Da-da-da-daaaah! Next chapter. Hope ya like it! :D

"Travis Stoll!"

Said Stoll froze at the sound of Katie Gardener's voice, wincing at the anger. Gods, she was going to kill him. Again.

Feigning at least some innocence, he turned to face the ticked-off brunette stomping down the lake's shore. "Hey, Kit-Kat!" he called, offering a grin. "What's wrong?"

"You!" she snapped as she got closer. Her green eyes were ablaze. For a second, it reminded Travis of how Percy, their newest camper, described the god of war's eyes. He felt like he should wither and die painfully under that glare, but he maintained his grin like her anger didn't intimidate him.

"Aw, what did I do while you weren't looking now?" he asked.

"You know!" she shouted, looking like she wanted to punch him. "Where are my gardening tools now, Stoll? Where are they? You better tell me!"

While she yelled, Travis watched her with amusement. She got all red in the face when she was mad and she always waved her hands like she was signaling a rescue plan or something. It was entertaining. Almost as entertaining as her expression when, in her second year, she was announced the head of the Demeter cabin. It was now the middle of said year, and Travis noted with disdain that she had gotten close to his height. Now he couldn't tower over her. But it wasn't like that made her back down anyway.

"Travis! Are you even listening to me?"

Travis blinked and said, "Um, what?"

Katie clenched her fists and breathed out slowly, like she was really holding out the urge to snap his neck now. "I said, take me to my frickin' tools, Stoll!"

"Ah, those weird shovel thingies?"

Katie breathed out again. Instead of correcting him, she held up a fist and said, "Just take me to them."

"All right." He held up his hands in surrender. "Don't shoot."

She lowered her fist. "Where are they?"

Travis fought back a smirk as he turned towards the lake, scanning the blue water. "There."

Katie looked at the water, her mouth falling open in horror. "You didn't…?"

"I didn't toss them in the water," he said quickly. If he'd done that, he'd die slowly and painfully. Travis was a prankster, not an idiot. "They're on the water."

Then Katie's eyes widened. He followed her gaze and held back another triumphant smirk when he saw what she was looking at- the little white buoy floating in the water with a green box sitting on it.

So fast he barely saw her hand, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him towards her, her eyes fiery again. Travis nearly flinched at how close their faces were to each other. Ignoring his discomfort, she said in a low voice, "Take me to them. Now."

"Okay, okay!" he said, and she released his shirt. Travis quickly stepped away from her, brushing the wrinkles out of his t-shirt. "Just don't blow a fuse, all right?"

"Hmph."

Katie reached out over the side of the canoe, her fingers just brushing the cold metal of her toolbox before she had to step back, otherwise she'd fall into the water. She frowned and turned to where Travis sat on one of the benches holding the paddles. "We need to get closer. I can't reach."

"Afraid to get wet?"

She crossed her arms. "If anyone will jump in that water to get my tools, it'll be you."

Travis frowned. "Why me?" he demanded.

"You put them there."

Travis rolled his eyes but started paddling again, moving the canoe closer to the buoy. Katie reached out again, this time managing to close her hand around the handle. She grinned proudly. "Got them!" she cheered.

"Wahoo," Travis said with less enthusiasm. "Now we can go back."

"Sure, and then I can beat you up for-" Katie stood up too fast. In one quick motion, the canoe flipped, dumping them both into the water.

Still clinging to her toolbox, which was not designed for floating, Katie forced her way back to the surface of the water, gasping for air. Moments later, Travis surfaced just a little ways in front of her. "Katie!" he shouted.

"This is your fault!" she yelled.

"How in Hades is it my fault?" he demanded in a gasping voice, pumping his arms to keep his head above the water.

"If you hadn't put my tools out here, we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"You're the one who tipped the canoe!"

"You started all this!"

Travis stuck his tongue out childishly at her. She stuck hers out, too, in response. Then they floated for a bit, each looking towards the lake's shore. It was far away, a long way for them to swim. But the canoe wouldn't really be of any use to them, looking as how Travis didn't have the paddles with him.

Suddenly a spray of water hit Katie in the face. Spitting out the water she glared at Travis, who was grinning. "Travis!"

"Last one to shore is a harpy meal!" And he went under the water's surface, vanishing from sight.

"That was a lame pun," she said at the water, like he could hear her. She looked back to the shore. A few feet away, Travis's head popped back up.

"Slowpoke!" he yelled.

Katie frowned. "Immature loser!" she shouted back, but he'd already ducked back underwater.

Well, she couldn't lose this now.

So, fighting back the strange urge to grin excitedly, she gripped her toolbox handle tighter and swam after the son of Hermes.

She was nowhere closer to understanding him.

But, for some strange reason as she dove after him, unable to hold back laughter at his face when she pulled ahead of him, she felt she could wait a little longer.