It'd been nearly a full nine hours when Clarisse finally arose from her slumber. The first thing her senses honed in to was the smell of bacon, of all the things. She wondered what her roommates could be cooking up so early, then the realisation hit her, since when did any of them even learn to cook.

The memories from last night began flowing in rapid fire, from requesting the help of the Son of Poseidon, to getting in his bed, involuntarily of course. A sigh of disappointment and embarrassment soon followed and her hands flew to her face, various shades of red flashing upon her cheeks.

Soon the rest of her senses sprung into action, the sound of sizzling from what she assumed was the bacon and the smell of the wood that made up the cabin. She peeked above her fingertips to look around; she immediately spotted an analog clock on the wall above the doorway, the hands of the clock replaced with tridents of course. It read 5:13.

'How long have I been here?' She thought. Though somehow the chef by the stove to her right turned his head to look at her for a quick second as if he'd heard her.

"You sleep like a rock y'know?" Percy said whilst Clarisse blushed once more. He'd just been dressed in a fitting white undershirt and plaid shorts. Clarisse turned over so she was leaning on her left arm looking over at Percy, curiously. She just couldn't piece together why he had been so nice to her, despite the aggressive start at the doorway. Not only that but she found a cooking man somewhat attractive, she liked the fact that men like that ruin the stereotype that women are always in the kitchen. She mentally slapped herself from having such thoughts.

Percy turned the gas off and lifted the pan off the stove, scraping the bacon he'd been cooking onto two plates. He grabbed one plate and walked over to the bed. He couldn't help but notice how she looked when she was looking at him, it may have been her face of curiosity but it was a face of beauty to him, accompanied with the idea that this was literally the first girl he'd ever gotten in his bed. He shook it from his mind and landed softly on the mattress and placed the plate near Clarisse.

"Made you breakfast." Clarisse looked down at the plate then back to Percy. Another question crossed her mind: 'of all the people to want to cook for her, it's Percy…why? Why was he so good to her?' Not being able to understand began to frustrate her.

"And you might want to…" Gesturing at the blanket over her chest. Clarisse looked down only to realise she was still dressed in her two-piece; she quickly grabbed the hem of the blanket and brought it above her neck. Percy could only chuckle before arising from the bed. Clarisse hadn't said a single word that morning, because how else could she begin, 'thank you for getting me in your bed' was the first and by far the worst. 'Thank you' would've made her sound weak. So she decided on-

"Good morning…" she said softly, mentally slapping herself as she noticed the way it sounded as it was said; it wasn't the normal good morning that people would say to each other, it was the kind of good morning that lovers would have after a great night. Clarisse knew this as she did have a soft spot for chick flicks and many of them had that certain scene. Though he stopped midway as he heard her soft words. He looked over his shoulder while raising one eyebrow in interest, and gave her a short smile and tenderly said

"Good morning, Clarisse." Before continuing to the locker. Clarisse hadn't known it but she smiled as well before looking down at the plate.

Percy opened the locker to grab one of his old shirts and sports shorts he'd worn when he was 16. Assuming the size should fit Clarisse. Then a photo on the door caught his eye; it was a photo of him, Annabeth and Grover. It was taken on their trip to New York City during their quest to find Luke and Tartarus. Percy managed to suppress the emotions threatening to come out and shut the locker door slowly. He turned around to find Clarisse, working on the last strip of bacon, eating it with such delicacy.

He returned to Clarisse and set the clothes on the bed.

"I picked these out for you, I'm more than sure it'll fit you." He turned around to walk to the doorway. Percy assumed the clothes he'd picked out would be a more suitable way to return to the camp, rather than her two-piece. Clarisse hesitated and called him out before he could reach the doorway. He turned around to his call

"Can you…not…leave?" she said near a whisper, she didn't want to admit it but she enjoyed his hospitality, his care. All Percy could do was look into her eyes, how she looked so helpless at the time. It took a few seconds for him to respond

"I'll just be at the doorway so you can slip those on." He walked over to the door, opening it, letting a strong cold breeze sweep across his body. He leant on the doorframe, his back to her and facing the forest. Clarisse didn't know how to describe what she was feeling whenever he spoke, it was like a security or reassurance. She still couldn't understand why he was being so nice to her after all the years of fighting.

A few minutes later, Clarisse was standing in the centre of the cabin, dressed in a snug Oxford tee and shorts. Her hair wasn't soaking anymore and wasn't tied up into a ponytail like she had usually done. Instead her brunette hair was hung down freely to her shoulders. She tucked one of the curls behind her ear before walking up behind Percy silently.

She didn't say a word as she stood behind him; she eyed him instead. He was leaning on the doorframe, looking over at the lake, silent. From this angle of the lake, the dawnlight glistening over the surface of the water, really made this place look beautiful.

"Is it always this beautiful?" Clarisse asked him in the soft tone she'd been using the whole morning, walking closer to his side with her arm hanging off the opposite elbow. Percy looked over his shoulder, not surprised she finished changing, although surprised with the result. It must be a natural instinct to find a girl pretty when she's dressed in your clothes. Not feeling right having such thoughts, he proceeded to answering her question.

