Well it's been a while hasn't it? Ok I won't lie, I was close to giving up on this story for personal reasons, but a guest reviewer brightened my day with their amazing review. So I battled an aggressive writers block and upload another chapter dedicated to that person. Unfortunately they were only a guest reviewer so I don't have a name to shout out to, but I hope that the person I'm talking about reads this and gets the message ;)

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I wanted to crawl back under my soft, suffocating, confines of my duvet covers and give up. The campers could fend for themselves because there is no way in Hades Realm am I going to carry out this favour for Chiron. I was absolutely fine wasting away in my, now, smelly, dusty, and dirt filled, cabin.

And what is this dreadful favour you may ask?

Helping the Golden Trio (which consist of Grover the satyr, Annabeth the brains, and Percy the 'act first and think later' guy) search for powerful demigod children that showed up on Chiron's new demigod radar he got from Hermes as a sorry present after his most troublesome twins caused havoc last summer.

Now I'm guessing your next question is something along the lines of: what's the problem with that?

They're in England. Not going to happen. Period.

Look, now don't get me wrong, I'm sure that it's a great place to go to for a holiday or just to sight see, but it reminds me too much of the weather back in Forks. Wet, wet and wet. The only difference is probably that they get more sunlight in the summer than Forks ever does. See why I cant go there? Nope? Well too bad, I'm not explaining how my hard-wired brain works.

"I am not going," I moaned. Trying to avoiding eye contact, I lifted my head to focus my attention to the off-white, peeling, ceiling of the large, rectangular-shaped, room. Chiron's office walls were pained a cool, dark, beige to match the mahogany floorboards he had used to replace the old ones, after the Stoll brothers had burnt them last summer. The rug underneath his wooden desk was a light sea green, and the patterns on it showed various ancient Greek symbols written in grey. The light coming from the nearest window to the left of Chiron's chair, shone through the glass and hit the carpet, making the ancient symbols look like waves on a calm sea. The colours surrounding the room reminded me of the cold and wet First Beach back at the reservation.

"Bella, how long has it been since you've even seen sunlight? You've locked yourself up in that cabin for gods knows how long,you haven't eaten in a week, your clothes are barely hanging onto your bony frame, and you haven't washed in days!" Chiron argued, trying hard not to gag. I couldn't blame him, even I knew I smelt bad.

I shrugged. Well it had been a while since I saw the sun- three months give or take, and food was something I just couldn't digest any more. It was sometime after the Cullen's had left when I realised I just couldn't eat food without throwing it back up later. Nobody knows but me. They all think I'm not eating because I'm heart broken. "I'm still not going," I insisted.

Chiron trotted over to me from the other side of his desk. He looked straight at me, and I took so much effort to brake off from the gaze of his ancient eyes. His voice softened, "you're still upset, I can see that, but it's not good for you to stay here. England will get your mind off things you'll see." He smiled.

He was always right. Usually. There was moisture building up, but I wouldn't allow myself to cry. I was out of tears three months ago. "How can you tell?" I sniffed.

"Ah, it's all in the eyes child." He tapped the right side of his forehead. "You're upset, it's plain to see, but if you stare at your reflection in the mirror you'll notice something else." He left to leave me to my thoughts.

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When I opened the door to my cabin, it smelt newer, fresher. I looked round the room and saw that everything had been cleaned and put away neatly during my short visit to the big house. Compared to half an hour ago, the place looked like the sheet of dust that had once dominated the room had been lifted and chucked into the bin. I was impressed and slightly guilty at the same time.

"Is anyone here?" I called out while awkwardly criss-crossing my legs.

Annabeth poked her head out of the bathroom door and waved. "Just thought I'd help you with some cleaning, but when I arrived you were already gone so I thought I would get started rather that waiting for you to come back." She pulled off the hideous, yellow, rubber gloves off of her sweaty arms and threw it on the towel rack in the bathroom. She blew at a loose strand of hair that came out of her ponytail and smiled brightly at me. "So what's up?"

"Chiron asked me to- well he sort of demanded really- but anyway he said that I had to join you and the rest of the gang on your quest in England."

She let out an un-Annabeth like squeal and unleashed a whole load of information about the history of the buildings there and the dates they were made. It was all too much, and I think I zoned out a few times after she mentioned Windsor Castle, which was yet another old castle in England. Too be honest, they all sounded pretty much the same to me.

"...so that's where we're going!"

I blinked rapidly. She was still here? "Oh, err yeah totally!" I gave her one of my famous 'I really wasn't listening but I'll pretend to understand so I won't hurt your feelings' smiles. Worked like a charm.

"Great! If I were you, I would start packing. You should know what to pack since I spent so long telling you." She gave a slight chuckle and apologised, "sorry about that by the way. Oh and we leave at six." She got up and left my now spotless house.

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(A/N: Usually I would finish the chapter here but since it's been a while I might as well give you a sneak peak at chapter 9. Oh and I realised that in the second chapter I said they had topaz eyes, but in the first I said that they were hungry and had black ones. Let's just say that it was a type-o and I meant to put black).

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Sleeping is the worst thing for a demigod to do, almost as worse as fighting a hell hound. And it's because our dreams show the future, present, and past. You know that saying 'the past will come back to haunt you'? Well mine comes back to haunt me every time I close my eyes.

One, two, three hours past till I finally pick up the courage and shut them. I have to do this, I have to re-live that night.

"Bella, run." This is always the first thing I hear. For some reason the dream always starts here and then goes back.

Those were the last words I had heard Charlie Swan say. I wasn't being completely truthful when I told Cullen about Charlie's death. I missed out the most vital part. I was there. I was there with Charlie the day he died...

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Question: Best Christmas memory?
Tell me your one and I'll tell you mine?
Answer by PM or review.
I'll share the best answer at the start of the next chapter (IF I get consent from the person).

I haven't read many fics lately and so I have none to recommend you, but if you have any suggestions on what I should put in the next FIC REC, PM me and give me the name of the fic and I'll go check it out and recommend it on the next chapter.

Chapter 9 is done, I just need to do some editing so it should be out some time next week if I have enough time to upload, so keep an eye out for it.

I'd usually say more but it's one o'clock in the morning and I've been typing with bloodshot eyes for almost two hours (oh the sacrifices I do for you lovely readers ;p ), so HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all of you, hope you have a good one. Till next time!

-M. Phoenix xx.

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