Hey Guys, I really wanted to add more to this chapter - I'd originally planned to include the tour + interaction with Clarisse as well, but we're still in lockdown over here and all motivation has gone out the window. I'll keep chipping away at the next chapter, but I figured you'd prefer to get this sooner rather than later. So without further ado;

Ch5

The next few days were filled with strange dreams.

Bobby sat in his lounge holding an empty glass with a half empty bottle of whiskey standing on the table in front of him. Various books were stacked precariously around him, but his eyes remained focused on a silent phone. Somehow, Percy knows the phone isn't going to ring. Not with a call from the person he wants to hear from. Not with a call from Percy. Or from Sa-

Sam was slouched in his seat. The bus was packed with people, but neither John nor Dean could be seen. Sam's eyes were rimmed with red, but no tears tracked down his cheeks. He clutched a letter in his hands, but all Percy could make out was a University Logo.

Broken things cluttered the floor of a crusty motel room. Even as Percy watched, a lamp flew through the air and made contact with the wall, breaking with a satisfying crack. Dean stormed towards it and stomped on the base, shattering it into even smaller pieces. His chest heaved, and he rubbed at red eyes, tears threatening to spill. He paused for a second, struggling to get his breathing under control before striding angrily back to the bed to retrieve his phone. Percy's unmistakable tone echoed from the tinny speakers as a voicemail played and a tear slipped down Dean's cheek. The dream started to change just as another lamp flew across the room.

Percy found himself looking at a valley. The sun shone brightly on kids practicing archery, and a clashing could be heard in the distance followed by short bursts of laughter. Barnyard animals wandered in and out of his dreamscape, and there was a particularly weird moment when Grover of all people stumbled in looking miserable. That in itself wasn't the weirdest part, the fact that his bottom half had been replaced with- Donkey? Goat? What?- legs was rather absurd.

Seriously subconscious? Get it together.

His dreams were interspersed with brief moments of waking which didn't make much more sense. One notable occasion had a beautiful girl leaning over him, spoon-feeding him a pudding-like food that tasted strongly of buttered popcorn. Percy's first thought was of how Dean would respond- probably some leer filled come-on- before he brutally shut that thought down.

No. Stop it. They've made their stance clear. You are entering a new chapter of your life and you need to move on. Although...

When the girl noticed his eyes were open, she leaned closer.

"What's happening on the Solstice?" The demand caught him by surprise.

"What?" The question was croaked out, Percy's dry throat stifling the word before it could properly form. The girl glanced around wearily and leaned closer still.

"What's going on? What was stolen? We've only got a few weeks!" Percy's mouth felt like a desert as he tried to force another question out.

"Stolen? I don't know what-" His mouth was abruptly filled with pudding as a knock on the door sounded through the room. Percy mentally railed against the looming unconsciousness, but drifted off as she frowned angrily and the door started to open.

The next time he opened his eyes, light was streaming in through a barely open window and the faint sound of children's laughter could be heard through the open door. Percy absently noted that the blonde girl who had fed him pudding was gone and the room was empty. Grief sat like a stone in his stomach. His limbs felt heavy, and his head vaguely ached, but he'd felt worse after hunts with- after hunts. He wasn't going to acknowledge the lump of grief until he had no other choice. At the very least he didn't want to acknowledge it until he could be certain he had privacy. The door to outside was open, so with this in mind Percy rolled out of bed to explore. His breath left him abruptly as his legs gave out from under him, the rug on the floor turning his ungainly collapse into a dull thud.

Nice one dumbass, announce your presence to everyone why don't you.

He remained frozen on the floor for a moment, but no hurried footsteps could be heard rushing towards him. Bracing against the bed and the bedside table, he hauled himself up and locked his knees to stave off another collapse.

Breathe Percy, you got this. It's just like any other injury, knuckle down, straighten up, and Walk.

After a few moments he was able to half-walk-half-stumble across the room, pausing to lean heavily against the doorframe. As his eyes adjusted to the bright outdoor lighting, he noticed a few things. First- thank god- a half reclined chair was sat on the porch with what looked to be several soft cushions sitting on it. Second, something seemed vaguely familiar about this place and the valley it looked out on. Third- and Dean would have his hide for this- the tall blond surfer standing by the porch stairs covered in eyes what the fuck.

Percy automatically dropped into a Winchester Approved fighting stance, hand reaching for a gun that he wasn't carrying. With his tired muscles and aching head however, he overbalanced and ended up collapsed on the ground, again.

