I'm so very sorry! Seeing as one of my few talents is procrastination and I had tons of homework for the last month, I couldn't update. (And there, ladies and gentlemen, is another one of my not-so-many talents- making up excuses.)

Was the fighting scene okay? I don't have much experience on writing detailed battles- I'd probably get suspended for turning in school essays with violence. Constructive critism and flames are fine! Actually, I could use some. Constructive critism, that is.

And thanks to all who reviewed, especially "ash". Sorry about that, I was being very pessimistic that day.

Do you people (I presume that you're not robots...) know this guy/girl (I've got no idea...) called TheseusLives? His/her stories are extremely good. I wish I could write like that...

Well, without any further ado, I present to you...

Chapter 8!'

I was dreaming. I had to be dreaming. Why else would I be in a room with glass walls that seemed to be underwater, had large sea green pearls the size of ping-pong balls, and most unbelievably, my father?

Last I checked, I was dragging Grover to the Big House of Camp Half-Blood, after Piper...disappeared. So what the hell was I doing here? Where was this place? And what was Neptune/ Poseidon doing here?

I gave him a look, silently asking, Do you know who I am? Who I was?

My father gave no notice of my unspoken question.

He cleared his throat. "Hello, Percy. As you may have noticed, we are in one of my underwater... Well, I guess you'd call them secret hideouts."

Oh. My dad brought me here to talk. I felt pretty stupid for not realizing it the second I got here. Then something he said registered, and I frowned. "Secret hideouts? You're hiding from someone?"

He looked uncomfortable. "Well, you see, Percy, my wife, Amphitrite, isn't too fond of you. So just as a precaution, I brought you here so she wouldn't be able to sense your presence." Yeah. If she did, I'd probably get blown up. Usually people, especially gods, didn't take too kindly to the results of their husband's cheating on them in their homes.

"So, what do you want to tell me about? Do you know where Piper is?" I asked hopefully.

"Since you brought it up, yes. I might as well tell you anyway, since Aphrodite has been bugging me about it for almost half an hour." He muttered under his breath something that sounded suspiciously like "insufferable goddess". "Yes, about Piper. She's in the Underworld."

He saw my horrified expression and quickly added, "She's not dead, of course, but a god is holding her captive, probably Hades." He added bitterly, "Seeing as he favors you, maybe you could just ask him to bring Piper back, and your sword too, while you're at it."

So he does know who I was.

Was it my imagination, or did he look a little jealous? I mentally shook my head. Why would he be jealous of Hades? His expression darkened, and he said, "There's something not quite right about this, though. Things are more complicated than they seem. Be careful." He hesitated. "Percy. Remember that not all Cyclopes are enemies, okay?"

And with that totally confusing statement, I was hurled out of the realm of Morpheus.

I cautiously opened my eyes.

The first thing that registered was the brightness. Afternoon sunlight was streaming through an opening I couldn't see. As my eyes adjusted, I could see I was in the hospital wing of the Greek camp.

With a jolt of alarm, I saw that there was a girl, about my age, with honey blond hair and rather scary grey eyes hovering above me. Minerva. No, not Minerva... She wouldn't be in the Greek camp, or appear as a young girl. The girl was probably Athena's kid, then.

I sat up sat up as she drew a knife. Next thing I knew, it was at my throat. Huh. She was fast. But unfortunately for her, I was faster, and more experienced.

I punched her arm and reflexively, she let go of the knife, which I then hurled into the wall. I smirked. The years of risking my life hunting monsters really paid off.

Her usually intimidating (if she was anything like her mother, and if her mother was anything like her Roman counterpart) grey eyes were shocked as she realized I was more than a match for her. However, the girl quickly composed herself.

"How did you recover so quickly? That army and your sister's disappearance should have left you completely drained and unconscious for at least a few days. Why weren't you injured by the monsters? How did you kill them? Who-"

Rather rudely, I interrupted her stream of questions. "Who are you?" It was the only thing she could answer that I didn't already know.

She sat up straighter, and announced regally, "I am Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena."

I nodded. "So, Annabeth Chase, why did you attack me?"

The girl, no, Annabeth, fixed me with her penetrating stare. "You're dangerous." Her tone surprised me, although I didn't let it show. She sounded so sure of herself, like she knew my secrets.

I replied smoothly, "I try to hurt only monsters,"

She raised an eyebrow and looked pointedly at her knife, which was still stuck in the wall.

"Ever heard of self defence?"

Annabeth looked livid and was about to make some witty remark when somebody knocked on the door.

Mr. Bunner, AKA Chiron, stuck his head in the room and said, "Annabeth, who..." He faltered as he saw the expression on Annabeth's face, the knife in the wall, and me.

His expression turned serious and he demanded, "Let's go somewhere less cramped, and you will tell me everything." And unfortunately, he was talking to me.

He looked sympathetic as I finished my story. "I see. Facing those monsters and the loss of your sister must have been quite hard on you."

I mentally frowned. If there was one thing I didn't want directed towards me,it was sympathy.

As if sensing my aversion to his words, Chiron changed the subject. "I am sure you have many questions." He then proceeded to explain who he was, getting out of his wheelchair. He then moved on to tell me about the gods, the camp, and who I was, not seeming to notice that I was getting impatient. Finally, Chiron finished with a casual, "Any questions?", like we were in class.

"I already know all of this," I said in an equally casual way.

Chiron nodded, unsurprised. "I was afraid so. May I ask who told you?"

"My father."

"So he is a god?"

I gave him a look that said, obviously. I told him what happened to my mom, and since gods don't die, it's got to be my other parent.

"What weapon did you use to defeat the army of monsters?"

I had skimmed over the details of my fight with the monsters, saying I used a weapon my dad gave me. It was technically true.

Rather than answering his question, I summoned my bow and arrows.

Chiron looked surprised, which was an emotion that he rarely showed. I congratulated myself mentally.

"You must be an excellent archer," he mused. Was that really so unbelievable?

"Who is your father?"

I shrugged, not wanting to lie, but unable to tell the truth. I didn't want anyone to know about my dad until he claimed me.

"And how did you heal so quickly after the battle?"

"I killed them before they could hurt me."

"You still should've been knocked out for a much longer time."

Nosy old horse. It was none of his business how long I stay unconscious. I'd give him an answer he wouldn't expect.

"It was raining last night, and sons of Poseidon are healed by water."