AN: Here's chapter 2.

I also edited out (hopefully) most mistakes from the Prequel.

Chapter 2: I make an old enemy

POV: Percy

When I woke up again, there was nothing strange about my surroundings. I was still in the infirmary in the Big House and Annabeth in the bed next to me. I felt weak and everything hurt, confirming that I was truly awake now. A tall glass of nectar was on the table next to me. I was careful not to drop it, as I took a sip. I smiled. It still tasted like my mom's homemade blue chocolate-chip cookies. I could feel my body warming up and my energy returning. I felt as if my mom had just brushed her hand against my cheek. It made me feel better, but I was still yearning to see her again, to hug her. I was at an age where I should feel embarrassed about it, but I didn't care. My mom was the greatest and she deserved for me to show it.

"You're up early," Annabeth finally said.

A new weight pushed down the bed next to me. I just had enough time to put the glass down again before I was almost crushed in her hug. At least she was considerate enough to let me regain a bit of my strength before she attempted to squeeze me to death. Not that I minded really, I hugged her as fierce as she did me. I could feel her heartbeat on my chest, beating in conjunction with my own. Everything else surrounding us disappeared. Nothing else mattered.

I don't know for how long we had been sitting like this when a familiar voice called from behind us.

"Should I go again and come back later?"

We jumped apart in surprise as if we were caught with our hands in the cookie jar. Of course, Annabeth was sitting at the edge of the bed, so her abruptly moving broke her balance, making her fall backward. Fortunately, I reacted fast enough and caught her just in time. Unfortunately, was I too weak to hold her, and I tumbled after her, landing on the ground on top of her.

"Ow…"

Our statement was followed by laughter, accompanying us right until we had finally disentangled ourselves and stood up again.

Grover was leaning against the door, looking like he hadn't slept in a week, but he was sporting a large smile. He was wearing blue jeans, Converse hi-tops, and a bright orange Camp Half-blood T-shirt. Under his arm, he cradled the shoebox that I knew held the minotaur horn.

"You already seem like good friends, quite close one could say," he smirked, making both of us flush red in embarrassment.

I would have said something, if I hadn't already known that, as a satyr, Grover was an empath and could read our emotions. There would be no point in trying to hide anything. Not that I particularly wanted to hide it. I felt more embarrassed by dropping off the bed than anything else really.

His smile disappeared again as fast as it came. He placed the shoebox on the bed.

"You saved my life," he said. "I… well, the least I could do … I went back to the hill. I thought you might want this."

Seeing the minotaur's horn reminded me again. At this point in time, my mother was kidnapped by Hades.

"Mom…"

I hadn't done it on purpose. The word had left my mouth before I could stop myself. Grover looked down. He had mistaken my words for grief instead of longing. He wasn't aware that I had already done this and that my mother was alive and well. I had almost forgotten how insecure Grover had been before our first quest. He was giving himself fault for everything that happened again.

"I'm sorry," Grover sniffled. "I'm a failure. I'm – I'm the worst satyr in the world."

He moaned, stomping his foot so hard his shoe came off, making him mumble a curse and thunder rolling from outside. Annabeth was faster to react than I.

"That's not true!" she spoke up. "It wasn't your fault. Neither this nor last time. You did great, without you both me and Percy would be dead. You can't listen to the Council of Cloven Elders."

"Those old fat goats wouldn't even stand a chance against a rabbit. Much less stood up against a fury," I put in. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. If I hadn't ditched you, then nothing would have happened. I'm sorry for making you problems, man."

"You really mean that?" he asked.

We both nodded. He was still sniffling a little, but he looked better than before. I knew how great he could be if he only had a little more confidence. I couldn't wait until Grover found the fleece and Pan again. The council couldn't be disbanded early enough again.

"You should drink up," he said. "Chiron and Mr. D. are waiting."

He turned to Annabeth while I finished my nectar.

"You seem to have talked? How much have you already told him?"

He was looking between us tilting his head and furrowing his brows. He was obviously reading our emotions, but what he saw seemed to confuse him. It wasn't surprising really. Annabeth's and mine relationship had built over years of facing hardships and mortal peril together. I was sure after everything that happened, we had a much stronger emotional connection than should be possible for having only just met.

Annabeth's and my eyes met again.

"It's, ah… complicated?" It sounded more of a question than an answer. "Anyway, he knows everything he needs to, for now at least."

"Complicated alright…almost as … link…"

I couldn't understand what else Grover mumbled before he shook his head and told us we should go.

My legs felt wobbly when I tried standing up again. Annabeth took the box with the Minotaur horn and offered her shoulder for me to lean against, without saying anything else. She pointed Grover at the door, but before we could follow out, she whispered in my ear.

"Let's talk about everything later when we're alone. But can you do me a favor? Please try not to make Mr. D. want to kill yourself again."

"Yeah, no promises," I simply told her.

She rolled her eyes and looked as if she had known I would answer that. She hadn't really high expectations left for me not offending the gods. It was the truth. I wasn't sure I wouldn't get on his bad side again. He acted so much like an overgrown brat I had the feeling I would get annoyed and say something that was true but shouldn't be said aloud. And like most of the time, I would find out I was right.