Fuck. FUCK. Survive the fucking minotaur just to be killed by some other freak, Mum would be-

Percy's inner freak out was interrupted by strong arms lifting him up and helping him into the chair on the porch. Three eyes looked at him curiously before the man-monster strode off, waving to get the attention of- was that Mr. Brunner?

"Calm down Percy, I promise I'll explain everything and answer your questions in a moment."

Definitely Mr. Brunner. Only…

Percy clenched his jaw as he took in the image his eyes were presenting to him. From the waist up, Mr. Brunner looked just like Percy remembered, scraggly beard, kind eyes, and his patented warm smile. From the waist down….well. An echo of Sam's correction resounded in his ears.

Centaur…

Mr. Brunner gestured to the table beside him where an iced glass of apple juice sat, umbrella, straw, maraschino cherry and all.

"You should drink. It'll help." Percy ignored him. Answers were more important.

"First of all, what!?" He gestured wildly at Brunner's lower half. "Secondly, what are you doing here? Where is here? Why am I here? What happened to my mum-"

Brunner held up a hand to stall Percy's questions. He sighed and shuffled forwards a few steps and his- Feet? Hooves?- clunked against the wooden steps of the porch. He rubbed his hands together and let out another breath.

"While you were at Yancy you showed an excellent understanding of mythology, so I'm sure you've already figured out that I'm a centaur. My name is Chiron- yes that Chiron- Brunner was just a pseudonym I used while at Yancy I'm afraid. This is my...typical occupation, you could say. I live here. I don't often leave, coming out to Yancy was a special case. Grover needed help and you were potentially important enough to warrant a house call. As for where 'here' is, surely your mother mentioned a summer camp to you?"

They both paused as Percy tried to digest everything he'd just been told, despite the numerous non-answers Brunn-Chiron had given him. His mind raced.

"Summer camp? I don't think she ever-"

A loud yell cut him off, and Chiron glanced away sharply. A frown settled over his features and he spoke quickly to Percy.

"I need to deal with that, we'll finish this conversation later. In the meantime, I suspect there's someone who wants to speak with you." For a moment Percy could think of nothing but the blonde girl he'd woken up to last time.

"There are many strange creatures residing here Percy, of which I am one. They mean you no harm," Chiron continued. He paused and his features saddened for a moment.

"I am sorry about your mother, Percy. Someone should have been with you that night. We might have been able to help." With that, Chiron turned and galloped off.

Chiron's last sentence echoed in Percy's head. We might have been able to help. If you hadn't run away from Yancy, we might have been there. If you hadn't run away from Yancy, she might still be alive. He rubbed his temples in an attempt to dispel the thoughts, looking across the meadow and running an eye over the kids practicing their archery. Worthless skill, a bullet is much faster.

An awkward cough caught Percy's attention. Grover stood leaning against the porch railing, nervously fiddling with his Rasta cap.

Getting sloppy Perce, Dean's voice echoed in his ears, that's how you get dead. The comment was followed by the faint memory of the boys training him. Come on Percy, wipe that smug smile off of Dean's face, Sam's chiding voice faded quietly as he refocused.

Grover was wearing an obnoxiously orange shirt that read CAMP HALF-BLOOD and ratty denim jeans that were a little too long for him. Typical attire for Grover. Percy swallowed and looked away, instead reaching out to grab the apple juice next to him.

I left him at Yancy without even a 'goodbye'. Why is he here? I wouldn't want to talk to me if I were him. Maybe he's here to tear me a new one.

Percy frowned at the effort it took to keep his hand from shaking, but picked up the glass and had a sip.

What- Percy started spluttering and coughing. The glass shook precariously in his grip before Grover leapt forward to take it from him.

"You alright Percy?" Grover's worried question interrupted Percy's panic. His mother-henning hasn't changed one bit.

In between coughs Percy found enough air to gasp out,

"Not apple juice!" Grover hastily muffled what sounded suspiciously like a laugh. Still, the taste of Sally Jackson's Special Homemade Blue Cookies lingered on his tongue and threatened to shatter the little composure he'd managed to find. Grover seemed to notice Percy's change in mood because his laughter eased.

"What does it taste like?" The gentle question almost brought tears to Percy's eyes, and it was only John's voice in the back of his head that stopped them from spilling over.

Tears are a waste of time Jackson. They didn't bring Mary back and they won't bring Sally back either. You may have cut us out but you've always been an honorary Winchester, and Winchesters don't cry. With her gone you fit the part now more than ever, and I'll be damned if you don't represent.

