Hello, guys! Thank you very much for everything!

I want to apologize for not updating for quite some time but I had a lot of work.

Anyway, new chapter. Hope you like it. Continue reviewing, please! It helps me so much.

(* Here is the new version, enjoy! Thanks Johanna for one more time!)

(*small changes)

Anna

I couldn't believe Percy would give his life for the Hunt. He did it while I was unconscious the previous night and before, with the Romans. He stood for us, fearless, and even leaped in front of the arrows.

I knew he was brave and the best fighter. But it was the first time I saw him in action.

After he saved me and taught me use my powers I didn't think that I could admire and love him more. But I was wrong. And the time we spent during the journey was amazing. I wished that he could stay with me, with us. He would be the brother I never had. But that was wishful thinking. He was a man and men didn't have a place in the hunt.

But now the only thing I was thinking was what Artemis would want with him, and what about the reward she said. What could it be?

"Anna, are you okay?" I heard Thalia ask.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just thinking" I replied.

"What? About Percy? Don't worry, he will survive, hopefully"

I must have grimaced as she quickly added "Kidding".

We arrived at the temple and the only thing that we could do was wait. We were spread around the temple when Artemis came back, without Percy, something that made the blood drain from my face.

"Hunters. I have an announcement to make. Please do not overreact and see the facts as they are. All these years we have known each other, I taught you to keep a distance from men as the majority of them do not treat others, and especially women, right. But in the population of men, there is an exception."

"Don't tell us that a man is going to join the Hunt" said Arianna as she made a vomiting gesture. The other hunters looked like they wanted to agree.

"Firstly, show respect and do not interrupt me. And secondly, yes, a man has joined the hunt."

My first thought was Percy, and so did to the most of the Hunters. The reactions varied. For example, my smile started from one ear and ended to the other. Thalia had her jaw dropped as most of the Hunters. Arianna and Electra, a daughter of Athena, were red from their anger.

"Milady, with all due respect, why would you make such a decision?" asked Thalia after the first shock was over.

"The reasons are many Thalia, and the main is for your safety. He will be a Hero of the Hunt, something like a protector for you when I am not around."

"But, why him? He is just a common man" burst Arianna.

"A common man doesn't win two major wars, does not risk his life for the hunt and not brag about it and a common man most certainly does not give away immortality twice to help others. So Percy is not a common man and mind your tone please." Artemis said in a strangely quiet tone. A thought started shaping into my head but I put it aside for the moment.

"And where is the so called guardian now?" asked Electra, with sarcasm in her voice. She was clearly expecting that he was too lazy to show up.

"He is in Delos, where I left him. But I told him to come here and report to me when he can, implying next morning." Said Artemis and her tone implied that no more questions were to be asked.

"Now, go train in archery and report to me when you finish. Oh, Arianna and Electra, after the end of the class, you will retrieve all the arrows and make sure that they are sharp." She said and flashed away.

At least, some justice. Percy deserves respect. But I made sure these two would have a lot of work since some of my arrows hit something hard or flew of the target. And I saw some of my sisters did that too. In the end Arianna and Electra were so angry that they declared the lesson over and went to do their job. The night came to pass quickly, but full of excitement. I couldn't believe it. Percy has joined the hunt and we would spend a lot of time together. But the morning passed and Percy was nowhere to be seen. At noon Artemis flashed in.

"I have some news. The followers of Octavian has been punished by being stripped of their rank. They will also have to learn to walk on four legs, since I turned them into jackalopes for a week." She said after gathering us around.

"Now, where is Percy?"

No one answered and I was ready to tell her that he didn"t appear but Thalia understood what I wanted to do and glanced me with a do-not-speak glare.

"He didn't appear, did he?"

"No, milady. He hasn't appeared yet."

"He is in big trouble. Get ready, we are going to give him a welcome the moment he steps in New Rome."

Great. Now not only he going to be punished but also two specific Hunters now had a big grin on their faces.

After a while we were all ready and Artemis marched in before as. And around two blocks from the temple Artemis was suddenly on the ground and Percy was on top of her.

"Tyche is not on your favor today Perseus" I heard her scream and I face palmed my face when I saw him get up and start running straight to us. The moment he noticed us he paled.

"He is like everyone else. The say something and they never do it." Arianna commented.

"Why do you run Perseus?" Artemis said when she finally caught up with him.

He blanched.

"To my temple, now. You have the noon free till I summon you" Artemis said at us.

Please don't harm him I prayed and before leaving, Artemis turned to me.

"I will try not to."

Artemis

Hearing Anna praying for Percy made me calm a little. But I had to make Percy pay for his disobedience in his first day at the hunt.
He shouldn't give any reason to the Hunters to say things about him.
As we walked to the temple I noticed something. The last days, when he was walking he had his head a little low and he hunchbacked. But now he had changed his stance. He walked with more confidence in a way that showed his power. But I put these thoughts away as we reached the temple.