When I stepped outside, I still caught my breath. Annabeth beside me didn't fare any better. It was just too nostalgic. Camp simply wasn't the same after all the battles we had to face in it. It still looked the same I mean. Was still this beautiful landscape dotted with ancient Greek architecture, all the places I so loved. The people were the ones who were different. During our time there were still kids running around in bright orange T-shirts. But their voices were not as loud, not as carefree anymore. There were places nobody ever went anymore, places that held too many memories, too much death to still be appreciated anymore. There also had been a lot fewer people, who were a lot older. The younger ones were the first to disappear in an early grave. Now? This was like it had been when I first got to camp. This was what we were fighting for, what we wanted to protect. This was home.

Annabeth's gentle nudge brought me back to the present.

"Let's go," she said, but she was wiping with her free hand over her face. Her eyes were as wet as my own.

If this was how I would feel all the time, this was going to be harder than I thought.

Down at the end of the porch to our side, there were two men sitting across from each other at their usual card table. Mr. D looked still the same as ever. Porky with a terrible fashion sense. Chiron was sitting in a wheelchair in his Mr. Brunner disguise again. Now that was something I hadn't seen in person in a long time.

"Chiron. Or should I still call you Mr. Brunner?" I asked, already forgetting that I had wanted to be polite to Mr. D. Annabeth just sighed next to me.

"Hello Mr. D, Chiron," she said.

Oops?

The centaur/ Latin teacher turned and smiled at me.

"Ah, good, you two are awake," he said. "Hm, we are one too many for a normal round of pinochle, I fear."

He offered us chairs, sitting me right next to Mr. D again, who looked at me with his bloodshot eyes and heaved a great sigh. "Oh, I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now, don't expect me to be glad to see another unrespectful brat. I guess I can't bring you to skip around, Chiron? No? Figured as much, then let those two play, the satyr's are always ending up eating the cards."

I got the feeling Mr. D was crankier than usual. Chiron had a mischievous glint in his eyes as if Mr. D's attempt at winning a game by default amused him. I was sure this round would go to Chiron again. He turned to Annabeth his eyes questioning.

"You gave me quite the scare, Annabeth, my dear," he said. "I could feel a lot of power and when I came out again, you had suddenly broken down. I didn't know what to think. I even woke Mr. D up to take a look, to make sure that whatever happened did not leave any damage to your minds."

Oh. Yeah, that would explain Mr. D's extra cranky attitude. Wait. He had looked into our minds. Uh-oh. Mr. D wasn't really a person I wanted to inform about our time travel.

Mr. D stopped shuffling cards. He looked at us as it was our fault – well it technically was. "And for no reason at all, there isn't anything more wrong with them, than there is with all the other annoying brats here. They are as normal as you could call their kind."

Our kind. For somebody who started out as a demigod, he held a lot of contempt for us. All because of the stuff Theseus did? How adult of him. Aren't we supposed to be the children here? I got reminded of Themis' words, about how some of the gods had calmed, while others had become erratic and emotional. My father had to be one of those that had calmed, as far as I had heard. Was Mr. D one from the other side? But what was it that was responsible for it?

"Right," I said. "Sorry."

"I must say, Percy," Chiron broke in," I'm glad to see you alive. It's been a long time since I've made a house call to a potential camper. I'd hate to think I've wasted my time."

"I like to think I was always trying my best in your class," I said, making him smile.

"Quite so," Chiron nodded. "Honestly, I wasn't sure about you at first. We contacted your mother, let her know we were keeping an eye on you in case you were ready for Camp Half-Blood. But you still had so much to learn. Nevertheless, you made it here alive, and that's always the first test."

Grover was leaning on the porch rail next to us trying to look like a piece of furniture, looking glad he had not to play himself.

"You do know how to play pinochle?" Mr. D eyed me suspiciously.

There was no way I didn't. I couldn't remember how often I was forced to play it.

"I do," I said.

"I do, sir," he said.

"Sir," I repeated. Some things would never change.

"At least something," he told me, "almost none of the ones to come here have the decency to know it. It is along with gladiator fighting and Pac-Man, one of the greatest games ever invented by humans. Every civilized young man ought to know the rules."

I didn't answer while Mr. D was dealing the cards. Only when we started playing did Chiron speak up again, continuing our conversion with the only interruption being Mr. D's cackling when he was the one to get points and Grover asking for the can of Diet Coke as a snack.

"There is much to tell," Chiron said. "But it looks as if there is no need for our usual orientation film. How much do you already know?"

Everything? It would be a little strange if I said that, so I tried to be evasive.

"Well, Annabeth told me the important stuff? What she said made a lot of sense, kind of?"

"Did your mother tell you nothing before?"

I couldn't pretend she did. Grover knew how ignorant I had been before the fight with the Minotaur. "We had talked about sending me here, but she was afraid we could no longer stay together if she did."

"Typical," Mr. D said. "That's how they usually get killed. Young man, are you bidding or not?"