Percy took another sip and tried to savour the warmth on his tongue before answering.

"Cookies. They taste like Mum's blue cookies." He cleared his throat and drained the glass to avoid seeing Grover's expression. When Percy looked up, Grover was looking out across the valley and a shoe box that sat on the porch railing. He glanced at Percy and picked up the box.

"It's yours, if you want it." Grover paused, "We call them Spoils of War. Items left behind after a monster's been slain."

The minotaur horn. Wordlessly, Percy held his arms out for the box. A reminder to be faster, next time. It was lighter than it had any right to be.

"Thanks." Percy's voice was subdued, finally forced to acknowledge the elephant in the room. He cleared his throat.

"So, my mum. She's really…" Grover's silence spoke for itself and Percy tried not to shatter into a thousand little pieces.

The sun shone gently across the valley. His mum would have had some inspirational quote about the sun shining and people smiling. Would have. The world seemed a shade colder.

"I should have been there." Grover's choked voice drew Percy's attention and threw him for a loop.

"Grover, man, I love you but there was nothing you could have done. The minotaur would have crushed you just like-" Percy rubbed furiously at his eyes and let out an angry exhale. "It would have crushed you just like it crushed Mum."

"You don't know that! And now we'll never know any different! The Elders were right, I'm a useless Satyr." He kicked the railing in frustration and started cursing when his converse high-top came off. Percy's focus was snagged on Grover's foot.

Or, well, hoof. Satyr. Of course. My best friend is a Satyr. Guess my subconscious wasn't completely off the mark then.

Grover finished righting his shoe and glanced at Percy guiltily. Percy only raised an eyebrow in response.

"Well, it's just, you see…" Grover stuttered through his explanation before taking a closer look at Percy. "Normally, people are much more freaked out about this."

"I'm in pain, overwhelmed, grieving, and also not your normal person. But if it'll make you feel better, I can yell at you later."

Grover paused. "How are you feeling, Perce?"

"Just peachy."

"Great, 'cause you probably shouldn't have any more nectar and Chiron and Mr. D are waiting for us."

The porch wrapped all the way around the farmhouse. The walk around to Br-Chiron and 'Mr. D.' took longer than it should have, with Percy refusing to let Grover assist him. Although, with every passing minute Percy could feel more strength returning to his limbs.

You make it on your own strength or not at all, you hear me Percy?

Yes, Uncle John.

Yes, Sir, Percy.

Yes, Sir.

Absently, Percy noted that he must be on the north shore of Long Island. He had to be, what with the valley stretching that far out to sea. He dismissed the architecture - Sam would love No. The ex-Mr. Brunner stood in the sun, leaning on the porch railing so he could look at the cards being dealt by a man sitting at a card table. Percy, however, ignored both Chiron and the stranger and instead focused on the blonde girl standing back from them, leaning against the porch railing. She glanced up as they neared, her startling grey eyes taking in what was sure to be a sorry sight. Percy scowled to himself.

Of course the one time I meet a pretty, athletic girl, I'm still shaky and fatigued after getting my ass handed to me in a monster fight. Dean would be absolutely wetting himself.

His scowl deepened further at the turn of his thoughts to the Winchesters, though it didn't sting quite as bad with the memory of his dreams still swimming in the back of his mind.

If my dreams were right about Grover, could they be right about…

The blonde girl raised an inquiring eyebrow at him, and Percy quickly rearranged his features into something a little more neutral. Chiron cleared his throat and Percy turned back to the card table and the two men.

The stranger was clearly an athletic man, although slightly chubby around the edges. His cheeks were faintly flushed, and his strong features were twisted into a fierce scowl. The dark look on his face instantly put Percy on edge, the mad look in the strangers eyes screaming danger. Percy didn't look away. He knew better than to take his eyes off someone -something?- that dangerous, even for a second. Not until they turned away first.

"That's Mr. D." Grover had tensed behind him, and his mumbled comment did nothing to ease Percy's worries. "He's the camp director. Be polite." Percy had no intentions of being anything other than perfectly-fucking-respectful around 'Mr. D.' Right next to the dictionary definition of 'civil' would be an image of Percy. He wasn't fucking stupid, no matter what others might think.

"The girl by the railing is Annabeth Chase. She's been here longer than nearly everyone. She's a camper in Cabin Six. And of course, you already know Chiron…"

At the sound of his name, Chiron looked up.

"Percy! You're here! Good, now we have four for pinochle." Pinochle wasn't Gabe's game of choice, not that he would have let Percy play, and the Winchesters preferred Pool, but Percy was sure he could make it work. Somehow.

