AN: This is it guys- the end of another book, and look it's even early. I hope you have enjoyed this story so far and please read and review- I love hearing from every single one of you. I hope you enjoy this last chapter.

Thanks for reading. Also, there is an important notice at the bottom for you guys.

Disclaimer: I do not own the PJO or the HoO series. All rights belong to Rick Riordan.

20. The Fleece Works it's Magic too Well Ares began with a sneer.

That afternoon was one of the happiest I'd ever spent at camp, which maybe goes to show, you never know when your world is about to be rocked to pieces.

''That sounds… ominous'' Jason muttered- rubbing his head with the hand Piper didn't have a hold of.

Grover announced that he'd be able to spend the rest of the summer with us before resuming his quest for Pan. His bosses at the Council of Cloven Elders were so impressed that he hadn't gotten himself killed and had cleared the way for future searchers, that they granted him a two-month furlough and a new set of reed pipes. The only bad news: Grover insisted on playing those pipes all afternoon long, and his musical skills hadn't improved much. He played "YMCA," and the strawberry plants started going crazy, wrapping around our feet like they were trying to strangle us. I guess I couldn't blame them.

''Hey'' Grover said affronted ''I'm getting better.''

''You are G-man'' Percy agreed, nodding his head with a smile before bending to whisper in Annabeth's ear. Her laugh told Grover exactly what his supposed best friend had said and the satyr rolled his eyes, huffing.

Grover told me he could dissolve the empathy link between us, now that we were face to face, but I told him I'd just as soon keep it if that was okay with him. He put down his reed pipes and stared at me. "But, if I get in trouble again, you'll be in danger, Percy! You could die!"

''I'm alright with that'' Percy said- staring at Grover the same way he had years ago ''as long as you're safe.''

And really, how could Grover keep a grudge over the reed pipes comment when Percy said things like that ''ditto'' he stated, fist bumping the demi- god.

''Should I be worried Percy is going to leave me for Grover?'' Annabeth joked to Thalia as they did so.

Thalia looked between the pair and then stared at the blonde with as serious a face as she could muster ''Grover wouldn't be able to put up with him for that length of time.''

''Hey!''

"If you get in trouble again, I want to know about it. And I'll come help you again, G-man. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Aphrodite fake swooned much to the surprise of everyone ''they're so in love.'' Percy turned red right to the tips of his ears.

In the end he agreed not to break the link. He went back to playing "YMCA" for the strawberry plants. I didn't need an empathy link with the plants to know how they felt about it.

Grover huffed ''I'm ending our relationship Perce.''

Later on during archery class, Chiron pulled me aside and told me he'd fixed my problems with Meriwether Prep. The school no longer blamed me for destroying their gymnasium. The police were no longer looking for me.

Poseidon sagged in his seat- his relief palpable.

"How did you manage that?" I asked.

Chiron's eyes twinkled. "I merely suggested that the mortals had seen something different on that day—a furnace explosion that was not your fault."

"You just said that and they bought it?"

"I manipulated the Mist. Some day, when you're ready, I'll show how it's done."

''Did he teach you?'' Frank asked and Percy shrugged with a lopsided smile.

''Eventually.''

"You mean, I can go back to Meriwether next year?"

Chiron raised his eyebrows. "Oh, no, they've still expelled you. Your headmaster, Mr. Bonsai, said you had—how did he put it?—un-groovy karma that disrupted the school's educational aura. But you're not in any legal trouble, which was a relief to your mother. Oh, and speaking of your mother ..."

Hazel winced- hoping Percy's mother wasn't too upset. Sally Jackson had practically become a second mother to her.

He unclipped his cell phone from his quiver and handed it to me. "It's high time you called her."

The worst part was the beginning—the "Percy-Jackson-what-were-you-thinking-do-you have- any-idea-how-worried-I-was-sneaking-off-to-camp-without-permission-going-on dangerous- quests-and-scaring-me-half-to-death" part.

But finally she paused to catch her breath. "Oh, I'm just glad you're safe!"

That's the great thing about my mom. She's no good at staying angry. She tries, but it just isn't in her nature.

Poseidon only smiled.

"I'm sorry, Mom," I told her. "I won't scare you again."

"Don't promise me that, Percy. You know very well it will only get worse." She tried to sound casual about it, but I could tell she was pretty shaken up.

