Percy was sparring with Jason on the deck, Coach and Annabeth standing to one side to make sure they didn't try and skewer each other. Piper was at the helm with Leo, debating Eeveelutions with him. Frank and Hazel were in the mess hall downstairs. Louisa had disappeared. Festus and Percy confirmed she was still on the ship, the latter claiming she just needed to be alone. "She's not a people person." Percy had said, shaking his head.

"Really? We never would have figured that out!"

"I didn't realise you had a sense of humour, Grace."

"Oh, fight me."

"OK." Percy shrugged, dashing at him with Riptide. This had started their sparring session, bronze flashing against gold. Jason had spent months training with and versus Louisa. Percy hit with the flat of his blade, rolled, ducked and dodged, tried tripping Jason up several times. He was not as direct with his attacks as Louisa was, switching from offensive to defensive in a heartbeat.

Jason pushed back, slashing at his head. Percy ducked, slapped his leg with the flat of his sword again. Back and forth. Each time one thought he had gained ground, it was quickly reversed. Jason parried, stabbing forward. Percy hopped to one side with a laugh, swinging at the hilt of his sword. Jason very nearly lost his weapon, shoulder-barging Percy at the last possible second. He staggered, placing two, maybe three feet between them. Jason took a breath, readjusting his grip on his sword as Percy frowned at him. "Well, that was rude." He eventually decided.

"Blame your sister. She did that to me often enough."

"Oh, don't fight like Lou. She broke my leg the first time we met."

"She did what now?"

"Leg. Broken. Big ouchy. Bones don't bend that way." Percy said slowly, smirking when Jason's expression deadpanned. He darted forward. Jason blocked his attack instantly, their blades crossed an inch from his face.

To the side, Coach was trying to persuade Annabeth to make a bet. "Come on, Chase, who d'you think will win?"

"Coach, they're just training-"

"Well, someone's not rooting for her boyfriend."

"Coach-"

"I'm telling you, Leo, there's nothing wrong with Sylveon! They only evolve when their friendship and loyalty to their trainer is a high level!"

"No, no, no, Flareon would kick Sylveon's butt!"

"You can't pick a fire type because you're a fire type!"

"Yes I can!"

"That's ridiculous!"

"So's your face!" Piper's head snapped round. Leo yelped, ducking away. "Sorry, don't kill me!"

"OK!" Annabeth called, clapping her hands loudly. Everyone froze. Piper was reaching to strangle Leo, who had his arms over his head. Percy and Jason had each other at sword point. Coach was thoroughly disappointed, frowning at the side of her head. "It's getting late," Annabeth said, "let's get some rest. Piper, don't kill Leo. We need him."

"Just a little bit?"

"No."

"Unfair."

"You've been hanging around Lou too much." Percy shrunk Riptide, slipping the pen in his pocket. "I'm gonna go see if she's alright." He fist bumped Jason, kissed Annabeth's cheek as he passed. He ignored Leo, who shot him a pointed look, tapping his fingers on his cheek. Piper laughed.

"Leo, you idiot."

"No love for Valdez."

"No." Piper agreed, laughing when he pouted at her. She ruffled his hair. "Dork."


Louisa was on her bunk, her back to the door. She was sketching, but judging by the amount of paper balls around her, she wasn't particularly happy with results. Percy rapped his knuckles gently on the door. She looked up, but didn't turn.

"It's your cabin too. Why ya knockin'?"

"Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. Headache. Too many people." She tore out her page, muttering a swear when she uncovered the back of the sketchbook. She tossed the carcass to one side too, twisting her pencil between her fingers instead. She had the left side of the room. Her bed was unmade, she had stuck her feet under her pillow. Pencils, a grubby eraser and chocolate wrappers littered her sheets, amongst the cast off drawings.

"Art block?" Percy asked carefully. He stooped to pick up a ball, carefully unfurling the paper. The drawing was incomplete, base lines and rough guidelines. But he recognised the food trucks, the harpies perched miserably in trees around them. The picnic table with an undetermined mound on top, a plump figure on one side holding a rectangle, a weed-whacker.

