Disclaimer: Still don't own it. :(

Hey, again! So. . .I'm not going to make this long or anything. Just go on with story. Go on.

~~~~~After Dinner~~~~~

I told Jenine to stay in the cabin, it was almost curfew anyway. I went to the Big House and saw no one in the front porch. I went in, and saw the trainer of heroes in human form, reading a book by the fireplace. I called, "Chiron?"

He didn't look up. Guess he was absorbed with the novel again. I approached a bit. "Chiron?"

No response. "Chiron, either you're really absorbed with that book or you're pretending not to hear me." Still no response. "Chiron!" I said, a little louder this time.

He looked up- finally -and was a bit startled to see me. Then he recovered quickly. "Lady Sparrows. I apologize for that. I was a bit. . .-"

"Absorbed with the novel. Yeah. Heard that already, Chiron." I finished.

He smiled, and put the book away. "Ah, yes. I remember that we must. . .talk about something that seems rather important."

"It is important." I said, and noticed the chair across him. "Do you mind if I take a seat?"

"Not at all." He waited until I sat down before he spoke again, but I beat him to it.

"Chiron, you do know about your fa- the titan lord's rising, right?" I asked, careful not to say father. The centaur hardly addressed Kronos his father, so I was wary.

Chiron looked a bit troubled. "I'm afraid I have not heard of it."

I raised my eyebrows in disbelief. "Even Dionysus hasn't told you?"

He shook his head. "I believe he is out checking the minor gods, am I correct?"

I was confused. "We just saw him this morning, looking for food in the fridge."

"Ah, well. Maybe he just took a peek at camp to see how things were going." Chiron suggested.

"Well. . .perhaps." I agreed. "Well, then. I just came here to tell you that, and also. . .I was thinking about adjusting the campers' schedules. Perhaps they should focus more with swordplay and archery, since Kronos's army will be here within the month."

Chiron looked shocked. "Within the month?"

I nodded. "Apollo and I have seen it. Actually, I've already made out some plans with Annabeth. I thought you knew about this. I also had the Hephaestus cabin work overtime to make armor and weapons."

Chiron nodded as he took it all in. "But how about you? The other day, I heard you had an argument with Lord Zeus about defending the camp."

I grimaced at the memory of the argument, and Poseidon not even rising to my defense. My blood boiled when I remembered it, but I took a deep breath to keep my cool. "Yes, I did. Now, I believe we must tell the kids about this. They should be aware so that when we adjust the schedules, we don't raise suspicion. That would cause more problems."

Chiron agreed. "When should we tell them?"

"Breakfast, maybe? What do you think?"

Chiron nodded. "Well then, we should be resting now. Thank you for informing me, Lady Sparrows."

"No problem, Chiron. See you tomorrow." I said, and left the Big House. I was heading back to Cabin 3, when I passed a tree and someone said, "It's late in the night. Why are you still up?"

I turned to see my visitor. "Just telling Chiron about something." (A/N: I ain't going to reveal who the visitor is until later. So, from now until later, I will refer to the visitor as. . .well, the 'visitor' or 'person'.)

"Like?"

"You know, about the titan lord's rising." I answered, keeping my voice low. Some campers could be awake, after all.

The person stepped out of the shadows. "Yeah, so I've heard. And we thought we still had around a year, huh?"

"Well, when you think about it, Athena is still right. She just said that one year was the longest time we could have. She said nothin' about minimums or something." I said, trying to defend Athena. She was probably already offended with the 'around a year' thing.

"So. . .Carter, what do you say we take a little walk by the beach? I have to ask you something."

"Sure." Then I thought about something. "Wait, what are you doing out at this ungodly hour?"

"Just runnin' some last-minute errands for Dad." (Oooohhh...I think you can guess who the person is by this point.)

"Oh, right." Then we started walking to the beach. When we got there, my visitor said, "Let's just sit down. I'm tired."

I nodded, and sat down. "So, what were you going to ask me?"

