"What's he doing?"

"I ain't sure. Ask him."

"You ask him."

"Scared, Percy?" Louisa teased, smirking.

"He's got a death glare on him."

"Alvie has a death glare?" Louisa glanced at her nephew and then back at her brother, clearly not believing him. This was Alvie- he couldn't have a death glare, could he?

Shaking her head at her brother, Louisa started off towards Alvie. He was sitting at the end of one of the piers. The beach was empty today, a storm hovering over Camp. The Poseidon twins were not responsible this time.

Alvie had that cloak of his again- when didn't he lately? - and the hood was up, hiding his face from everyone. He stared out at the water, his feet a metre easy above the water's surface. He often came here during the day and just sat there. Whatever he was doing, they didn't know, but after two weeks of this, Louisa was losing it. Percy and Annabeth thought it was better to leave Alvie to his thoughts, but that didn't give them a lot of opportunities to help him, did it now?

Louisa cleared her throat, stomping her foot on the wooden planks to get his attention. Alvie lifted his head, but that was the only sign she got to show that he was listening. "What're ya doin'?" She quizzed.

Percy eventually wandered over, curiosity getting the better of him, but Alvie still didn't speak.

"Alvie?" Percy pieced his words together carefully. "Have… you seen anything about… Crystal?" Still nothing. What was going on with this boy?

Giving his son a few minutes to formulate a response, Percy looked out at the ocean, breathing in the sea scent. It eased his frazzled nerves and he stepped forward, gently tugging Alvie's hood down.

Blood was steadily pouring down Alvie's cheeks, some of it dry. His skin was sickly pale in contrast and his grey streak seemed more silver. He still didn't look up at them, his eyes blinded by scarlet veils.

Percy shoved his sister into the water and knelt next to his son. "Hey," Percy ran a hand through Alvie's hair, summoning a ball of water and washing his son's face. "We'll find her, OK?" Alvie still didn't speak, fixing his snow white eyes on his father. "What's the matter? You haven't talked since you woke up and that was ages ago."

Louisa surfaced then, a tidal wave rising behind her. "No! Lou, don't-!" But the wave crashed down. Percy had enough time to grab his son before he was slammed back by the force of the water. Why did his sister overreact about a simple shove?

He pushed Alvie up towards the surface seconds before Louisa barrelled into him. Percy glared at her; I was helping Alvie then.

Shouldn't have shoved me then, should you? She challenged. Percy rolled his eyes. Yeah, you keep doin' that. Maybe you'll find a brain back there. He glared at her again and willed himself upwards.

Maybe they should have left Alvie alone.

His eyes weren't that safe(r) white now, but glowing crimson. Somehow, he had reached the beach and was perfectly dry, but that wasn't Percy's main concern. Alvie was storming towards the camp, cloak trailing out behind him and fading from white to black.

That was new.

"Alvie!" Percy shouted as loudly as he could. "ALVIE!"

Alvie kept walking though, pulling his hood back up and… vanishing. Just like that, he was gone.

Annabeth had been on her way to check on her son, taking some lunch for him. She reached the beach just as Alvie left the water. He bought his hands down and out to the sides and he was dry, his eyes burning crimson.

"Alvie?" She called tentatively. He didn't even acknowledge her.

"ALVIE!" Glancing out at the water, Annabeth saw her husband about fifty metres out.

By the time she looked back at Alvie, he had vanished.

"PERCY, HURRY UP!" Annabeth waved frantically at him and then ran back towards Camp, planning to alert Chiron and have the Hephaestus cabin issue out as many heat seeking goggles as possible.

And it would have gone so nicely as well, if it hadn't been for her invisible son.

She was seconds from the Camp, ducking around a tree when something snapped around her ankles. She toppled forward, throwing her hands out. Pain flared in her wrists, but she ignored it, looking around frantically.

Alvie stood at the other edge of the clearing, his scarlet eyes fixed on her while a trail of red energy stretched from his hands, across the ground and around her ankles.

Annabeth avoided his gaze, focusing on his trainers instead. "Alvie, I know you can hear me. Whatever's going on, I promise- I'll do my best to help. Just let me up." His expression twisted and the energy trapping her spiralled up her lower legs, digging in painfully. The red faded a deeper shade.

Wracking her brains, she tried to think why there was a 'bad Alvie' at all. He wouldn't even hurt a fly, so why the contradictive half?

Strike… yes, he was horrible, but he hadn't had Alvie as a prisoner immensely long. From what they could figure out, Strike had just tried to get Alvie to cooperate and hand up information that he didn't have, but could get. Alvie hadn't gone into details.

Think, Annabeth, it's more than this!

Pain seared through her legs and she saw blood trail through the translucent energy. "Alvie, it's me. Your mother. Stop this!" She projected her voice, hoping her husband- or anyone- was nearby. "Alvie, I mean it! This isn't you!"

What else was bad? Think! Annabeth strained her memory, a nagging feeling in the back of her mind. Something about Alvie's quest. He had died, but had come back. He had also told her about the out-of-body-experiences he had had during and before the quest, but they weren't as often now, she had asked.

Max had died. He was back now, but there had been no hope at the time.

That medallion had definitely been infuriating.

No! What did they tell you?

Alvie had died… but that was because of-

Percy and Louisa ran from the trees, grabbing Alvie's arms and pinning them behind his back. He fought against them, but it was no use.

His magic had died away the second his hands had been pulled apart. Blood stained Annabeth's jeans from many, non-serious wounds. Percy shot her a concerned look. Louisa made a face, daring a hand away from Alvie and waving it about.

Sea green energy circled Alvie's legs and bounded his wrists together. She nodded at Annabeth, clearly telling her brother to do his job and look after his wife. Alvie struggled free, but Louisa tripped him up and promptly sat on him.

"Lou!" Annabeth protested.

"Don't question greatness." Percy rolled his eyes at his sister, yet again, kneeling at Annabeth's side.

"No arteries or veins have been cut…" He mumbled, more to himself than her. Water twisted from the ground, cleansed itself and then smoothed over her legs. The pain eased greatly with a cool relief and her wounds slowly closed.

Percy checked her over when he had finished. She felt lightheaded from the blood loss, but refused his help, stubbornly finding her own feet. Still, Percy was there, his hands out either side of her in case she fell. He was a comfortable presence, one Annabeth was grateful for, as she had been all these years.

"I'm OK." She assured, turning to look at their son. Percy didn't look convinced, his arm around her waist instead. "Percy… I think I've figured this 'bad Alvie' thing out…"

"What is it?" And she told him her suspicions, feeling as annoyed and uneasy as he looked.

Dun dun duuhhhh… What do we think, peeps?