Percy grabbed another one. The shape of a small row boat, the pencil smudging at the water level. A third showed him the outlines of New Rome. Another the beginnings of a hippie bag lady. A giant in a throne on an ice berg. A smaller figure sat on the edge of an ice berg looking down, sword in hand. "Lou?"

"What?"

"How… how much did you see? While I was away?"

"Bits." He half-turned at the waist to look at her. She was picking at her bedsheets, her hair falling around her face. He wasn't going to get more than that. He checked the rest of the pictures, making a messy pile on his bed. Every one of them were from his quests, throughout the years. Even an oblong shape with furry scribblings and wide eyes.

"If this is guinea pig me, I'm going to shove this down your throat." She said nothing. Percy sighed, adding it to the pile. He sat next to it, thumbing the sheets. "How come you're drawing all that?"

"Dunno."

"You sleeping OK?"

"Fine."

"Lou-"

"What'd ya want, Percy?" She snapped. She scraped her hair back into a ponytail, but it was in need of a good brushing. Percy bit the inside of his cheek, pushing his temper down.

"Can't I make sure you're OK?"

"I'm fine."

"You're lying."

"Yeah, well, that's none of your business." She glared at him, for a brief moment, looked away. She started throwing the rubbish from her bed onto the floor, placing her pencils in a pot on her nightstand. Percy went through her drawings again, trying to smooth the paper out in his lap.

"How come you didn't finish these?" He asked quietly. She shifted, flopping onto her side, her back to him.

"Didn't want to."

"You draw so well though."

"Whatever."

"Can we stop this?" Percy exasperated.

"Why? What'd you want?"

"My sister not to bite my head off every time she opens her mouth."

"Think 'bout that next time ya drink gorgon's blood."

"I'm sorry, OK? It got me my memory back though and got us the answer to where-"

"Great." She interrupted dully. Percy put the drawings on his bedside table, frowning at the back of her head. "Go to sleep." She told him flatly.

"Can I ask you something first?"

"No."

"You can go back to hating me afterwards. Please." He added, his voice soft. Something in his voice caught at her mind, worry niggling at the edges of her anger. She rolled onto her back, squinting at him. He looked down at his hands in his lap, shoulders slumped.

"What?" She demanded.

"It's stupid." He said, shaking his head slightly.

"Ain't that a given with you?" Louisa sighed. Percy looked up, biting at his lip. She propped herself up on her elbows, staring him out. Percy explained carefully, haltingly. He told her about the aquarium, something he hadn't mentioned before- "I thought I was going to drown."

"But, we can't-"

"I know." He bowed his head, fidgeting with his hands. Louisa sat up, thinking.

"This is 'cos of the bog, ain't it?" He nodded. Louisa passed a hand over her throat. She hadn't been able to breathe either, when he fell in. But she was out in the open, she had people who were clamouring to help her. She could still see, hear, feel them. Percy had known nothing but mud- cold, suffocating mud, in every direction and sense. He had felt it in his lungs, felt it dragging him down, smothering his face…

"Hazel saved me, but since then… I… I just…"

"I know." She said quietly. They looked at each other. "Have you told Annabeth?" He shook his head, panicked at the mere thought of it. "OK." Percy exhaled, massaging the heel of his hand into his chest. Louisa crossed the room in two steps, taking a seat next to him. She didn't say anything, just offered her hand. Percy gripped it, his breathing shaky and irregular. His fingers crushed her hand, cold and clammy, trembling. Louisa let her eyes slowly wander around the room. She didn't focus on anything in particular.

She began to hum. A soft tune, Percy recognised it at once. A lullaby, one his mother used to sing, when he was very small. How Louisa knew it, he didn't know. She didn't know the words, but he could hear them, in Sally's voice, from some recess of his mind. Of a ship in a storm, how the thunder rattled bones, how the waves battered the hull, how to the wind tore at the sails. How the sailor fought on, how he travelled those waves and utilised those winds, how he thought of home, of the warmth of his family, his dinner ready and waiting for him. He thought of his wife, of his children, one line singing clear in Percy's mind- no sea, no storm, no suffering shall keep us apart; my dear, every roll of thunder echoes the love beating in my heart.