"Well, I heard from Apollo that you were getting stressed out lately, and someone- who I think you know very well -is getting worried. But then, that someone knows they can't visit here because of some. . .ah, complications." I smiled, because I knew who he was talking about, but turned sad again when I remembered the reason why that someone couldn't visit. (If it isn't Artemis, and it isn't Apollo either, who's the next god in line? It isn't their father, by the way. There's no way Zeus could be worried about Carter.)

"Well, yeah, with the battle plans and family problems. . .it's enough to make me just want to sleep all day. Add it up with a jealous bestfriend who's making you choose between the two people you love very much. . .and you'll pretty much go insane." I said, relieved having gotten all that out.

"I thought the beach was supposed to calm down kids of Poseidon whenever they're stressed. Right now, it seems like it has absolutely no effect on you." The god said. "You know, if you need someone to talk to, I'm right here. I mean, if the twins aren't around, anyway."

I smiled. "Thanks, cousin. Now I wonder why people are mean to you. . .you know, by calling you 'god of thieves' (Now that gives it away) and all that. You're a very caring person, you know that?"

Hermes smiled. "Thanks. Besides, Apollo is too lazy to not transport by his Maserati."

I laughed. "Yeah." Then I remembered Artemis and sighed.

Apparently, Hermes heard my thoughts. "You could visit Olympus, you know. Maybe sneak into her temple and sleep there for the night."

I frowned. "She's in Olympus?"

Hermes nodded. "Battle preparations, remember?"

I was about to say something, but Hermes cut me off. "Haven't you checked Cabin 8? Artemis sent them here awhile ago, she said they should train here for the meantime, while she was in Olympus doing stuff."

I must've looked surprised, because my cousin laughed. "You really don't know?"

"Nope."

He shook his head briefly in disbelief. "Well then, get going! It's just for the night."

I wanted to, but I thought about my sister. "I'll cover for you. Just make sure you're back before 5 in the morning." Hermes assured me, having heard my thoughts.

"Thanks, cuz." Then I teleported in front of the Empire State Building. I went in, and found the security guard's desk.

"600th floor."

He looked up. "No such floor, kid." I frowned when he said that, but then I remembered I was still in 15 year old form.

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't know me, do you?"

He narrowed his eyes, then gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Lady Sparrows! I didn't recognize you right away!" He said, apologizing.

"That's fine. Just keep your voice low. People might hear us." I scolded. Then the guard handed me the key card and I entered the elevator. I inserted the key card, and pushed the red button. In a few seconds, I was in Olympus. I walked straight to Artemis's temple. I was about to enter, when I thought, What the Hades am I doing? I doubt I'll get there without waking her. And besides, what about my sister and her brother?

I heard a voice in my head. Carter, would ya stop worrying already and get in? She's really tired today, so her senses will be a bit dull. Besides, I already told you I'd cover for you from your sister. (Even without revealing it, I think you'll be able to guess.)

With those reassuring words, I opened the door just enough to make me fit. I slipped through and found. . .silence. "Hmmm. . .maybe she's in the room." I said to myself.

I found my way to the room, and opened the door slightly. The door creaked, and I cringed. I waited a few seconds before opening it wider and got in. I tip-toed to Artemis' bedside, and noticed she was in deep sleep. I sighed.

"Just like in your cabin, Arty." I whispered, then a smile crept up my face when I remembered that incident. "Gods, I missed you." (If you don't know what Carter means by 'just like in your cabin', then I suggest you read chapter 5 again.)

Artemis' POV

I was in my bed in my palace up in Olympus, when I heard the door creak open. Now, I know a normal person would immediately look to see who it was, but well. . .I was tired. And besides, I had a feeling that the person would be harmless. I sensed the person reach my bedside, my back facing them.

"Just like in your cabin, Arty." The person whispered. "Gods, I missed you."

