Well, apparently I have made yet another typo I need to correct. Camp Half-blood is not in California, it's in New York. So, that is now fixed. (Camp Jupiter is in California.)

Sorry for all my errors. I will get it right sooner or later!

~ANNABETH~

Scared.

That was the only feeling coursing through me at that point.

Jason and I had gotten to the Empire State Building- where we were to meet Percy and Aly- about 30 minutes ago, and they still weren't here.

I was pacing in worry.

"Where could they be?" I muttered, speaking my thoughts out loud. "Percy is fast on water, even with someone else. He should have been here by now."

"Annabeth calm down." Jason soothed. "I am sure they're fine."

I shook my head and continued to pace.

I knew it was crazy to worry myself. After all, Jason could be right.

They might have just been held up. I thought.

But by what?

The were going by sea, not land. Traffic didn't exist on the ocean.

I took a few deep breaths, and tried, horribly, to reassure myself that he-they-were fine.

Ever since Hera had taken Percy to Camp Jupiter last August, I had an extreme fear of losing Percy again. Every time he was more than 10 minutes late for our dates, I would flip out. It didn't happen often, but when it did, I usually was pacing or biting my nails until he got there. Lateness happened, I knew, but I was so afraid one day I'd get up again, and Percy not be there. And this time, not be able to find him.

"Hey, look! There they are!" Jason exclaimed, knocking me out of my panicked thoughts.

"Really?!" I gasped excitedly, my eyes roaming the area desperately until they landed on the two that approached us.

"Percy!" I exclaimed. I was about to race over to him and throw my arms around him in relief, or smack him for scaring me, when I saw Aly's state.

I sobered up instantly.

Even though Percy looked his usual handsome self, Aly was, well, not so great.

She was leaning heavily on her brother, her feet dragging tiredly. She had bruises on her body, some black, some blue. She had a swollen left eye, and looked about 90% unconscious.

"Oh gods! What happened?!" I demanded.

Percy swallowed hard.

"The goddess of salt beat her down."

"Huh?" I said, confused.

I had heard many strange things since finding out I was a demigod, and joining Camp Half-Blood, but I had to admit: that was a new one.

"The goddess of Salt?" Jason echoed.

Then his face turned chalk white.

"Oh Gods." he croaked, doubling over in pain.

I raced over to him, since Percy was too busy holding onto Aly.

"Another memory?" I asked him.

"Y-yes." he managed, after a few moments.

A sheen of sweat covered his forehead. He began to pant heavily.

"C'mon, don't pass out on us! We can't carry another person." Percy begged.

I rolled my eyes, and said to Jason:

"Put your head between your legs."

He did so, and after a little bit of time, slowly lifted his head up.

"Well?" Percy demanded.

"Percy, give him time to speak, would'ya?" I scolded him.

"I-it's OK." Jason said, then took a deep breath. "The 'goddess of salt' Percy was referring to would be Salacia, goddess of the waters, and Neptune's wife."

I gaped at him.

"So Amphitrite's Roman equivalent?" I asked him.

He nodded. "And Aly-and Percy's-step-mother." He added.

"B-but Percy told me that even though Amphitrite was cold and distant towards him, she didn't have an 'I'm going to kill you' attitude when they met!" I told him disbelievingly.

"Yeah, well, you've got to remember: the gods' Roman and Greek personalities are different." Jason said.

"So Salacia hates you two, but Amphitrite doesn't?" I asked Percy.

"First of all, Amphitrite does hate me-er, us-but she just doesn't try to kill us," he said, then added, "Secondly, strangely, Salacia didn't seem to really dislike me as much as Aly. That's why I'm not covered in bruises."

"What, why?" I asked, feeling surprised.

"I can tell you that, once the memory resurfaces." Jason said.

We both nodded.

"The important thing is to get Aly to Camp Half-Blood, immediately." I said.

The two boys nodded.

We walked through Manhattan and got a taxi to Half-Blood Hill, the entrance to Camp Half-Blood. Because we had a wad of cash, and a bruised girl, we were able to rush our way through traffic.

Percy carried her up the hill, and we followed behind.

"I NEED SOMEONE FROM THE APOLLO CABIN-STAT!" Percy called out.

Almost immediately a bunch of Apollo cabin members came swarming over. Aly was carried away by them.

Please, please let her be OK. I pleaded.

I just hoped my prayers would be answered.

Well, you're thoughts? Good, bad?

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Well that's all folks! Bye! :)