could feel myself losing control of my temper but forced mysel

"And you won't take my car anywhere but there and back."

"We'll be very careful."

Gabe scratched his double chin. "Maybe if you hurry with that seven-layer dip ... And maybe if the kid apologizes for interrupting my poker game."

Percy looked prepared to scream. If he snapped things could go very badly. He was starting to develop his powers even though he didn't know it.

I made eye contact with him and tried to get him to calm down.

"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm really sorry I interrupted your incredibly important poker game. Please go back to it right now."

"Yeah, whatever," he decided.

He went back to his game.

"Thank you, Percy," my mom said. "Once we get to Montauk, we'll talk more about... whatever you've forgotten to tell me, okay?"

I was seriously worried. Anything he wasn't telling me could cost him his life. I put a smile on my face and went to change and make Gabe's stupid dip.

I helped Percy get his bags into the car and once we were in he told me to step on it.

As we reached the beach house, emptied the car and cleaned the cabin, I thought of Poseidon and our time here. Walking down the beach at sunset, kissing in our own private bubble underwater, riding hippocampi, and Poseidon making shapes of water above the ocean.

I remember him offering to make me his queen and telling me we could be together forever. I couldn't do that. I had been on my own basically my whole life. My uncle provide for me until he got cancer, but never really loved me. Never made sure I was happy. I learned that I had to earn what I had in life and I couldn't let Poseidon just give me everything I wanted, no matter how tempting it was.

Percy and I gathered sticks and made a campfire. We roasted hotdogs and marshmallows. Percy asked me about Poseidon.

"He was kind, Percy," I said. "Tall, handsome, and powerful. But gentle, too. You have his black hair, you know, and his green eyes."

I fished a blue jelly bean out of my candy bag. "I wish he could see you, Percy. He would be so proud."I wished he could see that. He was so special. Maybe someday, if- no, when he went to camp he would see that. I had to remind myself constantly that I had to let him go. It would be nearly impossible to send him away, but I had to do it. For his sake.

"How old was I?" he asked. "I mean ... when he left?"

My heart sank. I watched the flames to keep from crying. "He was only with me for one summer, Percy. Right here at this beach. This cabin."

"But... he knew me as a baby."

"No, honey. He knew I was expecting a baby, but he never saw you. He had to leave before you were born"

Percy looked crushed, then like he would cry, the angry, then determined.

Are you going to send me away again?" he asked finally. "To another boarding school?"

I felt torn. I pulled a marshmallow from the fire.

"I don't know, honey." My voice was thick. "I think ... I think we'll have to do something."

"Because you don't want me around?"

My eyes welled with tears. I took his hand, squeezed it tight. "Oh, Percy, no. I-I have to, honey. For your own good. I have to send you away."

"Because I'm not normal," he said.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing, Percy. But you don't realize how important you are. I thought Yancy Academy would be far enough away. I thought you'd finally be safe."

"Safe from what?"

I met his eyes, and thought of all the horrible things that has happened to Percy in the past.

"I've tried to keep you as close to me as I could," I said. "They told me that was a mistake. But there's only one other option, Percy-the place your father wanted to send you. And I just... I just can't stand to do it."

"My father wanted me to go to a special school?"

"Not a school," I said softly. "A summer camp."

He looked completely bewildered. I wanted to tell him everything. Especially how much his father loved him, but I couldn't. He had to find out for himself.

"I'm sorry, Percy," I said, seeing the look in his eyes. "But I can't talk about it. I-I couldn't send you to that place. It might mean saying good-bye to you for good."

"For good? But if it's only a summer camp ..."

I turned toward the fire, I couldn't hold myself together for much longer. I was heartbroken.

In the middle of the night I woke up to a loud clap of thunder. "Hurricane." I said. My head was spinning. What could Percy have done to make Zeus so angry that he would target him directly? Or was it Poseidon?

Over the roar of the wind, I heard a distant bellow, an angry, tortured sound that sent child down my back.

Then a much closer noise, like mallets in the sand. A desperate voice-someone yelling, pounding on our cabin door. I mother sprang out of bed in my nightgown and threw open the lock.

There stood a dripping wet satyr. Grover, I guessed.

"Searching all night," he gasped. "What were you thinking?"

I looked at Percy in terror-not scared of Grover, but of why he'd come.

"Percy," I said, shouting to be heard over the rain. "What happened at school? What didn't you tell me?"

He seemed frozen, looking at Grover. Like he couldn't understand what he was seeing. I couldn't blame him.

"O Zeu kai alloi theoi!" he cursed in Ancient Greek. "It's right behind me! Didn't you tell her?"

My mom looked at me sternly and talked in a tone she'd never used before: "Percy. Tell me now!"

He stammered something about three old ladies who I knew were the Fates, and a Fury in the school.

I grabbed my purse, tossed Percy his rain jacket, and said, "Get to the car. Both of you. Go!"

I ran to the car hoping Percy could take all of this craziness thrown at him at once. I started the car, stepped on the gas, and headed the one place I didn't want to go, but also the one place Percy would be safe. Camp Half-Blood.