Whoop, hope you guys enjoy this chapter- and I'm sorry not sorry, Percabeth can't all be perfect and happy there has to be some tension after all, and honestly you gotta feel sorry for Percy and Annabeth, they're both dumb teens who need to talk for gods sake! Also Grover is a good friend.

Percy explained what had happened as simply as she could, and Chiron listened carefully, nodding when she was done, "I admit, I'm surprised that Alabaster sent them after you- after all Empousa usually target male heroes because of the effect they have on them."

"I dunno why he did it-" Percy paused, "Though-" She hesitated, "I mean, it might kinda be because he thought I'd get jealous? And I think... uh, she might have been slightly jealous of me." her face went red as Annabeth raised an eyebrow.

"Are you saying-"

"Kelli said that Alabaster no longer needs me to satisfy him-"

"Oh gods I did not need to have that mental image." Annabeth pulled a face, "That's just disgusting. And here I thought he was backing off slightly." and Percy tried to hide the flash of guilt in her eyes- but Chiron caught it and his eyes narrowed.

"Persephone. Is there something you're not telling us?"

"What?" Percy tried to sound as if she wasn't feeling guilty but it didn't work very well. "Of course not-"

"Percy?" Annabeth frowned, "Percy what aren't you telling us-"

"It's nothing Annabeth."

"Percy." Annabeth's voice was sharp, "Come on-"

"Annabeth please-"

"We will discuss this later." Chiron let out a breath, shaking his head, "And we will discus it Persephone. Make no mistakes I want to know what exactly it is that you haven't told us but perhaps right now isn't the time. And we will need to speak about the threat against camp- though we know too little to make any plans right now."

"Why?" Annabeth frowned, "Chiron why did you tell Luke to keep an eye on Thalia what's going on?"

"We must head to the woods. Grover will want you there- if I thought Thalia would behave I'm sure he'd have wanted her and Luke too but she's already tried to attack
Silenus once-"

"Silenus? Isn't that one of the Council of Cloven Elders?" Annabeth tilted her head, "Why would Thalia attack him?"

"Because. Chiron sighed, "They are not happy with Grover. His formal hearing is today. They are meeting now to decide his fate."

"What?" Percy gasped the word, and Annabeth's face lost all of it's color

"Why would they be deciding his fate, I knew he had some meeting but-"

"You shall see." Chiron paused, "We would be faster if you rode on my back-"

"Uh." Percy hesitated, but Annabeth was already pulling herself onto Chiron's back so Percy let herself be pulled up.

Chiron broke into a gallop as soon as the two girls were securely on his back, plunging into the woods. Nymphs peeked out of the trees to watch them pass. Large shapes rustled in the shadows—monsters that were stocked in the woods as a challenge to the campers.

Percy had thought that she knew the forest pretty well- from playing capture the flag and just hanging out and exploring it in general but Chiron took them a way that Percy didn't recognise, through a tunnel of old willow trees, past a little waterfall, and into a glade blanketed with wildflowers.

A bunch of satyrs were sitting in a circle in the grass. Grover stood in the middle, facing three really old, really fat satyrs who sat on topiary thrones shaped out of rose bushes.

Percy had never actually seen the older satyrs before, but it was easy to figure out that they were the Council.

Grover seemed to be telling them a story. He twisted the bottom of his T-shirt, shifting nervously on his goat hooves. He hadn't changed much since last winter, maybe because satyrs age half as fast as humans. His acne had flared up. His horns had gotten a little bigger so they just stuck out over his curly hair.

Standing off to one side was a girl Percy had never seen before, she was small, with wispy hair the color of amber and a pretty, elfish face. She wore a green chiton and laced sandals, and she was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

Percy and Annabeth slipped off of Chiron's back and Percy darted towards the girl- she'd never met her before but she'd spoken to Grover often enough- she remembered the surge of joy she'd felt through the empathy link, and how she'd Iris messaged him right away and he'd babbled about how he had a girlfriend, a dryad that he was head over heels for.

