HEY guys! Thanks for the review, munero uno. You know who you are, pal. Anyway, how'd you like Clarisse's soft side? I notcied some of my errors-grammatical and otherwise. Sorry bout that. Hope you can decipher my stoopidness-I'm SO not the daughter of Athena.

Anyway, this sorta has a twist, so try not to get pissed.

Disclaimer: I wish I owned PJO. But I don't. That's why I'm writing on Fanfic. Sigh...I have no life..

Clarisse's POV.

I told her my feelings. It wasn't an easy thing to do. I am not a sharer. I keep it all inside. That's what I've always done. But, after spilling my guts out to Annabeth, I think its time for a change of things. Life is too short to wallow inside your head. It was too short to be uncharitable to others.

I asked her to tell me how she feels. Her eyes were staring off into the distance. At the sea. The ocean wasn't very pretty that day. It was gray, wild and misty. Poseidon was upset, clearly. When I asked her, her eyes twinkled with whatever memory she was remembering.

It might have been too soon to freak out over Percy's disappearance. But something about the certainty in Annabeth's voice in the pavilion...it sent everyone chills. No one had so much certainty than her about anything.

Percy was gone. I made a mental-note to pound him when he was found. No one should go through what Annabeth is. He of all people should know how much this would hurt her.

I had the gut-feeling that he wasn't himself, wherever he was. The Percy Jackson, Hero of Olympus, I knew wouldn't be so cold. He wouldn't be like the ocean was at that moment.

I looked at Annabeth. She was smiling, with fat tears running down her face. I was confused at first as to why I ran to hug her at the pavilion.

She must think its because I was in her position once. Or maybe it was because Percy saved my life once, and I needed to return the favor. Because I needed to honor Silena by being as loving as she was. I don't know what she was thinking.

I hugged her because, no matter how much I hated it, Percy was my friend too. Sure, I try to kill him on a regular basis, but that doesn't mean I didn't respect and like him as a brother-a very much in-tolerated brother who annoyed the shit out of me.

Someone had to be there for the person that lost so much as it is.

Five minutes had passed since I asked her to talk. She laid on her back, gripping the sand with her hands. She found a little shell, and kissed it.

"I told you I would love the sea for you, Seaweed Brain," she whispered. I looked away. I felt like I was invading an intimate moment. It was only a feeling though, because Percy wasn't here to be with her.

My anger concerning that fact rushed back to realization. I could feel my blood cursing through my veins, my father's battle senses splashed my face red.

I'm gonna kick your ass the next time I see you, Jackson, I promised.

Annabeth shifted so she was lying on her side, facing me.

"Clarisse..." her eyes filled with fresh tears. "I-" she stopped. She sat up again, staring at the sea. Tears cascaded down her beautiful face. She stood up, wiping the sand off of her jeans. She kicked off her sneakers and socks and walked towards the waves.

I wasn't a child of Athena, but I didn't have to be to know this wasn't safe. Athena and Poseidon hate each other. Percy was the only person that protected Annabeth from Poseidon's wrath. He wasn't here to protect her.

She was practically walking towards her death.

"Annabeth! Don't!" I yelled. She looked over her shoulder and gave me a small smile. Shivers coursed through my body.

NO! I thought, scrambling to get up. She dipped her toe into the tide and sighed. So far, I didn't see any sharks or hurricanes so I approached slowly.

I reached my hand to grab her shoulder but she took another step, letting the water swarm around her ankles. I couldn't go any farther. I was the daughter of Ares, god of war. Not exactly Father of the Year.

I begged. "Annabeth, please. You're just upset. You don't have to do...whatever you're doing. Please. You're not safe here." I was close to tears. She was going crazy. This must have hit her so hard.

First she ran away when she was seven, unwanted. Then she found a new family. Her best friend turned into a tree and Luke was angrier than ever. She was practically alone, living in her own belief that Luke was just hurt. He promised her, after all.

Then Percy came. Luke turned into the enemy. Her brother, her idol. She refused to believe it. Percy was insistent. He didn't understand. Luke was her family and family doesn't turn evil that easily. Then Thalia came back; Annabeth was kidnapped. She held the weight of the sky on her shoulders for Artemis. She was emotionally tortured.

Thalia became a Hunter of Artemis. She left again. It was okay, though. She had Percy.

