(A/N I can't write a full length chapter to save my life right now! Sorry. It's driving me nuts too.

Fair warning, most of this chapter is just cannon from a different POV.

To answer Azuazu's question: TRP and TToF will take place between BotL and TLO, so we've got a while. But you will be seeing Carter soon. I can't work overseas magic, though, sorry.

To answer one of my guest's questions: No, Sadie's hair is red in TRP so I just wanted a tie in to why she might pick that color. But I thought the same thing and made the tie in amusing to myself. 'No Carter. Egyptians hate red on principle.'

I hope you enjoy!)

"Thalia's tree must be almost dead," Grover wailed after finding out they'd been gone for ten days. "We have to get the Fleece back tonight."

Clarisse was not one to admit defeat easily. She was strong, the strongest demigod at camp, and her father only allowed victory. But there was no way to travel the entire coastline before nightfall.

"How are we supposed to do that?" She hated hearing the tremble in her own voice. "We're hundreds of miles away. No money. No ride." She thought of her conversation with her father. "This is just like the Oracle said. It's your fault, Jackson! If you hadn't interfered-"

"Percy's fault?" Annabeth defended him. "Clarisse, how can you say that? You are the biggest-"

"Stop it!" Percy yelled.

Clarisse just dropped her head into her hands, wishing the world would go away. Of course Jackson asked to hear what the Oracle said. She could tell him to take a long walk off a short pier and that this was her quest, but she supposed he was the son of Poseidon and quests were usually meant to have three halfbloods.

"You shall sail the iron ship with warriors of bone,

You shall find what you seek and make it your own,

But despair for your life entombed within stone,

And fail without friends, to fly home alone."

"Ouch," Grover mumbled. She shot him a glare. She knew it had all been hopeless to start with, but she still had to try.

"No," Percy said, squinting at the ground as he began to pace. "No … wait a minute. I've got it!" He shook his finger around and spun in a circle patting his pockets. He came up with a single golden drachma. "Does anybody have any cash?"

The four companions were equally broke until the cyclops hesitantly said, "Cash? Like… green paper?"

He somehow managed to keep three hundred dollars that apparently Hermes had given to them, but Clarisse didn't see how that was any help.

The quest was a failure from the start. The Oracle had said so.

She probably shouldn't return to camp at all because her father would be so angry.

Until Percy told her to get to the airport with the Fleece.

"You'd let me-"

"It's your quest," he explained. He worked out what the Oracle's lines meant and how she needed them to succeed, but would have to do this last bit on her own. She considered his words carefully. It didn't make sense. She had been a pain in Percy's rear since they met his first day at camp. They weren't friends. But she would 'fail without friends,' so maybe they were her friends. Or could be, at least. Percy was willing to let her take the Fleece home, along with all the glory that would accompany the completion of the quest. Not to mention Tantalus would likely try to kill them if they returned apart from her.

It didn't make sense.

But it did.

Percy was right.

"You can count on me. I won't fail." And she wouldn't, because he'd given her the chance to succeed.

.

Percy saw a little bit of the old distrustful Annabeth as she called him insane and told him he was too nice for allowing Clarisse to finish the quest on her own. But that was okay.

Luke taking them hostage again was less okay.

.

Annabeth raised her eyebrow but stayed silent.

Percy was smart.

She hated admitting it, even just in her own thoughts, but it was true. He'd used sound battle strategy and manipulation to defeat Medusa, Procrustes, and even Ares last year. Now he'd gotten her through the sirens, away from Polyphemus, and was exposing Luke to all of Camp Half-blood.

He was an idiot, but he wasn't dumb.

It hurt, seeing Luke admit to everything in front of such an audience. There was no going back now. There was no making amends. There was no future with Luke as a friend.

And right now, after Luke saw Percy's trick, she had no future at all if Luke could help it.

.

"That," Carter pointed at her hair, "is not red." Dad was making quick 'hello, goodbye, I have Sadie now,' conversation with Gran and Gramps.

"Thanks for noticing genius."

"What happened?"

"You guys are late," she growled.

They'd scheduled their visit for three days ago and Sadie was not happy about rescheduling.

Firstly, she was supposed to be with her mates today! They were going to go paintballing!

Secondly, she had been bored out of her mind doing nothing waiting for them to get ahold of her.

Thirdly, she felt like they didn't care. She knew she was wrong and being childish, things come up and flights get delayed, but it still hurt!

"We couldn't help that!"

She just glared at him and tilted her head so that her blue hair fell in her face to separate them. She didn't want to talk to him and try to be rational.

She wasn't sure she wanted to talk to her dad either, but she'd at least listen to him.

She'd hear his voice and accidentally memorize any lecture he'd begin to drone on about. Then, the next time she went to the museum she'd relive their day. Again and again until the museum was about to close.