"Hey." she kept her voice fairly low as she focused on the girl- who was clearly incredibly upset. "You're Juniper right? You're Grover's girlfriend."

"And you're Percy." Juniper sniffled, "You have to help him. It's going terribly-"

"I'm sure it can't be that bad." Annabeth spoke up, "He's not done anything wrong." she joined them quickly, shooting Percy a worried look as Percy's gaze swung back to Grover.

"Master Underwood!" the council member on the right shouted, cutting off whatever Grover was trying to say. "Do you seriously expect us to believe this?"

"B-but Silenus," Grover stammered. "It's the truth!"

Ah, so that was the satyr Thalia tried to attack- suddenly Percy saw where he'd been coming from. Silenus, turned to his colleagues and muttered something. Chiron cantered up to the front and stood next to them. And that made sense because Chiron he was an honorary member of the council, but she'd never thought about it much. The elders didn't look very impressive. They reminded her of the goats in a petting zoo—huge bellies, sleepy expressions, and glazed eyes that couldn't see past the next handful of goat chow.

Percy wasn't sure why Grover seemed so nervous. Silenus tugged his yellow polo shirt over his belly and adjusted himself on his rosebush throne. "Master Underwood, for six months—six months— we have been hearing these scandalous claims that you heard the wild god Pan speak."

"But I did!"

"Impudence!" said the elder on the left.

"Now, Maron," Chiron said. "Patience."

"Patience, indeed!" Maron said. "I've had it up to my horns with this nonsense. As if the wild god would speak to…to him."

Only Percy and Annabeth grabbing Juniper's arms stopped the dryad from trying to brutally murder the old satyr.

"For six months," Silenus continued, "we have indulged you, Master Underwood. We let you travel. We allowed you to keep your searcher's license. We waited for you to bring proof of your preposterous claim. And what have you found in six months of travel?"

"I just need more time," Grover pleaded.

"Nothing!" the elder in the middle chimed in. "You have found nothing."

"But, Leneus—"

Silenus raised his hand. Chiron leaned in and said something to the satyrs. The satyrs didn't look happy. They muttered and argued among themselves, but Chiron said something else, and Silenus sighed. He nodded reluctantly.

"Master Underwood," Silenus announced, "we will give you one more chance."

Grover brightened. "Thank you!"

"One more week."

"What? But sir! That's impossible!"

"One more week, Master Underwood. And then, if you cannot prove your claims, it will be time for you to pursue another career. Something to suit your dramatic talents. Puppet theater, perhaps. Or tap dancing."

"But sir, I—I can't lose my searcher's license. My whole life—"

"This meeting of the council is adjourned," Silenus said. "And now let us enjoy our noonday meal!"

The old satyr clapped his hands, and a bunch of nymphs melted out of the trees with platters of vegetables, fruits, tin cans, and other goat delicacies. The circle of satyrs broke and charged the food. Grover walked dejectedly toward them. His faded blue T-shirt had a picture of a satyr on it. It read GOT HOOVES?

Percy let go of Juniper quickly, closing the distance and throwing her arms around Grover. She'd missed her best friend a lot- and she hadn't been able to Iris message him even nearly as much as she had Annabeth.

"Hey Percy." he hugged her back tightly, "It's great to see you again." his smile was forced, "That went well, huh?"

"Those old goats!" Juniper said. "Oh, Grover, they don't know how hard you've tried!"

"I don't know what else to do."

"You'll figure it out." Annabeth laid a hand on Grover's shoulder. "We'll help."

"Of course we will." Percy nodded. "We're like, the ultimate trio-"

"Thank you both." Juniper slid in to hug Grover as soon as Percy pulled away. "See Grover. You'll figure it out- of course you will, you're the best."

There was the sound of a conch in the distance and Annabeth pursed her lips. "That's the warning for cabin inspection starting-"

"Uh oh." Percy blinked, "I am so screwed-"

"No you're not. I left a day after you for winter break, I cleared it out." Annabeth rolled her eyes, a fond smile playing across her lips as she shook her head. "You'll be fine-"

"Have I ever told you I love you."