Chiron glanced across to Mr. D. and coughed in a rather deliberate manner. Mr. D. finally broke the staring contest with Percy to look at Chiron. He sighed.

"Oh I suppose I must say it. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood. There. Now don't expect me to be glad to see you." He waved a vague hand through the air and Percy tensed further.

"Thank you, Sir." Percy might not have been suicidal enough to purposefully piss off a potentially very powerful being, but that didn't mean that he suddenly had the patience of a saint. He caught Annabeth rolling her eyes out of the corner of his eyes, but whether that was at Mr. D. or at him he didn't know. Percy took another look at Mr. D's flushed cheeks and fought the urge to take a step back. Extreme power aside, if there was one thing living with Gabe had taught him, it was when an adult had been drinking, and what they did when drunk. Percy would bet his life's savings -which admittedly weren't that great- that Mr. D. had been drinking, or would be soon.

"Annabeth?" Chiron called out. She stepped forward and very deliberately didn't look towards Percy.

"This young lady nursed you back to health, Percy," Chiron continued. "Annabeth, could you set up Percy's bunk? I'll drop him off to you soon for orientation." Percy may have been imagining it, but it looked like a muscle in Annabeth's jaw twitched.

"Sure, Chiron." She turned to leave but paused and looked back at Percy. Her analytical eyes mde Percy painfully aware of both his dreams while unconscious and his bad habit of talking in his sleep. Those calculating eyes roved over his face, and came to some unspoken conclusion.

"You drool when you sleep." She turned away once again and ran off, presumably to prepare his bunk. Any embarrassment and indignation he may have felt at that comment was drowned out by the crashing wave of relief that swept over him.

"So," Percy began casting desperately for a topic change. "Chiron, you… said you work here? You still haven't said what 'here' is."

"I would have thought it obvious Percy," Chiron said in that awful I-expect-only-the-best-from-you-Percy voice of his. "This is a summer camp, of sorts. Mr. D. here is the director." Percy turned to Mr. D.

"Okay, and does Mr. D. stand for anything, Sir?"

The director stopped examining his cards and stared coldly up at Percy from where he sat.

"Names are powerful things, child. You don't just use them for any old reason, and you certainly don't go giving them out on a whim. Most definitely to young children who don't know when it is and isn't appropriate to use them."

"Right. Sorry, Sir." Percy shuffled awkwardly on the spot, his ire at this 'director' mounting with every word out of his mouth.

"I must say, Percy," Chiron broke in, effectively rescuing Percy from what was bound to be a terrible, impulsive decision that landed him in hot water. Chiron continued, "I am glad to see you alive, despite everything. It's been a while since I made a house call to a potential camper, and I'd hate to think I'd wasted my time."

With every passing second, Percy was more and more sure he'd landed himself in something both big and dangerous. Where else can I go though? Mum is...gone. I refuse to return to Gabe, who knows what he'd do without Mum there to act as a buffer. Even if I wanted to, I can't join the Winchesters since I don't know where they are, and Bobby is a long, long way away. No. For now, I'm stuck here. At least I have Grover. Percy took a deep breath.

"Okay, Sir. I need to know what's going on here. You said you don't normally make house calls? You mean coming to Yancy to teach me, right? But why would you need to? Why was Grover there? I mean, you're a centaur, he's a satyr, and I'm me." Chiron sighed.

"Percy, this is a summer camp for a certain kind of child. Children like you. Satyrs get sent undercover at schools to help find them and guide them here, protecting them from any who would do them harm. As soon as Grover sensed you, he called me. There's something different about you, Percy. Something that sets you apart from the rest."

"Right." Percy was itching to get out of here, wherever 'here' was. As if sensing it, Chiron ploughed on.

"Percy, did your mother explain nothing to you? Did she tell you nothing about your father? The strange people that have found and followed you since birth? Why she refused to medicate your ADHD despite what others told both you and her?" Percy took a small step back.

"S-she said, she said that Dad's side of the family wasn't very understanding or forgiving? That they had enemies who would try and take their anger out on me because he was my father?" Chiron shook his head sadly.

"She told you all she could without actually telling you anything at all." Mr. D. made a 'hmph'ing sound.

"She kept you close to her. That's usually how they're killed. She's lucky you made it to twelve. Well child?" He demanded, "Are you bidding or not?" Right. Pinochle.

