They'd ended up camping in the woods. Raven kept her friends moving as far as they could but they eventually insisted they all needed to rest and raven agreed. But Raven couldn't sleep at all. She was afraid. Ever since she'd left camp she'd been having nightmares whenever she closed her eyes. Of Luke and of Percy and a little dark haired boy she could only assume was Nico di Angelo, and a blond boy she at first thought was Jason Grace, but later thought might be someone else... Each of them met a horrible fate in her dreams and an inhuman voice telling her she'd pay for ruining his plans. She stayed awake and cleaned up the trash from the area. She couldn't stand the fact some people had no respect for nature. Grover helped.

"This is sick..." She muttered. Grover and Raven exchanged a look. She knew the satyr understood the environment and the damage humans caused. She could tell he was grateful at least one human understood. She looked over at Percy and Annabeth, "You guys go ahead and sleep, I'll keep first watch."

"No..." Percy insisted, although she could tell he was tired, "I'll keep first watch. You girls sleep."

"Ah," She said with a smirk, "Chivalry isn't dead."

Raven lay down on the blanket next to Annabeth and closed her eyes. She didn't sleep though. She listened to the boy's speak of Pan the great god of the wilderness. She listened until sleep demanded her attention.

Raven hadn't expected them to really get advice from a poodle. Okay yes she did but it was a lot weirder than even she imagined. She couldn't stop laughing as Percy said hello to a pink fluffy toy dog. Anyway Grover and Annabeth's plan worked. Raven, Grover, Percy and Annabeth were on their way west on a train. Raven was the only one who seemed to relax. Thanks to her good work Percy's picture didn't show up in the newspaper. But the story did, which she could tell made Percy tense. He paced the length of the train. The money they had turned in for the poodle would only take them as far as Denver but Raven had found enough money in her bag to afford a sleeping car. She thanked Eos who she was sure was the one keeping her bag stocked with all sorts of useful stuff.

Percy and Grover dozed off but Raven and Annabeth both stayed wide awake.

"Raven..." Annabeth was staring out the window and trying to ignore Grover's snoring and Percy's drooling and mumbling.

"Yes, wise girl," She teased.

"When you ran away from Camp Half Blood...Luke seemed to think it was his fault...What happened?" Concern swirled in Annabeth's cold gray eyes. Raven sat next to Annabeth in the car. She was starting to remember why she cared about saving Luke in the first place. It was for Annabeth. She was stubborn and snarky but she was smart and concerned. She'd saved Luke for Annabeth. To make her happy.

"Nothing really," Raven shrugged, "It wasn't about Luke. It was about you. I wanted to go on this quest to help you."

"Oh," Annabeth said, "Well...more than three people on a quest is dangerous you know... It's a lucky number in Greek. Besides we would be fine on our own..."

"I know," Raven smiled, "I know you would have..."

"I won't help you..." Percy mumbled in his sleep. Annabeth and Raven exchanged a look and smiled.

"I think you should get that," Raven giggled.

Annabeth got up and shook Percy awake. Percy bolted upright and Raven walked down the length of the train. She sat alone at the back of the train. It was a long way to ride and Raven had trouble sitting still. She tapped her foot impatiently. She didn't want to go back to the car, Annabeth and Percy were talking and it was meant to be private. Somehow that made her stomach churn. The way it did when she saw Luke and Annabeth back at camp. Just a little closer bond than Raven would ever have. Just a little...Jealous.

The second day on the train they passed the St. Louis arch. Raven had never seen it in real life before but she'd always wanted to. But however excited Raven was Annabeth was way more excited. She gazed at the thing as if it were made of gold. The train pulled into the station with a lurch and Grover woke up.

"Come on boys," Annabeth and Raven rose to their feet, "Me and Annabeth have a date with the St. Louis arch."

Grover and Percy exchanged a look but followed.

The Arch was about a mile from the train station. Late in the day the lines to get in weren't that long. The group threaded its way through the underground museum, looking at covered wagons and other junk from the 1800s. It wasn't all that thrilling, but Annabeth kept spouting out interesting facts about how the Arch was built, and Grover Percy and Raven shared jelly beans.

Percy looked around nervously, and Raven put a hand on his shoulder. She gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Percy," She hummed, "No one's going to attack us here."