Only four people have ever called me Arty my whole immortal life: Zeus, when I was little; Hermes, when we joked around; Apollo, using the name until to this day; and Carter, who only uses the nickname whenever she feels it's right. But 'I missed you'? That cuts out my father and half-brother out. We see each other a lot nowadays in Olympus. Apollo was busy with his duties, Carter was at camp helping with battle preparations; they would be the only ones to say that. I should've known by the voice, but the person was whispering, and the two immortals' voices were somehow close.

Then I felt the person's presence move away from the bedside, and go around the bed, presumably going to the couch. I didn't dare open my eyes, but I, as quietly as possible, turned around. I, ever so slightly, opened my eyes and saw the person freeze on the spot. My visitor must've thought I was waking up. I laid still and pretended to be asleep, and soon the person relaxed and sat on the couch.

"As much as I want to lay down in your bed beside you and sleep here for the night.. .well, I kinda can't because you're still a major god." The person whispered so softly it seemed she was talking to herself, and I suddenly was sure who it was. Only one person would ever say that, because I'd heard her say it before.

Then she started talking to herself, as if trying to control the urge to sleep beside her best friend again. "Can't risk waking her up, she might start getting grumpy at me. And besides, I'll be out of here before dawn." That urged me to talk to her through telepathy. It was now or never. She had risked going here to see me, and I wasn't going to let her effort be wasted.

Kelp Head,get in the damn bed. I told her, which made her jump. It's fine, really. Besides, that couch isn't sleeper-friendly.

Carter smiled at the last statement, and walked cautiously to the bedside. Then she finally laid down beside me.

Carter's POV

And just like before, I was her personal teddy bear. Then I suddenly felt good, because I finally saw my bestfriend again.

"Thanks for coming here." Artemis whispered. "I thought I was going to go insane because I had nobody to talk to."

"Your brother. Isn't he a good listener?" I whispered-asked back.

She scoffed. "Not really. He gets distracted, especially if the Hunters are with me."

I smiled. That was so Apollo-like.

We were quiet for a few moments, then Artemis whispered, "A little birdie told me you were getting stressed out lately."

My eyes widened. How the Hades. . . .Apollo. "How'd you know that?" I asked.

"The little birdie was Apollo."

I rolled my eyes. "Typical."

Then I turned around so we I faced her; we were both facing the ceiling awhile ago. A silence passed that was quickly broken by Artemis.

"You haven't answered my question, Carter." She turned, too, and looked at me with eyes as bright as the moon. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Artemis. Nothing's wrong." I replied, saying it as sincerely as I could to convince her. "It's just. . .with Kronos coming within the month, we've had to adjust the campers' schedules just so they could train more and be ready for the battle. And it's good, but it's kinda driving me crazy because, well, I'm one of the teachers there. Especially in swordplay, because Chiron isn't all that. . .experienced with it."

"Well, that I know." She said. "And I know about all the stress, because we also have that here in Olympus. Only difference is, it's more about the planning than the practice." I smiled, they wouldn't need practice because they were gods. Gods who are atleast more than two millenia old.

"But are you sure it's just the upcoming battle that's stressing you out?" Artemis asked, in a way that would always make me spill out an answer. Her eyes were persuading me to say it, and it was hard to resist, but I still hesitated before speaking because I was afraid of what her reaction might be.

"Well, because of the whole conflict with my sister, I'm still troubled with what I'm gonna answer." I said, and prepared for her reaction.

And she did the unexpected. "Don't worry. I'm sure you'll think of something. You always do." She actually comforted me. She actually did. Even if it meant I could choose my sister and hurt her, she still told me comforting words.

I smiled. "Well, it's getting late. We should sleep, besides I'll-" I was cut off when I saw her eyelids drooping. I smiled wider, and decided to just let her sleep.

"Night, Arty." I whispered, and went to sleep. Before I fully drifted to 'the land of the future'- as I call it, because most of my dreams are about the future -I had a rather vague memory of being Artemis's personal teddy bear.

Hmmm,,,,what a nice moment between the two. . . . . But what will happen if her sister finds out? Prepare yourselves for the worst, people. Not necessarily suggesting she will find out, though. Just prepare yourselves.