"I hope you have a very good explanation for your absence."

"I had to inform my family for my decision and I traveled from where you left me to Manhattan and then to Long Island." I couldn't believe my ears when I heard him emphasize that "you" in a playful way. He was impossible. I left him around 7000 miles away and he wasn't even angry.

"Anything else Perseus?" I asked and I saw him trying to control his emotions.

"I…I went to the Underworld." He finally said.

"You went to see her?" For a reason I wanted to be sound unaffected but I didn't manage it.

"For the final time" he said and dropped on the couch as he let the tension he had built up.

"I saw her and after that, I thought I was better. But I can't do this." he said.

Before me was a broken man, someone that tried to hide his emotions, sadness and pain to be the Hero for everyone. But this last act was too heavy. So I did the only thing I could. I approached him, sat beside him and hugged him. After some time he calmed and pulled himself together. "I am sorry Lady Artemis. It is just too difficult. I thought that if I saw her and say goodbye I would move on, but I was wrong." He said looking straight into my eyes.

"I don't know what you are through, nor can I imagine. But I want to help you, just how you help me and the Hunt. Are you better?"

"Yes, thank you. Anyway, do you have any jobs for me?" he asked innocently.

He tried to dodge the punishment.

"Actually, I do. You are going to ready dinner for the girls when they are here, after that you will clean the temple and tomorrow morning you will ready breakfast and ready the arrows for the practice"

His eyes widened. "But I am a guardian, not a servant."

"No, you are punished." I said and a smirk appeared on my face.

"Oh well," he signed. "Can't do much about it. Bring them in" he said and I flashed away to find them.

"We hope that she will punish him for what he is. A man." I heard Arianna telling to some hunters while I was approaching them.

"I would prefer you don't spoil Perseus image to the Hunters. I do not care for your personal rivalry with him" I declared to her as she felt my presence and turn to me.

"Now, off you go to the temple, all of you. And I will not tolerate bad behavior. Am I clear?" I asked the Hunters as they gathered around. They all nodded and headed to the temple.

"Milady, are you sure this decision will help the Hunt?" asked Thalia as she waited to accompany me back.

"Of course. Not only will I be more carefree about your protection when I am not around. Also you can learn a lot of things from him and teach him also. After all that happened he needs a family, people who can rely on and help him move."

"I will count on your judgment. And I noticed that most of the girls are good with him. I say most since two or three are a little irritated and a specific hunter is glowing with happiness."

"Yes, Anna needs Percy. In his face she sees a big brother. But I think Percy needs her as well. Even though he doesn't show it."

"After the war he closed himself off. I want to help him but I can't. What do you propose Lady?"

By the time she asked the question we reached the temple and I was happy since I could avoid it with ease.

"We will see to it another time. Let's make sure first that there are no casualties from the job I assigned Percy to."

But as I stepped in the kitchen I forgot how to speak. And not because the things went wrong. But because from all these millennia, I couldn't make the Hunters sit so quietly before a meal.

"Oh good. You are here." Percy said and pointed to two empty chairs on the head of the table. We sat but I couldn't see or smell any food. And he had to ready dinner.

"So, what will we eat Perseus? I see no food."

"That's the good part. What do you want to eat Milady?" he asked imitating a waiter taking an order.

"Anything?" I asked and he nodded his head. So I ordered the first thing it popped in my mind.

"I want a medium rare steak with some rice, a green salad and some water, please" I said. And I was holding my breath waiting for Percy"s reaction, as did the Hunters. He smiled, raised his hands and simply clapped. And instantly what I had ordered appeared before me.

All the Hunters were looking, with their jaws dropped, at the food and then at Percy. Then again at the food.

"Can we eat it?" asked Thalia. I took the fork and the knife, cut a piece and tried it. And I could tell it was the best steak I had ever eaten, and I had tasted a lot of steaks. But I contained my excitement and replied simply. "It's ok."

The hunters burst out ordering their foods in unison and I saw Percy making a face for my statement.

"Ladies, please quite. Order one by one. Now, what will you have Anna?" he asked and started taking orders. But I forgot about the Hunters and I dig into my food. I know, I am a goddess and I do not need mortal food. But, first I was the only Olympian that used to live in the mortal world and eat their food and secondly, the taste was something else. But I noticed that after all the Hunters had a cooked meal in front of them, Percy left.

He did it so that he will not trespass I started thinking and then got lost to my thoughts only to be brought back to reality by Thalia.

"Milady? Milady? Speak to me."

"I am sorry Thalia. I was thinking about something" I lied. For a strange reason Percy was a lot in my thoughts lately. "What happened?"

For a reply she nodded sideways and I focused on Percy, who had returned in the room.

"Do you want anything? Some of the Hunters ordered a dessert so I was thinking if I could go to my room."

"Don't you live in the dog's house?" I heard Arianna whispering and I noticed that Percy picked that up also. He didn't comment, though.