Percy realised he was humming too, distractedly missing parts. He wanted to listen to her. But he wanted to join in. And he wanted to listen to the version in his head, could almost feel his mother's hand brushing through his hair. For you, I'll hold back the tide. But for now, these waves are steep-

"-'n' you need to go to sleep." Louisa finished aloud. Percy blinked, eyelids heavy. His grasp on her hand had slackened. She stood, unrestricted, gently pushing on his shoulder. He lay down and she pulled the covers over him. "Night bro."


When Annabeth arrived on the deck the next morning, it was to find Jason, Leo and Frank had already gone. Piper had seen them off, remarking how excited Leo had been- "Poor Frank, I don't think he's ready to handle that idiot just yet."

"He'll have to learn quickly." Annabeth smiled. She saw Percy leaning on the railings, watching the sea below. He glanced round when Annabeth tucked a hand through his arm, kissing her temple.

"Morning, Wise-Girl." He smiled. It didn't fully reach his eyes, but he seemed calmer than yesterday, greatly so.

"Morning, Seaweed Brain." She rested her head on his shoulder, looking to the horizon. Her hand slid down his arm to lace her fingers with his. For a moment, she left herself imagine they were travelling, sight-seeing. There was no quest, there was no monsters or evil earth ladies or giants wanting them to bleed out, there was no Mark of Athena. She tried to ignore the Roman markings on his arm, biting back distaste at the sight of them.

Louisa swearing behind them cut through that image. Piper and Hazel were holding onto her arms, grinning while she protested loudly. Annabeth sighed.

"She really doesn't want to come, does she?" Annabeth sighed. Percy looked over his shoulder, smiling lopsidedly. "What are you going to do today?"

"Jump in the harbour." He replied matter-of-factly. "I wanted to talk to the local Nereids, see if they had any ideas how to help that aquarium."

"OK." Annabeth curled her fingers under his chin and kissed him.

"Let me go or I swear I'm gonna gouge ya eyes out with ya kneecaps!" Louisa raged. Percy laughed, resting his forehead on Annabeth's. The blonde sighed.

"Try not to kill her." Percy pleaded.

"I make no promises." Annabeth grumbled. Louisa laughed victoriously, Hazel protesting in Latin. Piper squealed. Louisa had wriggled free of Hazel's grip, picking her other captor up in a fireman's lift, holding both her wrists in one hand. Piper was rather pink, looking to Annabeth for both help and in denial. Annabeth shook her head, moving from one twin to the other. "Let's go find this ghost of the Battery." She said.

"No!" Louisa shook her head.

"Yes." Annabeth defied.

"I'll throw Piper in the harbour!"

"No, don't throw Piper in the harbour!" Piper squirmed. "Put me down! Percy, control your sister!"


At first, the walk along the Battery was good, relatively enjoyable. Piper had linked her arm with Louisa's, once Percy had talked her into putting Piper down, and now walked alongside her, making sure she didn't try to escape. Louisa wasn't overly happy with this, muttering under her breath, but she didn't pull away.

An ocean breeze swept away the muggy heat of the summer afternoon. Louisa took a deep breath at the scent of her element, some of her agitation fading away. Piper smiled at her. "Glad you came down? You must have been getting a bit stir crazy on that ship."

"It weren't too bad when the company left." Louisa raised her brows at her. Piper tutted, holding onto her arm tighter, secretly enjoying the strength concealed under her jacket. Louisa didn't seem to notice any ulterior motives, eyes scanning the park cautiously. Civil war cannons and bronze statues of historical figures lined the road. Annabeth considered each one grumpily, a little bemused when Louisa aimed a kick at one.

"Behave." Piper chided, half-laughing and pulling her away.

"Never." Louisa stuck her tongue out, resuming her search of the park. Annabeth noticed her scrutiny.

"What do you know about this ghost, Lou?"

"I don't." Louisa replied flippantly, looking over her shoulder. Piper had to pull her out of the way of some other pedestrians. When she faced forward, she was met with Annabeth's frown. "What?"

"You're not telling us something and I don't know why." Louisa contemplated something for a moment, expression light yet unreadable.

"Did I tell ya about the time I tied Triton ta a hippocampus?" She smiled. Annabeth threw up her hands, wordlessly complaining.