Of course she was lying but Percy nodded and seemed to relax. They walked along listening to Annabeth ramble which Raven though was kind of cute. Yup Raven had relaxed Percy, until he saw the elevator car. He looked like he might pass out and she got the feeling. Raven was claustrophobic. But they all clambered into the elevator with the old fat lady with the Chihuahua that Raven already knew was, Echidna. She couldn't help but glare at the fat woman that was about to attack them, but she knew Percy could handle it.

Percy nudged her, "Don't worry Raven, no one's going to attack us here." He gave her a sort of smile, repeating her words back to her. Her heart only beat more steadily in her chest, which might have been from anticipation...or maybe from something else. She shook her head. Focus.

They all reached the top of the arch and Annabeth started talking again about the structure of the arch and things she would have done when a robotic sounding voice announced on the intercom that the observation deck would be closing. Percy took that as his cue to get out. Raven made a point to stay behind Percy as he loaded Grover and Annabeth into the elevator.

"Next car sir," The park ranger said and Annabeth and Grover exchanged a look.

"We'll get out..." Annabeth said, "We'll wait for you guys."

"No it's okay, we'll just see you at the bottom, right Perc?" Raven said looking at Percy. Percy nodded. Annabeth and Grover both looked nervous but Raven just waved her hand, "Come on guys, he's got me with him. I won't let anything happen."

Grover and Annabeth let the elevator door slide shut. Their car disappeared down the ramp. Raven kept her eyes on the fat lady with the dog. Percy smiled dorkily at the fat lady, while Raven glared. She smiled and her forked tongue flicked out from between her teeth making Raven tense. The dumb dog started barking and yapping at Percy and foaming at the mouth which sent sparks up Raven's spine.

"Now, now, sonny," the lady said. "Does this look like a good time? We have all these nice people here."

"Doggie!" said the little boy. "Look, a doggie!"

His parents pulled him back. Raven couldn't help but think: smart parents.

The Chihuahua bared his teeth at them,

"Well, son," the fat lady sighed. "If you insist."

"Um, did you just call that Chihuahua your son?" Percy said confused, and a little freaked. Raven could relate.

"Chimera, dear," the fat lady corrected. "Not a Chihuahua. It's an easy mistake to make." She rolled up her denim sleeves, revealing that the skin of her arms was scaly and green. When she smiled her teeth were fangs and the pupils of her eyes were side-ways slits, like a reptile's. Raven gulped ready to reach for Artemis. She could tell Percy already had one hand on Riptide.

She watched and waited while the monster grew until it was as tall as the ceiling. Raven was scared but she forced herself to remain calm. She had to pull herself together, and be strong.

"I thought you said nothing was going to attack us here," Percy said

"I might not have been 100% honest with you..." Raven admitted.

"Raven!"

The Monster lunged and Percy and Raven ducked to either side. Echidna laughed "Be honored, Percy Jackson. Lord Zeus rarely allows me to test a hero with one of my brood. For I am the Mother of Monsters, the terrible Echidna!"

"Isn't that a type of anteater...?" Percy said.

"Percy this isn't the time!" Raven reminded him.

The Chimera charged again this time towards Raven who held Artemis in dagger form, too distracted to change it into a more useful tool. She slashed at the monsters jaw and it howled gnashing its teeth at her.

"Hey, Chihuahua!" She heard Percy call and The Chimera turned to face him instead. Raven couldn't see much but she heard a sound that she assumed was Percy blowing a hole in a national monument. She stabbed the monster in the back leg and it turned back on Raven who dove under its feet and came back up next to Percy.

It came to face both the demigods and Percy slashed at it with riptide. Raven watched him lose balance and get hit in the leg with the Chimera's serpent leg. Percy yelled out in pain. Raven fought off the monster but the monster was no longer interested in her. He focused on Percy, knocking riptide from his hand. Luckily Percy got back on his feet but now only Raven had a weapon.

Percy backed into the wall and Raven held up her Dagger to defend him. But there was no way she could win this fight alone...

"They don't make heroes like they used to, eh, son?" Echidna laughed and Raven growled. Percy looked towards the hole, down at the Mississippi river. Raven knew if he jumped he'd survive. But what of her? Would the monsters leave her if Percy dove into the water? She doubted that.