"I'm afraid there's so much to go over," Chiron sighed. He seemed to do that a lot. "The usual orientation film won't be enough, we're going to have to do this old school." Chiron's laser-like focus settled onto Percy's shoulders like a lead weight.

"Think, Percy. Your friend Grover is a satyr. You know that you killed the minotaur," Chiron gestured at Percy's shoe box. "What you don't know is that Great Forces are at work here."

Percy had a sinking feeling about the direction this conversation was taking.

"Gods," Chiron continued, "the Greek Gods, to be specific, are still alive. And much like in the myths, they like to interact with mortals."

Percy's world spun for a moment while he reconciled what he already knew about the world with what he was being told.

Monsters exist, so why not gods. Right. Sure. Okay. That makes sense. Sort of.

"Gods." Percy took a deep breath and released it slowly. "Like the ones we discussed in Latin class. Zeus. Hera. Apollo. Those gods." Thunder rumbled menacingly in the distance.

"Child." Mr. D's voice had deepened considerably. "Were you not warned about the power of names not two minutes ago? I would not be so casual about throwing those names around if I were you." Percy ignored him.

"What about science? I may not have been the best student but I'm pretty sure that the sun is a star and the earth orbits it. How does that work if Apollo drives the sun around the world each day? How can the two coexist?" Frustration started bubbling up. "Weren't the gods just stories people made up to explain things they didn't understand? And if so, how are they around now that people know better?"

"Science!" If Mr. D. had sounded menacing before, he was downright furious now. "Tell me, Perseus Jackson," the way he spat Percy's name made it sound like an incurable disease he'd been saddled with. Percy took an involuntary step back. "What will people 2,000 years from now think of your science? Hmmm? No doubt it will look rudimentary and clumsy, and people will wonder how you ever came to the conclusions you did. Maybe you will become a myth yourself. A way to explain how little boys react to losing their mother, perhaps?" Percy took another step back and bumped into Grover, who didn't move and didn't speak. He opened his mouth but no sound came out. Mr. D. made a scoffing noise. "That's what I thought. Mortals. They always think they've come so far, that they're so evolved and so much better than everything else!" Mr. D. glared at Percy. "You lack perspective, just like the rest of them." He abruptly turned back to the card table, and Percy could just hear him mutter, "By the Fates do I need a drink." Distantly, thunder rumbled and Mr. D. glared at the sky before turning back to his cards, a permanent scowl etched into his face.

"Percy," compared to Mr. D's rant, Chiron's voice sounded almost soft. "You can choose whether or not to believe, but it doesn't change the fact that immortal means immortal, regardless of whether other people believe in you or not. Never dying, living through the same loop as history repeats itself again and again and again."

A thousand thoughts flew through Percy's head.

Whether they believe in you or not...Mortals...You lack perspective, just like the rest of them...Mr. D...He's the camp director...By the Fates do I need a drink...Be polite...Mr. D...Dionysus.

Percy swallowed harshly. A god. He'd pissed off a god.

Guess the Winchester blood runs true, as much as I hate to admit it. They've always been able to pick a fight in an empty room.

Percy looked up at Chiron.

"Ahh, I see you understand, Percy. Well, then, I believe it's about time for your tour." Chiron pushed off from where he'd been leaning against the railing and started stretching out his legs. "Just in time too, my fetlocks were beginning to fall asleep."

Before Percy could walk off with Chiron, Mr. D. spoke up once more.

"Grover." Grover tensed, and stopped his attempt to slip off the porch with Percy and Chiron.

"Yes, Sir?" Percy had never heard Grover sound so terrified in his life.

"We need to discuss your less-than-perfect performance on this assignment, now that the child has arrived in one piece, more or less." Grover gave Percy a tight-lipped and trembling smile before he turned and followed Dionysus into the woods, leaving Percy with Chiron.

"Chiron, what did Mr. D. mean? Is Grover going to be okay?"

"Don't worry about Grover, Percy. He was meant to guide you here, but with this recent failure he may have to rethink his career aspirations."

"Doesn't he get a second chance? You said it yourself before, I'm different, right?"

"This was his second chance, I'm afraid. Come along now, Annabeth will be getting impatient."

All Percy could think as they walked away from the farm house was how he'd let down yet another person.

If I hadn't left Yancy, Mum would still be alive. If I hadn't left Yancy, Grover wouldn't be in trouble. If I hadn't left Yancy, maybe I would've been able to contact the Winchesters. Bobby said there was more going on. Maybe he's right. They've never let me down before.

If I hadn't left Yancy, maybe I would still have someone left.

As always guys, comments and reviews are welcomed!