"Yes. Yes you have." then Annabeth's expression shifted, becoming serious. "You might not in a second though. I'm pretty sure Chiron is going to want that talk now-"

"What talk?" Grover glanced between them, brows furrowing. "Is everything okay?"

"It's nothing." Percy said quickly, "Seriously guys-"

"Percy." Annabeth's eyes narrowed. "Stop playing stupid. There's something you're not telling us and it's about Alabaster isn't it?"

"Percy?" Grover's expression became concerned, "Is there something-"

"Oh come on." Percy huffed the words, crossing her arms over her chest, resisting the urge to pick at her nails nervously- it was a habit she'd picked up from spending time
with Rachel. "Why would I-"

"That's what I'd like to know." Annabeth's expression was turning stony, "Percy stop avoiding the subject- you looked guilty when I said I thought he'd maybe decided to back off a bit-"

"I-" Percy shook her head, "I'm not doing this-"

"Percy-"

"I'm not!" and maybe it was stupid not to tell them- she probably should have told them when he'd showed up, but she didn't want to worry them, and it wasn't like anything had actually come of it. They'd make a bigger deal of it than they needed to. Sure it had been pretty scary when he'd showed up and tried to basically kidnap her, but she'd gotten away with Rachel's help. They didn't need to know about it- they didn't it was better to not tell them.

Everyone would freak out if they knew though- especially Annabeth, Annabeth who'd been busy trying to make things work with her family. She didn't want to distract her girlfriend from that, and Annabeth would have insisted on moving back in with the Jacksons, she wouldn't have wanted to take any risks, Percy couldn't do that to her. And, despite the fact that she hadn't wanted it- she remembered the feeling of Alabaster's lips on hers- and she felt ashamed. He'd kissed her. Gods how could she admit that to anyone- she hadn't been able to get away and he'd actually kissed her. She'd felt powerless- which was so so stupid because she wasn't, but she hadn't had her sword and- and she was too afraid of her own powers to use them against him and he'd kissed her.

Just the memory of it made her feel sick- even Rachel didn't know that part of what happened- she'd arrived right after the kiss.

And a part of her was scared that if she'd told them that he'd come after her like that they'd have dragged her back to camp and she wouldn't be able to leave and go to school like a normal person. All she wanted was the chance to live a semi normal life before the war. She needed that.

"Percy stop lying!" Annabeth shouted the words- and Percy almost flinched at the anger in her girlfriends voice. "Just stop lying-" and Chiron- who'd been making his way towards them faltered, his eyes flicking between the two girls.

Percy swallowed hard- she could see the shock on Grover's face, the nervousness on Junipers- and then her gaze focused on Annabeth again. She looked so frustrated and hurt and Percy felt an uncomfortably tight feeling in the pit of her stomach. She'd hurt Annabeth. She hadn't meant too- she'd wanted to protect Annabeth by not telling her, but it had all gone wrong.

"I-" Percy swallowed hard, and she really, really couldn't deal with this- which was why she turned around and took off.

"Percy!" Annabeth's voice was suddenly panicked, "Percy wait-"

"Annabeth!" Chiron's call was firm, "Let her go-"

"But-" and Percy didn't hear anything else because she was racing away, heart pounding in her chest.

And she didn't stop running until she reached Zeus' fist and she skidded to a halt, almost crashing into it, closing her eyes tight as she tried to calm her breathing.

She'd messed up. She'd messed up so badly and now Annabeth was upset with her.

She stayed there until she heard footsteps- but she didn't turn her head until she heard a familiar voice.

"Percy, are you okay?" it was Grover, and Percy whirled around, eyes filling with tears "Grover I didn't mean to upset anyone I didn't-"

"Hey-" Grover was instantly next to her, his arms wrapped around her tightly. "It's okay Percy. Whatever happened it's okay. Annabeth and Chiron are just worried about you. Whatever it is you can tell me."