"Not often, guess today is different." He says returning his attention to the lake. A cold breath escaping his lips and the vapour presenting itself in its gassy white form.

"Like many other things…" Clarisse says to herself. Catching the attention of the other Demi-God, he turned around to face her.

"Such as…"

"Such as you." She says bluntly, her voice hardening slightly.

"-And you." He says quickly forcefully continuing her statement.

Clarisse was taken aback by his reply, because she couldn't deny it was true. She was confusing herself all too much inside. She couldn't tell if she hated the fact Percy was good to her, making her feel bad all these years, or the fact that she somehow admired his thoughtfulness and nobleness.

"Why? Why were you so good to me? Why did you do it?" Percy definitely did not expect this question to emerge from her lips, nor could he determine if she needed to know or wanted to know. Nonetheless he tried to assemble a sentence that would satisfy her.

"Because...you needed my help, and I did what felt I had to do." Percy didn't even understand what he'd just said; he assumed that is what 'talking from the heart' is like.

Clarisse just stared at his back, she didn't know how to respond to things like these, and she wasn't used to others helping her out, and definitely not from him.

"So you felt the need to shelter me?"

"It was cold out." he replied

"And dry me?"

"You were cold."

"And cook for me?"

"I woke up and whipped up breakfast, since you were here, might as well make you some."

"What about clothing me?"

"So when you get back to the camp, you are at least decent." The constant answers frustrated and annoyed her. But he didn't seem wrong about any of them; all of them were good answers and proved he only wanted to help, which annoyed her even more.

She just sighed and exited the cabin, walking towards the lakeside, caring little about the temperature. Percy's eyes following her as she walked past him. She was approaching the pier of the lakeside, another of Percy's creations. He figured since he had more than enough wood to build the cabin, he might as well put the remaining to some use.

Clarisse walked up the ramp onto the pier – Percy didn't know how to make good stairs – and continued on until she reached the end. Percy followed her silently, trying not to make any loud noises to ruin the quiet morning.

When Percy reached the end of the pier, he found Clarisse sitting at the edge, dangling her feet, her toes barely touching the water. Percy joined her at the edge, his feet touching the water obviously. Even though he remained dry, courtesy of his powers, he scooted up the pier so his feet didn't touch the water.

Silence, they could hear the birds chirping in the distance, the water ripple from the occasional touch of her toe, and the soft rustling of the trees as their leaves brushed against each other.

They sat in silence for what felt like hours until Percy decided to break it.

"I'm tired Clarisse." Clarisse glanced at him questionably, they'd both just had a long nights rest and he's tired. But before her thoughts could continue pondering, he continued.

"We've been at each others throats for years…I'm tired of fighting."

Whilst Percy was looking up into the sky, Clarisse was looking down at the water. It was true; they'd been fighting since the week he got here. And it wasn't Percy's fault and she knew that; she was the one keeping the competition and feud going. Why? To feel above him; he was the son of the God of the Sea's; he'd obviously receive the upmost attention and all the quests that came by. She wouldn't let that happen, so they had to fight, and she had to win, so people knew she was better than him.

Clarisse grew up with an ignorant stepfather, so it would be expected she would be attention hungry. She spent her childhood to get the acceptance and attention from her stepfather but it'd never happened. Once she came to Camp Half-Blood and learnt of her true father, she brought along her need for attention and wanted to show people that she should be recognized. Thus she vowed to be the strongest woman in Camp Half-Blood, because if that happens, no one could ignore her.

But everything changed that day two years ago, on the quest through the Sea of Monsters, for both Percy and Clarisse. They both lost so much that day, and they both tried to treat it someway. Clarisse tried to mask it through constant distractions, mainly through competitions, contests, and mini-quests.

But Percy had to treat it differently when he touched the prison, when he touched Tartarus. She tried to warn him, but he was too focused, focused on getting rid of Kronos and ending the quest that cost him so much. He was burned and affected by whatever dark powers were tainting the hull of Tartarus. Percy thought nothing of it until he started getting unpredictable "rage-attacks" as Chiron called it. And the attacks were all fuelled by his losses. So for a month he had to hideaway, contain it and suffer. Whilst Clarisse masked what was eating her up inside.

She'd been deep in thought for at least twenty minutes because the sun was just beginning to crawl from the horizon, the horizon being the forest at the west most side of the lake. Clarisse decided now would be the most opportune time to reply.

"Me too." Looking upwards into the sky that was just beginning to get filled with orange. Percy hadn't moved an inch since his last word to her; he was still admiring the view from the pier. But he did smile as a response to hers. His attention was torn from the scenery when he felt a hand cover his. Percy looked down at her hand before up into her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry Percy…" she whispered "For everything." Those were her last words as she pushed herself into a standing form and walked along the lakeside. Percy knew she didn't want to be followed, so he stayed at the pier, and watched her as she made her way to the camp.