"No I do not need you for anything else. You have to clean up and then you are free for the night. Girls, tomorrow you have training and Percy will help you, while I have some jobs to attend to. Goodnight." I said and flashed in a place I hadn't visited due to the war and all.

As I flashed into my chariot, my appearance changed. I usually wear a tunic with my hair into a ponytail. But when I am in the moon chariot I wear a long gossamer dress and I have my hair held up. The thing is that I feel a little more comfortable in this form. Maybe it is because I am alone. But I come here when I want to be alone and think. And now I want to think about the hunt. And Percy.

Percy

The whole preparing a meal process went quite good. Except for some comments from Arianna. But I understood her. I had humiliated her father. But I wouldn't bother with her. Now I had to clean up. I tried to figure a way to do that. If I had made them appear, why not make them disappear. So I prayed to the gods, and clapped my hands. And the plates and the food had disappeared. So finally I could rest. I decided to go to the temple of Neptune. He was my father. Or is it just Poseidon? Whatever, I didn't have the mental calmness to figure it. Or the strength. All the shadow travel, the trick with the food had physically exhausted me. But also I was mentally tired. All the emotional bursts drained me. As I prepared to leave Anna came to me with a smile in her face.

"Hey, Percy. Are you leaving?"

"Anna, hi. Yes, I am very tired. I want to rest so that tomorrow I can protect the Hunt, and you."

"Can you come for a bit? I want to show you something". Even though the only thing I wanted was to take a bath and sleep I couldn't resist her.

"Of course, lead the way". I said and she started climbing the stairs. Great, it would be a miracle if I could reach the destination. But after a while the last flight of stairs came into view. She led me to the roof and I could say that the view was breathtaking. From up here we could see pretty much all of Camp Jupiter. "When did you find this place?" I asked her.

"When Artemis left us to wait, I searched the place and I found some pretty amazing things."

"I this is the best place. Peace and quiet." I said as I made myself comfortable.

"So, how are the things in the Hunt going?" I asked her. I had to learn as many things as I could.

"Now that you are here things are going to change for the better. But it is nice. I have learned a lot of things and most of the girls are good."

"Let me guess, Arianna and Electra give you a hard time?"

"Nothing I can't handle. Or a little lighting" she said cracking a smile. So Thalia has been looking after her. I made a mental note to thank her.

"And what about you?" she asked. I didn't expect such a question.

"What about me?"

"How are you? About Annabeth and joining the Hunt. How do you feel?" I could sense she cared.

"I'm trying to get over it. It's difficult, but I think the Hunt will help me" I said.

"I can see that you did something concerning her. Don't tell me you went to see her?" she gasped as it hit her. She looked at me and I didn't have to say anything to confirm her suspicion. She just came closer to me and hugged me.

And because my exhaustion I couldn't help it and I fell asleep.

I was in a weird dream. I was in the Moon chariot and Artemis was there but was different. She was beautiful. No, she was breathtaking. She is always beautiful. And she was lost in her thought. What could she be thinking? Whatever it was it made her happy. She had a nice smile. Wait. From when do I find a virgin goddess breathtaking?

At least I was woken up before my mind could start making stories. But the way I was woken up hurt.

As the lighting hit me I launched into my feet only to see Anna and Thalia rolling on the floor laughing.

"Yes, laugh at the lightning woken clown" I said and tried to keep a straight face. But I joined them. Thalia was the first to stop laughing and turned to me.

"I want to see you laughing when you go down and see that you already had to prepare breakfast for the hunters." Oh God. Artemis will kill me I thought.

So I run towards to kitchen and in my rush I didn't realize the whole plan Thalia and the Hunters had organized. Because somebody by mistake had left some marbles in the first step. The result. Me falling down the stairs with some loud and cracking noises. So, I found myself in a weird tangled position at the end of the stairs. I was hurt all over my body and the Hunters were all around me laughing. Well except for Anna. She had managed to get down behind me and was now looking me with concern. When I tried to move I found out that I should have broken something.

"And that's for your presence here, boy" said Arianna. Great, now I knew that she wasn't above physical violence even worse.

At that time Artemis flashed in and saw the whole situation.

"What is going on here?" she demanded. I tried to stand up only to fall again. At least now I knew what I had broken. My left leg.

"Thalia, explain. Now, before I start losing my temper"

"Well,-"

"I am clumsy." I stated and cut off Thalia. I knew she had to reveal the guilty.

"I woke up and rush to the kitchen to serve the Hunters. But I fell, " I said as I made another attempt to rise.

"So, you tell me you fell from the stairs. Really? Thalia, I ask again. Who is responsible for this?" Great, now she knows when I lie.

But before she could talk Apollo flashed in.

"Gods, don't be so harsh on him." He said earning an arrow an inch next to his head.

"Why are you here?" she said already having drawn another arrow.

"I need help."

That's it. Again thank you for everything and sorry for not updating often.

I hoped you enjoyed it. Please review for anything. From errors to recommendations.

Again thank you. Bye!