Demeter shook her head- feeling sorry for Sally. Persephone may have to spend half her time in the underworld but at least she knew her child was safe.

I wanted to say something to make her feel better, but I knew she was right. Being a halfblood, I would always be doing things that scared her. And as I got older, the dangers would just get greater.

"I could come home for a while," I offered.

"No, no. Stay at camp. Train. Do what you need to do. But you will come home for the next school year?"

"Yeah, of course. Uh, if there's any school that will take me."

"Oh, we'll find something, dear," my mother sighed. "Some place where they don't know us yet."

''You might have to go to another state'' Artemis said and Percy blinked- wondering if he'd heard that right and Artemis of all people had just joked about him. Apollo stared at his sister like she'd grown a second head.

As for Tyson, the campers treated him like a hero. I would've been happy to have him as my cabin mate forever, but that evening, as we were sitting on a sand dune overlooking the Long Island Sound, he made an announcement that completely took me by surprise.

"Dream came from Daddy last night," he said. "He wants me to visit."

I wondered if he was kidding, but Tyson really didn't know how to kid. "Poseidon sent you a dream message?"

Tyson nodded. "Wants me to go underwater for the rest of the summer. Learn to work at Cyclopes' forges. He called it an inter—an intern—"

"An internship?"

"Yes." I let that sink in. I'll admit, I felt a little jealous. Poseidon had never invited me underwater. But then I thought, Tyson was going? Just like that?

''One day son'' Poseidon started, staring at Percy like he was the whole world ''you will sit beside me, along with Annabeth, and take the place that has been yours since you were born.''

Both Zeus and Athena looked ready to argue at that but one glare from Poseidon had them keeping their mouths shut ''thanks'' Percy said with an awkward smile.

"When would you leave?" I asked.

"Now."

"Now. Like ... now now?"

"Now."

I stared out at the waves in the Long Island Sound. The water was glistening red in the sunset.

"I'm happy for you, big guy," I managed. "Seriously."

"Hard to leave my new brother," he said with a tremble in his voice. "But I want to make things. Weapons for the camp. You will need them."

''He makes the best weapons'' Annabeth agreed and Hephaestus didn't know whether to be offended or not.

Unfortunately, I knew he was right. The Fleece hadn't solved all the camp's problems. Luke was still out there, gathering an army aboard the Princess Andromeda. Kronos was still reforming in his golden coffin. Eventually, we would have to fight them.

Luke kept his head low, shame sweeping through him.

"You'll make the best weapons ever," I told Tyson. I held up my watch proudly. "I bet they'll tell good time, too."

Tyson sniffled. "Brothers help each other."

"You're my brother," I said. "No doubt about it."

He patted me on the back so hard he almost knocked me down the sand dune. Then he wiped a tear from his cheek and stood to go. "Use the shield well."

"I will, big guy."

"Save your life some day."

The way he said it, so matter-of-fact, I wondered if that Cyclops eye of his could see into the future.

Leo tilted his head- thinking of all the possibilities.

He headed down to the beach and whistled. Rainbow, the hippocampus, burst out of the waves. I watched the two of them ride off together into the realm of Poseidon.

Once they were gone, I looked down at my new wristwatch. I pressed the button and the shield spiraled out to full size. Hammered into the bronze were pictures in Ancient Greek style, scenes from our adventures this summer. There was Annabeth slaying a Laistrygonian dodgeball player, me fighting the bronze bulls on Half-Blood Hill, Tyson riding Rainbow toward the Princess Andromeda, the CSS Birmingham blasting its cannons at Charybdis. I ran my hand across a picture of Tyson, battling the Hydra as he held aloft a box of Monster Donuts.

Leo and Hephaestus both whistled at thee craftsmanship, ideas already dancing in their heads.

I couldn't help feeling sad. I knew Tyson would have an awesome time under the ocean. But I'd miss everything about him—his fascination with horses, the way he could fix chariots or crumple metal with his bare hands, or tie bad guys into knots. I'd even miss him snoring like an earthquake in the next bunk all night.

"Hey, Percy."

I turned.

Annabeth and Grover were standing at the top of the sand dune. I guess maybe I had some sand in my eyes, because I was blinking a lot.

"Tyson ..." I told them. "He had to ..."