That is, until she thought Percy died at Mt. St Helens. She was so torn up those weeks. It was hard to look at her and not cry.

The Luke she knew was hidden under his anger. Her feelings for Percy were strained due to his dislike for Luke.

Family didn't do that. Luke had to be somewhere under those golden eyes.

In the end, she was right. She was his Achilles's spot, so to speak. His promises to her were now a curse for the blade he gave her. She got him to resurface; to face his sister. It must have pained Percy to see that.

Luke Castellan risked his life to keep his promise for Annabeth.

He committed suicide for him, his only wish for demigod love.

For the past months, that had been Annabeth and Percy's goal. It was the least Annabeth could do for her family.

"Clarisse, I know what I'm doing." She broke me out of my reverie.

"No, Annabeth, you don't. Poseidon is angry." I whispered. I put out my hand. She looked at it then turned to the waves.

"I miss him too, Poseidon," she murmured. It was almost inaudible. The waves crashed down harder on the rocks and sand. I was getting nervous. I figured this was something she had to do.

"I'll find him. I promise. I'll find him, then I'll prove to you my worthiness. I love the sea, too, Poseidon. I love Percy just like you," she was talking louder. The waves were getting louder and louder until the last two sentences. When she was done, the crest of the waves flattened out. The mist thinned.

The sea was sad still, yet it had no choice but to trust Annabeth. The sea loved Percy as much as she.

She turned around, her eyes tearless for the first time that morning.

"I'm sorry, Clarisse," she said.

"Don't be," I said, finally grabbing hold of her hand. I yanked her onto the sand.

"I can't tell you how I'm feeling," she whispered. She looked afraid-which surprised me more than her answer. I was confused but decided not to pry.

"That's fine," I nodded. "Tell me if you're ever ready." I had to choose my words carefully because she would clam up if I didn't.

"Can we...can we go back to camp?" She asked. She looked like a child. Her gorgeous gray eyes were red and puffy. Her lips were pale, along with her usual tan skin.

"Of course, Honey," I said sweetly. I never, ever, called anyone honey. Annabeth was just so frail at the moment that it slipped out. Her eyes widened a little then she smiled softly.

"Should we run?"

"Hell to the no!" I almost yelled. No more running! Jeez. She grinned and laughed a hollow laugh.

"Okay, let's walk then." I nodded and together we walked back to the camp.

Annabeth was a great person. But bad things always happened to bad people.

Whoever had done this to her was going to feel the wrath of this child of Ares.

Annabeth's POV.

I couldn't do it. I was too vulnerable that morning, and confessing all of this was going to push me over the edge.

She understood. Clarisse was a really good friend.

We walked back to camp, where Malcolm was freaking out. He was leaning up to Chiron's face.

"How could you not worry about her? She could be in trouble!" He shouted, his face getting red from frustration. I was shocked. Malcolm was the level-headed one in our cabin. He proved me wrong by screaming in Chiron's face in front of our siblings and the rest of the camp. Chiron's face was strained, like he didn't want to break his facade.

"I'm sorry, Malcolm, I cannot let you leave. Annabeth is old enough to take charge in her own search," he said.

"She's only four months older than me, centaur!" He shouted, "If anything happens to her, it will be on your hands if and when Percy comes back." He stormed away. Chiron looked hurt. I walked into the fighting arena. Chiron saw me and grunted, like 'oh, now you come'.

"I was at the beach," I explained. He nodded with a pained look on his face. He turned and walked away.

"Don't do anything stupid, Annabeth. I don't-I can't stand to lose another one of my students," he muttered and galloped away, a single tear falling down his face.

"I won't. For Percy's sake, I won't." I promised myself.

"I have to go. My brother Alec needs me." Clarisse said ruefully.

"It's okay. I need time alone, you know?" I said. "I gotta get used to it," I laughed cynically.

She flinched. "You know where to find me, Annabeth." I nodded and she jogged to her younger brother.

I walked aimlessly around the camp, avoiding the cabins and the lake. Everyone I passed gave me sympathetic looks. Some of the Aphrodite girls were crying. They weren't crying 'cause they liked him. They were crying for another lost one.

Another lost hero, another family member we were unsure of their return.

I gathered up the courage and walked towards the cabins.

I saw the one I have been dreading to enter. Maybe some of my questions could be answered in there.

The cabin was Percy's cabin.

Poseidon's children's cabin: Number Three.