Chapter 7

Annabeth pushed a branch out of her way. Almost all traces of sunlight were gone from the sky, and she and Percy still hadn't found Tyson.

"What about your parents?" she said, as a light rain began to trickle down on them.

"They went to Gray Harbor for the night to visit my grandparents," explained Percy.

"Gray Harbor? Where's that?" said Annabeth, shining her flashlight through the trees. It occurred to her that looking for a little boy in the vast woods of New Hampshire was about as hopeless as finding a toothpick in a straw pile, but she decided not to say anything outloud just yet.

"Just about a half an hour away from here," said Percy.

"Tyson!" called Annabeth, abandoning the conversation.

Percy followed suit. They searched high and low through the woods, even wading in the stream to try and find Tyson, but the little boy continued to evade them.

It was pouring rain by the time Annabeth leaned up against a tree to catch her breath. Percy glanced at his watch, squinting to make out the numbers in the darkness. "It's 9:30 already! He's probably freezing, and he could be hurt, or..." Percy trailed off.

Annabeth panted, still out of breath. She shook her head. "No. We're going to find him. He has to be somewhere out here!"

She took off into the woods again, ignoring the fact that her drenched clothes were sticking to her body uncomfortably and that her wet hair was plastered to her head. She kept calling Tyson's name and jogged through the puddles that were rapidly forming at her feet.

It didn't occur to Annabeth that it might not have been a good idea to be running fast in a dark, slippery area until she fell. She stumbled and her knee crashed against a tree root. She cried out.

"Annabeth!" said Percy, pushing branches out of the way to get to her. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she said, standing up slowly. she tested her weight on the knee, leaning on the tree for support. She grimaced as a sharp bolt of pain shot up through her leg, but she did her best to ignore it.

"I'm fine," she repeated, mostly to convince herself. "Come on, we have to-"

"Daddy!" sobbed a voice from above them.

Annabeth and Percy looked up slowly, using their hands to shield their eyes from the rain. Tyson sat in the large oak tree above them, clinging to the wet branches. From where Annabeth was standing, she thought she could see him slipping.

"Tyson!" yelled Percy. "What are you doing?"

"Want to get down," cried Tyson, hugging his branch.

"I've got this," said Annabeth. She pushed her flashlight into Percy's hands.

"Annabeth, wait!" Percy called, but it was too late. Annabeth had already pulled herself into the tree.

She used her hands to feel the shape of the tree, looking for a handhold. She grasped a small knot and pulled herself upward, carefully placing her feet in the place where the branch met the trunk.

She grabbed the branch to her left and pushed off the one she was already on. Unfortuneately for her, it was so dark that she couldn't see the patch of moss underfoot. She let out a screech as her foot slipped off the branch and she was left dangling twenty-five feet off the ground, her hands clinging to slippery bark.

Percy cried out her name and shined the flashlight on her. "That would have been a bit more helpful ten seconds ago," she muttered.

She somehow managed to pull herself up so that she was leaning over the branch. She got her feet securely on the limb underneath her, in the process kicking her sneakers off. The rubber bottoms didn't seem to be so helpful in this situation.

She climbed ten feet higher, rapidly closing the gap between her and Tyson. How did a little kid get so damn high in this tree? she thought to herself, panting with the exertion.

"Tyson," she said once she had gotten to him, reaching out her hand. "I've got you. Come down."

Tyson whimpered and shook his head. "You are... You are girl from Tyson's dream?"

Annabeth sighed. "Looks like it, bud," she replied.

Tyson slowly slipped down from the branch he was perched on and took Annabeth's hand. She led him down the tree, carefully avoiding the spot where she had nearly fallen.

As they reached solid ground, Annabeth breathed a sigh of relief. Tyson ran over to Percy, and Percy embraced him. Then he pulled back, his hands on Tyson's shoulders. "What were you doing?" he shouted, shaking Tyson. "You could have gotten hurt, or gotten hypothermia! How could you-"

"Percy!" Annabeth wrenched his hands off of Tyson's shoulders. "Stop it! He's scared!"

Tyson continued sobbing. Though his words were barely audible over the large shuddering gasps and the ever pouring rain, Annabeth was able to make out a few words. "Playing... Want to explore... Lost... Scared..."

Annabeth sighed and put her hand on Tyson's shoulder. "It's okay," she said soothingly. "It's gonna be okay, Tyson. Let's go home now."

"Wait!" cried Tyson. "Who are you? You are... Not a dream?"

"I'm not a dream," confirmed Annabeth. "I'm your neighbor. Now come on, lets get inside before the rain gets any worse."

Annabeth didn't see how the rain could possibly get worse, though. It was a torrential downpour. The flashlight's batteries had died so that the only light was the occasional clap of thunder.

It was a miracle, but after an hour and a half, they finally made it back to Percy and Tyson's house. It was nearly midnight by the time they got inside.

Once Tyson had gotten some dry clothes and a few blankets wrapped around him, Annabeth turned to leave. Percy left Tyson lying next to the lit fireplace and followed her.

"Annabeth," he said.

"Look," she said, turning around to face him. "Just because I helped you out this once doesn't mean that-"

"Stay here tonight," he interrupted, his face blank and his voice flat.

"What?" said Annabeth.

"It's still pouring outside. You're cold, and hurt. Spend the night here and you can go back when the rain stops," explained Percy.

Annabeth looked down. "Well..."

Percy sighed. "You can have my bed. It's the second door on the right upstairs."

Annabeth was silent for a moment. "Thanks," she said. She walked quietly up the stairs to the room Percy had instructed her, and she could feel his eyes watching her until she turned the corner.

Hey, guys! I seriously just mapped out the ENTIRE story of Ghost Girl, so don't worry- the rest of the fanfiction is very thought out:)

If you guys want something to do, there's an awesome Percabeth story you should look at; It's called "Cinderella" by horse-crazy girl13, and it rocks. There are simply not enough adjectives in the world to describe how amazing it is. So check it out!

Today's theme song is very special; it is for all of the demigods in the world:

Sing by My Chemical Romance!

Thanks for reviewing:)

-Rebel