"We know," Annabeth said softly. "Chiron told us."

"Cyclopes forges." Grover shuddered. "I hear the cafeteria food there is terrible! Like, no enchiladas at all."

Everybody laughed and Grover turned red ''it's true.''

Annabeth held out her hand. "Come on, Seaweed Brain. Time for dinner."

We walked back toward the dining pavilion together, just the three of us, like old times.

A storm raged that night, but it parted around Camp Half-Blood as storms usually did. Lightning flashed against the horizon, waves pounded the shore, but not a drop fell in our valley. We were protected again, thanks to the Fleece, sealed inside our magical borders.

Still, my dreams were restless. I heard Kronos taunting me from the depths of Tartarus: Polyphemus sits blindly in his cave, young hero, believing he has won a great victory. Are you any less deluded? The titan's cold laughter filled the darkness.

The gods shifted in their seats; not liking the almost foreboding feeling they got ''you'll want to pay attention to this part'' Thalia instructed- speaking mainly to her father who gulped.

Then my dream changed. I was following Tyson to the bottom of the sea, into the court of Poseidon. It was a radiant hall filled with blue light, the floor cobbled with pearls. And there, on a throne of coral, sat my father, dressed like a simple fisherman in khaki shorts and a sun bleached T-shirt. I looked up into his tan weathered face, his deep green eyes, and he spoke two words: Brace yourself.

I woke with a start.

There was a banging on the door. Grover flew inside without waiting for permission. "Percy!" he stammered. "Annabeth ... on the hill ... she ..."

The look in his eyes told me something was terribly wrong. Annabeth had been on guard duty that night, protecting the Fleece. If something had happened—

I ripped off the covers, my blood like ice water in my veins. I threw on some clothes while Grover tried to make a complete sentence, but he was too stunned, too out of breath. "She's lying there ... just lying there ..."

''You thought it was me'' Annabeth mumbled ''that's why you looked so panicked when you got to the hill.''

Percy pressed a kiss to her head, a ghost of that same panic rising in him at the memory ''do you blame me?''

''No'' she said, putting a hand to his cheek ''I'd have felt the same.''

I ran outside and raced across the central yard, Grover right behind me. Dawn was just breaking, but the whole camp seemed to be stirring. Word was spreading. Something huge had happened. A few campers were already making their way toward the hill, satyrs and nymphs and heroes in a weird mix of armor and pajamas.

I heard the clop of horse hooves, and Chiron galloped up behind us, looking grim.

"Is it true?" he asked Grover.

Grover could only nod, his expression dazed.

I tried to ask what was going on, but Chiron grabbed me by the arm and effortlessly lifted me onto his back. Together we thundered up Half-Blood Hill, where a small crowd had started to gather.

I expected to see the Fleece missing from the pine tree, but it was still there, glittering in the first light of dawn. The storm had broken and the sky was bloodred.

"Curse the titan lord," Chiron said. "He's tricked us again, given himself another chance to control the prophecy."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"The Fleece," he said. "The Fleece did its work too well."

We galloped forward, everyone moving out of our way. There at the base of the tree, a girl was lying unconscious. Another girl in Greek armor was kneeling next to her.

Blood roared in my ears. I couldn't think straight. Annabeth had been attacked? But why was the Fleece still there?

''You can never think straight when Annabeth is involved'' Nico stated matter of factly and Percy decided not to answer- knowing it was true anyway.

The tree itself looked perfectly fine, whole and healthy, suffused with the essence of the Golden Fleece.

"It healed the tree," Chiron said, his voice ragged. "And poison was not the only thing it purged."

Then I realized Annabeth wasn't the one lying on the ground. She was the one in armor, kneeling next to the unconscious girl. When Annabeth saw us, she ran to Chiron. "It... she ... just suddenly there ..."

Her eyes were streaming with tears, but I still didn't understand. I was too freaked out to make sense of it all. I leaped off Chiron's back and ran toward the unconscious girl. Chiron said: "Percy, wait!"

I knelt by her side. She had short black hair and freckles across her nose. She was built like a long-distance runner, lithe and strong, and she wore clothes that were somewhere between punk and Goth—a black T-shirt, black tattered jeans, and a leather jacket with buttons from a bunch of bands I'd never heard of.

