Disclaimer: Once upon a time, Rick Riordan wrote an amazing series of books which I fell in love to. One day, I had an idea that became a story and a whole year later, I'm not done writing. Thanks Rick for the inspiration to do something I thought I couldn't.

Author's Notes: 4/17/15 - TGIF! 1,566+ views

CH 9 "Saturday with Kate" (Claire)

Last night, my mom let me spend the night with Kate. I know what she is trying to do, keeping me away of TJ and that wound. I can feel the salt and energy coming out of it. I knew it was Rhode's doing without anyone telling me as soon as I saw my brother at my birthday. Most of my life in the same environment can really make you perceptive. I know what is doing to my brother and there is nothing we can't do. I haven't told my parents, or even TJ. I wanted them to be happy for as long as possible before it happens. This will destroy everybody, but Lana is the one that worries me the most. Her love for my brother is so strong that it won't destroy her, it will disintegrate her. An angry daughter of Poseidon is dangerous, just ask Rhode.

I woke up in Kate's second bed which in reality it's my bed. When Grandpa Paul's was still alive, I used to sleep in the other room with Aida, even the same bed. This was my dad's old room now Kate's room.

I have spent so many nights here with them growing up that I had to have my own bed. At first, it was because Calypso took me away from dad. He was falling and falling in such a state of pain and misery after my mom left to live with Piper. He drank so much that I found him a couple of times in the middle of the living room completely drunk, unconscious and covered in vomit or piss, not exactly something pleasant to see, less when you are just 11 years old. I hated what it had become of Percy Jackson, great hero of two wars and my dad. He was bound to die of a broken heart if he kept it up like that.

Then a miracle happened, my brother fixed things. He fulfilled his promise to me. He gave me my mom, the Annabeth Jackson everybody remembered and loved. I was happy with my parents, I really was, but I spent most of the weekends with Calypso to give them some couple time. They needed to reconnect after a decade separated. I didn't mind. I was actually glad of being away of them, they can be really loud, mostly mom.

I love Calypso, Kate and Will. They are really my second home, not because they are my family. It was sad to think that Grandpa Paul wasn't here anymore. He always wanted a son, though he always saw dad like one, but he would have definitely adored Will. He is pretty much his living image: dark brown wavy hair, the same smile and skin color. He only inherited from Calypso's, the almond eyes.

Kate was sleeping really soundly in her bed and I was a wide awake. I looked to the clock by the door and it was almost 8 o'clock. I couldn't believe I was already up in a Saturday. I wanted to bang my head against the wall annoyed of myself.

I got dressed with yesterday's clothes. I wasn't in the mood yet of taking a shower and a fresh change of clothes. Combing my hair took a lot of time and effort lately. It had grown so long and it got tangled a lot. I had been wearing braids for a couple of months now and I was a little sick of it. I wanted it shorter and I hated myself for the reason I kept it long. I even thought of getting it dyed maybe with bubblegum pink streaks in my dirty blond original color.

I looked to myself in the mirror and saw the only thing that made me part of Poseidon's blood line, my eyes. They were as bright and shiny as Lana's, but the rest was my mom's: my hair, my skin, my nose, my mouth, at least I had bigger boobs than my sister, not so small consolation at least.

I walked outside the bedroom to hear Calypso's on the kitchen. If my dad was here, he would have already run inside and drag her out of the kitchen. Calypso was actually a pretty decent cook once you pass the lack of salt, but that's fixable. Dad said she used to burn out everything, even the water.

"Good morning" I said once I was entering to the kitchen. By the kitchen table and wall, there was a picture of Grandpa which I blew it a kiss. I missed him so much. We all did.

"Good morning, sweetie. Is Kate up already?" asked Calypso as she flipping pancakes by the stove.

"Still sleeping, Cals" I said playfully and slumped in the chair.

Calypso glared at me saying "Don't call me Cals, please"

"Grandpa did" I said with a big grin.

Calypso chuckled and said biting her lips from start laughing "Well, he had privileges that no one else had"

"Beside the 'cooking' and… remind me what else" I said so teasingly that I was already giggling, then I burst out in laughs.

"As funny as Percy" said Calypso rolling her eyes at me and laughed more loudly.

I laughed so hard that I woke up Kate and Will who both came so intrigued and wondering why I was almost rolling in the floor.

"Mom?" asked Kate looking at me trying to stop laughing.

"A laughing attack" said Calypso "Will, run. It's contagious". He actually believed his mom's joke and ran to his room yelling. That made me laugh harder.

It took us probably 5 minutes to finally calm down and sat all together at the table. Kate had to convince Will that I wasn't contagious and Calypso was kidding. So we were eating together at peace like most Saturday mornings.

"What are your plans for today?" asked Calypso "Will and I are going to the zoo, right?"

"Yeah!" said Will with his pretty preschooler face beaming of excitement.

"Don't know… maybe some shopping" I said without really thinking. Kate and I really didn't have any plans for the day.