"If you are the son of Poseidon," Echidna hissed, "you would not fear water. Jump, Percy Jackson. Show me that water will not harm you. Jump and retrieve your sword. Prove your bloodline."

"Jump Percy," Raven growled quietly.

"What?" Percy said,

"I said jump!" she said, she pushed Percy into the hole. If Percy died here trying to protect her everything would be ruined. If Raven died. Things would be restored to normal. That was fine. She was willing to die if it meant Percy could live.

What Raven wasn't counting on however was for Percy to instinctively grab onto raven's wrist in the process. She fell into the hole as well and plummeted towards the water below.

Raven didn't remember much of the fall except screaming. She cursed herself. This was such a dumb wish. She felt like an idiot. What the hell was she thinking? She was just a little mortal girl from Connecticut, what could she possibly do, except get herself killed here? She didn't know if she was crying because the wind would have just ripped the tear from her eyes if she was. But then Percy grabbed her and held her as they fell, as if trying to shield her from the fall. She held onto Percy and hoped she wouldn't die.

When they hit the water they were submerged in a sea of white bubbles. Percy's arms were still tightly around her. She breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't died. It took her another moment to realize, she had just breathed a sigh of relief. She was in the middle of the Mississippi river and she was breathing underwater. She wasn't any expert on these things but she was pretty sure most daughters of Nemesis couldn't do that. Percy had apparently discovered he could breathe to and detangled himself from Raven.

Raven's hand lifted to touch her throat and realized she could breathe because an air bubble was encasing her from the neck up. Her blue choker, the one she'd found her in bag the first day she came to this world was glowing faintly.

Her choker was a magical item.

"Percy...?" She called, "Are you okay?"

"Yea..." Percy said a little unsure, "I think I'm good."

She watched him touch his skin and explore his underwater powers, while Raven swam to keep up. Raven had been on the varsity swim team but she was nothing compared to Percy. She heard Percy mutter thanks. His black hair floated in the water, in weird angles. And her sea green eyes looked mysterious underwater. Raven swam over breathing heavy.

"Sorry..." He muttered and took her hand to toe her along.

He finally found a firm place to stand and Raven sank to the bottom of the river. Percy looked around. As if listening for someone. Raven shouldered her bag, she almost panicked when she realized her books were wet and shoved the bag to Percy, who shouldered it. Instantly her things dried and she sighed again in relief.

"Where are you?" Percy called aloud, as if having a one sided conversation.

Then, through the gloom Raven saw who Percy was talking to. A woman the color of the water, a ghost in the current, floating just above Percy's sword, sticking out in the mud. She had long billowing hair, and her eyes, barely visible, were green like Percy's.

"Mom?" Percy asked, sounding heartbroken. Raven felt sorry for him, but she knew he'd get his mom back.

He continued the conversation with the water spirit until the woman faded. He waded over to riptide and picked it out of the mud. He capped it and stuck it in his pocket. Raven waded over and put a hand on his shoulder. He gave Raven a withering smile and took her hand, which made her jump a little, and her heart beat so loud she felt like it might jump out of her chest.

She hadn't felt like that when she was with Luke...

He kicked them towards shore and they came up near a McDonalds a block away. They made their way past the TV crew reporting the incident. Raven scowled. Finally they heard Annabeth and Grover calling out for them.

"Over here," Raven called. Percy let go of Raven's hand, which she hadn't even realized he was still holding and handed Raven her bag. Annabeth and Grover jogged over. Annabeth hugged Raven.

"Thank the gods you're okay!" She said.

"We thought you went to Hades the hard way." Grover sighed.

"No...We're fine..." Raven said, she remembered the feeling of Percy's arms around her, trying protecting her as they fell. She felt sparks at her spine.

"We can't leave you guys alone for five minutes," Annabeth said, "What happened?"

"Come on," Raven cut her off, "We shouldn't stay here...We'll explain on the way."

She turned her back on the group and started down the path. Percy and the others followed. As they walked Percy relayed the whole story, although she noticed he left out the part about trying to protect her during the fall. The group boarded the train for Denver and made their way back to their car. Raven passed out as soon as she hit the pillow.