Zeus and Jason were both riveted by the words- soaking in every detail about Thalia's return that they could.

She wasn't a camper. I didn't recognize her from any of the cabins. And yet I had the strangest feeling I'd seen her before...

"It's true," Grover said, panting from his run up the hill. "I can't believe ..."

Nobody else came close to the girl.

''We were scared ok'' Travis defended and Connor nodded in agreement.

I put my hand on her forehead. Her skin was cold, but my fingertips tingled as if they were burning.

"She needs nectar and ambrosia," I said. She was clearly a half-blood, whether she was a camper or not. I could sense that just from one touch. I didn't understand why everyone was acting so scared.

''Thanks kelp head'' Thalia said, truly meaning the words- who knew how long she would've lay there if Percy hadn't tried to help.

''Anytime pinecone face.''

I took her by the shoulders and lifted her into sitting position, resting her head on my shoulder.

"Come on!" I yelled to the others. "What's wrong with you people? Let's get her to the Big House."

No one moved, not even Chiron. They were all too stunned.

Then the girl took a shaky breath. She coughed and opened her eyes. Her irises were startlingly blue—electric blue.

The girl stared at me in bewilderment, shivering and wild-eyed. "Who—"

"I'm Percy," I said. "You're safe now."

"Strangest dream ..."

"It's okay."

"Dying."

"No," I assured her. "You're okay. What's your name?"

That's when I knew. Even before she said it.

The girl's blue eyes stared into mine, and I understood what the Golden Fleece quest had been about. The poisoning of the tree. Everything. Kronos had done it to bring another chess piece into play—another chance to control the prophecy.

Even Chiron, Annabeth, and Grover, who should've been celebrating this moment, were too shocked, thinking about what it might mean for the future. And I was holding someone who was destined to be my best friend, or possibly my worst enemy.

''A little bit of both really'' Thalia joked- grinning at Percy who returned it with equal fervour, thinking of their next quest and many fights.

''Pinecone face'' he said affectionately, and Annabeth laughed.

''Kelp head.''

"I am Thalia," the girl said. "Daughter of Zeus."

Ares shut the book ''that's it'' he grunted and then hobbled out of the room with the book in his hand.

''Should we go and get the book'' Katie asked and Apollo shook his head.

''He's going to read the bits he missed.''

Zeus stroked his beard before getting up ''I believe it is time for us to get dinner and retire for the evening.''

His tone brooked no argument and everyone got up to follow him.

''Percy'' Luke called, jogging to catch up with the demigod as he walked into the hall ''do you er- want to do some training?''

The blonde rubbed the back of his neck and Percy frowned, looking towards where everyone but Jason and Annabeth had already disappeared to- he really was hungry but Luke looked ready to combust.

''Fine'' he sighed, ignoring the growling of his stomach ''let's go train.''

''I'll bring you some food'' Annabeth said, stopping him before he walked away.

''I love you so much.''

She laughed, kissing him for long enough that Luke coughed and turned away ''I love you too.''

''You better'' he replied with a grin, fingering the ring on her finger before walking away to the sound of her laughter.

''What do you think Luke wants?'' Jason asked and Annabeth shifted to stare at him.

''I have no idea.''

And really, that was what worried her.

AN: THAT'S IT GUYS- TA DA! The end of another book, I hope you enjoyed this instalment and this chapter. Please read and review and let me know what you think.

A few notices:

I want to thank every single person who has reviewed, favourited, followed or even read this series- your support is so very much appreciated and welcomed and I honestly can't thank you enough.

So, before I post the next instalment a few things will be happening- namely I will be updating and reviewing the back to the past series so that the story makes more sense and grammar and language are better. But this also means that a bit of the story will be changing, anybody who has gone back and read the very first chapter of the Lightning Thief instalment will know some of these things already, and thus you might have to go back and re read some of the story so that nothing is confusing- I apologise for that.

However, this presents you all with a unique opportunity. If there was anything any of you felt was lacking or didn't particularly like in this series so far, or even a new idea you would have liked to see- now is the time to say.

If there is anything- please contact PM me or contact me on tumblr at merlinthegryffindor and I will do my best to answer any questions you may have or incorporate anything else. I will also post a notice on this story to say when Titans Curse is up and running.

Thank you and I hope you have enjoyed this so far.