Annabeth had stayed silent the whole time, staring at her cards. I could understand her. She was most likely fighting against the urge to make Chiron the next victim of her bone-crushing hug. She had always been really close with him, and we never even got the chance to look for Chiron after he stepped between us and Kronos during the battle. But now she was trying to make eye contact with me. I ignored her.

My heart pounded. I didn't care if Mr. D was looking down on us, I was used to this behavior after all. But I wouldn't allow him to talk about my mother like this, making it sound as if anything of this had been her fault.

"Don't talk about my mother like this!" I snarled. "She has done nothing but to protect me. Nobody has the right to talk bad about her."

"You'd better watch out," Mr. D's voice had turned cold. "Before someone incinerates you."

Grover said, "P-please, sir. He's just lost his mother. He's in shock."

"A lucky thing, too," Mr. D grumbled, playing a card. "Bad enough I'm confined to this miserable job, working with boys who don't even show respect.'"

He waved his hand and a goblet appeared on the table, filling itself with red wine.

Chiron was watching me trying to calm myself down. He gave me a sympathetic smile, hardly turned his head to Mr. D.

"Mr. D," he warned, "your restrictions."

Mr. D looked at the wine and feigned surprise.

"Dear me." He looked at the sky and yelled, "Old habits! Sorry!"

Thunder hollowed and Mr. D waved his hand again, changing it into a fresh can of Diet Coke. He sighed unhappily, popped the top of the soda, and went back to his card game.

Chiron winked at me. "Mr. D offended his father a while back, took a fancy to a wood nymph who had been declared off-limits."

I was still so angry I couldn't hold my tongue. I knew much of his dislike toward heroes came from the heroes of old like Hercules and especially Theseus. He hated how they used people for their own gain before dropping them. From what I heard from Themis; I figured the reason was not having to share their reward. As stingy as the gods were, you could hardly hold it against them. Sure, it was still something I would never do myself, but I could understand why they could act like this. Mr. D always said that all heroes were like this, but I knew that wasn't true. It might have applied to the heroes of old, but none of my friends would ever act so egoistic. He always acted as if the gods were so much better than us, I wanted to get a rise out of him.

"Aren't you married?" I asked. "How does your wife take your infidelity?"

He turned to look at me straight on, purplish fire in his eyes. I tried not to show I was scared by the vision he showed me. I had watched him do this stuff in person, and it was some of the most frightening things I had seen.

"Would you like to test me, child?" he said quietly.

I knew he was trying to terrify me, make me back down, bow my head and apologize. But the thing is I didn't want to. I had faced down the Titan lord himself. Even if I was afraid, this much was nothing compared to what I had lived through. I had enough of immortals taking their bad mood out on us.

"I was only asking a question … Sir," I said. "I apologize if my ignorance influenced curiosity was enough to insult you."

The fire turned brighter. The card game lay forgotten.

"You cannot harm him, Mr. D" Chiron tried to calm him down.

Surprisingly, Annabeth wasn't trying to get me to stop anymore. She could understand my anger herself.

"Nonsense," Dionysus ground out. "Spontaneous combustion. Boy won't feel a thing."

"Mr. D – " Chiron warned.

"Oh, all right," Dionysus relented. "You demigods are all the same. Take everything you get for granted, without showing an ounce of respect. You should watch yourself, Perseus Jackson, if you do not want to end up an example of what not to do.

"That's how the titans acted," I shot back. "Is it not? Show respect or I kill you. Wasn't that the reason you overthrew them?"

Thunder boomed.

I knew I was treading dangerous grounds right now. What I said could easily be interpreted as treason and then not even Chiron would be able to save me.

"I was attacked by a fury, a lightning bolt just so happens to hit our car, I almost died against the Minotaur," I went on. "So, forgive me for not showing you any respect after you have done nothing but being condescending and looking down on me. Respect should be earned and not freely given. Demanding respect no matter what you do is just tyranny, and I do not think that is how the gods are supposed to act. I'm not Perseus, or Hercules. Neither am I Theseus. I'm Percy. You said all demigods are the same? Maybe that is because all of them looked up to the same role models. That means I won't be the same as them. If I have any kind of role model, it is my mother. And she is the kindest, most caring person that exists."

For a moment the only sound to be heard were the shouts of the campers in the background getting carried over by the wind. I was almost completely sure that I had gone too far, but something I had said must have struck a chord with him. The light in his eyes dimmed a little. He stood up from the table and looked down at me.

"Those are some big words you're spouting," he said. "You better prove them right or I might fulfill my promise to you."

He turned away. "I'm tired," he said. "I believe I'll take a nap before the sing-along tonight. But first, Grover, we need to talk, again, about your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment."

Grover's face beaded with sweat. "Y-yes, sir."

The realization made me feel terrible. I had sharply escaped his wrath, but Grover had to face him now alone. I hoped he wouldn't let his anger out on Grover.

"If we hadn't been hit by the lightning bolt, there wouldn't have been any problem," I said.

Grover looked as if he wasn't sure if he should thank me, or beg me to finally keep my mouth shut.

Mr. D turned to me again. "Cabin eleven, Percy Jackson. And mind your manners."

He didn't show any reaction to what I had said, but he got my name right, which gave me hope.

He swept into the farmhouse, Grover following miserably.