"Yes! We have to get our Halloween costumes! We can go to the new mall that Zoey told us yesterday" said Kate excited with hands in the air and everything. She loved shopping. She always got along better with Lauren in terms of fashion.

"That's right" I said with lesser excitement. I didn't like shopping but I was my idea. Besides, Kate looked so happy to burst her bubble.

One hour later, we were ready to leave after a shower and clean clothes. Calypso and Will left with us and we parted ways around the corner. We took the bus and walked a little to get to the brand new mall close to Broadway. The place still smelled of fresh paint and new furniture. We were almost inside and Kate stopped me by the door to let a family come in first. I was about to advance but her hand on me wasn't letting me move.

"What are we going to do here?" asked Kate with a hint of wondering and doubt.

"Shopping" I said looking strangely at her.

"Seriously?" said Kate not pleased of my answer.

"Seriously" I said.

She stared at me with Calypso's inherited stare as she said "No hidden agenda? No monster chasing and getting us in trouble with Percy?"

"Just shopping" I said shrugging.

"You are planning something. I know you" said Kate and I was just getting mad. Really, I didn't have a hidden agenda… this time.

"I am not" I said and looked away "Besides, monsters find us. We don't chase them"

"But we still get in trouble with Percy. He doesn't want you to fight, not anymore" said Kate honestly and worried and I hated it.

"I was one of the best at Camp when I was 10… We are a family of heroes and fighters. I don't know what's wrong with that now" I said trying not to get upset. I hated how my dad made promise to stop training so much when I was 12. I was banned of training with Campers, except with close family, and never more of one hour. Thereby, I was now good enough to defend myself and run, not enough to stay and win.

Kate sighed and said "Your dad is probably hiding something from you. I know, you know. My mom won't tell me either"

"That wouldn't surprise me, the question is what" I said sighing.

"I know… Come on, let's get a costume now" said Kate pulling inside the store with fake excitement as she was trying to cheer me up just a little.

We went from store to store seeing and trying all the cute outfits we could find. We ended up getting ourselves a scarecrow costume for Kate and moderate and appropriate sexy version of Dorothy. The blue skirt is a little shorter, but still tasteful. I only hope my dad sees the same otherwise I will end dressed up as a nun.

After 2 hours of shopping, we were really hungry. We were now at the food court staring at the people getting their meals and thinking what to get for ourselves. I was really thinking about food when I felt Kate's head on my shoulder.

"A penny for your thoughts" she said with a penny in her hand.

I smiled and said joking "A penny isn't enough. Haven't you heard who my grandmother is? I deserve more for Athena's inherited amazing thoughts"

"Well, a dime" said Kate and looked in her purse for change. I laughed lightly and she handled me a dime "Ewan? He is gone, you know"

I looked at Kate and I wanted to yell that I wasn't thinking in Ewan but I was now. He disappeared 11 months. I felt a sudden wave of sadness and concern bathing me. "I don't want to believe he really is" I said "We haven't found his body"

"Do you really think he was kidnapped? The oracle would have said something by now" said Kate "We would know already. Maybe he just ran away"

I sighed and said "He wouldn't leave like that. He loves his mom to make her go through of something like that"

"I don't want the pessimist here but he is most likely to be dead then, probably eaten by a monster if the Dark Sword didn't find him first" said Kate and I didn't want to believe it.

"He is not" I said weakly and I felt my heart hurt so much.

"Claire, he is and you have to let him go" said Kate.

"Lana hasn't either" I said defensibly.

"And that's good? That she still thinks on her dead ex-boyfriend while she is your brother, her current boyfriend? How do you think TJ must feel?" said Kate and the pain in my heart was heavier.

I said as bitterly as I could "Don't remind me that"

"I know how you felt about him" said Kate "You weren't exactly discrete about" and she laughed lightly. She wanted to cheer me up but she failed miserably.

"Yeah… He was too in love with Lana to ever notice me, still a child, full of silly childish nonsense" I said and that was the saddest thing about me. I wanted to have Lana's long hair, not because it was similar to dad or TJ, but because Ewan liked it. I like and envy Lana at the same time in equal admiration and hate. I wanted to be like her, to be loved by Ewan just like her. I wondered what made Lana so special, to be loved with such fervor and endless adoration. She had the two most amazing guys and strongest fighters at Camp at her feet and I had no one. Nobody paid attention to me, here, at school or at Camp. I was invisible like I wasn't even worth looking twice.

"Tough break" I whispered to myself.

"Well, that's life" said Kate and I felt her arm surrounding me by the shoulder. I felt my eyes in tears and I was relief that she hugged me and let me cry in the middle of the food court and we didn't care that people as staring at us.

After that, we weren't hungry anymore, so we returned to Kate's home and it was still empty. Calypso and Will weren't home yet. We spent the rest of the day in the couch with pint of Cookie Dough ice cream, organic potatoes chips, lemonade and TV. We watched whatever was on. It really didn't matter because I had Kate by my side to make everything better. She was my best friend, just like Taylor is for TJ.