(A/N So sorry about the line break issues in ch 3. Has been fixed now. It was bc I uploaded it via my phone and it autocorrected my breaks out. Tried to do the same to this chapter.

A few paragraphs here are taken straight from PJO:LT only switched to 3POV.

Loving the feedback! If you have ideas feel free to share-I'm posting as I go, so very little is set in stone.)

Carter could not remember the last time he visited Uncle Amos. He would not have recognized him if he didn't share such a strong resemblance to his dad; only his face and build thought. He couldn't picture Amos in a suit and he definitely couldn't picture his dad in a trench coat and dreadlocks.

He wondered, and worried, where his cousin, Percy, could be as the adults shut themselves into a room and left Carter to the library. Not that he minded too much, he loved the library. It was being left in the dark that he despised so much.

He found a picture on the mantle that made him pause. It was taken years ago, before his mom died. All six of them-his parents, Amos, Percy, and him and Sadie-all smiled at the camera with laughing eyes. He was seven when it was taken. The family was having a movie night before his parents left for work the next day. Percy thought his arms were long enough to hold the camera away from them and he had a scandalized look as he tried to swipe the camera back from Julius while Sadie laughed hysterically at their antics.

Carter pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the photo. His dad was very clear the cell phone was supposed to only be for emergencies, but he couldn't help but share the picture with his sister; he planned to print it out and mail it since she didn't have a cell phone yet. Or, if she did he didn't have her number. He wouldn't put it past their grandparents to purposely keep that contact information from him.

With a sigh the same question plagued his mind that always did when he thought of his maternal grandparents:

Why wasn't he good enough for them?

.

"So he's not a hostage?" asked Julius.

"No."

"And he's alright?"

"Yes. Or at least I think so."

"What do you need?"

"I don't- I don't know. He'll come back? But this is… He's…"

"He's one of them?"

"It explains so much," he exclaimed in a broken voice. "I thought it was just his ADHD getting to him when he reacted poorly to his lessons, but it wasn't."

"Are you going to tell the House?"

"Pharaohs no! They want me to abandon him as it is, I'm not going to give them an excuse to force the issue. The House is…"

"I know Amos. It was hard when we left and that was our choice. You shouldn't be forced out."

"And here I am entertaining you and Carter."

"I won't tell if you don't."

"I'm just… I wish I could help him. I want to know he's safe. But I know he's not, even if I don't know particulars. I can't stand it!"

"I'm sorry. I have no comfort or wisdom for you. Except I would wager he is strong."

"His father… He's met his father."

"Amos…"

"I mean, he's always known he was adopted. And he knows everything from when I...found him. Sally Jackson had mentioned his father, so he knew he was out there, but now they've met, and what if he hates me now? What if he forgets me? I mean, I know I'm not the perfect dad-and he's a god! I just-"

"Breathe! Breathe Amos. It'll be okay. He won't forget you. The kid loves you. He's just as much a Kane as he is a Jackson."

"But-"

"No. No buts. He'll be fine. He'll come back. And he'll pester you till the end days."

"I- Thank you. I'm sorry."

"No. I understand. I've-well, for all intents and purposes I've lost Sadie. I know what you're going through better than I'd like to admit."

"I'm sorry, Julius."

"No. No. I just hope in time Carter will be able to reconnect with her. I know the Fausts will never let me near her."

"Racist ba-"

"Amos."

"They don't care about the kids! Either of them! If they did they wouldn't have separated them. And it's easy enough to see their prejudice when you look at why they chose Sadie."

"I think Carter suspects, but Sadie is completely oblivious. Which is good. She's not like them and doesn't think horribly of the people who raise her."

"Someday she'll grow up just enough to ask the right questions. Or, Ra forbid, grow into her abilities as a magician."

"A bridge to cross another day. Carter is at least academically educated, though not practically."

.

Percy went back to the picnic table, packed up Medusa's head, and filled out a delivery slip:

The Gods

Mount Olympus

600th Floor,

Empire State Building

New York, NY

With best wishes,

PERCY JACKSON

"They're not going to like that," Grover warned. "They'll think you're impertinent."

He poured some golden drachmas in the pouch. As soon as it was closed, there was a sound like a cash register. The package floated off the table and disappeared with a pop!

"I am impertinent," said Percy, looking at Annabeth, daring her to criticize.

She didn't. She seemed resigned to the fact that he had a major talent for ticking off the gods. "Come on," she muttered. "We need a new plan."

The plan turned out to be camping for the night. They were cold and damp and refused to start a fire for fear of attracting more monsters.

Percy messed with Riptide. He called it practice, but Annabeth called it playing. It felt right to use it. He could use his khopesh, but it was always awkward in his hands, especially compared to this blade.

"I'll take first watch," he told the two, "you can sleep."

Annabeth glared at him. She did that a lot.

"You got lucky with the gorgon. And probably pissed off the gods. I don't trus-"

"I know you don't trust me. I get it! I'm weird! I don't fit in! Trust me I know. Isn't camp supposed to be different?" He returned her glare for a moment but made his point before she could respond. "We're stuck together for the time being. So either die of exhaustion or sleep. Your choice." He marched off to the edge of their little clearing and listened to Grover begin a few tentative notes on his pipes. Annabeth fell asleep with the tune.

"You can sleep too," he told the satyr softly.

He nodded, but continued looking around for a few minutes. He pointed out the trash and the lack of stars. At first Percy didn't really understand, this was the world he grew up in, but Grover explained Pan and the search of the satyrs and what the world was supposed to look like. And Percy thought it would be beautiful.

Eventually they spoke of Annabeth and the quest and Percy felt that Grover could be a really good friend-even if he was half donkey.