I was at the helm, largely because Leo was sick of my "back-seat driving" so to speak. I'm also pretty sure my correction to "aft deck navigating" hadn't helped things.

"Hey." I lashed out on instinct, but Jason managed to catch my blow before it collided with his neck, which was probably good for both of us.

"Sorry," I apologized, quickly dropping my arm and returning to my job of navigating. Jason chuckled.

"I should probably be apologizing," he replied. "I should know better than to sneak up on someone during a quest." I smiled. "Plus, I'm probably just lucky it wasn't Reyna, or I'd have an arrow through my hand." I really enjoyed Jason's joking. He could be pretty funny when he tried.

"Try sneaking up on Annabeth," I countered. Jason grinned, getting a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Oh, and why do you need to do that?" he asked. "She usually seems more than willing to have you catch her." I frowned at him.

"Shut up," I grumbled. "At least I'm not causing catfights, Sky Boy."

"Sky Boy? You have a real gift with nicknames, don't you?" I frowned.

"I'm yet to hear you come up with one."

"We weren't really big on nicknames at the Roman camp," Jason pointed out, as he settled down on the railing that rimmed the bridge, just as Bobby had been last afternoon until he was flung off during our emergency landing.

"Well, now you've got a nickname, Sky Boy," I replied, smiling again. Jason smiled back.

"Now, what'd you mean I'm causing cat fights?" I laughed. And Annabeth said my head was full of kelp. At least it's better than having a head full of air.

"Reyna, Piper, have you not noticed that they're yet to say a civil word to each other?" Jason groaned.

"It's that obvious?" I shot him a quick "duh" look. "But what can I do about it?" I paused. Teasing Jason was one thing. Actually giving competent advice, on girls no less? Well, that was another.

"Um... I'm not really all that good with…uh, you know, girls?" I offered. "Want any advice on navigation?" Jason glared at me.

"You have a girlfriend."

"Well, Annabeth's… Annabeth," I concluded lamely. Jason raised his eyebrow further. "Believe me, there were times I didn't think she'd ever talk to me again." Jason scoffed.

"Right. Like when?" I scrunched my face slightly as I considered whether I really wanted to go into this. Reluctantly, I began.

"Well, there was the time with my half-brother, then the time with burning down my school, then the time I wound up on Calipso's island for a week…" Jason's eyes were pretty wide. "It's a long story. Then there's the whole helicopter incident…"

"Percy, will you stop leaving stuff out?" I tried to look innocent. To no one's surprise, it didn't work. "Now explain why you're half-brother, the burning down of your school, and a helicopter made Annabeth so mad?"

"Well, my half-brother's a Cyclops, and Annabeth had this thing when she was six…" Jason raised his eyebrow again. "I'd say to ask Thalia about it, but I don't want to get you killed." He shot me a skeptical glance, then gestured for me to continue, clearly dropping the subject.

"And then the thing with my school and the helicopter, that was more about Rachel than-"

"Rachel-the-Oracle, Rachel?" I sighed.

"Pretty much." Jason laughed.

"Oh, and I cause problems?"

"Yes you do Jason," Leo agreed as he walked up the stairs onto the deck. "What're we talking about?"

"Percy and Rachel," Jason announced, smirking at me. I groaned. Why don't we just tell everyone about my past issues?

"What about…OH."

"Way to catch up Valdez," I commented.

"How'd Annabeth feel about this?" Leo demanded, glancing between me and Jason.

"Percy was apearently worried she wouldn't ever speak to him again." I rolled my eyes.

"Maybe I should just let you two have this conversation by…"

"No way." I was slightly surprised by the simultaneous response. Was my life really that interesting?

"Yeah Jackson, spill!" Leo demanded.

"Well, when I met Rachel at the Hover Dam, I was running from these skeleton people trying to save Artemis from Atlas, and then I pretty much slashed her in half with Riptide, except that she's mortal." Maybe they'd just let it drop…

"And that obviously blossoms into a lovely relationship," Leo scoffed. "How'd you run into her again?" Or not.

"Then she wound up going to my school, which is where the burning down the school thing comes in," I concluded.

"I don't see why that should make Annabeth mad," Jason mused. Aw, come on, was I going to have to spell it out? Maybe a monster could just attack… The boat shook. DID I REALLY JUST SAY THAT?

"Looks like we have a problem," Jason declared, hopping off the railing. I blinked, realizing that I hadn't been focusing on navigating very well.

"We hit something!" Leo yelled, starting down to the deck.

"There's another ship off the port bow!" I announced, putting our engines in reverse. Leo spun around halfway down the stairs while Jason started running to the starboard side of the boat.

"What's another ship doing here?" Leo demanded.

"I don't…" Jason started, staring at the dark ocean.

"Other port Jason," I informed him. Clearly, Jason had as little clue what was going on with boats as I did on airplanes.

"ARGH, TIE THEM UP LADS! LET'S GET US SOME CELERY!" I blinked. I knew that voice.

"That's not good," I grumbled. "Leo, take the helm." Leo frowned at me.

"Why…" Jason glanced at me.

"Take the helm Leo," he agreed. "I think Percy knows these guys." I nodded, and raced past Leo and onto the deck. The ship in front of us was a large pleasure yaht. I passively wondered how long they'd terrorized Circe before figuring out how to run it.

"HEY, get off our ship!" I yelled, running towards the four scraggly looking guys walking across a plank of wood and onto our bow.

"I think not," the largest guy, the one who'd bellowed earlier, declared. "Me mates and I only just got off that witch's island and we intend to make off with…" He paused, and I knew the recognition was coming.

"Who's this?" Jason asked, running up behind me.

"This is Blackbeard," I offered as the man's face crumpled into rage, he drew his sword and pointed it at me.

"You're that scallywag that made off with me vessel!" Blackbeard yelled, prompting his four companions to draw their swords as well.

A/N: I'm so sorry for my absence! But I'm now free, and I promise to update at least once a week until this story's over (which shouldn't be too much longer :D) See you guys soon! -V