"Why won't you tell us?" Hazel quizzed. "Surely it's important."

"It's icky 'n' I don't wanna."

"Icky?" Piper repeated. Annabeth inhaled, eyes closed, silently counting. The breeze flitted around them and for a moment, she seemed less irritated. Louisa looked out to the harbour. No doubt the ocean scent gently wafting around them had Annabeth thinking of Percy.

Annabeth opened her eyes. Louisa waved, smiling, and she scowled.

"Let's keep walking." She muttered. Piper squeezed Louisa's arm.

"Stop being annoying and just tell us."

"I'll tell ya if ya let me go."

"No chance, you'll run back to the ship."

"Exactly." They walked along South Battery Street. Four-storey colonial mansions seemed to watch them as they passed, brick walls coated with ivy. Gardens were bursting with rosebushes and honeysuckle and flowering bougainvillea, all of which was fantastic for Louisa's allergies. She stopped dead in her tracks, Piper jolting a step ahead of her, and sneezed.

"You're revolting." Piper grimaced when Louisa wiped her nose on her sleeve.

"I've done worse." Louisa shook her head, sneezing again.

"It looks like New Rome," Hazel mused, "with the gardens, the columns and the arches-" She was interrupted by a sneeze, laughing as Louisa groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"That one hurt." Louisa complained, bowing her head. "Can we move away from plants now, please?" Piper's grip tightened on her arm, a sudden brisk step in her walk. "Hey, you OK?" Piper looked at her- not now, her eyes said. Louisa just nodded, turning her head away to sneeze. Piper's fingers dug into her upper arm. Louisa put a hand over them, offering a reassuring smile that didn't 100% work with red eyes and a sneeze caught in her nose. Piper got the gist, smiling sympathetically.

"The great daughter of Poseidon," she teased, "brought down by some honeysuckle."

"Ya know, I don't have ta be nice to you."

"Oh, yes you do. You love me."

"Eh." Louisa shrugged. "I'd love ya more if ya let me go back."

"Sacrifices must be made." Piper wrinkled her nose and laughed, her step softening a fraction. "Oh my gods," Piper pointed at something past Louisa, "there it is." A hundred yards out, a shimmering white figure gloated on the water. Louisa scowled, the edges of the water creeping closer to them.

"No, Lou," Annabeth put a restraining hand on her shoulder, "don't drown the ghost."

"That's not a ghost." Hazel said, cupping her hands round her eyes. "No kind of spirit glows that brightly." She looked to the others. Piper started walking across the street, dragging Louisa with her. Louisa spluttered protests, but couldn't get her arm free. Piper walked, as if in a trance, towards the edge of the seawall. Louisa had to haul her to one side to avoid being run over by a horse-drawn carriage. The horses whickered at her, shaking their manes.

"I ain't translatin' that." She told them.

By the time Annabeth and Hazel caught up with them, the ghost was only a few yards away. Piper was glaring at it, like it had offended her.

"It is her." She huffed. The ghost floated up onto the seawall in front of them, the glow fading. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful. Her features shifted from one glamourous movie star to another. Her eyes were playful, changing from blue to green to amber, her straight blonde hair morphing into dark chocolatey curls. Just like Jason had said, she was dressed like a Southern belle in a silk, pink low-cut bodice, a three-tiered hoop skirt with white scalloped lace. Her arms were covered with long, white silk gloves and she held a pink and white feather fan to her chest. She was so easily graceful, so perfectly beautiful, radiated feminine charm to the point she almost glowed- Louisa wanted to hit her, see if she could make bruises and bloody noses look pretty.

"Aphrodite." Annabeth said.

"Venus?" Hazel gaped.

"Mom." Piper frowned.

"Shit." Louisa back-tracked.

"Girls!" Aphrodite spread her arms like she wanted a group hug, oblivious to Piper struggling to keep Louisa from scarpering. "I'm so glad you're here! War is coming, bloodshed is inevitable! So there's really only one thing to do!"

"Uh… and that is?" Annabeth hunched her shoulders.

"Why, have tea and chat of course! Come with me! You too, Louisa."

"No no no no no."