A/N: This one's extracted from my now deleted story, "Once Upon A Summer", which originally featured three Camp Half-Blood AUs. Now I think I couldn't do the sequel anymore, so I made the three parts stand alone.

This is a short piece which features an alternate universe wherein Percy's in camp before Annabeth. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own PJO, HoO, or any other familiar references in this story. All rights belong to their respective owners.

In Another Summer

"Chiron!" seven-year-old Percy Jackson yelled for his mentor. "Chiron! There's someone coming!"

Said mentor literally came trotting to where the young boy was standing. He was a centaur – an old man with a beard for his upper half and a white stallion for his lower part.

"Who's coming, Percy?" he asked the boy, who was standing near the camp entrance in wonder. Chiron already knew the answer, though. He could tell just by looking at the scene that was taking place outside the camp boundaries. There was a satyr and a girl fighting what looked another monster.

"A new camper, for sure." Percy turned to face the centaur. "Chiron, we should help!"

But the satyr was already holding the girl's hand and was pulling her in the direction of the entrance. Soon they bounded inside, the two of them toppling as they scrambled for safety. A few seconds later, the satyr stood up and breathed a sigh of relief before shifting his gaze to the girl. She was still cowering on the ground. The monster was still outside and was furious as it finally realized that it couldn't get inside camp.

Chiron sighed. "I'll take care of it. Percy, why don't you take the girl to the infirmary and show her around afterwards?"

Percy frowned. "I want to defeat the monster!"

The centaur smiled warmly at him. "My boy, you can barely hold your sword without falling over."

"Riptide is really heavy," he defended himself.

"I'll see you in a bit," Chiron said, already heading outside the boundaries. His bow and arrow suddenly appeared out of nowhere. "Take care of our new friend!"

Percy sighed and walked over to the newcomers. Well, the newcomer, really. He recognized the satyr to be his friend, Grover Underwood.

"Hi, Grover," Percy greeted his old friend. Indeed, he and Grover go way back. In fact, he was the satyr who brought him to camp. Percy had been alone on the streets when he ran away from his stepfather after his mother died. Thankfully, the satyr already picked up his powerful scent and had been around before any more monsters could attack. Percy had been five years old then.

"Perrr-cy!" Grover bleated, motioning wildly at the girl on the ground. "Quick! Call someone from the Apollo cabin! We have to get her to the infirmary! She's bleeding!"

The girl took this moment to lift her head up. She looked like she was Percy's age. She had a few scratches on her face and on her arms and knees. Her hair was all tangled up and had pieces of small twigs and leaves and dirt.

But she was blond and she had gray eyes. Percy didn't need to think twice about where she already belonged.

"Where…" she croaked out, coughing. "Where am I?"

"Annabeth, Annabeth," Grover tried to assure her. "You're going to be okay. We're going to call some healers and we'll make the bleeding stop."

"I'm not bleeding anywhere."

"You still look pretty beat up," Percy said. "Nothing like some ambrosia can't fix."

The girl apparently named Annabeth looked pretty tired, but she still managed to glare at Percy. "Who are you calling beat up?"

"Jeesh." Percy scowled at her. "If I already didn't know which cabin you belonged to, I'd say you were an Ares kid."

"What are you talking about, Percy?" Grover asked. "She hasn't even been claimed yet."

"Claimed?" she managed to squeak out before collapsing back down. Grover had a panic attack again, searching frantically around for someone to help.

"She's blonde and has gray eyes. She's an Athena kid."

"We can't know yet for sure until she's claimed."

"I'm right here! Tell me what's going on!"

"She's bossy like an Athena kid, too," Percy pointed out.

"Point taken."

"Hi," Percy told Annabeth. "I'm Percy. Welcome to Camp Half-Blood, Annabeth. Here, let me help you up." He extended a hand so he can help her up. "I'll lead you to the infirmary, then I'll give you a tour around the place. I know this camp like the back of my hand!"

Grover snorted at him. "You can't even tell which one's your left and which one's your right."

Percy pouted. "It's hard."

"Percy?" Annabeth was probably already starting to notice how tired she was. She didn't have the same spunk she had a few seconds ago. She looked like she was about to pass out. "I… I'm confused."

He knew exactly how she felt. He probably looked even funnier two years ago. He was really little and he was really scared. Suddenly Percy had the sudden urge to be her friend. She was young like he was; maybe they could help each other out.

"And tired." He still had his hand out. "Once you get fixed up, you're going to love it here!"

Grover nodded encouragingly at her. "Percy's been here for a long time now. See those two beads on his necklace? It means he's been here for two summers already."

"Tired," Annabeth mumbled, eyes already drooping. She took his hand anyway and allowed Grover and Percy to help her stand. "Why were there… monsters?"

"Infirmary first, questions later," Percy promised her. "I'll tell you all that you need to know. Consider me your new best friend."